JMD AS350 - Belt CP now with Tri-bladed head

[sidneyw]

Still have to work on skids, add graphic exhaust and might be other goodies. With 174g battery, AUW is at 841g.

[sidneyw]

Making it simple ;) Will find out how she flies tomorrow.

http://static.rcgroups.com/forums/attachments/1/9/0/2/9/1/a2221482-230-Picture%20926.jpg

[TachyonDriver]

Nice job! I like the scale landing skids. How do you apply the lettering - just run them off a printer, or use some kind of transfer paper? Having said that, I believe you'd need an ALPS printer - it actually prints in white.

Tach.

[sidneyw]

Nice job! I like the scale landing skids. How do you apply the lettering - just run them off a printer, or use some kind of transfer paper? Having said that, I believe you'd need an ALPS printer - it actually prints in white.

Tach.

I have an OkiData color laser ($1200); don't want it in white ;) I know I have to redo the strippings by the door, which is not straight.

Here is one for the folks in Hong Kong bringing us the joy of Heli flying in competitive pricings (notice the Hong Kong Flag at the tail fin) :)

http://static.rcgroups.com/forums/attachments/1/9/0/2/9/1/a2217358-97-Picture%20908.jpg

http://static.rcgroups.com/forums/attachments/1/9/0/2/9/1/a2217583-10-Picture%20914.jpg

Test flew it earlier; tail heavy added 18g of weight at the noise; tail vertical fin too big reducing tail control (trimmed it down to resolve or I could use Align tail blades as I do with A109).

http://static.rcgroups.com/forums/attachments/1/9/0/2/9/1/a2225585-220-Picture%20931.jpg

[sidneyw]

Too cold to do anything outdoor; a clip of indoor hover.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2FMGx8r8gI&feature=channel_page

[robins22]

Hello sidneyw

Looks great!

Where did you get the searchlight?

[sidneyw]

Cork from wine bottle; vinyl sheet binder from Office Max and electric wire ;)

[TachyonDriver]

Cork from wine bottle; vinyl sheet binder from Office Max and electric wire ;)

...and a Blue Peter badge for making it look so good.

(for you guys across the pond - google Blue Peter - a UK kids TV program during which they made fun stuff every week in addition to other items on the show. Yes, they used to turn everyday household rubbish into Action Man's secret hideout, Barbie's new living room or even Tracey Island! Some models were more successful than others, and Sidney's searchlight is definitely successful).

Tach.

[sidneyw]

I remember the show when I was living in Hong Kong in the 60's, totally forgotten for many years afterward. :)

BTW, I use black sewing thread with clear nail polish to highlight door lines on my 500e. It works perfectly well. try it. :D

http://static.rcgroups.com/forums/attachments/1/9/0/2/9/1/a2231026-184-Picture%20943.jpg

[robins22]

Searchlight out of cork. Sewing thread doorlines.

When comes the fuselage made out of lasagne?

Just jokin.

These are real modelbuilders skills. Take everyday stuff and transform it to scale details.

Thanks sidneyw

[sidneyw]

Windy and cold last day of the year ..... put NASA log on it ;)

http://static.rcgroups.com/forums/attachments/1/9/0/2/9/1/a2250247-83-Picture%20007.jpg

[TachyonDriver]

LOL your printer must be running out of ink soon!
Love the idea of the sewing thread inlay ! :cool:

[sidneyw]

Found an easy and sure way to make and apply decals.

1) Laser color prints on regular paper (prefer light weight)
2) Spray clear coat on print
3) Apply Scotch stick (glue) on the back side
4) Soak in water for 5-10 minutes to soften the coated paper
5) Apply decals; dry with paper towel.

Works great!! :)

[sidneyw]

I got the Mars Gazuar 325mm blades which is longer than Align 325. Measuring from center of bolt hole; Align 325 = 315, Gazuar 325 has the same length as Align 335. The blades weight in 22g each. Did a couple of indoor hover.

