Kdill2160

The Stock Swashplate...
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I'm installing a metal upgrade Swashplate... For the benefit of the other forum members I'll cover the assembly of the stock swashplate.

If you upgrade to the metal swashplate you'll also need to purchase the Cyclic Plate Guide Set (Y2170) this is the correct anti-rotation device for use with the metal swashplate...

Here's a pic of the parts for the stock swashplate and the upgrade Swashplate and Cyclic Plate Guide it uses...



Ken

Kdill2160

The Stock Swashplate Assembly...
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Set the brass center ball on a smooth flat surface, place the upper swashplate face up over the center ball. Make sure you're centered over the ball correctly. Press down firmly on the upper swashplate until you feel the brass center ball "click" into place. AVOID pushing on the outer plastic BALLS.

Next, turn that assembly over and place the swashplate bearing over the center hub, align it carefully and press into place. It is a tight fit, so some pressure is needed. BE CAREFUL NOT to apply PRESSURE to the BALLS... Only the center.

Now turn that assembly over and place the lower swashplate over the bearing and press it into place. The manual shows the use of CA glue during assembly, I use a pin to apply a very small touch in " four corners" around the perimeter of the plastic where it meets the bearing, using a magnifying lamp helps to keep the CA away from the bearings.

Another trick is I always put a drop of Tri-flow oil on every heli bearing. I don't care if it comes greased or not, I still apply that one drop...
BTW: almost every single bearing I've seen in a MICRO heli kit is shipped dry!

CA won't stick to silicone based oil. DON'T TEST THIS ON YOUR SWASH, The point is Dont get any CA in the bearing! I don't know about CA and other oils.

Here's the pics...







Ken

Kdill2160

Installing the Main Shaft and Swashplate...
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My first real tip for the MaxiR... I have a great selection of dill bits and after scratching my beautiful blue MaxiR SE Rotor Head, I was determined not to let that happen again and somehow find an easier way to insert the jesus pins in the main shaft. So, I measured the pin that came with my SE, it was 1mm, it's a tight fit in the aluminum Rotor Head and I had a dificult time measuring the ID accurately enough to be sure of its size(no pin guages here at home). So I took out a #60 drill bit, THIS is not a hardware store drill it, it's a bit sold for use in industrial applications, very precision, I chucked it up in my pin vise and bored the Rotor Head cross hole and the cross hole in the main shaft. What I found was the main shaft hole was already sized to 1mm or #60. But the Rotor Head was an extremely tight press fit 1mm. After boring by hand with the #60 bit in my pin vise, it was a perfect press fit with the included pin.

I did this same thing on this one before I even tried to instal the pin and no more scratches and a fairly easy installation(the perfect press fit), also no way is the jesus pin falling out. But I can remove it if neccessary.

After the main shaft is installed, it's time to install the swashplate...



Ken

Kdill2160

The Swashplate Installed...
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I've installed the Swashplate on the Rotor Head assembly, very easy, snap on the four ball links to the inner swashplate... Two ball links, one on either side of the Rotor Head on each end of the two Pushrod Long (Y0308) The other two of them are on the ends of the Double Ball Joint Pushrods coming from the Collective Mixer... Here's a pic...



On to the really good schtufff...

Ken

Kdill2160

Flybar and Paddles...
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You may have noticed the very short flybar I've installed in my MaxiR Standard... This is the flybar for the 3D Paddles... The stock flybar is pretty standard looking with two black paddles. The only thing I don't like about the stock flybar is it's not threaded but instead relies on a screw and nut clamp arrangement on the paddles. I'd prefer a threaded flybar w/clamps on the paddles. The 3D paddles are secured with setscrews to the flybar.

Here's a pic of the 3D paddles and the stock flybar and paddles...



Ken

Kdill2160

Now the fun really begins...
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On to the Tail, Part One... Here's a pic of all the needed parts to complete part one of the tail...



Ken

Kdill2160

Tools of the trade...
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Here's a small selection of the tools I use to do fitting up of parts... An assortment of Moldmakers files, fine ******* file, finishing file(approx like 500 grit wet/dry sandpaper). Scrapers and deburring tool. All of these tools are common in a machine shop, but I find them very usefull in my kit builds... The scraper and deburring tool are EXTREMELY sharp, they will cut steel and lay you open like a razor. They are made from hardened and sharpened tool steel.

NOTE the protective cover for the scraper(in red handle).

These tools are not expensive, with the exception of my moldmakers files, and can be purchased at any industrial supply company.



I will be using some of these tools in the build and will show you where and why and how.(Mostly the moldmakers files)

Ken

Kdill2160

Tail Part One...
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Here's a pic of the tail after installing the first bearing, use an arbor press or a small vise, be VERY careful. Here's how I did mine:

I started the bearing with finger/hand pressure making sure it was on the shaft straight. Next I put the shaft with the bearing pressed on one end between the smooth parts of my dremel vise jaws. Make sure the bearing is flat and flush against the vise jaws. ABSOLUTELY SQUARE! Slowly tighten the vise screw, VERY SLOWLY... The whole time you should be watching the bearing to make sure it's flat on the face of the vise jaw, you'll feel it "give" and press fit onto the shaft... As soon as you feel the shaft bottom against the opposit vise jaw stop. It's a good idea to stop a couple times during this task to see how far you need to go.... I have a large arbor press, but it's just too big, I think you can feel the bearing go on the shaft better with a small high quality vise than an arbor press. Take your time, it's not hard to do.

