JPEE

Hello Mark,

That's great news on going Fly-bar-less. It appears you have done your homework and looked at the spectrum of devices out there. Do you modify your head or do you get a new head with the system I thought? If so, I'd hold on to the stock head "just because" if you know what I mean

Nick,

When you talk about getting your bearings on the crank shaft and using heating and cold elements to do so, it reminds me of the first time I took my 1958 Ford and converted it from and automatic transmission to a stick shift ( with a floor shifter dude ). I had to install a pilot bearing in the flywheel that is bolted to the crank shaft. I froze the bearing for a few hours (it was solid brass) and carried it out to the garage with cold pliers, set it in the back of the flywheel and WAM WAM WAM with a single jack sledge and in she went on the first try. Glenn, knows exactly what I am talking about.

Today was bearable cold, but the wind is still blowing like a mother. I feel like I am back east with you guys for a winter, this is not normal for Los Angeles California.

I have been so busy with hanging Christmas decorations on the house, new tires on the truck $1,000.00 craaaap, two new 850 CCA batteries for the truck (its a diesel) new eye glasses. As I mentioned before I had a side job on Saturday and Sunday, man it was neat to put back on the my tool bags and crawl in attic space LOL........... I couldn't fly if I had good weather!
JPEE

evdreamer

Mark,

My piston rings shipped out yesterday. I will get them some time this week.

I also ordered some parts to get started on the third and final part of my electronic project. I will be a little nervous prototyping the AC side of it. It can detect when a charger is plugged into the wall and disconnect it from the AC if there is a problem with the charging process or if the batteries are having a hard time balancing. Then it can turn on and off some big switches and fans. It also gathers the info to display the analog looking gauges.

Good luck with the flybarless system.

Nick

Aframomum

My Feedback: (10)

JPEE,

Here's a [link=http://www.rchelimag.com/pages/howto.php?howto=33&page=1]Link[/link] for the head conversion...seems it uses the existing 500 flybar head. I few guys on HF have done this conversion, I still need to talk with them about link lengths and if they used the original main shaft or the flybarless one...the original is slightly longer than the FBL one that Align sells.

I was looking over the 3G manual and it seems a bit involved with getting the setup just right...a few differences from a normal head setup that I'm used to. But this does look promising and with many people converting over it seems worth a try.

Interesting story about the 58 Ford transmission conversion...I hope your wife didn't mind having a large bearing in her freezer along with the frozen meat!

Sounds like you've been a busy mammal putting up Christmas decorations and such...I just started going through our stuff to see what to put out this year. Have been seriously thinking of trading in our regular string lights for the tree and going with LED lights. Lowe's has a trade in program where you get $3 per old light string towards the purchase of some LED one's...might do that this weekend.

BTW, do you guys do live trees or artifical? Have done live trees for the past 4 years and still love that fresh smell you get with live one's. Don't think we will be doing artificial anytime soon.

Hope your recovering from this past weekend of labor!

Mark

JPEE

In no order
1. A live tree for the past 63 years. When my kids were small we would go to the tree farm and I would let them pick a tree and I would cut it down and tote it home.

2. We have the small blinkie lights (non LED) that I can adjust the pulse of the twinkle and or adjust the colors that light up. We only use about 60 feet on the front of the house. The buyback sounds great for new LED's souds great!

3. I feel all loose ansd ready for a project now. I just brought home a new vanity and sink and found that after I installed it I will need to tile wall behind it for a blacksplash. It just never ends lol

4. The transmission job was when I was 47 years ago...........now I really feel old that say it and read it

5. Very interesting stuff on the 500. However as you say they have had issues going FBL and I talk to guys here at the field and they say they like it, they also carry a second heli "with" fly bar becasue there is a feel that they is old school.

I will look at the website you provided, looks like a good read...........thanks

John

rotarydoc

Hey guys,

I'm back online!!

FINALLY...

Well, the cable guy(s) came out and took a look, I was curious what they would find...since everyone else's internet came back up, and mine is still down...

