RE: Making Extra 300 80" totally composites
 

OK, It's time for firewall and engine....

firewall is 1/4" ply and one carbon 5oz layer....

Since plane's nose have 2 grades right thrust and 0 grades down thrust shape from plug, it was a little simple to get firewall position...

Engine holes was other history, but using some balsa little blocks and incidence metter, holes was allocated and drilled....

G-62 has Bennet cup mount and muffler, and that horrible phenolic carb isolator..... ok, the isolator helps to make servo instalation, but there are too many troubles incoming with it....

Thank's to RCIGN and some more friends here at RCU for help to know the piece have a trouble and to fix it with some epoxy... new piece is incomig....

At this time I'm trying to learn all about gas engines, this are beautiful beasts and after some bench test I'd loose some apprehension I'd have....

Engine was totally stock, but after some bench test I'd try CH electronic ignition; iddle was too much better and soft but I can't yet get a good transition.... may be tomorrow....

RE: Making Extra 300 80" totally composites
 

Here is engine at plane...

The wood piece you can see at cup mount is to make incidence changes easily and to get some clearance for installations...

particulary I don't like that cowl joint at fuse's top, so decide to make only a chin cowl (is that the name?) because I saw at PL web site.... their planes looks beautiful without that and nose looks nice and clean.

Cowl attachment was always a problem... the holes at cowl enlarge.... the holes at wood too.... screws are loosing...

RE: Making Extra 300 80" totally composites
 

Starts to look like a plane....

RE: Making Extra 300 80" totally composites
 

Just for rest, here are some shoots of my reduced workshop....

RE: Making Extra 300 80" totally composites
 

Now I need some help to make CF tube (wing and stab)...

Anybody knows how to make it?

I'd see at some web pages they use prepreg carbon and mandreel, then sand to shape....

Is there any way to make it with carbon tow and cloth?

Any help will be apreciated.

RE: Making Extra 300 80" totally composites
 

I'll post how I make wing tube socket for fuse.... I have all fll set of pic's about it...

Again thank's to Ola Fremming ( http://home.online.no/~ofremmi/index.htm ) look under How-to's


Pic #1 shows materials needed:

-plastic for cover work area
-weight scale
-epoxy resin
-waxed paper
-aluminum tube (or what you use)
-carbon cloth 5oz (or what you use)
-rubber gloves
-wood stick
-some container for mixing resin
-brush

pic #2

Roll the waxed paper some bigest than cloth and only one round with 1/4" overlap... you can get it in place with some masking tape but only at ends (not in the middle)

pic #3

cloth with some epoxy on it. weight cloth and make same resin weight

RE: Making Extra 300 80" totally composites
 

Pic #4

Cloth with epoxy is rolled over tube.... be carefully don't let air between tube and cloth...


Pic #5

Cloth end always try to separate (especialy CF) so start to roll plastic film over; that will make a good and shine finish....


Pic #6

All stay appart to cure. You can use vacuum if prefer....


Tomorow I'll post pic's about next steps and results when it cure.

RE: Making Extra 300 80" totally composites
 

I don't like elevator servos at fuse sides, so since start I decided to locate at stab cores....
may be this can make me in troubles with balance, but since it is a test project, I'll take the risk....

Servos are 2 Hitec 5625 for elevator and 2 Hitec 5625 for wings.

Rudder servo is 1 Hitec 5945 at pull-pull system

all hardware is Dubro...

I decided to use Gator RC wing adjuster (one per wing) to help with fine tune....

Now, glue two balsa sticks cover with one CF layer for pull-pull servo..

pull-pull system is Dubro, so I'd made long servo arm with some rigis electronic card board the same size than rudder horn...

(Again thanks to Ola Fremming)

At pic's you can see the wing socket tube at fuse, some lateral formers I'd made with balsa and one CF layer for reinforce,
the sticks for servo, the servo and the servo arm...

RE: Making Extra 300 80" totally composites
 

Simetry at pull-pull will be verified carefully....

I'd make a cross wire system and Ackerman don't lie.... take me about 2 days to get a good quality system....

Some people say CF fuse cause radio interference, some people say it is not.....

I'd read many posts here at RCU and the discussion continues.....

Two guys at Aeroslave ( http://home.comcast.net/~aeroslave/ ) are making carbon pattern planes without issues... just let the antena wire out the fuse.....

I'll take the chance....

The same with radio interference using gas engines... some people attach the throttle servo at engine box and say all is OK when fly......

Other people suggest you let all radio equipment at least 8 inch away the engine or electronic ignition parts (like batteries)...

This time, I'll don't take the risk.... radio equipment will be at least 8 inch away...

RE: Making Extra 300 80" totally composites
 

all i can say about your work is WOW your building skillz are epic

RE: Making Extra 300 80" totally composites
 

Thank's flatlandmike, and all this skill you say is for all the guys here at RCU, all you teach me on line with your posts...

But one thing is to read and another to do.... and believe me, this plane have many mistakes and errors I made, but all is part of learning process and I want to show you all for learn together, and the mistakes I did too....

Tomorrow I'll start the paint process pic's, it is a hard work to do with a long way to learn.....