If you don't have a small vise, or arbor press I'm not sure what to tell you except at all cost avoid using a striking tool to do this. NO HAMMERS... you'll destroy the small bearing at the least and probably bend the tail shaft if you were to use a hammer. Maybe a "C" clamp would work too, maybe use a piece of flat metal on the "cup" side of the clamp. The small vise has always worked well for me, just go slowly. I've never bent a tail shaft.

Here's a pic...



Next thing to do is slide the Tail Distance Ring (small orange plastic spacer) onto the shaft...



Ken

Kdill2160

More tricks of the trade... er tools
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Here's an item every hobbyist should have in their shop... It's called a bench block. Jewelers use em, machinists use em. Hobbyists use em... There are just too many uses to try and describe to you... I'll just say it's indespensible in my shop... The holes in the surface are all different sizes and can be used for all types of work holding, shaft straightening, lot's O' uses... It's made out of cast iron and has a precision ground flat surface on top.

In the next step, I'll use the bench block to install the tail gear on the shaft...



Ken

Kdill2160

A picture is worth...









Ken

Kdill2160

A couple more steps and on to the FUN stuff...
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The next thing to install on the tail shaft assembly is the small aluminum "Ring of Coned Gear" This small part is designed to "capture" the gear on the shaft by creating a tighter fit of the small shank area of the tail bevel gear against the tail rotor shaft...



Ken

Kdill2160

Back to it... Let's install the "Ring of Coned gear"...
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Pay attention to the small bevel, it goes on the gear first, it's there to make it easier to get it over the edge of the gear shank, that's all. The ring itself is designed to capture the "coned gear" on the tail shaft... See pic...



BTW: The correct nomenclature for this type of gear is a BEVEL GEAR....I refer to the parts in my threads the way they are listed as replacement parts or in the manuals...

Ken

Kdill2160

Installing the ring... Take your time...
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First thing to do is to start the ring on the shank of the bevel gear USING ONLY YOUR FINGERS! Try to avoid using any tools on this gear, the trick is to get it on the gear straight. Your trying not scrape the plastic of the gear away(damage to the gear)... While installing the ring... All plastic gears are fairly easily damaged... Damaged gears will cause immediate noise and general problems throughout the geartrain...



Ken

Kdill2160

Remember the Bench Block?...
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Well here's another opportunity to use it... Also here's another tip from my machine shop... In my shop I made a block of steel, it's been ground to almost perfectly square, it is in the shape of a thin bar, about 8 inches long and 2 inches wide. In it I bored a bunch of holes, unfortunately it's heavy and I use it only in the BIG shop... So no pics here... The holes that are bored in it start at .125 inches(1/8 inch) and go up to .6250 (5/8 inch) incremented by .0625(1/16 inch) and this simple block with the holes in it has so many uses I won't even try and explain. But you can make one for general hobby use out of an aluminum block and a good set of drill bits and drill press. Lay out your hole locations with a measure and pin punch the locs and bore em out, you'll find alot of uses when you have it at hand... I'm going to use a real bench block to install the ring completely onto the shank of the bevel gear... Here's how...

After starting the ring, find the closest fitting hole that the tail shaft fits in, in your bench block... In this case it's a 2mm shaft... The smallest hole on my bench block is just over 1/8 inch, so I'll use a 2mm flat washer on the bench block to "tighten" it up a bit and provide better support under the ring, which will be against the washer on top of the bench block surface...



Ken

Kdill2160

"Status" of the tail shaft...
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Let me try and explain the fit I have with the parts on the tail shaft... The bearing is a good press fit, it is at the very end of the shaft, only the extremely small taper at the end of the shaft is protruding from the inner bearing race. Next, and this is the IMPORTANT part... The Tail Distance Ring (orange plastic spacer) is just that...a spacer. It is what determines the alignment of the bevel gears in the tail gearbox. The way my parts are fitted, I can just feel the friction of the gear and bearing on the ends of the orange spacer when I try to "spin" the spacer on the shaft... This is a perfect fit!... DO NOT CRUSH THE SPACER or Leave too much end play. Get this fit before you install the "ring of coned gear"

Ken

Kdill2160

Getting there... But wait til you see what's coming up...
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If your following this thread, I'm showing how I build MY heli, there are many ways to solve any given problem, these are some methods that work for me using the tools I have at hand. You may have a better way of doing every single thing I've done during this build. That's great! Please share. My point is this, I don't pretend to know everything and therefore don't have all the answers, but I've had to assemble this model of heli before and learned from that experience. Some of the sschtufff I present here may not be your idea of "How To" and I totally understand. I make no guarantees that if you follow my lead you won't have any problems. I just think you may find some of my tips or tricks usefull and that's the reason I write my threads... Also I do enjoy doing these builds and sharing my work.

