L.E.G. 60" Kingcobra build

Jeff Charlot · Dec 28, 2003, 09:29 PM

Hi guys,

I opened up my new kit on Christmas morning, but didn't start on it until this afternoon. There's quite a bit of pre-fab already done for me which was a bit of a shock, but very appreciated. Jack built the tail for me so I could see how you master builders do it. Very impressive! Sheeted with balsa and capped with spruce on the leading edges. It would have taken me days to do it and it wouldn't have turned out nearly as well.

I'm going to deviate a bit from my standard build and learn some new techniques, so if you guys spot something goofy, please chime in and help me out.

Alright, let's get building. Here's the kit out of the box.

Jeff

Jeff Charlot · Dec 28, 2003, 09:31 PM

....and the tail. Man, this thing is beautiful.

Jeff Charlot · Dec 28, 2003, 09:34 PM

Three spars, two of them already glued up for me, the other one with scarf joints already cut. I don't have a table saw, so the likelihood of me getting the joint cut exactly perfect is just about zero.

Jeff Charlot · Dec 28, 2003, 09:37 PM

After talking to Jack, he recommended using this technique, so I'm giving it a shot. Remember I'm trying to learn some new techniques? This is the first one. I joined the main spar with epoxy and clamped it down.

Jeff Charlot · Dec 28, 2003, 09:40 PM

Here's the three spars. The short one will be glued to the front of the main spar and the long one will be aft.

Carlski · Dec 28, 2003, 09:41 PM

Dang, When Brian and I built the first Laird P-63 prototypes, all we had was a block of EPP! That LEG kit looks great! Nice work on the fuse Jack, and keep up the good building Jeff!

Carl

Jeff Charlot · Dec 28, 2003, 09:43 PM

I glued the spars together with 5-minute epoxy and just clamped them together. I did make sure that the scarf joints were opposing each other. Main spar to the right and the short spars to the left. Should be plenty strong!

Jeff Charlot · Dec 28, 2003, 09:49 PM

Thanks Carl! I was thinking that this would be just a standard foamie kit......I was WRONG! Lots of work has already been put into this before I ever got my hands on it. Some of the other work I noticed was the trailing edge material has been cut to length, pre-bent torque rods, carbon fiber rods are cut to length and a COMPLETE package of hardware. No fumbling around in the toolbox looking for a missing clevis. Not exactly an ARF, but still more than I was expecting.

Jeff

Jeff Charlot · Dec 28, 2003, 09:51 PM

Okay, where were we....here's the third spar glued down.

Jeff Charlot · Dec 28, 2003, 09:53 PM

.....and the finished product showing the opposing scarf joints....

Jeff Charlot · Dec 28, 2003, 09:54 PM

Here's what it looks like all together.

Jeff Charlot · Dec 28, 2003, 09:57 PM

After the spar is built, I laid it down on the wing core and traced around the other two spars.

Jeff Charlot · Dec 28, 2003, 09:58 PM

...then cut it out with a 9mm blade. Thanks for the tip Jack! I used to just gouge it out with a flat screwdriver. The blade worked much better, a very clean channel.

Jeff Charlot · Dec 28, 2003, 10:02 PM

Although an option would have been to use hot melt glue, I didn't think I could work fast enough to feel comfortable with it, so I went to the old standby of goop and then laid the spar in with a little weight to hold everything flat. The other end of the spar is braced up and I DID remember to bevel the edges of the core prior to gluing this in. I just didn't get a picture of it.

Jeff Charlot · Dec 28, 2003, 10:08 PM

So, with the spar drying, the wing is kinda on hold. Tomorrow I'll glue the other spar in and the wing together as well.

Well, should I keep going at this pace or ease off on the pictures a bit? Some of this stuff might be a little old news to you guys.

Jeff

Dec 28, 2003, 09:29 PM	#1
Jeff Charlot Insert custom witicism Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Seal Beach Posts: 3,523	L.E.G. 60" Kingcobra build Hi guys, I opened up my new kit on Christmas morning, but didn't start on it until this afternoon. There's quite a bit of pre-fab already done for me which was a bit of a shock, but very appreciated. Jack built the tail for me so I could see how you master builders do it. Very impressive! Sheeted with balsa and capped with spruce on the leading edges. It would have taken me days to do it and it wouldn't have turned out nearly as well. I'm going to deviate a bit from my standard build and learn some new techniques, so if you guys spot something goofy, please chime in and help me out. Alright, let's get building. Here's the kit out of the box. Jeff Attached Thumbnails 61.3 KB · Views: 1527