After paint I'll post all real weights I get with this plane, and believeme, I am very surprised with many....

RE: Making Extra 300 80" totally composites
 

Here are the carbon socket finish pic's....

pic #1

Unroll plastic film and start to enjoy the smooth and shine finish...


pic #2

slide aluminum tube easily.... wax paper is at socket

RE: Making Extra 300 80" totally composites
 

pic #3

get off waxed paper... can be made easy...


pic #4

perfect fit..... cut to size you need and enjoy your work.....

RE: Making Extra 300 80" totally composites
 

Paint work is very hard and can make all your work look beauty or ugly.....

Reading many post here at RCU and too many web pages, I understand the only way to make a good work is:

1.- patience
2.- good materials
3.- good equipment
4.- surface preparation is all
5.- try your self or you never learn

This is my first try to paint..... I'm very nervous..... but since it's a project and I want to learn I take the risk....

Here at forum is a great guy who share how to make good paint works and you can get great tip's to afford.....

Name is Jeremy Ferguson, and here is the link:

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_74.../tm.htm#745346

There are many more friends here who share how to paint, but this is all in a treat....

So I get the polyurethane way....

I'd Get PPG Concept solid colors and clear, catalizer, reducer, sand paper, foam blocks and too much hours of hard work....

I'd buy an HVLP gun and an Passche VL airbrush...... some 3m masking tape (blue and green), frisket film and an old air compressor I have at my work, rubber gloves, cartridge respirator, old tshirt, a girlfriend watching curious....

I then decide the scheme, colors was white, red and black....

Fuse was first, start wet sanding at 600 grid, 1000, 1200, 1500 and 2000

When finished, I washed very well with some liquid dish soap and let it dry at a room dust free...

next day, fuse was cleaned with alcohol and soft cloth..... I'd hang fuse at garage and prepare base coat (white), let it 15 minutes induction time and start with HVLP gun at 30psi and a test surface.... paint try to level so reduce paint flux and move hand faster..

when I feel all was OK start at fuse.... first a light coat... let it flash 15 minutes and second coat to level.... well, not so level, some orange peel start and that must be sanded later...gggrrrrr.... do it better and with many calm.... soft movement.... less paint....more air.... and after 15 minutes white is finished.... I can't believe it... I did it.... many details of course but it was funny....

Next day red starts... some masking tape, plastic film to cancel rest of fuse area and again.... red is hard to paint, you need more paint because it don't get the exact tone with two coats.... let it dry and next day black color... same procedure....WOW it really cover with too less paint....

I want to paint letters, and that's more hard and fine work.... cut "MEXICO" and "AR" symbol for nose at frisket film and use the mask for white letters.... what a pain, airbrush (double action) is hard to drive... after two days of testing I'd start at fuse.... too many errors at both fuse's sides....
well, It's my firs time, and I have the rest of my life to learn how to airbrush better...

Next day totally sand 1000 gris, 1200, 1500 and 2000 to level and get all details out.... wash and dry....

Next day clearcoat.... same procedure... two coats and let it dry at free dust room.... looks great minus some errors... clearcoat paint is very thin...

Next day sand 2000 grid and I don't like glossy is off..... well, it's time to polish....

Sayer Lack polish compound hard, medium and fine....

Here I am now... drill system not work for me so my sister gift me a polisher machine at Christmas ¡¡¡¡ Thank's sister !!!!

After 2 days I discover it's not a polishr machine, it's a grinder with 11,000 RPM.... well, she will return to shop and change what I need but that must be in a few days..... I'd start hand buffing and it's a hard work, but for now plane only need fine compound and finish....

Here is where all plane is at this time, waiting for final buff.....

RE: Making Extra 300 80" totally composites
 

Here are the pic's

RE: Making Extra 300 80" totally composites
 

Clear sand.... glossy is out.... I don't like but it will be back soon....

RE: Making Extra 300 80" totally composites
 

Wings was the same history, but at this time, letters was better because black paint si very easy to spray.....

RE: Making Extra 300 80" totally composites
 

Some more

RE: Making Extra 300 80" totally composites
 

Rudder was painted a different way, I want to save some weight so it was not white base coated, just gray primer.... and the result was a little change at red color tone.... well, I must learn more about paints.....

Canopy was the same case.....

RE: Making Extra 300 80" totally composites
 

Stab

RE: Making Extra 300 80" totally composites
 

Chin cowl...

Is this name correct?

RE: Making Extra 300 80" totally composites
 

Some more pic's

RE: Making Extra 300 80" totally composites
 

Time to rest....

Tomorrow I'll post all weights and plane's balance....

Please let your opinion any kind, it will be very stimulating...

RE: Making Extra 300 80" totally composites
 

Personally, I am amazed at all your hard work and this entire process. You are doing a fine job and your plane is looking great. I hope it flys as well as it looks and you have as many hours enjoying it as you did building it. Good luck!

RE: Making Extra 300 80" totally composites
 

Roberto-
Beautiful job!! Truly amazing. I bet you could fabricate your own radio and engine too. Good luck on you first flight and take pictures and video.