Laser Arts Majestic Build - with mods

[chuckand]

Well, construction of my Laser Arts Majestic has commenced and I am using this space as a repository for my experiences, etc, with regards to this build. As noted in the subject, I will be following many of the Drela recommended modifications and will do my best to accurately portray the simplicity/difficulty of each from the standpoint of a "second time builder" (me!)

Here's the current link to the Laser Arts Majestic 110 kit (For my purposes, I guess I'll call it the Majestic 122 :rolleyes: ). My experiences with Laser Arts over the last few years have all been fantastic; extremely quick and accurate service.

http://www.mountainmodels.com/product_info.php?cPath=25_28&products_id=175&osCsid=aca97042a396c50cb796e3cc6bfec571

Please join in as you please... to correct mistakes as I make them or to ask questions/gain clarification. This thread is as much for interested readers as it is for me to keep my build strategy on track... so I hope y'all will let me know what I can do to give the most back to you!

Enjoy!!

Chuck (in Aaaala Baaama)

[chuckand]

Among the mods I am implementing...

Wing mods:
Slight change to airfoil/chord (no changes to entry, just camber/chord)
Change in Di/Polyhedral joint angles
Increased span with 2 additional wing tip bays and swept tips (110" to 122")
1-degree mid-panel wash-out
Hardwood spars replaced with carbon/balsa
Replacement of ply joiners with carbon spar pass-throughs
Center panel shear webs beefed up/Aramid TOW wrapped
Spoilers enlarged slightly (a bay or two per wing half)

Fuse mods:
Replacement of stock boom with Bubble Dancer CF boom
Increased V-tail chord and span
Replacement of V-tail attachement wire with carbon rod
Etched Teflon/SS wire control linkage

Most of these mods are simply a change in parts, or alternate parts supplied by Laser Arts... and sound more significant than they are. There may be others to include as well, and I will do my best to add them to this page as I go along....

Are the mods necessary for a fairly "green" pilot such as myself to progress with flight skill development? ABSOLUTELY NOT! This kit, like the Sovereign from my last build, is an extremely good balance between price, performance, and durability. The design is solid, sound, and simple. The supplied components are very good quality... and built according to instructions, I have no doubt this kit is more than adequate for an entry level or middle of the road thermal pilot to take the next step.

So... why am I doing the mods? This, like my Sovereign, is a learning exercise for me. I'm following through with some of the more difficult mods to gain the experience necessary to take on "short-kit" and "scratch" projects in the future... and I am starting with a well designed/well documented kit to reasonably assure successful completion and utility of the finished product.

And my goal with this project? Very simply, I would like to reduce weight as necessary to realize some of the benefits of the modified airfoil while assuring the wing and airframe remain beefy enough to compensate for my clumsy pedal foot and dumb thumbs.

And away we go....

[WEB01]

Hello again Chuck...

Nice to see that you will be forging the way for me yet again. On with the build (with lot's of pretty pictures please)!

Ward (in Winterpeg)

[chuckand]

First up, planning... and lots of it. I am sure I have over-thought every aspect of this build, but well... it's mine... and I can do that :D. Now that the brainstorming, reading of available resources (including much browsing of the Allegro/Lite Yahoo Group, Majestic/Drela mods, etc), harassing of my fellow NASF club members, etc, is sufficient... I'll dive in.

My first hurdle was the added span at the tips (6" per tip) and elimination of the tip block in lieu of a swept built up leading edge. Sounds backwards, right? Tips first? Well, I considered it the highest risk mod and wanted to know what I was getting in to. I rolled the plans out, looked at 'em, rolled 'em back up a time or two... rolled 'em back out... then got out a sheet of paper, a pencil, eraser, and a straight edge and got busy. I carried the existing LE/Spar/TE lines out, marked location for 2 rib additions, chose a suitable radius for the LE/tip, didn't like the structure or the appearance, wadded up the paper, taped down another, repeat a time or two. Much better. I referred to the lines of the Allegro, Bubble Dancer, etc, for inspiration and got an outline I liked. Took another look at the structure, spars, ribs, etc and just made it work. I wish this phase was more scientific, but well...

I know there are tools to "print" ribs to scale at the desired span location, and I suppose my approach was a bit old school, but I literally scaled the needed ribs by laying out the last few laser cut ribs, drawing a cone around them, and filling in the blanks (chord, etc) for the ones I needed at the location I needed them. I am certain I overthought this too, but the end result looks like they came from the same batch as the rest of 'em. Mission accomplished.

Interestingly, the components needed for my tip radius, including 2 added ribs and increased LE and TE material, sheeting, etc, weigh less than the laminated tip block these materials will displace... Badda bing, badda boom.

I trimmed the camber from all the ribs, from center to tip, leaving the bottom of the wing flat from the spar aft. This was an easy change to the airfoil with little more effort than swiping a sharp #11 against a straight edge. To realize the benefits of this, I have to reduce weight everywhere I can... In this build, every gram counts! Incidentally, the reduction in camber also removed grams in the form of chord. I reduced the trailing edge sheeting by 5% of the wing chord at the center, moving the TE forward, and carried the new TE to the tips on the plans.

The tip panel spar caps are middle of the road balsa. Hard balsa and hardwood by itself would be sufficient I am sure, but I had the .007 CF uni, so I used the materials I had and the end result worked out well. I cut a .5" wide strip of 1/8" balsa and laminated the CF to it with a minimal amount of epoxy... with some space on each end protected from adhesion with plastic wrap (more on the di/polyhedral carbon spar pass-throughs later...) . After curing, I stripped the 1/2" laminate to 2-each 1/4" pieces, then cut to length. The end result? Each spar cap is 6" longer and weigh 1-gram less than the kit-supplied hard wood caps. Cool. Just what I was after.

So I jumped back to page 1 of the kit instructions and placed the bottom spar cap/ribs on the plans and bonded as per usual. Test fit/trimmed shear webs and tip components... and have left it on my bench a day or two while I think about what I have done... and whether I am ready to commit to this design as is. I think I am good with it but need to work through some assembly order details and make sure it all goes the way I want.

How do I feel about the build so far? Well, my ideas are coming together and things are working out. It is VERY important to point out, though regarding the airfoil changes... you gotta get the airframe on a diet if the airfoil modification is to be a benefit. The result is said to be better penetration, speed, reduced drag, etc, but without a reduction in weight, it's gonna be a detriment moreso than a benefit.

