Adrian Smith 1 Posted October 22, 2019 Author Share Posted October 22, 2019 On the the wheels and spats. The wheel hubs needed drilling out slightly with a 4.5 drill bit before sliding on to the axle. I filed some flats for the collet screw. The axles are plenty long enough which is just as well as the inner collets had to be position a good 2 cms outboard of the leg to aid lining up of the spats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Smith 1 Posted October 22, 2019 Author Share Posted October 22, 2019 On to the spats themselves. I provided the M3 bolts and claw nuts as none provided. I positioned the spat on the leg and drew a line as to where the angle of the spat should be so that the rear of the spat doesn't scrape on the ground. Claw nuts installed. All screwd in and angle right. Now for both set to be lined up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john stones 1 - Moderator Posted October 22, 2019 Share Posted October 22, 2019 Used those Dubro axles myself Adrian, they look the dogs doodahs, however I've had them fail, as have others I fly with, sheared on the nut side. You may have a different experience though ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Smith 1 Posted October 22, 2019 Author Share Posted October 22, 2019 Not had one go on me yet, John. Even some of the cheaper versions on ARTFs I have had have been fine. Always a first time though. Not sure of anything else to try. Many moons ago I used long bolts and a couple of nuts. Now they did shear as I recall. Anyway we will see. I will be drilling out the prop this week and my drill guide just so happens to have the right pattern. I am leaving the canopy fitting as the last job, as I want to get the CoG right and I might have to adapt the "office" space. I have bought some waxed casement window rope to hang the beast from the ceiling when i do that job. That will be interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john stones 1 - Moderator Posted October 22, 2019 Share Posted October 22, 2019 Posted by Adrian Smith 1 on 22/10/2019 17:30:30: Not had one go on me yet, John. Even some of the cheaper versions on ARTFs I have had have been fine. Always a first time though. Not sure of anything else to try. Many moons ago I used long bolts and a couple of nuts. Now they did shear as I recall. Anyway we will see. I will be drilling out the prop this week and my drill guide just so happens to have the right pattern. I am leaving the canopy fitting as the last job, as I want to get the CoG right and I might have to adapt the "office" space. I have bought some waxed casement window rope to hang the beast from the ceiling when i do that job. That will be interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Smith 1 Posted October 23, 2019 Author Share Posted October 23, 2019 Time to drill the prop. Used my prop jig. Loose fitted the bolts to the front plate. On to the motor. One thing I am going to do is replace the 45mm M4 bolts with slightly longer ones as the prop driver holes will take another 5mm in length or so. I am going to order some 50 mm and 55 mm M4 bolts from ModelFixings which will do the job. However, I have a couple of extra problems. The prop shaft doesn't have a threaded hole to allow a spinner to be fitted, or at least there is a shadow under the metal surface at the tip which suggests there might be one underneath. Not sure whether just to do without as I can't find any adaptor to modify it with. The shaft is 10mm in diameter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Smith 1 Posted October 23, 2019 Author Share Posted October 23, 2019 In the meantime I decided to do a modification to the hatch. The bolt hole is some distance below the outer skin of the hatch which means when trying to put the bolt in I have a habit of dropping it through! Therefore I decided to make a guide tube to drop the bolt through. Hatch attached nicely without fuss! Edited By Adrian Smith 1 on 23/10/2019 20:31:20 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich too Posted October 23, 2019 Share Posted October 23, 2019 Good idea Adrian 👍 one advantage of electric motors, you don’t have to worry about prop orientation! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Smith 1 Posted October 24, 2019 Author Share Posted October 24, 2019 Yes, Rich this is true along with a few other advantages. I had a constructive afternoon which was prompted by reaching a point where I needed to fit out the internal position of lipos etc. Therefore nothing for it but to do the CoG exercise with the airframe, motor, servos and prop all in situ. I left he canopy off for this exercise as it very light to the extent of being a bit flimsy. Looks like an internal gibbet to start with. I tied the waxed sash cord in place and put Vaseline on the wing spar where the cord will be sitting. Started with the bench below the aircraft to make things easier. Took the bench away to provide support for the tail with a polystyrene box in case of tail heaviness. The basic position seems to indicate the aircraft balancing on the spar. So far so good. As an experiment I put the power packs along the spar. As I would expect no change in orientation. Next I put the RX pack at the far end of the "Office". This tilted the plane towards the tail which confirmed I wasn't kidding myself where she balances. Now I can get on to the serious business of fitting out. My first thought would be to try and fit the two 10000 mAh power packs across the fuselage one either side of the spar. May be easier said than done though! Edited By Adrian Smith 1 on 24/10/2019 16:18:42 Edited By Adrian Smith 1 on 24/10/2019 16:19:30 Edited By Adrian Smith 1 on 24/10/2019 16:20:35 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich too Posted October 25, 2019 Share Posted October 25, 2019 Looking good, can you attach them to the spar? