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floats for blade cx helicopter

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Old 02-12-2010, 06:34 PM
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stalefishsk8er
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Default floats for blade cx helicopter

do they make floats and if they do what company makes them and if they are available at local hobby stores or do i have to make my own and if so how do i make them?
Old 02-13-2010, 03:19 PM
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AH-64_d
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Default RE: floats for blade cx helicopter

In other words, you are also snowed in and tired of flying indoors. Surprised no one responded about floats. Guess the weather is better elsewhere or folks prefer to avoid dipping their CX2s in water. Have seen MCX floats in another forum. Know floats for a CX2 have to displace a weight of water equal to the weight of the CX2 and its floats to keep things dry. I would estimate a minimum floats volume of at least 300 mL. However, if your interest is skis for flight off of snow, they can be a lot smaller. The snow pack that we both are currently enjoying should last about another 8 days, so there is plenty of time to whittle up a pair from styrofoam. If you make them, please post some pictures. In the meantime, think Spring, because I am really sick of this snow and wind....
Old 02-13-2010, 03:52 PM
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AH-64_d
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Default RE: floats for blade cx helicopter

A block of low density styrofoam, 2.5 x 2.5 x 15 inches easily floats 260 grams. A CX2 weighs about 228 grams. Cut such a block diagonally lengthwise, remove the ping pong balls from your training gear, and skewer the 2 pieces of styrofoam with the training gear. The result will be instant floats that look crummy, but oughta work. As for getting your CX2 wet, there is now a remarkable product for sale, that was shown on the news within the last year, that can be sprayed onto electrical widgets such as iPODs and phones so that they will survive a dunk in the drink and continue to work. Suspect that you could find it if you Google it. Man, am I sick of snow...
Old 02-13-2010, 09:45 PM
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stalefishsk8er
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Default RE: floats for blade cx helicopter

AH-64_d i don't have the cx2 i have the original cx and i got the SH-60 seahawk scale body on it that i got from my local hobby store I'm just wondering if there is a way to mount a floatation device to it that'll keep the electronics dry and we all got snow and they had to cal for state of emergency in maryland since we got hit pretty hard from the snow
Old 02-14-2010, 08:40 AM
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AH-64_d
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Default RE: floats for blade cx helicopter

The block of foam I tested with weights, 2.5 x 2.5 x 15 inches has a volume of 1558 mL, which is way over what would be needed to make things float. There are commercially-made floats for planes in various sizes. You might be able to purchase a suitable pair and mount them, but the key to not going swimming is to test the float rig with weights before trusting your helicopter to them. The spray I saw described in a news clip provided remarkable protection to everyday electronics. However, keeping water out is probably a better plan. My first radio resides in the deep water just behind the dam in Chewacla State Park, AL, because I overlooked that part of staying afloat a long time ago. I do know how to make ordinary brushed motors function in fresh water - used them to power a sub - no good for saltwater, however. The servos and electronics need protection but also need cooling. That suggests that you would need a boat-like hull that still permits air flow. If you figure it out, please share pictures with the collective.
Old 02-14-2010, 10:47 AM
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Default RE: floats for blade cx helicopter


ORIGINAL: AH-64_d

The block of foam I tested with weights, 2.5 x 2.5 x 15 inches has a volume of 1558 mL, which is way over what would be needed to make things float. There are commercially-made floats for planes in various sizes. You might be able to purchase a suitable pair and mount them, but the key to not going swimming is to test the float rig with weights before trusting your helicopter to them. The spray I saw described in a news clip provided remarkable protection to everyday electronics. However, keeping water out is probably a better plan. My first radio resides in the deep water just behind the dam in Chewacla State Park, AL, because I overlooked that part of staying afloat a long time ago. I do know how to make ordinary brushed motors function in fresh water - used them to power a sub - no good for saltwater, however. The servos and electronics need protection but also need cooling. That suggests that you would need a boat-like hull that still permits air flow. If you figure it out, please share pictures with the collective.
Gentleman, I found your subject interesting and thought I would throw a few ideas out to you. These really out of the box thinking so dont laugh. I understand wanting to keep it light but here goes.
The sell cigars in aluminum tubes. They are very light and would make great pontoons. Then there is cork. There are those clear glassen tubes exacto knives come in. They also use like tube for drills bits bought separately. From Radio Shack/Harbor Freight solder comes in glasseen tubes as well. Just a few thoughts for you guys to ponder.
JPEE
Old 02-14-2010, 12:24 PM
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Tall Paul
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Default RE: floats for blade cx helicopter

Tried it once, didn't like it.
Water damaged the 3-in-1.
The copter was very unstable and turned over at every attempt to take off.
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Old 02-14-2010, 03:41 PM
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Default RE: floats for blade cx helicopter

Hello Paul,

Are the floats you show here in the pics what worked for you or are they what made the heli crash everytime?

