ZNLine factory: Enigma Building
#76
Stab mounting.
Well, it's Thursday. I was very tired last night after working all of these 18 hour days, but lets get right back to work now.
The wing is on and dry, we have previously made the holes in the fuselage for the stab tube and incidence pin, the stab is completed up to the root rib, and not yet faced so now is the time to fit and mount our stab.
All we have to do is slide it onto the tube, align it with the wing, and glue the socket and pin into place. The pin will be waxed, however, so that it may be removed/replaced as needed. The pin socket will be the epoxy/microballoon mixture we lay around it. We will place some clear sticky back plastic onto the fuselage to prevent any possibility of the stab sticking in place.
Here is a photo of our sticky stuff on the fuselage with tube and pin in place.
The wing is on and dry, we have previously made the holes in the fuselage for the stab tube and incidence pin, the stab is completed up to the root rib, and not yet faced so now is the time to fit and mount our stab.
All we have to do is slide it onto the tube, align it with the wing, and glue the socket and pin into place. The pin will be waxed, however, so that it may be removed/replaced as needed. The pin socket will be the epoxy/microballoon mixture we lay around it. We will place some clear sticky back plastic onto the fuselage to prevent any possibility of the stab sticking in place.
Here is a photo of our sticky stuff on the fuselage with tube and pin in place.
#77
Good seal against the fuse.
Here we slide the stab onto the tube. We make the usual measurement between stab tips and wingtips. If the holes where drilled well then stab being fitted against the fuselage side will bring it into perfect alignment with the wing and the fuselage axis.
(SIDE NOTE: although building an F3A airplane is an endeavor in alignment and very careful procedures, an accurately cut airplane can make it very easy to align. However, one should alway check and double check alignments every time. It's wonderful to find out that no adjustments are needed before gluing; it's terrible to find out that there were adjustments needed after the glue dries)
In this case, no adjustments where necessary.
(SIDE NOTE: although building an F3A airplane is an endeavor in alignment and very careful procedures, an accurately cut airplane can make it very easy to align. However, one should alway check and double check alignments every time. It's wonderful to find out that no adjustments are needed before gluing; it's terrible to find out that there were adjustments needed after the glue dries)
In this case, no adjustments where necessary.
#78
Now take a seat
Take a seat a couple of meters behind the airplane, that is, and check wing stab alignment for parallelism in the horizontal plane.
If any adjustments are needed, now is the time to file the holes. File a tiny amount of material at a time, replacing and checking often. Take your time. If you are feeling shaky after a bad day in the office, then return the next day on this step. This is one of the times for absolute perfection.
Here is our aligned stab.
If any adjustments are needed, now is the time to file the holes. File a tiny amount of material at a time, replacing and checking often. Take your time. If you are feeling shaky after a bad day in the office, then return the next day on this step. This is one of the times for absolute perfection.
Here is our aligned stab.
#79
Now we can glue.
The stab is on and aligned. We mix up our 24 hour epoxy with some microballoon, cut some 49 gram stips of fiberglass (about 3" long by fin width wide) and start gluing. We put epoxy around the stab tube and pin, working it between the support plate and the tube. Then we lay our strip of glass cloth neatly over the tube, glassing it onto the support plate. We make a small fillet around the tube where it meets the fuselage and ensure that the waxed pin is nicely encapsulated in epoxy mix.
#80
Now the Enigma will sleep.
After the glue is in place, we place the rudder cap temporarily into position and again, check alignment. In an hour, I'll take a Coke Cola break and again, sit behind and check alignment. We will not touch the assembly for two days. I will periodically check alignment until the glue sets up or I go home for the night.
#81
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ZNLine factory: Enigma Building
Mark
Why dont you make the wing mounting bolt holes perpendicular to the wing saddle so that the mounting plate is supported by the curve of the fairings on both sides? The area there is quite strong.
Vikas
Why dont you make the wing mounting bolt holes perpendicular to the wing saddle so that the mounting plate is supported by the curve of the fairings on both sides? The area there is quite strong.
Vikas
#82
Please refer to post number 38
Vikas,
Good question.
