SeamusG

Iusually asked SIGto replace a bunch of sticks and panels after the initial inspection. They were pretty good at replacing stuff free of charge. No telling how the new management will respond. I've replaced a bunch of GPsticks before my build. Luckily Ihave a "builders"LHSthat inventories decent wood. Haven't got to the fuse - that's all GPlazer cut stuff - so Idon't know how it will behave. Also, the humidity of Denver is pretty darn low (relatively) and all of this wood has had over 6 months to dry out so there shouldn't be any surprises.

When I started my build the sheeted stab and fin warped badly as Iused way too much Titebond adding a lot of water that had no where to go. I've decided to use slow CA instead of Titebond and the results have been excellent - no worries about glue-induced bends.

LargeScale88

I did have a little issue with warping of the stab when I sheeted it using the Sig Super Weld, but I just got the wood wet and weighed it down, and now it seems to be fine. Hopefully, it won't get any worse and warp again, or I'll have some problems to take care of.

Jason

SeamusG

Am Ithe only one?

My rib guide (G1) is at 90 degrees. Not 85. Not 87. It's 90 degrees. I didn't compare the angle of the rib guide with the Dihedral Braces. Had I it would have been very apparent that things are not at 90 degrees. Not a biggie - just requires some tweaking.

Also, my dihedral braces (1/16" ply) are1 7/8" wide. Imeasured the outside dimension between the main spars (top of the top to bottom of the bottom). The OD is 1 3/4". The braces are a full 1/8" wider than the distance between the 1/16" sheeting. Em, if I cut through the sheeting then the braces will fit without cutting them down.

Like I said - am Ithe only one?

BTW - I really liked the Bridi approach for building Kaos wings - a wing jig. No stand offs that break off when ya sneeze.

Grrrrr ........

frequent flyer

My Feedback: (6)

Hi guys

I just build one of these and the paint scheme I'm doing is this RED BULL , what do you think? I added yellow wing tips and checkers on the bottom outer third of the wing. I thought it help to see it better.

SeamusG

Hey FF - how ya gonna do the text? You an Ultracote or Monokote kinda guy? What's your paint of choice for the cowl? Enquiring minds are really dangerous ...

frequent flyer

My Feedback: (6)

I am painting it with automotive paint, I use a airbush and House of Kolors Paint. Its a base coat and clear coat system and very fuel proof. The lettering and graphics I have in my computer and I cut them on my vinyl cutter, and pick out the letters then spray the colors, pick out the borders to leave it white and the blue is sprayed. then the graphics and then the clear. I covered the plane with Sig koverall and two coats of dope then primer and paints.

SeamusG

FF - ya just had to say that you could do all that stuff. And I thought I had a clue.

Thx for the feedback.

LargeScale88

Well, I got some time in the shop to work on the airplane. I basically have the wing done, its just cleanup work and final sanding.

Here are some pics:
Pic 1- Gap in the sheeting
Pic 2- Balsa Scrap I used to fill gap on bottom
Pic 3- Completed Aileron!

LargeScale88

Morepics:

Pic 1- Of course, the aileron needs its finishing touches
Pic 2- I used bondo to fill in the big crack in the sheeting, here the crack, 2 pictures
Pic 3- Applied painters tape around the edge of the gap, and pushed and spread bondo into the gap
Pic 4- The Bondo!

LargeScale88

When the bondo starts to get hard, but not rock hard, peel the tape back and you have a nice edge and a nice clean line of bondo to sand off.

Pic 1- Nice clean edge
Pic 2- Finishing up LE sheeting
Pic 3- Doesn't look to bad

LargeScale88

So I've been thinking about what radio to use. I've had good success with my 2.4 radio, butI have this nice FMPCM JR radio on hand that still works good. I may use this instead of the 2.4...

LargeScale88

I'm gonna out of town again for about another week for an RC fly in, so it will be awhile before I get a chance to post anymore.

Thanks

Jason

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

Now the shop is looking impressive. Just a couple of tricks I will mention. Jason used Bondo to fill the center gap. It works. I use Light Weight Spackle. It takes longer to dry though. I do my filling just before I'm finished for the day. The next day I block sand it then run a bead of thin CA along the filler. It hardens like stone and becomes part of the wood. The other trick is, I have a lot of sheeting on hand. I don't use the provided center section sheeting. I use my own and stagger the sheets or do them in one piece length wise so there is no center gap. It makes a much stronger center section. This way I don't bother using a strip of glass to strengthen the center. I have folded a wing but the break was never close to the center. For very strong/heavy balsa I go to the craft store and get it. They sell Mid West Wood and it's a very tight grain. Not any warps or twisting with that stuff. You do pay through the nose for it though.