The guy hooked up some sort of a signal meter to the cable modem's input cable...and the reading was too low...so they looked at the system a bit, and then tested it at the cable coming into the house itself...and it was fine.

To make a long story short, I had too many splitters in the line...he was telling me that a cable modem needs to be the first in line to get the signal...which I had read somewhere a while back.

Now, the reason there were too many...about 6 weeks ago, a rep from Comcast came by (at dinnertime, no less) and was telling me I could get more for less...with a "Triple Play" offer...which I thought was only for new subscribers...anyways, I get 2 more premium channels (Cinemax, Showtime) AND a phone...which I did not have with the cable company, for less money per month...so what's not to like???

Turns out when they set up the phone, you geg a new modem called a EMTA, it's basically a cable and phone modem made together, but I have my own cable modem...so when the guy installed it, he put a new (the internet killer) splitter in line as a Y connection for the new phone modem, and my existing cable modem....

It worked fine....I guess the outage was enough to trip it up, and make it not start up the internet connection. Anyways, he basically then just hooked the internet up to the EMTA, so I don't need my cable modem anymore...so it simplified (and sped up) my connection....so I guess the few days offline were worth it in the long run, plus Comcast is crediting my bill $20 for the trouble....

I'm happy with the end result...not sure if you guys ever check your internet connection speeds....but mine's moving right along...see the attachment...

Nick,

Glad your rings are on the way...

Sounds cool on the 3rd stage of your project...and yeah, working with 110 VAC is a bit different than your normal board projects...[X(] Be careful....

Mark,

Sounds cool on the FBL, I'll be curious how that works out for ya....way back when I bought the SDX, Justin almost had me talked into going with a V-bar for my 500 instead of the SDX...but that was when I was going to use the engine and electronics out of the Raptor..so the money between the V-bar and the SDX kit was not much different....

JPEE,

I can't see that kind of money for another 600 electric either, might as well go for the gold....which is what you have wanted all along....

Back in the day, we always had a hard time getting the pilot bearings OUT...a buddy showed me a trick...you take wheel bearing grease, and pack it all in the pilot bearing I.D. hole...then take an old input shaft, (which is fits the I.D. of the pilot bearing) and push it in the pilot bearing hole, then hit it with a hammer, and out she comes, since the grease won't compress...

Whew, I hope I'm caught up!

Glenn

JPEE

Glenn,

Well you kicked my *** on that one. Here is my speed I took right now. I was aware of everything you said. I had some of the same trouble sometime ago. I too have the big modem that comes from the main feed and then from there comes my phone and line to my modem for my computer.

I just tried something cool with a 12vt system today. From my motorcycle days I have electric, gloves, and vest all governed by an adjustable thermostat that hung from my waist belt. I would get on the Harley, plug myself to the Harleys 12vt system as well as my wife in and off we would ride in the 30's with no problem, we also had special face wear too. I got to thinking this morning ( I was board) and thought??? why can't I make an pigtail (EC3) for the power jack that hooks up to a 3S 2250 heli pack! So I made the connectors and just did the experiment! It worked a 100% and got me freaking heat and pronto too. I let is run for 5 min on high until I could no longer bare the heat in the vest. So it worked and I had a cell tracker on the battery and the drain did not phase the pack at all. It will be interesting to wear it for a long test too. So the next time I need to go out in the cold, guess who will be toasty, me! ! I will tell you from real experience that when you heat your core the rest of you comes up to temp too. I can tell you that I have been riding in 30-40 degree weather and start to get bone cold. I would turn on or up my vest and my upper torso would warm up. Then after I got warm, then the blood from my heart traveled down my legs while riding. I could acutally feel the warm blood come down my legs! Once you get your core and legs warm then I would turn the stat down to low........... pretty neat.


Neat trick Glenn, I have heard of that way to pull a pilot bearing before, just not when I needed it at age 16. Kids today will never know what it is like to rebuild and engine, ring's and main bearings, lapping in your valves and such. Progress, what a pity....right

I was just over at a guys house looking at his 700 T-REX, but for now the 600 gets make over.