Our jig makes our holes perfectly perpendicular to the center line of the chord. Our carbon tube wing seats drop right into this hole and there is absolutely no play in the system. This system allows a very clean finish and perfect symmetry. When finished, it looks really nice and is incredibly functional.
As for being strong enough, the epoxy/microballoon fillet actually molds into the curve below the wing saddle. The only way to remove the plate after it's glued in is to cut it in half, grind away sufficient epoxy so it does not crack the fuselage when prying it away and then grind out remaining epoxy to make room for a new plate. This procedure is done when one might want to use a new wing on the old fuselage like I will on my Majestic (I want to get rid of the flaps and just extend the ailerons).
Good question.
Our jig makes our holes perfectly perpendicular to the center line of the chord. Our carbon tube wing seats drop right into this hole and there is absolutely no play in the system. This system allows a very clean finish and perfect symmetry. When finished, it looks really nice and is incredibly functional.
As for being strong enough, the epoxy/microballoon fillet actually molds into the curve below the wing saddle. The only way to remove the plate after it's glued in is to cut it in half, grind away sufficient epoxy so it does not crack the fuselage when prying it away and then grind out remaining epoxy to make room for a new plate. This procedure is done when one might want to use a new wing on the old fuselage like I will on my Majestic (I want to get rid of the flaps and just extend the ailerons).
#83
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ZNLine factory: Enigma Building
Nice work. The techniques are very similar to PL Prods work. You should think about writing their building instuctions! The info they supply is very limited and vague (also in French). I could have used your information while building my PL Flashdance.
Thanks,
-Rob
Thanks,
-Rob
#84
Catching up
Well, it will be a couple of days before I continue on as I get the other airplanes up to the same stage. Soon we shall face the stabs, cut free the control surafces and face and hinge. We will finish up the fin interior with the antenna tube and vertical former and close it up with the rudder post. After that comes engine time.
Here is a photo series from four angles of what we have up to this point.
Here is a photo series from four angles of what we have up to this point.
#87
Direct on side view.
I posted this so you could get a feel for the side area of this fuselage. This is a whale. This airplane was specifically designed for the upcoming FAI schedules that include lots of knife edge and rolling loop manuvers. When we flew our first Enigma last summer, we could not believe the ease with which it flew knife edge loops. The one roll loop from the top is no problem for this airplane and the DZ hauls it back topside like nobody's business. Incredible combination.
The weight at this stage is 3.4 pounds. Expected finished weight is 9.6 pounds.
The weight at this stage is 3.4 pounds. Expected finished weight is 9.6 pounds.
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ZNLine factory: Enigma Building
Thats one fat dolphin!!!!!!!!!!:-),
Definately a whale, hehe.
But if it flies good, who cares what it looks like?
The fuse area on the enigma would be gettting up close to that of its wing area wouldn't it?
By the way, great work Mark, I am loving this thread.
Its nice to see how people in the "know" do things.
Is there any plans of an A.A version of the Enigma?
Seems as though it would be a perfect candidate for conversion.
Imagine the slow speed knife edge performance with an oversized rudder and further aft C.G!!!!!!!!!
Definately a whale, hehe.
But if it flies good, who cares what it looks like?
The fuse area on the enigma would be gettting up close to that of its wing area wouldn't it?
By the way, great work Mark, I am loving this thread.
Its nice to see how people in the "know" do things.
Is there any plans of an A.A version of the Enigma?
Seems as though it would be a perfect candidate for conversion.
Imagine the slow speed knife edge performance with an oversized rudder and further aft C.G!!!!!!!!!
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ZNLine factory: Enigma Building
Hi Mark
I have checked out ZNlines web site but I cannot find anything regarding how much one of these Pro built planes would cost.
Did I miss it on the web site or is it one of these case "If you need to ask you cant afford it"?
I much would one of planes cost?
Mike
I have checked out ZNlines web site but I cannot find anything regarding how much one of these Pro built planes would cost.
Did I miss it on the web site or is it one of these case "If you need to ask you cant afford it"?
I much would one of planes cost?