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cymaz Posted October 25, 2019 Share Posted October 25, 2019 Try a Vanessa rig. This will indicate the CG. Then you can place the batteries on the airframe, readjust and see how much the CG point has moved Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Smith 1 Posted October 25, 2019 Author Share Posted October 25, 2019 I think I will have to build a small platform over the spar to put the batteries on, but I will have look today to see if the logistics/alternatives are possible, Rich. One thing I don't want to add is unnecessary weight, but space is tight surprisingly. I have got the Vanessa Rig design on paper in the workshop Cymaz, but I felt it might take me as long to build it as the plane!. The above method whilst not the most accurate has served me well and I haven't maidened an uncontrollable plane ...... yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Smith 1 Posted October 25, 2019 Author Share Posted October 25, 2019 The new, longer M4 bolts for the prop turned up today and now I have some space to fit a sprung washer to each one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Smith 1 Posted October 25, 2019 Author Share Posted October 25, 2019 Next job to sort out the battery positions. The power packs will be able to sit under the wing spar, but I am going to have to put in a false floor for two reasons. Firstly, there is wooden pillar in the middle of the original floor which is intended to separate twin canisters on gasser applications. I used my Dremel to remove as much as possible although there is bit left. The second reason I needed to get under the false floor to thread the Velcro through in the appropriate position. Finally, glued in position with 5 minute Epoxy. Next a bit of thought as to where to put the RX pack, RX and switch. I think I am going to have to extend the cables from the ESC to make everything fit. Edited By Adrian Smith 1 on 25/10/2019 16:39:26 Edited By Adrian Smith 1 on 25/10/2019 16:39:55 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cymaz Posted October 25, 2019 Share Posted October 25, 2019 Posted by Adrian Smith 1 on 25/10/2019 08:44:49: I think I will have to build a small platform over the spar to put the batteries on, but I will have look today to see if the logistics/alternatives are possible, Rich. One thing I don't want to add is unnecessary weight, but space is tight surprisingly. I have got the Vanessa Rig design on paper in the workshop Cymaz, but I felt it might take me as long to build it as the plane!. The above method whilst not the most accurate has served me well and I haven't maidened an uncontrollable plane ...... yet. I copied mine off the inter web. The longest job was waiting at the till at Trago Mills paying for the cord! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich too Posted October 25, 2019 Share Posted October 25, 2019 Posted by cymaz on 25/10/2019 05:38:57: Try a Vanessa rig. This will indicate the CG. Then you can place the batteries on the airframe, readjust and see how much the CG point has moved Yeah, I’ve looked at them a few times, and the electronic scales that you can get, but it seems to be a bit of a faff. 😉 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich too Posted October 25, 2019 Share Posted October 25, 2019 The batteries look fine Adrian 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john stones 1 - Moderator Posted October 25, 2019 Share Posted October 25, 2019 Looks good assembled Adrian, did it come with decals ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Smith 1 Posted October 25, 2019 Author Share Posted October 25, 2019 Well there’s a thing John. When I ordered the kit originally I was given the option of decals subject to cost. Glen said that the cost of vinyl was now “horrendous” and would let me know. As it turned out the kit was delivered without decals and I wasn’t charged for them. I have looked on line for decals for a 35% Extra but can’t really find anything suitable. I may have a look and see if I can find a 35% pilot head & shoulders to put in the cockpit although I don’t want to pay the earth for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SR 71 Posted October 25, 2019 Share Posted October 25, 2019 Try Callie Graphics she is in America, make anything you want, is very good and very reasonable priced, i had a full set for my scratch built 1.6 th scale A10 Thunderbolt $30 and they were here in a week Super service Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Smith 1 Posted October 26, 2019 Author Share Posted October 26, 2019 I will check it out, SR71 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Manuel Posted October 26, 2019 Share Posted October 26, 2019 Nice looking Blackbird you have there SR71. Is it still flying? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SR 71 Posted October 27, 2019 Share Posted October 27, 2019 Hi Gary short answer is no, after 2 years building i took it for the maiden, everything checked out, taxied it down wind a 100M and as it turned into wind one of the Castle cremations ESCs @ £250 a pop, let go and by the time my old legs got to it it was well alight, the only thing i could do was to stamp on it with my feet to try to save what i could of all the gear inside her, totally destroyed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Manuel Posted October 27, 2019 Share Posted October 27, 2019 Our hobby can be a bit cruel sometimes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Smith 1 Posted October 27, 2019 Author Share Posted October 27, 2019 Next I decided to fit the RX battery switch. Given that the hatch is underneath the fuselage I decided to mount the switch on the outside. I fitted a grommet first. In with the switch. It's a high voltage switch from 4-Max. Looks a bit agricultural, but best I can do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.