RE: ZN Line Xigris Build Thread
 

Basically thats it for the wings, all thats left to do at this point is shape the LE and wing tip to match the airfoil.

Here is a picture of the finished ready to cover wing, as well as the weight.

A little more woodwork to do to the stab which I will post up tomorrow and then its into covering.

RE: ZN Line Xigris Build Thread
 

Hey Chad,

How do you get a nice even and accurate bevel all along the aileron and wing? I find I can get it close but not as good as I would prefer.

RE: ZN Line Xigris Build Thread
 

I love this thread. Someone should bag it up in a printable PDF, send it to ZN line and tell'em to ship it as a manual with their kits. I've learned a lot already.

RE: ZN Line Xigris Build Thread
 

Chad, what's the reason for double-beveling? For twice the work.....I'm sure there is a benifit.

Also, what did you use to cap the TEs.

Last one. I have never used the Ploy glue you refer to...is it a better alternative to Aliphatic resin for caps and epoxy for stuff like hard-points?

Colin

RE: ZN Line Xigris Build Thread
 

Hi Chris

No magic, just take your time is all. I set my planer to remove as little wood as possible and use lots of new blades, then I just slowly plane away until I am close to my center mark and top mark (tape, pencil, whatever works). Then a long aluminum sanding bar with 120 grit to make the surface uniform.

Its a painfully slow process, to do all 4 wings and stabs took a few evenings.


Reason for double bevel is two-fold, a) it leaves as much of the capping intact as possible. Since there is no spar, the cap takes load, so the more of it there is the stiffer the wing. b) it just looks better when its all done. Although the total bevel is the same, there is an optical illusion that a double bevel seems to not leave as much gap.

TE's are capped with 1/16" balsa

I did some checks on the poly-u glue to see how far it penetrated the foam, ZN uses a pretty open cell foam and that stuff goes about 1" into the foam, so that capping is really on there. When I cut out the stab root cap a huge amount of foam came with it. I have never been able to generate that kind of bond with any other glue.


John,

Thanks for the kind words! I am sure JP will have something in the future kits, in the past there was always at least a set of drawings. I know he is busy getting ready for the Worlds, and there have been some changes to ZN with the fuse outsourcing etc. so likely instructions are lower on the priority list.

Hopefully I took enough pictures so that anyone building one can get the info they need!

RE: ZN Line Xigris Build Thread
 

I was afraid you were going to say that.......[:@]

RE: ZN Line Xigris Build Thread
 

The stab has one more small bit to do, and that is for the hardpoint for the tube bolt.

Again using the milling attachment and bit, mill out a square hole to fit the 1/8" lite ply hard point that is included with the kit. Take a bit of time to locate it so that its going to be in the right spot for the bolt to hit the tube!

Once the spot it milled out then use some poly-u glue to glue in the hard point, and place some weight on it to hold it in place as flush as possible.

Once its setup you can drill the hole and counterbore into the hardpoint. You can at this time place the stab to the fuse and drill and tap the stab tube as well.

RE: ZN Line Xigris Build Thread
 

We are nearly ready to cover.

I do this part a little different maybe than most. What I do at this point is actually glue the hinges in, and then use white covering and gap seal top and bottom prior to covering.

On the ailerons you should also cover the inboard root of the aileron before hinging.

I only took a shot of the stab with the elevator hinged and covered.

Once that is done, you need to figure out where the slot for your elevator pushrod will go. I did this after hinging so that I had the elevator location and travel fixed.

RE: ZN Line Xigris Build Thread
 

So before covering, you need to fill all the dimples, holes etc. and sand.

I start at 120, then 180, then 220, then 400, then 600. Then carefully clean it off with compressed air and try to avoid hitting anything with the parts :)

I am lucky enough to have access to plotters at work. So I create the covering scheme fullsize to match the wing/stab surface size in AutoCAD. I then plot that full size, use spray glue to stick it to bristle board or similar and cut out each of the pieces. Take care to figure out where the overlaps need to be, I make them about 2mm.

The best for cutting is on glass, it works so much better than on a wooden surface. For the really thin stripes, you want to peel off the backing of the covering and spritz some water on the glass then place the covering down and squeegee out the water so it sticks while cutting.

I didn't take many pictures of covering.

RE: ZN Line Xigris Build Thread
 

Hello
is it monokote or oracover/ultracote ?
Very nice work !!!
Jérôme

RE: ZN Line Xigris Build Thread
 

Hi Chad! Thanks for the very helpful thread. One question, what thickness balsa did you use for the leading edge of the ailerons & elevator, where its beveled?

