D.E.

Next


#1 Screw motor to mount.

#2 Install spinner to front of motor then I use some 1/32 spacers between spinner and nose ring of fuse. Use some thin CA to tack spacers and spinner in place. Next slide the firewall to the back of the motor mount make sure the motor is in the right position and use thin CA to glue mount to firewall.

#3 Next pullspinner off and motor out ( I slide a razor bladebetween shim and fuse to break loose ) And then finagel and swear until mountand firewall come out.

#4 Drill holes for bolts and blind nuts.

D.E.

Forgot pics I am getting tired.

D.E.

Next,

#1 Install bolts and blindnuts.

#2 CA blindnuts and then reinstall all and tack spinner back in place.

#3 Make sure that you sanded the glue area inside fuse before all of this so you get a good bond. Mix some epoxy and ground glass that you got from Aircraft Spruce and put a good amount in back of firewall to form a nice glue joint.

#4 Stand it in a corner until dry.

That is all for this weekend hope you enjoyed, Now get busy on your projects!

Dave E.

kommander

D.E. I don't understand the fuselage joining process. Are you relying on the wetted out 6oz. cloth to join the 2 halves together? What insures that the joint is good with no air pockets? Thanks

D.E.

Hello kommander,

Not exactly, Right now when I join since I do it after ithe halves dry I sand both sides down about a half inch and then I brush a little epoxy on where I sanded both halves then I pre wet my strips of 6 oz. and put it down in the pre weted halves. I then mix up some cab-o-sil and epoxy and put a tiny bead all the way around and carefully " slide " the two halves together. The wetted out 6 oz gets sucked into the epoxy on the opposite half like a magnet.

I am working on a joggle tool for the mold to make the seams that is the way the high performance glider guys do it and it is much tougher. I wont be abel to finish that until after the June basin race so we will just have to suffer through it until then.

I am planning on having four or five of these ready to sell before the champ race in Nov. will keep you posted.

Dave E.

Fly Fast n Left

Dave,
Great thread! I really enjoy watching your work. Are you planning on having one of those ready for Whittier in a few weeks?

Jacob

flyngfrog

I'm really impressed! I really must to try this. I understand you made a first fuse and used it to make the mold. But Can you explain on how to making the plug and the mold?
thanks,

D.E.

Flyngfrog,


I think that I have a bunch of pics of when I did the splitter board and mold for my wing that I could post if you or anyone else would like to see let me know.

Wing this weekend, Dave E.

blindfaithnogod

i would love to see those.

paero-RCU

My Feedback: (14)

Me Too!!!

flyngfrog

Yes D.E., please post them so we can have the entire proccess and start a plug. Thanks.

regards,

Jose

D.E.

flyngfrog,

I did look at the splitter board/ mold post.

D.E.

D.E.

Hello all,

Well the third of three fuselages is in the mold and the first set of wing skins are in the vacuum bag. I will post some stuff tonite.

I have to be on my best behavior as it seems that some of the molding gurus from RC groups composite fabrication are keeping an eye on me. In my opinion that is the best composite groupgoing. They really took the time to steer me somewhat in the right direction. The first one of these I built was several ounces overweight and with there help now they are to the point where I need to add a little weight. There are alot of high performance glider guys over there that build coplicated works of art. Go there and check out the build thread of the Sniper and you will see what I mean. I would post a link but dont know how.

More later
Dave E.

D.E.

OK I have the first wing in the mold drying so I will put some pics in here
. I got kind of busy and did not take to many new photos of the wing lay up but I have alot from an earlier wing so here goes.

First I make some wing skins from 1/16 balsa I have a template to make them the correct shape. Next I bevel the edges so that they dont keep the mold halves from closing completly.

Make sure they fit.

D.E.

Next,

Cut all of the material, The lay up I use is in order.

1. A full layer of 1.4 oz glass
2. On the bottom a 12 inch wide 1.4 oz. doubler in the center and a 3 inch wide one in the center of the top.
3. On the top a 13 inch by 3/4 inch 1.7 oz strip of kevlar for the aileron hinge.
4. On the top and bottom a1inch wide strip of 1/2 oz carbon mat full lengthat the trailing edge.
5.A 3 inch wide 1.4 oz glass doubler at each wing tip.
6. The balsa skins go in next.
7. a 1/2 inch wide .014 thousands thick carbon laminate strip to be used as a spar cap top and bottom. ( make sure to measure carefully from the leading edge to the front ofthe strip so they are in the same location top and bottom )
8. A final complete layer of 3/4 oz. glass goes in.
9. Then to prep for the vaccum bag a layer of release film / peel ply.
10. And a layer of breather cloth.

After all of that place in a vaccum bag ( I just use some painters plastic drop clothwith a bead of Tub and Tile caulk around edgefor a seal )Leave invaccum until dry.

D.E.

Here is one in the bag this is when I only put 1 half in at a time now I do both at same time.

D.E.

Next,

Time for the main spar. Measure from a straight edge to the center and record your measurement by writing it on wing. Dont to forget to subtract the thicknes of the straight edge. Then measure in the same way at the tip end of your spar. Mine stops around 2 inches from the tip.

D.E.

Next,

Add the measurements at the center from the top and bottom half together and transfer that to a piece of tape stuck to you bench. Do the same for the tip connect the two and that is your spar for one side of the wing. Repeat for other side.

Then carefully mark on a piece of balsa to end up with your vertical grain pieces. Glue them together against a straight edge and complete your two halves. I use 3/8 inch balsa.

D.E.

Next,

Position your spar pieces over the carbon laminate strips and glue some triangle stock to hold them verticaly do not glue the triangle stock to the vertical grain balsa as this needs to be installed and removed several times.

D.E.

Next is ailerons,

Mark out the ailerons on both sides top and bottom
mine are 8 1/2 inches from the tip and are 12 inches long x 1 1/4 inches deep. Then I draw a line 1/4 inch in front of and behind the hinge line and 1/2 inch past the aileron edge. measure as you did the main spar to make a spreader to go in frot of and behind the aileron hinge line.

Bend up some torque rods out of 1/8 music wire and coat them with some candle wax.

D.E.

Next,

Taper the end of the torque rod that goes into the aileron so it will not interfere with the mold halves when closed.

In the top half of the mold cut the wood away from the aileron hinge line like we did in the stabilizer to the kevlar. Then tack the aileron torque rods in place I raise them up about 1/16 of an inch to allow the epoxy mix to get all the way around the torque rod later.

D.E.

A little break to show progress on the goal three for the basin,

One for Dave Shadel.
One for Dave Lloyd.
One for me.

aseaholm

My Feedback: (1)

Dave,
Please e-mail me at [email protected]. Need a photo from you.

Thanks.

garys

Dave,
Did you get the stab and firewall I sent to you?
GS

D.E.

Gary,

Yes I did, I also got my radio had to sign up for some night classes at the college to figure out how to use it.

Maybe you could splain to me how you do your fuel shutoff it looks pretty cool.

I will post more stuff on build tomorrow.

Dave E.