Originally Posted by Chap1012

I think KJ actually means "initiate" the heli. When you first turn the TX on and plug the battery in. Once the battery is plugged in, your heli "initiates". At this time you should always check for servo/stick movement before taking off. IE: Pre-flight check Like when real pilots check their flaps before take off.

Binding is the process of connecting your heli and TX so they "talk" to each other. This is only done once (usually)

Mike.

Mike do you turn the transmitter on first and then plug in the battery? Or do you do the opposite? Or does it matter?

Originally Posted by monstertodd

Mike do you turn the transmitter on first and then plug in the battery? Or do you do the opposite? Or does it matter?

Turn the TX on first and wait a few moments (this is especially true with a DX6i TX). Now, plug your battery into the heli and let it set still while it "initiates". You'll see a series of blinking LED's. When it is solid green, you can now pick it up and position it for take off "after" "pre-flight" checks

Just for ease, I lay my heli on it's side until it's done initiating.

BTW, always keep the TX and heli apart at least 3 feet. More (four) is better.

Mike.

If you're talking about the servo push rods, they are what they are. Nothing gained by investing big bucks on those. If you mean the servo arms that are attached directly to the servo shaft, again, nothing gained by getting fancy with those either. The stock position is in the first hole and the fit may be sloppy. When you move them out further, though, you'll actually find them too tight and they usually have to be opened up just to get the push rod end through them. In that case, you can keep them on the tighter side by what size drill you use to open the hole, BUT, they need a certain amount of freedom so they don't bind. You can spend $$$$$ on other servos if you need to blow money, but we're talking a simple coax heli that doesn't necessarily need it. IMHO, you have a pretty nice heli to mess with until you move up to something like an FP or CP heli. Some of us prefer staying with a simple coax so it isn't as complex to fly or FIX! There are many mods you can do to make this heli better or more to your liking, but for now, Grasshopper, use the KISS principle until you can fly it with good control. My #1 mod that I feel is absolutely essential is the pivoting blade grips. The stock blades just don't make it - a great idea, but they break if you even look at them funny. The wiggle down the blade is great for keeping them from bending up in flight (coning), but the mount needs to pivot out of the way in a crash or nick against something in flight. The Xtreme blade grips are well worth the money.
I guess if I had to tell you the brand of parts most of us have on our heli's it would be Xtreme. The only complaint we would have is that their "extended" inner shafts aren't really extended, but the top head is taller. That seems to make them bend at the top easily. The good news is that you can just buy another stock inner shaft and be on your way. I, personally, have made my own inner shafts out of hardened material (drill rod) and that helps. The true solution is a thing that was made by Helitek, but they aren't available anymore. For a little more money, the stuff made in Germany and available from HeliDeluxe are great. It's a matter of how much you want to spend.

Originally Posted by kodak_jack

If you're talking about the servo push rods, they are what they are. Nothing gained by investing big bucks on those. If you mean the servo arms that are attached directly to the servo shaft, again, nothing gained by getting fancy with those either. The stock position is in the first hole and the fit may be sloppy. When you move them out further, though, you'll actually find them too tight and they usually have to be opened up just to get the push rod end through them. In that case, you can keep them on the tighter side by what size drill you use to open the hole, BUT, they need a certain amount of freedom so they don't bind. You can spend $$$$$ on other servos if you need to blow money, but we're talking a simple coax heli that doesn't necessarily need it. IMHO, you have a pretty nice heli to mess with until you move up to something like an FP or CP heli. Some of us prefer staying with a simple coax so it isn't as complex to fly or FIX! There are many mods you can do to make this heli better or more to your liking, but for now, Grasshopper, use the KISS principle until you can fly it with good control. My #1 mod that I feel is absolutely essential is the pivoting blade grips. The stock blades just don't make it - a great idea, but they break if you even look at them funny. The wiggle down the blade is great for keeping them from bending up in flight (coning), but the mount needs to pivot out of the way in a crash or nick against something in flight. The Xtreme blade grips are well worth the money.
I guess if I had to tell you the brand of parts most of us have on our heli's it would be Xtreme. The only complaint we would have is that their "extended" inner shafts aren't really extended, but the top head is taller. That seems to make them bend at the top easily. The good news is that you can just buy another stock inner shaft and be on your way. I, personally, have made my own inner shafts out of hardened material (drill rod) and that helps. The true solution is a thing that was made by Helitek, but they aren't available anymore. For a little more money, the stuff made in Germany and available from HeliDeluxe are great. It's a matter of how much you want to spend.

Thankyou, I appreciate the good words. I too agree that KISS is an excellent principle. So I guess for me, strength and durability should be the optimum words here. Where I'm operating out of is just tents, with lots of obstructions. And in addition, the wind here is a bear, so outdoor flying is going to be challenging. So far: two flights, and I've broken 3 blades as well as my lower rotor head. I've decided that in the interest of durability, I'm going to swap out my rotor head pieces with the microheli stuff. Lower rotor, v2 swashplate, and the xtreme blade grips and breakaway blades. I think that will be a good start and we'll go from there.