Glad your back on line As you will see below you have more signal that I do!!!!!! Good for ya man.

JPEE

evdreamer

Mark,

That sounds like a cool deal with Lowes.

I have an artifical tree.

Glenn,

That is good you got your internet back.

JPEE,

That is cool you were able to power your gloves and vest off the LiPo.

I helped rebuild a V8 at school, but I probably will never have the chance to do it at home. That engine was a lot easier to work on than my heli engine.

Nick

JPEE

Nick, with that said; then you know how easy it is to replace the rings and bearings on a V-8. That heli motor is small and much harder to work on and I am sure for the guys that do it all day there are some specialty tool for the nitro engines too.
JPEE

Aframomum

My Feedback: (10)

Hey guys,

Have you seen those V6 model engines (plastic models)...the ones that are clear plastic so you can see all the inside parts of the engine? If I built one of those in my younger days does that count as an engine build?

I think the closest I have come to major engine work is to replace the head gasket on my old Isuzu. Never have had to remove an engine from the car...don't think that would be a job I would want to tackle.

At least a heli engine can fit on your computer desk.

JPEE,

I always wondered how motorcyclists rode in the freezing cold...I just thought they wore a lot of layers. Heated vests...never would have thought of that. And now you can run them off your lipo! Nice test.

Glenn,

No internet for nearly 2 days...wow! At least you got it working and some money off your next bill too.

Mark

evdreamer

Guys,

I got my electronics and my piston rings today. I am having fun prototyping my circuits. I got one of my AC circuits working and popped the circuit breaker on another one.[X(] I overlooked that I would have a charger hooked up and accidentally shorted the AC line. Oops. I also ordered my Christmas presents to myself. I ordered a lab power supply with three outputs and a bench top multimeter. They should help me design quicker.

JPEE

Hey Guys,

From my iPhone I am sending this message, I caught Cable itess from Glenn! Our TV cable works but the date part for the computers and our voice over ip phones are out too. We are very lucky to still have TV wheeeeeew.

We had a beautiful day today so I was at the field for 6 hrs and a great time. There was a lot jabbering going on but I did get 4 ea 450 flights and 3ea 600 flight too. All in all it was a nice. I have not
flown for two weeks! I could see the loss of skill already.


Nick, glad your rings and such came in. Merry Christmas, Santa gave you some nice gifts for the bench LOL.

See you guys later when I can get back on line.
9:00 p.m. PST and He's Baaaaack! but no telephone, but who cares about that
John

rotarydoc

Hey guys,

Nick,

Have you done your piston rings yet? Hope they go on OK, it can be tricky on those small rings. I actually have a piston ring installer at work for larger automotive style piston rings. It's quite a strange looking contraption, but it actually does work, helps prevent broken rings.

The new power supply and bench multimeter sounds cool...what outputs does the P/S have?

JPEE,

Sorry your internet/cable went out as well...and glad to hear is was a short term outage. Mine would have been a bit shorter had I realized I was the only one that was still out...

I got ya beat by a little bit on the speedtest.net score, but yours is no slouch either... I actually pay extra for a service called "blast" for my internet...

Glad you got out and got some flying in...and knocked some of the "rust" off...

Mark,

I built one of those "Visible V-8" engine models when I was a kid...it never did work quite right, I've had a lot better luck with real ones...

You are a brave man to replace the head gasket on an Isuzu...I remember the old Isuzu Impulse...the turbo ones always used to crap the head gaskets...OMG, what a PITA those were!

Hope you guys in the warmer climates get a chance to fly some...

Glenn

evdreamer

JPEE,

That is good you got your internet back too.

That is great you had some nice weather to fly in.

Glenn,

I haven't started to install my piston rings yet. I had to take some placement tests for school and I have been busy with my electronics. I have been making some design changes/improvements on my circuit boards and I have been working on my new circuits. I got all of my AC circuits working and I have been working on my Ammeter. I have been making a lot of changes to it and learning how to improve it with each trial and error. I am pretty happy with the results now. I ordered some high power components to start prototyping those.