Difficulty? The wing tip mod/airfoil change/weight reduction is not for a newby. I've drawn on all I know... and all that those around me know... to get this rolling. You know if you've got the right stuff to do this... I didn't. Hopefully when I'm done I can say I do :rolleyes:

More drama later...

Chuck (in Aaaala Baaama)

[chuckand]

Hello again Chuck...

Nice to see that you will be forging the way for me yet again. On with the build (with lot's of pretty pictures please)!

Ward (in Winterpeg)

Howdy, Ward.

I wasn't planning to do a lot of posting with this build, but after some prodding from a couple locals, I thought... well... I didn't see much detail surrounding the Drela mods in the groups... and decided to post what I could as I go along. As it turns out, had I read my own posts about difficulty, etc, before starting, I probably would have second thoughts about diving in with both feet... Who knew? :)

I do have another build lined up for later in the Winter that will require quite a bit of "scratch" experience though, so I'm glad I'm spending the time to learn on such a great platform.

Are you getting your Sovereign knocked out?

Chuck (in Aaaala Baaama)

[tw126a]

I've always thought the modifications for the Majestic were too much for my skill level, so I'll be paying attention. Sure is pretty and I love the V-tail. How much weight are you shooting for? Compared to the Bubble Dancer its quite a bit heavier but I bet if you can get close to 50 oz. this should really perform. You're Canadian fans are watching.. :)
Tom

[chuckand]

I've always thought the modifications for the Majestic were too much for my skill level, so I'll be paying attention. Sure is pretty and I love the V-tail. How much weight are you shooting for? Compared to the Bubble Dancer its quite a bit heavier but I bet if you can get close to 50 oz. this should really perform. You're Canadian fans are watching.. :)
Tom

Thanks for the encouragement, Tom.

Yeah, definitely not shooting for a BD comparison, but the simplicity of the Majestic build is tough to ignore. I read the EZ-BD manual... and was left wondering what the Non-EZ build would be like to build ;).

I will consider anywhere in the mid 50 oz range to be a very successful build for me. I'll hold off attaching the stacked up ply nose to the fuse pod until I have a better idea of where I'm at! (How's THAT for wishful thinking??!!). Lots to be gained (actually, lost...) in the tail group... of which I haven't even taken a serious look at yet! Eeeek!

Chuck (in Aaaala Baaama)

[Johnnie Paul]

Chuck,

I will sign in on this this thread as well, I just placed my order today (snail mail) for my Majestic, so I will keep up with ya. You are performing a multitude of mods that I won't be doing, but none the less, I expect another quality build from you. It should help me out along the way.

Johnnie

[GLIDERGIDER]

Chuck,
You are blowing the locals away with your building, your skills and your ability to create. I'm watching in awe of your accomplishments. I certainly don't see any issues.

You are teaching this 'local' a thing or two and have inspired me already to build this winter. I just finished bagging a balsa fin for the S-1 and that I owe to your inspiration and seeing your Sovereign tail fins. Thanks for sharing your work by publishing this thread.

I'll be active on the YB2 right after the holiday.

Keep on keeping on.

[chuckand]

David,

You are too kind. I'm just kind of "going with the flow" and it's working. I appreciate the encouragement

Y'all don't leave me behind when the YardBirds start hatching. I believe that wing has huge potential... and I'd love to have mine in the air in the Spring too!

Did you say something about bagging? You've got my attention! :D

Chuck (in Aaaala Baaama)


Chuck,
You are blowing the locals away with your building, your skills and your ability to create. I'm watching in awe of your accomplishments. I certainly don't see any issues.

You are teaching this 'local' a thing or two and have inspired me already to build this winter. I just finished bagging a balsa fin for the S-1 and that I owe to your inspiration and seeing your Sovereign tail fins. Thanks for sharing your work by publishing this thread.

I'll be active on the YB2 right after the holiday.

Keep on keeping on.

[chuckand]

OK, I know progress is a little slow... I'm over-thinking a lot of steps and doing some "Batch" processing that will pay off later (spar lams for example...).

So, Here's what I've got done recently...

Both tip panels are extended 6", framed up, and ready for joining and sheeting. I say "joining and sheeting" because I am finalizing details to do spar "pass-throughs" instead of plywood panel joiners. Basically, .007 carbon strips are strategically laminated at the panel junctions between the carbon cap laminates and balsa cap cores to handle structural loading. For the tips, that's not so much of a big deal, but for the mid panel to center panel junction, I'll have to "wing" an assembly order that allows for access to the spar cap ends for joining with the .007 material, and at the center-mid junction, access to "wrap" the caps to the spar with Aramid TOW. Of course, the hurtles are... allowing space for the .007 layups, ensuring the shear web space will not "crush" at the junction (thicker balsa web or something sandwiched between the end ribs, etc), and doing all of this joining while keeping proper polyhedral angles. Oh... and keeping it light :eek: .

The long and the short of it is... I will not be following a standard order of assembly and at this point I do not know EXACTLY what that order is. I will likely frame up all the panels, ensure the end ribs are all set at proper angles, sheet the bottom then top of the mid panels (including specified washout) with the .007 captured, then "sheet the center and tip panels around it, capturing the pass-throughs.

If anyone has suggestions for an effective order of assembly, I hope you'll chime in. This is a thinking man's game and my thinking is not the sharpest when it come to boxes and thinking outside of them. I have been considering cutting out sections of sheeting then attaching after panel joining, similar to the Yardbird 2 approach for the center/mid joiner box, but I was hoping to avoid the cuts in the sheeting.... and I do not mind working inside-out to get there... I'm in no hurry to get done and I can take my time, set it aside, and come back later if need be.

OK, moving along.....

I divided my tapered spar cap laminates in preperation for mid and center panel framing. I started with the ACP 1/2" x .040-.007 unidirectional tapered lams. For the wing bottom caps, I started at the .007 end of the lam and measured/cut for the length of the mid then center panels. Terminal thickness at the inboard end of the center panel (goes against fuse) is .025", as measured on my calipers. For the wing top spar caps, I started from the thick end of the lams, measured at .044", and worked my way out toward the tip. Terminal thickness at the outboard end of the mid panel is .013". I had considered carrying the top cap out on the tip panel before I started construction, but as it is, .007 top and bottom is way overkil. It could probably be hard balsa top and bottom, but well... this is my airplane after all, and I wanted carbon out to the tips :D. It falls inside the Drela recommandations for spar cap reinforcement anyway...

Whew... Sounds like a lot of work, but it took about 5 minutes to measure and cut the tapered lams. The end result is... I've got tapered lams to stick to my cap material (hard balsa) to make my caps the same dimensions as the factory hardwood caps. After trimming, sizing, etc, I'll compare weight to the supplied hardwood caps, though there will be no comparing strength!

