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RE: Mini Titan thread - 1/22/2008 11:05:49 PM   
osterizer


 

Posts: 1469
Joined: 3/10/2007
From: Sykesville, MD, USA
Status: online 		Cool, thanks, D.

(in reply to devens)
       Post #: 226

RE: Mini Titan thread - 1/29/2008 12:26:46 AM   
BarnyardPilot



Posts: 19
Joined: 1/3/2006
From: Burns, TN, USA
Status: offline 		It's amazing what one will do to stay in the air. It was cold the other day and I sat the MT down on the edge of a unseen rock and busted the stock landing gear. Well none of my LHS stock MT parts but they do have Trex stuff so I picked up some struts. They didn't have the tubes in stock so thinking back to the walmart knitting needle tail boom I put on the Axe CP I came up with this till I get some tubes. The struts fit great just had to drill new holes.

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< Message edited by BarnyardPilot -- 1/29/2008 12:27:42 AM >

(in reply to osterizer)
       Post #: 227

RE: Mini Titan thread - 1/29/2008 12:54:42 AM   
redvtr1000


 

Posts: 725
Joined: 6/29/2007
From: covington, GA, USA
Status: offline 		RC David,

the mini titan in kit form is not all that hard to assemble. The manual is decent (not excellent, but probably pretty good as far as heli manuals go), if you have some rc experience it will not be all that hard, just take your time and read the manual a couple times for each step. I built it as my first build (helis anyhow), I had some experience with planes and cars before. The car mechanical portion kind of transfers over. Barracudahockey has a nice review of the mini-titan right here on RCU that is pretty helpful. Between that review, a few nights, and some help from the forum, you could probably put the thing together and be flying it (or crashing) without too much help.

I wouldn't really steer you that way though. I think you can and should go through the assembly and learn as much as you can while doing it. Then, you find a local field with a couple heli guys, have them check your setup and if all looks good, strap some training gear on it and go.

The AMA website has a club locator feature and there is also a pilot locator site out there. Search google for "rc pilot locator" I think you can find it that way.

Barnyard --

I like the landing gear look, the sewing needle tail boom was one of those things I never did to my axe. I bent the boom more than a couple times early in my flying, usually just straightened it back out until it was too weak. I like the red anodized look though, you could probably skewer something with the front of em!

(in reply to RC David)
       Post #: 228

RE: Mini Titan thread - 1/29/2008 7:25:43 AM   
RC David


 

Posts: 239
Joined: 11/11/2007
From: Chicago, IL, USA
Status: offline 		Thanks Bill (Oster) and redvtr.

I've read three very favorable reviews (one was barracudahockey's) on the mini-Titan and actually talked to and watched someone flying one last Friday at our local golf dome. It/he flew AWESOME!!! He was doing excellent 3D stuff with the "stock" brushless motor/speed control. The only upgrades he had were aluminum head and CF blades. It really did fly quieter than a T-rex too.

I'm 90% sure I want the MT over a T-Rex.

I also built/cusomized cars, boats and a couple planes 10+ years ago but I'm not in a "building mood" these days. That said, I agree that it's better to assemble it yourself so we'll see what happens when I am ready to buy it. I'm still waiting for a Honey Bee King II that someone has custom built and sent. If I receive it soon then I will probably wait until summer/fall for the mini-Titan but if I don't, I will buy the MT ASAP.

I will have to find a local "Heli Guru" to show me the ropes with this. We have several heli pilots in the area and I have a lead on a mini-Titan supporter/expert so will follow up with him.

Thanks.

Dave D.

ps- Barnyard, thanks for the tip with the knitting needles. That might come in handy for me someday ;-)

(in reply to redvtr1000)
       Post #: 229

RE: Mini Titan thread - 1/29/2008 8:08:39 AM   
osterizer


 

Posts: 1469
Joined: 3/10/2007
From: Sykesville, MD, USA
Status: online 		Enjoy, Dave . Whichever one you get, they're both good helis, in different ways.