RE: ZN Line Xigris Build Thread
 

Hi Jerome

Sorry, forgot to mention! Its Monokote, I am a long time Ultracote user and thought I would give Monokote another try. For me at least I am very pleased with how it turned out, I didn't find it any more difficult to use than Ultracote.

Robert,

I used what was provided in the kit, I think the capping for aileron/elevator etc. is 6mm, the LE is thicker and also slightly beveled when you get it. I don't know off the top of my head how thick, but I can check later and let you know, but its thicker than 6mm for certain.

RE: ZN Line Xigris Build Thread
 

Hi Chad,

Now that you have flown it successfully ... :-) could you give some comments on the way it flies, specially in comparaison with the Integral ARF. (speed, wind handling, snaps, knife edge/roll, ect) What is the final weight ? How many hours do you think was necessary to build it ? I remimber spending about 200 hours on my Synergy with the help of a friend but it was my first pattern plane and his 3rd.

Congratulations again for the 16th place at the world championship.

Thanks

Xavier

RE: ZN Line Xigris Build Thread
 

Hey Chad,
Can you give us a tutorial on the iron you are using and any tips that might help us neophytes? ie: heat setting and iron down procedure
Thanks
Greg Grigsby

RE: ZN Line Xigris Build Thread
 

And then there is the T-Can...it looked like there was almost no vertical element. Can you give us some photos?

Colin.

RE: ZN Line Xigris Build Thread
 

Hello Chad.

As a complement to Xavier:

- Really you did notice a difference with and without the "T-Canalizer" flying the F09 (#1, #7, #13 and #14) during the S-F at Portugal?
- Have you receive any input from Jean Pierre about the C1 vs C2 flying characteristics?

Thank you in advance.

Federico Hinestrosa

RE: ZN Line Xigris Build Thread
 

Hi guys,

I am still in Portugal will be coming back on Saturday, just finishing up some sunbathing, and bikini gazing lol , will get to all the questions (and finish the build thread) shortly after I get home :)

RE: ZN Line Xigris Build Thread
 

Dang Chad.

My flight couldn't leave quick enough!

RE: ZN Line Xigris Build Thread
 

Haha, actually we have had a great time after the WC's in Portugal, the beaches on the south side are Fabulous. We just wrapped up our day and a half quick tour around Lisbon and are packing up for the long flight home. Its a small world though, we actually ran into Bengt-Erik Soderstrom (one of the judges) in downtown Lisbon today! Who would have thought?!

RE: ZN Line Xigris Build Thread
 

Hi Chad

Glad to hear, You are happy, having a good time in my country.:D

I wish you a relaxed return to Canada.

Have a nice flight.

António

RE: ZN Line Xigris Build Thread
 

Updates? Final thoughts? I have a C2 coming in December, the more info I can get the better.

Thanks,

Tom M

RE: ZN Line Xigris Build Thread
 

Hi Tom

I will get back to it soon! We just had our second boy 3 weeks ago, and I just replaced the main floor on my house, so my garage is a disaster at the moment :) I will sit down one evening and finish this thread off though :)

RE: ZN Line Xigris Build Thread
 

Chad,

You sound like a man that has his priorities way out of whack! :)

Congrats on the new boy!

Tom M

RE: ZN Line Xigris Build Thread
 

Just picked up my C1 yesterday (via Joe Peck )from Chris Moon. Thanks, guys! While I'm not planning to go blazing guns with the build right out of the gate because flying weather has finally arrived, (it'll be a rainy day project and some eves throughout the late Spring and Summer), I would hope for Chad to pick up where he left off and add any additional advice ,comments, experiences, etc.

There is also a build going on F3A Unlimited by John K. which I have found interesting. One more thing- I hope my flying buds, Ed Alt and Matt K. ,show me the lightened and strengthened gear mount that Matt came up with for this bird. As we all know, gear mounts on these types of fuses are always one big, no huge, pain in the arse.

Frank

RE: ZN Line Xigris Build Thread
 

Frank,

Have some ambition to use Ed's fuse as a plug to mold this model. I realy like the lines. The construction will be similar...glass, carbon, balsa. Own design wings, stabs and rudder of course.

There is all kinds of room in the fuse for the landing gear set-up. BTW- the landing gear and pants flew Sunday in the Extra...worked super. Gear is light comparatively speaking to most other pattern gear. Anyway, we'll touch bases on how the gear and the mounting system work together. It's similar to WistModel's with a few improvements is all.