So, using laminating resin, I adhered the carbon laminates to my cap material (.125" hard balsa). No vac bag, etc, so I protected the "spar pass through" ends with plastic and covered with Monocote backing plastic (mylar?). I stacked a straight plank on top of them and piled on a bunch of heavy crap. Mid panel caps are laminated and ready for trimming (finished width is to be 3/8"). The center panel spars are ready for laminating and when finished will not require trimming. I'll get those knocked out the next night or two and get tooled up to frame the mid panels...

Boring, right? I know.... nothing new in the pictures, but I did get the tips looking as I want. I do have a gussett to add to the outermost end of the LE of the tips when I get the LE in place. I didn't have stock for the LE, so I'll get to that shortly... and can wrap 'em up. Funny... they have a pretty impressive span as they are.... :).

As far as the obligation to myself to report level of difficulty, I would say the laminated caps will be a pretty easy update. You know the deal. Laminate the carbon lams to balsa and trim to shape. Everyone knows his ability in simple mechanical assembly and there are no surprises here.

Spar pass-through is a challenge to me at this point. Maybe by nailing down a sensible order, it'll go smoothly/accurately/quickly for others. It's intimidating to me at this point... I still do not have a specific path forward, but will devlop one quickly once I get spar caps laminated and get the parts that require joining in hand. It'll come together.

Changed poly angles? Well, that's a no-brainer if you are using LA supplied ply panel joiners and rib angle templates. Just ask for the updated joiner parts and use them instead. Cake.

More soon. Hopefully the pace will pick up over the holiday weeks coming up...

Chuck (in Aaaala Baaama)

[WEB01]

Hi Chuck,

I'm still here but I'm sorry to say that my Sovereign is on hold. We have new living room furniture due this week and I am unders orders to have the living room painted before it arrives (this on top of having a new puppy in the house!). Gotta keep the wife happy if I want to keep spending money on airplanes. I decided to go with a ply/hard balsa/ply center rib with brass tubing to keep the nylon bolts from crushing the balsa and I am going to install spoilers, each mechanically activated with their own servo. I have the week after Christmas off and I am hoping to get going then. Love your wing tips! Can't wait to see how all the mods work out for you.

Ward

[chuckand]

No new pics (Darn!), but I made some progress last night worth noting.

I trimmed the laminated mid-panel spar caps. This was not trivial. The tapered laminate width was 1/2" and I needed 3/8" to fit the laser cut ribs. The bottom (pretty thin) spar caps went pretty well. The thicker tops? Not quite as good. I used a very sharp utility knife to score them and repeatedly follow this score line to get through the carbon. I do not recommend this approach. Too easy to get off track... and follow a fiber, changing the width. This happened to me. Not a big deal, but 1/16" off makes a difference I'd rather not have. I recommend either obtaining material in a width specific to your application or ensuring you have a machine setup capable of trimming the laminate to width (band saw, router, etc). Imagine my relief when I remembered the center panel spar cap laminates remain full width (1/2")! They are thick honkers!

The finished thickness of the balsa/carbon laminate was easy to obtain. I used a plane to get close and sanded to finish it off. This was not a challenge to me at all. I've got a GREAT planer too... which helps :D .

Tapered vs constant thickness.... well, I know the tapered laminated were the "right" thing to do (no carbon where you don't need it), but I would not discourage anyone from using fixed thickness on a "per panel/per side" basis. On the mid panels... bottom especially, I really struggled to tell which was the inboard and outboard end... and my eyes are not THAT bad. I kept my calipers close by... cause on the bottom caps, I needed 'em. I suspect fixed thickness unidirectional laminates are cheaped by the linear foot anyway... but I did not bother checking to validate this. I do not think there is a difference in difficulty of preparing/installing the laminates (sanding them to the proper thickness), either fixed or tapered, if my opinion counts (I've now assembled fixed thickness and tapered caps...).

I forgot to get the weight of the laminated caps (ready for installation) vs. the OEM hardwood caps. I'll try to remember to get that tonight from the right wing mid-panel caps. Did I mention I started assembly of the left mid-panel?

:)

Yep, felt like a milestone... after the spar cap prep, I wanted to see results. Nothing major. I applied the mid panel bottom spar cap to the plans, installed ribs using a laser-cut shear web for spacing (gotta LOVE laser cut shear webs!!!), trimmed a bunch of shear webs to fit between the spar caps and Tite-Bond'd it all together (that's one advantage of using a carbon/balsa cap; you can still use white glue for all of the bonding...). When done, I stacked a bunch of crap on it and left it. I'll likely double the inboard bay sheer web thickness and wrap the bay with a LITTLE aramid TOW after I get the end rid set and before sheeting. Again... gotta get the assembly order sorted out... Help! :eek:

I'll try to get some pics tonight and maybe get the other mid-panel framed up. Kind of nice building a part according to directions again... The center panels should go quickly too. Other than Aramid tow wrap, I won't be deviating much (OK, you caught me... I want another bay or two of spoiler relief, but that's trivial, right???)

Catch ya up later!

Chuck (in Aaaala Baaama)

[chuckand]

A little more chatter... with some pics this time!

Before assembling the framework of the right wing mid panel last night, I weighed the carbon/balsa laminated top cap. 3.6 grams. The hardwood equivalent, as supplied, is 5.5 grams. OK, so a couple grams here and there is so much noise... but at least I know that my improvements are not making the airframe GAIN weight.... but actually LOOSE a LITTLE. Just reporting the experience.... not necessarily advocating it :D.

As noted above, I assembled the right side mid panel; ribs to the lower spar cap, shear webs, and top spar cap. I've got some 1/2" drive impact socket sets that make handy weights... when paired with a nice straight plank for weight distribution. Center panels are what's left.... oh... and all the joining and sheeting. So, actually... about 95% of the work still needs to be done!

I inspected the left mid panel I assembled the other night and I am simply AMAZED at the stiffness/strength of this unit. It's hard to imagine balsa sheeting adding MORE stiffness and torsional strength... but I know it does. Some scratch builds/kits/ARF's have .75oz glass or carbon tissue inside the balsa sheeting. Shwhew.... talk about rigid!

I won't ramble on.... just wanted to share the spar cap weights, etc.

