ram3500-RCU

My Feedback: (221)

I'm a little Leary of these "social media" sites as it seems they are being manipulated by their reators and employees. Text, email, and phone calls are still best IMO.

On another subject, my brother has taken the time to put together a collection of construction and completion pictures on a single storage device. Disk or memery stick. There a couple thousand pictures of our Corsair builds. Would anyone be interested in a copy for the cost of the disk or stick and the shipping? Just feeling out the desire for such a thing.

Darkbird

My Feedback: (7)

I just might be, odds are I'll never have the funds to do one of these myself, but I'd be interested just for the techniques that I've seen here. And if you bought in bulk SD cards and such can be had pretty cheaply.

IFLYBVM2

My Feedback: (360)

Hi Gary-
Will you explain what the latest version of your sliding canopy system consists of ?
I know it started out as a brass 'sled' if you will, and I have also seen a picture of what looks a different looking sled made of G-10 ? Not sure how that one connects to the brass canopy rails though ?
And lastly, I have seen pics of the Actuonix actuators in one of your versions.
Just wondering if you have settled on what method you think is best going forward. And can you please list the model number of which Actuonix actuator you used ? (There are several models, different speeds, lengths, etc.)
PS-almost forgot-would love to have a thumb drive of the pics-I think it would be an awesome reference tool going forward for us Carf Corsair guys.
Cheers-Mike O.

ram3500-RCU

My Feedback: (221)

Good question Mike. I originally wanted to use Down and Locked drivers because of the good results I have had with Mitch's products. I tried using them in on each side, much like you would air cylinders, but the problem is the common control box. If one would lag a couple turns behind (and one almost always does), when load was sensed, both would be stopped. Not good. I then came up with the "sled" system, using only one jack screw. This worked very well, but takes up a lot of real estate, is complex and time consuming to fabricate, and is fairly complex for the builder to get installed and adjusted. I wanted a simpler, less expensive, more compact electric option.

This led me to the Actuonix devises. They are each plug-and-play and have their own internal control. They mount in a location similar to the old air cylinder method taking up very little space, and require very little tinkering to get adjusted. They can be connected very easily to the slider system I already have designed with simple linkage. An anchor needs to be installed at the front, but again, not a complicated affair. With these units, when one gets a little behind, it keeps going even if the other has reached it's stopping point. It is almost impossible to get two electric motors to run in perfect sinc.

So, for those out there that would like to try these and come up with the hardware to connect them to the slider, the company is:

Acuonix Motion Devices Inc
580 Starling Lane
Victoria BC, V9E2A9
Canada

you need to type this in, clicking on it won't work

www.actuonix.com


The model you want is L16-140-35-6-R or the slightly more powerful but a little slower L16-140-63-6-R (two are required at about $70 each)

I hope this helps and please don't hesitate to post those pictures of your installs for others to benefit from.

pictures below

First picture. The "sled" is in the middle of the fuse and in the midst of all that wiring with all it's moving parts. Second picture, the rear of the new system and how it attaches to my existing rail parts. Third picture, the front anchor for the actuator.

ram3500-RCU

My Feedback: (221)

As for our building gallery set, we are doing a little more organizing and adding some more pictures and will have it available in a short while. I'll keep you posted here when we are ready to ship them out.

Thank you for the interest. I feel it will be very helpful as this thread is so large that finding things can be a chore.

BillyJ

awesome work

Craig B.

IFLYBVM2

My Feedback: (360)

Gary, I see how the Firgelli attaches to the music wire at the front, but do you happen to have a picture of how you are attaching the music wire to the brass canopy rails ?
Sorry to be such a pest, but the pics are very helpful.
Best-Mike

DrScoles

My Feedback: (18)

Mike, I used heavy braided cable and wheel collars soldered to the front of the rails. allowed for some play. It cycled about 20 times perfectly, then got jammed and bent the wires and made a mess.... have to start over.

