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View Full Version : Discussion Playing with Depron Again! Movie Added....


imsofaman
Dec 17, 2007, 01:37 PM
In my relentlessness.....I decided to play with some Depron foam last night. I wanted to make something small but light that I can fly indoors but with a larger surface area than the rorotshape in hope of flying slow and in control.

So what I came up with is a tractror style gyro with a Hobby Lobby SK400XT outrunner on the nose. A little right thrust and down thrust was in order.

So...what about the rotor problem? I wanted something light and with a wide chord. Balsa seemed too heavy. OK...I started thinking....I will make them similar to how thay were made "back in the day" with ribs and cover them. As you can see from the photos....I did a combo of balsa, CF and 1/8" dowels and covered them with Ultracoat. Each rotor has built in 2 degree neg. incedence.

Rotor plate is made from 1/32" G10. I added relief at the trailing edge of each side of the triangle so that when the blade flaps up....it increases neg. pitch and keeps the rotors spinning fast. Sort of like a Deleta hinge head. Just only one moving part and that is the rotor plate itself!

The rotor hub was made from a Hitec HS85 round servo arm. I drilled out one side for the bearing to fit in....the other side the bearing just saps in and stays.

The rotor head is made of plywood with a 3mm CF rod thru it. The rotorplate goes on this and is fastened with axle collars. I used heat shrink tubing to fasten the control rods like many have done over the years. Quick and easy. I did the same for the pivot for the rotor head.

The nose is balsa with the uprights rising towards the rotor head for support.

The body is from two pcs. of 3mm Depron that I glued to gether with contact cement spray.

The tail is just balsa. Rudder...I have not cut the hing nor have I added the servo for it either. maybe tonight...I will finish that.

Besides the rudder, I need to add some tri stick on each corner of the fuselage joints for strength.

I took it outside for a spin up test...they spin up and really creat some lift....not just drag resistance from the wind.

Just wanted to post something fun I am playing with. Too cold to fly outside..... ;)

imsofaman
Dec 17, 2007, 01:47 PM
If you notice...my stuff is on the kitchen table.....my wife should have never left me alone all day!!!! :eek:

LOL!

imsofaman
Dec 19, 2007, 08:59 AM
OK...just came back from the park.

Even though my fingers and nose are numb from the cold...I must report that it flies...and flies very well. I had way too much angle of attack dialed into the rotors. The first flight it was veeing to the right and nosing up qite a bit. So....I got it down in one pc. and did some adjusting. Tossed it again in the air....it was smooth as silk. I may have to go with a different prop....it is an 8x6 slow flyer. I may go to a 9 x 3.8 that calm her down a little.

The rotors were so smooth. I was very happy with the outcome.

Still have not added my tri stock yet or have painted it!!!! :eek: I wanted to make sure it flew first! LOL!

Dave

imsofaman
Dec 29, 2007, 11:51 PM
Hey guys....I had a few more flights today on that little foamie I made. I am slowly painting it up now. Obviously it is a profile autogyro....but i still wanted to give it the fabric covered framework so I pulled out the acrylic paints and started playing with shadows. It is looking pretty cool now.

The built up balsa ribbed rotors are working great. My only complaint is that the controls are real touchy. When you move the "roll" to the left or right...it goes! I had to add a lot of expo in and that soften it up a lot. Loops are beyond easy....just coming out of the loop too fast is a little squirrelly. I started easing up on the throttle at the top of the loop which helps a lot.

I also added some more downthrust and moved the motor out a little for better hang angle.

So....enjoy the photos....

Dave

Forensic Flyer
Dec 31, 2007, 11:47 PM
Dave.
What a keen project! Amazing what you can do with a little time on your hands. I tried to design a fly a couple of small gyros, they flew like tool boxes.On the other hand, I can't say I can fly the kits either. Still love the things. You do great creative work. Congratulations on this New Years Baby.
How can you resist putting some black checkers on it and adding "Yellow Cab" or "Taxi"? Oh...great design on the blades. Happy New Year!

Chuck Fleming
...somewhere in Indiana...

imsofaman
Dec 31, 2007, 11:56 PM
Dave.
What a keen project! Amazing what you can do with a little time on your hands. I tried to design a fly a couple of small gyros, they flew like tool boxes.On the other hand, I can't say I can fly the kits either. Still love the things. You do great creative work. Congratulations on this New Years Baby.
How can you resist putting some black checkers on it and adding "Yellow Cab" or "Taxi"? Oh...great design on the blades. Happy New Year!

Chuck Fleming
...somewhere in Indiana...


Hey Chuck...on the bottom...I am really thinking of doing some checkers or some thing to break it up. Some LEDs may be on there too.