My power supply has two adjustable 30V 2A outputs and one fixed 5V 3A output. It has a LED display to show the current and Voltage of the two 30V outputs. Then it has some buttons to put the two outputs in parallel, in series, and separate. I can also choose to have Constant Voltage or Constant Current on the two 30V outputs. It looks identical to the power supply I had at school, but had a different brand name and was 1/4 of the cost.

Nick

JPEE

Hey Guy's

Just a quick note.

My parts orders all came in today, 5 AR6100e's for 7.99 each and new frames for my 500 which I substituted and used EXI 500 frames as they worked perfectly last time too [](exi's frames are superior to hk) and a Mark's Stealth CF Blades, buy one at full price and get the second pair for .99 who-ya!

Weight of Stealth blades
Pair 1
60.8
60.7 and perfeclty balanced!

Pair 2
63.8
63.7 and perfectly balanced

Align CF 500 stock blades
69.4
69.2 and perfectly balanced too
BTW: I check the Aligns to the Stealth and the Stealth are a hair larger.

I something found interesting that needs to be passed on to you guys. I just got home after buying some 600 stock landing gear. Also in my other part order I got some 500 landing gear. Guess what? they are the same but with a different part number. I scanned them both with my iPhone and they come up accordingly 500 and 600 but not as a combo use. Presently I have some stock but still Align landing gear (different model) and they are both taller and wider than the "A" tipical other stock gear "but" they are kinda flexable and when I fly they buzz real bad and I think that is why may camera mount is still picking up vibrations. Hope these smaller and more ridged gear will cure my problem.
Ok, out to the shop to build..........later gator. Is that what they say in Florida Mark? LMAO

Nick, good luck on the placement tests!!!!

Here's a short video of my 600 last Thursday
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-K06hQkbvw[/youtube]

Correction, I just went through my parts bags and found that their was a pair of 500 skids and they are smaller. What I mistakenly scanned was a pair of 550-600-700 skids which I forgot I had ordered. At first glance I thought I had ordered two pairs of 500 skids OOOOPS
JPEE

evdreamer

JPEE,

That is cool your new blades are balanced.

You fly pretty far away from your self in the video. I would have a hard time telling the orientation.

I qualified for the first calculus class that I need, so I won't have to start at a lower math level. Now I just have 3 semesters of calculus.

I redesigned one of my boards to work with A123's and LiPo's today. I took out a lot of parts and put the new ones in and it is working at the Voltages A123's and LiPo's see. I did a quick firmware change to test it out, but I have a lot of code to rewrite on my display chip to make it work with this board.

Nick

Aframomum

My Feedback: (10)

Hi guys,

JPEE,

Nice video...totally enjoyed the backdrop mountainous scenery. Your loops and flips are very slow and smooth, nice work. Was that your keycam you used (the date/time stamp looks the same as mine)? The only reason I don't use mine when taping my heli is b/c there isn't any way to view the video...unless of course you have a laptop at the field.

I see you got your order of goodies, let me know how your Stealth's fit...seems the balance is better than the earlier one's I got so that is a good sign.

Great news on your EXI frames...did you see Xheli is having a free shipping deal on all orders no matter the dollar amount? May have to get that anti-rotation bracket and electronics tray that I was looking at...there both metal upgrades and now free shipping...can't really say no.

Nick,

Congrats on your first qualification test!

Can you say...integrate from neg infinity to pos infinity pie over 2? Yeah, that was too long ago for me!

Sounds like you got a steal on your lab grade power supply and seems like it has some very nice features.

Glenn,

Yep, it was on my old Isuzu Stylus...same engine as the Geo Storm. And in the end would you believe I broke the stupid tensioner on the timing belt...actually the thread portion on the block itself? Had to get a replacement engine after that...then the job went from the home mechanic to a shop mechanic...got a good deal on the job though so eventually worked out. Kept the car for another 6 years before it rusted out - Ohio winters and salt are a bad combination as I'm sure you and Nick know.

