bracesport DLG

[rockyboy]

Wow - that looks equal to any $3,000 off-the-shelf glider I've seen for sale - incredibly well done!

 

[bracesport]

@rockyboy - thanks man - but as you know if you build a second one it would be better - I made a few mistakes and paid the 'weight' penalty - I am considering having a crack at a carbon wing with the techniques I used on the pitcheron https://forum.flitetest.com/index.php?threads/vista-v2-a-slippery-pitcheron.61466/page-5#post-582750 but refined for the DLG environment - if I could pull it off it would be pretty cool - there are a few guys that make their own carbon DLG wings using the hot-wired foam blanks so it is possible, but they don't seem to use a spar (compared to the production guys).

 

[bracesport]

The weather was better 'yesterday' - but today was the day for the maiden - my mate Pete and I met at the park and I was thankful to have Pete's wisdom and skill to help with the trimming - Pete had his BAMF-2 and wow what a machine it is - it really does not matter what the conditions are Pete can launch and fly around for 10 minutes without raising a sweat - me on the other hand, I am still counting my flights in the seconds!

Apart from the importance of trimming I can see I am flying with too much stick input and the more I just let it ride the better it flew - today was about trimming not power launching and anything fancy, and although it did not look it, the wind was a bit stiffer than ideal.

 

[bracesport]

have you seen the new YODA from Joe Wurtz http://f3j.in.ua/yoda.html - Vladimirs models is making the new ship and my friend Pete here in NZ has had a fly - it features multi dihedral, ailerons and flaps, so under braking we now have a crow option - Pete still thinks hi BAMF2 is hard to beat (but he has ordered a YODA) - seems like this is modern take on the old HLG's - I like it!

 

[danskis]

Just an FYI out there to all you DLG pilots using openTX. I've recently started using aileron differential and it makes a noticable difference in turn quality. I've used this method to good success.

A better Diff for OpenTx (rc-soar.com)

 

[bracesport]

Oh yes, I am a great fan of Mike from rc-soar and his fab OTX tips!

Just an FYI out there to all you DLG pilots using openTX. I've recently started using aileron differential and it makes a noticable difference in turn quality. I've used this method to good success.

A better Diff for OpenTx (rc-soar.com)

 

[bracesport]

Here is some progress on my next build - I plan to make a carbon fibre wing and fuse of my own design based on the BAMF wing and the YODA polyhedral - I have tracked down some carbo-weave cloth and am researching my hot wire options while getting the CAD done - the poly wing moves us from 4 servos to 6 servos, but we get the crow braking - it will be an interesting project.

 

[flyboa]

@bracesport Looks like a nice winter project.

I still have my 2ch and 4ch poly wing DLGs. They both handle very nice. Might try a 6ch next so I can use crow braking.

 

[bracesport]

yes you gotta have a winter project! My mate has flown the YODA here in NZ and thinks it flies well enough to order one - he says the launch height is good and the braking is easier (but not better) than the usual flaperons - He always laughs when I say I am learning to fly DLG on a BAMF (given they are such a high performance machine)!

 

[bracesport]

The foil templates are very dinky - only 4mm at the tip, so this will be interesting - I wonder if I could 3D print them and then add a foil tape to protect them from the heat - might try that!

 

[bracesport]

I decided to do a test print - my plan will be to shield the surface with paper tape - just need to bring my power supply back to the workshop - foils are indeed dinky!

 

[bracesport]

Well this all turned out well!

I used a straight pull wire on a pivot point (as the foils are tapered) - my templates are 4mm ABS prints (handles a higher temp than PLA) - this section of foil is 9mm thick and has camber on the TE - it is my take on a SYNERGY II foil - I used welding wire and the voltage was only 4v - my foam is only scrap for the testing, I need to get a new block - great result for one go!

 

[Wildthing]

I like it

 

[bracesport]

Some progress on the polyhedral jig - 8 deg outer panel, 3 deg inner panel - so far so good!

 

[bracesport]

chipping away on the new fuse moulds - basics are roughed out - now I will model the male and female moulds to print - the green section is the main mould, and given the wing has camber at the TE there is a undercut on the mould - I am planning to have the inner mould with a breakout section to allow the surface under the wing to release - the outer mould will be in two pieces to achieve its release - I am using the old pool cue again for the boom.

 

[bracesport]

Here are the male and female moulds for the main section of the fuse/boom - the internal parts can break inwards after the pool cue is first removed - the outer parts will easily split off the mould.

 

[bracesport]

The first prints are done for the internal fuse moulds - two of the tail end sections failed so I am reprinting them at the moment - nevertheless the parts all fit pretty well - once moulded the this slivers should be able to be prised out and then the top and bottom halves can be removed - this allows me to have undercuts (one of note is the heal of the wing as it seats against the back wall) - before moulding these pieces will be covered with a shrink film or cling wrap.

 

[bracesport]

I reprinted the end section and also the first outer mould - the outer mould has a split to allow for expansion and compression onto the wet carbon fibre.

 

[bracesport]

I finished the top and bottom outer moulds and everything seems to fit pretty well.

I have managed to find some 50mm polythene flat bags to use as shrink wraps (waiting on that before proceeding) - in the meantime I am recycling some 3K 5mm braided sleeve as tow - I also measured (roughly) my glass cloth @30 g/sqm, my 50mm braided sleeve @40 g/m, and my 25mm braided sleeve @20 g/m.

Carbon ship - 270g target - 68g fuse - 140g wing - 15g tail feathers - 32g 6 servos - 5g receiver - 10g battery

 

[bracesport]

I am making a start on the fuse - step one is wrapping the fuse/boom with cling film as the release surface and adding some 3K tow for bending strength - I added a fillet between the fuse and the boom to smooth out the transition.