RE: BME Edge?
 

Sparhawk.. I checked mine ... its the same way as yours.. I never pay too much attention to area where the cowl touches the fuselage.. as long as I have an even gap at the prop flange, the joint at the fuse can be slightly angled and it won't matter. Turns out I have 1/4" more overlap on one side vs. the other... no big deal at all I did not even notice until you had mentioned it!

I always mount my engine, align the prop flange for a nice small gap and then drill the cowl mounting holes.. You are right though, had I mounted the cowl straight at the fuse and set the firewall to zero it would have looked like crap!

DP

RE: BME Edge?
 

Hey guys, once you are past the break in phase on your engine check out the AMSOIL synthetic 2 stroke oil. They make a 50-1 called "Dominator" which is similar to the Bellray and superior to regular petrol based 2 stroke oils. I have used this brand for more than 20 years. After running my weed wacker engine on it for several years we stuck a bore scope down the spark plug hole and there was little residue (no varnishing) the spark plugs never fouled and the engine always seemed to start and run flawlessly, seemingly with more pep.
Yoiu can find them on the web and mail order for abut 8.95 a quart. It is rated API (American Petrolium Institute) "TC" If you check your DA manual it should say what rating Jasco or API is required and I believe the Amsoil should qualify. The nice thing about synthetics is that once you have the engine properly broken they have greatly reduced wear for the long haul.

"DOMINATOR 2-Cycle Oil
This racing two-cycle oil has a performance emphasis toward high horsepower and modified racing or trail motors. Examples include snowmobiles, motorcycles, ATVs, personal watercraft and go-carts. Contains higher viscosity oils for best overall protection. Contains additives for higher operating temperatures. Injector use or 50:1 premix. JASO FC, API TC"

RE: BME Edge?
 

Sounds good.. I'll check it out. I usually run Klotz or Amsoil 50:1 I like a 50:1 mix maximum. 100:1 is too little oil for my liking. While I have not seen the reports, I believe there is some evidence that cylinder and ring wear is higher on 100:1 engines.

DP

RE: BME Edge?
 

hey ed42 - how did your pull-pull work out with the CH horns? It looks like the servo arm would need to be about 2 9/16" in order for it to be a 1:1 run. What size of horn did you use? Did you need to mod the fuse sides for the pull-pull line?

Spar

RE: BME Edge?
 

spar, haven't been motivated with all the cold and snow that we've been having here in Chicagoland. I picked up a SWB full arm. The holes are 2.5". It does look about the same using the CH horns on the rudder. I'll probably work on it this weekend when the wife goes to work.

Ed

RE: BME Edge?
 

LAWNBOY ASHLESS UPDATE!!!

I just went by my local ACE Hardware for some other items and I just walked by the 2-cycle oil aisle. There they were sitting right on the shelf - Lawnboy Ashless 2-cycle 32:1 cans. Mind you, this is the same exact ACE Hardware that I called looking for it and I was told "we only carry the ACE brand".

In speaking with the manager he said that because it carries an ACE part number it should be stocked or available at all ACE hardware locations. If they dont have it, they can get it. He was not sure why their employee did not walk the 5 steps necessary to actually check the shelf and see if they carried it. I have to admit, their store is usually excellent on the customer service performance.

So, PTGarcia and others in California (with our new no-spill gas cans that raised the price by 30%) I can also ship you some or you can try your local ACE Hardware locations and perhaps if they don't carry it, the manager can get it for you.

Since I had not been able to find any, I bought some OPTI-2 2 cycle oil that promotes clean burning, low smoke, faster break-in, petroleum based oil. It looked like the best alternative, but since I found the lawnboy, I probably won't use the opti in the DA.

RE: BME Edge?
 

Right on dirtypool, I'll check out my local ACE and see if they can order a few can for me. Thanks for the update.

RE: BME Edge?
 

Ed42-RCU - have you finalized the CHP horn setup on the rudder yet? IF these do not provide enough throw, I will have to go with a Dubro p-p on the rudder and order a 3" SWB horn.

Spar

Oh, yeah, update- I now have my new standoffs and can now proceed with the firewall mounting and engine setup. Very nice units from Aerografix. Again, the use of a laser system, readily available now, made setting up the engine location super easy.

RE: BME Edge?
 

Where did you get the new standoffs? I cant find a website.

How much $$?

Thanks.

RE: BME Edge?
 

Spar...I'm known in my club as one of the slowest builders. I just finished hooking up the pull-pull on the rudder. Here's a couple of picks. Let me know if you need a better pic.

