I have precision milled 2 TITANIUM inner shafts, with the flats and everything and they should fit the CX-2 with E-FLITE aluminum head Perfectly! ! I tested it with the bearings, bearing cap, etc. I ultrasonic cleaned and steamed the contaminents off of them. They will not rust or corrode.

Will keep You posted on the results. They are 1.3 Grams lighter than the steel, it flexes a bit more which may be good; and I had a very hard time bending a piece.

Because of the strength and slightly more flexibility, I predict they can absorb more shock without permanently bending than the stock steel ones. I think they can still bend, but could be straightened like the stock ones. I put them in the flex shaft machine and they run straight and true ! !

I think it would take more than a light hit of the flybar to bend these; I'm crossing my fingers.


Thanks,

Gary

Great news Gary!! Are you going to work on an outter shaft too!? [sm=angel_smile.gif]
When can i order a set from you (or maybe via Michael of USHobbySupply? )?!
Have you thought on fabricating your own blades too?! Maybe carbon blades? Or graphite ones (which might turn out to be lethal weapons )?

My LHS ordered a carbon shaft in the right size for me today, i'll be testing that option . The guy there said bigger heli's sometimes run on carbon shafts. Although a hollow carbon wouldnt resist impact very good, but it almost wont bent!

I will be talking to Michael shortly about product testing and the possibility of Distribution. I want to test them thoroughly; although I think it's a no brainer. The big thing, right now is cost affectiveness.

I think a carbon fiber outer coupled with a Titanium inner would be great, as carbon fiber won't work on the twisting torque required of the inner; the set screw would shear it.

A tightly fitted carbon fiber sleeve on the outer shaft or the carbon fiber outer shaft itself would hold true! It would depend on how easily the lower gear is to remove.

Gary

I'll guinea pig one for you Gary If anyone can beat the crap out of a CX2 it's me

How about a titanium core with a carbon lining as shafts?! This can work for both shafts right?! Titanium giving rigidity and carbon giving 'bend-resistance'?
Gary; you're right, i forgot about how to 'connect' the shafts. Carbon isn't suitable for screwing, but maybe just a core of titanium on the 'connecting' ends?

Or am i thinking way to complicated and just go with two different materials for inner and outer? (I think the stock outershaft is also press-fitted into the gear, just as one would need to do with carbon right?)

this is good news indeed...might be the ultimate Bling for the CX/2 hope the microheli version and a Ti flybar and outershaft is also on the works!

Shufflez your right on the outershaft ..it is press-fitted... ive removed reinstalled shafts by tapping it out with a tube or small jewelers screwdriver..
its really easy.

No, Shufflez,

I was agreeing with You, sorry.

I think a hollow core outer shaft would work just fine in c.f.; I was talking about the inner being made of c.f., I don't think that would 'fly'

But, Yea, one could experiment; that's the fun of it.

I THINK A TITANIUM OUTER SHAFT TUBE WITH A TIGHT FITTING C.F. SLEEVE WOULD BE THE ULTIMATE ! !

It would have to be perfect dimensions when You're through; thickness isn't too much of a factor, as the inner shaft is so skinny.

So far so good; the shaft works great! It fit perfect in the heli; I've had 4 bad ones messing around; broke a stock skid; bent the stock flybar, but the inner shaft held true.

This is getting exciting!

GAry

LOL. . . Actually, Your name came up in my conversation with Michael. I think You could bend Kryptonite.

Would You keep the crashes relatively mild? A mild crash is all it takes to bend the stock inner.

I think an all out crash might do these in as well; but they can be straightened. After talking to the manufacturer of these; I went with the annealed or 'mild' instead of hardened; as I didn't want them so brittle, they would snap.

I like the slightly more springiness that these have over the stock; I think that helps absorb some shock, and it bounces back.

Someone awhile back mentioned 'piano' wire; now that is some hard stuff! It would weigh the same as stock, but it is truely hardened steel. I might experiment with that too, but I went with the Titanium first, because of the weight and it is tougher than mild steel.

Gary

Geez, crash testing. I know all about that!

Yea, and I'm the Dummy ! !

LOL...yes well I do have a reputation around here as a wild man I'm still going to figure out a way to do loops and rolls with my cx2. Mind you I'll probably end up spending more than the things worth to make it brushless etc. but I will get it done

Keep us posted on the titanium. I was talking with my uncle the other night who used to be a metallurgist. He said titanium would most likely be our best bet for some of the very reasons you mentioned above. Lightweight, super strong, and will take some pretty big impacts without bending or breaking. Your barking up the right tree Gary. The CF idea for the outer shaft is great. Personally I would like to see a slightly smaller outer shaft with a CF outer tube that covers it....alot like Solo's flybar mod that I currently run. You know the caliber of ditches I have and since modding the flybar with the CF tubes I can honestly tell you I haven't bent a flybar. So with that thought if we were to machine a smaller outer shaft then sleeve it with CF we should be able to achieve the same result. Only problem I can see is what impact is the swash bearing going to have running on the CF outer, second what kind of force is the mounting screws on the outer hub going to have on the cf in a hard blade strike. Then again if you look at the tailboom I have the rear fins pass through the cf tube with a steel rod. I have had some wicked strikes on it and zero effect on the boom. My thinking is that the small holes for mounting the lower hub would be a weak spot, a lateral shift on the CF might me enough to fracture it causing cracking, then stress fracturing up and down the length of the shaft. Just a thought though!

Yea, either a smaller diameter steel tube with c.f. sleeve or better yet; a small diameter Titanium tube with c.f. sleeve that would be light as a feather. It would be nice to have a metal core for the set screws to go through, in the event of a wreck; as c.f. strengths lies in the other direction; the bending part, but not so much the lateral direction that a blade strike would put on it and the set screws might tear into it.

A carbon fiber tube with epoxy coated insides, would still be lighter than stock, but You would have to make sure the coating is pretty even for trueness when it's spinning fast. There are alot of possibilities.

Yea, the flybar upagrade is proof that this would work.

Gary

Hi Gary,

Having already bent an inner shaft, and expecting that it might happen again on my bcx2 (especially as I'm teaching my 5yr old to fly it), I'm wondering what the conclusions werefrom your tests with the titanium inner shaft. Do you know where I can get one and at what cost?

Pejmun

This is my first time seeing this thread, I didn't know Goldslinger was already pondering the idea of a CF shafts. Sorry if it seemed like I stole the idea.

same question here.