SIG SIGRC87EPARF User guide

ONS:

SPECI

60 in. (1524 mm)

gth:

630 sq.in. (4

. (10

43 in

4.5 - 5 l

eight:

oading:

16.5 - 18.3 oz./sq.ft. (50 - 56 4 Chann

500-800

owe

Lipo Ba

bs. (2

4 Sta

el with

att Brushless

y Pack

tter

0.6 mm)

1 - 2267 g)

ndard Ser

Motor 80

Wingspan:

ing Area:

W Len

ying W

Fl Wing L Radio Required Electric

60-75 amp Speed Control (ESC)

SIG MFG. CO., INC. PO Box 520 Montezuma, IA 50171-0520

)

g/dm

vos

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0-1000

www.sigmfg.com

INTRODUCTION

Congratulations on your purchase of the SIG T-CLIPS EP ARF. We hope you will enjoy this unique fun scale R/C model.

Assembly of your T-CLIPS EP ARF is fast and simple when following the detailed instructions in this manual. We urge you to read this assembly manual completely before assembly. Familiarize yourself with the parts and the assembly sequences. The successful assembly and flying of this airplane is your responsibility. If you deviate from these instructions, you may wind-up with problems later on.

Good luck with the T-CLIPS. Let’s get started!

ADDITIONAL ITEMS YOU WILL NEED TO PURCHASE

In addition to this kit, you will need the following items to complete your T-CLIPS and make it flyable.

❑ RADIO SYSTEM

The T-CLIPS requires a standard 4-channel radio system and four standard size servos. In addition, you'll need two 6" long Servo Extension Chords (actual length needed will depend on how long the wires are coming off your servos - be sure to double check your servos and plan accordingly), and one standard Y-Harness Chord for connection of the two aileron servos to the receiver.

What do those numbers mean?

NOTE: This numbering system is very common, however there are exceptions. For instance, some motor manufacturers will list the actual diameter of the stator (armature) inside the motor instead of the case diameter. Some may list the length of the stator inside the motor instead of the case length. Some will give you both if you dig far enough into their specs. Make sure you understand the motor manufacturer’s numbering system when shopping for a motor.

❑ MOTOR MOUNT

A laser-cut plywood adjustable motor mount is included in this kit. It should work perfectly for any suitable brushless outrunner motor which has an “X” or “cross” motor mount plate on the back.

❑ 60-75 amp ESC (Electronic Speed Control)

We used the Castle Creations ICE LITE 75 ESC in all our T-CLIPS prototypes. This is an excellent "switching type" ESC that has a built-in 5amp BEC that is safe to use with a 4 cell lipo battery pack.

Important Note: BEC (Battery Eliminator Circuit) allows you to use the same battery pack to power both your motor and your radio system, eliminating the normal radio battery pack. When the single battery pack runs down in flight to a prescribed point, the BEC circuit in the ESC will shut down the motor and leave enough power to operate the radio while you land the model. Note that the BEC feature in some cheaper ESCs does not work with 4 cell and larger lipo battery packs - only 3 cell packs. Check the manual of your particular ESC to learn if this is true in your case. If your ESC is only rated for 3 cell operation, you have three options: 1) fly only 3 cell lipo packs (lower power flight performance); or 2) disable the BEC and install a normal receiver battery pack to run the radio full time; or 3) install an aftermarket BEC that is rated for 3 or 4 cells.

ELECTRIC POWER SYSTEM ❑ 500-800 watt BRUSHLESS OUTRUNNER MOTOR

The T-CLIPS is designed to be powered with a 500-800 watt brushless outrunner motor. This size motor is sometimes referred to as a "32" class motor to those who like to make a comparison to a glow motor. Also, the motor you choose should be rated at 800-1000 kv, in order to turn an appropriate propeller.

Here is a sampling of motor sizes that work well in the T-CLIPS:

4 2 5 0 - 8 0 0 4 2 5 0 - 7 7 0 4 2 4 8 - 8 0 0 3 5 5 4 - 8 0 0

❑ 3 or 4 cell 3200-5000 mah LIPO BATTERY PACK

You can fly your T-CLIPS with a 3 cell (3S1P) or 4 cell (4S1P) Lipo pack. Pack capacity should be 3200-5000 mah for good flight duration. A 3 cell pack (11.1 volts) provides good flight performance and mild aerobatic capability. A 4 cell pack (14.8 volts) provides more power for full aerobatic performance, and was our favorite.

❑ PROPELLER

With electric powered models there are many factors that have a bearing on what propeller to use. The best place to start answering that question is in the instructions that come with your motor. Another fine source of information is one of the electric flight cal culators that are available for you to use free online (there is a good one on Castle Creations web site).

