raptureboy

RadfordC are you using the Jtec muffler? I have the DLE with that muffler and have had no issues with it coming loose or with the fins wearing through the cowl. The secret to good cooling is ducting the air over the head and then providing a way for it to escape. If the air coming in just kind of swirls around in the cowl then it will not be very effective.

radfordc

My Feedback: (14)

Yes, it's a J-Tec muffler. I agree that good ducting is important. I have baffles that force the air through the engine fins. Cooling has not been a problem.

acdii

That is something I need some example of for the Saito 100 for mine. I dont know how big an exit hole I need for it.

radfordc

My Feedback: (14)

This works OK for a 20cc gasser. You might use a little less exit area for a Saito 100. The internal baffles force all the incoming air through the engine fins.

raptureboy

Good reading here about proper baffling. Sadly Pe, has passed away. http://www.prme.nl/forum/index.php

j301

My Feedback: (12)

I will have to check that out. Here is what I did for my cowl. I eyeballed it as close to the real deal as I could and used SolidWorks to sketch where the holes/centers were. I cut it out leaving some room for tape and taped it on the cowl. I also scored the centers with an xacto knife tip to keep the bit from walking. Here also is a jpeg of that stencil if anyone wants one. I printed from SW so I dont know if the scale gets whack-a-do from going to jpeg, but it should be close.

radfordc

My Feedback: (14)

Our club video photographer put up a nice clip on Youtube.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/_48EbAn-uE0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

acdii

OK I got her balanced. Put the battery in the tail, flipped it over, pulled the retracts up and put it on the rig. Came out right were it should be.



Speaking of battery, I need some suggestions on how to secure it in place.

j301

My Feedback: (12)

Can you glue in some hardwood dowels in those two holes in the former aft/above the battery, then use Velcro straps around them and the battery? You could ca a balsa block on top of the two dowels so the battery doesn't ride on that hard edge of the former too. (Kind of a battery hammock.) Sticky back velcro on that block/battery will keep if from sliding fwd/aft while the strap would keep it in place. Should be easy enough to get in and out if you need. Just a thought, let us know what you come up with (always looking to poach ideas!)

acdii

Not much room to get in there, the hatch is only about 1 1/2" x 2 1/2" Barely got the battery in there as it is. However you did give me an idea. I can take a piece of foam, and Velcro and glue the Velcro to the bottom of the fuse, wrap foam around the pack and secure it like that, or use plastic tie straps around the left tube which is for the FM antenna lead I dont need. It will add just the right amount of weight to complete the balance. It is still just a touch heavy on the nose. Less than 1/4 oz is all it takes.

Once I have this part down, just need to adjust the landing gear a bit more, need to push them out just a bit more past the leading edge, and correct the toe. Then adjust the throws and finish the cowl and put some baffling in. Once I get my spinner nuts, which should be sometime next week I can secure the spinner and it is ready for engine fire up , tuning and maiden.


After a get a few flights on it I will look for some different decals for it, right now I dont plan to put any of them on.

ThunderBoat42

My Feedback: (1)

That looks so much easier in balancing that the way I am doing it. I need to study those pictures. Thanks for posting.

acdii

Thanks to another member for directing me to that rig.

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/rc-w...l#post11826708

Mine is just about ready, waiting on the spinner nuts, adn its ready to tune and fly. I have the baffles in the cowl, the bottom opened to allow for cooling air, the remote glow connector is in, the battery secured in the tail, the landing gear lined up and secured, beefed up the rails by glueing 1/4 plywood and 3/8" square hardwood stuck to the rear rail and webbing. I will balance it once more when I get the spinner nuts just to verify its still in specs.

raptureboy

You're welcome! Isn't it just the nuts. No more juggling your plane and trying not to keep it falling off some gizmo.

j301

My Feedback: (12)

No kidding, a couple of weeks ago I had just finished up a super chipmunk and was balancing it. It is a big one so I took it outside to do it (really calm day). One random wind gust at that one moment my back was turned and bang, creased canopy and a couple of dings. Pristine plane with hanger rash before it even made it out of my shop to the hanger!

Poitivin

Hi Radfordc, you posted a pic before from the dual toggle switch you had for the old bat configuration and 1 single toggle switch for the ignition....
Your new configuration is now using the dual toggle switch, one bat/switch for the RX and one bat/switch for the ignition ?

You're happy with the dual toggle switch (You suggested me that dual miracle switch that seems nice and would like to hear your opinion as I'm running a gasser and am afraid that vibration affects these switches...)?

Thanks Much

radfordc

My Feedback: (14)

No. Two batts and two switches for the rx. The ignition is now also hooked to the rx.

acdii

I got the spinner nuts today, and they are a perfect fit, but wouldn't you know it, the box stores don't carry 2 1/4" 10-32 bolts. Aside from that, its ready to tune and fly, but looks like tomorrow will be hot and windy, so no flight tomorrow even if I do get the bolts.

radfordc

My Feedback: (14)

I've never had a problem with the toggle switches. I have had other type switches fail due to broken solder joints. With two switches and two batteries it doesn't matter if a switch fails...you still have power from the other battery and switch.

j301

My Feedback: (12)

I usually have to go to ACE to find anything "special". My home store down by the depot just got rid of all of their specialty stuff, nothing but "normal bolts, nuts, and screws," not that they had much in the first place, so now its ACE for everything.

Poitivin

Perfect, thanks much.
I'll make my setup that way as seem interesting the fault tolerance design + the toggle switch though probably I'll build a small side hatch to store (hidden) the switch.
Was just unsure if i could power the ignition directly from the RX

radfordc

My Feedback: (14)

I'm still debating whether to power the ignition from the Rx battery or not. Ideally, I think a separate battery is probably safer. I may go back to that configuration in the end.

j301

My Feedback: (12)

I had an ignition unit fail once. I was using a LiFe pack which had enough potential to feed quite a bit of current to the shorted ignition. It blew the connection between the cells, which saved the pack from burning up, but it did take out one of the two cells, and the wiring closest to it. Luckily for me it happened on start up, not in the air. Had I been using one pack, and flying, would have been a total loss. In my opinion, the benefit of having a separate ignition pack far out weighs any negatives (just the idea of the ignition possibly adding noise to a receiver I think is enough reason to go with a separate pack). I found that I could program 2 different toggle switches on my radio to act as "on/off" switches for the ignition when using an Opto unit (one tied to the throttle cut, the other by itself so I can prime with no ignition). With this I only need 1 switch, for the receiver, though I'm still getting use to the idea of not having a physical switch for the ignition and am not 100% sure I will make this the norm for me. A 700mah LiFe is pretty light, and compact, and has the same effective capacity as at least an 1100mah NiMh as there is very little voltage sag over its discharge range (very "flat"). In the end, you would need a larger receiver pack any way, so there goes a big chunk of any weight savings by itself.

Poitivin

Fair enough regarding the possible noise when having the ignition somehow connected against the RX. Haven't though that before!
I have 2 LIFE packs and will probably go by 2 toggle switches (1 for RX and other for the ignition + opto) though with that said i might think of a third pack if going by the redundant battery pack for the RX as Radfordc have. Have to think that!
Thanks for sharing

Poitivin

I'm not close to my Mustang and have seen this pilot at HK (http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/s..._x_D50mm_.html)
Does anyone know if the announced size fit inside the canopy ?

Thanks

j301

My Feedback: (12)

Should be the right size, the one I am using is roughly 90x90x40mm. He's been moded to fit a couple of different air frames (and if he crashed this plane, he's going be discharged!) so I don't know his original specs, but you can always cut yours down if its too tall.