3D Aeroworks 40% Edge ZDZ180

[Flyrcjoe]

This is a prototype that Aeroworks has been working on. They do not have an ETA as of yet.

I am very excited to do this project. I saw this plane while I was at the Aeroworks facility and loved the lines of the plane. A couple weeks later I called them up and was able to buy it. I was not planning on doing a build thread on it because it is a prototype. I am a big fan of the Edge planes and once I received this one and was able to take a closer look I realized this thing is just too pretty to not share.

I started assembling it tonight. I put on the landing gear and cut a hole in the fire wall for the ZDZ180 that is going in it. Like other Aeroworks planes there is already dowel pins in the fire wall and the motor box is already clear coated. I will re-clear coat the hole that I cut in the fire wall for the carb and it will be set.

 

[Flyrcjoe]

The motor is now on. The baffling is built in to cowling on this one. It has a really cool top to bottom interlocking system, like the 40% Yak 55 has. I am trimming next to the spark plug caps and doing a little trim work on the baffling to ensure it does not hit the motor.

 

[Terryscustom]

OH YEAH! Super sexy plane alert!

 

[orthobird]

I want to follow, Subscribed!! Looks and sounds very nice.

 

[Flyrcjoe]

Moving on to hinging wings. When using robart hinges I like to cut a small 'cone' out of the wood and covering. By doing this it makes it so there is no rubbing and the hinge can move smoothly. I use hysol 9462 to glue in the hinges. You can use any kind of quality 2 part epoxy but I prefer the hysol in this application because of the no drip formula and long open working time to make sure it is all perfect. I will hinge these and wait 24 hours for them to cure.

 

[Flyrcjoe]

I want to follow, Subscribed!! Looks and sounds very nice. Plus, I am interested in you telling us how you will like that brand motor and its service. I am looking at that adz 224 boxer for a project of mine.

The ZDZ the brand is a phenomenal engine. I know firsthand that ZDZ USA has top-notch customer service and takes great care of their customers.

 

[Flyrcjoe]

Hinging is done. I did gap seal the wings (even though it did't really need it). On the rudder I am changing the hinges to the flat du-bro. I take a 1/4x1/4 square balsa medium density and sand it to be round. I then use tite bond 2 wood glue and stick it in the hole. Using a sharp razor I cut the 'pin' to match the bevel. I let it dry over night. Once dry I use the handy undercut saw and cut in all my hinges. One thing I highly recommend is to back bevel so the hinge does not rub when you push it up tight. I then coat the hinge wire and nuckles with petroleum jelly and install it with a standard 30 minute epoxy.

Side note. My wife asked why I used the square balsa instead of a dowl. No one that I know of makes a balsa dowl. Also by making my own I can make it the perfect size to fit the hole very tightly. One time I did use a wood dowl, it was a real pain to hinge it. The soft balsa bevel and a hard wood dowl would cause me to chew out more balsa making so the hinge fit was not as tight as it should be.