RE: Vectorflight Edge 540 build
 

rcfury,

I guess this will turn into a grand experiment on bolts for VF landing gear - everyone's doing something a little different. I'm just saying that I sheared two 1/4 x 20 nylon bolts off the landing gear of my Tiger Stick, and it wasn't that hard of a hit. I've never weighed it, but my guess is that the Tiger Stick weighs 6-7 pounds. If it takes 400 lbs of force per bolt, that's 800 pounds, so my Tiger Stick would have had to impact at more than 50 mph (if my high school physics is right).

RE: Vectorflight Edge 540 build
 

What type of nylon bolts are we talking about here? Are you using the white or black nylon bolts? The black nylon seems to be a lot easier to flex than the stiffer white nylon bolts.

Greg

RE: Vectorflight Edge 540 build
 

I'm using the white "wing bolt" kind.

RE: Vectorflight Edge 540 build
 

Well looks like my replacment fuse will be here around monday or tuesday. Drat i was hoping to get er done this weekend:eek:

RE: Vectorflight Edge 540 build
 

Whats everyone using for exhaust?
I am going to us an asp.91 two stroke, but so far I can not find a pitts style muffler for it. I can,t see anyway for the stock one to work.

RE: Vectorflight Edge 540 build
 

Brad-A,

I'm using the stock muffler for the Saito 100. Requires cutting a big hole in the cowl. I'll probably wish that I had found a Pitts style, but I spent too much on extras already.

Update on my build:

I have the airelons glued on with the Robarts, and they move, too. Not perfect, but not bad.

I spent the past two building sessions cutting out the cowl and getting the landing gear mount ready. I couldn't knock the rear blind nut out of the gear mounting plate. I tried to drill it out and made a mess. I put a piece of red tape over the hole and drilled two new holes in the landing gear. So I'll have 4, 1/4 x 20 nylon bolts holding the gear assembly.

I also tinted the canopy a little. I just used one bottle of wine colored Rit dye. It had a slight tint after about in an hour in the brew.

I went back to the fore mounted throttle servo. I just didn't like routing the control rod around the wing joiners.

Although the pic shows only 2 lines from the tank, I'll be going with a three line system and a fuel dot for filling. I'm thinking I will run the fill line toward the back and put the fuel dot in the side of the fuse instead of tring to work it through the cowl.

Next I'm leaving the front and going to work on the tail feathers, and servo installation. I want to do these things while I can still roll the fuse around at will and completion of the front end requires the sequence of 1) Installing the gear, 2) Installing fuel tank, 3) Mounting engine, 4) Final Cowl installation (Note to self, apply cowl decals before mountng engine.)

Pretty much down-hill from here. Last real b*tch is trimming the canopy and attaching it.

RE: Vectorflight Edge 540 build
 

rcjon

The cowl dosen,t look as bad as I thought it might. I would have to do about the same. Please post a pic after the engine is installed.

RE: Vectorflight Edge 540 build
 

On mine with a Magnum 91XLS with Bisson pitts muffler the only cutout i had to do was for the two little exaust pipes.
Pat

RE: Vectorflight Edge 540 build
 

BankYank,

Sweet! I'm not familiar with Magnum engine. Any pics?

Brad-A,

I will post pics with the 100GN installed. Would be a shame to hide those gold valve covers. Unfortunately the holes in the cowl are larger than I would like, but I kept having to trim away plastic so that I could get the thing on and off.

jon

RE: Vectorflight Edge 540 build
 

Brad-A, I used a Saito 100 and the stock muffler. I had to cut away a fairly big hole, but it does not look too bad. Not sure what your muffler/engine setup entails, but I assume you cannot cut the cowl to fit. It I had to do it over, I probably would have purchased a Brisson muffler for the Saito, because it would have required less cutting of the cowl I believe. I may get another cowl from VF and try it sometime in the future. Not much help, but that is what I am doing. Ron[8D]

RE: Vectorflight Edge 540 build
 

I'll post some pics as soon as my new fuse gets here but with no cutouts other then the 2 small holes out the bottom theres not much to see.

RE: Vectorflight Edge 540 build
 

I am pretty much done with my Edge and I must say it is a nice looking plane. By leaving the carb in the original position on the Saito 100 I did not have to route my throttle linkage around the wing joiners. Using Gold n Rods I just passed it easily underneath. Nice fit for me anyway and no binding at all. All I have left to do is break in the engine. I have not installed any wheel pants yet, but I have a pair of H9 pants coming. I will install those when I get them and after I get used to flying the Edge. The landing gear struts or whatever you want to call them polished up nice by using some wet dry sandpaper. I will post pics soon of the finished bird and of my first flights. I can't wait. Ron

RE: Vectorflight Edge 540 build
 

Here are some pics

RE: Vectorflight Edge 540 build
 

Just a note. I cleaned up the cut out for the engine since this pic. Did not want you all to think I was a slob!

RE: Vectorflight Edge 540 build
 

D*mn Ron, that looks good!

Did you cut out the E D G E lettering?

My problem with the throttle linkage wasn't getting it from the carb under the joiner, it was getting it from under the joiner to the servo (servo in tray). I didn't like the way it pulled down on the servo arm. I'm sure it will work fine, though.