Hope y'all will ask questions... make suggestions, etc. I'm pretty much just "winging it...." ;)

Chuck (in Aaaala Baaama)

[GLIDERGIDER]

Chuck,
After you get all the D sheeting glued, there will be some sanding and smoothing to do. Deep divits will need to be filled with spackle. Lowes sells a "light" weight spackle. It really is lighter. Make sure you get the light stuff, you won't regret it. It sands easy too.
Dave

[chuckand]

Chuck,
After you get all the D sheeting glued, there will be some sanding and smoothing to do. Deep divits will need to be filled with spackle. Lowes sells a "light" weight spackle. It really is lighter. Make sure you get the light stuff, you won't regret it. It sands easy too.
Dave

Thanks, David. Not looking forward to the sanding... I still have a sinus infection from the last round (Sovereign). :rolleyes:

Chuck (in Aaaala Baaama)

[onethermal]

So far it is looking good, I have a Majestic that a fellow club member had built and it is HEAVY but it fly's so sweet.
Clarence

[John Walter]

Don't forget to wrap the joiner boxes and dihedral breaks to take the bursting load. I used kevlar tow on mine. See:

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=587629

[fly1milehi]

Chuckand.
Lots of people are allergic to hardwood fibers and dusts. This includes Balsa wood and lets not forget that sanding aircraft plywood releases the resins bonding it together. SOOOOO.... always always wear a carbon charged filter mask.. not those cheap-o paper "dust" masks that look like the masks from the TV series mash
I use the 5000 series for both particles and non-catalyst paints
http://products3.3m.com/catalog/us/en001/safety/occ_health_safety/node_GSW99G9Z6Pbe/root_GST1T4S9TCgv/vroot_5SDD44F7DZge/gvel_4PV4LH4X9Kgl/theme_us_ohes_3_0/command_AbcPageHandler/output_html

[chuckand]

Don't forget to wrap the joiner boxes and dihedral breaks to take the bursting load. I used kevlar tow on mine. See:

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=587629

Thanks! I've got some of the same and plan to use it!

Chuck (in Aaaala Baaama)

[chuckand]

Thanks! I believe I will be planning to use a respirator (as indicated in your link) when sanding this time around. I am somewhat allergic to hardwood dust (among other things) and a little caution/inconvenience will sure save me trouble in the long run.... It's one thing to have problems for a day or two... but this has been going on for what.... 6 weeks now? Whatever it is, it was triggered by my last sanding extravaganza....

Chuck (in Aaaala Baaama)

Chuckand.
Lots of people are allergic to hardwood fibers and dusts. This includes Balsa wood and lets not forget that sanding aircraft plywood releases the resins bonding it together. SOOOOO.... always always wear a carbon charged filter mask.. not those cheap-o paper "dust" masks that look like the masks from the TV series mash
I use the 5000 series for both particles and non-catalyst paints
http://products3.3m.com/catalog/us/en001/safety/occ_health_safety/node_GSW99G9Z6Pbe/root_GST1T4S9TCgv/vroot_5SDD44F7DZge/gvel_4PV4LH4X9Kgl/theme_us_ohes_3_0/command_AbcPageHandler/output_html

[kostuk]

Hi
I made many of the Drela mods to my Majestic as well - increased span, dihedral, CF spars, and a cruciform tail. AUW is 54 oz. However with the stock airfoil I normally fly it with ballast to about 62 oz. It flys great I'm sure that you'll like it!
Ray

[Eberwein]

Getting a nice air filter is a good idea too! We have to have one running, especially when we get in a load of balsa and start weighing and sorting it. All that balsa dust is a very bad thing.

Looks like you're making some good progress on the Majestic so far!

Brian

[chuckand]

Getting a nice air filter is a good idea too! We have to have one running, especially when we get in a load of balsa and start weighing and sorting it. All that balsa dust is a very bad thing.

Looks like you're making some good progress on the Majestic so far!

Brian

Thanks for the comments and encouragement, Brian. Wish it was going faster though! I hope to have the wing complete by the first of the year!

Chuck (in Aaaala Baaama)

[chuckand]

Howdy gang,

It's been awhile since I provided a progress update, so I thought I'd get something together...

I've got the major structures for the left wing framed up and will finish off framing the panels for the right wing tonight (mid and tip are framed, center is ready for spar assembly). Of course, that still leaves a LOT to do before sheeting/covering. I've really been dragging my feet so as to avoid committing to an assembly sequence that went down a path that didn't go where I want... so a lot of time has been spent thinking about what to do and how to do it... (oh, right, and Christmas shopping, and enjoying family, and kicking my 11 year-old son's butt at Foosball, etc... :rolleyes: )

A little more detail, please...

OK then... you twisted my arm....

The challenges have been....
1. Shaping the center panel spar caps
2. Building extra shear webs
3. Deciding on a joiner box strategy
4. Selecting angles for panel end ribs
5. Working out an assembly sequence for joining the panels.

From previous posts in this thread, the spar caps are comprised of tapered carbon fiber laminates and hard balsa laminated with epoxy. To shape the spar caps, I used the original hardwood caps for a guide and planed/sanded to proper thickness. I used a random sample of ribs to double check the fit of the spar caps to the relief in the ribs to ensure a great fit. This was pretty easy but took some time to ensure accuracy. Take off too much material and you'll have space between the shear webs and the spar cap. This is a point of weakness/failure. Don't do it... Oh, almost forgot; this is the time to lightly sand the edges of the carbon fiber laminate to ensure it doesn't slice the aramid TOW as it is wrapped around the spar "I-beam" assembly later on.

Since I'm using carbon spar "pass throughs" instead of the plywood dihedral braces/joiners, I had to make a couple extra shear webs. The idea is... fill space between the spar caps with shear web, join the panels with laminates of .007 carbon, and wrap with Aramid TOW. The shear web has to be there so the spar doesn't crush. They gotta be hard too, as they carry the load to the outboard panels. I made full width shear webs before getting busy on the joiner box so the spar would be 100% ready for assembly all at once.

The joiner box is fairly straight forward, but it needs to be solid... VERY solid, as the joiners are in the center of the wing... against the fuse. I ended up deciding to use Cabosil reinforced laminating epoxy to fill the bill... or the box as the case is. During panel construction, I positioned the ribs (over the plans) on the lower spar cap using the shear webs for spacing/alignment and tacked the ribs in place with thin CA. This worked the same for the joiner box. I installed the ribs on the brass joiner tube, positioned them with the ply shear webs and hit them with the thin CA being careful not to get CA on the brass joiner tube (You gotta watch it! It'll wick up the plywood ribs! Ask me how I know!). I then removed the joiner tube, plugged one end of it with 1/16" balsa/CA, filled the bays about half full with Cabosil/epoxy mixture and slid the joiner tube in slowly... one bay at a time... twisting and jiggling as I went to ensure there were no voids. I then went to work with Alaphatic Resin glue to glue all the shear webs, topped off the joiner boxes with a little more resin/Cabosil and positioned the top spar cap... followed by lots of weights.

