| Author | Message | ||
     Anonymous |
The following was posted by Sven Eriksson on Jerry Sjostrand's Express Help Page, http://www.sierratel.com/jerico/. Posted here by permission of Sven 1. Use 1" peel ply on top of all Q-cell fillets. It makes a very smooth fillet without the need to sand it before applying fiberglass. 2. I found it very inconvenient to "glue" anchor nuts to the structure due to the difficulty of keeping resin out of the threads. I found the solution in the liquid masking rubber used when machine soldering PCB:s. It is used to mask holes on the PCB which should be hand soldered after machine soldering of the other components. This rubber compound is great to mask bolt hole in anchor nuts when gluing and glassing. After fully cured you just take away the rubber plug and you will have a perfect anchor nut for use. 3. I used a retarder for my resin called 2,4-pentadion. 0.1 % of this stuff added to my normal resin will give you a working time of slightly more than an hour at 70 F and 2% MEKP. Although I use a vinylester system from Interplastic Corp. This method should also be usable with Derakane resin as I suppose is used by US builders. I think I have seen a site on internet called www.derakane.com that tells all about Derakane resin. 4. I have also found that it is possible to store promoted resin for longer periods of time by keeping it at a temperature lower than 30-35 F. Unpromoted resin can be stored at least two years at this temp. Promoted resin at least nine months. When you should use the resin you just raise the temperature back to normal and it will be immediately ready for use. Reasons for me to store resin is that small quantities are expensive (1000 grams will be $30) and the company selling the stuff will not sell less than 5 gallons at a time. Cheers Sven Sven Eriksson EMAIL: se@ebox.tninet.se | ||
| Tom Hutchison |
I worked out a method of Q-celling joints during the Builder Assist program that works well for me. 1. Use a 1 quart Ziploc freezer bag, folded into a triangle with two layers of masking tape along the sides. Cut off the resulting point for a 3/8" opening. Use this "cake decorating" bag for laying a small bead along the joint. 2. "Prime" the joint with a light application of resin using a brush before squeezing a bead of Q-cell along the joint. 3. Dip an index finger into acetone before making the radius along the joint with the Q-cell. 4. After the radius is formed, brush very lightly with a paint brush dipped into a minimal amount of acetone to smooth out the Q-cell, followed by running the index finger along the joint. The result is a very smooth, nice looking Q-cell joint. And it is very fast. Tom | ||
| CBROS |
Tom: Your information on the use of "Zip Lock" bags is good. It is indeed a very clean method of applying Q cell fillets. At the same time, in my opinion, I would prefer Svend's use of peel ply as it does make it easy to make fillets on relatively straight runs, but has the added advantage of leaving a "layup ready" surface. Without using peel ply we have always sanded Q cell fillets to "break the glaze" before applying glass. The use of peel ply to finish fillets requiring milled fiber is especially helpful, and allows shaping using a tongue depressor, but I think you will find that the use of "Zip Lock" bags won't work for this application. | ||
| Tom Hutchison |
I will certainly try the peel ply when I go back for my second factory session Sept. 13. Anything to improve the process. We used the "Zip Lock" bag method for applying all the milled fiber to large structural joins and skin closings. I wonder if we mixed the mill fiber to a looser consistency. Tom | ||
| Kevin Dennes |
Our "Mellinium" is about to leave the factory and to be sent here to us in Sydney, Australia. I just want to say that the information that you are providing in this forum is wonderfully helpful. Please keep it going. | ||
| Gary Markwardt |
I used a "2 to 1" millfiber mixture for all my closings (e.g., 200 grams of catalyzed cabacell & 100 grams milled fiber) and still used the zip lock bags with no problems. Not sure if you mentioned that the bag edges were all reinforced with a layer of masking tape before filling. A thick Q-cell mixture sometimes causes a bag "blowout" which can usually be folded into the center to finish up. | ||
| tomhuth |
At Sven Ericksson's urging I have put a link on the Express-Builder.com home page to his great article on making multiple fiberglass layups. The article resides on Jerry Sjostrand's Express Builders Help Page. I tried his method when I was doing a couple of large layups with great results. Tom | ||
| tomhutch |
The following was posted on the Lancair Mail List and reposted here with permission of the author To get a nice even finish around inspection plates and access doors, here's my routine. First, make sure the door is final mounted, flush to the adjacent area and secure, no wiggle, the flanges behind the door are done and trimmed to final opening. Most flanges end up about 3/8"-1/2" wide under the door. Recheck that the door is in final shape, rounded corners and edges straightedge straight, etc. No filler goes on the door edge: won't hold. All the fill is TO the door edge, used as the fill tool guide. Put one layer of duct tape under the edge of the door, no overlaps, say 1/2" wide, razor trim it to the edge. Close the door. Scuff and clean the area between the door edge out to the finished skin, paint on a bit of epoxy,remove any excess. Put on some not too dry micro (with a bit of flox in it) all around the door, avoiding hinges and latches. Pat it down with your gloved finger. Take a tongue depressor, stir stick, split lengthwise to a narrow 1/8" tool and run it in the groove to be created, keeping it pressed against the door itself. You will get a uniform groove all around the door if your micro is not too dry. Use the same tool to remove the excess off THE DOOR side only. Let it all cure. The next day, pop the door open, remove the duct tape, remove any chunks on the flange, inside the groove, under the door, reclose the door and sand it all even, then finish the sharp edge of the groove itself lightly with fine sandpaper. You should have an even gap, the width of the stir stick, flush with the surface, as you sanded it so. Easily touched up if screwed up, enough room for paint buildup. Have fun... Robert Forest N295P | ||