OUR FLIGHT TEST REPORT

After extensive test flying, our favorite setup for the T-CLIPS is a 4250 (case dimensions) 770 kv brushless motor, with a 75 amp ESC, 4S lipo battery pack, and an APC 13 x6.5 E propeller. This combination gave outstanding flight performance. When using a 4S 3200 mah lipo, we had flight times around 6-7 minutes, depending of course on throttle management. A 5000 mah lipo pack provided between 10 to 12 minutes of flight time. Your results may vary. Prop size, size and quality of the battery pack, throttle man-

agement, air temperature, etc., all have a bearing on electric flight performance and flight time. Experiment to find the best combination for your setup.

❑ BATTERY CHARGER

FOR SAFETY AS WELL AS PERFORMANCE, CHARGE LIPO BATTERIES ONLY In addition to providing the critical charging profile needed to safely charge lipo batteries, a lipo battery charger also includes the capability of "balancing" the available voltage in the cells, ensuring that the battery pack is at peak capacity at the end of the charge cycle. This translates to better flight times and a longer life from the battery pack.

REQUIRED TOOLS

For proper assembly, we suggest you have the following tools and materials available: A selection of glues - SIG Thin, Medium, & Thick CA Glue

CA Accelerator, CA Debonder

SIG Kwik-Set 5-Minute Epoxy Screwdriver Assortment Pliers - Needle Nose & Flat Nose Diagonal Wire Cutters Small Allen Wrench Assortment Pin Vise for Small Dia. Drill Bits Hobby Knife with Sharp #11 Blades Small Power Drill With Selection of Bits Dremel® Tool With Selection of Sanding & Grinding Bits Scissors Sandpaper Covering Iron & Trim Seal Tool Masking Tape Paper Towels Alcohol and/or Acetone For Epoxy Clean-up

COMPLETE KIT PARTS LIST

The following is a complete list of all parts contained in this kit. Before beginning assembly, we suggest that you take the time to

inventory the parts in your kit. Use the check-off boxes ❑ provided in front of each part description. Please also note that the bolts and nuts required to mount your engine to the motor mounts are not included and must be purchased separately.

❑ (1) Fuselage ❑ (1) Right Wing Panel & Aileron, hinges not glued ❑ (1) Left Wing Panel & Aileron, hinges not glued ❑ (1) Aluminum Tube Wing Joiner ❑ (2) M6.5 x 45 mm Nylon Wing Bolts ❑ (1) Horizontal Stabilizer & Elevator, hinges not glued ❑ (1) Vertical Fin & Rudder, hinges not glued ❑ (1) Fiberglass Cowling ❑ (4) M3 x 10mm Screws, for cowl mounting ❑ (1) Aluminum Main Landing Gear ❑ (3) M4 x 20mm Socket-Head Bolts, for mounting landing gear ❑ (2) 2-1/2" dia. Main Wheels ❑ (2) 4mm dia. Threaded Axles ❑ (4) 5mm Hex Nuts; for axles ❑ (4) 4mm ID Wheels Collars; for axles ❑ (1) Right Fiberglass Wheel Pant ❑ (1) Left Fiberglass Wheel Pant ❑ (4) M3 x 12mm Socket-Head Bolts, for mounting wheel pants ❑ (1) Tailwheel Assembly, including 25mm dia. Wheel, Formed

Wire, Nylon Bearing, & Wheel Collars(2)

❑ (2) M3 x 12mm Screws; for mounting tailwheel ❑ (1) Nylon Rudder Steering Clasp, including M2 x 15mm Bolt

and M2 Hex Nut

❑ (1) Plywood Electric Motor Mount Assembly ❑ (1) Balsa Triangle Stock; for motor mount reinforcement ❑ 4) M4 x 16mm Socket-Head Mounting Bolts; for mounting

electric motor

WITH A LIPO BATTERY CHARGER!

❑ (4) M4 Split-Ring Lock Washers; for mounting electric

motor(4); & main landing gear(3)

❑ (4) M4 Blind Nuts; for mounting electric motor ❑ (4) Nylon Control Horns; for ail(2); elev(1); rud(1) ❑ (12) M2 x 12mm Screws; for control horns ❑ (4) Metal R/C Clevis; for ail(2), ele(1), rud(1) ❑ (4) Nylon Snap Keepers; for ail(2), ele(1), rud(1) ❑ (4) Small pieces of Fuel Tubing; for R/C clevis keepers ❑ (2) 22-3/8" long Wire Pushrods, threaded on one end,

including M2 Hex Nuts(2); for elevator & rudder

❑ (2) 7-1/8" long Wire Pushrods, threaded on one end,

including M2 Hex Nuts(2); for ailerons

❑ (1) Plywood Battery Tray Assembly ❑ (2) Plastic Cinch Straps ❑ (1) Hook-and-Loop (Velcro®) Strap ❑ (1) Strip of Red Covering Material

COVERING MATERIAL

Your T-CLIPS ARF is covered with ORACOVER®, a premium quality covering made in Germany, and sold in the U.S. by Hanger-9 as Ultracote®.