They look great and I assume you did your CG center of gravity check on the placement of the floats.


Smiles JPEE
Old 02-14-2010, 06:02 PM
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stalefishsk8er
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Default RE: floats for blade cx helicopter

thanks guys for your input and ideas for this and Tall Paul your photo has the blade cx in the police body not the SH-60 seahawk body like mine is and i was thinking about taking styrofoam and mold it around the body and try to make to where i can plug in the lipo to the charger and to heli
Old 02-14-2010, 08:29 PM
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AH-64_d
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Default RE: floats for blade cx helicopter

Tall Paul, By any chance did you put a sheet of plastic on the surface of that cardboard pond and try to take off from that? The attempt to take off from the plastic would have told you whether the problem was surface tension of the water. A seaplane needs a larger engine than a plane that only takes off from land. Perhaps the CX2 did not have enough power to climb out of the water. Glad to know you tried it. Sorry to read that it messed up a 3 in 1.

JPEE, Your large helicopter in your YouTube video had floats on it. Have you flown off of water? If so, did you just pull collective and go straight up, or did you taxi? Did it take noticeably more power to take off from water than land?
Old 02-14-2010, 09:30 PM
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Default RE: floats for blade cx helicopter

ORIGINAL: AH-64_d

Tall Paul, By any chance did you put a sheet of plastic on the surface of that cardboard pond and try to take off from that? The attempt to take off from the plastic would have told you whether the problem was surface tension of the water. A seaplane needs a larger engine than a plane that only takes off from land. Perhaps the CX2 did not have enough power to climb out of the water. Glad to know you tried it. Sorry to read that it messed up a 3 in 1.

JPEE, Your large helicopter in your YouTube video had floats on it. Have you flown off of water? If so, did you just pull collective and go straight up, or did you taxi? Did it take noticeably more power to take off from water than land?
AH-64_d

What you saw on my T-REX 600 were water noodles form a swimming pool. They are not for floating but rather for my site. When I mount a camera on the front of my 600 I have to leave the canopy off. Then trying to keep my orientation becomes very difficult. So I got two different noodles and watching my skids and the two colors I can "kinda" tell where I am.
Sorry, shes not a floater.

Stale:
Next door to me here in California in Arizona they have annual Water Fun Flies. All planes must take off and land on the Colorado River. Now I have not seen this function but ya godda figure there must be supply and market for all of those Sea Planes.........perhaps thats to shop?

http://www.hobby-lobby.com/super_zoo...t_714_prd1.htm

http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products...ProdID=HBZ7390

http://www.redrockethobbies.com/Prod...390&Click=6136

http://www.hobby-lobby.com/super_cub...32333_prd1.htm




JPEE
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Old 02-14-2010, 10:34 PM
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stalefishsk8er
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Default RE: floats for blade cx helicopter

JPEE will those floats fit my blade cx since it has the SH-60 seahawk body on it?
Old 02-14-2010, 10:52 PM
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Default RE: floats for blade cx helicopter


ORIGINAL: stalefishsk8er

JPEE will those floats fit my blade cx since it has the SH-60 seahawk body on it?
My friend....... I have not the foggiest. I only made the suggestion in hoping you might go to a local hobby shop and look at the plane they come on so then you could see them up close and see if they might work for you.
The plane that these floats are for weighs in at 715 grams. Your CX2 weights in at 227 grams with battery! So these floats would infact mathamatically hold up (3) CX2s.

Go to Horizon Hobbys website and look around. http://www.horizonhobby.com/

JPEE
Old 02-15-2010, 05:30 PM
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stalefishsk8er
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Default RE: floats for blade cx helicopter

on small problem JPEE i don't have a cx 2 i have a cx
Old 02-15-2010, 05:52 PM
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Tall Paul
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Default RE: floats for blade cx helicopter

Only the radio is different between the CX and CX-2. (2.4Ghz vs 72Mhz)
Bodies are interchangeable.
On my CX with the floats, it would take off the ice block that the water became.
I suspect that possibly a much wider seperation between the floats might work, but I invested one too many 3-in-1s in the project.
Old 02-15-2010, 06:06 PM
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Default RE: floats for blade cx helicopter

Tall Paul, I think it was the surface tension of the water - Sort of like being glued down. One float would break loose and your bird would then "fall over" the other float. It is just like getting a landing skid caught in a shag rug. Taking off from ice would have been like taking off from a sheet of plastic laid on the surface of the water - no surface tension holding the floats in place, so your bird hauled itself and its floats into the sky wtihout a stumble.

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