Sledge Weight?
 

I'm hoping some of you bros can help me out. I just finished framing up and sanding my Sledge. It had some real lumber in it.
Maybe it only seems that way since I build alot of electric. I'm hoping to have a good balance of light weight and strength.
Does anybody Know what a Sledge weighs in the bones. Mine is at 20 1/2 oz.
I'll be using a Saito 72, standard servos( except hs85 for throttle) Hitec electron 6 receiver, 5 cell 720 Mah receiver Battery,
pull pulls on the tail, Carbon fiber pushrods on ailerons.
I,m not trying to build the lightest one out there, I turf with the best of them:) But I dont want to have a brick either.
BTW Jeff if it flys as good as it looks I'll be real happy ( that wing is soooooo cool!)
Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated EG. Beer at Houston[sm=bananahead.gif]


Thanks

RE: Sledge Weight?
 

dave build mine for me.

philip

RE: Sledge Weight?
 

All the sledges I built came out to between 20 - 22 ounces. It all depends on what wood you use.... I found the wood in the Morris kits to be pretty heavy... The stuff I got at Lone Star Balsa was much better.... Plus if you really wanna go light, you can order contest quality wood.... I bet you could build 'er around 18 oz with that stuff.... Would be pretty fragile though.

RE: Sledge Weight?
 

Paul, Thanks I feel better now. 2 oz over extremely light is ok by me. and I know it wont be fragile......Accidents happen!
I owe you a beer!

RE: Sledge Weight?
 

Phillip, I build so slow it aint funny, I'd like to help you out but it aint in the schedule. Ive seen you repair a plane, as fast as you are you could prolly do one in no time.

RE: Sledge Weight?
 

I think you are fine at that weight. 3Dreaming still has the lightest sledge ever at 3lb 1oz with a webra 32 it is a rocket. One thing you might consider is using a 4 cell pack, with standard servos I have never seen where 5 cells helped and you can save weight. I used to run 5 cells, but now only use 4 cell 720 nimhs.
Jeff

RE: Sledge Weight?
 

Thanks Jeff, I'll go with 4 cells. 3lbs 1 oz wow thats light !

RE: Sledge Weight?
 

He used all contest grade balsa and cut out some reinforcements. It is more fragile than a regular build but it is tougher than I would have thought. Jeff

RE: Sledge Weight?
 

Clay and I think the softer contest balsa flexing actually lets the structure help absorb some of the shock in a crash, so even though it's flimsier it still doesn't break. Our second Katana was built with it, came out at 3lb 12oz (compared to 4lbs 6oz on #1) even with heaver servos, and has lived through 3-4 crashes that are leaving us absolutely puzzled as to how the plane wasn't completely totaled. That may be a total BS theroy, but it's all we could come up with to explain how such a soft and flimsy plane is still flying! Any thoughts?

RE: Sledge Weight?
 

Well... Less weight... Less inertia...

RE: Sledge Weight?
 

The Sledge I built for G Seeloff was all contest grade and you seen what happened to it!!!

BBill

RE: Sledge Weight?
 

Well the lighter weight of the contest wood made it much easier to carry the peices! Nothing I hate more than lugging around 1,000 tiny chunks of lite ply.......

BTW my Sledge was 17oz in the bones. I'd say 20.5oz is very reasonable, the RTF weight should still be well under 4.5lbs.

Not sure I can agree with Jeff on the 4.8volts....I had a 4-cell in my Sledge, (my 5-cell died on the charger) and it was a little hard to hover. I can't help but think the extra servo speed from 6volts would have helped somewhat. I fully intended to find out but........
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/upfi...22/Da83115.jpg

RE: Sledge Weight?
 

Bummer about your sledge Gary, I guess Mine will come in about average, wich is what I was aiming for. That will give me a wing loading of 14.8 oz PSF, not as good as 3dreamings 8.88, but much better than my full fuse kitbashed stinger 40 at 18.8 or my fun 51 at 18.1. I guess its not going to float like my U Cant Do 60, It comes in at 7.1oz PSF.
I hope I can get used to flying with that loading again, Ive been spoiled by the foamies at 3.5 - 4 oz PSF.

RE: Sledge Weight?
 

I just read about a jet that had a wing loading in the 50 range? As I read that i thought "flying brick" compared to some of our wing loadings. Dave you're sledge will be fine, mine still flies good after several repairs so I know its gained some weight!

RE: Sledge Weight?
 

My first Sledge came in orginally at 4lb 8oz, up to 4-10 after a few repairs, and flys like a dream. IMHO if you come in at 4 1/2 lbs or lower you'll be real happy. Of course the lower the better, but this just gives you an idea.

RE: Sledge Weight?
 

Just weigh my Sledge tonight. It weigh 2lbs 13 oz less motor. This is one that Bizzaro Bill built back in Sept for the Nash PB event. i wanting to put a OS 70 4c in it. I weight mine 70 4c and it is 19 oz less prop. With everything on the plane it should be around 4 lbs 1 or 2 ozs. May end up using a ST 45 with mcp.

RE: Sledge Weight?
 

Wow Jeff, I cant believe you said that. The extra 1oz or so that the additional 720 mah cell carries is so completely justified by the increased servo speed that I would never consider flying another 3D ship without 6v's.

But then again who am I...........you fly better than I do with only 4.8v so I guess I'll backoff;)

RE: Sledge Weight?
 

Or you could just get some bad ***** servos that are faster at 4.8 then the run-of-the-mill at 6V, but who would do that!! [X(]

RE: Sledge Weight?
 

Yo....Mr. Futaba Digital Servo Boy!............Im trying to figure out if that last post from you was a slam on my servo selection. Gosh I hope not;)

RE: Sledge Weight?
 

Chuck slamming on you?......... surely not;)

RE: Sledge Weight?
 

I'd have to agree with you Scott.... the 6volt on my Taco really woke it up.... Also, my big Sud really benifited from the 6 volt bat... It has slower coreless servo's that needed a little more kick... I think the torque comes into play since frequently we put the servo's at a large mechanical disadvantage... ( control rod way out on the servo horn and lowest hole on the control horn.)

RE: Sledge Weight?
 

I guess I will be in the minority with my 4.8cell packs. I use Airtronic standards, maybe that is why??? Jeff W.

RE: Sledge Weight?
 

I think Airtronics has the best standard servo in terms of torque.

Balance
 

Hey where does your Sledge balance at?

Thanks

RE: Balance
 

Jeff, correct me if i'm wrong but i think I read that you like it balanced at the back of the secondary spar