Freestyler 5 (Konrad's set up)

[Konrad]

Reading the TUD site it looks like you can order the Freestyler without epoxy wipers. It is looking like my Freestyler 5 is a light lay up F3B ship.

This is actually a good development as I fly at the SLoT. This often result in a lot of thermal activity on the race course.

 

[Konrad]

Just doing some clean up. One of my aileron servos looked to be poorly installed. Yep, it wasn't square to any thing. Didn't take as many in process photos as I normally do. But the key issue was that the mounts weren't coplaner as a result a lot of epoxy got under the servo holding it at a weird angle . Also both aileron push rods needed to be ground about 1.5mm to clear the servo cover.

 

[Konrad]

Who says I don’t listen?

 

[2MUCH2DO]

So which ones fit?

 

[Konrad]

Thank you.

These are 4mm ball caps from my FVK Organic. They fit much better than the hoops shown earlier. As to a perfect fit we’ll have to wait until I get or make a tail cone hatch cover

 

[Konrad]

Some days are better than others. I broke off the ball trying to center the control horns ever so slightly! And I relearned that a sanding block will level the diamond weave. That is sand away the upper fibers in the lay up. So here I'm adding carbon squares to look like diamonds.

 

[Konrad]

I hate robbing Peter to pay Paul. Here I took apart the VTail horn from my FVK Organic to get the 4mm ball stud.

It looks like all I need to do is manufacture a cone tail cover and some flap seals. Then it is just system integration. Fine tuning the servo installation, battery and balance along with programming Shellim’s F3F templates.

 

[gp49]

I hate robbing Peter to pay Paul. Here I took apart the VTail horn from my FVK Organic to get the 4mm ball stud.

It looks like all I need to do is manufacture a cone tail cover and some flap seals. Then it is just system integration. Fine tuning the servo installation, battery and balance along with programming Shellim’s F3F templates.

View attachment 11792

@Konrad , i might have some parts for your 'peter' (organic). I got a bunch of different MP Jets ball link sets to put some of my European gliders in the air. Give me some more dimensions and i will see what i have. You can visit mpjets website for more info.

 

[Konrad]

@gp49 thank you. The sphere is 4mm nominal (3.85mm actual) diameter. With a 2mm diameter by 4mm long stud.

To resupply the Organic kit I’d need one 4mm ball stud and 2 4mm ball caps for 2mm threads. As the Organic is unbuilt I still have options as to how to assemble her. But if I have the option I like to keep things stock. Well, at least until I’ve had the chance to evaluate the system.

 

[gp49]

@Konrad here are the two types that i have in a 4mm ball. They vary by distance from the 'flange' to the middle of the ball. Stud at the end is a 2mm thread on both. The hole in the plstic part is for 2mm threaded rod. Is this something that will work for you?

 

[Konrad]

Wow, that’s great!

Yes, I could use 2 of the short studs. I’ll PM you contact info.

 

[Konrad]

Ok some progress!

I found that the LDS pushrods had a lot of wear from misalignment. I hope I've been able to get the servos to mount in the wing a bit better to allow for better mechanics with the hinge line push rod and the servo's axis of rotation.

But the previous issues have resulted in the pin holes (journals) being over sized. This is something that the LDS/IDS systems just can't tolerate! Looking at the push rod it looked like the issue was that the epoxy had worn away leaving some loose glass fibers in the journals. So to add some stability to the fibers. I use some acrylic resin in the way of CA to saturate the loose fibers. I don't know how long this will last. But as of now there is no discernible slop in the ailerons and the flap have some, but I think it is in the hinge line flex.

I'm ecstatic that I was able to fit 5mm servo arms to the V-tail servos. Of note I had some issues with clearing the ballast tube. Hence the need for some offset in the pushrods (bends). I also had the move the servos to the outside away from the center line. I'd like you to see that I added a collar to keep the pultruded carbon push rod from splitting. If there is a down side to this installation it was the need to grind the retention fingers of the clevises to clear the servo output shaft.

I'd like to thank @2MUCH2DO for sending me some scrap carbon diamond weave. The results are a lot better than I had hoped with cloth that wasn't of the same weave as the OEM.

 

[Konrad]

Starting the futile process of cosmetic repair. Here I’ve added the first layer of primer build up.

 

[Doc James Hammond]

Starting the futile process of cosmetic repair. Here I’ve added the first layer of primer build up. View attachment 11852View attachment 11853

Konrad - its starting to become a CAMO colour scheme!

You have caught the bug!

Doc.

 

[Konrad]

Ooh, yes I’ve given you a lot of grief over the “Camo” livery only to admit that after a few years of flying with them, I now actually like it.

No, I’m not going to muddy the water by doing that. Besides I want to keep this ship as light as I practically can. So the paint will be done as spot repairs.

 

[Doc James Hammond]

Ooh, yes I’ve given you a lot of grief over the “Camo” livery only to admit that after a few years of flying with them, I now actually like it.

No, I’m not going to muddy the water by doing that. Besides I want to keep this ship as light as I practically can. So the paint will be done as spot repairs.

Its great - a few more spot repairs and you will be there - just need some different shades of primer.

Actually, incredible as it may sound with the colours I choose for Camo, I have had people actually tell me it causes them to lose the model againt the background in flight. I suppose there most be alot of dark grey, light grey and white with red flash backgrounds to fly against.

Doc.

 

[Konrad]

In my Redshift threads there are a few in flight shots of the camo against the sky and down in the valleys. The camo and the large checkers visual pop.

In my youth I spent too much time around camo. I just didn’t want to see it in my hobby. But the flash of color really does change things. And with few straight lines or fades make it easy to repair.

 

[Konrad]

We know paint fills in nothing and primer barely fills in low spots. So it often takes a few layers of primer to get a surface ready for paint. Here I've block sanded the first layer with a hard sanding block and 320 grit sand paper. The use of a hard sanding block it critical to a proper prep for paint. Otherwise a soft sanding pad will allow the sandpaper to cut into the low spots removing the fill we are trying to lay down. (never* use your fingers or palm to sand down a surface). You can see the effect of block sanding on the filling of bruises spots. You can also see it bring to light the proud fiber repairs.

* I use my fingers behind sandpaper to remove paint shine and to prep low spots to accept primer.

 

[Jarron]

Konrad, come and get your battery lol

 

[Doc James Hammond]

We know paint fills in nothing and primer barely fills in low spots. So it often take a few layers of primer to get a surface ready for paint. Here I've block sanded the first layer with a hard sanding block and 320 grit sand paper. The use of a hard sanding block it critical to a proper prep for paint. Otherwise a soft sanding pad will allow the sandpaper to cut into the low spots removing the fill we are trying to lay down. (never* use your fingers of palm to sand down a surface). You can see the effect of block sanding on the filling of bruises spots. You can also see it bring to light the proud fiber repairs.

* I use my fingers behind sandpaper to remove paint shine and to prep low spots to accept primer.

View attachment 11862
View attachment 11863
View attachment 11864
View attachment 11865

Nearly there with the Camo, Konrad.

Doc.