OCD – Skywalker Revolution 1720mm Build

[ClippedWing]

Ah, strip and tin all 3 wires at the same time.....Got to try that now, it's so obvious huh..?
I have some nice wire strippers for this, and yet I always strip each wire in turn....Never too old to learn something new.

No problem, its the little things that help the most!  :P

Bit odd having 2 molex connectors! Don't even bother trying to solder them!

[ClippedWing]

Looking for covering ideas?

I always struggle with this part! I might spray the tips for the wings and then laminate the whole lot!

Thoughts?

[ClippedWing]

A few more bits done tonight!

Well, my servo channel cutter worked like a dream! I had to take 2 passes but cut a perfect gap. I will redesign it again but to take 3 blades rather than 2, so I don't have to squeeze it in and not depressing the foam so much!

made life so much easier! I taped my 1 meter long down in place and just cut the foam out, it was a bit of a squeeze so had to push them in quite snugly

The next little task I wanted to work on is the spar covers. They are 1.3mm too thick, so they stick out like a sore thumb!

I taped a blade to a rule and tried to drag it down, but it just did not work. Tried to free hand, but I knew it just wouldn't look good or work well!

So i set out to make a small hot wire cutter!

I had some guitar wire in my workshop from other hot wire projects, I used to have a large bow and a home made feather cutter so this was left over.

I found that 0.20mm was the best.

Next I taped 2 bits of balsa down on the back of a clip board, and set the screws at around 8inches.

Next I pulled the wire down really tight before adding 2x 1mm drill bits. The wire will stretch when current is applied, I never had any small springs to take up the slack but it would work ok.

This is the gap I had between the 2 drill bits. I made sure that the cutting end was up and I would be pushing against the blank.

I tried a 7.2v lipo first, and you can tell fairly quick how warm it gets, if it sits up, the voltage is too high. I then used a 5v BEC and it was just enough but quite slow. I could live with that!
This is the complete set up. Took around 10 minutes to do.

Here is a better shot of the lip from the spar cover.

Obviously, you need to cut the right side, cut on the inside it would reduce the width and it would make the spare channel into a oval making the carbon rod hard to fit.

With a light push, making sure the part is flat on the balsa, it cut a 1mm thin piece of foam from the spar.

Very satisfying! It excited my OCD lol!

Here are the results with the covers put back in test the the fit...

Over the moon with that little hot wire cutter! Did the job perfectly!

Sit back, admire my hours work!

I am looking for covering options though now, I am thinking of spraying the tips and then laminating over the whole wing for a bit of extra ding resistance!

My workshop is only 2x2 (Yes 2 meters by 2 meters) so I'm getting a lot of hangar rash!


Hopefully again there is a few tips in there you can use for your own projects!

Thanks for looking, hope your enjoying this build as I am!

[FPVSteve]

This is mental :D

Love it!

[pk-surfing]

Top marks for quality and innovation, nice to see a precise build and attention to details.

PK  :)

[SoGeo]

Amazing top quality build ! Passion of details is so visible in your work. This is inspiring. Congratulations.
But now I feel ashamed of what I am doing. :-[

[ClippedWing]

Ah, thanks all for your nice comments!

I should really build something more scale and put all my efforts into that, but I enjoy the process!

Should be able to get a few bits done tonight, i am not sure what though as i just make it up as i go along  :P

[Coyote]

I love the attention to detail with this build !

Please don't lawn dart it on the maiden :)

[beesleyboy]

 :thumbsup:

[ClippedWing]

Just a small update!

Tonight I worked a little more on the wings and wing harnesses to provide signal to the EzUHF and Signal/Power to the VTX

The EzUHF harness was made the same way as I normally do, both ends are 3x1 male to 3x1 male. The connections inside the fuselage will obviously be female.

The VTX needs 2 wire harnesses.

One for Signal/Ground/Power (+5v to power the board camera) 5x1 male to 3x1 male. The reason I use a 5x1 male for the VTX so it fills the space inside the VTX connector.