Used On Your Airplane

Colors

ORACOVER® #23 Ferrari Red (Ultracote® #HANU866)

and

ORACOVER® #71 Black (Ultracote® #HANU874)

If sometime in the future you need replacement covering or matching paint for repairs, they are available from your local hobby dealer or online from Hanger-9.

How To Tighten Loose Covering

After you open your T-CLIPS and take all the covered parts out of their plastic bags, the covering may begin to wrinkle. This is not unusual and is no cause for alarm. Your airplane was built and covered in a part of the world which has relatively high humidity and therefore, the wood was likely carrying a fair amount of moisture. When exposed to drier air, the wood typically loses this moisture, dimensionally "shrinking" in the process. In turn, this may cause some wrinkles. However, wrinkles are easy to remove by just using a hobby type heat iron.

Caution: Trying to remove the wrinkles by hastily going over them with a heat gun can lead to more problems. You should take your time to carefully go over the entire model with a covering iron, as we will describe.

We suggest using a model airplane covering iron for this process. Cover the iron's shoe with a thin cotton cloth, such as an old tshirt, to prevent scratching the covering as you work.

After covering your iron, the next step is to set the iron to the correct temperature. This is critical for achieving a good result! The

iron should be set to about 220

F - 250OF (104OC - 121OC) as

measured on the bottom of the iron using a thermometer.

If you do not have a thermometer, you can find the correct temperature by trial and error. Set your iron to a medium setting. Glide the iron over some of the covering that is over solid wood, such as the sheeted wing center section. Observe the covering to see if any bubbles appear. If bubbles appear, the covering is getting too hot! Turn down the temperature of the iron and repeat the test.

If no bubbles appear, turn up the heat slightly and repeat the test. Keep adjusting until you “zero in” on the correct temperature. Find the temperature that will get the covering to stick down without forming bubbles or causing the seams to pull away.

Once your iron is set to the correct temperature, go over the entire framework of the airplane, making sure that the covering is securely bonded to the structure everywhere the covering comes in contact with the wood underneath. This takes some time, but is worth the effort.

After you have all the covering secured onto the solid areas, turn

the temperature of the iron up to approximately 300

F - 320OF

(149OC - 160OC). This is the correct temperature for shrinking the

covering material.

WING ASSEMBLY

The wings are designed as a 2-piece system, with separate right and left wing panels joined by an aluminum tube Wing Joiner and a hardwood locating Pin at the rear. Due to the high strength of the wing joiner tube, the wing panels do not need to be permanently glued together. Gluing them permanently together is optional - your call. The obvious benefit to leaving the wing panels separate is the fact that they can be easily transported or stored, requiring a minimum of space.

To help protect your wings during the following steps we recommend that you cover your work surface with a soft cloth or piece of foam.

INSTALLING THE AILERON SERVOS

For the following steps you will need:

(1) Right Wing Panel (1) Left Wing Panel (1) Aluminum Tube Wing Joiner (2) Servos with Mounting Screws (not furnished) (2) 6” Servo Extension Chords (not furnished) (1) Servo Y- Harness (not furnished)

❑ 1) Mount the aileron servos in the bottom of each wing panel.

a) The servo bays are precut for you but you’ll want to double check the covering around the cutout to make sure it is sealed down tight.

b) Install the rubber grommets and brass eyelets (supplied with your radio system) into each aileron servo.

c) Install the control arms on the two aileron servos. The arms should be at 90 degrees to the servo when the aileron control stick on the transmitter is in neutral and the transmitter trims are in neutral as well.

d) Before installing the aileron servos in the wing panels you must attach a servo extension chord to the aileron servo wire. The typical combined length required is approximately18”. A 6” extension chord will usually provide sufficient length. Plug the servo plug into the extension chord and tape the plugs together for added security.

Use the iron to tighten up any wrinkles in the “open” areas of the model (no wood underneath the covering). Glide the iron over the wrinkle for a few seconds, then remove. Repeat until the covering is tight with no wrinkles.

If wrinkles keep coming back on the tail surfaces, you may need to “ventilate” the areas between the ribs. Otherwise the air that is sealed in those relatively small areas will expand when the heat is applied and actually cause the covering to stretch instead of shrink. Use a pin to poke a tiny hole in the covering between each rib, on the bottom of the part. That will let the expanding air escape and the covering to shrink properly.