Mike
#93
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building Enigma
I believe this is the most interesting thread posted in rcuniverse related with a top of the line pattern plane building.
I can hardly wait to see the stages concerning the internals of fuse such as the firewall and servo tray.
In the 2002 season we have been trying new materials and techniques by using carbon/nomex plates for these two areas in ZN Line Evolis and other new planes.
We achived outstanding success and ended up with very light planes weighing below 9.5 pounds (4280 grams).
The firewall is about 1/3 weight of the standard lite ply version and sufficiently strong to handle YS140DZ.
I can hardly wait to see the stages concerning the internals of fuse such as the firewall and servo tray.
In the 2002 season we have been trying new materials and techniques by using carbon/nomex plates for these two areas in ZN Line Evolis and other new planes.
We achived outstanding success and ended up with very light planes weighing below 9.5 pounds (4280 grams).
The firewall is about 1/3 weight of the standard lite ply version and sufficiently strong to handle YS140DZ.
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ZNLine factory: Enigma Building
Ryan,
The Flashdance is basically the Excellence/IAM. The main difference from the Excellence is that the wing is moved back about 45mm and the stab moved forward 35mm. The IAM version which is really Quique's, has the same mods but the wing is lowered slightly. PL do not really endorse lowering the wing. Another mod the Flashdance has is that there is alot of carbonfibre/lite kvelar reinforcements under the sheeting on the wings and stab in the high stress areas (wing tube etc). This is for all those crazy 'artistic' patterns. (of course the control surfaces are all bigger/longer).
I do not have any pics as of yet.
-Rob
The Flashdance is basically the Excellence/IAM. The main difference from the Excellence is that the wing is moved back about 45mm and the stab moved forward 35mm. The IAM version which is really Quique's, has the same mods but the wing is lowered slightly. PL do not really endorse lowering the wing. Another mod the Flashdance has is that there is alot of carbonfibre/lite kvelar reinforcements under the sheeting on the wings and stab in the high stress areas (wing tube etc). This is for all those crazy 'artistic' patterns. (of course the control surfaces are all bigger/longer).
I do not have any pics as of yet.
-Rob
#95
OK, the airplanes are all caught up
Now I shall remove the stabs for facing. Nothing hard about this at all. I weigh my Le pieces and tip pieces. First I put on my oversized LEs, then after about an hour I cut them down, sanded them even and glued on the tips. Again, Titebond is used.
Here are two pair sitting in their holders.
Here are two pair sitting in their holders.
#96
After it dries.
When it's all dry, I remove the tape. Tonight, I'm just going to knock the LE and tips down even with the sheeting. I'll have a sanding party later to round LEs and shape tips of both the stabs and wings. That is a solid days work to shape ten stab LEs and twenty tip. The tips are all shaped before cutting away the control surafces. We feel that doing shaping the tip as a hole piece results in a more even blending between wing/aileron and stab/elevator tips.
Again, here is the stab evened out.
Again, here is the stab evened out.
#97
Wing bolt washer
Not difficult, just tedious work. It's small work, but done well adds greatly to the overall professional appearance of the airplane. I'm going to spend a few posts on this showing two methods. I prefer the method of gluing the washer to the tube before even moutning the wing, but as we needed to get wings mounted and did not have our light ply carbon laminate for the washers, we had to mount some washers after the tube was in. Either way gives great results. The first method is easier.
As I have already gone through the tube preperation earlier, I'll just show the washer stage of the process.
In this first picture, we glue the washer (carbon face up) to the tube using a 6mm bolt as our guide jig. CA works great here.
As I have already gone through the tube preperation earlier, I'll just show the washer stage of the process.
In this first picture, we glue the washer (carbon face up) to the tube using a 6mm bolt as our guide jig. CA works great here.
#99
Cut the bevel into the wing
A Dremel tool with a flat cutting stone easily cuts a shallow, flat bevel into the wing. It should be perpendicular to the hole. Be careful to get it as close as possible, but don't go crazy, A nice light mixture of epoxy and microballoon will fill any remaining gaps and put a beautiful fillet around the washer.
Here is the cut bevel.
Here is the cut bevel.