Ken-h

My Feedback: (3)

Hey Guys,

Figured I would show mine, this setup works perfect for me. I have the actuators lined up with the rails, zero binding. I also have shown how I connected them to the rails.

operation video.

txcnguy

Nice. I used a ball link and fixed the Acutronix in two places. Always works.

IFLYBVM2

My Feedback: (360)

Hi Ken-Thanks for the reply-that is very helpful. A couple of questions :
-Is the nylon bolt actually threaded into the end of the brass rail or just glued ?
-Are the two aluminum 'L' brackets that are visible on the other end part of the unit itself or ?
-Lastly, can you tell me which part number actuator you used ? I like the speed of it.
Thanks in advance for your help-
-Mike

Ken-h

My Feedback: (3)

Mike,

The Nylon bolt is held in with a 2/56 set screw. You can see it if you look close. The "L" bracket is just something I added to support the other end. You need to make sure it's supported laterally as well. The aluminum bracket was used so I have something easily removable for maintenance if ever needed. That bracket holds a wood piece you can't see in the photo but cradles the end of the unit and the zip tie keeps in place. The actuators I used were L16-140-35-6-R from Actuonix.

Gonzalo38

Anybody has instructions for the "Down and Locked" wing folding mechanism ? Interested on knowing what voltage the system uses (can handle) and how its connected. Thanks in advance.

ram3500-RCU

My Feedback: (221)

Yes. It is best powered by the 7.4V liPo. We keep the wing battery in the wing (plenty of room) to keep the wiring short. It comes with it's own control box that is connected to it's own battery, and then connected to the RX.

ram3500-RCU

My Feedback: (221)

We install a service hatch in the bottom of the wing. In it we put the gear and retract power switches, the charging ports for same, and the air gauge and filler for the gear doors. Pictures of all this can be found in this thread.

flypilot

IFLYBVM2

My Feedback: (360)

From everything I have seen, you can expect a 8-10 lb difference (lighter, of course) with the plug in wing version. The airplane, however, does not seem to mind the extra weight, and in fact carries it quite well; there was a Top Gun example that flew in the high 60lb range if I recall, and it seemed to look about the same on landing speed.
Still, no one can argue that a lighter airframe is better in the long run.
Hope this helps-
Mike O.

flypilot

IFLYBVM2

My Feedback: (360)

The difference is in the weight of the wing mechanics, which are not light, and the related controller, and required battery to drive it. This is assuming you convert to Down And Locked electric, which most guys are doing now. The original CARF supplied hydraulic system is problematic, at best, in my opinion.
Average weight on the birds I have seen would be 55-60 lbs, assuming a full cockpit and proper scale detailing, which, in my eyes, is the only way to do one of these birds justice.
-Mike

ram3500-RCU

My Feedback: (221)

Difference is averaging about 10 lbs. The hydrolic version being more with the system and baby oil bladder. The electric version is a little lighter. Flight is the same, providing you use the correct engine. IMO, the plug in version with a Moki 215, has the same performance as the folding version with a 250. They both fly lighter than they are. Where you "feel" the weight is in the landing process.

flypilot

Thanks for the reply guys. Very good people in this thread 👍👍. I will be going for the complete electric conversion and Moki 250. What size 7.4v lipo do you recommend for both the gear and wings?

ram3500-RCU

My Feedback: (221)

BTW, our Top Gun entry, a few years back, was just north of 70lbs. It was museum scale for static, folding wing, 250 Moki, and had a complex smoke system to puff smoke out the discharge shutes as the guns were fired (couldn't perfect it) but it added at least 8lbs. The plane flew beautifully. Just missed first place with Dino as pilot, due to a couple static details. Dino was near perfect in flight scores. She was the very first CARF Corsair to be equipped with Down & Locked electric gear and wings.

ram3500-RCU

My Feedback: (221)

I agree on the contributions to the thread. As for the battery, you will indeed want to use the Lipo over A123 for the higher voltage. It makes a difference. Neither system uses much in Amp hr. A 2000 - 2500 is more than enough for several flights.

ram3500-RCU

My Feedback: (221)

Also, we put the battery in the wing to keep the wiring as short as possible.