luv2flyrc

My Feedback: (6)

Just finished my Carden 35% Edge and am a little concerned that it weighs in at 29lbs 13 oz.

I'm not a heavy builder, in fact the airframe is light but, i've over equipped it. Do you think I'm ok at this weight? is it typical? or should I start switching out equipment?

Here's some heavy stuff i could get rid of;

4.5" truturn spnner -swap for carbon fibre
27x10 Mejlick prop- swap for wood
Carden landing gear-swap for carbon fibre.
Twin Hitec 5735's on pull pull in SWB tray- could pull one out. Is one hitec 5735 enough servo for rudder?
2x 8411's with matchbox on each wing panel, could pull and replace with one 8611 on each panel- is this enough servo?
Redundant 4000ma Lith-ion's - could pull one and leave no redundancy
Could replace DA 100 with BME 110 and save 2lbs!?

Any thoughts appreciated

jmiracle

My Feedback: (9)

30lbs is a little on the heavy side...but it sounds like you can easily knock that down to under 29 and probably close to 28. My 35% extra weighs 28lbs with smoke and cans and still flies very very nice with plenty of power on the up-lines.

I'm running a single Hitec 5955 on rudder and ailerons with absolutely no problems....I would think you could do the same with JR 8611a's.

I would definitely dump those hitec 5735 servos....those are just heavy servo's to begin with.

I would also get rid of the 4000mah batts and switch to 2400mah....you'll still have redundancy but save almost 6oz I believe.

swapping motors sounds a bit extreme to me...but if 2lbs is worth $1000 to you....go for it!

OnTheEdge

Just go fly it. A scale is not as good of an indicator of how light a plane flies as your hands on the controls. If it flies heavy to you (which I doubt it will), start by changing out the 5735's for perhaps one 5955.

RobT

My Feedback: (17)

Leave the prop. . . it will pull better
Gear . . . personal choice, but the Stock gear will take much more abuse (I also understand some companies will no longer produce 40% carbon gear because the break too often)
Spinner . . . how much will the carbon save? Is it worth giving up the ease of the true turn? + how is your CG? Do you need to move it back
5735 . . . personally I would never use one again. Anyone want to buy one or two??
4000? Overkill! Go with 2400's
Replace the DA . . . their is no replacement for DA.

You could do a carbon tube
Is it already covered/ You could cut some holes in it.

Overall just fly it.

Rob

rc4flying

My Feedback: (21)

Hello luv2flyrc,

Believe it or not, just fly the plane. You will be surprised how light it will seem to handle in the air. My young friend's Edge turned out to be 31 lbs and that thing is a rocket with the DA 100, and I do mean a rocket. It also lands like a butterfly. There is nothing that it will not do 3D wise. Yours appears to be equipped much like his. I know guys are obsessed with weight, but the Cardens all seem to be slightly on the heavy side, and they all fly great, including the 40%ers.

rc4flying

Joe

luv2flyrc

My Feedback: (6)

Ok guys, thanks for the feedback,

seems the concensus is just go fly it as is and decide from there. The easiest weight "fixes" seem to be the batteries, the Hitec 5735 setup and the landing gear. Swapping those for lighter equip. would add up to about 25oz.

TIA

as722

My Feedback: (1)

Mine was 27.5 pounds with stock mufflers and it flew great ( still does, ny buddy now owns it.)

Albert Santiago

luv2flyrc

My Feedback: (6)

What equipment did u have in it to get it down to 27.5lbs? What scale did you check on? What type lightening did you do on the airframe?


I'm finding out through PM's that 29-30lbs is not unusual for the 35% Cardens But, I would like to know what it takes to get it down that low.

Thanks


Mike

Kevgofly

My Feedback: (2)

I would strongly recomend flying it and getting it trimmed before adding the mods you mention. The Edge flys better a little on the nose heavy side. If you put all the carbon ahead of the CG you may end up tail heavy (or not nose heavy enough may be more accurate). Don't take away your servos, the gain in wieght is not worth the risk of flutter or the loss of authority. You will be amazed how well this plane flies at your weight. Saving weight on a Carden has to be done in the early stages and well planned for so the CG is not affected (if you have to put the weight back in to fix the CG you really didn't accomplish anything but make the airframe weeker.

One place you can save a few ounces without impacting the CG is a Carbon wing tube.

Good luck,
Kev

jmiracle

My Feedback: (9)

Mike,

I would agree that 29-30lbs is not unusual for 35% Cardens....but I also don't feel it has to be that way. I have a 35% Extra that I built that weighs 28lbs +/- a few oz. I weighed it with a digital scale....nothing fancy, but I know it to be accurate enough for what I use it for.

My Extra is fairly well loaded also. It currently has installed

DA-100 on KS cans,

2 2400 Li-ion batts for RX, and 1 4400 Li-ion batt for ign/smoke/throttle servo.

I'm running a single 5955 on each aileron and rudder. 1 5945 on each elevator

I'm also using an Emcotec Mini DPSI for power distribution.

A TME smoke pump and 24oz smoke tank. (Fuel tank is 32oz)

I could easily take a full pound out of this plane by switching to standard mufflers, removing the smoke pump and tank, and changing the ign battery to a 2200mah.

I did not do any special lightening to the airframe beyond what Carden recommends on the plans. I do vacuum bag all of my foam parts which I believe allows me to use less glue when sheeting foam. I believe this is where most of the weight savings occurs.

27lbs is really very obtainable.

I'm currently building an Aerotech 35% Yak. This will have essentially the same setup as my Extra with the exception of the cans and smoke system. I have done some lightening beyond what the plans suggest. (Mostly just ditching plywood pieces where they are not needed and drilling lightening holes anywhere possible) The bare airframe (before covering) is on track to come in at 15-16lbs. I believe with a DA-100 and single Hitech 5955 servos on each surface this plane will weigh no more than 27lbs....but since it's not yet finished, it's still a bit early to say for sure.

as722

My Feedback: (1)

I didn't do anything special other than to be carefull on the amount of glue used. This airplane will come out tail heavy if you're not carefull. You can remove the 5735s and use two 8611s, remove the 4000 packs and replace them with dual 2200. This will save you over half a pound. Or better yet fly it and decide after you fly it.;

Albert Santiago

Bobby Folsom

jmiracle : Did you plan for one aileron servo by putting it mid-aileron or are you using the inside stock location? I sure would like to use only 1 aileron servo. I have the same question for the rudder. Since I don't do 3D, only IMAC Sportsman sequence, is the one 8611 enough to do a clean snap and stall/spin the plane?

Thank you for the quick response in advance.

Bobby

jmiracle

My Feedback: (9)

Bobby,

I did plan for one aileron servo. I mounted it mid-aileron just as you indicated. I also installed longer servo rails (6" I think) and a wider control horn pad to distribute the loads over more area.

The rudder servo is a typical install.....one servo connected to a tiller arm. It would be a simple matter to add a second rudder servo should you not like the response of just one.

Bobby Folsom

Thanks. I'm stuck with two aileron servos because the wing is ready except for covering. Sounds to me like 2 JR 8231 servos on each wing will be plenty. I WILL try 1 8611 on the rudder before I go to the hassle of two!!

Thanks again.

Bobby