Justin-san

Great Pix guys!
What is the advantage to a flex shaft over a hard solid shaft?

Jimi Findrix

Justin,

With a flex type drive there is no motor bounce if the motor shaft and cable are not perfectly in line.
I have been experimenting with .130 cable because I was going through tons of solid shaft/coupler setups.
When I changed to 2S Lipo from NiMh the problem escalated and the solid couplers kept coming loose almost instantly,
when that happens they heat up and wear the inside of the coupler and will not line up straight anymore,
this causes the motor to vibrate and bounce.
I tried using Locktight to stop them coming loose but then I found the couplers started getting seized up and I could not even get them off the shaft.
So I am reluctant to return to the solid set up.
An Aussie RC Surfer who has been operating for many years told me about the flexshaft he was using.
He says he has never broken a cable.
For some reason, mine break all the time and then it is often a swim and rescue mission, also the stub can actually fall right out and you loose the whole prop setup.
Seb a few other guys use a solid shaft with a short flexi end and this seems to work very well for them even with 3S.
What I don't like about that set up is I can't use my favourite 1/8 Octura props because the shaft has a short 4mm thread and you need to use threaded props.
As I see it,I currently have 4 options,
1 Go back to the standard Kyosho solid setup. (Highly unlikely)
2 Change to a thicker cable. (.150 Might still snap???)
3 Change to Flexi end as used by Seb and co. (Probable, but will have to be content with limited props available, also need to use 1mm larger props due to the differnt blade shape,otherwise I have foundthesame size props are slower)
4 Come up with something else. (This is a real challenge)
Hope that helps answer your question, bro.
Have fun whatever you are using.
I still have 2 stubs and some cable left so I guess I will use that up while I work on the next experiment, never know I might solve the problem but that seems unlikely now.

Her are a few pics from this morning.

Sea ya.

JIMI
(Gero - W. A.)

itsfishi

hi jimi
it sucks the probs you have had but i reckon you should stick with it but go .150.
just letting you know i have had zero probs with the .150 cable and thats on the 4s setup. the motor n coupler are lined up with the shaft as perfect as i can get it. the flex will slide up the shaft then straight into the coupler without any fuss.
it gets a regrease about every hour of runtime but have left it for 1 1/2hrs and wasnt a prob but grease had thinned out alot by then.
i am very happy with the cable setup.
i got the premade one from offshore and cut it down to right length. good trick i learnt is to solder the cable 1st where it needs to get cut then cut through soldered cable, holds it all together nice.(used hacksaw)
the octura props are also my favourite but they break way to easy and now using a blue hobbyking 32mm plastic cause have run out of everything else, not as fast but i havnt been able to brake it.
the only thing i did different to your flex and stuffing tube is .150 cable and i put 2 lead teflon bearings in the stuffing box as 1 did not seem to hold the stub shaft very well.
hope you get it sorted soon. these things are so frustrating at times if its not one thing its another and then when all is good you forget to put the bung screw back in and get everything wet and trash a lipo, like i did the other week.

curlz thats awesome about the filming and all that hope it all works out, will be some great footage.

gonna go run a my last 2 packs

have a good one

Jimi Findrix

Fish,

What coupler are you using?
Is it a Hexflex?
Do you have the standard motor mount?
Can you post a closeup pic of your coupler?
How much gap do you have between the tip of the coupler and the tube?
There has to be a reason mine keeps breaking.
It could be the cable but I may have the tube too close to the coupler.
Frustrating alright.

Thanks mate.

Sea ya.

JIMI

itsfishi

jimi ill get some pics in a few. i agree must be a reason.

flex hex coupler only about 5 mms to tube

homemade mount

itsfishi

jimi i think this is what you want to see

http://youtu.be/xGt3GqJ4RHY

Jimi Findrix

Thanks

bingo22

My Feedback: (16)

Jimi
Are you resoldering (tinning) the first ½� of the flex shaft? As it goes into the coupler.
I was told years ago not to cut cable with a saw, use hi speed cut off wheel.
And then solder it, sawing on or grinding on the end will set up fraying.
If it’s frayed, soldering will not fix it, has to be a clean cut.
I run 130 cables cut down to 1/8th in my boards with a x427 prop, and 150s in my 1/8th scale hydro’s on Nitro.
I have never broken a cable in 11 years in a hydro. Nor a 9 HP gas that I once had.

Frank
The Old Guy

Justin-san

Thanks Jimi,
When I first set up my Dude there was a vibration so I just kept adjusting (bending) the motor mount a little at a time. I also thought about shimming the mount. But I finally got most of the vibration out and it has worked fine ever since.

surfcurls

To Set A Straight Shaft Without Any Vibration
I found it best to set the coupling to the motor first.

Then Keep The Motor Mount, A Bit Loose.
Insert the shaft into the stuff tube and align
the shaft to the coupling.

Once it is aligned perfectly, tighten the Mount.
Then Install The set screw for the shaft to coupling.
once it is all set, test it by turning the shaft or coupling by hand
to sea that the motor is not moving up and down.

There should be no need to shim the mount.

Jimi Findrix

Ok, thanks guys,
Sure are a lot of guys using cable successfully.
Maybe the coupler has a sharp edge or something, as the cable always snaps right at the edge of the coupler.
I might try using a differentcoupler and check everything is aligning well and give that a go.

JIMI

itsfishi

jimi how solid is your motor mount, any chance it may be flexing at all pushing the flex into the shaft. maybe try just pushing down on the end of your motor a bit and see if it flexes the coupler end in any way.

about cutting the flex. i did it very carefully with hacksaw if i had cutoff wheel i would have used it and was told to do it with wheel but hey you use what ya got, also the idea of tinning the cable first is to stop the fraying by holding it all together from the get go, im not saying the way i have done it is best only that it has worked for me, also i used a little flux to help the solder get in there.

good luck with it, everything is fixable

foodstick

WOW, this thread is persistent !

I used to sailboard, and the first time I started watching the videos of the little rc surfer guys cutting up the surf, I was loving it..

that one video near the start of this post absolutely cracks me up when the guy on the surfboard angrily swings his arm at the little rc surfer.

thanks for the lulz

Jimi Findrix

Progress On New NQD Board.

Last night I fitted a flexiend shaft like Seb's into a new board that has the battery tray cut out.
Instead of soldering the hole I used some silicon tube, the tube covers the hole in the stuffing tube and has a few mm hanging over the end where the flex comes out.
I also fitted brass water ports with rubber grommets and already have the new tray pieces cut and in place.
I used engravers plastic to make the new tray a while back.
I now have to glue and seal the tray and ports.
I have a Turnigy 60A ESC and acheap Hitechservo ready to install.
Ialso have a old Purple (Surfcurls) motorbut I might get a nice new one for this board.
Only planning on 2S power as I have a few of these at the moment.

Meanwhile, I will continue to work on the oldboard and try to get it to stop breaking cables.
I don't have any problem with the cable fraying, it just snaps off cleanwhere it enters the coupler.
It might be caused by the home made mount flexing and stressing the cable.
I will try a different coupler first and if it keeps happening I might try tomake a stronger mount.

Thanks for your tips crew.

This will ensure that there are plenty more cool pics to come from this camp.

Sea ya.

JIMI

Jimi Findrix

Hi Crew,

Well, it looks like I am commited to this new board build now.
The old one has gone to the Graveyard, so thats it, it is just so trashedso I salvaged what I could andit'sin the bin for number 4.
At leastitgot plenty of nice waves and I learnt a few new tricks and added a ton of extra work to my standard NQD build.
New one is an attempt at replicating it but with Seb drive.
Anyway, nothing like anice new stick.
Looks like I am gonna be busy for a while.
Think I better get the Kyosho out for a run while I make the new Jimistick.
Sea ya down the line.

JIMI

Jimi Findrix

Hey Rainer,

You and your boy been gettin' any waves lately?

JIMI

Jimi Findrix

Itsfish,
I see you found another realm.
Do you know of others?
JIMI

Jimi Findrix

JIMI Findrix

itsfishi

haha your onto me.

no no knowledge of other realms! only dimensions!

Justin-san

Nice photo Jimi. I wish I could do that in real life.

jocktime

Jimi Findrix

Hi Micro Crew,

Big swell Thurs and rare spot "Pages" could be on. (Avatar Pic)
Working on Kyosho Lisa now, should be ready just in case.
Trying to get Bob onboard for some pics but he may have to work.
Great to see cable is working for everyone else.
I have another NQD that was given to me and I might try .130 cable again with that one.
Hope your all gettin' waves.

Sea ya.

JIMI

Jimi Findrix

Hey Curlzy,

I see you have brass singles on ebay.
They look like the ones Dave and Spence use.
Have you tried them yourself?
How do they compare to the stock???

I will test one for you if you like.

Still no word from Bazza Barrel. (Wombarra)

Sea ya.

JIMI Findrix
(Geraldton - Western Australia)

surfcurls

Never Tried Them, Bought Them Years Ago.
Just Clearing Out The Shop For More Space .

Everytime I Open An Old Box, I find more Gear....

icemandan

in gero