In the future, I'll explore other materials for filling joiner boxes as I feel the resin/Cabosil adds a lot of unnecessary weight. I really do not have suggestions for alternatives at this time though... and this makes it easy to form a solid/hard joiner box; it just feels heavy to me. Of course, there is a LOT of ply in the business end of the center panel too, so maybe it's just me. I'll know more when I get the wing assembled and have a finished product to talk about. Regardless, the weight is at the absolute best place it could possible be... right on the CG and VERY close to the fuse centerline.

For the panel end ribs, I blocked up the panels to achieve Drela recommended effective dihedral, tacked the ribs, trimmed the shear webs to the appropriate angle and used aliphatic resin to glue 'em in place. Trig is pretty handy to back out the angles, etc, but I don't have tools to quickly and accurately cut angles down to a fraction of a degree... so I took the easy way out. I ensured the carbon at the end of the spar caps did not get glued when the ribs did... as when I permenantly join the panels, they will be joined using carbon strips and epoxy...

Lastly... for today... I have worked out what I think is the best assembly sequence. The mid-panel will be sheeted first, as washout is purposefully built into this panel. The inboard end of the spar will get a light Aramid TOW wrap with .007 carbon "pass-through" epoxied in place. Trailing edge sheeting installed, LE material installed, bottom sheeting installed, top sheeting installed, with proper washout built in. When everything is dry/cured, it will be joined with the center panel pass throughs/ribs. The center panel spar assembly will be TOW wrapped (joiner box and the outermost two or three bays), then sheeting installed with the center panel FLAT on the table. The tip panel will be installed last. For the tip panel, I will complete the panel flat and attach the spar pass-throughs without worrying about TOW wrapping. I think it is overkill and will add weight in the place I want it the least!

Any holes to shoot in the sequence?? Suggestions? It looks like a PITA no matter how I do it, but I think it will go quickly once I get rolling and provide an awesome finished product. More details on how it goes... and what I would do differently soon...

As far as difficulty goes (as I promised to report on the degree of difficulty as I went along...), the majority of what I am doing at this point is no different than if it were being built out of the box... the exception being the use of carbon pass throughs instead of the kit-supplied ply panel joiners. As of today, I consider this the most difficult of the mods I am doing. The assembly sequence is just a lot of trouble and I suspect there will be a lot of extra work ahead to sand the sheeting, etc, to make it look it's best. Building the panels each to completion and assembling later with the ply joiners allows for sanding of the panels flat on the bench. This is the quickest route to accurate and attractive finish. I hope I can get there despite my choice of joining techniques... and I hope the weight saving effort pays dividends!

The farther I get with this plane... the more I learn about the design efficiency (beneficial to the builder) and about my own personal likes/dislikes. I am gaining a LOT of experience and guidance toward what I will look forward to with my next project. I am excited about making significant progress and getting it in the air!!

I'll quit talking now... and go get some work done... so I have more to talk about!! :D

Chuck (in Aaaala Baaama)

[Rogo]

Chuckand-

Before you get too far along with wing construction, you might want to consider options for locking in the wings to the fuse, other than the stock screw eye and rubber band. I have had success with mounting a blind nut inside the wing root and thru-bolting through the fuselage wall with hex cap screws (hand tightened; see attached photos). Note that the gap between the two layers of plywood on the fuse wing root needs to be filled (I used a basswood wedge epoxied in) to avoid crushing/bending the plywood when tightening, and the existing laser-cut slot for the screw eye should be filled as well. 3/4" diameter fender washers are a must on the inside to spread the load of the bolt head. The blind nut is much easier to install before the wing gets sheeted (I did mine afterward).

Not that the screw eye/rubber band doesn't work - I've heard no complaints - just that this is one alternative that's easier to assemble at the field. Other options probably exist. Note also the removable hatch to access the fuse under the wing (facilitiates adding ballast, etc.) - more on that when you get to the fuse construction.

[chuckand]

Thanks bunches for the suggestions! Right now is the time to think about the blind nuts... Talk about a quick and easy solution. I am sure rubber bands/tape, etc, works, but this is an improvement with no down-side. I can abandon the blind nuts, if I find any disadvantage later. I like it!

Seems like... located somewhere aft of the spar... the blind nut/screw could serve as an index... and replace the brass tubes/metal rod... or at least render them obsolete...

Same for the access hatch... When I get there, I'll hit you up for sure!!

Chuck (in Aaaala Baaama)


Chuckand-

Before you get too far along with wing construction, you might want to consider options for locking in the wings to the fuse, other than the stock screw eye and rubber band. I have had success with mounting a blind nut inside the wing root and thru-bolting through the fuselage wall with hex cap screws (hand tightened; see attached photos).

Note also the removable hatch to access the fuse under the wing (facilitiates adding ballast, etc.) - more on that when you get to the fuse construction.

[chuckand]

In a nutshell... over the long New Year/Ford holiday weekend, I finished the "mid" panels. The next step will be to join the center panels to the mid panels via carbon spar "pass-throughs," Aramid TOW wrap, etc, and finish building up/joining the tip panels to the mid.

There's not really much new and different about the mid panels other than the spar pass throughs. The panels are build up like any other panel. I wrapped Aramid TOW in the bays closest to the poly breaks, though the outboard wrapping is way overkill. I should have saved those grams for something else. Oh well... it's done...

Oh... and you can see the shims in the pics for the mid-panel washout. The center and tip panels are built totally flat.

I'm getting more motivated... since I'm starting to see parts come together, so maybe I'll be able to chip away at a little faster pace.

Chuck (in Aaaala Baaama)

[Johnnie Paul]

Chuckand-

I recieved my Majestic between holidays, and I dug it out tonite to look at it a little closer...what a work of art! although I won't get as extensive on the mods as you have, I will definetly have my share. Great build, I'm taking notes.

Johnnie

[chuckand]

Chuckand-

I recieved my Majestic between holidays, and I dug it out tonite to look at it a little closer...what a work of art! although I won't get as extensive on the mods as you have, I will definetly have my share. Great build, I'm taking notes.

