wulf190

My Feedback: (19)

Let the fun begin and the balsa dust fly.....It's here. There's a real shortage of complete build threads for this plane, and I won't leave anything out in the days to follow, so anyone contemplating this build should get a load of info from the thread to follow. I encourage anyone with experience to speak up during the build. I know there's always those who love to watch!!

Empennage Gunner

My Feedback: (11)

I'm watching! I've been working on my Ziroli Mustang for about one year now...It takes time! Take lots of pictures and share frequently. Enjoy the build! ~ Wade

wulf190

My Feedback: (19)

Looks like I've run into my first question. Ribs 1 and 2 seem to have directions to insure that they are mounted at angle with rib angle pieces that I don't seem to have. I figure that these are pieces that put the two ribs at the angle of the dihedryl (4 3/4" at the tips). After eyeballing this for a while, I figured that the ribs just need to be perpendicular to the wing joiners so I put a square to it and scoped it out this way. It seems right, but there's not any dashed lines on the plans to denote that this is actually the case. Just having a time reading how it's supposed to look and cant find anything in the kit that signifies it for this purpose.....Look right?

t_burley

My Feedback: (59)

there are also no servo lead holes in the ribs. might be easier to cut
them out now, than after the ribs are all glued up

TLH101

My Feedback: (90)

Good eye Todd.
wolf, check out "Evo's Hanger" for some pics of his Bearcat build. May help out some.
http://evoshangar.homestead.com/skunkworks.html

wulf190

My Feedback: (19)

That's what I was thinking too Todd. Nothing's in there permanently yet, and I've got some good tools for the job, so no worries. Sent Evan an email on it. Seems like this is right but I'll make sure before I do any gluing here. No room for error on this joint.

Richard L.

My Feedback: (24)

Yes, let the CA fume rise and the balsa dust fly. I love Bearcat.

t_burley

My Feedback: (59)

no problem, dont want to bash your work, just looking at it and trying
to help you not make a mistake.[8D]

I would hate to have the ribs all glued into the spars and such, and than realize you
have to get those darn servo wires thru [:@]

TLH101

My Feedback: (90)

wulf,
I think you are on the right track, but you can't ever tell for sure with Ziroli's plans. Most everything is clear as daylight, but some stuff is as obscure as night. I just finished a Ziroli Dr-1, and I am about 50% into a Ziroli Zero. One thing I have learned, is study the plans a LOT! Everytime you look at them you will find something that you did not see before. I tend to keep a red marker and a high-lighter handy for all those little notes that I want be sure not to miss when I start building.

wulf190

My Feedback: (19)

I glued the first one down good and saw where it was going, so the others are just sitting on the spar or tacked a little so I can do this part. I've got some Forstner bits that work well for this task, or a nifty little interior cut saw that cuts stuff like this, even if they were already glued. Forstner is better though.

Thanks for the prompt heads up Evan. Confirms the setup in the pic. I'll get to drilling and gluing now....

wulf190

My Feedback: (19)

You've got to get up pretty early in the morning to get a tack glue past Todd..... Hopefully this looks better....[sm=thumbup.gif]

t_burley

My Feedback: (59)

ah yes, I see the light! cant never get nothing past me

looks good, keep up the good work.

wulf190

My Feedback: (19)

[sm=thumbup.gif] Hey, the help makes me feel good. I knew there would be pals to stay on top of me here. That's the whole reason for the build thread What would I do without you guys .

Just got off the phone with Mace Gill. To anyone thinking of a Ziroli plane, look no further than him. The kit is very impressive indeed. I see why his reputation is what it is, great guy. Just my type of fellow in the hobby business. Right on Mace. I see several more planes from you in my future.

Talking to Mace got me going to build....off to work....more pictures for editing soon Todd

t_burley

My Feedback: (59)

I know Mace's stuff is awsume. I am curious however as to why they dont have
the servo lead holes cut? I know they hand cut their kits, but they could drill the holes
also I would assume?

wulf190

My Feedback: (19)

I've got a nice set of Forstner bits and I was tempted to drill a bunch of holes in all the ribs to lighten them up. But I thought better of it and thought I would keep the strength. I can kind of guess why no holes. It takes a lot of drilling, and if you did it a lot you would go through a ton of bits as they need to be sharp.

I've got one half framed now and am starting the other half tonight. This way I can make the sheets and sheet both halves at the same time. I find myself really having to sit on some decisions on the plans.

Seems like the next best thing to do is to sheet the upper halves from W5 out. Then install all the stuff and sheet the bottom halves out from the same spot then cut the ailerons out, join the halves and sheet the middle, cut and fit the flaps and it's framed. More pics later...

jkeze

My Feedback: (36)

A litle incentive.

extratorker

My Feedback: (8)

Jkeze, What motor and retracts are you running?

jkeze

My Feedback: (36)

I have a Quadra 100 in it with Robart retracts. Use the heaviest engine you can find as the short nose makes it difficult to balance.

Countryboy

My Feedback: (25)

I can kind of guess why no holes. It takes a lot of drilling, and if you did it a lot you would go through a ton of bits as they need to be sharp.

Could be that Mace is not the designer and cuts the kit's as the plans dictate. Since the holes are not shown in the ribs on the plans is probably the most logical reason they didn't get cut. I don't think it is Mace's place to redraw the plans for Ziroli. I would think any other kit cutter would do the same.

As long as kit cutters produce a kit that is accurately cut from the plans with all holes, spar notches, etc; that are shown, they have done their job. If they do this and the part's don't fit, then it goes back on the designer.

t_burley

My Feedback: (59)

and of course I know that Mace is not the designer "countryboy", because this is after all a Ziroli Bearcat.

I asked the question because on the Z-Zero I have built, the 92" Z Jug I am building, and the Z Hellcat waiting
all have provisions for servo leads.

I just pulled out my Z Bearcat plans, and I see that this wing is designed for torque rods and not using servos
mounted out in the wing.

and I didnt imply that Mace, no any designer should re-design the plans, thats not their business. they should however
let the designer know if they find any discrepencies.

I brought this up as I didnt want to see him get the wing all framed up and than realize he has to sneak
servo wires thru

Countryboy

My Feedback: (25)

OK, now that is out of the way, let's not stray from the intent of the thread.

Carry on Wulf !!!

wulf190

My Feedback: (19)

No problem, here you go...

wulf190

My Feedback: (19)

So it seems like some of the slots for the smaller 1/4" squares in the rear of the ribs/front of the ailerons and flaps are slightly off on this side. Not very significant I think. The plans show a splice in this spar in a couple of areas sanded down which I did on the other side, but it looks like I'll have to do that one more time on this side to keep the edge straight. I made some strategic use of the circular sander and got things shaped in there and laid out for this part. I'll take a look at it again in the morning but it doesn't seem like it will be a big deal as long as the trailing edge is straight and the fit is good on the splices. The circular sander is good for that though.

t_burley

My Feedback: (59)

looks good so far. from California here, I cant seem to see any further problems yet

will check in with ya tomorrow. a local buddy of mine here has this kit also. I look forward
to when he starts it, and I get to help [8D]

wulf190

My Feedback: (19)

Didn't look close enough Todd, it's there. Just found my first mistake. All confident and everything I put down rib 6R (one of the additional retract ribs) on the spot of rib 6 on the plans, forgetting to put the retract plan down on top of the plans for reference on this side which means that 6R is now about 8mm too wide which accounts for the cuts in the spars being off slightly.[:@][:@] No problems, really, I was able to cut it loose and slide it down to it's proper spot and then I just replaced the rear spars that seemed to be out of line. I knew it was going along too smoothly!