Fixing a brushless

[Naxos]

Hi Everyone,

I snapped the shaft off of my AXi 2212/34 yesterday. I've got another
one on the way, but I think I make a new shaft for this one. I have
two questions though:

1. Can I just use unhardened drill rod for the shaft?

2. Does anyone know where I can buy circlips? I've found them
in bulk at fastenal.com, but I'd like to buy less than 100, and I'm
not sure they even have the right size.

Thanks!

[NX-687]

You can use drill rod its just easier to bend , and at a pinch just file a groove on the shaft and wind a piece of .5mm wire on to act as a circlip
Or wind thread in the groove , and put on a touch of superglue to hold it

[pmackenzie]

Try Mcmaster Carr. They should also have hardened shafting as well.
http://www.mcmaster.com/#
Pat MacKenzie

[Naxos]

NX-687 I like the way you think. But McMaster-Carr has e-clips for cheap so that's probably what I'll do.

They've got hardened shafts as well but at $15 for 6 inches, I just stick with what I've got. If it bends I can always make a new one.

I've never looked closely at that motor before now. It's kind of scary to think that the only thing keeping the shaft and can from departing the aircraft is that flimsy little circlip!

[pmackenzie]

FWIW, a lot of motors include a shaft collar you can install when you run the motor "backwards" so you are not relying on the little circlip to hold it together.

Pat MacKenzie

[whitecrest]

...I've never looked closely at that motor before now. It's kind of scary to think that the only thing keeping the shaft and can from departing the aircraft is that flimsy little circlip!

When I had to disassemble one of these for cleaning, I was surprised by how much force was required to separate the rotor from the stator. I don't think the amount of force needed to fly the plane would have been enough to separate them, at least under static conditions. Under operating conditions, it seems that attractive force must increase as the driving energy is applied. It would be interesting to measure the amount of force that is applied against the circlip during flight.

[Flight time]

Just go to hobby lobby and look up music wire you will not find a higher carbon shaft or just get the drill rod where you want it with grooves and what ever else. (use a drill press and a small jewelers file for grooves) and heat it up till it is a dull orange and drop it in water you wont find anything to much harder after that.