AJ Laser 230z 73" Build Thread

[AKNick]

Starting up a Generic Build Thread for the AJ 73" 230z Laser.



A Little About the Aircraft:
Dimensions: 73" Wingspan & 70" Fuselage
Powerplant: 30-40cc or 2500 Watt w/100-120 Amp ESC w/8s 4400mAh LiPo
OAW: 10-11lbs (Gas DA35 10lb 9oz empty, 11lbs 2oz with 12oz fuel, Electric 9lbs 1/2oz empty, 10lb 7.5oz w/3300 8s)
CG: 127 mm (5 inch) to 143 mm (5 5/8 inch). From the LE by the wing root (CG roughly 1" in front of the wing tube)
Box Dimensions: 67X21X11
Servo Arm Sizes: 1.25" Aileron, 1.5" Elevator, 3" Rudder Pull-Pull

Andrew Jesky Aircraft Website:
http://www.aj-aircraft.com/73-Laser-230z_p_9.html

AJ 73" Laser Assembly Instructions:
http://www.aj-aircraft.com/assets/images/Downloads/AJ Aircraft 73 inch Laser.pdf

I'll be going through this build as if it was for a "first time gasser" so plenty of pictures and comments throughout. SupaTim has already done a fantastic job with a completed AJ 73" w/DLE35RA on this website, I just simply wanted to make a "just for fun" open invitation build thread for this wonderful 3D Beast.

Here is a fun video I made:

 

[jakeg1999]

Awesome! Just ordered mine 2 days ago! I will follow along as I'm excited to build mine as well. Going with a DLE35RA for a powerplant!

 

[AKNick]

AJ 73" Laser 230z
AKNicks Setup UPDATED 3-31-2019
Futaba 18SZ Guidance w/ R6208SB RX

DA-35
JTech Pitts Muffler
Fortitude 16oz Fuel Tank V1 (burns 1oz/min roughly)
TechAero Ultra IBEC
ED Nano 2500 A123 6.6V w/XT60 plug (as my switch) pigtails onto two 20AWG wires for my single RX connection. Simple and Effective.
SAVOX SV1270TG on control surfaces.
HiTec HS-5665MH on the Throttle.
Aileron Servos: w/ 1.25" 4-40 FUT MPI Servo Arms
Single Elevator Servo: w/ 1.5" 4-40 FUT MPI Sero Arm
***Note the MPI servo arm retainer screw hole needs to be reamed out*** I would suggest using SpotOnV2 arms or SWB.
Rudder Servo: w/ 3.5" 4-40 FUT Spot-On RC V1 Strait Servo Arm (3" spacing used).
Throttle Servo: w/plastic servo arm it comes with to help absorb vibration with a Sullivan blue nylon semi-flex control rod supported. This works, but I think a full metal arm or carbon linkage you would get a little better control.
SeCraft 4-40 ball links on servo attachements, Note the control surfaces are spaced from the smaller OD ball links.
Tail Dragger RC 20AWG Servo Extensions (customized by me)

 

[jakeg1999]

Hope its OK if I post mine, if not I can remove it.
DLE 35RA
Hitec 7955's
Taildragger 16oz
Rcexl tach
Rcexl kill
Stock exhaust
Undecided on arms
Single 2000mah pack
Mikado Vbar Radio and Silverline vbar for a receiver

I'm also building an EF 74 Laser at the same time with the DA35 and possibly a pipe. OK, I'll stay off your thread, sorry just excited about this plane!

 

[AKNick]

Oh please do! :thumbup: I haven't seen a build thread on this airframe that was all inclusive yet. I want an all inclusive thread for everyone to share their builds! Thanks!

 

[AKNick]

AJ 73" Laser 230z

So I'll just try and play catch up on some pictures I have been taking.

