Slofly Mini 3D 28”

Mini 3D parts:
Slofly Mini 3D 28”
Items required
1 Fuselage with precut wing slot and elevator
slot
1 Slofly Mini 3D EPP kit
2 Ailerons
1 Rudder
1 Two piece horizontal stabilizer
Carbon rods and tubes:
Fuselage .125 CF tube
Wing .125 CF tube
Elevator .125 CF tube
Battery:
The lighter the better. Rated at 4.5 amps+
2 or 3 cell 340 to 700mah lipoly recommended.
Motor/Prop:
The lighter the better.
Brushless motors from 18 to 40 grams
recommended.
GWS 8040 and 7035 props work great with
direct drive outrunners on this plane.
The Feigao Brushless IPS replacement motor
with the IPS-A gearbox on 3 cells will work
great too.
Prop saver:
Slofly prop saver (adapts to both 8040 and 7035
props) or
Slofly Multisaver (GWS/APC)
Motor mount:
Slofly motor mount
Speed control:
BP10A, PHX10, PHX Thunderbird 9
Servos:
3 Blue Bird 306 servos
Receiver:
GWS pico, Blue arow or Blue bird receiver
with crystal
Control rods and horns:
Du-bro micro control rod system
Extra horn, EZ links and EZ connector
Small 1/64 plywood squares for mounting
control horns
Glue:
5 to 30 minute Epoxy
Liquid nails for motor mount and landing gear
Wheels:
Optional
Tape:
EPP Tape (strapping tape) for hinging, holding
in components and control rod sheath to
fuselage.
Blades:
Exacto blade for cutting servo, rx and esc slot
Razor blade and straight edge for cutting 45
degree hinges
Spar lengths:
Fuse 21.75in, Wing 27in, Elevator 7.5in
If using Dremel with 8mm round router
attachement lay the ruler 30mm from the line
to be cut, precheck the start and endpoint line
up and make your cut.
Spray a little 3M77 on the bottom of the
straight edge to prevent sliding if necessary or
turn off dremel mid line if to move your hand
in order to keep pressing down on the straight
edge while cutting.
Get the depth set so that the top of the spar is
just at or just under the surface of the foam.
Wing spar measurement
Place wing on table and mark 1 3/4" inches in
front of hinge line on each wing tip.
On the 32" place it at 1 1/2" from the hinge
line on the wing tips.
Simple rule- keep the spar at the first 25% to
30% of the wing and it will work great.
Elevator spar slot measurement
Make a mark at each end (9mm) from the
hinge line.
CF tube should pass through the middle of the
foam that joins the two elevator halves.
Center spar on straight edge and mark two
points on the wing at the spars ends.
Leave up to 1 inch from edges to prevent spar
from being damaged.
Elevator carbon tube is 7.5 inches long.
Position the ruler with 3.75 inches centered on
the elevator and make a line.
You can shorten the CF tube if desired. At
this length the tips will flex less.
We are calling the moving part the elevator
and the stationary part the stabilizer or 'stab'
Use a soldering iron, solder gun, make a 'v'
cut with a razor blade or use a dremel tool
with router attachment to make your wing
spar slot.
Photo of elevator with spar slot.
Mark about 1/4 inch or about 7 mm above
motor mount and 1/8 to 1/4 inch behind the
nose.
If you would like to lay the battery on top of
the wing passing through or embedded in the
fuselsage then install the cf tube under the
wing. Your servos will need to sit a little
lower.
With the carbon fiber tube on top velcro on
the fuselage works well to hold the battery.
Mark 1/4 inch or 6 to 7mm above the slot edge
Lay rod down and mark end of rod for a
route stop point and route.
Drop the spars in to check depth.
Pull or blow out any bits of foam so the spar
rests just below or at the surface level of the
wing.
This is an easy hinging method that works
very well.
If this is new to you practice on some foam
first.
Use a new razor blade.
The bottom of the elevator is facing up here.
The hinge V cut is not visible from this side.
When you do the cut make sure the bottom of
the elevator is facing up.
The spar slot is facing up when looking at the
bottom of the elevator.
In this photo you would see the slot but it is
covered by the straight edge.
Straighten blade as you near end to get to the
edge without cutting into foam that shouldn't
be cut.
The top of the elevator with the V cut.
Strength tip: Place a 7mm wide piece of
strapping tape on the front edge of the
stationary part of the stabilizer.
This gives protection against rips and helps
reduce flex.
Cut the stabilizer on the same side as the
elevator.
Face the bottom of the wing up (spar side
up) and make an angled cut.
Place aileron in position then back it off and
cut.
This helps ensure cutting the correct sides to
match the wing cuts.
Repeat for other half of the wing.
Cut a V cut at the end of the fuselage for your
rudder.
Make sure to cut the rudder on the same side
as the fuselage!
The rudder control horn and elevator control
horn will be on opposite sides of the rudder.
Control horns mount on the side of the
control surface without the V
In this example the V cut will be visible on the
left side of the fuse.
The control horn for the rudder will be
mounted on the side facing up.
And the elevator horn on the side facing
down.
Tape a 1" piece of strapping tape where the
hinge ends
Tape a 1/2" piece of strapping tape 1 inch to
the right of where the hinge starts on the
bottom side
Taping on the ailerons
Place aileron to the hinge line with a 2 or
3mm gap on the left side.
Tape a 1" piece of strapping tape 1 inch to the
right of where the hinge starts.
The strapping tape will stay on fine but
require a pressing here and there each time it
comes out of storage. If something lays on the
plane it can pull the tape off. For a more
permanent tape adhesion spray 3M 77 on the
sticky side of the tape then apply it to the
plane when it is not wet.