I did not get a chance to fly today.....muscle spasms were wrappin around my bottom right rib cage today. Just in a lot of pain. I rested and worked on the computer all day. Had some wine and beer tonight....so i am typing real slow!!! :eek:

Happy New Year guys!!!!! Wish you all health and happines this year~ :p

Dave

zen@lanset.com
Jan 01, 2008, 12:13 AM
An amazing project. Congratulations. Looking at the overall shot I have an impression that you are getting some lift from the horizontal component of the body.

imsofaman
Jan 01, 2008, 12:50 AM
Just like a shock flyer! It works...so why not use the technology to my advantage...right? :D

I is a blast to fly...I cant wait to fly some more this weelk.

Dave

Forensic Flyer
Jan 01, 2008, 07:42 AM
Dave, imagine if you will, small LED's inside those blades and how they would look lighted and spinning. Great for those late evening or flights at dusk! Sorry about your back trouble. I try to drink wine to make mine feel better, it works but then I need something for my headaches.

Chuck

imsofaman
Mar 06, 2008, 03:47 PM
I made a quick not so great movie. But it shows it flies well. I filled up my 5 in 1 memory and could make another movie. I made more adjustments and it fies even better now.

I was doing some ROG takeoffs but the old man who was fling there decided he would fly in my airspace so i had to move down to a not so good part of the field. He was getting on my nevers quite a bit. His planes could fly in 20 foot radius...yet...he has to take up the whole :censored: field! :mad:

I was dropping from high up pretty much straight down like a feather with a soft landing. Too much funn!!!!

Better video to come.

Dave


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8siQJXS2dk



;)

PeterO_UK
Mar 06, 2008, 04:28 PM
Too much funn!!!!
;)

Ta Da Indeed :) Looks good....
PeterO_UK

imsofaman
Mar 06, 2008, 04:35 PM
I wish I could have gotten more video. The last couple flights got better and better.

I overpropped it also. I will have to drop down to maybe a 8 or 9 inch slow flyer prop.

If it is decent in the morning...I may do another movie....I am using my "Hat Cam" LOL!!! :p

Dave

jodini
Mar 06, 2008, 04:53 PM
Very cool Dave! Congrats on another great autogyro!
Joe

SafeLandings
Mar 06, 2008, 04:55 PM
Dave,
It flies well ! It looks good in yellow, Those built up blades produce loads of lift. I'm looking forward to some more footage
What's a 5 in 1 camera????

Rich

imsofaman
Mar 06, 2008, 06:11 PM
5n1 edvr pen camera. Decent video in a small package.

http://www.dansdata.com/edvr.htm


I got mine from Gorilla Bob's RC :)

http://www.gorillabobsrc.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=30&osCsid=4e5efd0e5ba424a1211b8ea08e676209


Dave

imsofaman
Mar 07, 2008, 10:00 AM
Hey guys! I got back from a local ball field and made another video. This video shows off the ease of flying it now that I have made a couple adjustments. The hat cam is getting put to a lot of use lately!!!

Enjoy.......

Dave

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8siQJXS2dk

;)

jodini
Mar 07, 2008, 04:11 PM
I always have fun watching autogyros fly! Very nice Dave! That first landing was PERFECT! Zero roll and almost straight down....very cool!

I just love those baldes!

Where are the plans? :D ;) :)

imsofaman
Mar 07, 2008, 05:24 PM
Ok....I will post some PDF plans for you guys once I get everything finalized...almost there. I will do a build thread at some point.

I mean....I will do it but only if you guys are really interested. I also will do some body style changes...you will like it!!! ;)

Give me some feed back guys....looking for something that flies great and cheap to build???? I will post everything here on RCG....just download the pdf and pring it out. I am using a small brushless motor...one of the xt 400. A 15 amp esc and three sub micro servos. Carbon fiber rods....3mm depron. Two 3mm bearings...some 3mm collars. Most of the stuff we all have laying around.....

Dave

PeterO_UK
Mar 08, 2008, 01:24 AM
Very smooth flying there Dave.
PeterO_UK

imsofaman
Mar 08, 2008, 09:35 AM
Thanks mate!!!

imsofaman
Mar 27, 2008, 05:33 PM
I am still working on the print guys. Sorry for the delay.....life keeps dragging me away from it. It is getting there slowly.

When it is all done.....I want to print it out for myslef and build it and see if everything fall in place. I hope it will! :eek:

Anyway....I think it will turn out well. The last thing I will be concerned about will be the landing gear. It may not look exactly like the C30 gear....but i will give it "the look" of it or try to.

I just got the carbon fiber for the blades. I am excited in trying to make another set....but it will be easier to build than the one I originally built.

Still some tricks up my sleeve to make things easier.....I may post some preview shots of the print if you guys want to see.... ;)

Dave

imsofaman
Mar 27, 2008, 08:37 PM
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