Fuse bottom cross bracing


Once your block doublers have set and you can flip the plane over you can install the 1/4" balsa cross bracing. Use nice lite stock and a fine razor saw. Takes about 5 mins to do this step. I first use a good drop of thin ca and follow up with a good drop of thick ca at each joint.

Fuse top bracing

Okay once the bottom is braced. Flip her back over and install the top cross bracing. Epoxy the stab adjuster rod in place and install the fin plate at the rear of the fuse.

Note - if you plan on installing a deps system, install it before you add the top cross bracing. I am about to install a deps in the twin vf3 and I'll post pics of that. I am going to use the set up that Mike uses on his deps set ups.

I'll also be using the Bondable Teflon Sheathing for the deps instead of the material central provides in the kit. I used this stuff on my v2 build and it works great. It bonds so well you just ca it in place and you can't pull it off without breaking the former.


You can get the Bondable Teflon Sheathing from - http://www.cstsales.com

Firewall doubler and brace.

Epoxy in the firewall doubler former FB1 ( that thing with the four holes in it).

Trail fit the carbon composite firewall brace.

Top turtle deck.

Install the top sheeted core - remember I sheeted these babies like 3 months ago

Carefully finish sand the edges of the core and position it per the plans, I use a very thin coat of gorilla glue or 30 min epoxy to attach the turtle deck. Do not install the lower fuse core till after you do your wing and stab alignments.

The turtle deck needs to sit inside the fuse sides by about 1/32" - to be sanded with a slight curve when finished.

Fuse top etc....

Okay we are making good progress here.....

Once the top turtle deck core has cured install the front carbon turtle deck former, I used a thin layer of 5 min epoxy.

Now install F2T - the top former above F2 - Use a piece of 1/4 stock and lean it forward so it's 6 5/8" from the firewall. Epoxy in place.

Install F3T and F4T with epoxy.

Cut and fit the top side 1/4 stringers that run from the firewall , across F2 - F3T - F4T and then into the top turtle deck. Cut a slot to recess the rear 1 1/2 or so into the top turtle deck. Once in place you need to cap it with a bit of 1/16" sheeting wood.

Okay now finish the forward 1/4 stringers and your ready to add the upper 1/8" fuse sides. You want to make sure your upper stringers are nice and straight. Use the canopy base to check your fit.

At this point your ready to sheet the forward turtle deck behind the cowl (between F1 and F2). there are basiclly two methods here.

Cut 1/2 and 1/4 wide planks from semi-hard 1/8" stock and plank it up - or - Shape 1/8" sheet wood by wetting and forming it to a coffee can or some other tube and trim to fit.

Either way you need to make sure you have strong wood and a good glue bond - and if you use the sheet wood method - watch for sags or flat spots in the wood.

Another thing you can do is add some 2 oz carbon cloth or kevlar to the underside of the sheeting/planking - might be good if you running a YS....

I don't seem to have any pics of the planking or sheeting. I'll update this page when I do the next plane.

But here are pics of the completed fuse, at this point you are ready to install wing adjusters and do you final wing and stab alignments.

Here you go Dean, I just happen to be on that step this morning! I have my doubts about how well this will sand out though. I kind of wish I had wet formed the sheeting in a foam mold (exactly like the turtle decks, just no glue.) When the wood dries and comes out of the foam, it holds the shape perfectly. Then it could be glued to the stringers dry.

Hey Scott...

It looks good to me, remember you will be filling that area - apply the filler before you do your finish sanding - use that "SuperFill" filler from aircraft spruce - Mike turned me on to that stuff and it's really good.

I like the strip planks myself - I've seen the wood sag a lot when you do the sheeting. You can use stiffer wood too.

here is 2 oz carbon on the underside of the sheeting/planking.....

You could lay the carbon or kevlar across the entire area if your worried about sanding the planking too thin.

Okay - I've gotten a little ahead of myself.