Caution When Using Heat Guns:

You can also use a hobby-type heat gun to shrink the covering, but you must be careful around seams or color joints. Getting too much heat on the seams may cause them to "creep" or come loose. You must also be careful when using a heat gun when working around the windshield and side windows - heat will distort the clear plastic material.

Recommended Temperatures:

To adhere the covering - 220 To shrink the covering - 300

F - 250OF (104OC - 121OC)

F - 320OF (149OC - 160OC)

NOTE: In this manual, any references to right or left, refer to your right or left as if you were seated in the cockpit of the airplane.

e) Holding the wing panel with the wingtip UP, drop the end of the extension chord into the servo mount cutout and then thru the openings in the wing ribs, working it towards to the center end of the wing panel. The plug on the end of the extension chord will occasionally get hung up on the ribs, however by turning or gently shaking the wing panel you can get it to fall through the openings in the ribs, until it emerges at the end rib. Once you’ve got the plug to the end rib, direct it through the round hole in the bottom surface of the wing panel. By that time, the servo itself should be next to the servo mount cutout and ready for mounting. f) Fit the servo into the servo mount in the wing panel, (note that the servo is positioned so that the servo arm is at the forward end toward the wing leading edge). Take up any slack in the servo chord as you insert the servo in the mount. Use a pin vise and a small drill bit to drill small pilot holes in the servo mount for the servo mounting screws. Use the screws supplied with your radio

system to mount the servo in place on the servo mount. Repeat this procedure to mount the servo in the opposite wing panel.

HINGING THE AILERONS

❑ 2) Note that the CA Hinges are installed, but not yet glued, in the ailerons and wing panels. The installation process for the hinges is the same for all of the control surfaces on this model.

a) If you removed the ailerons and hinges from the wing panels when you tightened the covering material, reinstall them now. First insert the five CA Hinges into the slots in the aileron. Put two pins in the center of each hinge, up against the leading edge of the aileron, to keep the hinges centered during the next step.

Keep a rag handy to wipe off any excess Thin CA glue. (If you get some glue smears on the plastic covering, don't worry about them right now. Once all the hinging is done, you can clean the smears off the covering with CA Debonder).

f) Let the glue dry 10-15 minutes before flexing the hinges. At first you might notice a little stiffness in the joint. This will go away after the hinges have been flexed back and forth a couple dozen times.

INSTALL AILERON CONTROL HORNS & PUSHRODS

From the kit contents locate:

(2) Nylon Control Horns

(6) M2 x 12 mm Screws

(2) Short Pushrod Wires with M2 Hex Nut

(2) Metal R/C Clevis

(2) Nylon Snap Keepers

(2) small pieces of Fuel Tubing

❑ 3) Look closely and you will see three holes pre-drilled in the bottom of the ailerons for mounting the nylon control horns. Screw the control horn in position on the bottom of the aileron using three M2 x 12mm screws.

b) Now carefully insert the exposed portion of the five hinges into the trailing edge of the wing. You will find it easiest to slide the hinges into the slots at angle, one hinge at a time, instead of trying to push it straight onto all the hinges at once.

c) Adjust the aileron so that the tip of the aileron is flush with the wing tip. The ailerons should be tight against the pins in the hinges to minimize the gap between the wing and the aileron. The aileron is now in the proper position for permanently gluing them in place with thin CA glue.

d) Flex the aileron down and hold it in this position. Remove the pins from one hinge and then carefully apply 3-4 drops of Thin CA glue directly onto the hinge in the gap. You will notice that the glue is quickly wicked into the slot as it penetrates both the wood and the hinge. We suggest using a fine tipped applicator on the glue bottle to better control the flow of glue.

When the tips of the screws begin to emerge at the top surface of the aileron, add the control horn's nylon retaining plate. The aileron will be sandwiched between the control horn on the bottom and the retaining plate on the top. Continue turning in the screws until the horn and retaining plate are snug against both surfaces of the aileron. Do not over tighten the screws and crush the wood.

The excess length of the screws that is extending past the retaining plate can be cut off with a pair of side cutting pliers or ground down with a rotary tool with a cutoff disc.

❑ 4) Next assemble and install the aileron pushrods.

a) Slide a short piece of Fuel Tubing onto the small end of the Metal R/C Clevis. Screw the Hex Nut on the Aileron Pushrod Wire all the way up to the end of the threads. Then screw the metal clevis halfway onto the threaded end of the Aileron Pushrod Wire.

e) Turn the part over and glue the other side of the hinge. Continue this process until you have glued both sides of all the hinges!

b) Clip the metal clevis into the last hole in the nylon control horn. Lay the other end of the pushrod wire over the outer hole in the servo arm. Use a felt tip pen to mark the wire where it

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