kregan

I will be building 2 Carden 40% Extra 300's over the winter.
One plane will be for myself and the other for a good friend
of mine.

This will be my first giant scale build, but with the guidence
of a few great build threads I think I can handle it.

My main influence will be Walt's build threads on another site.
Although I do not know Walt, I understand he is a nice person
and his work looks fantastic.

OK lets get started.

kregan

First thing I need to do was build a real table to replace
an existing one in my shop.

I decided to build a torsion box table out of 3/4 MDF that
is 3 feet wide and 8 feet long.

Something like this without the base cabinets:
http://thewoodwhisperer.com/?p=196

kregan

With the table complete I have started work on the
fuse sides. I set up a pair of straight edges to build
the frame.

kregan

I knew I was going to need an accurate way to sand the
edges of all the 3/8" square stock so I decided to build
a sanding jig.

I used 1x8 PVC boards to construct the base and the slide.
I used a scrap aluminum bar and mitered the ends to form
a pointer.

I milled down the section of the slide were the sand paper
would fit and made a couple of clamps for the sand paper
out of aluminum angle.

I screw the base to my other work table. It works great!

kregan

After finishing up one side of the frame I spent some
time on the lightening holes for the wing tube sockets.

The stacks consists of 4 pieces, 2 for each kit.

That is it after one evening and one day.
More soon!

ibow24

My Feedback: (10)

Nice work. This will be a nice build thread to follow.
I built 2 Cuda's at one time. It wasn't as easy as I thought it would be. I thought it would be easy to go through each step of the build at the same time for both planes but you ending needing twice as many clamps, twice as much building board space and so on.
Things like gluing up all the foam skins and cutting motorbox pieces as you are doing is the one place where it did make sense to do them together.

Walt builds one heck of a nice looking plane from what I followed on this and other sites. You would do well by following his work.
I have a couple build threads on here....not sure I would follow my own work though
and there are plenty of other build threads also. You can learn something from all of them even if it's to learn what NOT to do.

DO:
1. take your time, measure twice, three and four times before cutting or drilling.
2. while scratching your head go to the computer and search the threads for whatever it is you're scratching your head over.
3. have LOTS of masking tape on hand
4. take lots of pictures along the way to post here.
Don't Do:
1. Don't let your dog sneak into your shop while foam is being skinned and curing. I think mine liked the smell of poly glue and tore into the top deck of the Yak I'm building. I wasn't sure what happened until I found him with balsa glued to his coat.
2. stab yourself in the thigh with the hobby knife you picked up by mistake when you thought you grabbing a screwdriver (thing bled for the three days)

I'm sure there are many more to list for both do's and don'ts ....just enjoy the build, They are great kits to build
Steve

kkling77

My Feedback: (16)

Looking good so far! I just happen to be the lucky one that gets the second 300. Kelly, you've already done more work just building the table than I would ever like to do!!

SunShyne

My Feedback: (68)

lookin good so far, wanna build me a 40% CAP?

DrDeath

My Feedback: (3)

I just want to fly one of them [>:]. Maybe I can fly the Radiocraft when you finish your Carden

DD

kregan

Thank's guys,

Ibow24:

Thank's for the tips. I figure building 2 Cardens for my first
GS build is like having twins.... if you have twins first you don't
know how easy it with just one.


KKling:
Yea, but you delivered the wax paper!

DrDeath:
Your 50 cc will be up for sale if you do !

Diablo:
Go for it.


One pair of frames built. Third frame started.

DMichael

My Feedback: (5)

I guess you'd know about that.....

I am probably heading down to RC Showcase tomorrow- let me know if you need anything.....

BBW Walt

My Feedback: (11)

Looks top shelf so far. I hope you have a gymnasium to build in. 2 of these puppys is going to consume some major shop real estate. Looks good..Walt

kregan

Thank you Walt.... I have a little overflow space to store
pieces as they are completed, but you are right....
This thing is BIG!

I neglected to mention in the first post that Dave Michael
lives close by and is offering his guidance as well. Dave's
300 is featured on the Carden web site.

I now have 2 pair of frames glued up!

Next I will be working on the motor box's, laying out and
cutting the lightening holes.

Here are pictures of the frames and the motor box parts
before cutting any lightening holes.