[sidneyw]

Blade tracking was off slightly; reduced HS and they track better. The longer than Align 325 blades give the heli more lifting power for sure.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3ZhYAmr3Is

[sidneyw]

Backyard exercise today, too many power, phone and cable lines overhead plus the tree branches. I'd wish I could get the utility companies to get them underground. A good day in Chicagoland for a change, still a bit windy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0zVqvYSQVA&feature=channel_page

[robins22]

Isn't it always windy in Chicago? :D

I'm still trying to get a JMD AS350 fuselage.
The only thing I hear from the vendors is that they should receive a batch right now. This is going on for months now.

I like darthdrk fuselages but don't like his AS350 very much. It seems that heliartist will release an AS355 (I think this is the 2 engined version which is a bit bulky on the top) but they are too heavy compared to PET or polystirol ones.

[sidneyw]

Yap, always windy here. :(

Even Darthdrk's AS350 weights in 110g before semi-scale landing skids and paint. When all is said and done, I'd say it will weight somewhere between 150-170 grams. Mine has AUW of 920 grams using 3S 25C 2200mah 190g for good CG. So, F/G fuse weights around 250-280g might not be bad at all.

I like to wait for the BO-105 from smartmodel.com.hk in 450 size.

[robins22]

I like to wait for the BO-105 from smartmodel.com.hk in 450 size.

Are they also planing to make a BO-105?
That would be a nice chopper. Which system would you use for the elevated tail?

[sidneyw]

Are they also planing to make a BO-105?
That would be a nice chopper. Which system would you use for the elevated tail?

I have been told that the BO-105 is being considered for production due to immense interest, but it will only be after they launch a series of 500 class fuses in the next few months. Smartmodel's own elevated system is incorporated.

I am hopeful that it will be released this summer. :)

Give us your vote here http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1012054

[kin]

Are they also planing to make a BO-105?
That would be a nice chopper. Which system would you use for the elevated tail?
We will do it but we need follow our production schedule ,please wait after some 500 size around this summer :rolleyes:

[robins22]

Kin,

also a AS-350 450size in the pipeline?

[kin]

I think after the bo 105 ! :rolleyes:

[Super_Hornet]

Kin... can you have the following heli in your pipeline for 450 size:
{ Please please please!!! }

AS350
EH-101
Black/Pave/Sea/Jay/Fire Hawk

SH

[sidneyw]

I already have an AS350, my request is Bell 412. :)

[Zod]

I'd like to request a Bell 412 as well.

[K.Lund]

Here we go again side tracking one of Sidneyws posts.

I would also like to see a 412 so I could replicate this one :cool:

[Super_Hornet]

Yup! Bell 412 would be nice....OR Bell UH-1Y Venom!

Thunder Tiger coming out soon Bell UH-1Y Venom..BUT that is for Raptor 50 size.

What we want is Bell UH-1Y for 450 size.
http://cdn-www.airliners.net/aviation-photos/photos/1/3/9/1146931.jpg

EDIT: The good thing about UH-1Y in 450 size is that... we can use normal 4 bladed head (HeliArtist/Smartmodel/Lightning/CopterX) and yet the rotor head does not look high because the design of top part if the UH-1Y is tall :)

SH

[sidneyw]

There are many new scale fuselages yet to be developed/produced in the 450 class for manufacturers to make a decent profit margin in high volume. To leave this market segment in dismay from high competition and margin erosion from old tooling/models will be the same as "the goose that laid the golden eggs". :)

China has been enjoying the lower labor cost in the past, this won't continue forever. Improving manufacturing process through automation, mindful of logistic cost, effective production control and purchasing etc, etc, will be necessary to maintain the margin erosion once faced by U.S. and EU.

[sidneyw]

Taken some still photos today ...

[robins22]

Great pictures!

