RE: axe cp thread
 

SchooBaka- Keep practicing that hovering it will pay off in the long run! I would love to help you with your probelm but I don't have any idea how to fix it. I don't think the slight jarring while plugging in the battery is the cause of your problem. I do the same thing and mine is working great. I do get a little side to side twitch once in a while from the gyro while hovering but it is no big deal at all. I must have been lucky because my Axe flys pretty much rock solid and is totally stock except for a TP1320 3s lipo battery and the slight dent/bend I recently put in the tail boom. I was going to replace it but now like to think of it as a battle scar! :)

[]TEX[]-- Nice new toys. What made you choose the Heli-Max over the T-Rex? I am many months out from getting something larger but already trying to gather information in order to make an informed decsion.

r/cheliman- Sounds like you and I both have the same plan. I was at my LHS last Thursday picking up an extra set of main blades and there was a guy there buying a complete T-Rex 450 setup with a DX6 radio. I got to talking with him and he had never flow a day in his life!! His bill was right at $900 out the door. That is a very expensive way to learn!

UPDATE-- After 7 battery packs from my last post, I can now nose in hover pretty much an entire 1320 pack through my Axe.:D Boy am I glad that I practiced with G3.5 all that time before getting the real thing. I just got my heli 9 days ago and I can now hover in any orientation and almost make a complete 360 degree slow piroette. I planned on taking it outside for the first time today. I really wanted to get some forward flight going, but there was a steady breeze all day long [:'(] and I was not going to risk it. Instead I loaded up my two sons, ages 6 and 4, and the RC trucks and went out for a little father-son bashing session!!! We had a blast and maybe the wind will cooperate after work one day this week or next weekend.

See ya, BT

RE: axe cp thread
 

I have a BCP tail rotor also and it flys just like the oem part. check your flybar for even length on both sides and make sure your paddles are screwed all the way on. Also balance your blades if you have the means to do so, It will fly so much smoother. One thing that I have noticed is that the lag bolt holes get ovaled out which also can throw off tracking a bit. The next time you buy some wood blades take some thin CA and drizzle some down each hole an let it soak in. Get a needle tip for you bottle if possible, It will make it easier to dispense. Hardining the bolt holes should help keep them from ovaling out so easy.

RE: axe cp thread
 

Regardless of whether it's wrong or right, it has reduced the sensitivity of the throw of the throttle stick, and reduced the top end values of the throttle itself, thus making the radio, overall, easier to handle for a beginner.

In the past few days I have played with the throttle trim more and more, bringing it up a little at a time, so as to give myself more lift as I felt myself getting more comfortable with the controls. Having the throttle trim down prevented me from launching the bird into the ceiling or worse while learning.

If people have issues with any one suggestion on this thread, the simple though is, 'If it doesn't help you, don't do it.' As beginners people should realize that there is much to be learned, and anything that makes your life easier is a helper. If it doesn't work for you, put it back to the way it was before you changed ANYTHING. (You did, for the record, document what the configuration was before you made changes, right?)

RE: axe cp thread
 

Well I called in sick today - I don't feel that bad but the only other guy in the lab would not like my occasional coughin and sneezin...

My wind ribbons are barely twitching, and its a reallllllll nice day out todayyyyyyyy :eek:

Could NOT help myself - chargin LiPos UP!!! :D

With these new BCP rotor blades, I don't know what to excpect. They might just fly apart, as far as I know. But, they did pass full throttle bench testing and the tracking is good, and she runs smooth.

Still got TTCS (Twitching Tail, Chittering Squirrels) [:'(]

Still waiting on new e-board from Tower. Hopefully today! [8D]

If YOU have got TTCS - the Axe can tolerate a bit of it and still does 2D FF just fine. Yes its the middle pot, the Gyro Gain pot, that SHOULD fix TTCS with a CCW adjustment - but of course mine doesn't do anything after a bazillion attempts.

e-board... e-board... e-board... e-board...

Oh right - my CHEAP-O charger setup. The E-flight came with my Blade CX2, so its basically 'free'. The first E-Sky charger cost $10, then I got another one after they upped the price to $15. They are being powered by a 12V tie-in to the PC I am typing on now! :D

Total $25 and it takes about 2.5 hours to fully charge (and balance!) 3 TP1320 packs. The packs are about $50 each tho!!! CRAP!!! :D

RE: axe cp thread
 

You should really make yourself a distribution block for the 'gator clips to clamp on to. You wouldn't want to take out your computer AND your chargers, Heck, How would you post about it.:D I have one of those E-sky chargers but it came with a 12v wal-wart along with the DC alligator clips.

