Many thanks for purchasing this fantastic F3K. Here you have some recommendations if you are not used to assembly solid rohacell core models.
The servo pockets have been opened for you at factory , but maybe you need to enlarge to match your servos.
If unfortunately the servo pocket didn't match your servo size you can enlarge it using a new X-acto blade or with a Dremel and a Diamond tool or a sanding drum and discs.
Glues:
You can use CA or epoxy for bonding any part of the model but we mainly recommend to use epoxi on the bond of the fin fuse servo tray and wing servos, To ensure a good bonding please, sand carefully the inside of the fuse where the servo tray will be glued.
External care:
The model is completely painted using 2k paint polyurethane based, so it should resist some solvents but as the exterior layer of paint is so thin we recommend to use only the amount needed better if this solvent is alcohol, too much quantity could fade the colors or matt the shiny surface.
For the general cleaning we recommend to use a towel soaked in water and soap if the dirt is too persistent.
So now... Let's start the assembly!
Those are the tools that you will need, also you will need a cutting dic for the Dremel some thin drill bits, and some 5min epoxi.
The servo pockets have been opened for you at factory , but maybe you need to enlarge to match your servos.
If unfortunately the servo pocket didn't match your servo size you can enlarge it using a new X-acto blade or with a Dremel and a Diamond tool or a sanding drum and discs.
Glues:
You can use CA or epoxy for bonding any part of the model but we mainly recommend to use epoxi on the bond of the fin fuse servo tray and wing servos, To ensure a good bonding please, sand carefully the inside of the fuse where the servo tray will be glued.
External care:
The model is completely painted using 2k paint polyurethane based, so it should resist some solvents but as the exterior layer of paint is so thin we recommend to use only the amount needed better if this solvent is alcohol, too much quantity could fade the colors or matt the shiny surface.
For the general cleaning we recommend to use a towel soaked in water and soap if the dirt is too persistent.
So now... Let's start the assembly!
Those are the tools that you will need, also you will need a cutting dic for the Dremel some thin drill bits, and some 5min epoxi.
Also is interesting to have some needles to apply the super thin epoxi like those.
What should I do first?
Our recommendation is to start with the fuse and tail assembly.
Our recommendation is to start with the fuse and tail assembly.
First of all we should install the ballast retainer in the fuse.
Is a small piece 3d printed, seems like a bridge.
If you analyze carefully you will notice that the part have a small 2mm hole.
The purpose of this hole is to insert a steel wire or a cf rod of a suitable diameter, to help you placing in the right spot with ease.
Is a small piece 3d printed, seems like a bridge.
If you analyze carefully you will notice that the part have a small 2mm hole.
The purpose of this hole is to insert a steel wire or a cf rod of a suitable diameter, to help you placing in the right spot with ease.
What you only ned to do is to insert the rod and push the retainer untill it reach the point were should be placed thought the rc opening in the nose of the fuse.
The right place of this retainer should be close to the cg, the ideal close to the 75mm of the leading edge of the wing.
Maybe you need to trim a bit the central leg or the side ones to place it.
The right place of this retainer should be close to the cg, the ideal close to the 75mm of the leading edge of the wing.
Maybe you need to trim a bit the central leg or the side ones to place it.
In the wing saddle you should make two tiny holes, one on each side where the ballast retainer should be placed, Once in place you could drop son thin CA trough these holes using a needle to bond the retainer to the fuse, also they will make easy the instalation, because you could check the alignment trough them.
If you need it you could make the rc bay bigger, as the nose cone will cover it. You could enlarge to the nose, to put the servos as forward as possible, we only left space in the nose to place the battery and then the servos.
The servo tray could be glued in place with thin ca and then reinforce the bond with some pieces of glasfiber in the join or some epoxi thickened with microballons.
Now we put aside the fuse and go work on the fin..
The servo tray could be glued in place with thin ca and then reinforce the bond with some pieces of glasfiber in the join or some epoxi thickened with microballons.
Now we put aside the fuse and go work on the fin..