Johnnie

Glad you got your kit, Johnnie. In your shoes, I'd do the changes to effective dihedral and enlarge the tail surfaces and leave the rest alone. Oh, maybe use Aramid TOW instead of the supplied thread... (mostly because it's easier to wrap than the thread... if you ask me). It'll build very quickly and come out really nice...

When you wanna build a carbon spar'd wing... well... you know what my recommendation will be :-).

Chuck (in Aaaala Baaama)

[Johnnie Paul]

Glad you got your kit, Johnnie. In your shoes, I'd do the changes to effective dihedral and enlarge the tail surfaces and leave the rest alone. Oh, maybe use Aramid TOW instead of the supplied thread... (mostly because it's easier to wrap than the thread... if you ask me). It'll build very quickly and come out really nice...

When you wanna build a carbon spar'd wing... well... you know what my recommendation will be :-).

Chuck (in Aaaala Baaama)

I have .5" .007 Uni CF coming for the spars, and I have 300' ft of Tow for this plane and other projects, so I should be set. Almost can't wait to dive in...must resist though :)

Johnnie

[chuckand]

I have .5" .007 Uni CF coming for the spars, and I have 300' ft of Tow for this plane and other projects, so I should be set. Almost can't wait to dive in...must resist though :)

Johnnie

Cool... You need to stop over to check out my wing panels before I get everything buttoned up. I sanded the mid panel D-tubes last night and am ready to build the center panels around them. I'll probably play with mocking up the center panels to the mids and make sure I've got a sound assembly order... and get 'em joined this weekend. I was thinking I might install the rib caps before joining so I can sand everything on the mid panels at once. The mid panels will be a PITA to sand accurately once the center and tip panels are joined to 'em. I'll pre-cut the sheeting and rough in the LE material. After wrapping the spars, they'll go together in a hurry!

Maybe I'll knock out the rest of the tip panel assembly tonight/this weekend too. They really will go together in a hurry...

Oh, remember the field across the tree line where we used to fly? It's full of bull dozers, track-hoes, and Mega-Machines style dump trucks now...

Catch ya later,

Chuck

[chuckand]

Installed rib cap-strips on the mid-panels last night (have I mentioned how much I LOVE laser-cut kits? Laser-cut rib cap-strips are the bomb... as are laser cut shear-webs!). The bottom of the airfoil came out nice and flat... even before finish sanding. I was a little worried that there might be some camber/curl left behind at the TE of the ribs , but nope... flat as can be. yippee!

No pictures so you'll just have to trust me... :D.

I hope to join the center panels to the mids over the weekend and get some more pics for the first of the week. Wish me luck! Lots of new ground still being tilled here!

Chuck (in Aaaala Baaama)

[chuckand]

Just another quick update....

Well, essentially.... I've got the right wing construction completed (panels joined, sheeted, ribs capped, etc). I still need to do a LOT of sanding and eventually covering, but everything has worked out great so far. I think I've got the assembly order where it works best. I'll try to get the left wing assembled this weekend and maybe get a few "WIP" pictures to share... along with more details early next week.

Looking back... I'm about 5 weeks into this. I have spent very little TOTAL time on it (little here, little there), but it seems my table has been cluttered with this build for much longer! I'll review my goals and report on how I have progressed toward meeting them and what I would/would not do differently next week.

Hang in there! It'll fly soon!

Chuck (in Aaaala Baaama)

[chuckand]

OK, finally something worth taking a picture or two of.....

I finished the bulk of woodwork for the wings and plugged 'em together. With the 6 oz. carbon steel joiner, the wing is 26 oz in it's current state of completion. I still have a lot of filling/sanding to do before covering, but in my book, the engineering/construction headaches are over. From here on, the wing is as much work as I want it to be. Some obvious leading edge shaping left to do (where the panels intersect) and some fiberglass tape on the bottom of the joints... more filling, sanding, and it's ready to make look purdy with colors and stuff...

Lets see... My purpose of this thread was to document some of the Drela mods to the Majestic 110 and make recommendations based on my limited experience/knowledge as to which are easy/beneficial or maybe not so... I'll just go down the line...

#1. Slight change to airfoil/chord (no changes to entry, just camber/chord in my case)
This was an easy mod and took only a few moments with a straight edge and sharp knife to accomplish. With this must come weight reduction... I'll let you know how that worked out later on in the thread! Either way, it's gonna tend to fly a little faster than with the camber... Maybe not such a great idea for a first-time builder.

#2. Change in Polyhedral joint angles
Easy. Templates and joiners are available for the asking from Laser Arts. Just "doooo eeeet!" No time involved in this mod.

#3. Increased span with 2 additional wing tip bays and swept tips (110" to 122").
This was probably the most difficult mod for me. This requires making some ribs, exchanging some materials (leading/trailing edges, sheeting), but overall is not terribly difficult... especially if you have any experience with scratch building at all. I had none... but am now more confident with my abilities. Mission accomplished! This one added a lot of head-scratching time, some drawing time, etc. Assembly time added was minimal; it's the engineering... The jury will be out on this one until... well... forever. I'll never have a 110" wing to compare it to. More squares at minimal weight will hopefully be a benefit though. The tip block is no longer hanging out there either, as I engineered in a rounded built-up tip. It's light, but probably not nearly as forgiving to my dumd-thumbs. Cart-wheeling may result in splinters... rather than grass-stains.

#4. 1-degree mid-panel wash-out.
No brainer. Just do it. Prop up the mid panel trailing outboard tip when installing top sheeting and you're done. No overhead, as far as time goes.

#5. Hardwood spars replaced with carbon/balsa.
Not difficult, but I am not sure the expense/hassle is justified. New to the hobby, I learned of the myriad of other wing options available shortly after starting this project. As a "newby," I would probably have been just as well served building the spars largely "stock," using Aramid TOW instead of kit supplied thread and calling it good. Other wing designs/short kits provide "full carbon" spar durability without the parts replacement bit and engineering hassles... but as far as I know... are not available as "full kits" yet (Yard Bird, Houston Hawk, etc). When those are available as kits, the intermediate steps... like the Majestic... won't likely be as necessary as they are now. I would not have been comfortable taking on a Yardbird without the Majestic under my belt... but when it's offered as a kit? You betcha...

#6. Replacement of ply joiners with carbon spar pass-throughs.
Not too difficult, but head-scratching nonetheless. Unless you are really counting grams, this is not a very practical mod, as the order of assembly creates some undesirable hassle. I wouldn't do it... unless going with the air-foil change mods... and putting your Majestic on a serious diet elsewhere as well to take advantage of the airfoil mods (carbon boom, lightened tail feathers, light control wires, etc).