None of the planes in the Slofly videos use
3M77. Stored properly the tape sticks fine as
is.
Tape a 1/2" piece of strapping tape where the
hinge ends on the bottom side
Hang some strapping tape from the table edge
and razor blade a thin slice.
Place along the hinge line on the bottom.
Here is just 4 pieces on top and the bottom
has the same plus the strip.
This little strip on the left is being tried out to
insure full aileron control.
Copy the strip with a shorter piece on the
bottom.
Do the same for the other wing.
If ailerons don't stay flat flex and run
fingernail over tape.
They should offer little resistance.
Hinge the elevator
Leave an area approximately 15mm from the
center free of tape for the control horn on the
side with the spar.
Install components under wing slot.
The rudder is on the left and the nose is on the
right in the photo above.
Mark 1/4inch under wing slot and make a line
with a ruler.
Place your servo top up with the control horn
on just under the line and mark the bottom
Do this on the left and right. Draw a bottom
line with a ruler.
The front servo is the aileron servo.
Compact components toward front of plane
especially on the 28in for use with 340mah or
other very light batteries. In the photo above
the two rearward servos should be moved
forward to keep the CG near the front.
The rear (aft) servo is the rudder servo and is
upside down in order for the control rod to
run straight to the tail without being
interfered with by the elevator.
The servo second from the left is the elevator
servo.
Place the aileron servo at the front of the wing
slot.
Place the elevator and rudder servos near the
rear of the wing slot.
Lay the servos and receiver down to make
sure the wires can reach the rx.
Place the rear servo 1/2 inch before the wing
slot ends (photo shows it at the wing slot)
Distance the elevator servo (2nd from left) by
5/8 inch or about 15mm
Distance the rx from the front servo (aileron
servo) by 1/2 inch or center between the two
front servos (servos on the right) it if the
aileron servo wire will reach.
The rear servo (servo on left in photo) needs
to wire past the servo next to it before going to
the rx.
That is why the receiver is placed with the
connectors facing the rear.
The rx slot should be centered vertically
(positioned on top in photo) and positioned
between the servos.
In positioning be sure that all wires reach the
plugs and have enough slack to unplug.
The rx slot is cut out longer than the rx by at
least 1/2" so there is room for unplugging the
servo and speed control connectors.
Sharpie: Works great and is highly
recommended to keep weight down.
Spray paint: Krylon Fusion/Short cuts for
plastics (Kmart, Michaels)
Paper logos: Print your favorite logos and
paste on the plane by applying 3M 77
Here is a simple fast design that hides the fuse
spar and takes minimal time and Sharpie pen
ink.
Note: Servos are faced to keep servo wire
pointed toward the rx.
The rx does not need to run on the top line as
in the photo.
It could be centered vertically between the
two lines.
Place the rear servos 1/2 inch in front of the
wing slot.
The rx plugs could face right but then the
rear servo has to jump both the servo next to
it and the distance of the rx.
That is why it is setup with the antenna facing
right which is less natural for exiting the
antenna off the back.
Speed control:
Install the speed control in front of the wing.
Place the ESC between the wing slot and the
motor mount and trace a rectangle.
Cut it out and use tape to hold in the ESc. The
tape also closes the wing slit.
You do not need to glue the nose slit or fill it
in with EPP.
Use the carbon rod as a mixing stick for the
Epoxy.
Swirl some Epoxy on the end of the rod, keep
rotating it and slide the epoxy along the spar
slot.
When some gets on the edges run the tip of
the rod at an angle to move the epoxy in the
slot or build it up on the rod.
Run the tip of the CF tube through the spar
slot. You can tell which parts have glue and
which don't by how rough it is.
After smoothing it lay the CF tube in place. If
you are more patient or need to work indoors
liquid nails (still need adequate ventilation)
can be worked into the slot and set to cure
overnight.
Install elevator without glue and check
throws.
Depending on hinging variations the keyhole
may need enlarging where it rubs the
elevator.
Move elevator by hand to find rough areas
and use xacto you enlarge keyhole where
necessary.
Glue motor mount with liquid nails or other
flexible adhesive that works on EPP and
aluminum.
Tape a strip of strapping tape on each side to
keep it straight while drying and leave it there
to protect the epp from tearing on crashes.
Glue wing:
Swirl some Epoxy on the end of a stick or
scrap carbon rod, keep rotating it and slide
the epoxy along the inside edges of the wing
slot. Smooth it out. Hold nose slit apart and
position wing to the back. Be sure the wing is
right side up!
Hold closed and keep at 90 degrees until
cured.
A 90 degree block will work but make sure
that the fuselage is nicely centered on the
centerline of the wing and that doesn't move
while the glue is setting.
We are using 5 minute epoxy for this using
latex or vinyl gloves.
The fuselage and wing are held and adjusted
while it cures.
Since the wing slot is cut at 90 degrees this
method of hand alignment works well.
Glue elevator:
Same as above.
After glue dries hinge the rudder
If you would like to tape the motor mount in
place EPP tape (strapping tape) cut in 3 strips
hooping over the motor mount in opposite
directions. This gives a snug but flexible fit
and works great.
Install components and control rods
Servo to reciever wiring:
The ailron servo plugs into channel 1
The elevator servo plugs into channel 2
The speed control plugs into channel 3
The rudder plugs into channel 4
Note direction of control horns and the ez
connectors (silver parts on servo arms)
Balance the Mini at the spar for the first flight
and work it back till you have the performance
you like.
Happy Flying!