3D Edge 540 Profile Build (Glitter JR)

[Snoopy1]

Really enjoying this build really learning how these little planes are put together and how to make and build one.

 

[BalsaDust]

Ok first let’s back track a second. Don’t won’t go forget this step as I have before and it’s a pain to correct once the wing is built. On a profile your receiver will be in the wing so you will need a way for one aileron servo lead to get to the other wing. Just use a dremel tool to grind down the tube hugger on one side even with the hole cut in the rib. You can do both sides if you want but it’s not needed.

Next up we will prepare the spars. The spar is just 1/4” square balsa. Use harder balsa. Since I don’t have any 48” stock I have to splice two sticks together. A lot of people just do a 45 degree cut but I was taught that the splice should be twice as long as the thickness of the wood. This makes it 1/2” long. I just tape two sticks on top of each other, mark 1/2” back, draw a line, then take it to the scroll saw and cut it.

After it is cut. Nice and clean and both pieces are even.

Now put the two pieces up against a straight edge and line them up. I put a small dab of medium ca on it before sliding them together then once together I wick thin ca all around.

See nice clean and even. Now you can lay it over the plans and cut to length. I like to leave about 1/2” overhang on both ends.

Next you need to cut your rib doublers. You will need two and they span from R2 to R2. Use hard balsa or bass wood lay it over the plans and cut it so it goes past R2 on both sides by about 1/8”.

Now grab your Center section, install the doubler first, then the spar itself. Make sure it’s seated fully. Since the ribs are router cut you made need to use a small file to square up the corners in spar notches as the router bit leaves them rounded. At this point only glue the the spars two the center section. Do not fully glue the doubler the full length. That needs to weight until all the ribs are laid out and the spars are pulled up to the prop angle of the wing.

Lastly go ahead and lay it back down over the plans and square it up. At this point go ahead and cut the rest of the ribs free from the cut sheets and get ready to lay up the rest of the wing.

 

[BalsaDust]

Ok step one once spar and center section are laid out. From the main spar to the le of the wing needs to be the exact width of the motor mount so I like to just slip the mount down in it until things start getting glued.

Lay all your ribs out, make sure they line up with the plans, and that they are standing straight up and then hit them all with thin CA. Still do not wick in glue on the subspar to main spar joint.

Glue in the top sub spar.

Now lay in your top main spar. Once it is glued all the way around then go ahead and wick in a bunch of thin ca to the sub spar to main spar joint. Also note if you spliced sticks together like me then it’s best to let the splices be opposite of each other. Then end up falling on rib 4 so I let the bottom one be in the right panel and top one be in the left panel

starting to look like a wing.

now let’s lay in the front sub spar. I use a medium density balsa hear. Be careful around you motor mount not to glue it in.

At this point since I use weights I remove a bunch of them since the structure is more solid now I do however move some to sit on top of the spar just helps keep in flat on the table also have some butted to the back of the spar keeping the le tight to the angle.

go ahead and glue on the 5/16x 1/4 TE stock now.

Forgot to draw these in cad but easily done using some of the scrap 3/32 from the ribs cut sheet. Just hold it underneath and trace the shape with a pencil.

At the root

At the tip. Doing this really strengthens the wing to protect it in a dork.

No go ahead and install the TE sheeting. It’s 1/16x3/4. Save the extra you cut off the ends as it’s perfect for doing cap strips on all the ribs.

That’s all for now. Might be a few days before my next post. We have family staying with us for the weekend.

 

[pawnshopmike]

 

[49dimes]

What's that arm chair Emoji saying ? lol

 

[Snoopy1]

Throughly enjoying this cannot weight for the next instalment.

 

[BalsaDust]

Couple of quick bits today. Servo mounts for the wing. You will need to grab these ply pieces. For these you have to grab a file and file the edges square or that won’t fit tightly.

Then just go to the outside of R2. Butt it up to the back of the spare and even with the top of the rib. Tack it all in with thin ca. Center section sheeting will go over top of this to tie it all together really well but I like to also flip the wing, run a bead of medium ca in the corners around it and fill with micro balloons. It will make a nice strong fillet.

 

[BalsaDust]

Well back in the flow of things and got a little work done this morning. First up was doing the LE sheeting. I just grabbed a sheet of 1/16”x3”x36” balsa and ripped it into four even 3/4” wide pieces. Mark the center line of the front subspar at each end and glue to this. I’m using softer balsa here so I was able to then just roll it over and glue it doen but if not just spray a little windex on it to help with the curve. The sheeting will overhang the LE of the rib just a bit bit that’s ok well will address that a little later.

After the le sheeting was done I moved onto the sheer webs. Again using 1/16 balsa 3” wide but I selected a little harder piece of balsa for this. I glue mine to the front of the spars and dont feel the need to fill the entire space, just be sure it’s flush to the inside rib.

on the otermost bay do the opposite having the sheer web butt up against the outer tip rib. This makes the tip s little stronger in the event of a tip strike.

 

[BalsaDust]

Now that all the sheer webs are done we need to start the sheeting on the wing. Mind you this is where i realizes I screwed up. No biggie it will be fine and I will do the other side the proper way. On this side of the wing it needs to be sheeted our enough to cover the servo mounts. This ties the servo mounts into the wing really well.

All I have is 3” balsa so I needed three pieces to fully cover it. Edge glue them up nice and sand the joints smooth.

now it needs to be cut to fit between the le and TE. This is the mess up. Normally I install LE sheeting, then sheet the Center section, then the TE parts. It’s just a little easier that way.

Lay it out where it’s going to be and then use a long straight edge butted to the front of the TE stock to then trace a line to cut on the sheeting.

Look how pretty that is.

For some extra strength I like the cut some scraps to glue under the TE. Works really well.

now using your glue of choice glue it in place. Be sure to use lots of weights to be sure it is pressed down everywhere it needs to be.

Now you should have scraps left over where the le and TE pieces where long. Do the tip rib cap strip with this. Again this is to put lots of strength into the tip of the wing.

Now cut some 1/4” wide strips to cap strip all the ribs. Next is total personal preference on wether or not you want to do cap strips on top of the main spar. Some people like the smoother look in the covering where it can sag between the ribs.

Now the wing is ready to flip and start the other side.

 

[Snoopy1]

It is interesting that you do not sheet from the leading edge to the main spar. So as it is you must be ok with the stiffness of the wing.