#7. Center panel shear webs beefed up/Aramid TOW wrapped.
You can't go wrong with full-width shear webs... except they add a little weight. If you're going with carbon in the spar caps, you need the full-width shear webs to complete the makeover. If not, the shear webs supplied for the center panels are NEARLY full width already. Aramid TOW wrapping is a no-brainer. Gotta have it, beefed-up spar caps/shear webs or not. It's cheap and easy.

#8. Spoilers enlarged slightly (a bay or two per wing half)
I did not do this mod. Significant re-engineering of ribs/sheeting would be required, and my list was long enough already. I did "chuck" the monster-heavy-weight spoiler stock for thinner hard balsa, though. I'll letcha know later how that works out...

#9. Replaced threaded eyes in the wing roots with blind-nuts. The way I see it... if I wanna use eyes and a rubber band, I'll get machine-threaded eyes and screw 'em in. If I wanna use screws instead, well, I'll just use screws and washers. I have that option now. Nothing more than drilling a couple holes using the pilot for the screw-eyes as the blind-nut pilot hole. Why not?? It's too easy...

Well, I'll keep pressing on and update the thread as things progress. I plan to have the wings ready to cover shortly, though as I work on the fuse/tail-feathers, I'll be able to go back and forth so the sanding/filling doesn't become too monotonous. I'll do a better job of both tasks if I can bounce back and forth from time to time.

I'll keep an eye on the other mods and update my findings as I progress. This is turning out to be a GREAT learning experience, and I hope my efforts provide some insight to others in the same boat!

Cannot wait to get it in the air to reap the fruits of my labor!!

Chuck (in Aaaala Baaama)

[FlaFlyer]

Truly a work of art Chuck. Great Job! Making me think that getting the Majestic I bought last year "on the board", should be sooner rather than later.

Steve

[Johnnie Paul]

Do you have a day picked out for that maiden and fruit party?

Johnnie

[chuckand]

Truly a work of art Chuck. Great Job! Making me think that getting the Majestic I bought last year "on the board", should be sooner rather than later.

Steve

Thanks for the compliment. Looks better in pics than on the table in front of me. Looks a lot better than it did in the box though ;).

Chuck (in Aaaala Baaama)

[chuckand]

Do you have a day picked out for that maiden and fruit party?

Johnnie

Still got a ways to go, Buddy Roe. I did some filling/sanding last night and am about sick of it already. I need to get the fuse roughed in so I can do the wing root caps and sand/shape accordingly.

You got extended tail-feathers, right? When I get rolling on mine, come check 'em out.

Chuck (in Aaaala Baaama)

[GLIDERGIDER]

Chuck,
That's looking real sweet. Keep up the good work. I'm looking forward to seeing some hardware at tonights club meeting.
Dave

[Johnnie Paul]

Still got a ways to go, Buddy Roe. I did some filling/sanding last night and am about sick of it already. I need to get the fuse roughed in so I can do the wing root caps and sand/shape accordingly.

You got extended tail-feathers, right? When I get rolling on mine, come check 'em out.

Chuck (in Aaaala Baaama)


Yep, I got the extended tails...I thought they were "lightened" fuse sides at first.

I will try again for getting over to you this weekend.

Johnnie

[chuckand]

Title says it all. Wish the build was done long ago, but life is about balance, choices, etc, and everyone has his set of priorities, goals, and responsibilities. I've learned mine and am quite happy to be plodding along as I am :-).

I took some time over the weekend to do some head-scratching, test-fitting, and finally some actual construction. The Majestic fuse is typical Laser-Arts fray, and went together quite well. Joiner rod Tube/TE guide pin tube were all cut to exact length, and the laser parts required just a little sanding on the "tabs" to lock together. I just can not say enough about laser cutting! I'm using the BD boom, so I swapped out the aft 2 bulkheads as supplied by Laser Arts.

My only mods are to drill the bulkheads next to the boom for teflon tube/stainless wire linkage and an access "hatch" to the top of the fuse center (not completed, but I'm brainstorming it now...). If I use knobs or whatnot to hold the wings, I'll need access to this area. Easy way to add ballast too.

Finally "glued" everything together after "dry-fitting" etc to make sure there wouldn't be anything terribly out of whack... Came out great! I'll get the thin ply "cabin roof" and hatch trimmed and attached and ready to fill/sand. I'm not sure what finish I will use. My Sovereign is still "nekked" and seems tickled pink, though I will likely add some color to the Majestic fuse. Maybe paint??? Whatever... No matter what I use, it won;t make it fly better. That's only going to happen as a result of what happens upstairs (pointing to side of head...).

I scattered the ribs, etc, out on the building table too, hoping they would magically assemble themselves. 4 days now and no joy. I thought these laser kits were like "shake the box, dump it out, and they come out assembled?" Well, I did order my carbon rod for ruddervator attachement. When I get it, I'll be ready to roll!

I guess I'll have to start thinking about the wing again.... filling, sanding, etc. Naaaaaa. I'll just keep my head in the sand a while longer!

Chuck (in Aaaala Baaama)

[kzimmerm]

Here is a real quick and simple building tip... As you know the laser cuts leave a very obvious dark brown edge. If you were to take Clorox Bleach on a Q'Tip you can bleach out the brown edge and restore it to the normal wood color.

I know sanding will solve this problem too. However the Q'Tip/Bleach is easier and quicker.

Great build!!!

Kurt

[kostuk]

Nice job on your Majestic. One thing I would recommend is to reinforce your glue joints on the fuse with 1/8" square spruce strips along the seams. My fuse came apart on a not so hard landing last Sunday. I was able to get it back together but reinforced it this time and used thin laminating epoxy rather than CA as was recommended in the instructions. Other than that its a great plane! I also stretched my wing to 118" and have a cruciform tail.
Ray

[chuckand]

Thanks, I'll keep that in mind!

Funny thing... when I was sheeting the wings, I'd tack the leading edge and "trial fit" the sheet by pressing it against the ribs. When I was ready to add glue, I just applied it to the sheet where the brown marks were left by the ribs against the skin :D.

Chuck (in Aaaala Baaama)


Here is a real quick and simple building tip... As you know the laser cuts leave a very obvious dark brown edge. If you were to take Clorox Bleach on a Q'Tip you can bleach out the brown edge and restore it to the normal wood color.

I know sanding will solve this problem too. However the Q'Tip/Bleach is easier and quicker.

Great build!!!

Kurt

[Johnnie Paul]

Those spoilers look so pewny on the long wings. I imagine still just as effective as ever...