RE: axe cp thread
 

Got a tip for all who still run the OE motor. Take a flat blade screw driver and push up the heatsink as far as it can go. so that the motor can breathe a little bit better. My heatsink was so low it was blocking the vent hole so my motor over heated and released it's "Magic Smoke". So with that said onto a brushless set up.

RE: axe cp thread
 

Great tip Rotor13B! I have some plywood here, I will nail and bolt something together that would keep all the chargers secured, lock down all the power connections, just hang up for storage of the whole mess, AND have clips for going my car battery when I'm at the field - easy to transport too. I like it!

I just flew out a pack doing hovering practice in my front yard. A little breeze was bossing me around a bit, but I did OK. :D

I'm definitely NOT ready to shed the training gear!! :D

The BCP rotor blades did just fine! I did up the throttle curve to buy some stability, and could tell there was less collective pitch at hover after this tweak.

Tracking seems OK. Other than TTCS she's running pretty smooth.

Its a really super nice day outside but the little breeze, plus this dang cold I've got, is keeping me in the hangar today :(

RE: axe cp thread
 

The purpose of keeping the trim level set to 50% is to arm the system. Once you go below that 50% mark you are not armed and when flying you will have no control of the tail when the main stick is all the way down.

An example of this would be a counter rotation landing.

RE: axe cp thread
 

Markind I think you should do that. I'm not a certified electrition, but that looks pretty dangerous even if the voltage and amperage is low. A couple big sparks and your house could be gone along wit all your models.

RE: axe cp thread
 

Markind what exactly is you job. "Lab" is making me think scientist or something.

RE: axe cp thread
 

Ah thanks for chatting with me!

I'm bored stuck here at home today, unable to fly :( Grounded in the hangar again!! [:'(]

I'm a test engineer, currently at nvidia, in santa clara, ca. Let's see, got about 26 years electronics lab experience now...

Yep, it may 'look' dangerous, but this system is thoroughly checked out. As long as it does not get stepped on! [:@] I went over the whole thing in the lab, with current meters as well as volt meters.

There is also a cooling fan blowing on the whole mess - that's big tip right there - having a cooling fan blowing on the chargers has several benefits: The chargers run more efficiently. They run cooler, which drastically reduces the chance of "thermal runaway", which is always a precursor to FIRE. Their service life is also increased because lower operating temps increases MTBF (Mean Time Before Failure).

When I get that 'charging board' nailed together, I will put a small 12V cooling fan on each charger - I found these PERFECT fans off of some dead PCs I found in the trash!! :D

Also, if you look closely, one of the E-Sky chargers has a bunch of cooling holes I drilled in its plastic case. Hmm, think I'll do the other one now...

RE: axe cp thread
 

I was thinking about this for a bit and I think if you can find a old computer power supply you could gut it and use the case by putting some of those connectors like you see on power supplies and such. Like the type you see that you can put a banana plug in and also unscrew it so you can put a C clip or a wire under it and then tighten down. I think that would be pretty cool.;)

What i'm trying to say I guess is that you can run your primary 12 volts in and then put 3 or 4 sets of connectors so you can plug and unplug chargers as you see fit. Also this would work well for nicad or nmh charging also as you could plug in different chargers at the same time without having to sacrifice charging one or the other. It could come in handy to charge your radio batteries at the field also.

RE: axe cp thread
 

One word. Ratsnest, lol.
Hey, I was in you're neck of the woods a few weeks ago, playing some cqb airsoft in one of the abandoned chip manufacturing buildings there. That's one heck of a complex you guys have got.

I fixed my ocsilation problem. It was the main blades, out of balance I think. Put some new main blades on and she fly's like a dream. I'm gonna try and balance the old blades and save them for spares.
Save'n for a lipo setup now.

RE: axe cp thread
 

Cool! What do you mean by 'playing cqb airsoft'?

TRACKING QUESTION! :D


Need a little direction for getting the tracking right.

I am bummed! I had it PERFECT before the crash, and now, its pretty close, BUT...

I have it now so that the 'red' blade is about 1/8" above the 'white' blade at hover. I notice the tracking changes slightly depeding on what the heli is doing... Sometimes, its perfect... but at the hover, its about one blade thickness off.

