RCKen

My Feedback: (9)

With the flap we had left now gone we need to cut a new piece of covering to finish off and cover the bottom of the wingtip. Cut a piece of covering large enough to cover our wingtip. Some might think that it would be easier to just iron down this piece of covering to the wingtip, and while it’s possible to do this we need to try avoid doing it that way whenever we can. Why? For the same reason why we shrink the larger pieces of covering. We want to get this covering to shrink as much as possible so that it won’t wrinkle up late. So we’ll do this piece just like the bigger ones. Picture #1 we start off by tacking down on corner of the piece. Then stretch the covering across the wing tip and tack the far corner (picture #2). Then stretch and tack the top and bottom of the area (pictures #3 & #4). Then use the covering iron to seal the edges all the way around the area (pictures #5 - #12)


Pictures
1. Tack the first corner in place.
2. Stretch the covering and tack the far corner in place.
3. Tack the top of the piece in place.
4. Stretch and tack the bottom of the piece.
5. Seal the outside edge of the piece.
6. Seal the outside edge of the piece.
7. Seal the outside edge of the piece.
8. Seal the outside edge of the piece.
9. Seal the outside edge of the piece.
10. Seal the outside edge of the piece.
11. Seal the outside edge of the piece.
12. Seal the outside edge of the piece.

Until next time

Ken

RCKen

My Feedback: (9)

Next up is the same as the other parts of the wing we have done. I used the heat gun to shrink the piece. I’m including pictures #1 & #2 to again show how many wrinkles there are in this piece. I’m showing as many pictures like this to help ease the minds of people out there that have never covered before, or who have covered with less than perfect results. Hopefully this will help those of you out there that fall into this category. Use the heat gun to shrink the piece now, working slowly to get all the wrinkles out (pictures #3 - #5). When the piece is shrunk into place use the covering iron to iron down the piece to the wingtip (picture #6). If you prefer you can use the hot sock here as well. Pictures #7 - #9 show the piece after we are complete shrinking it and ironing it down. Use a razor blade to trim the excess covering off (pictures #10 & #11), and if the edges aren’t completely ironed down use the covering iron to seal the edges. Picture #12 shows the completed wingtip.


Pictures
1. Wrinkles in the covering before shrinking it.
2. Wrinkles in the covering before shrinking it.
3. Use the heat gun to shrink the covering on the wingtip.
4. Use the heat gun to shrink the covering on the wingtip.
5. Use the heat gun to shrink the covering on the wingtip.
6. After shrinking the covering use the iron to iron the covering down to the wingtip.
7. Covering after shrinking and ironing in place.
8. Covering after shrinking and ironing in place.
9. Covering after shrinking and ironing in place.
10. Use a razor blade to trim excess covering from wingtip.
11. Use a razor blade to trim excess covering from wingtip.
12. Completed wingtip after covering.

Until next time

Ken

RookiePilot

First Kit, First Post, First Build.

This thread has inspired me to try my hand at the building process. I have set up a building board, aquired all the recommended tools, and ordered a Sig Kadet LT kit. The kit should be here next week, I am very anxious to get started. I was leaning towards a GP Extra 300 .60 size kit, but I found this thread. With all the excellent documentation, I feel I cant go wrong. I have an aerobird challenger, so the Sig will be my second plane. It should be a great intoduction into the nitro world. Thanks for all your hard work Ken, I am sure I will be reading this thread over and over as I start my kit.

Regards,

Reggie

RCKen

My Feedback: (9)

Reggie,
Great!!!! I'm glad that this thread could be of some help. Please keep us posted on your progress as you build your plane. We'd love to hear about it!!

Ken

bruce88123

The Kadet is a much better choice for a second plane than the GP Extra 300 would have been. Sure it's pretty and all that but well advanced in skill levels needed to fly.
Build and fly the Kadet to get used to Nitro plane flyjng. Trust me, there's a lot to learn. Second Nitro plane can be a low wing trainer like the Sig 4* or Goldberg Tiger 2 (either in 40 or 60 size) and then (if all goes well) move on to the Extra.

RookiePilot

Well if you guys don't mind, I will take some pics along the way and document the build from a beginners standpoint. As of today, Tower still has not shipped the kit. I suppose it will not get shipped until tuesday now. I feel like a kid waiting on Christmas.

Reggie

wreckerbc1

Hi ken,

This is a gr8 thread,I only wish you had done it earlier as I just finished my LT40 at the end of december.None the less I feel I did a good job.My new club and instructor were very pleased as it passed inspection without a hitch,thanks to all the gr8 advice I found here at rcu.It is a great plane and very easy to fly.I have had 7 flights so far and am feeling very comfortable with it also because of about 20 plus hours on a flight sim.Unfortunately it is the start of the rain season here in Vancouver,Canada so I havent flown in 2 weeks,but you can't control the weather.I only wish I had sealed the wing to alerons like you did,however thats not the way it is in the instructions and I didn't know how or why to do it.I will however on my second build.Once again gr8 thread and gr8 story behind it.Here is a pic of mine on first day going up for it's maiden.
Thx, Terry

bruce88123

wreckerbc1 - congrats on the successful maiden.