(in reply to RC David)
       Post #: 230

RE: Mini Titan thread - 1/29/2008 4:44:57 PM   
redvtr1000


 

Posts: 725
Joined: 6/29/2007
From: covington, GA, USA
Status: offline 		You aren't kidding about the noise factor. The t-rex sounds like it uses a bicycle chain instead of a belt if you ask me. The noise isn't so bad, good bit of gear noise as they spool up but not so bad when they are running. MT is almost silent when you compare it to the rex, at least the ones I have been around.

My stock motor started the screechy screechy though (bad bearing in there somewhere) though it provides plenty of power for a beginner right on through.

(in reply to osterizer)
       Post #: 231

RE: Mini Titan thread - 1/30/2008 4:41:31 AM   
HardWyrd


 

Posts: 31
Joined: 12/29/2005
From: Idaho Falls, ID, USA
Status: offline 		WOW!!! thats cool. I had to lol. I use the knitting needle has a tail boom to on my Axe cp It works great. Thanks goodness for the knitting community. To help use poor R/C Heli guys.

(in reply to BarnyardPilot)
       Post #: 232

RE: Mini Titan thread - 2/5/2008 6:52:36 AM   
RC David


 

Posts: 239
Joined: 11/11/2007
From: Chicago, IL, USA
Status: offline 		Well guys...

It looks like I will be joining the mini-Titan club. I've read several reviews including the excellent one barracudahockey did.

If there are ANY other tips/hints on set-up I should know please let me know. This will be my first collective pitch heli so any and all advice is greatly appreciated.

Right now the spec sheet looks like this:

-mini-Titan E325 (Kit w/Motor & ESC)
-Spektrum DX7 (Heli) w/3 DS285 servos for cyclic (will replace with metal geared servos as neccessary)
-Futaba 9257 Servo on tail (recommended highly by local heli guru)
-Futaba GY401 Gyro

Thanks.

Dave

(in reply to patatchim)
       Post #: 233

RE: Mini Titan thread - 2/5/2008 1:03:51 PM   
redvtr1000


 

Posts: 725
Joined: 6/29/2007
From: covington, GA, USA
Status: offline 		RC David

You ought to enjoy that setup. If you haven't yet ordered, I will run another scenario by you.

You might consider buying the barebones kit minus motor and esc. The stock motor has plenty of power and the esc seems to work just fine, but...

My stock motor (and many others) started to squeel/screech from a bearing gone bad. Did it mostly in idleup but I still think it should have lasted a lot longer before starting that mess. I just replaced it with a JGF 500th, running a 13t pinion. I think the JGF with a 13t pinion will give you a bit more power than the stock TT and might prove to last longer.

I don't have any gripes with the stock TT esc. I had some kind of lockout/power loss along the way with my MT (using the same basic setup you intend to go with) and added a CC BEC and things have been fine since.

You could snag a seperate CC esc and forget the MT electronics in the beginning if you wanted, might save you from doing it down the road.

Whatever you decide on the electronics, you should be happy either way. I would almost call the CC BEC a required piece of equipment. It will work fine without it, but you get peace of mind knowing that if your esc conks out, you receiver will still be powered. It's cheap too so won't kill your pocket.

As a first CP heli, I definitely reccomend you make a trip to the LHS and get the goods to build yourself a decent set of training gear. I bought two carbon fiber rods and crossed them in a "x", then zip tie that to the landing gear.

At the end of each rod, mount a foam golf ball or plastic ping pong ball. I went with foam and secured them on the rod with fuel tubing and a washer. This was a very good working setup for getting the hover basics down without tipping it over.



< Message edited by redvtr1000 -- 2/5/2008 1:04:21 PM >

(in reply to RC David)
       Post #: 234

RE: Mini Titan thread - 2/7/2008 5:16:35 PM   
RC David


 

Posts: 239
Joined: 11/11/2007
From: Chicago, IL, USA
Status: offline 		Thanks Bill & redvtr.

Now a few questions for all...

I am using JR DS285MG servos on cyclic and a Futaba 9257 on the tail. As I've read elsewhere, there are some hardware difficulties getting the right size screws for these as TT didn't include the right ones (or best for these servos). Has anyone here used these servos and can you tell me exactly what screws/ball links etc. work the best for both the 285's and 9257?