| Darrell M Peterson New member Username: Darrell Post Number: 14 Registered: 03-2006 |
From the Express factory- There has been a lot of discussion about the elevator & rudder controls & weight, so we decided to take a look pertaining to the weight. We removed the right elevator-weight was 17.5# then the left elevator ,this came in at 18.5 #I assume this was heavier because or the trim servo & hinge.The rudder came in at 34# our total weight was 70#, this was 11#lighter than Bruce Newlands? We then decided to build them out of carbon fiber,the weights are as follows. Rudder 18.5#- right elevator 14#- left elevator 13.5#. The total weight nowis 46#,for a total savings of 24#, and by doing this helps our CG because on our 2000-RG,with the F-5W143wing wer carry 26 gallons of fuel behind the spar,but this is not a normal situation. With our new rudder horn & cables ,I can fly this 2000-RGin slow flighe at 60KTS& wag the tail like a fish in water. It stalls at 50Ktslightly loaded & holding the stick back in my lap,I still have rudder control. The new F-5 wing is larger,a bit slower ,but much more docile. On our planes, the rudder control is great,the poor control might be because of the push pull cables & the short rudder horn hinge ,that we do not recomend any more. | ||
| Jim Oyler New member Username: Midniteoyl Post Number: 133 Registered: 07-2003 |
Is this something you will incorporate into the kits? | ||
| Ben Baltrusaitis New member Username: Freepistol Post Number: 29 Registered: 09-2005 |
Will it be available for flying Expresses? | ||
| Chaz King New member Username: Chazking Post Number: 28 Registered: 01-2005 |
Darrell, Just what does that mean to us? Nice you have the control surfaces lighter, but with the older wing, so what! Are you planning to provide reasonably priced retrofit kits for those truly flying Expresses? Are you just teasing us? Do you have something serious in mind!? Been hyped by Express to often! Chäz | ||
| Darrell M Peterson New member Username: Darrell Post Number: 15 Registered: 03-2006 |
From the Factory With reference to the new rudder horn and cables, we will have a completed drawing and will post it on our web site , for everyone to see & use. There will be a lot pictures showing every detail. We should have the drawings ready by April 2nd. | ||
| Eric Holmberg New member Username: Erich Post Number: 125 Registered: 05-2002 |
Excellent, thanks Darrell! -Eric | ||
| Darrell M Peterson New member Username: Darrell Post Number: 16 Registered: 03-2006 |
Tail tips- There has been a lot of chatter about the heavy tail & the poor control. A lot of builders build differently,we ended up with 10# less than Mr Newlnds.We wanted ours lighter on the RG & it worked out wellfor us . We are not recomending to any one to go with a lighter tail unless there CG requires it.Before we made the change we had very good control with rudder & elevator,we went to carbon fiber because of the CG in the 2000-RG with the F-5 wing- In our new Kits we will include the new rudder horn and cables & pullys the new drawings for this is going to be posted on our web site in April. Carbon fiber tailfeathers are not going to be part of our standard kit. | ||
| Jim Oyler New member Username: Midniteoyl Post Number: 134 Registered: 07-2003 |
"There has been a lot of chatter about the heavy tail & the poor control." Hmm... I thought the plane was nose heavy, not tail heavy? Or was that the Cruciform? | ||
| Bruce Newlan New member Username: Bnewlan Post Number: 9 Registered: 09-2002 |
Darrell is correct regarding original weights in that my Series 90 weights were as follows: Rudder- 35#. Left elev.-24#, right elev. 22# for a total of 81# which is 11# heavier than Darrell's example. However, my Aluminum tail came in lower than Darrell's carbon fiber tail as foll: Rudder-17.1#, Left elev.-12.8# and right elev.-11.6# for a total saving of 39.5#. This was very significant for my airplane. | ||
| Shawn kelley New member Username: Skelley Post Number: 34 Registered: 01-2004 |
You know I have over 270hrs on my Series 90 tail and I have no trouble with the rudder or the elevators. I my say that they are alittle too lite. as for being tail heavy? No I have to fly with trim nose up. You have3 to look at what size engine you have If you have a 4 cylinder you are going to have a tail heavy plane but if you have a 6 cylinder you should be fine. | ||
| Jim Oyler New member Username: Midniteoyl Post Number: 135 Registered: 07-2003 |
Bruce: I would be interested in seeing any drawings and/or pics of your aluminum tail feathers..Did you have any trouble balancing them? What about flutter margin? | ||
| Gay Hamilton New member Username: Ghamilt Post Number: 1 Registered: 09-2008 |
I had a major problem with my rudder control on N188DS. The problem was lack of control pressure from the cables and the rudder. The mod we did was to increase the rudder hinge and reroute the cables thru the fuselage as Darrell is now doing. Thank God we have a factory to assist us in improving or aircraft and this web site in getting the information out to everyone. |