Ken...

Ready, I hope you've got tough fingers like me...

Kdill2160

Now were going to fully seat the "Ring of Coned Gear"...
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Using just your fingers, firmly(really firmly) press down with your fingertips, two hands, one finger and thumb on each "side" of the BEVEL GEAR, DO NOT PRESS ON THE BEARING OR THE END OF THE SHAFT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Only the bevel gear, only using your muscle and fingers, fully seat the "Ring of Coned Gear" onto the shank of the bevel gear...

What we're trying to avoid is crushing the Tail Distance Ring. If you press on the bearing or shaft the gear may move first crushing the Tail Distance Ring, that's why you should only apply pressure to the gear itself when doing this.

I looked at the gear closely(10X) and I had an idea to make a small "tool" nothing more than a small rectangle of 1/8" steel/aluminum/delrin? with a slot cut into it that the orange spacer slip fits between, using this "U" shaped slot with the flat pressing around almost the full diameter of the gear would be safe to use as the face of the bevel gear is flat. I may bang one out in the shop for later use... But the method I described earler works fine if you've got tough fingertips... Use a rag or cloth if you need to protect your fingers wimpy...

Just some ideas...maybe you'd like to make the tool I described?

Ken

Kdill2160

What it should look like now...
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Here's a pic of the tail shaft assembly as I have it now...



Oops... Sorry, theres dust on my guage pin... Next the last bearing on the tail shaft...

Ken

Kdill2160

Tools... Yes?... Tools again...
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Here's a late addition to my micro heli tool collection, this little bugger is the handiest thing to have in a micro heli shop. Totally worth every single penny. It can do WAY more than pull pinion gears... Use your imagination and ingenuity...



A lot of the time when working with extremely small parts and metric fasteners we sometimes use the wrong tools and end up damaging things... That's why good tools don't cost money! They save or make money.

Ken

Kdill2160

Oh yeah that last bearing...
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The last bearing installed on the tail shaft is a good press fit. This indicates to me that the shaft is very precision. It is also hardened. Take your time starting the bearing to get it on straight. Use pure muscle and strong fingertips and push the bearing down while the other end is supported perfectly flat on a good stable hard surface... It takes a bit of pressure but you can do this with just your hands. Push it down until it bottoms out on the "Ring Of Cone Gear"







Notice... None of these VERY small parts are damaged in any way... That is what I try to achieve when assembling anything, build carefully and slowly, think about how you're going to do something BEFORE doing it... THINK OF OPTIONS... Think about what the consequences are of the move you're about to make. Will it damage the part? Is there an easier way?... IS THIS THE CORRECT WAY?

Piece O' Cake, Ken

Kdill2160

Tail part 2... The Tail Pitch Slider Assembly...
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This part of the assembly is very straightforward... Just follow the instructions and drawings in the manual. The Slider(Y0206) actually has threads cut in the plastic...

Ken

PS: Next stuff is important if you want a smooth, properly functioning tail assembly...

Kdill2160

This is very important, try to think of it like this, YOU ARE NOT TIGHTENING ANYTHING... You're assembling it. Same goes with all fasteners(learn about fastener torque). Once the slider is threaded onto the Slider Core to the bearing STOP! Just touch it and THATS ALL!

THE MOST IMPORTANT PARTS OF THIS ASSEMBLY IS TO NOT CROSS THREAD THE SLIDER ON THE SLIDER CORE! AND DO NOT TIGHTEN IT, JUST "SNUG" WITH NO END PLAY!!!

Press the two bearings into the Slider Housing, press the Slider Core(it should be a light press fit, do not remove any material to make it fit) through the Slider Housing and thread the Slider onto the Slider Core. PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT YOUR DOING!

Remember the small precision drill chuck... USE IT HERE!



You DO NOT want to GRAB this part WITH the nasty jaws of some funky PLIERS... (Honestly I can never figure out why people have pliers except needle nose, most are made for working with wire and fencing etc...) not work holding or nut & bolts.

Almost Done...

Kdill2160

This looks good...
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This is what we're after... Square and snug...



One more step... Ken

Kdill2160

Tail Pitch Slider Assembly Completed...
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The last thing to finish the assembly of the tail Pitch Slider Assembly is to install and secure the two Tail Blade Pitch Pins, Put them in place in the holes in the slider(pay attention to orientation) and apply just a pin drop of thick CA over the back of the pin to secure.

EDIT: A good tip came from COBRA, wait until you install the tail rotor hub on the tail shaft and install the blade grips BEFORE gluing the Tail Blade Pitch Pins in place... Here...



Do not make a mess with the ca, you're working very close to small parts and bearings that need to rotate absolutely freely......



Ken

Kdill2160

Tail Assembly Part Three...
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Basicaly we're assembling the Tail Blade Grips, installing the bearings and mounting them to the Tail Rotor Hub (loosely for now). Here's a pic of the parts needed for this part of the assembly...



Ken