I got a chance to fly yesterday morning. A bit cold though, we had a cold front move in and so it's been in the upper 40's in the morning...brrrrr! Think I might wait a bit for things to warm up before heading out again.

I worked a bit on some cuban 8's...been playing around with them on the sim and tried a few. Just got to work on the first half of one for now. Saw this video posted on another thread and got some inspiration for the cuban 8's: [link=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cV5xDBQCaxs&feature=channel_page]Video Here[/link] I like the flying this guy does, very smooth and precise.

Mark

JPEE

Nick,

Congratulations on qualifying for the calculus class. Not having to sit in a boaring lower math class is a win for you. But taking three semester of calculus is scary......for me anyway. That you can write your firmware is great! Will you write me a program form my CC ESC that will give me twice the horse power and half the amps? LOL Cool that your board is working both with Lipo and 123.

Mark,

Thank you for the compliments on my loops, they are slow as the 600 is running wide open and very lacking in real torq and power. I am getting ready now to make an upgrade to the 600 a new ESC and motor to bring her to life.

I just went back and checked the blade grips and you were dead on........they don't fit. I will have to mill doen the root thinkness to make the way they should be. I did force them in but thats not for me, I need a respectable and proper fit.

Yes that was my key-chain camera. I have not had time ti update the file and make the time right. Re the video's, I can see them while at the field. I used to drag my laptop there but then a little light came on in my head ( a rare occurance ) and I now use my camera to show me the video frmo the key-chain cam. The SIM card in my camera I changed out to a Micro card with adapter, see the photo below. That works fine!

Thanks for the notice on the free shipping at Xheli, they are about 50 miles from the house here as well as HeliHobby is dang near walking distance...........lucky me to have sources so close.

Glenn,
Great video of the heli stunts, me likie! Sorry it is so cold for you there at a home.

JPEE..............ah-waiting for the rain to come in.

UPDATE: While assembling my 500 today I got the frames haves together then noticed the motor was sitting cockeyed in the fram opening! As I look inside thef rame from the tail I could see the motor mount was bent upward, like a upside down U. So a fate would have it I had to pull the motor out that had just been Loctited in and slap that puppy in a vise and with little hammer work she is plunb level now. It's a good thing I caought this now as I would have caught it setting up my gear lash and there would have been lots more to take apart to gain access.

evdreamer

Mark,

That is cool you are trying some cuban 8's. Those are fun and doing a vertical figure 8 is fun too.

That guy had some cool moves. I want to try a few next year.

JPEE,

Code for an ESC is a little over my head right now. There is a lot involved to make the motor run reliably. I would really like to try and design an ESC after I graduate. I might start with a low current ESC and work up to a high current/Voltage ESC.

Do you have an idea how the motor mount got bent. I would think it would take a lot of force to bend that.

Nick

JPEE

Nick,

On this last crash the heli came down in a tree out at the field. I was near the end of my battery and tried a torq-ie flip and roll and the batt just couldent pull me out. When I came upone the tree with the heli she pretty good at that moment. When I pulled her out the tree ( about 4 ft off the ground ) the frame on the left side from the front skid leg up to the battery tray. I assume that when the frame was stressed it came backwards into the motor and then bent the motor mount about 3/32".

Regarding my motor and ESC, I contacted a guy who flies at our field and has a 600 that is "more" than strong. He sent me not last night he uses a CC Ice 100 amp with a Scorpion 4035. Just like your recommendation there are at least three motors in both catagories making it tough for me to figure which one is right. I sent a letter to Aminhobbies and ask for their direction. Even if a 100 amper is suggested I want to exceed that with something like a 120 so as to be safe, I do not want that heli coming down.

Have a good day...........JPEE

evdreamer

JPEE,

Wow he is using a 700 sized motor in his 600 sized heli.

I finally got my parts from Helidirect. They were supposed to come on Friday, but I was at work and this was the first time UPS didn't leave it by my door.

Nick

Aframomum

My Feedback: (10)

JPEE,

I don't remember that crash...in a tree? That must have been bad. [] Glad you got things finished up now.

Going to mill the blade roots for a better fit...let me know how that turns out and do you need any special tools?

