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needing help with Starmax F5e mods - 11/9/2009 10:04 AM   
Wizzard033



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From: Lubbock, TX, USA
Status: offline 		I have an assembled F5e Tigershark from Starmax and I want to strengthen the wing by adding a spar and I would also like to strengthen the retract mounting location with CF/FG. I'm in the process of upgrading the electronics and making proformace mods as a learning experiance. I'm using this F5 as a stepping stool to move on to more advanced EDFs. I am looking for some advice on installing CF spars with the wings already attached and with strenghting the landing gear mounts and actually with any aspect that could help me move on my way toward piloting 150+mph EDFs. I'm interested in a Tamjet F16.

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RE: needing help with Starmax F5e mods - 11/10/2009 3:51 AM   
wind junkie



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Status: offline 		You're talking about the large Hobby Lobby Starmax F5, correct? It normally runs on a 4S 2200 pack?

It would be pretty difficult to put a spar inside without taking the wings off. Here are some pics of how I did mine (before assembly).

The retracts they give you are pretty flimsy and not really worth reinforcing they really need upgrading. Some have had luck by replacing with Easytiger units which are a drop-in fit, or going with Great Planes.

This plane is so large (and draggy) that upgrading for speed really isn't worth it. You can get better vertical but it will never really be fast. If you want to see "the ultimate" setup, go to RC Groups and search the latest F5 thread for author "RemE". He has done the best upgrade I've seen on that plane.



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RE: needing help with Starmax F5e mods - 11/10/2009 6:20 AM   
Wizzard033



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Status: offline 		Thanx I'll check that out!

Did you use a fixture to make the hole in the fuse or just freehand? I was considering cutting through the fuse and wings 1/8th wide and securing a 20"X1/4"X1/8" carbon laminate with some 30 min epoxy.

< Message edited by Wizzard033 -- 11/10/2009 6:45 AM >

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RE: needing help with Starmax F5e mods - 11/10/2009 3:18 PM   
wind junkie



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Status: offline 		A blade spar would probably work ok if you anchor it well everyplace with lots of glue. I think a round spar although less efficent for the same cross section is easier to position due to the ability to accurately locate it with a simple drilling action. I also have a good supply of half broken kite spars so the choice to use a round rod was easy for me.

I found it was very easy to make the hole freehand using a long drill bit and entering from each side of the fuselage after carefully measuring the entry points. The hole just "kisses" the surface of the inside of the duct and due to the drilling action it flakes up some bits of foam on the inside as the drill goes through. I found it was easy to remove foam flakes and smooth the duct later on so there is no obstruction added by my carbon rod in the end product. I made the initial hole slightly smaller than the rod and finished with a rat tail file to get the perfect position and hole size. Since there really isn't a lot of foam removal in the fuse it didnt' take long.

A dremel router was used on the wings. Depth isn't as critical due to use of expanding gorilla glue which fills gaps well. I was careful to preserve the slight dihedral angle during layout and curing of the glue mostly by just making sure the glue didn't push the spar out as it foamed up a 10 minute process per wing half and it was done.

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RE: needing help with Starmax F5e mods - 11/16/2009 6:09 PM   
Wizzard033



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Status: offline 		I used a dremel with a 2.3mm x 5.6mm x 610mm carbon strip for my spar and I used 30minute epoxy to secure it. It seems to work well although it did remove some of the dihedral. That will change some of the charicteristics of it but I don't think it will too awful.

Any thoughts on this?



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RE: needing help with Starmax F5e mods - 11/16/2009 8:15 PM   
wind junkie



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Status: offline 		The full scale F5 doesn't have that much dihedral. It's mostly for looks I think.

I didn't like the wing flex I saw in turns during the demo videos which was the only reason I added my spar.

It's hard to tell by your pics but it seems fine. AS long as there isn't any anhedral you won't notice the diff in flying beyond the stock config.

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RE: needing help with Starmax F5e mods - 11/18/2009 12:29 AM   
Wizzard033



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Status: offline 		I saw the F5 I have fly but have never flown it myself. I wanted to improve some of the known issuse with it first such as the gear and wing flex. it flew three times and the flex was bad. It now has virtualy no dihedral but certainly not any anhedral. I'm now removing matterial with my dremel to bolster the main gear mounting location as others have done with some light ply, epoxy, and glass.

Thanks for the advise and if you have any other mods that are a must aside from replacing all the electrics, then I would be thankful. I am already going to try a 100A Castle controler, a 10A BEC, wemo fan, and js 1400. Do you have any experiance with the "ice" controlers? I like the idea of data logging and I'd like to use one to gain a better understanding of EDFs and get the most from my hobby.