We should open two holes, one each side of the tail socket, with a thin milling cutter, 1mm or 1,5 mm dimeter one will be perfect.
Trough them we should pass the pull pull strings for the ruder and elevator.
Trough them we should pass the pull pull strings for the ruder and elevator.
Here you can see the openings that we should make on the fin, we could mark them over a masking tape. The left side rectangle will be the pulley opening for the elevator turnaround. and on the right we have the place where the ruder horn should be placed.
The ruder servo horn is deigned to make it easy to install. One side of it is wider then the other, the wider should be placed on the side of the hinge line, the other one will protrude from the other side.
You only need to make the opening of the indicated dimensions, and insert it until the wider side locks on the fin skin.
You only need to make the opening of the indicated dimensions, and insert it until the wider side locks on the fin skin.
The ruder horn could be glued with thin CA but the elevator pulley is better to glue with 5min epoxi, as it is more controlable and is easier to avoid to bond the pulley to the shaft and the fin. To make it easier we recommend to add a drop of oil on the shaft to avoid bonding all the parts together and also to make it turn better over the shaft. Is a good idea to add two small pieces of shrink tubing on the strings outlet hole to avoid the string run over the carbon.
Next step is to open the elevator horn opening. We should open it with the help of a 1.5mm mill and the dremell.
You can enlarge and improve it with some sanding files.
Once we have completed the previous steps is time to glue the fin to the fuse, is always better to try a dry fit first just in case we need to make any small adjustment. The best way to complete this job is to bolt the wing to the fuse and place the model upside down over a flat surface, like a table or the floor. This way we could check the alignment easily with a square.
If you are right hand launcher, or regular, you should put the fin with the hinge on the left side of the plane and you should check the alignment on the oposite side with the square as this side of the fin is almost flat. ( in the photo we are gluing the fin for a rig hand launcher)
This job is better to make with 5 min epoxi thickened with microballons and maybe a bit of black tint but this is optional, but fist of all light sand the socket in the fuse to achieve a good bonding.
If you are right hand launcher, or regular, you should put the fin with the hinge on the left side of the plane and you should check the alignment on the oposite side with the square as this side of the fin is almost flat. ( in the photo we are gluing the fin for a rig hand launcher)
This job is better to make with 5 min epoxi thickened with microballons and maybe a bit of black tint but this is optional, but fist of all light sand the socket in the fuse to achieve a good bonding.
Next step is to place the elevator and ruder strings in place. Is easier to place first the ruder ones first.
Cut two strings with enough material to reach the servo from the ruder horn, and count with a bit to make the knots.
One string should be to one side of the horn and the other one to the oposite side.
Is important to make the knots like in the photo, the knot cant be tight to the horn, it should permit the movement of the string in the hole of the horn.
Then with the help of a 0,5mm wire you could pass the string to the nose area.
IMPORTANTA!!!!!
Avoid the twisting of one string over the other one, for that is better to pass one string, and make the knot of the servo side and then continue with the other one.
Cut two strings with enough material to reach the servo from the ruder horn, and count with a bit to make the knots.
One string should be to one side of the horn and the other one to the oposite side.
Is important to make the knots like in the photo, the knot cant be tight to the horn, it should permit the movement of the string in the hole of the horn.
Then with the help of a 0,5mm wire you could pass the string to the nose area.
IMPORTANTA!!!!!
Avoid the twisting of one string over the other one, for that is better to pass one string, and make the knot of the servo side and then continue with the other one.
The servo side is easier to make with a home made coupler as it is shown in the photo. Also this system permits increasing the tension of the strings by twisting the round part of the coupler with some round tip pliers.
For making the knot between string and coupler, we give some crimping tubes. you only need to pass the crimping tube first on the string, then the coupler and another time by the crimping tube. With the help of some tweezers give tension to the string, Once we are happy with the tension, we put a drop of thin CA on the end of the crimping tube and some accelerator. Once the CA is cured, crimp the tube with some round tip pliers to avoid any movement.
The right tension permit no slop on the ruder but not need to make your vice strings sounds like a guitar.