Also, did you use the rubber grommets on the servo mounts? I thought they might make control seem "mushy" so assumed I should NOT use them.

In addition, I recently read another review (can't remember which mag) that there were flybar weights (collars) on the flybar (to help smooth response for novices). The author tried flying with them off but said using them made it fly more calmly. The model I have (ARF) does not have, show or mention anywhere in the manual those flybar collars. Did TT change the design and delete the flybar collar weights?

Should I buy some and put them on? If so, what size/weight collars?

Thanks for helping this mini-Titan noob.

Dave

(in reply to redvtr1000)
       Post #: 235

RE: Mini Titan thread - 2/7/2008 6:44:47 PM   
redvtr1000


 

Posts: 725
Joined: 6/29/2007
From: covington, GA, USA
Status: offline 		Dave,

I didn't use those servos so I would be hard pressed to give you real facts on the servos and associated hardware. I had issues with the hitecs I used and it required a trip to the lhs. If I remember correctly, something with the 9650 on the tail required me to use a trex ball on the servo end. I think the screws that the mt kit comes with were too small in diameter to screw into the hole of the servo arm. If you have a lhs handy you may just want to get your parts together and make a trip to get the required hardware.

I skipped the rubber grommets.

When you mount the servos, you may or may not end up shimming them a bit. The mini titan was designed around the Ace C1016 servo from what I have read and the mounting tabs on that servo are positioned further down the case. Using the hitecs, I trimmed a piece of servo horn on the elevator servo and fit it between the mount and the servo. This shimmed the servo forward 3-4 mm and got a nice straight run on the pushrod to the swash, also prevented it from rubbing the fram. I don't know if you will need to do this on those servos but it is something to think about.

I think some have gotten by without doing anything in that department but look at yours on a case by case basis.

As far as the collars go, I wouldn't bother. I used that trick on my axe cp and it seemed to help a bit but I can't be sure. With the mini titan, I think you would accomplish the same thing by adding in some extra expo to your controls to soften the response around center. The MT is really quite stable, just throw on the training gear and pop it into a low hover and see what you think. If it feels like it is all over the place, and you are overcorrecting, maybe add a bit more expo and try to keep your control inputs very small.

The collars won't hurt you if you decide to try em, to find a size that fits, take your flybar to the lhs and get a set of them that go on. Usually four in a pack or so, put one on either side out by the paddles and try it. I can't remember what the exact size I had was or I'd give you more info.



It will all be depend on your skill (or lack thereof) but I think you should be okay without the weights. Set it up in per the manual for beginner and not 3d, that reduces your control a bit and I found it to be pretty docile that way.

< Message edited by redvtr1000 -- 2/7/2008 6:47:00 PM >

(in reply to RC David)
       Post #: 236

RE: Mini Titan thread - 2/7/2008 9:48:09 PM   
BarnyardPilot



Posts: 19
Joined: 1/3/2006
From: Burns, TN, USA
Status: offline 		Ditto on what redvtr said but if you want the weights TT makes them( http://www.eboyztoyz.net/index.php?op=showitem&sku=8706) You should be able to get them most places I would think.

(in reply to redvtr1000)
       Post #: 237

RE: Mini Titan thread - 2/7/2008 10:53:32 PM   
osterizer


 

Posts: 1469
Joined: 3/10/2007
From: Sykesville, MD, USA
Status: online
quote:

ORIGINAL: redvtr1000
When you mount the servos, you may or may not end up shimming them a bit. The mini titan was designed around the Ace C1016 servo from what I have read and the mounting tabs on that servo are positioned further down the case. Using the hitecs, I trimmed a piece of servo horn on the elevator servo and fit it between the mount and the servo. This shimmed the servo forward 3-4 mm and got a nice straight run on the pushrod to the swash, also prevented it from rubbing the fram. I don't know if you will need to do this on those servos but it is something to think about.


Interesting- I may have dodged that without even knowing it. With the S3107s I d