RE: BME Edge?
 

DirtyPool - here is the site: [link=http://www.geocities.com/roger_forgues/engstandoff.html]http://www.aerografixs.com/[/link]
Roger does fantastic work and will bore and thread them to your specs. Mine were 3.625" long, M5 on motor side, M6 - 1 on the firewall side.

Here is a pic of mine compared with stock mounts, and me setting up the motor. Laser was turned off for the pic for the alignment. It looks like I will not have to put a hole in the firewall so the carb can breathe either.

Thanks for the pics Ed. They are clear enough.

Spar

RE: BME Edge?
 

Wow.. those standoffs look awesome.. how long did it take from order to receipt?


Well now that I have about 46 flights on the Edge I wanted to give everyone a little follow up.

At 5.0 inches, the CG is perfect. I still have a slight snap tendency in large elevator moves but I am dismissing that is more or less normal. I can manage it completely with expo and light fingers. There are no issues at low speed, which is where you don't want a snap tendency! If I get too slow it will drop a wing, but it slows very nicely for landings.

I was a little afraid of the strength of the gear plate area when I put this plane together - while the gear plate itself was monsterous, the ply around it was lite ply, pretty weak and not much of it.... I literally could move it with a little hand pressure. My suspicions were rewarded on the 40th flight when the gear plate literally fell apart. I did not have a single bad landing, in fact, I can't even remember having one remotely hard landing... most were all greased in perfect landings. I was lucky in that the gear plate did not seperate, in only sagged so there was no damage to the plane at all.

I got out the xacto and upon further inspection there was NO glue on the right hand side of the gear plate. I was suspecting something was shifting when the covering kept wrinkling and I had to keep re-shrinking it around the right side of the gear plate.. I kept flying it anyway and it finally caved. My guess is the covering was the only thing holding it together for quite a few flights!!

I was lucky I did not have a hard landing, I am sure it would have ripped the whole thing out.

I stripped a little of the covering back and had to repair 3 broken stringers on the bottom and right sides. I put in some balsa corner stock and a few larger pieces of thick balsa to build a strong box out of the gear plate and floor of the airplane... keeping it strong but very light. I used 5 min epoxy on everything, again, with an effort to keep it light. I added maybe one once and now the gear plate is rock solid.

I put the covering back on and you can't even tell I was in there.

6 flights today and it still looks like new and no more covering sag!

If you have not gone though the gear plate mounts on your plane I would stongly advise you to take a look. It is an inherently weak design. I am confident that if you have a hard landing it will do damage as mine was weakend just over a few routine flights and very gentle landings.

As is typical with ARFs, once the bugs are worked out.. many of them really are nice planes.

I am finding myself like the plane more and more with each set of flights. It is finally trimming out perfectly.

DP

RE: BME Edge?
 

desertpig, it was one week from order to delivery. Once Roger has the order, he had them made the next day and shipped.

Decided to change my mind and go with the Du-bro pull-pull on the rudder so I can get the horns out to 3", and a 3" SWB arm on the JR 8611 rudder servo. I mocked it up and it is this configuration that allows the lines to pass through the fuse cleanly in the pre-cut slots. Plus, I was not keen on the dual CHP horns, and being shy 3" from horn to horn by 1/2" made me switch. Looks like I will have a couple of CHP horns as spares.

Firewall has been prepped for mounts, throttle/choke linkage holes made, and the fuel line hole bored. Getting glued in as I speak. Then on to the canopy. Carbon tailwheel assy is now on. I have almost everything I need now to complete it.

Spar

RE: BME Edge?
 

What's the recommended location to install the control horn? I'm planning on using DuBro's. Should the control arm be perpendicular to the hinge line or with the servo arm? I've outlined the location of the hard plate. If it's perpendicular to the hinge line, I would be in the center of the hard plate. Otherwise, I'm off center.

Thanks in advance

RE: BME Edge?
 

This is "sort of" a design flaw...

Usually the servo tray should be at 90 degrees to the hingeline , but instead is 90 degrees to leading edge (or parallel to thrust line).

You need to set the arm on the servo so that at center it is parasllel to the hingline... Then the control horn will be installed in the center of the plate and be 90 degrees to the servo arm.

It'll look funny but there is no mechanical problem with it.

Do NOT use your ATM or endpoints to adjust... literally leave the servo at neutral and pull the arm off and replace as close to parallel with the hingeline as possible... then use your subtrim to tweak it perfect.