Thanks for sharing :)

[sidneyw]

I am getting the tri-bladed head for the AS350. Will see if it will fly without electronic assist. For whatever reason, I like the look of AS3530 better than others I have. This time I will narrow the blades to 25mm width since I have three plastic blades left over from the last crash. :D

[sidneyw]

Received a tri-rotor and quad rotor today from smartmodel. Too bad the main shafts are the same as previous one I have; hollow and longer by a few mm. Don't mind the hollow shaft but not the length. The quad rotor is "painted" gray over silver .... not very good as the paint is peeling too. Ball links are the same undersized one which I have to replace. Although these are minor ignorance I could live with the $70 price tag. Then again, why not having them fixed the right way. :(

On the up note, I have something to do in the next couple of days. ;)

[robins22]

I've got the Lightning-Heli tri-blades head.
Shaft size and lenght same as t-rex.

Quality isn't bad but the shaft was slightly bent and the plasic guide of the ball in the swashplate had some slop. I changed the shaft and glued the guide with locktite.

Haven't flown it yet.

[sidneyw]

Found out that the studs for the blade grips are of different design and length on the tri-bladed comparing to quad-bladed.

I had an incident last night after I setup the tri-bladed head, one of the grips together with the blade flew off at very slow HS (I would guess 1200) during my first lift off test which I only set the throttle to 40% flat across checking tracking at the same time. To make the story short, scared the s**t out of me for a split second from the pop noise.

Anyway, the studs were off center, the thread was stripped partly. I managed to take out the studs from the quad head and finish the testing on the tri-head. I will be letting kin know and I need a set of studs for the quad head. Also, the machining of the recess on the stud was off on the tri-head by a few mil making it grip to bind. Stripped two servo gears, bent main shaft, bent all three links and follower lock to swash was broken.

[sidneyw]

Went thru 2 battery pack at the backyard so far so good. I ended up using the blade grips and studs from the quad head. It seems to me the tri-head was machined at a different place and put together the first hour on Monday ... :(

Trimmed the blades to 26mm width, tested indoor and will do outdoor tomorrow. If all works well, I will put the body back on.

[sidneyw]

Helidirect rocks -

Parts order last Sat and arrived today ;)

The tri-blade head from smartmodel has a bad start, got to work pretty nice without electronics assist. It flies similar to quad head.

Hover test without the fuse
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4x7ZRrX_ak

Stormy day, so I put the fuse back on and did another test indoor using 290mm plastic blades. I am going to use the 290mm on my A109 quad head.

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

[Minibichus]

Very nice.

[sidneyw]

Got 4 pairs of plastic blades today so I did the mod for spares;)

Wind dies down finally in early evening, I am happy with it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qttg34w5dTE

[darthdrk]

That'll look sweet on my Blue Thunder. One of these days Im gonna go multiblade heads on some of my scales.

[sidneyw]

That'll look sweet on my Blue Thunder. One of these days Im gonna go multiblade heads on some of my scales.

Yeah, you should give it a try. It is as stable as flybarred head. I use cheapo $7 pair plastic blades. As long as I keep them below 2400 rpm, they track fine and balance well. I got three multi-bladed head from kin and I believe the price is very good. Did not have any issue on the two quad head, this one gave me some grief as stated a few posts back.

[madmike43613]

Sidneyw,
Would you mind sharing were you ended up getting the plastic blades.

Thanks,
Mike

[sidneyw]

Sidneyw,
Would you mind sharing were you ended up getting the plastic blades.

Thanks,
Mike

Right here http://www.cnchelicopter.com/servlet/the-1089/trex-3dx450-hdx450-325mm/Detail :)

[sidneyw]

I raised the TC by 5% and the vibration is gone; 3800kv 10t, 0-70-80-85-90. I was skeptical on 3-bladed head after reading so many unfavorable comments on stability without electronic assist, it turns out a huge surprise to me. Glad to have this sorted out. There are many good looking fuselages in tri-bladed head that I look forward to owning down the road. :)