Nick,

Isn't it ironic the inconsistency of the UPS guy?! At least you'll have your stuff tomorrow.

From what I hear most of the country is caught in a very cold streak...heck, we have been getting temps in the upper 30's overnight...yuck! [:'(]

Mark

evdreamer

Mark,

I installed my new servos today and replaced some canopy break away tabs that cracked on my last crash. I will probably wait to setup my servos until I finish up my engine.

It was 16 degrees last night here. I had to use my windshield ice scraper for the first time this winter.

Nick

JPEE

Mark,

I have a fine stone on my bench grinder where I can hold the blades vertically to the side of the stone. Or I might lock my belt sander in the my vies upside down and sue that where I can bear down on the upside of the blade with something flat so I take the same amount on the whole root. Thats for tomorrow. Yes I did not mention I had another crash. I was practing inverted hovering and was on the end of the battery. As she slipped away from me and started to roll over skids down there was not enough power left to pull out and I lost her.
Main gears
"All" blades
Main shaft and top bearing
Skids and tubes
Bottom frame
Bothe side frames
TT drive gear off of lower main gear
Boom
Take motor mount out and strighten as it was bowed upward on the back side making the motor lean back towards the tail instead of hanging downward.

I have the frame sanded for rough edges, all servos in and plugged in. I have to cut down my frames where the battery tray is like the frames so I can fit a 5000 pack under the canopy, ESC is as well as the motor.

For whats it's worth, today I got 3 -600 flights in and 3 450 Pro flights without event LOL.

Nick,
The guy was there that has the 600 with the 700 motor and a 100 amp CC. He did not have the heli and but now that you told me that motor was a 700 its no wonder that puppy is SICK powerful. With the number you gave me there are I think three motors that start with the number, but they all different suffix's. I wrote to AMAIN to ask which motor I should get, no answer yet. Sorry it is so cold. Here today it was beautiful and blue blue skies. I did not expect that weather until tomorrow where we are to have 73 degrees. I am glad your build is coming along too! All of you guys east of Texas must be freezing your boots off. Everynight Judy and I watch the USA map to see what you, Glenn and Mark are dealing with[][]
Stay safe on the roads

JPEE

evdreamer

JPEE,

That is good someone has nice weather. The 4025 series is for the 600 and the 4035 series is for the 700. Those are the dimensions of the stator in mm. I can't remember which one is the diameter and which one is the length. Then the number after that is the KV rating. I think I have a 4025-740 in my 600.

Nick

rotarydoc

Hey guys,

Not much new here except very low temps as it seems Nick and Mark are also having...

Here it's about 38 for a high, with 25-35 MPH winds, so the wind chill is in the lower 20's during the day, and teens at night...

Mark,

I was hearing that some of the crops in mid Florida are in danger of freezing tonight...and it's so strange how they protect them...by spraying them with water, thereby coating them with ice...

They were saying that strawberries will get sweeter at 28 degrees, but anything below that, they die..so the ice coating will not allow them to go below 32 degrees, it kinda insulates them...who knew??

Nick,

That is cold! Hope you don't have a lot of wind at the same time to go along with it...

That would be very cool if you could build an ESC after your college experience...and like you said, start small and then work your way up..

JPEE,

Sorry for the major crash on the 500...and good luck on the rebuild process.

Hope you can find some sound advice on the ESC and motor selection for your 600 also.

Glad you got some nice safe flights in on the 600 and 450..

I decided that all hopes of any flying weather are more or less over here, so I began discharging my packs for the winter, starting with the 6S 500 packs...

I ended up throwing away my old yellow Rhino 3S x 2 packs for the 500 from a long time ago, when I got done flying them this past year, they were really puffy...no sense taking a chance on a major crash if the packs failed mid-flight...

I'll need new 3S packs for the 450's next year, but I'll keep these for the start of next year, to get the 450's in the air in the spring.

Hope the weather warms up for you guys, and me too...but not supposed to here, no end in sight from the cold...all the way into the weekend they are saying...

Glenn