You got away with way less cowl trimming than I did. Good job. Do you leave the muffler loose until the cowl is attached?

BTW, what's that green stuff on the ground that your plane is sitting on?

jon

RE: Vectorflight Edge 540 build
 

Hey, thanks. I cannot take much credit for the good looks. The plane does most of it. This cowl material is so flexible I can leave the muffler tight and still get the cowl on and off. I won't say it is not a bit of a trick to do it, but it can be done. If the muffler is loose it goes on real easy.

I had a local sign making shop cut the lettering and I applied it. These sign shops can do just about anything nowadays. Putting the lettering on is easy. I just wet the wings down with soapy water so the lettering can be moved around until I like the position and then I just use a lettering squeegy (spelling?) to get the water out from under the letters, let it dry for a few hours, and peel off the covering. I really like the looks. Can't take credit for the idea though. Got that earlier in this thread.

Sorry about the grass being green. One of the benefits of living in Florida. Gets very hot in the summer though.

Can't wait to see your finished bird. Ron[8D]

RE: Vectorflight Edge 540 build
 

Jon and Ron,

Both of your Edge's are looking great.

Ron, nice job on the lettering. I also like the carbon tubes for the tail braces.

I plan on replacing the Saito 120 with the Saito 100 real soon. While the SaIto 120 is a powerhouse, I think it is a bit too much motor for this plane. The plane flies beautiful now, I can only imagine how it would fly after losing about 1 lb. in weight.

Keep up the great work and keep posting pics.

Later

RE: Vectorflight Edge 540 build
 

RBGunner: So you did decide to go with the big letters on the underside of the wing also? I really like the way it looks. Did you see how i did my lettering. Granted the sign shop cut the letters out for me but, i put them on myself. Now that was a pain!!!

For the rest of the people working on the cowl. I didn't have the cut the cowl up that much. I did mount my saito 100 sideways but i routed the muffer through the underside. So the only cutout i had to make was a small hole for the back side of the exhaust.. See picture. Granted it does take some effort taking the cowl on and off but, i think it works out fine. (see picture) Granted the picture was taking from my cell phone since the other camera was out of service when the picture was taking. So bare with it..

RE: Vectorflight Edge 540 build
 

Man! Those letterings look awesome! Very nice looking pictures, all! Keep em coming..

RE: Vectorflight Edge 540 build
 

Pics look great!!!

While we're on the subject of mufflers........is a Pitts Muffler really required for 2-stroke installations? I'll probably put one on my Evolution 1.00NX anyway....but I was just curious if it's necessary.

RE: Vectorflight Edge 540 build
 

rcfury, I got the idea for the lettering from you. Hope you do not mind me copying you. It was a great idea. The type of lettering I used allowed me to wet down the wind with soapy water so I could reposition the lettering at will until I got it the way I wanted it. So the application of the letters was not too bad. I like how you did your muffler. If you get a change could you post a close up picture of the muffler attached to the engine without the cowl. I would love to see how you set everything up. Thanks. Ron[8D]

RE: Vectorflight Edge 540 build
 

Rbgunner: Sure thing man... Actually as we speak I have the cowl off now.. I kinda touched up the cowl openings a little bit so they wont look so raggedy. I did put some screen in the air-inlet on the cowl to make it look kinda covered.. Ill show you with a picture. Looks pretty cool.

Glowplug: No pitts type mufflers isn't required for 2 stokers but, a lot of people do because 2 strokes expessually the big ones uses some pretty big mufflers. By using the muffler that big would really distract from the look of the plane. Pitts mufflers are generally smaller so they could be fit within the cowl without much hacking up if any.. I just love the look of two pipes sticking out the bottom of the plane..

Again on the subject of mufflers.. I have a Davis Diesel in cowl muffler for 4 strokes. I bought it to use it on this plane but, never bothered to put it on. Anyone interested?

RE: Vectorflight Edge 540 build
 

Guys,

I think I am going to try to make a bellypan out of balsa. I am going to design it to attach the way that most wings attach. I will make it so that the front of it locks into the former with dowels and the rear will be held down by a wingbolt. I am heading to the LHS now to get the necessary supplies. I will take pics of the build and have it posted tonight.

Later

RE: Vectorflight Edge 540 build
 

Here is a couple of pictrues.. I had a side shot but, it came out pretty horrible so i left it alone. I kinda wanted some kind of cowl to put on the plane without too much hacking up. hehe

Also could you see what i did to the cowl with the screen. It looks pretty cool.. I put a piece of papertowl behind it so you could see it. I bought some screen door patch from the LHS (local hardware store) ;) and painted it black to stand out a little. The screen itself is slightly bigger then the normal window screen so there is no restriction of air at all..

Heres a picture of the exhaust. E-mail me if interested....

RE: Vectorflight Edge 540 build
 

Thanks Nathan. I was planning on getting a Pitts muffler for mine......I can't deface this baby... ;) I was just curious if a stock muffler would fit.

Gary, sounds like an excellent mod!


While I wait for my Edge to arrive, I had to pass the time flying my Seagull Extra 300S yesterday, in less than "ideal" conditions :D