no hesitation

I'm making a Titanium Main Shaft available for the Helimax Axe CP. The specs are: It is near impossible to bend or break. Light enough not to degrade the stock motors performance in any way. The feature that stands out the most to me, is having a 95% chance of not having to ever replace another one. If you own this heli for any other reason than hovering than I would highly recommend looking in to getting ahold of one of these. The stocker main shaft does not come perfectly true from the factory As shown in the picture by RCU member "outtamyway". This is not mentioned to discredit the company that makes something that gives so much back for the investment. The stock shaft is true enough to work very well , however it is prone to a small intermittent vibration. Besides being annoying, that scenario throws your blade tracking out momentarily. Consequently, you wind up losing a slight amount of lift and cyclic response untill you blip the throttle. This product was birthed from input of RCU forum posts. The rules of these forums do not allow me to let you know if it can be found at RCU's very own marketplace feature. If I tell you where you can't find it, that would be acceptable forum etiquette in high standing so don't look for it on marketplace. The only thing you're allowed to learn here about how much of a dent it will make in your wallet, is that it's priced low even though it's constructed from titanium.

no hesitation

Hammers and Helis don't mix. If you have an Axe CP you need this part. 95 people read this?

outtamyway

How much interest did you get? What happened to the other posts form this thread? Was I just imagining that I responded to you

no hesitation

There's enough interest out there, I'm just not allowed to inform everyone properly because of forum ettiquette. Here's my last effort post before I scrub the whole idea. Whether or not I'm going to upgrade to a more "locked in" style chopper someday(I will) doesn't mean I shouldn't spend a little on this one. Lets say you do buy a T-rex are you just gonna chuck your Axe CP in the trash? I'm not. I need 22 serious inquiries to break even. So far I got three. Titanium has to be bought in bulk and a machine shop wont make just a couple. At the set price I'm not profiting much. When mail costs are figured in I might not profit much at all. I'm not doing this to buy a Ferrari. Anything made over initial investment was going to be spent on trying to get all of us some affordable CNC head parts made.
Contact me or bend your mainshaft. When your replacing the new stocker MS good luck trying not to bend it or break other stuff getting it installed too. Did I mention only having to do it once would be nice? With all this being said, smile because this second paragraph isn't meant to bring you down. I just want to make sure we all stay up.


Your amigo in atmosphere,Jason

MsDarla

Either way the rules are or whatever it is against you maybe word it differently in your favor

Gamemaker

so said would like to have seen this.

no hesitation

The thread got erased twice. I guess I finally did word it right. They just don't want this place becoming a haven of commercial advertisement. I have to agree with that. People getting together to solve problems is the name of the game here though. That's what a good forum is all about.

no hesitation

Don't be shy people. I can't believe how many people have read this and I still don't have twenty inquiries. Now I'm wondering how many people read about the Axe who don't have one. If you're considering buying one, don't let all these stuntmens crash stories in these forums stop you. It really is a docile machine if you don't get carried away and there isn't any wind. When you want it to move, it loves fast carving and forward flight as well.

edpogi

My Feedback: (1)

i will get one. how much? you need to put a price because people wanna know before buying. but i would like to put something so that it wont break. i am 300 into putting parts already. so might as well do this as well so i wont have to buy another one.

no hesitation

It's against the rules to list a price here. Check your mailbox edpogi.

locomoto

I am interested in the titanium shaft. After replacing the main shaft once[:@], I would rather not EVER have to do it again!

Thanks,
Dave

no hesitation

If you're considering purchsing Real Flight G3.5 let me assure you it is money well spent.

Gamemaker

still looking for the win go for the titanium mainshaft

MTFYR

How about a fly bar, tail-boom, and a feather spindle

outtamyway

After I read that Quickster47 converted to a 5mm Steel T-Rex shaft, I did some FEA test on a 5mm High Carbon Steel, vs 6mm Pure Titanium, vs 2024 Aluminum. The shaft lengths used for the test were all 100mm long.

All of the test were done in Cosmosworks using a 20lbs force on one end of the shaft and having the other end of the shaft fixed.

The deflections were:
6mm Aluminum = .234"
5mm Carbon Steel = .169"
6mm Titanium = .158"


Weights:
6mm Aluminum = 7.78g
5mm Carbon Steel = 15.13g
6mm Titanium = 12.79grams.