SeamusG

My build is just behind Jason's - but - since he's out at a fly in Ijust may catch up. I believe that build threads should point out areas that "didn't go as advertised"so that others can avoid similar problems - sooooooooooooooo ...............

It's important to make sure that the root rib be maintained on the plan line. In my case the wings were moved back and forth along the length of the main spar - I didn't pin thru the hardwood main spars. By the time I sheeted the TE from the tip rib to the root rib the root rib had moved towards the tip by 1/8". I didn't catch it until it came time to join the wing halves. Iended up using some 3/16 balsa stock to create a shim that matched the profile of the root ribs. It was cut using the original laser cut panel as a template. Not too difficult but it leaves a sheeting gap that will need to be filled. Thx to Gene's suggestion I'll keep it light with "lite spackle" and thin CA. I'm pretty anal about this sorta thing but it's on the bottom and the whole center section will be interior to the fuse.

The dihedral braces were glued up using 30-min epoxy. Everything moved along nicely. I positioned a couple of the clamps really close to the joint between the brace and the bottom sheeting. Em, the pads of the clamps ended up being epoxied to the 1/16" sheeting. Any guess who won when the clamp was removed? Fixes are needed. BTW - get everything laid out before stiring up the epoxy as things take a bit of time. My current batch of 30-min epoxy seems to gel up quicker than previous products so Ihad very little spare time - so plan ahead and make sure that ya have solvent and paper towels in easy reach.

The sheeting in front of the main spar and between the half-ribs 2B (I think) is unsupported. Ya gotta be pertty careful or this sheeting will break. I was careful - first time for everything.

The trailing edge at R1 and R2 has been sanded to a fine point. I found that just moving / positioning / verifying alignment before gluing up the dihedral braces have taken its toll and some repair will be needed.

Onward and upward - or was that down and out ...

SeamusG

I took Gene's suggestion of using a single piece of sheeting to cover the center section. OK, top only because the bottom had already been completed ...

Isealed the seams while the sheets were still fitted to the wing using blue tape. Turned to assembly over exposing the backside of the sheets, opened up the seams, and applied liberal amounts of SIGMENT. Clean the residue and then lay a piece of glass over the top creating a glass - sheeting - glass sandwich. Alittle weight and some time. Then the whole sheet will be glued in place.

LargeScale88

Hey Guys, I'm back. Gene, thanks for the suggestions. I just thought bondo was better for that spot, but it sounds like a solid center section sheet was the best, or a lighter weight filler.

The side that I had the gap on was on the side I sheeted before I mated the wing panels, so it was hard to get the gap closed up. I think by using a solid piece of center section sheeting would add strength also??

Will continue down the basement again!

Hey SeamusG: Thanks for pointing out all those areas. My build thread isn't as detailed, maybe I should start that.

There are still flaws, or maybe not flaws but areas in the kit that could have been designed a little different, but the way it is still works.

Thanks

Jason

SeamusG

Arrrgggg ...

Tripped on electrical cord, fell on nearly completed wing - nothing salvageable ...

Off to GP to order replacement wing bits.

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

[&:][&:] It happens.

LargeScale88

I'm sorry to hear that SeamusG

On the upside, I got more done on the airplane.

Pic 1: Drywall mud put on all the joints, and 95% of it will be sanded off
Pic 2: Building second aileron

LargeScale88

Hey SeamusG, when you build your new wing, do you think you could post some pictures on my thread because I didn't post many in detail pics of the wing, so maybe you can help me out a little bit?

Thanks

Jason

smithcreek

My Feedback: (25)

Almost a shame it will be completely hidden by the belly pan.

SeamusG

Jason - I'll give it a try. I had so many "fixes" in that it should be labeled "wrong way goldfarb" ...

Need to order the bits from GP. Yea, I've traced all of the ribs but reorder time will allow me to get a big chunk of my Somethin' Extra finished.

LargeScale88

I know, but I still want it to look neat..

Jason

SeamusG

Em - opportunity for the use of transparent covering

LargeScale88

LOL