Looks good Chuck,

Johnnie

[chuckand]

Those spoilers look so pewny on the long wings. I imagine still just as effective as ever...

Looks good Chuck,

Johnnie

Yeah, well, I think they could be bigger too. I had that on the "tado" list but later relegated it to the "tadon't" list. I've taken on plenty with this build... I wouldn't sweat spoiler size on your build either. Might swap the big honkin' ply plates for something a little more... svelte... though. I'm planning to use balsa with a little .007 carbon to keep 'em straight/flat.

Still rolling with your Sky Bench kit, or school keeping you locked up?

Chuck (in Aaaala Baaama)

[Johnnie Paul]

Yeah, well, I think they could be bigger too. I had that on the "tado" list but later relegated it to the "tadon't" list. I've taken on plenty with this build... I wouldn't sweat spoiler size on your build either. Might swap the big honkin' ply plates for something a little more... svelte... though. I'm planning to use balsa with a little .007 carbon to keep 'em straight/flat.

Still rolling with your Sky Bench kit, or school keeping you locked up?

Chuck (in Aaaala Baaama)

School lock down for sure, and finishing minor builds to clear the way for the Oly II wings, and then I will work on the Majestic...

Johnnie

[chuckand]

Well, the weekend was a V-tail fest. Between painting the kitchen (with an 18' high ceiling!!! :eek: ) and 11/12 year old's Birthday party, I jammed on my Majestic V-tails... Carnage as follows....

V-tails are modded for span and chord (parts upgrade are no-charge from Laser Arts... just ask for 'em when ordering), and I replaced the wire/al tube mounting for 3/16" carbon rods. Lighter, etc, you get the idea...

Span/chord update is a no-brainer, though I did have to make some new balsa LE/TE doublers to replace the shorter ones that come in the kit. I had the stock to cut them on hand, so... done. Oh, and as mentioned in other threads, the labels on the laser-cut LE and TE "core" parts are reversed. Just ignore the labels and figure out where they go (it'll be obvious when you get the parts in hand)

The carbon rod update required a little thought. Stock, the ribs from both sides of the "V" are identical and have holes for the mounting tubes in the same location. With carbon rods, one side has to be offset so they can pass through the boom without running into one another. As a result, I re-cut/replaced 4 ribs on one side of the tail to accommodate a new location for the carbon rods. You could get by drilling another set of holes next to the old holes, but I seldom take the easy out. No big deal, but that's how I did it and wanted to share.

The rest of construction is the same regardless of OEM or updated parts. Ribs interlock with LE/TE, and the whole mess is pretty well self aligning. After assembly, there's LOTS of sanding (or in my case, planing). The LE and TE have to be shaped heavily. The ruddervators start out as laminated blocks and REALLY get shaved down.

I spent way too much time on mine, but they came out great! The stabs and ruddervators are ready for covering and fit to the boom... Just let me know if you'd like further pictures or have any questions.

Plugging along.......

Chuck (in Aaaala Baaama)

[schrederman]

Looking forward to future builds from you, Chuck... Great job and great thread...

Jack in CLOOOOOVIIISS

[Eberwein]

Chuck,

How are you going to attach the tails to the boom? I've seen a couple different ways of doing it when using CF tubes, but wondered what your plan was.

Brian

[chuckand]

Hey Brian,

Thanks for checking up on me! I was just telling a buddy of mine that I've gotten bogged down with the prospect of filling/sanding/filling/sanding on the wing panels and need to just get 'er done... and stop making excuses! Too many irons in the fire as it is.... you'd think I'd quit looking for more! ;)

The carbon rods are bonded to the ribs, so the only way these bad boys are to be attached is to drill holes and epoxy them in. Others have suggested making a balsa plug to help the end of the boom hold it's shape. That's what I'll be doing.

They're not removable this way, and in my locale/situation, it's unnecessary for them to be removable, so I'll save the weight and stick 'em on for good.

I'm always open to suggestions.... iff'n you have any!

Chuck (in Aaaala Baaama)



Chuck,

How are you going to attach the tails to the boom? I've seen a couple different ways of doing it when using CF tubes, but wondered what your plan was.

Brian

[dhable]

Hi Chuck,

You are exactly at the point I was when I stopped work on my Majestic a year ago. I'm intimidated by drilling into that boom to place the v-tails. Can I ask you to be very descriptive with your steps to do that? I'm ashamed to say I actually flew an ARF last summer rather than to try to tackle that step. With your help and patinece, I could be flying a Majestic this year...

BTW, I too did most of the Drela mods on mine.

Thanks in advance!!

Dave
Oshkosh, WI

[chuckand]

Howdy, Dave.

I've got a couple other things going on at the same time, but have been knit-picking in the back ground (finishing the fuse access hatch, etc), and have been brainstorming the boom operation as well. I'm getting ready to make a V-block to secure the boom for drilling and an index for the angle between them... and will provide details of how it goes when I've got a handle on it. One thing is for sure... I won't be 100% happy with the results... (I never am...), but I've got to get over that and just do it...!

Thanks for the comments!

Chuck (in Aaaala Baaama)


Hi Chuck,

You are exactly at the point I was when I stopped work on my Majestic a year ago. I'm intimidated by drilling into that boom to place the v-tails. Can I ask you to be very descriptive with your steps to do that? I'm ashamed to say I actually flew an ARF last summer rather than to try to tackle that step. With your help and patinece, I could be flying a Majestic this year...

BTW, I too did most of the Drela mods on mine.

Thanks in advance!!

Dave
Oshkosh, WI

[trident58]

Chuck, when I drilled the boom for my Majestic, I made a jig to make sure I got the holes aligned. I used two 3" long brass tubes, sized so the drill bit could fit through them, glued them to some scrap wood so that they were exactly parallel to each other, and then taped the assembly to the boom while I drilled it. Also, to strengthen the boom were the holes are, I inserted a plug of balsa. This gives extra gluing area and prevents the boom from getting crushed as you drill it. After you secure the stab rods, wrap the area with CF tow to reinforce it.
Jon

[chuckand]

Cool. Thanks!

Chuck

Chuck, when I drilled the boom for my Majestic, I made a jig to make sure I got the holes aligned.
Jon

[WEB01]

Hi Chuck,

I was just curious if you ever got back to your Majestic. I know that you have had a few other projects on the go but I wanted to know if this one got finished. I finally finished my Sovereign and I am just starting to brainstorm my Majestic for the upcoming building season.

Can you give us an update?