TIP! Put first the string of the side of the hinge, this way you could keep it neutral by sticking a piece of masking tape in the oposite side keeping it neutral.
For making the knot between string and coupler, we give some crimping tubes. you only need to pass the crimping tube first on the string, then the coupler and another time by the crimping tube. With the help of some tweezers give tension to the string, Once we are happy with the tension, we put a drop of thin CA on the end of the crimping tube and some accelerator. Once the CA is cured, crimp the tube with some round tip pliers to avoid any movement.
The right tension permit no slop on the ruder but not need to make your vice strings sounds like a guitar.
TIP! Put first the string of the side of the hinge, this way you could keep it neutral by sticking a piece of masking tape in the oposite side keeping it neutral.
Now is time to insert the elevator strings. Ypu can use as a toll a 0,5 mm piano wire as a needle, first pass the "needle" from pylon exit hole to the nose and glue the string to one end and pull like in the photo. we left the string on the nose for making the knot to the servo horn later... . Now we pass the "needle from the ruder exit hole to the pylon. With the help of some twezers we could catch the end of the "needle" and and extract it trhogu the hole in the pylon, then you could glue the end of the string to the needle and pull out to the ruder.
Then pass trough the pulley and insert trough the other string outlet and pass the string to the nose with the "needle"
Now is time to install the cf rod on the elevator, it will act as the other half elevator horn.this rod will be inserted in the aluminium tube that is placed on the fuse.
For installing it, make a 1,5mm diameter hole in the elevator, placed at 3mm from the hinge and aligned with the longitudinal axis.
Then you could glue it with a drop of thin CA. Is recomendable to add a small gusset to reinforce the horn.
You can place the elevator in place taking care to insert the aluminium tube in the cf rod prior to bolting the stab to the fuse. Now you can add some tension to the strings and adjust them as we did on the ruder. ATENTION!!!! check that the string runs trough the pulley channel.
As we have finished the fuse, is time to move to the wings.
The servo pockets, pushrods exit holes and horn slots are pre milled at factory so, you only need to open the channel from the pushrod exit to the servo pocket.
For installing it, make a 1,5mm diameter hole in the elevator, placed at 3mm from the hinge and aligned with the longitudinal axis.
Then you could glue it with a drop of thin CA. Is recomendable to add a small gusset to reinforce the horn.
You can place the elevator in place taking care to insert the aluminium tube in the cf rod prior to bolting the stab to the fuse. Now you can add some tension to the strings and adjust them as we did on the ruder. ATENTION!!!! check that the string runs trough the pulley channel.
As we have finished the fuse, is time to move to the wings.
The servo pockets, pushrods exit holes and horn slots are pre milled at factory so, you only need to open the channel from the pushrod exit to the servo pocket.
For making the channel we use a steel 2mm pushrod with a treaded end, with the treaded end with a pyramidal shape
The rod can be easily twisted in the rohacell making the hole by itself , a perfect hole. The exit pushrod hole will act as a guide in the horizontal plane, so you only need to keep it parallel to the bottom skin of the wing until it reach the servo pocket.
Once the hole is done is recomendable to enlarge it vertically, like in the photo. You can use the rod as a file.
Next step is to insert the aileron horn in the slots. And glue them with super thin CA. Wirth the needle apply some drops of CA in the horn, don't use here accelerator let it cure slowly.
It's time to make the aileron pushrods. They are compose of two steel tubes, and small pieces of 1mm piano wire.
Prepare some L bends with the 1mm piano wire, for the servo side. Is convenient to bend it a bit downward in the last 5mm of the L bend to permit a bigger servo horn.
Next step is to insert the aileron horn in the slots. And glue them with super thin CA. Wirth the needle apply some drops of CA in the horn, don't use here accelerator let it cure slowly.
It's time to make the aileron pushrods. They are compose of two steel tubes, and small pieces of 1mm piano wire.
Prepare some L bends with the 1mm piano wire, for the servo side. Is convenient to bend it a bit downward in the last 5mm of the L bend to permit a bigger servo horn.
