I had a great time building my Easy Star kit and just as much fun flying it. I'll post some pictures and tips here. The thread won't be as large the the Unicorn build http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=177048, but you may be able to get helpful information, especially if you are a new builder or flyer.

The instructions provided with the EZ are very good. The foam appears to be injection molded rather than cut with a hot wire as with several EPP wing kit's I've built. The kit is easy to build, except the CA/Activator will give no room for error for the new builder. Put two pieces together with CA/activator and "ZAP" you are done; you can't readjust the parts for a better fit.

A word of caution. The big bottle of CA you'll see in the pictures is dangerous stuff and the bottle can squirt if squeezed hard enough. Wear glasses and keep way up and out of the way of children.

Compared to other park flyers/sailplanes the rudder seemed kind of small so I made a mod to make it slightly larger. I'm glad I did because I can get the plane to barely do a rudder roll. Without the mod I'm not sure it would have been possible.

The first pic is one with the gear all laid out and the rudder laid out ready for the mod. The gear I'm using came from my sky scooter pro II. It's a Hitec AM Radio, but it ran without flaw in the scooter and good to at least 1300+ feet straight up. The Esc is an Electryfly c20. The ESc's that come with some kits do not work well as a "smooth" throttle. The c20 is an excellent small esc with a nice built in prop safety feature.

Link to post link instructions:
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showp...postcount=2073

Update 6/15/06:

This thread has become large so I'm placing quick links to modifications here.
1. Canopy Mod - http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?p=3519771
2. The brushless Upgrade - http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...8&postcount=39
3. Velcro Wing Holders - http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...1&postcount=63
4. EZ COG/trim setting Information - http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...6&postcount=74
5. Control rod issues - http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...3&postcount=78
6. 2.4 ghz Radio update 1/6/2008 - AM rec glitched out "CRASH" new rec installed - http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...1&postcount=87
7. Reinforcement of Wing Spar Holes - http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...2&postcount=95
8. Advanced (2nd) Rudder modification - http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...&postcount=116
9. Wheel modification - http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...&postcount=140
10. Load/Bomb drop mod - http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...&postcount=141
11. Very Cool canopy build - http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...&postcount=144
12. Soldering Capacitors on brushed motors - http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...&postcount=181
13. Aileron Modification - http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...&postcount=194
14. Use of packing tape and 3m77 spray - http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...&postcount=206
15. Aerial Photography (AP) upgrade - http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...&postcount=219
16. Mounting an APC 6x4e prop - http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...&postcount=234
17. Another way to align and glue the EZ fuse - http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...&postcount=254
18. EZ Carbon Fiber (CF) Spar replacement/upgrade - http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...&postcount=296
19. Review of EZ control linkages - http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...&postcount=297
20. CF Spar upgrade flight report/Pocket anemometers - http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...&postcount=314
21. Great Planes CG machine and EZ balance - http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...&postcount=316
22. Folding Prop modification - http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...&postcount=319
23. Some NIMH battery pack configurations - http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...&postcount=311
24. A closeup look at the EZ servo mounting holes - http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...&postcount=378
25. Very cool paint job - http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...&postcount=106
26. Upgrading to Lipoly batteries and COG balance - http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...&postcount=240
27. Different battery configurations and a good lipo charger (updated 9/10/07)http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...&postcount=444
28. A123 battery setup for the EZ(created 10/05/07)http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...&postcount=625

I'm looking forward to this build thread. I've got an ES on the shelf waiting for me... I'm especially interested in the rudder mod. Do tell! Also, my plane to construct it is to use 3M Double Sided tape - which is what the factory assembles the RTF version with.

The next picture shows making the extended rudder bevel/cut. Use a steel straight edge to get a straight smooth cut. Btw: the pieces cut out of the rudder channel are glued in with Ca/activator to fill the old rudder cut line on either side.

This picture shows the bottles of CA and activator. This is the first time I've used this combination. Talk about fast setting glue.

Notice the can of spray 3m77 adhesive. Also not the can of (even stronger) 3m90. It is used to help Oracover covering and strapping tape stick to the EPP foam in flying wings. It helps fiber strapping tape stick in the EZ foam too. For small areas like the rudder channel I spray some 3m77 on a piece of cardboard and then apply it with a Q tip so it doesn't get all over everything. The rudders are already hinged with foam but that's not good enough for me. The foam hinges get reinforced with a small abount of strapping tape. The end result is a hinge that is very light and extremely strong. No one needs a tail feather failure when flying over tall trees or flying in a thermal a 1000 feet up.

Ah... I get it. Thanks for the pix! I think What I might do is just cut the rudder right off and make a new one out of a scrap of Arcel (Elapor clone).

Ok here is a picture of the strapping tape applied. Apply the tape evenly, and fold the rudder so it goes into the channel. You want the tape applied so it won't bind the rudder. I installed a small piece of strapping tape on the very top of the rudder on the other side. I'm happy with the rudder because thith the tape it's rigid enough and it flexes evenly all the way up without twisting.

BTW: You can see a roll of the criss-crossed 3m strapping tape (the right stuff)

Update 2/6/09. Copied from Joe Knight's posting on the main EZ* thread.
To all people starting a EZ* build this is critical
Make sure the tail assembly fits allway forward into the grove on the tail
boom.If it doesn`t fit all in the horizontal stab incidence and will be off,
this will make it weird to fly or not fly at all, this incidence angle has to
be perfect.
first assemble the vertical stab and horizontal stab into one piece the install
into the fuse tail boom grove with the vertical stab all way foward
( no gap between the tail boom and vertical stab .005" gap is too much
there can be no gap)and
horizontal stab well seated on the concave seat. If you look at it you can
see that if it seats back it will have a different angle (it doesn`t take much
of an angle to mess things up the horizontal stab has a lot of surface to
move air with)

In addition, trial fit (at least 3 times ) the tail feathers (rudder/elevator) before applying glue. Understand how exactly they are to fit first.