First off I must say that making a purchase through Tim Jesky was probably the best service I could have asked for. Since I live in Alaska, it's hard to get this size of flying machine shipped here for a *reasonable price. Tim helped me considerably by taking the box to USPS and seeing if they could make a waiver since it was over there maximum standard shipping dimensions... by one inch. What Mfgr does this??? I must say... I was on the fence between two Mfgrs and Airframes. They won me over with their customer service. USPS Shipping was still $140... but better than the $350 another company was wanting to charge me.



You can see how AJ Aircraft double boxes this plane, with plywood re-enforcements. Pretty well thought through if you ask me. I had about a half dozen scrapes and semi-punctures on the box itself that were kept from damaging the plane because of these plywood inserts. I couldn't resist adding my pup in the box! too much fun!



So here is your typical unboxing photos. You can see that they used pipe insulation where the empennage passes through the cardboard divider/support. Everything is in it's own bag and taped into place. The wing bag is just like the 3DHS bags, but with an added slot for the SFG's (I would have liked to see some velcro there so the SFG's dont slide out when attempting to jiggle a wing out of the bag). Zero damage on the airframe and/parts, almost no wrinkles, just some of the seams needed to be re-sealed.

 

[jakeg1999]

Looking good!

 

[AKNick]

AJ 73" Laser 230z

I tried a "new" method (to me!) to open up the holes. I used my soldering iron. It can be messy in the larger sections, but for holes it works like a champ. My trusty Xacto knife sat out on the bench for this process. Use a floodlight of some sort to help find the holes. I used a small flashlight inside the frame and moved it around as nessisary. I have found that the soldering iron helps seal the covering to the balsa as it melts. Pretty slick I thought. Although in hindsight I think I should have traced and cut the control horn slots with the infamous #11 Xacto. Learning as I go!

 

[AKNick]

Hope its OK if I post mine, if not I can remove it.
DLE 35RA
Hitec 7955's
Taildragger 16oz
Rcexl tach
Rcexl kill
Stock exhaust
Undecided on arms
Single 2000mah pack
Mikado Vbar Radio and Silverline vbar for a receiver

I'm also building an EF 74 Laser at the same time with the DA35 and possibly a pipe. OK, I'll stay off your thread, sorry just excited about this plane!

I've used Spot on RC V1 servo arms on the ailerons of my 71 slick, and found one that came loose during my preflight. I always use blue locktite, maybe just me, that's why I went with the MPI's... but on the SAVOX servos I had to ream out the hold down screw hole. I could guess this is why people like the SWB rods??? maybe? It also seems that the MPI's dont grab the full length of the servo splines on the 1270's. I have the 7955's for my slick and didn't have to modify the hole on the MPI arm, the arm grabs the full length of the splines, and it has never come loose after 7 gallons of vibrations (elevator servo). Just my 2 cents.

I have heard a lot of issues with the stock (and aftermarket) mufflers coming loose on the DLE35RA's. Might worked great for 5 gallons, and it ended up in the bottom of the cowling on my 71 slick. I usually do great pre-flights.... There was an instant exhaust note change and loss of power. Do yourself a favor and buy some 3/16"-5mm Nordlock washers P/N 19282, I got some off ebay (25pair for $23) from "Clips and Fastners" or just go to their website:

http://www.clipsandfasteners.com/searchresults.asp?Search=19282

Nordlock Demonstration Video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDlmbMV9ICU

 

[AKNick]

AJ 73" Laser 230z

Sometimes when you get an ARF you need to make it your own. So naturally you modify it a bit, right? I personally like how the stars on this ARF resemble the scale feature of the original Laser Aircraft. SO at no disregard of the mfgr's original color scheme, which actually grows on you... I wanted to take the roman candle effect away. I grabbed a photo online, and photo shopped it a bit to play around with the design. I had some red ultracote left over from another project that matched this red almost identically (my luck!) However, I didn't have enough to mess up.
With that said; please don't look TOO close! My lines aren't perfect, but its perfect enough for me - ha! :bouncy: