Restoration - AXN!

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In this blog, I will be restoring the AXN while making improvements along the way! You can get involved with the restoration by sharing suggestions, tips and tricks!

Got myself a pretty busted up AXN here. Ive already went ahead to strip off all the stickers, removed most of the excessively-used hotglue from previous fixes, gave it a hot water & steam bath and wrestled with it to the original shape.

Pre-Op Diagnosis:

Nose severely fractured
 Dings and Dents through-out
Motor's Ball Bearings contaminated
Missing Canopy's catch
Significantly reduced structural rigidty 

Edited by FusionTiger - 18/Feb/2012 at 11:42pm

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FusionTiger Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Platinum (SG) USERID: 191700 Hobbyking Addict Joined: 05/Mar/2009 Online Status: Offline Posts: 461	Quote Reply Topic: Restoration - AXN! Posted: 15/Feb/2012 at 3:29pm
	In this blog, I will be restoring the AXN while making improvements along the way! You can get involved with the restoration by sharing suggestions, tips and tricks! Got myself a pretty busted up AXN here. Ive already went ahead to strip off all the stickers, removed most of the excessively-used hotglue from previous fixes, gave it a hot water & steam bath and wrestled with it to the original shape. Pre-Op Diagnosis: Nose severely fractured Dings and Dents through-out Motor's Ball Bearings contaminated Missing Canopy's catch Significantly reduced structural rigidty Edited by FusionTiger - 18/Feb/2012 at 11:42pm

Blind Vision Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Platinum (DK) USERID: 52464 Forum Admin ADMIN Joined: 21/Oct/2009 Location: DK/Denmark, AMC Online Status: Offline Posts: 3804	Quote Reply Posted: 15/Feb/2012 at 5:32pm
	But looking good for a starters/free plane, I restored my MPX Cularis nose section that got bashed of in a Inverted dive into the ground (reminder to self, NEWER lend it out to a pilot and let him try to do the final approach looking directly into the sun). Looked like it was a goner, but it came out pretty good. Amazing what a towel some string and boiling water can do.

FusionTiger Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Platinum (SG) USERID: 191700 Hobbyking Addict Joined: 05/Mar/2009 Online Status: Offline Posts: 461	Quote Reply Posted: 16/Feb/2012 at 10:57pm
	Indeed, I was delighted when I recieved the AXN but it was structually compromised where the sun don't shine, the prop was mounted out of alignment and facing backwards! The MPX Cularis is a very beautiful plane! Must had been such an agony! Ive yet to try the hot-water-towel technique, sounds like a brilliant method to reach unreachable and large surface areas. An entire afternoon spent on making the adaptor and spinner. Ha! A shot of the final product and the failed prototype. Set-Screw Type. Disliked the Prop-saver style for the AXN and it was the reason behind the mis-algined prop when the previous owner used a very thick O-Ring. It damaged the prop hole and forced him to flip the prop backwards inorder to fit just a wee bit better. Edited by FusionTiger - 16/Feb/2012 at 11:23pm

fotod Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Platinum (EE) USERID: 1213106 Bargain Addict! Joined: 06/Dec/2011 Online Status: Offline Posts: 24	Quote Reply Posted: 17/Feb/2012 at 1:12am
	This plane is EPO foam wich can crack. Find a bit of EPP foam wich is soft. Can even find in old packaging materjals! Cut the nose and make an half-egg shape new soft nose. You can crash a lot after that and nose stay's ok. Epp is tuff and soft. Battery must go little backside so heavier 3000mAh battery needed that way.

FusionTiger Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Platinum (SG) USERID: 191700 Hobbyking Addict Joined: 05/Mar/2009 Online Status: Offline Posts: 461	Quote Reply Posted: 18/Feb/2012 at 11:35pm
	fotod, I'll be using FiberGlass to restore the Nose. Interesting suggestion with EPP though. Removal of the plastic horns were easy, simply bend the pins and it will snap cleanly off! I will be reusing these horns and reattachment will be done with the aid of CA/HotGlue. Just like the Stinger64, I've repositioned the servo pocket to the top. Also, the AXN is known to have weak aileron roll rates, so I extended the ailerons by 90mm in hopes for improving roll. Ever wondered why the Bixler is known to have better roll rates? Edited by FusionTiger - 19/Feb/2012 at 3:50am

FusionTiger Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Platinum (SG) USERID: 191700 Hobbyking Addict Joined: 05/Mar/2009 Online Status: Offline Posts: 461	Quote Reply Posted: 19/Feb/2012 at 10:50pm
	The amount of HotGlue used by the previous owner is almost frightening but it did a great job holding it together. It was quite a task to remove most of those hotglue. The restoration of the nose begun with a newly applied Medium CA with Activator. Then I sanded down the bumps at the joints, widen and reshaped the intake holes. More wrestle with the EPO is required to further smoothen out it's goose face then I'll be preparing it for FiberGlass!

FusionTiger Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Platinum (SG) USERID: 191700 Hobbyking Addict Joined: 05/Mar/2009 Online Status: Offline Posts: 461	Quote Reply Posted: 21/Feb/2012 at 5:19pm
	3rd coat of filler applied and probably just one more required then a final sand down for FiberGlass! Yes, the entire AXN will be wearing a rather fashionable layer of FiberGlass! Edited by FusionTiger - 21/Feb/2012 at 6:33pm

Blind Vision Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Platinum (DK) USERID: 52464 Forum Admin ADMIN Joined: 21/Oct/2009 Location: DK/Denmark, AMC Online Status: Offline Posts: 3804	Quote Reply Posted: 21/Feb/2012 at 11:02pm
	Holy moses Fusion Tiger, your are going to do a fusion, Old AXN and glass fiber =hyper new fully Glassed AXN version comes out. -why have Hot glue become so popular, it riddles me that people use such a heavy glue You must have access to rather cheep Resin, It's very expensive here

trexheli Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Platinum (AU) USERID: 206844 Newbie Joined: 06/Apr/2009 Online Status: Offline Posts: 3	Quote Reply Posted: 22/Feb/2012 at 12:16pm
	Tiger, Looking like a great litle project, what filler are you using? The AXN is a great plane, I have been thinking of a rebuild, would like to make the wing removable and larger ailerons for sure.

FusionTiger Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Platinum (SG) USERID: 191700 Hobbyking Addict Joined: 05/Mar/2009 Online Status: Offline Posts: 461	Quote Reply Posted: 22/Feb/2012 at 7:02pm
	A locally produced light-weight wood filler. They work great and cures to a very firm finish which also sands well! There is this guy who had modified his ANX with larger aileron and a T-Tail! However I find it a little over kill. Ha! There are others who did clipped wings instead, hybriding their AXN into the Sports-Plane catagory! BlindVision, believe it or not - All from here! HotGlue is being promoted by many 'How-To' guides such as from RCmodelreviews and RCpowers. Only problem is, many haven't quite understood how much is too much. The wings are ready! Edited by FusionTiger - 22/Feb/2012 at 7:13pm