Building thread of SX3 (SouthernX-3) from Norway...

This is a page that tries to collect some info and building instructions about the SX3.
Here are some links to start of with:

I have made a page I copy all the info I feel is important when building
LOOK HERE

This page follows me and my friend Arild's building and flying
The following txt is from my diary

DAY .. 9. January 2005
- On the ice and removed some snow. Afterwards I had a spin with the SX3. It was a small wind that came and went otherwise I would have set up the winch. Maybe tomorrow... Few propellers left so I fitted a 9x6 Graupner I had laying around. Great power but not good enough for hovering stable. Need lower pitch...

DAY .. 5. January 2005
- Went out for a club meeting (inside...) and had to fly some SX3 and 3DX mini indoor. Video of the SX3 indoor HERE (10mb .wmv). Beginning to get better at hovering but that wall never attached to the SX3 and that door was difficult to get thru :-) But with the 3DX mini I at least managed to get on that door... I did not dare to go thru the door since it easily get damaged (only depron). Video of 3DX mini HERE (7,7mb .wmv).

DAY .. 1. January 2005
- New years day. Or atleast a few minutes over midnight. My SX3 became the rocket this year. 8sec shots on my camera. My wife operated the switch numerous times :-) A blast of fun... Not really any supershot but some cool ones for my diary. I was hovering and flying when the clock banged. Good way to spend new years eve...
DAY .. 30. December 2004
SX3: Arild have had an encounter with the snow in -14,5 degrees celcius (6 Fahrenheit). So he found that the model is not "indestructible". But after som thin CA, kicker and some love and care it flew again.
In the evening I just had to have a hover session. Looks like the motor "sparks". Lucky with that one I think!

 

DAY .. 28. December 2004
- Just had to go outside for a smoke... It is snowing and 0 degrees celcius. Big changes every day in temperature!
Pictures taken with slow flash and 10-16sec shutter time (not the first one offcourse).
DAY .. 21. December 2004
- Not sure todays pictures / video deserves to be here but this is a diary... Me and Arild went to fix his car and it became late before we had a chance to fly. So we stopped by the road and flew some SX3 with lights.
DAY .. 17. December 2004
Indoor and the first flying inside with SX3. It all went well off course and I even got to fly in the dark with it. I first tried with some lights thru a door but that was boring. So if it wasn't for the firelights it would have been all dark. We also had a few more guys here today. Both Otto from Gol and Kjell Arne (leader of the club) was here. And offcourse Arild with SX3 and Lierider. Otto found to have some problems with his GWS plane but Kjell Arne rocked hard with both his GWS biplane and his T3D. I think he found all the walls we have but he also had the most spectacular flying :-) The famous "Weeg roll" after takeoff is HERE



 

DAY .. 16. December 2004 SX3
Just a small flight outside while the dinner get ready... The SX3 is great with lights. Just remember where those trees are... Tried a new setting for the camera (16sec, F3.2, Focal length 5.2mm Olympus 730UZ) and that seemed fine. Though the second image was disturbed by some wind.

DAY .. 15. December 2004 SX3
Me and Arild went to "Hov i Land" to visit some friends and Arild was selling of some planes. We also flew a bit outside with the SX3. Plenty of people but not much building going on now right before christmas.

DAY .. 14. December 2004 SX3
Today we tested the SX3 with a heavy setup just for fun. Arild had a Mega 400-15/5 (63g) and with 10x4,7 and a 2x2000HD pack (100g) this draws 20A and extreme power. It was too heavy for indoor flying for sure. But for outdoor normal aerobatic it was ok. The weight was just above 400g. So the SX3 can take a bit more weight but it flies best when the weight is low. Kind of cool today that I actually flew with 3 different motors in my model. The AXI in the morning, the Mega mid-day and finally I attached my Klepaker Extreme in the afternoon in the dark (I have also lights in the fuse). Since the AXI is perfect for the Lierider I will fly the SX3 with KE17 (Klepaker Extreme 17turn). This gives me a bit more power and the same weight.
A bunch of night pictures HERE

 

 

 

DAY .. 14. December 2004 SX3
Today we tested the SX3 with a heavy setup just for fun. Arild had a Mega 400-15/5 (63g) and with 10x4,7 and a 2x2000HD pack (100g) this draws 20A and extreme power. It was too heavy for indoor flying for sure. But for outdoor normal aerobatic it was ok. The weight was just above 400g. So the SX3 can take a bit more weight but it flies best when the weight is low. Kind of cool today that I actually flew with 3 different motors in my model. The AXI in the morning, the Mega mid-day and finally I attached my Klepaker Extreme in the afternoon in the dark (I have also lights in the fuse). Since the AXI is perfect for the Lierider I will fly the SX3 with KE17 (Klepaker Extreme 17turn). This gives me a bit more power and the same weight.
A bunch of night pictures HERE



 

DAY .. 13. December 2004 SX3
Finally - or maybe not finally since it has gone pretty quick to build the new SX3 (SouthernX3) in EPP. We were the first to order a ARF SX3 and probably the first to complete one :-) Lets say it immediately: I am very pleased with it and did just what I expected from a "soft" machine like this. It hover, flies knife-edge, knife-edge loop (Arild did two in a row), very nice loops, rolling circle (much better when we get the diff. correct) and probably all other 3D stuff you can think of. If I were to set my finger on something it will be: - one needs 3M77 spray that is almost as expensive as half a model. It is an ARF so maybe the parts that need this should be premade. The fuse tail was also a bit difficult to get straight but if one adjusted a bit it was ok. - The hinging is difficult but did work out ok after a few mishaps. - There was some carbon in the set for pushrods. This can just as well be 1mm piano since the servos will is right by the control surfaces. - The colours were....
A few tip: - motor angle is 0 all ways (maybe slightly down but not meassured). Arild`s had a bit up thrust and the model became strange. - Use lots of time on hinging and pushrods. Lots of travel = fun. - First tests showed a bit too much differential. We have the ailerons servo on top with no angle on the horn. - Use 3M77 on all places... Makes it easier to work and the tape sticks to the EPP. - To join the top and bottom of the fuse I now like to have packing tape first and the join by a smaller clear tape. Then you can adjust if you do wrong. We first used glasfiber tape but it is hard to get off if you want to adjust. - EPP seems to be ok with all kinds of cyano and kicker. I used thin cyano many places with kicker and liked it.
Maybe I remember more later :-) We also did some lights. 2 bright 10mm LED`s (1,7v, 20mA 300mcd) were made in series so that they could be plugged right into the receiver. Strange that they were marked with 1,7v because at that voltage they dont light.. Must be 3v that were packed wrong I think... Anyhow we cut the hingeline and had one in each wing and made a plug at the servo end since we are using 4channel receiver. Will have two led`s in the fuse also that can be plugged in when we want. You can just see the lights in one of the pictures... It was cold so we did not fly long (I flew 750mah of a 3 cell pack) and my model is 217g + 55g battery. I used the AXI 2204 while Arild used a powerful LRK. Video of the cold fun HERE (10mb .wmv)








The cooling is taped because it is winter... The nut at the wheel is a normal 1,8mm nut

DAY .. 11. December 2004 SX3
SX3 have arrived.... Building thread started
Arild thru all away and jumped in the car as soon as it arrived... Guess we have been waiting for this one :-)