AEROSHELDON
70cc twin V2
It looks really scale, looking forward to your flight report.
PAU 30% Sukhoi SU-26 ARF 50-60cc
- Thread starter Terryscustom
- Start date
Terryscustom
640cc Uber Pimp
Alrighty, took off a few hours for a little maiden flight or 5 and that felt good! So now back to the Sukhoi!
First step was to install the gear and get it on it's feet. The main gear takes a little patience and as the manual says "it's worth it". Very nice fit once done, I really like this compared to how some round cowl planes put a "block" or "Filler" after bolts are installed. This looks great and clean. I know Herve told me this plane was Monokote but Ultracote Flame Red is an exact match. I had part of a roll and patched over the holes.
With the gear being carbon and painted, I had to chase the holes with a drill to make sure the screws did not bind at all, and the rest was easy. Taping the bolt head to the allen wrench made installation easy.
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First step was to install the gear and get it on it's feet. The main gear takes a little patience and as the manual says "it's worth it". Very nice fit once done, I really like this compared to how some round cowl planes put a "block" or "Filler" after bolts are installed. This looks great and clean. I know Herve told me this plane was Monokote but Ultracote Flame Red is an exact match. I had part of a roll and patched over the holes.
With the gear being carbon and painted, I had to chase the holes with a drill to make sure the screws did not bind at all, and the rest was easy. Taping the bolt head to the allen wrench made installation easy.
6254=2430-image001.jpg
Terryscustom
640cc Uber Pimp
The LAW wanted to help out so I put her to work installing servos and prepping for hinges. For hinging on nearly any ARF one thing that helps to be able to hinge a little tighter and still get full deflection without binding worries is to cut a small relief in the form of a "V". I also warm up an iron and seal these before gluing. On one of my last builds I said to myself "there has to be an easier way to cut all these darn holes!!!". So, less than $2 at Walmart for a paper punch solves the problem! Obviously if you are using epoxy for hinging it is a different process but I've kind of gotten hooked on using poly glue with great results. Glue and tape at deflection for a couple hours and DO NOT spray with water....needs to be applied dry. Unless you live in the desert there is more than enough moisture in the air to make it cure.
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Terryscustom
640cc Uber Pimp
Last I had to scratch my head with the throttle for a bit, and the DLE61 has a strange mounting pattern so I had to download and print that online. Once mounted I determined that if I rotated the carb 180 degrees on the engine I could mount the throttle servo in the engine box floor. I simply used a knife and cut the hole for the servo and installed a couple of basswood blocks for the screws and to add some support. Then I could not get at the top so I used a hole saw just large enough to get a dremel tool in to pre-drill the servo screws. That also gives access to install and adjust the servo arm.
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Terryscustom
640cc Uber Pimp
Working on fuel system and basic electrical layout right now. I'm keeping it simple with two LiFe / A123 packs and dual switches,with a Spektrum 9ch Rx which has been a reliable setup in many planes this size.
The switches and fuel dot basically go through sheeting so it's a good idea to add a little something to the back of the sheeting to add some strength. I installed a 1/4 x 1/4 pc of balsa under the switch and dot from former to former and now I can remove and install the dot without the sheeting flexing.
I ran my fuel vent line down through the can tunnel and installed a 1/8 brass tube through the bottom. I then revert back to the glow days trick of putting a 1/8" pc. of tygon on the end as a keeper. Been doing this for a while and it last longer and looks better than a zip tie.
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The switches and fuel dot basically go through sheeting so it's a good idea to add a little something to the back of the sheeting to add some strength. I installed a 1/4 x 1/4 pc of balsa under the switch and dot from former to former and now I can remove and install the dot without the sheeting flexing.
I ran my fuel vent line down through the can tunnel and installed a 1/8 brass tube through the bottom. I then revert back to the glow days trick of putting a 1/8" pc. of tygon on the end as a keeper. Been doing this for a while and it last longer and looks better than a zip tie.
6524=2574-image001.jpg
stangflyer
I like 'em "BIG"!
Very nice! I am excited to see how she flies. I've always loved the Sukhoi. Ever since my first some 20 years ago. Goldberg with an OS Gemini 160 twin. Can't wait to get this big Hangar 9 done.
Terryscustom
640cc Uber Pimp
OK, time to cut a cowl. There is nothing I hate worse than going to the field or an event and seeing a nice looking neatly assembled plane with a bastardized cowl. So I'll drop a few tips to try to help those of you that use a dremel tool with your eye's closed (you know who you are :nodding-yes-by-a-ve). Seriously though it's really easy with a couple of tips and the right tools.
1 - Put masking tape anywhere you are going to cut. It gives you a place to draw your cutout, and even if you draw your cutout on the inside he helps keep paint from chipping.
2 - In addition to "measure twice and cut once" you also want to make your main cuts smaller and work up gradually. Cut inside your lines by at least 1/8".
3 - The other best tip I have is to do any final sanding with some sort of tool. It can be anything, I have an assortment of wing tube scraps, cardboard tubes, even a sharpie or glue bottle. Anything but your fingers because there is no way to sand a straight line or a smooth radius with your fingers.
4 - Repeat after me......."I will not freehand cut my cowl"!! Draw an outline first!!
5 - One other thing to keep in mind, never cut a square corner. All stress is focused in the corner and the cowl will eventually crack.
I start with a carbide bit (shown in pic) to rough out the opening and then follow with a sanding drum, followed with some sort of "tool" with sandpaper to hand sand the opening.
Here are a few pics, a couple were marked from the inside and a couple from the outside:
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1 - Put masking tape anywhere you are going to cut. It gives you a place to draw your cutout, and even if you draw your cutout on the inside he helps keep paint from chipping.
2 - In addition to "measure twice and cut once" you also want to make your main cuts smaller and work up gradually. Cut inside your lines by at least 1/8".
3 - The other best tip I have is to do any final sanding with some sort of tool. It can be anything, I have an assortment of wing tube scraps, cardboard tubes, even a sharpie or glue bottle. Anything but your fingers because there is no way to sand a straight line or a smooth radius with your fingers.
4 - Repeat after me......."I will not freehand cut my cowl"!! Draw an outline first!!
5 - One other thing to keep in mind, never cut a square corner. All stress is focused in the corner and the cowl will eventually crack.
I start with a carbide bit (shown in pic) to rough out the opening and then follow with a sanding drum, followed with some sort of "tool" with sandpaper to hand sand the opening.
Here are a few pics, a couple were marked from the inside and a couple from the outside:
6908=2693-image001.jpg