CARF-Models 2013 Series 3.1m Extra 330SC
05-02-2013, 08:29 PM
#76
RE: CARF-Models 2013 Series 3.1m Extra 330SC
I had already drilled a hole in thenozzle of the leaf blower.
On the inside of the motor dome I ran an allen wrench through the hole in the nozzle and put a paper towel under the wrench.
The leaf blower is ready for action!!
05-02-2013, 08:30 PM
#77
RE: CARF-Models 2013 Series 3.1m Extra 330SC
I marked the center index dot on the inside of the canopy since the index dot will be hidden from outside the plane. I also put two tape handles on the canopy. They ended up not being used.
I'm using a leaf blower that creates a lot of wind. Because of this I didn't seal any of the holes where air can escape (rudder post, landing gear holes in the side of the fuselage, etc.). You can use a blower with less power. The less power you have, the more of the air exits you'll need to seal.
Bolt the hatch to the fuselage. Carefully set the canopy in the bottom of the fuselage. You don't want any of the parts inside the fuselage to scratch the canopy.
I held onto both sides of the canopy and had my beautiful wife turn on the leaf blower. I raised the canopy into position and the leaf blower kept it secure.
At this point I checked the match between the hatch and the canopy all the way around. There was one high spot where they weren't perfectly matched. I had missed a drop of resin sitting on top of the glass cloth on the inside of the hatch.
No problem. I held onto the sides of the canopy while my wife turned the leaf blower off. I lowered the canopy back into the fuselage, took the hatch off, and removed the drop of resin.
The second time the canopy material rested perfectly on the hatch all the way around.
05-02-2013, 08:31 PM
#78
RE: CARF-Models 2013 Series 3.1m Extra 330SC
The leaf blower is holding the canopy in position. It's time for the final placement. I centered the tape marked on the center line of the hatch.
Then look in both sides of the canopy and make surethe canopy overlaps the hatch the same amount on both sides.
We know the canopy is sitting right where it fit most naturally earlier. 
05-02-2013, 08:33 PM
#79
RE: CARF-Models 2013 Series 3.1m Extra 330SC
The leaf blower is holding the canopy in position. We’ll tape the hatch and canopy together before we glue anything.
I started on the sides the first time. I ended up pulling the canopy down from the turtle deck a little and lost that perfect fit.
No big deal. I removed the tape from the sides, made sure the canopy was still where I wanted it to be, and started taping at the top.
I went down both sides. You want a real sharp 90 degree corner in the tape that is holding the canopy tight against the hatch.
05-02-2013, 08:36 PM
#82
RE: CARF-Models 2013 Series 3.1m Extra 330SC
We haven't gotten near any glue until the canopy fits perfectly.
I used ZAP Goo (PT-12) on the edge of the canopy inside the hatch.
Handle the hatch being careful not to put any pressure on the canopy that would be pushing it away from the hatch.
Put a 1/4" bead of ZAP Goo centered on the edge of the canopy. Half the bead on the hatch, half the bead on the canopy.
This bead of Goo goes all the way around the edge of the canopy. The glue can be stringy when you remove the tube. Be sure you always pull the tube away from the hatch so the little string of Goo doesn't fall into the center of your canopy.
05-02-2013, 08:39 PM
#84
RE: CARF-Models 2013 Series 3.1m Extra 330SC
The ZAP Goo bottle said it took 24 - 36 hours to fully cure. I waited until the next day to remove the tape.
I pulledthe tape at anangle so the fiberglass hatch was not being pulled away from the canopy.
There was no surprise when the tape was removed. We had aperfect fitbeforeany glue was applied. It was beautiful!! 
05-02-2013, 08:42 PM
#86
RE: CARF-Models 2013 Series 3.1m Extra 330SC
If you only fly off asphalt or grass, your canopy installation is done. Treat yourself to a cold one for the rest of the evening.
I practice on an asphalt runway, but we have contests on dirt runways sometimes. And if this plane ever flies at the Shootout, thereWILL BEblowing dust.I had arecommendation to use canopy glue on the exterior edge to keep any dirt from getting down between the canopy and the hatch.
I had no worries about mounting the canopy because I knew nothing would be glued until it fit perfectly. I wasn't worried about this canopy glue application because it cleans up with water.
I tried it straight out of the bottle. It was a total mess. No big deal. It all cleaned up with water.
I tried using a smaller tip that was included with the ZAP Goo bottle. Not as big a mess, but still not the clean look I was after. The mess cleaned up with water.
05-02-2013, 08:43 PM
#87
RE: CARF-Models 2013 Series 3.1m Extra 330SC
I wanted a nice little 1/16" bead right in the corner of that edge. I remembered I had bought theWonder Epoxy Glue Syringe System. It was a 5cc syringe with a metal tip. The hole in the tip was just a little less than 1/16". Perfect!!
I ran a little 1/16" bead of canopy glue along the sides and the front.
05-02-2013, 08:44 PM
#88
RE: CARF-Models 2013 Series 3.1m Extra 330SC
I cleaned up the syringe with water and set it aside for the next use.
I waited about an hour and then set the hatch on the back end. I ran a 1/16" bead of canopy glue around the turtle deck edge of the canopy.
05-02-2013, 08:45 PM
#89
RE: CARF-Models 2013 Series 3.1m Extra 330SC
This is absolutely the easiest, no drama, way to install a canopy ina fiberglass hatch.
I took two tries at the initial fit. I took two tries at the taping. And I took three tries at the canopy glue. There was never any drama because the canopy isn't glued to the hatch until the fit is perfect. The canopy glue portion of the process has no drama because it cleans up with water if you don't like it.
The results are super strong, will last forever, and look spectacular!!!!