I need to finish capping my wing and stab cores so I can do my alignments. I also need to sheet the fin for this plane.

If you are doing your own sheeting - go over to the E-pattern forum and check the Black Magic E-Build thread for Mikes sheeting method. I'll outline the the work I'll be doing on the sheeted cores over the next couple of nights.

Here is a shot of my completed #1 Vf3 - I am really going to try my best to tag team and start the finishing process on my #1 bird asap...... It would be too cool to paint both of my personal VF3's at the same time.

Looks great Dean and get yur a** out of bed and keep it coming

Larry

Hi all,

I installed the motor mount and checked alignment against the cowl and chin. The template supplied with the plans is super super close to perfect.

I lined everthing up for the deps that I will install tonight.

DEPS -

First thing I do is assemble the carbon pushrod with tape just to line up the deps tubes.

Next measure up 7/8" from the bottom of the fuse to point right behind F9. with an 1/8" drill bit drill into the fuse side at an angle that will follow the pushrod. Then with a small round file - work the hole at the angle of the pushrod. Do the other side in the same fashion.

Once completed insert the pushrod guide tubes into the holes. Take the taped together carbon pushrods and insert into the tubes from the front of the fuse. Check our alignment and angle of the holes/slots at the rear of the fuse for good smooth play. You may have to go back and work on the angles of the holes to remove friction.

Once satisfied, Cut a piece of 1/4" sq stock the width of former F5, this will be the cross support on the front of the deps. I placed my elevator servo on some scrape 1/4" wood and positioned the height of the cross brace support.

Once statisfied with that, hit this support with CA, then line up the pushrod tubes evenly along the centerline and hit them with thick CA - again I am using the bondable sheathing, this stuff really sticks with CA. Once that is set.

I then pull the tubes tight from out of the rear holes and clip them in tension with a piece of scarp wood.

Now go along the remaining formers install 1/4 sq support cross braces, all the way down to F8. Since you have tension on the pushrods and tubes, it easy to set the heights of the cross braces so the pushrods are as straight as possibe. You can view the pushrods from the rear of the fuse at F10. Once you are sastified with the positions of all the cross braces, hit them with CA and then CA the pushrod tubes to the cross brace supports.


ahhh - yer done and it takes about 15 mins.....

Here is the complete deps and I've added the top cross bracing to the fuse. I am now prepping the top turtle deck. That will be glued on before bed tonight.

cheers!

Okay we've got a lot done on this fuse in just a couple evenings. The thing about building this plane is there are a number of small tasks that you need to keep moving through. The hardest thing for me is to complete one task then shift gears and get started on a completely different task. It's to easy just to kick back and admire your work. Keep your work focused and when you complete a task move on to the next. I often catch myself wasting a lot of shop time, sitting back and just looking at things because they are just so pretty.

Here is my weight so far for the fuse, I am just slightly over 15 oz so far. My two turtle decks will add about 6.5 oz and my cowl and chin should be around 4.5 oz So my fuse is looking like it should be well under 2 lbs before paint.


bout to crack an ice cold beer

cheers all!

dean

Dean,
Rudder pul-pul system also need to be installed before glueing the turtle decks along with DEPS?
..Srikar

Hi Srikar,

I do the rudder pull pull after I attach the top turtle deck.

Dean,
Is the DEPS you used is from Central?

..Srikar

It's the Central DEPS with teflon bondable sheathing from CST - cstsales.com - just do a search for teflon bondable sheathing.

The version from CST is much nicer. It is teflon coated, so the Carbon pushrods travel much smoother through the teflon coated sleeves than they do the standard plastic ones. It is worth the extra money. My VF3 I'm flying now has the standard central one and it works...and with a servo I doubt you really see a difference, but compared to the one in my old Mantis that is teflon coated, you can feel the difference in the two if they are side by side.

Arch

I found that. If I get 2 pcs of part number T1050E from them for DEPS, will this be good? I dont want to pay shipping at CST and also at Central for this.

--Srikar