Looks like your pushrods are not long enough... you'll need longer.

RE: BME Edge?
 

It'll look like this... the green block is the new angle of the horn and the two green lines show that it is parallel to the hingeline...

I say it's sort of a design flaw... it's NOT... but MOST design have the servo bay at 90 degrees to the hingeline because it's easier to eyeball the servo arm at 90 to it's case than tho eyeball it parallel with the hingeline.

RE: BME Edge?
 

I guess that I should also state that it's more popular to set the horn in line with the outside edge of the servo. (which makes the pushrod at an acute angle) when at neutral but when at full throws and heaviest load, the linkage is 90 degrees and at strongest mechanical advantage.

RE: BME Edge?
 

Maudib thanks for the explanation. I never thought about setting the servo arm parallel to the hinge line. Sounds like a simple solution.

RE: BME Edge?
 

Yep...

I actuality is ALWAYS should be parallel to the hingeline (we just don't pay much attention because the servos are perpendicular to it and thus making the arm stick out at right angles matches the hingeline automatically.

If it isn't you will get more throw one way than the other. This contributes to people not getting as axial of rolls as they could because they have differential they are not aware of, and usually different differential to the left than to the right.... many planes will fly better with proper differential, but you need to be in control of that via your radio.

Anywho glad to be of help. Enjoy that plane!

RE: BME Edge?
 

Maudib-Great pictorials, wish I could do that. A picture is worth a thousand words.

RE: BME Edge?
 

Just finished hinging and installing the servo's in the wing. Here's a pic with the wings on. What's left to do?
1. decide on how to secure the wings to the wing tube. I'm not sure whether to use the supplied method or install a bolt system from inside the fuse.
2. install the receiver battery, regulator and switch. Just ordered a 2350 Li-ion pack from Troy Built Models. I normally only fly four 10 min flights.
3. finish up securing everything.

I did get a chance to check the weight and balance. Without the receiver battery, regulator and switch, I put it on my baby scale - it's over 16 pounds. I wish I had a more accurate scale, so I bid on a 30# Ultraship off E-xxx. The balance is slightly nose down at 5 inches using the GP Balance Machine.

I know you guys are going to tell me to finish it, but it's only second Giant. Probably still a couple of weeks away from maidening (weather permitting). Thanks again for all the suggestions.

RE: BME Edge?
 

Looks very nice.... you are gonna like how it flys. Keep us informed.

RE: BME Edge?
 

Don't sweat the setup. I set mine up with the arms perpendicular to the servo case at center. I used 2.5" H9 Prolinks with DuBro horns on mine. The horns are not quite centered in hard point, but so what! Been flying the snot out of it and it flys great.

My throws are symmetrical as is, but the setup info presented makes sense.. I probably won't change anything, my plane finally flies how I want it to.. perfect rolls and snaps.

Also - if you need to set up your split elevators, check out my article[link=http://www.1tt.biz] HERE[/link] on setups and getting it right... works every time!
DP

RE: BME Edge?
 

Ordered a BME Edge and a DA 50... hoping it's a good combo. Have a question though. I've seen post from other users of this plane and I have seen the firewall offset any where from 2 to 3 degrees. Can anyone help me who has used this plane engine combo so I can be sure I get the proper offset right from the start.. Thanks for any feedback

RE: BME Edge?
 

If you have a good computer radio you can mix in 1-2% right rudder on throttle advance using multi-point curves and not have to worry about firewall engine thrust. I did that and could not be happier. Before you do that however make sure your cowl is not cut for thrust.. .some are some aren't .

Also - the fiberglass is really thin - a good thing for light weight, a bad thing for longevity. My cowl and pants fell apart and BME carries no spares of any kind (nice eh?).

My advice is BEFORE you finally mount the cowl, epoxy a single CA hinge behind EVERY hole you cut into it and then after that has set up and cured, epoxy some fiberglass cloth over the CA hinge. Keep it thin! Once cured, THEN drill the mounting holes.. this will prevent the holes from elongating and also prevent the cowl from cracking.

Mine completely disintegrated after 50 flights.... conveniently taking my $80 CF mezjlik spinner with it. I now have retired the plane because BME won't take a cowl off a new kit and supposedly spares are months away.

Its a good plane, but its a trick to keep it light and to balance it. CRAM everything as far forward as you possibly can. Put the rudder servo under the wing tube, build a removable cradle for the fuel tank so that it sits on top of the rudder servo.

Put all electronics and batteries on the firewall.

DP