Kits Multiplex Acromaster Build

[callsign4223]

Ok guys, this is my first kit build so any suggestions or experience you would like to pass along is greatly appreciated. I plan to take lots of pictures and post them here to document the progress as this thing comes together. The back story is that I was looking for a msr and came across a craigslist ad where someone was selling a pile of R/C aircraft. Among the pile was the msr I was looking for, and this acromaster. I bought the whole pile and decided to build up the acromaster since I was looking for a sport/3d plane anyway. From what I can tell, the guy who bought the ARF kit also bought this power pack http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXVEP8 and a set of 4 HS82MG servos. I plan on getting an orange rx for this plane.

My first question is about the servos, are they digital, and is digital as big a deal for planes as it is for helis?

The prop is a 11 x 5.5 electric thin prop, is this what I need?

Also, there were no batteries in the box, however I do have a 1800 mah 3s battery from my blade 400, will this work to get me off the ground to start with?

Here are a few pictures of the electronics.

 

[callsign4223]

Started the build, got the elevator and rudder servo's and pushrods mounted. Glued together the 2 fuselage halfs. Quick question, what brand of CA do ya'll use? I'm using Mercury I got from the LHS and it seems like it's not holding the foam to foam connections very well. I'm not sure if I just didn't use enough, or if I got cruddy CA.

 

[callsign4223]

Day one is done. 3 hours into what the reviews online said could be done in 2.5 hours. Here is a picture of how far I've gotten so far. Only 2 major mishaps. The first was when I accidentally put too much CA on the elevator cable and glued it solid into the sleeve. Had to yank the cable out and cut the sleeve down, luckily I had some extra sleeve where I had already cut it down so hopefully I can keep the cable straight. The second issue was that the 2 fuselage halves didn't seem to mate up real well when I first put them together for some reason. I just taped the halves together and threw more CA on the joins and everything seems solid now.



By the way Tony, you like the product placement in the background?

 

[callsign4223]

Day 47, I can't feel my fingers anymore through the layer of CA on them, giving up hope, this is why man was never meant to fly!!! Actually, the build is 90% done and I am about 10 hours in. As you can see from the pictures, I have actually managed to put all the pieces in places where this thing looks like a plane LOL. The only thing left is to mount the esc and receiver and make sure the COG is in the right spot, then throw on the decals. I did get all the plugs soldered onto the esc, but I don't have any heat shrink to protect them so I am holding off until tomorrow to finish the electronics. I also still need to loctite the servo rod holder thingamijigs so that they can swivel freely without the nuts backing off of them. So far the worst screw up I have managed to pull off is accidentally CA'ing the canopy onto the fuselage, doh! Managed to get it off with some patience and the exacto knife.

 

[Tony]

Looking good man. When do you want to fly it?

Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner

 

[callsign4223]

I'm hoping to get it finished tonite. If I do, weather permitting, maybe we could get it up saturday?

 

[coolgabsi]

that looks really nice... that a scratch build ?

 

[RandyDSok]

I'm hoping to get it finished tonite. If I do, weather permitting, maybe we could get it up saturday?

ATM... Friday looks good but Sat-Sun they are forcasting 18-20mph winds with up to 25mph gusts... see Hourly Weather Forecast for 35.18N 97.45W

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that looks really nice... that a scratch build ?

I'd say not... it's a foamy... some assembly required LMAO

 

[callsign4223]

Ya, definitely not scratch built, I am by no means that skilled or creative. This was an ARF kit from multiplex I picked up off of craigslist. It's all elapor foam, feels very resilient, we will see after the first time I manage to corkscrew into the ground .


Man, I hope they are wrong about the wind, I am leaving Sunday morning for a week on a business trip, and now that I'm this close I really wanna see it fly.

 

[Tony]

Unfortunately I have to work friday saturday and sunday. So no flying for me on that beautiful Friday...

 

[callsign4223]

IT'S DONE!!!!!!!!! Well, almost. Everything is put together, all the control surfaces are moving the right way, everything seems to be going good. My big problem now is that I have not one creative bone in my body. I don't really like the look of the decals, but I cannot for the life of me think up a good looking paint scheme. I have looked at what some others online have put on theirs, but I am not all that impressed with most of them. I am going to be wracking my brain over the next week while I am out of town trying to think of something to put on this thing, in the meantime, if any of you artsy types out there wanna throw some ideas my way I am all ears. I would throw up some more pictures, but it still looks exactly like it did in my last pictures, a blank canvas. All the work since then was electronics.

Total build time to this point 13 hours and counting.

On a side note, I did find it that it's not a good idea to get CA in the servo connector. Luckily I still had that busted CX2 laying around and was able to frankenstein the end off of the busted 3-in-1 throttle servo connector and solder it to the fitted servo wires. It is on the elevator servo, and it seemed to respond just fine. I will have to see how well it holds up.

 

[callsign4223]

Ok, here are some ideas I have come up with. What do ya'll think?

 

[Tony]

Would you rather paint it, or would you rather put decals on it so you can remove them later? all of the lettering you see on my Edge 540 Mini was decals. they don't weight much, probably less than paint, and we can always redo them. I can get you some of the RCH decals if you want to put them on the wing like you had them in the pics. If you can get me some good high res photos of the top, bottom and both sides (at least 2000 pix tall) I can work on some designs this weekend. just email them to me.

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Oh, and I will need specific measurements. Like from fuse to wing tip, wing chord at the fuse and tip and so on. I know I can get something going.

 

[callsign4223]

My first thought is to use decals, but would I be able to completely cover it like in those pictures? I am definately gonna have you make up the logos on the bottom of the wing though.

 

[Tony]

I guess if you use some light weight paint like acrylic and spray it very lightly through an airbrush it shouldn't add much weight. but brushing it on will add a lot of paint, and a lot of weight. Make sure to use some kind of sealer that is safe on foam though. As for the logos, just let me know what you need.

 

[callsign4223]

I have read online where other people have just used krylon spray paint. You have to keep the can a good distance away, but they said it works fine. I just sprayed the canopy black to test it, figure if I gotta trash anything that would be the best part. When I maiden it I will have you look it over and help me decide on the decals if that is alright with you.

 

[RCD]

I used normal spray paint on multiplex foam and it doesn't dissolve it.

 

[Tony]

Hey whatever works. I just know I have only used water based paints on foam. And not a problem on talking out the design. We will get something pretty wicked on there if you want.

 

[callsign4223]

Awesome, I think I am going to go with what I posted for the base design and then use decals to set it off. The canopy didn't turn into a melted pile of goo, that's good I guess. It will definitely take 2 coats though. The first seem to soak in a little or something, the second really popped though.

 

[Tony]

Just remember that when you peel off the vinyl, you will pull the paint off as well. This is why I have rethought my original thought and would just paint it after taping everything off.