Look at all that foam under the bench that need to be
sheeted! That doesn't include the main wings.

kpm

Kelly,

Thanks for directing me here. This will be an interesting thread to follow. Wow. I cannot wait to see you guys bringing both of these to the field. I am really impressed with what is going on. great job!

KF3CW

My Feedback: (4)

Kelly,

You Da' Man!! Everything I've ever seen you build is definitely TOP SHELF!! I know Kurt realizes that he is one "lucky guy" to have you build his. That will be real neat when you and Kurt get them out to the field together and start entering the IMAC contests together next year!! AWESOME WORK from a "True Master Builder". I am going to sit back and enjoy the build thread. Papa K

kregan

Keith, your gonna make me blush.... OK not really!

I spent many hours on the lightening holes today. I laid
out the holes using pictures from the other build threads
and checking over the plans to make sure I wasn't removing
material were I needed to attach other parts.

Once I was happy with it started drilling and milling.

I could not lighten F1 today, Dave I need the motor template
before you leave this weekend. We will be using ZDZ Super
160's on both planes.

I couldn't resist doing a dry fit to look things over

Kaos1964

My Feedback: (12)

Looks fantastic so far.

Here's a little trick I did on my Edge motorbox. If you're planning on "plugging" the bottom cutouts on the motorbox - I don't like just slapping on some balsa covers after all that lightening so to keep things clean I inlaid mine with some 1/16 balsa reinforcements. Nice clean look but kind of a PITA to do. Hopefully the pics will make this clear...


Great work!

kregan

Kaos... I see what you mean, that looks nice!

Slow progress today...

I spent most of my time scratching my head. I had planned on sheeting
the stabs but I had to make the servo mounts, then choose the servo
location and then mark it out for routing.

Here is the confusing part, there is no left or right stab but the shuck all have
a down side so when you mark one left and one right then the down side
of one shuck is up. so you have makes indicating up and down but that is
not top and bottom or is that left and right???

Anyway, after messing around and trying to mark out the servo locations
I gave up and made a template out of paper. I then cut out the servo
location and it is a simple matter of flipping the paper to the correct side,
laying it on the wing and marking the servo location.

Both servo mounts are in place and the glue is drying. I also glued in the
wing tube.

Tomorrow I hope to sheet the stabs.

ibow24

My Feedback: (10)

The DOWN marking on the shuck is very important.
The DOWN side on the foam shucks is the side the goes DOWN when the foam parts are curing under weight.
When the foam cores are cut they true one side of the shucks so it is flat. You put that side down so as not to impart
any warp into the core you are sheeting.

Steve

kregan

Thank's Steve,

I had read about the trued face (down side) of the shuck, what
threw me off was no left or right panel. I kept thinking of down
as the bottom of the wing, when in fact down is only the bottom
of the wing for one side.

airborneSGT

My Feedback: (15)

Who makes that vertical milling machine? That is something I certainly need. Very nice build. I am in the process of a Carden Cap re-build.

ibow24

My Feedback: (10)

understood...the "down" thing had me going for awhile too on my first build.... I thought... HEY!!!...I got TWO left stabs what the ???

Steve

kregan

SGT,
The mill is a "JET" knee mill/drill, picture below.

I sheeted one pair of stabs this morning. I used floor tiles I had
left over from another project as weight. 4 tiles = 13 pounds,
I used 2 stacks of 20 tiles on each stab. That is about 130
pounds per stab. That seems like a good amount.

For the main wings I am figuring 300 pounds of weight, is that
enough for one main wing panel?

This evening I made up the rest of the servo mounts I will need
for the rest of the wings. Later tonight I will prep the other pair
of stabs and get the sheeting ready to glue tomorrow.

Sam,
I added the picture of the raw foam cores for you and anyone that
has never seen what comes in the kit.

Also, only the 1/4" x 1/2" basswood servo rails are included, you
have to fabricate the ply parts if you want them.

airborneSGT

My Feedback: (15)

Goodness that is the shop setup I need. I had seen those milling machines on Ebay for a good deal.

Keep up the good work! Inspiring me to start scratch building.

kregan

Second pair of stabs ready for sheeting.

More detailed pictures of the wing tube socked install
and the servo pocket prep.