One of the useful tasks you can work on while you ponder the next step is sand off the hundreds if injection marks on the wings, fuse, and tail feathers with a piece of 220 grit sand paper. The EZ except for the injection marks, is very smooth. The injection marks will cause nothing but drag. Get rid of them. You can do it while watching Wings on the History Channel, reruns of Vic Morrow's Combat, or whatever.

Here you go again. You can see the injection marks on the Wings. Hundreds of em. Makes the EZ feel like a potato.

Use the large Star decals to cover up and smooth over those large cragy injection holes on the underside of the wings and tail feathers. There is a picture of the applied decals a couple posts below.

Here is a picture of the fuse half with everything ready to go. The motor is gooped in at the end at at about a half an inch and held with painters masking tape. An exacto knife can cut the Goop whereas cutting a "rock hard" ca bond would be much more difficult. I have not used double sided tape to mount a motor in any plane I've built, especially a brushless one. Why use tape when there is Goop?

Update 5/30/06: Electronics test and the "optional" Water break-in
I find it a good idea to test all the electronic gear, including the motor and prop before installing it in a plane. I did it for the EZ, but have no pictures. Here is what was done for a speed 400 Unicorn which was identical for what you would do for the EZ.
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=177048
Posts 9&10

Update 5/25/06: What is Goop? More info...
Let the Natural Handyman give you the "poop" on GOOP!
http://www.naturalhandyman.com/iip/infadh/infgoo.shtm

Notice the extra wire running along the bottom of the fuse. That's for the third wire needed for a brushless upgrade. There is extra wire piled behind the motor to make sure you can solder the new on in.

There is a big can of alcohol there that is to clean things be fore glueing. Like the greasy motor or anything that oil from you fingers may have come in contact with. Remember, it's the little things done during building that help make a solid and reliable plane.

BUILD UPDATE 5/23/06: Goop the 2 motor wired into the top groove right before joing the fuse halves. For the same reasons go ahead and Goop the extra 3rd wire too. The two wires glued in will give the wing saddle great strength especially up on the leading edge. Make sure you use (3) good quality silicone 14 ga motor wires.

This is another picture of the fuse half. Unfortunately, I got busy and did not take a picture of the spar glued in the tail end.

There have been comments that the tail gets flimsy and twists when the elevator or rudder are applied. It seems like the tail end of the fuse has a pre-cut space that's perfect for mounting a 6.5" 3/16" spar. So I CA'ed one in. A graphite spar would have been better, but I had a 3/16" dowel on hand. It doesn't weigh much and is nice and stiff with CA and activator sprayed on it. With the spar installed, the tail section of the EZ is solid after the 2 halves are C/A'ed togethrer. Make sure if you mount a spar the fit is good or the tail end of the fuse won't be perfectly straight.

02/2/07: Updated picture description.

The fuse is together. Thank goodness everything is even. The CA/kicker only gives you one chance. The picture shows all the gear in the cockpit. I put a piece of velcro lengthwise in the cockpit. Now all the gear/batteries can be moved around depending on the COG adjustment desired.

UPDATE: 6/12/06
I have been meaning to get this suggestion in here........ and since Timbits checked with the CA experts......

If you want more time to join the fuse halves then use medium CA and skip the kicker. Once you join the fuse glued halves together tape with blue painters tape. A ring around the tail boom end, at end of tail boom by the motor, the cockpit and nose. Use pieces of wax paper under the tape over any seam where the glue might come in contact with the tape.

You can see the extra brushless upgrade wire sitting there by the Xtal in the lower left.

Here is the completed EZ sitting on a Great Planes CG machine right on the COG mark. I always use the CG machine to check the COG. Sure, you can use two fingers, forked sticks, or grandma's crystal ball and get it right. For the initial check I like the machine. If you don't get it right you will crash, especially if you are a new flyer. COG too far forward you will go into a roller coaster pattern and do a nose plant when you try and land. COG too far back you will most likely stall out and veer left or right and cartwheel when launching. If you do get in the air the plane will be very hard to control and land without crashing. COG-get it right.

Note the Servos are installed. The backs of the servos have packing tape on them and the servo is then CA'ed in. The tape makes for easier removal.

Update: 3/30/07 Goop will work on the servos. You don't need tape because the Goop will cut with an exacto knife on the sides and then just pull them out. Goop is very strong and offers a small amount shock absorbtion in crashes. If the servo moves with normal operation and it's well gooped in then you have a serious control rod/control surface binding problem.

The servos are perfectly aligned.

The control rods and antenna tube are CA'ed in full length providing more strength for the tail boom.

Use the large Star decals to cover up and smooth over those large cragy injection holes on the underside of the wings and tail feathers.

Here is another picture of the fuse. Note the different batteries laying on toP. BTW: I added lead to my lipoly battery rather than the nose of the plane. I put padding inbetween the lipoly and the lead. The lead is in the front. That way I can still use the Nimh batteries and keep the COG correct.

If you are a new flyer or crash often do not use the Lipoly batteries.

See all the Deans connectors on the batteries. Use Deans they maintain maximum power, are very reliable, and can take the day-to-day abuse.

Here is another picture of the rudder. I have a sample of the dowel I used in the tail.

You can see the bend in the wire that makes it even with the rudder control horn. The control wire case is CA'ed in to a small trench on the tail and covered with a pice of strapping tape and 3M77 for good measure.

Rudder view. Can see more of the rudder mod.