I just purchased some Titanium and turned a shaft for the Axe. The material alone cost me $31 for a 12" piece (2 maybe 3 shafts can be made form this) and then about 30 min of time on the lathe and mill to turn it to diameter, polish it, and mill the flats. The steel shaft conversion is looking a little better now.

quickster47

So when are we gonna get the shaft? No, no, the other one.

Carl

PilotLight

My Feedback: (1)

I just pulled out my shaft last night, and it was bent too. (that sounds funny!) Anyway, if the price wasn't too much, I would be interested in one. $31 divided by 2 is $15.50 in materials alone, by 3 is $10.34. Thats not cheap.

What are you gonna charge?

I tried to straighten it, by even pounding on it, it didn't change shape. Just stuck it back in. I don't think I like writing about this topic.

BarracudaHockey

My Feedback: (11)

Drill a hole a little bigger than the shaft in a 2x4
Chuck up the shaft in a drill and spin it in the hole while putting a slight sideways pressure on the shaft and run it in and out of the hole while spinning it with a drill.

It will be straight as an arrow. Roll it on glass listening for tapping, repeat process until straigt.

PilotLight

My Feedback: (1)

Severe vibration. Needs new main shaft. Might require hospitalization, medication, sedation, incubation, and finally psychological therapy, will update as needed.[sm=spinnyeyes.gif]

PilotLight

My Feedback: (1)

Just removed main shaft again to see what can be done while replacement is on the way. I was able to place the shaft on a flat surface and hammer to a somewhat straight shaft. Then I placed it into a drill and polished most of the hammer marks out. It was very shinny when finished.

Flight test- nearly all of vibration is gone. Antenna on the Axe is totally smooth. Huge improvement.

This just shows to me the metal is very soft and easily damaged or bent. A titanium shaft would be much stronger and more durable.

Heliko

When I bent my mainshaft I polished the replacment I installed and yeah, it is very shiny. That's not why I did it though. The real advantage of a polished shaft is that everything still fits tight, but is much easier to disassemble if needed for repair. I got the idea after I had such a hard time seperating the original mainshaft from the main gear with a hammer and punch. I even had problems getting it through the upper bearing.

Pilotlight polishing your new mainshaft will go a long way towards ease of repairs down the road. Plus it's shiny...oooo

outtamyway

I wish I had time to turn shafts for those interested, but I don't. Its a pretty simple project of you can get access to a lathe. The Titanium is avalable in 12" lenghts at [link=http://www.mcmaster.com]McMaster Carr[/link]

outtamyway

Ok, who wants to be the only one on their block with a Titanium Shaft for the Axe CP. There is only one and it comes with a free fully functional helicopter.

TitaniumPilot

I am a foreman at a machine shop, and for some great deal of time I have been looking into making replacement parts using different grades of titanium materials (depending on application and weight restrictions). Seeing this forum and the feed back on it, I must say has really increased my curiosity. Because the use a Lathe (CNC or Manual), Mill (CNC or Manual) is not ever an issue, as well as being able to get the material. I see material trucks 5 days a week. Cost effectiveness is there. I am not soliciting, I would like to say after all of that, Knowing the frustration of replacing parts on our heli's is the worst of this hobby, and titanium has to be the best material you can use for a one time purchase. Unless of course you decide to dive for about 200' into concrete. These parts you would not have to replace. The Heli-Max is a really great starter heli, then all the upgrades available at this time, are not so hot. I am not impressed with the quality of aluminum that they use, and when that stuff gets bent, it's just too damn brittle and will never go back. Keep up the good work, and look forward to seeing more of what you have to offer.

Heliko

I agree with you Ti-Pilot. It would be nice to see some titanium parts. It would work great in high stress areas like the mainshaft and feathering spindle. A titanium flybar would be great too since I keep bending them [:@]

A full titanium head might be a bit on the heavy side though as it seems that weight is very critical on helis this small. A well-machined high grade aluminum head would be great though because as you said the machining and material chosen by Helimax leaves alot to be desired.

I'd love to see an aluminum maingear with a replaceable one-way bearing. That would be awesome!!!