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RE: needing help with Starmax F5e mods - 11/18/2009 8:14 AM   
wind junkie



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Status: offline 		That's about all I know. Be careful when taking off in a crosswind. The main gear are notorious for collapsing and the nose gear steering is horrible for the stock setup.

I'm waiting for an ICE 50 lite myself.

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RE: needing help with Starmax F5e mods - 11/23/2009 8:06 AM   
Wizzard033



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Status: offline 		I made the maiden flight on my Swiss F5e this afternoon. It was very nerve racking as I've never flown a jet.

The wind was about 5mph head wind no cross and very steady thankfully. I didn't do anything other than trim my controls and try to get a feel for the handling. I have it balanced at 705mm and it still seemed very pitch sensitive. I had three rates set up. but flew with the center rates at 113mm and 35% expo on all surfaces. I also had low rates at half that but they didn't seem to have much authority at any throttle setting so I was forced to fly on the center rate. The high rate I think is not even usefull to me until I improve my skills.

I had the sun in my eyes during part of my paterns. I flew for about four minutes and decided to land and check the temps on my Hong Kong batteries. I made a few aproaches trying to find the best speed to get it down when on my last down wind leg of the landing pattern (at aproximately 40') I flew right by the sun and unintentionally rolled into a knife edge. When I corrected I rolled in the wrong direction and was inverted and the plane dove at the ground. I quickly rolled and tried to level off but ended up in the weeds. It knocked off one of the crap main gear and did some minor rash type damage to the wings but it's relatively minor and i hope to fly again on Turkey day assuming i can repair my damage quickly.

Any advice would be helpful.

@ wind junkie - Thanks for all the help and for sending me over to that F5e thread with RemE's F5e build. He has an incredible model and has done all the footwork already. I've already implemented several of his mods and I plan to continue to mod my own in his footsteps.

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RE: needing help with Starmax F5e mods - 11/23/2009 4:21 PM   
wind junkie



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Status: offline 		Sorry to hear about your mishap Wizzard. Maybe the best thing about these styro jets is they're easy to repair with some scraps of pink or blue insulation. Just gorilla glue back into place, carve and sand. Use the amber colored gorilla glue. Elmers "Ultimate" glue is equivelent. Both expand a little more (good for gap filling) and sand easily. The white gorilla glue doesn't sand easily at all though it does cure quickly. Fill with spackle as needed, prime and paint.

I've been having good luck with Fusion H20 primer. It goes onto foam well and makes a good base for painting. The most difficult part for me is matching the paint color afterward.

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RE: needing help with Starmax F5e mods - 11/24/2009 5:02 AM   
Wizzard033



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Status: offline 		I've never seen that Fusion. I'll tyr it out. I planned to repaint anyway I just wanted to get a good feel for the plane and to finish up most of myt mods before I did. Now afte rflying and noticing how easy i could lose orientation I plan to step up the new paint scheme. I haven't decided on witch but it's a toss up between the "Mig 28" and a desert agressor schemes.

I have found I like the gorrila glue it works very well.

Any tips on control surface throws? I have 113mm and 35% expo on all surfaces and it seemed sensitive. should I add expo or reduce the overall throw? I was thinking about changing to 50 or 65% and possibly another with one of my three way switches. I have a Futaba T9CHP if it has any bearing on the matter

< Message edited by Wizzard033 -- 11/24/2009 5:33 AM >

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RE: needing help with Starmax F5e mods - 11/24/2009 5:20 AM   
wind junkie



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Status: offline 		I got my terms mixed. I meant Krylon H20 "prime coat" not Fusion. Fusion is meant for plastics and can be used afterward.

I haven't tried the H20 colors, but have stayed away from them based on experience of others. I have good resuls with airbrushing Testors, Tamiya Floquil paints on top of the primer. Krylon Fusion or regular spray for large areas.



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RE: needing help with Starmax F5e mods - 12/2/2009 8:46 PM   
Wizzard033



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Status: offline 		I looked and I'm not sure witch Krylon you are referring too. I found the Krylon "Fusion" but I don't see "H20" is that a name or do I need to read the ingredients?

I think I'm going to try Parma Faskolor. It's actually made for polycarbonate bodies but it's water based and will come out with a flat finish. It also smells like Elmer's glue when sprayed so air brushing indoors isn't bad.

< Message edited by Wizzard033 -- 12/3/2009 6:31 AM >

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RE: needing help with Starmax F5e mods - 12/3/2009 7:22 AM   
wind junkie



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Status: offline 		I got a few cans last year at Walmart (called just H2O "prime coat") and the label didn't say anything about being latex, but all the searches I do now seem to imply the H20 paint primer is latex. I don't know if they changed the formula.

It probably doesn't matter as long as the primer sands well. Latex is normally flexible (good for foam) but I'm wondering how latex sands if indeed it is latex primer. Sanding "rubber" isn't normally a good thing.

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