Is convenient to sand rougly the end of the L bend and even making some grooves with a cutting disc, this way the glue will bite harder.
Once glued the L bends with Thin CA or Epoxy, as you desire, you can cut them to length to reach a total length of 74,5mm.
Then prepare some Z bends that will go to the aileron side, proceed like the L bends sanding roughly the part that will be glued to the steel rod.
You can now glue both aileron servos to the wing, if you bought your vice with the KST servo Pack you will have some pieces of transparent srink tube.
This is used to wrap the servos with it and glue them directly.
But first adjust both servos to reach a good amount of servo travel, and make the servo cable hole and channels.
You can now glue both aileron servos to the wing, if you bought your vice with the KST servo Pack you will have some pieces of transparent srink tube.
This is used to wrap the servos with it and glue them directly.
But first adjust both servos to reach a good amount of servo travel, and make the servo cable hole and channels.
The best place for the conector is in the leading edge, in the wing to fuselage fairing moulded in the wing. Just make a hole with a drill bit or a mill and some diamond files. Later you could glue there the chosen conector once it is soldered.
Ahora debes enganchar la varilla de mando al servo e introducir el conjunto en el hueco del servo, teniendo cuidado de colocar la varilla de mando dentro del canal practicado a tal efecto anteriormente.
Puedes pegar ahora los servos con un poco de epoxi espesado con microbalones. No es necesario aplicar mucha cantidad al fondo, solo una fina película que lo adhiera tanto a la superficie interior del ala como a los laterales del núcleo.
Una vez seco, puedes pasar el cable al alojamiento del conector y practicar las soldaduras etc...
Ahora puedes conectar tus servos al receptor y finalizar el montaje.
Ahora debes insertar las Z de alambre en la escuadra, si te cuesta insertar el alambre lo mejor es que limes lijeramente el primer codo de la z para facilitar la entrada.
Puedes pegar ahora los servos con un poco de epoxi espesado con microbalones. No es necesario aplicar mucha cantidad al fondo, solo una fina película que lo adhiera tanto a la superficie interior del ala como a los laterales del núcleo.
Una vez seco, puedes pasar el cable al alojamiento del conector y practicar las soldaduras etc...
Ahora puedes conectar tus servos al receptor y finalizar el montaje.
Ahora debes insertar las Z de alambre en la escuadra, si te cuesta insertar el alambre lo mejor es que limes lijeramente el primer codo de la z para facilitar la entrada.
Insert the end of the Z bend in the steel tube by deflecting the aileron down. With your transmitter operative and the servos connected to it and in neutral you can check that the travel is enough and proceed to glue the zbend to the pushrod with a drop of super thin CA. Put a drip on the end of the zbend with the needle applicator and let it set in neutral position. This way we ensure that the CA bond both parts solidly.
You can now glue the Lunching blade or Peg as you want to call it, and that's all. The wing is moulded with internal reinforces to support the launch force, but if you are a powerful launcher you can add an extra reinforce
Those are the right place tho install the peg, 15mm from TIP And 19,5mm from the T.E.and 3º of toe in.
Try to make the hole as tight as possible, so this way only a few glue will fill the hole. Remember to sand the peg in the place it will be glued to make the bond strong.
We rather to glue it with epoxy, and left a small radius between the wing and peg of epoxy.
Cut to size the servo covers and stick them with cristal sellotape and thats all!
Try to make the hole as tight as possible, so this way only a few glue will fill the hole. Remember to sand the peg in the place it will be glued to make the bond strong.
We rather to glue it with epoxy, and left a small radius between the wing and peg of epoxy.
Cut to size the servo covers and stick them with cristal sellotape and thats all!
Here you have some settings to set up your Vice, but as always this very personal so you can use them as a starting point and find your right ones.
Apart from this we recommend to add some snap flap in all the phases except thermal 2 the amount of snap flaps should deflect with ailerons to the thermal position when the elevator is fully up
Now adjust your CG and Have fun with your VICE!