Dec 28, 2003, 09:31 PM	#2
Jeff Charlot Insert custom witicism Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Seal Beach Posts: 3,523	....and the tail. Man, this thing is beautiful. Attached Thumbnails 60.8 KB · Views: 1509

Dec 28, 2003, 09:34 PM	#3
Jeff Charlot Insert custom witicism Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Seal Beach Posts: 3,523	Three spars, two of them already glued up for me, the other one with scarf joints already cut. I don't have a table saw, so the likelihood of me getting the joint cut exactly perfect is just about zero. Attached Thumbnails 61.2 KB · Views: 1468

Dec 28, 2003, 09:37 PM	#4
Jeff Charlot Insert custom witicism Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Seal Beach Posts: 3,523	After talking to Jack, he recommended using this technique, so I'm giving it a shot. Remember I'm trying to learn some new techniques? This is the first one. I joined the main spar with epoxy and clamped it down. Attached Thumbnails 60.4 KB · Views: 1479

Dec 28, 2003, 09:40 PM	#5
Jeff Charlot Insert custom witicism Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Seal Beach Posts: 3,523	Here's the three spars. The short one will be glued to the front of the main spar and the long one will be aft. Attached Thumbnails 57.8 KB · Views: 1427

Dec 28, 2003, 09:41 PM	#6
Carlski Slope the Stream! Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Corona, CA. Posts: 692	Dang, When Brian and I built the first Laird P-63 prototypes, all we had was a block of EPP! That LEG kit looks great! Nice work on the fuse Jack, and keep up the good building Jeff! Carl

Dec 28, 2003, 09:43 PM	#7
Jeff Charlot Insert custom witicism Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Seal Beach Posts: 3,523	I glued the spars together with 5-minute epoxy and just clamped them together. I did make sure that the scarf joints were opposing each other. Main spar to the right and the short spars to the left. Should be plenty strong! Attached Thumbnails 56.9 KB · Views: 1425

Dec 28, 2003, 09:49 PM	#8
Jeff Charlot Insert custom witicism Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Seal Beach Posts: 3,523	Thanks Carl! I was thinking that this would be just a standard foamie kit......I was WRONG! Lots of work has already been put into this before I ever got my hands on it. Some of the other work I noticed was the trailing edge material has been cut to length, pre-bent torque rods, carbon fiber rods are cut to length and a COMPLETE package of hardware. No fumbling around in the toolbox looking for a missing clevis. Not exactly an ARF, but still more than I was expecting. Jeff

Dec 28, 2003, 09:51 PM	#9
Jeff Charlot Insert custom witicism Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Seal Beach Posts: 3,523	Okay, where were we....here's the third spar glued down. Attached Thumbnails 58.1 KB · Views: 1386

Dec 28, 2003, 09:53 PM	#10
Jeff Charlot Insert custom witicism Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Seal Beach Posts: 3,523	.....and the finished product showing the opposing scarf joints.... Attached Thumbnails 60.0 KB · Views: 1396

Dec 28, 2003, 09:54 PM	#11
Jeff Charlot Insert custom witicism Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Seal Beach Posts: 3,523	Here's what it looks like all together. Attached Thumbnails 59.1 KB · Views: 1367

Dec 28, 2003, 09:57 PM	#12
Jeff Charlot Insert custom witicism Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Seal Beach Posts: 3,523	After the spar is built, I laid it down on the wing core and traced around the other two spars. Attached Thumbnails 60.7 KB · Views: 1380

Dec 28, 2003, 09:58 PM	#13
Jeff Charlot Insert custom witicism Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Seal Beach Posts: 3,523	...then cut it out with a 9mm blade. Thanks for the tip Jack! I used to just gouge it out with a flat screwdriver. The blade worked much better, a very clean channel. Attached Thumbnails 60.9 KB · Views: 1334

Dec 28, 2003, 10:02 PM	#14
Jeff Charlot Insert custom witicism Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Seal Beach Posts: 3,523	Although an option would have been to use hot melt glue, I didn't think I could work fast enough to feel comfortable with it, so I went to the old standby of goop and then laid the spar in with a little weight to hold everything flat. The other end of the spar is braced up and I DID remember to bevel the edges of the core prior to gluing this in. I just didn't get a picture of it. Attached Thumbnails 61.0 KB · Views: 1328

Dec 28, 2003, 10:08 PM	#15
Jeff Charlot Insert custom witicism Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Seal Beach Posts: 3,523	So, with the spar drying, the wing is kinda on hold. Tomorrow I'll glue the other spar in and the wing together as well. Well, should I keep going at this pace or ease off on the pictures a bit? Some of this stuff might be a little old news to you guys. Jeff

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