FT Edge 540 - Polymycrophobia edition

DamoRC

Elite member
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Mycrophobia - the fear of small things
Polyphobia - the fear of many things


Polymycrophobia - the fear of many small things

My polymycrophobia has been in remission for some time now. Just as well as I deal with my ongoing addiction to gorilla glue and my unhealthy relationship with Sketchup. However, following the wonderful 540 build thread by @PsyBorg, especially Post #1 where he shows the plans and the many, many, parts to build this fabulous plane, I had to go have a lie down. No amount of therapy or pharmaceutical intervention was going to allow me to tackle the plane as is.

The FT Edge has been beautifully engineered by Andres and per the plans I am sure she will be a robust craft. But I decided to see if I could adapt the plans to better fit my style of building which typically excludes any part smaller than my head. The area I wanted to tackle was the fuselage.

After identifying the parts in the plans that form the fuselage shape, I took screen captures and imported the image into Sketchup (my precious). The images were all scaled identically and to the ruler on the plans. I then tried to draw out the fuse "surface" in a flattened form, doing my best to ensure that the sections lined up correctly.

SU reverse eng pic.jpg


About 75% of the way through I realized that working in 2D was not going to cut it so using some of the angles measured from the formers on the plans, I folded the parts to generate a 3D model. For the most part, these pieces folded together well and only minor changes were needed to get everything to line up properly.

Su refolded.jpg


Of course the irony is that I now needed to unfold the parts again to make draft plans. As you might have guessed, I am going to use the score->gorilla glue->frame approach to this build.

unfolded again.jpg


Okay, so the part count is not minimal, but the fuse/canopy is just three parts and you need 5 frame parts to hold the lot together while the glue dries. I can keep the frames and re-use them the next time I need to build / re-build.

Got the parts printed and cut tonight and I dry fit them into frames. They are a little rough right now but with a little beveling and glue I think this is going to work.

IMG_3665.JPG

IMG_3666.JPG

IMG_3668.JPG


There seems to be stuff missing from in there...

IMG_3667.JPG


Need to work up a motor mount and install before I glue the individual sections together. I will also need to add extensions to the wing cut outs so that the wing with the aileron intact can be installed - I will be gluing the wing in permanently.

DamoRC

p.s. - polyphobia and mycrophobia are real ailments, I am not sure that there is such a thing as polymycrophobia. ;)

EDIT: Plans added. Attached zip file contains tiled and full sized PDFs along with the Sketchup, DoubleCAD, and .DXF files. Enjoy.
EDIT: Plans updated 20th Aug, 2018 to correct an error in the motor mount.
 

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  • Edge Modified Fuse Plans.zip
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DamoRC

Elite member
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Hmm less pieces and a faster build, I might have to tackle this if you make plans.

Cool - I can colorize the plans I used and post them with some basic instructions. Although I like the build and the strength of the fuse, it wont be as "put-together" as the original - so just bear that in mind.

Made and oopsie when I installed the motor mount. I think I have it exactly where it should be according to the plans but I don't have a C-pack motor and instead intended to use an NTM 2826 1200kV from HK (this is my go-to motor for this size FT build). Well, the NTM is a good bit shorter than the C-pack and so the prop won't clear the nose. So right now I am debating whether to add a spacer to the mount so that I can use the motor I intended, or just go with my E-flite Power 15 950kV motor. Its probably too much motor for this plane but I have been using it on my modified FT Racer using a 10 x 6 prop on 3S or 4S and the airframe handles it fine.

@PsyBorg or @Mid7night - knowing you guys have built this - can you confirm what the clearance between the prop and the nose is when you use the C-pack motor? Thanks!

DamoRC
 

PsyBorg

Wake up! Time to fly!
It freakishly slim on my build but my cowl is not the most bestest of straighness.

2-3 mm at most for mine.
 

DamoRC

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It freakishly slim on my build but my cowl is not the most bestest of straighness.

2-3 mm at most for mine.

Excellent - thanks for the info. I think I will add spacers to fit the smaller motor rather than use the Power 15.

DamoRC
 

DamoRC

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All done.

Again, kudos to Andres - she's a handsome plane.

Decided not to mess around with spacers for the motor so I removed the mount and replaced it with a new mount positioned about 3/4 inch forward which gives me the clearance I need. The creases on the nose are from my less than delicate mount removal. Finished up the odds and ends and she's ready to maiden, hopefully this weekend.

Airframe weight minus battery is 562g or ~20oz, so if the product spec page weight does not include wheels and wheel pants I saved about 4 oz or around 15%.

With a 1600mAh 3 cell the AUW is 696g (~25oz) and with a 2200mAh 3 cell the AUW is 752g (~27oz).

Will post some basic plans and instructions in the next couple of days.

IMG_3673.JPG


DamoRC
 

foamtest

Toothpick glider kid
Awesome job! Now I just have to find some time to build and edit my FFOHIO videos...

P.S. Is there anyway to get 25 hours in a day? I heard that some people hacked the simulation and got extended days.
 

DamoRC

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Maidened today. Set the throws to approx 16 degrees per the plans and then ran at 50% of this (~8 degrees) and 40% expo for the maiden powered by a 1600mAh 3S. Placed the battery so that she was about 5 degrees nose down when balanced at the 3.25 inch CG marks.

No pics or vid - sorry.

What an excellent plane!

If you haven't built one - do so now. She was an absolute pussycat to fly with the above setup. I could float her around at around 25% - 30% throttle. Rudder control is nice and flat - very little coupling at low speed. At full throttle, even on low rates (~8 degrees throw) she easily knife edged. The NTM 2826 1200Kv with the 9x6 prop was fine but maybe a tad underpowered if you want to hang her off the prop. I need to look at that again.

Put 3 additional flights on her, two with a 2200mAh and one with a 2850mAh 3S. Still a pussy cat.

Landings were light and smooth.

Love this plane. I need to fight the temptation to put more power in there because I think there is a lot I can learn from flying her with this setup.

DamoRC
 

DamoRC

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Sounds like it was great Damo, I have wanted one since they came out but I havent had the time or proper gear to build one. have you given it a paint job?

Nope - no paint job yet. All I really want to do is go fly it again (and again, and again). Seriously thinking of building a second to tempt DamoRC Jnr back to flying with me more.

DamoRC
 

JTarmstr

Elite member
Nope - no paint job yet. All I really want to do is go fly it again (and again, and again). Seriously thinking of building a second to tempt DamoRC Jnr back to flying with me more.


DamoRC

Yeah, its a great plane, could I potentially mod it to be power pod compatible?
 

DamoRC

Elite member
Mentor
Yeah, its a great plane, could I potentially mod it to be power pod compatible?

It would be tough. Here is a standard (original) sized power pod modeled into the fuselage - it clashes with the wing. You would need to cut the length of the pod to around 3.5 inches to fit forward of the wing.

Power Pod Model.jpg


DamoRC
 

IanSR

Active member
Thanks for uploading the plans, I got part way through the originals and gave up, so I might give this one a crack instead, wonder if this will tempt my JR back into flying too.