If I set that adjustment just a half turn up, the Red blade tracks a FULL INCH below the White blade!! Why such a drastic change?

Any general tips on getting tracking 'just right'?

thanks!

RE: axe cp thread
 

Check for slop in your linkages and feather shaft. This is usually why that happens.

RE: axe cp thread
 

Here's some pics from that battle.

[link=http://www.taskforce20.com/gallery/gallery2embedded.php?g2_itemId=4148]The Compound 2/24/07[/link]

RE: axe cp thread
 

WHAT THE!?!?

Was it monkees.... terrifying space monkees??? :D:D:D

RE: axe cp thread
 

Schooobaka. Man you guys are really into that stuff. The most I've seem is some kids messing around in the woods. You guys are all out with the full scale metal replicas, that is crazy. I Have wanted to get into that myself, but didn't want to spend the money. And there aren't many places to do it here.

RE: axe cp thread
 

We're putting on a Nam themed game mid april in Raymond Ca.
Here's the link.

[link=http://airsoftreenactorsgroup.com/JunctionCity.html]Operation Junction City[/link]

And yeah, it does get spendy when you have several different impressions going.
The good news is that the cost of weekend campout games is coming down.
$40 for GI
$20 for PLVN
But that's only admission, doesnt include gun's n gear, food, drinks etc...

RE: axe cp thread
 

oops

RE: axe cp thread
 

[sm=confused.gif]

RE: axe cp thread
 

Hey Rotor13B - the guy that won the auction says he doesn't want it, so I relisted it.

Se eBay Item # 120097164031

You can probably sniper it for $23 :D if you're fast :D


Hey thanks for the Feathering Spindle tip, BUT I removed the blades and checked the two screws on either side and they seem tight.

I then put everything back together and benchtested again. I can still see that the tracking varies! I'm giving different levels of cyclic and pitch, and the tracking goes from perfect to Red high about 3/16" or so.

I checked the exploded parts diagram and there does not seem to be much there. A bunch of washers and this threaded shaft - that's it.

I HATE phillips screws in those locations! I am replacing them with hex-heads as soon as I can find them.

I am fiddling with the entire head assembly and seems OK, but there is a little 'slop' here and there. Any tips for tuning up the stock head?

T H A N K S ! ! !

RE: axe cp thread
 

Just a shot in the dark, but I was having tracking problems with my shuttle the last time I flew it. I was looking it over tonight, putting together a parts list, and noticed one of the bladegrips was a little sloppy. I havent checked to see if the screws holding them are tight, but it stands to reason that over time, those parts could become worn and sloppy even if the mounting screw is tight, as they must be free to rotate.

RE: axe cp thread
 

I'm so totally FREAKING STOKED!!!

I called in sick from work today, but its such a nice perfect warm sunny day outside and DEAD FREAKING CALM!!!

I could not resist the Call of Axe!!

I was flying all around today!!! :D And my trusty training gear are still on!! :D

Flight Report:

Did tons of long, fast runs along a 100' long oval. Lots of coordinated, "locked in" turns!

I need to work on my landing approaches. Transitioning from flying around to hovering close by was a challenge for me today. Lots of landing attempts looked bad and I had to 'wave' myself off, give some throttle, get some altitude, re-steady, and try again.

On one lift-off, I almost lost it because that little wire on the tail fin hooked on the grass!! But my new found disclipline on take-offs realized it in time and I shut down, and moved the Axe by hand to a spot where the tail was clear.

Observation: Foward Flight is EASIER THAN HOVERING!!! When hovering, you are always counter-correcting and anticipating every little move. Its kind of a battle. When flying, you can cruise and just make small adjustment to stay level and going the direction you want. Its much easier! I was having very relaxed FUN!!! Zoom!! Swoosh!!! Wooo hooo!!! BOOoooYAAAAhhhh!!!

I went through all 3 of my packs, conservatively shutting down before the packs got too low. I did not want any mishaps from instability today!

Mechanically, she did pretty good. Tracking seems fine, if not totally perfect. She looks better flying than on the test bench.

Hopefully, I'll finally get my new e-board from Tower todayand I can get rid of the pesky TTCS. It's the only bug in the system now...

RE: axe cp thread
 

Awesome, looks like you are having a ton of fun with the Axe. NICE!