The power one is 2x1 male for the VTX and then to a 3x1 for the other end.

I use a 3x1 on the end that plugs into the model for assurance reasons. The middle pin will always be positive. That way even if I somehow manage to plug it in the wrong way round into a female 3x1, the positive wont change and potentially cause damage from reverse polarity.

My servo ends do not have locating pins, it will make more sense when I build the harness board for the fuselage connection. I wont have visible cables. 

The cables have been run in the channels but I have not fixed the spar covers in until I have fully tested them all working with the Pixhawk/OSD and power connections.

There is a little more work to do on the root caps before I glue them on though but here is where I am at tonight.

If I have huge trouble on the test bench with masses of interference (I have run longer cables with out shielding and haven't had a problem) I will order up some 3 core shielded cable.

I better go order some more bits from Hobbytroniks, I am running low on a few things according to my inventory!

Thanks again for the nice comments and following, it makes it easier to put the effort in if people are enjoying the build!

[iwan_canobi]

Love the hot wire cutter, that's some real dedication but the result looks worth it!

I'd go with laminate for the ultimate protection, paint underneath as you say and you'll get a really nice finish that is wipe clean and adds loads of strength. I've used vinyl on top of laminate before to get some nice patterns, but it does add a bit of weight.

[ClippedWing]

Only took 10mins to build so was well worth it!

Yes I think I will go laminated, I have got some ultra thin micron laminate that will do the job! I will no doubt laminate the ailerons at the same time and cut them out after for the hinge!

I am really poor at finishing models off, so hopefully it will come out looking OK!

But of spray paint underneath should do the job!

[Vortecks]

You've now taken my OCD to a completely new level and I'll no longer be happy with perfection.
Thanks for that.

(there was a compliment hidden in there somewhere)  ;D

[ClippedWing]

I was low on supplies, so I had to wait a few days to progress!



I have redesigned the Pixhawk tray. I don't know why I made 2 different parts, when I had to screw it onto the service tray inside the model anyway!
I killed 2 birds with one stone and but the vibration balls into the tray, if anything it removed 3mm, no huge space gain I must admit! Makes it look better anyway!

I always put off gluing the model together. I don't know why, I guess its just a final thing and you can't really undo it if you forget something!
I made sure the T tail was nice and square, and set it up overnight....no going back!

Next job was to tackle the top plate for the servo and assorted wing wiring. I set out to make a plate that I already had in mind.


There is 2 wires coming from the right wing (Servo/EzUHF) and 3 from the left wing (Servo/VTX/Power). I made 'pockets' for the male servo connectors to pass through, and then it was capped the other side to hold the female connectors.

There is also a flange to support the crumple zone, it gives a little more support where I had to cut away around 50mm of foam. Here is the plate dry fitted.

As I will be pushing down to connect, it makes the system a lot more safer and cleaner. No finding cables buried inside, its all there for me to just plug in!

As there is a Y servo cable for the ailerons, I had to splice the wires after I had dry fitted them, it was the only way to pull through the female servo cables.

Would of been fairly upset I had soldered it up and then realised that!

You will also notice I have cut away the middle section, so I have a easy access panel to the Pixhawk. It will be good to confirm GPS lock and to aid me in servicing if I need too.

The Pixhawk will have its own bluetooth dongle, so I wont have to plug in a USB cable for updates or configuration, all that will be done via my tablet.

This is most likely the slowest Skywalker build, and yes I am going way, way overboard but its a good test of my Modelling/Printing/Soldering skills.

I will have lots more time this week to do a few more bits and bobs, so far its going well!

[English Turbines]

  Surprised you didn't print those thin covers rather than wire cut that fragile foam, but Im impressed with your attention to detail without doubt.

  The other day, while finishing my Mini Talon, I told myself to stop being so precious and just get on with it....because it takes me so long to finish stuff off while I debate the best way to do stuff.

  Its a good job we dont have to make these FPV models as well.....like when I was younger.....:)

                        :vulture: