The flying monkeys got me...

Helis and fixed wing

AMA 957918
IRCHA 4345
AMA Intro Pilot Instructor

Pirate Kid Skeleton by RadDezigns.

Monday, January 31, 2011

Frankenheli Shaft Issues

Today's Frankenheli challenge was to address the shaft that wouldn't go in the hole.  It would not pass the bearings without sticking, even after deep cleaning and corrosion removal. So today, I decided to break out the Dremel and grind down the shaft the few molecules it needed to fit. It was much, much easier than I had expected it to be! You can see the different texture between the unground shaft above and below the rotor bearing block in the pic.  I sanded it with 400 grit and oiled it down with lithium grease. Fits perfect now! Placed the shaft and the main gear in, and secured them. I then Locktited and tightened the motor mount screws with a thin piece of paper between the pinion and the main gear for spacing. Looks great. I think there are some slightly imperfect teeth in the salvaged main gear that will round out nicely during the first run ups.

Today I expect the rest of the Frankenheli parts to arrive, certainly by tomorrow. I am expecting the canopy any day now, from China.  this has been a challenging build, and I think I am done building for a while after this one. Right now I want to go fly, conditions are not quite right, and I am just starting to do well on the sim. One of the PITA about this hobby is that it takes time and effort to get the heli out to the field after time, effort and money to build/repair it, and to be done within seconds of starting when I  bend the machine after losing control, it just makes you not want to go out and do what the point of all this is, and just fly... Time to break out the FPs!  Here's a pic of the ERazor just before I broke her last week.  Servos should be here soon.  :-(

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