What scale do you use to balance your blades?  
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All Forums >> RC Helicopters >> Electric RC Helis >> Helimax >> What scale do you use to balance your blades?
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What scale do you use to balance your blades? - 11/29/2007 7:45:25 PM   
MMatheny


 

Posts: 805
Joined: 1/23/2003
From: Dickinson, TX, USA
Status: offline 		And what did it cost and where did you get it?
Also, what range do I need?

< Message edited by MMatheny -- 11/29/2007 7:51:24 PM >

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Mike
"Never use your shins as a blade tracking device" - Mike
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RE: What scale do you use to balance your blades? - 11/29/2007 8:18:41 PM   
123Splat


 

Posts: 414
Joined: 4/27/2007
From: Austin, TX, USA
Status: offline 		Dont use a scale. Use a prism as a fulcrum. ended up being easier than using a RCBS powder scale to weigh each blade and then try to match.

Besides, it isn't only the weight difference in the blades, MOSTLY, it's the balance of the 'center of balance' of each blade. Trimming one blade to match the weight of the other, without knowing where to trim to move the center of balance, won't do the job. That's why the standard process is the reverse: add minute weights to the lighter blade, at a specific point, to move it's new COB to the approx same point as on the other blade, while bringing the weight up to match (again, approx,, close as you can get).

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RE: What scale do you use to balance your blades? - 11/30/2007 12:20:06 AM   
Shadow99


 

Posts: 392
Joined: 8/23/2007
From: Southwick, MA, USA
Status: offline 		Matt,

I use the procedure from the Helihobby site: Balencing Blades
and I use the razor-blade method, and it seems to work fine.

Rick

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RE: What scale do you use to balance your blades? - 11/30/2007 1:07:14 AM   
osterizer


 

Posts: 1568
Joined: 3/10/2007
From: Sykesville, MD, USA
Status: offline 		I have a couple of inexpensive digital scales I got from HeliDirect. I do both-- fulcrum for spanwise balance, then static balance by applying tape to match the weights, at the position that will match the spanwise balance. Works very well.

(in reply to Shadow99)
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RE: What scale do you use to balance your blades? - 11/30/2007 3:02:47 PM   
MMatheny


 

Posts: 805
Joined: 1/23/2003
From: Dickinson, TX, USA
Status: offline 		Is there a special tape you use - how do you apply it?

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Mike
"Never use your shins as a blade tracking device" - Mike

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RE: What scale do you use to balance your blades? - 11/30/2007 3:05:05 PM   
MMatheny


 

Posts: 805
Joined: 1/23/2003
From: Dickinson, TX, USA
Status: offline 		I just bought one of these yesterday - seemed like a good price.
http://www.wholesale-scales.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=20&products_id=184

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Mike
"Never use your shins as a blade tracking device" - Mike

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RE: What scale do you use to balance your blades? - 11/30/2007 4:14:14 PM   
123Splat


 

Posts: 414
Joined: 4/27/2007
From: Austin, TX, USA
Status: offline 		Mike,
The vendors say to use 'Tracking Tape' (available from Tower), but, when I was using wooden blades, I used electrical tape (just pressit on at the indicated points). Switched over to JCS Plastic Blades and haven't had to balance since.
Splat

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It's not the takeoff or the flying, it's the landing and repairing, so I can takeoff and fly again...

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RE: What scale do you use to balance your blades? - 11/30/2007 4:24:47 PM   
MMatheny


 

Posts: 805
Joined: 1/23/2003
From: Dickinson, TX, USA
Status: offline 		Where do you put the tape? On the leading edge?

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Mike
"Never use your shins as a blade tracking device" - Mike

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RE: What scale do you use to balance your blades? - 11/30/2007 6:01:47 PM   
HelisRule


 

Posts: 209
Joined: 8/6/2007
From: Winslow, ME, USA
Status: offline 		I cut two equal lengths of different colored electrical tape and wrapped them completely around the blades, about a half inch in from the tip I think (I don't have the heli in front of me).

Edited to say, you could always use the decals that came with the Axe. There were some on the sheet meant for this purpose.

< Message edited by HelisRule -- 11/30/2007 6:03:14 PM >

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RE: What scale do you use to balance your blades? - 11/30/2007 6:30:40 PM   
123Splat


 

Posts: 414
Joined: 4/27/2007
From: Austin, TX, USA
Status: offline 		Rule,

For balancing, not tracking.


Mike,
I used to cut a long triangle and wrap from under the leading edge, over the top of the leading edge, and on towards the trailing.

I'm not sure that it makes that much diff, as long as you get it on securely ( a little dab of CA or Elmers helps).

_____________________________

It's not the takeoff or the flying, it's the landing and repairing, so I can takeoff and fly again...

(in reply to HelisRule)
       Post #: 10

RE: What scale do you use to balance your blades? - 11/30/2007 6:42:51 PM   
MMatheny


 

Posts: 805
Joined: 1/23/2003
From: Dickinson, TX, USA
Status: offline 		BTW, I'm talking about my HDX450 here now - hate to post in this forum, but it is WAY more active than the HDX450 forum?? So, this isn't Axe blades.

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Mike
"Never use your shins as a blade tracking device" - Mike

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RE: What scale do you use to balance your blades? - 11/30/2007 8:18:21 PM   
osterizer


 

Posts: 1568
Joined: 3/10/2007
From: Sykesville, MD, USA
Status: offline 		Mike-- for balancing, you can use the shiny, clear packing tape that comes in the 2-3" rolls. Easy to apply and doesn't make the blades look horrible.

(in reply to MMatheny)
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RE: What scale do you use to balance your blades? - 11/30/2007 9:04:40 PM   
MMatheny


 

Posts: 805
Joined: 1/23/2003
From: Dickinson, TX, USA
Status: offline 		I'm assuming it doesn't take much then - how close do they need to be? (weight)

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Mike
"Never use your shins as a blade tracking device" - Mike

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RE: What scale do you use to balance your blades? - 12/1/2007 3:00:14 AM   
HelisRule


 

Posts: 209
Joined: 8/6/2007
From: Winslow, ME, USA
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: 123Splat

Rule,

For balancing, not tracking.


Oh, duh. Sorry about that. I guess I lost the topic somewhere along the way.

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~ HelisRule
- Fly safely - Land softly -

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RE: What scale do you use to balance your blades? - 12/1/2007 3:10:34 AM   
Druss


 

Posts: 4686
Joined: 8/10/2007
From: Edmonton, AB, CANADA
Status: offline 		typically what I do is find the center of balance first, if it isn't right then you add tape to the end of the off blade until the center is at the same point. after this you add tape to the blade that's lighter at the point of center of balance so that you don't throw the center of balance off again until the weights are the same.

(in reply to HelisRule)
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RE: What scale do you use to balance your blades? - 12/1/2007 3:24:10 AM    <