As far as Ken starting this thread sooner? I suggest you check the dates. It was started in Oct of 2005, approx 15 months ago. It's just been buried and not too active which is probably why you missed if before.

ag4ever

I built my LT-40 almost 10 years ago, and have just now started to learn to fly it. It has had quite a bit of hanger rash from multiple moves over the years, but having built it in the first place, I was able to fix each hanger crash with little to no trouble.

When I built it, I used CA almost exclusively with the only other glue being the epoxy in the critical locations. Now that I have started building again, I am using the yellow wood glue as my primary glue. The CA is only used sparingly, and the critical joints are still epoxy. I find the longer working time of the wood glue extreamly useful to get the parts in the exact location I want them. I feel it also produces a stronger joint and it can also be sanded better than the CA can. My biggest suggestion is to use the carpenter's glue as much as possible. Your lungs will than you for it.

My second build (a Sig Hog Biplane) is about 70% complete.

Good luck on the LT-40 build, you will enjoy it.

Insanemoondoggie

I built my LT-40 after some seasoned flyers were a little spoky about training someone on one of the PTS Hanger 9 Mustangs.
I have taught myself to fly. I have 7 flights, the last 2 days, on the LT-40 in 10 plus winds, and 1 flight one the PTS P-51, all the way to the crash site. Not pretty.LOL Long story.
The Lt-40 was the 5th kit I`ve built. It is the easiest and by far the most complete kit so far. Newbie recommended. lol.
P.S. Buy a decent powerplant. Big wing!

RookiePilot

I am thinking of the OS 55 AX for my LT-40. Think that will be overkill? From what I read, it is basically a bored out version of the .46 AX. UPS tracking says my plane will be here today. Can't wait!

Reggie

bruce88123

Sig says up to a .50 on that plane so the .55 should be OK.

RCKen

My Feedback: (9)

On this plane we had a Webra 50 and it did fine. I think you'll be ok with the OS 55. It's got the same case size as the OS 46, so you shouldn't have any issues with it at all.

Ken

RookiePilot

I got the kit yesterday. The only thing I got to do thus far was do an inventory, seperate all the parts and bag them, and glue the first two spar doublers together. The kit arrived in great shape, no apparent shipping damage. I brought the plans with me to work, I am going to scan them and make a duplicate copy as well as pdf files for a backup. One advantage of being a CAD/CAM guy is having access to the wide format scanners and plotters. Not to mention all the CAD design and modeling software Tonite when I get home I will start laying out the wing and test fitting, wish me luck

Reggie

PipeMajor

My Feedback: (1)

Just ensure you have the correct parts chosen before gluing them together. Especially when using CA adhesives, you can make a mistake in a hurry.

I used the wrong sized rectangular spruce stock for one wing panel and didn't discover my mistake until I was pretty far into it. It would have taken major surgery, sawing, cutting, sanding and buying new stock to fix it. Finally gave up and ordered a new wing kit from Sig and started over. Measure, measure, measure everything twice!! The rest of the build was smooth sailing.

I also messed up with the cutting of the covering and had to use nearly six rolls instead of the called for four rolls.

Now that it's been built for 4 years and has over 50 flights, I'm still very happy with it.

RookiePilot

Well I have my first problem. I dont think these ribs are fitting well, and I need some expert advice. W1, W2, and W3 has a poor fit to the spar, mainly large spar cutouts. The cutout on W1 and W2 is almost an inch wide fitting on a half inch spar!

RookiePilot

Well, I reread the directions for the third time and finally figured it out. This is where the wing joiners will fit into. I was so worried about a snug fit, this freaked me out a little.

RCKen

My Feedback: (9)

RookiePilot,
I'm still trying to figure this one out. Occasionally the ribs will be off a little bit, but usually not more than a ~1/6" or so. Let me ask you this question. When you inventoried the kit did you measure and label each piece of wood in the kit? My initial thoughts are that you don't have the correct piece of wood for the spar. I'm trying to find my copy of the LT-40 plans so that I can remind myself exactly how the wing is built.

Ken

RCKen

My Feedback: (9)

Rookie,
Whew, glad you found it. I still haven't found my copy of the plans. They may be down in my storage unit instead of here at the house. Since you found it I won't worry about looking for them any longer.

Ken

bruce88123

So you obviously need to be VERY careful to position the ribs carefully to leave room for the joiners.

bubbagates

My Feedback: (32)

Has SeeBee been in contact. I have not heard or seen anything since we started this project. I know he had the plane and was goping to send pics but I have not been updated on anything in almost one half year

RCKen

My Feedback: (9)

Bubba,
I got a call from him early last summer where he told me he had a lot going on, but still hadn't flown the plane. He had some medical issues he was dealing with at the time and just had not got a chance to take the plane out. A couple of months ago I received a PM saying he was still going to get video to me as soon as he could. That's what I know!!!

Ken

bruce88123

I did see that he has logged in as recently as last month but most recent post was last June.

bubbagates

My Feedback: (32)

I was wondering because I was not getting any updates on this thread. I guess during the crash late last year the subscription got removed...

RookiePilot

Well I am moving right along. I finally see what all the comotion is about. Building from kits is tons of fun.When I opened the box and saw all the wood it was a little intimidating. When I starting laying out the parts, my 3 year old son goes gets his little plastic toolbox and says "Daddy we got work to do". I couldn't help to chuckle a bit. Here is some progress photos. Camera is old, I really need an updated one.

Cheers,

Reggie

EDIT:
The top spars are just placed there to add weight on, they are not attached yet