05-13-2013, 04:45 PM
#90
RE: CARF-Models 2013 Series 3.1m Extra 330SC
The rudder servos were the next installation. The instruction manual recommends installing them behind the hatch when using a 4 cylinder engine. With the weight I'm removing from the tail area, I felt comfortable choosing to mount the two rudder servos in the tail.
I started by building two servo trays out of 3/32" birch plywood (not lite-ply). I had measured the width of the hole I wanted for the servo and added a 1/2" on both sides. The total width was 1 7/8". I cut a 6" long strip that was 1 7/8" wide off of the 6" x 12" piece of plywood.
I wanted a radius off the end of each servo, so I left 15/16" (half of the 1 7/8" width) off the end of the servo hole. I marked that line.
I cut off the extra plywood and used the Dremel router bit (fast becoming my most used bit) to open up the servo hole.
05-13-2013, 04:52 PM
#91
RE: CARF-Models 2013 Series 3.1m Extra 330SC
Use the router bit to clean up the servo hole.
Use an Xacto knife to get the little bit left in the corners.
Then check to make sure you have a little clearance between the servo and the plywood all the way around. If you're not sure if you have enough clearance, that's O.K. We can still take more out later once the tray is mounted and the holes are drilledfor the servo screws.
05-13-2013, 04:53 PM
#92
RE: CARF-Models 2013 Series 3.1m Extra 330SC
I took the remaining piece of plywood from the 1 7/8" x 6" strip and cut off a 1 7/8" square.
Mark a line down the center and round the corners.
Cut the piece in half and thick CA to both ends of the servo tray. The tray is now 3/16" thick where the servo screws will be attached.
05-13-2013, 04:54 PM
#93
RE: CARF-Models 2013 Series 3.1m Extra 330SC
I took the remaining little piece and marked the center.
Cut the piece in half, round two of the corners of each piece, and thick CA to both ends of the servo tray. The tray is now 9/32" thick where the servo screws will be attached.
Check to make sure the servo still fits comfortably in the hole in the tray. Trim it a little in necessary.
05-13-2013, 04:55 PM
#94
RE: CARF-Models 2013 Series 3.1m Extra 330SC
The second servo tray is quick to build. It's another 1 7/8" x 6" strip of plywood. This time it's just tracing the opening from the built tray onto the second tray.
The two trays weigh 0.8 ounces.
I didn't look closely at the instruction manual to see how many parts it takes to build the supplied servo tray, but the couple of parts I grabbed weighed 1.1 ounces.
05-13-2013, 04:56 PM
#95
RE: CARF-Models 2013 Series 3.1m Extra 330SC
Before installing the rudder servos I added the connectors to one end of a 48" extension. I put heat shrink tubing over the connection since it will be secured down in the tail of the fuselage. I left the other end with no connector until I decide where it's going to connect.
I'm still on the VERY steep learning curve on making these connectors. I spent almost two hours making these two connectors. I just can't seem to get the crimped pins into the connectors without mangling the pins. Unless I get some sort of lesson or tutorial on how to make these things, I will never make my own extensions again. 
I also wanted to mention that all these servos had their servo arm screws replaced with a 3mm x 8 socket head screw. They are much easier to work with than phillips screws.
05-13-2013, 04:57 PM
#96
RE: CARF-Models 2013 Series 3.1m Extra 330SC
Before mounting the servos I attached the rudder and used a little tape to keep it centered.
I chose to use the supplied ball link (not pictured)for the rudder control horn, a Dubro 4-40 ball link for the servo arm, and a 4" titanium turnbuckle.
I started with a 1.5" servo arm, but opted for the 1.25" servo arm since I'm only looking for a maximum of30 degrees ofthrow on the rudder and the control arm on the rudder is 2" from the hinge line.
05-13-2013, 04:58 PM
#97
RE: CARF-Models 2013 Series 3.1m Extra 330SC
I taped up the side of the fuselage while I was doing this work. The top piece of tape marks where the flat fuselage side starts to curve into the turtledeck. I knew I wanted my servo tray glued to the flat part of the fuselage. What you can barely see in the hole for the servo is some rough marks on how far from the hinge line the servo needs to be for the servo arms to be parallel with the hinge line.
With the servo tray in the correct spot, the servo opening was traced using the servo tray.
One last check to make sure the servo arm will be parallel with the hinge line. The arm will not be at that much of an angle. It looks like more because the servo is sitting on top of the fuselage side and the arm is actually moving out from the fuselage side too.
05-13-2013, 05:00 PM
#98
RE: CARF-Models 2013 Series 3.1m Extra 330SC
The initial servo opening is done with the Dremel router bit.
Get very close with the router bit and then finish it up with a flat file.
The servo is getting closer to its final mounting position. It's still sitting on the fuselage skin. We still have to remove the skin for the servo mounting tabs, but at this point we still have the chance to adjust for that perfect position that will have the servo arm parallel with the hinge line.
05-13-2013, 05:09 PM
#99
RE: CARF-Models 2013 Series 3.1m Extra 330SC
With the finaldistanceaway from thehinge linefor the servo determined, the hole in the fuselage side is made large enough for the servo and its mounting tabs to go through.
Now I needed to transfer that hole to the same place on the other side of the fuselage. I taped a sheet of paper even with the rudder post and made marks at two of the phenolic arms coming out of the rudder post.
I cut the servo hole out of the piece of paper.
05-13-2013, 05:10 PM
#100
RE: CARF-Models 2013 Series 3.1m Extra 330SC
The other side of the fuselage is taped up to protect the surface.
The template is attached at the edge of the rudder post with the alignment marks lined up with the phenolic arms.
The servo hole for this side is traced using the template and opened up with the router bit.