Let me ask you all this, what is a good setup to use for outdoor flying?

There use to be a thread on here that covered that topic. I have no idea what happened to it though. I guess the OP couldn't think of anything else to add. So the thread died with boredoness. ahahahaha

Originally Posted by leethetreeguy

There use to be a thread on here that covered that topic. I have no idea what happened to it though. I guess the OP couldn't think of anything else to add. So the thread died with boredoness. ahahahaha

Ha, ha, ha,..Hey Bro I save everything
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...50261&page=137

Nice "thread" Lee

Originally Posted by kodak_jack

Just out of curiosity, if you already had 2 CX3's, what made you buy a NEW CX2? I love the CX2, but would never pay the $$$$$$$ for a new one. There are plenty of already modded CX2's out there for pretty cheap money. That's what I bought and saved a ton of money on stuff that was only going to get tossed after I modded it anyway. Are you leaving it 100% stock? You HAVE to get the pivoting blade grips or you'll spend a fortune on stock blades that break as soon as you look at them funny. JMHO.

I really wasn't able to find one in the condition I wanted (basically new). The one I purchased had the AR6100e and the 3-in-1 rather than the 4-in-1. It also came with the blue aluminum upper head/hub.

I am definitely modding it. I purchased the Xtreme grips and blades today from BTH. I also bought a carbon fiber canopy, E-flite aluminum swash and lower head, the BTH "Model 4" boom kit, unbreakable battery tray, and unbreakable skids. When I get done, the thing will basically be blacked out with some blue aluminum.

You're probably exactly right about buying everything done already but I'll readily admit that I'm both a newbie and a wrench turner. I'm learning a ton just taking the thing apart and putting it back together. Plus, it's fun.

-Steve

Originally Posted by SJMarty

I really wasn't able to find one in the condition I wanted (basically new). The one I purchased had the AR6100e and the 3-in-1 rather than the 4-in-1. It also came with the blue aluminum upper head/hub.

I am definitely modding it. I purchased the Xtreme grips and blades today from BTH. I also bought a carbon fiber canopy, E-flite aluminum swash and lower head, the BTH "Model 4" boom kit, unbreakable battery tray, and unbreakable skids. When I get done, the thing will basically be blacked out with some blue aluminum.

You're probably exactly right about buying everything done already but I'll readily admit that I'm both a newbie and a wrench turner. I'm learning a ton just taking the thing apart and putting it back together. Plus, it's fun.
-Steve

thats exactly how it should be ... learning by doing (I crinch when I think back on when I had to change the first servo on my Walkera 4#3 ... which I bought waaaaaay too early with NO idea what I was doing ... which is prolly why I NEVER actually got a grip on HOW to fly it ... ...)

Way to go Steve!!!

Nice shopping list, Steve, but I wouldn't have gone for the $$$ battery tray. Most of us have gone to the credit card mod where you cut off the U-shaped pieces that actually hold the battery and substitute a piece of plastic that is similar to the credit cards you get in the mail all the time when the banks want to sign you up. Any thin piece of plastic will do. You attach Velcro to that piece of plastic and to the battery and you're done. The reason for doing this is because most after market batteries are slightly wider or this or that and they won't fit in the stock size holder. It also offers you the opportunity to skootch the battery more forward than stock to give you better center of gravity (CG) for better forward flight. BTW, the Ar6100 and 3-in-1 is OK. In some cases, the separate receiver and 3-in-1 is more desirable. If you go brushless, you'll put the 3-in-1 aside and still have a good receiver to use.
Show him your picture, Mike.

Originally Posted by kodak_jack

Show him your picture, Mike.

Gladly Jack...

This is the credit card mod Jack speaks of. It's best to use a card that is flat on both sides unlike a "real" credit card with the raised print on one side. Very easy to do. All you need is an pointy Xacto blade to make the holes in the card. Take note that I snipped off the four (5 counting the backstop) pieces of plastic that help hold the battery in place. Not needed now!

It's a good idea to use "model grade" velcro. I have since gone to Marine grade velcro.

You can enlarge the photo here:
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showp...postcount=8079

Here is my "new" config to hold the battery even better (on the right):
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...0#post21199914

Mike.

thats the hobby in a nut shell fun. when i first started playing with my cx i thought i was thanking of new ways of fixing flats but these guys have reinvented the wheel. thanks to them i have been able to put $$ in the right places the first time

In yet another nut shell, when you're done removing what needs to be removed for the credit card mod, you're left with the mounting to the heli frame that holds the skids on. All of us are tinkerers and any mod or anything thought to be out of the box is what we're after.

I can't seem to figure this one out. I'm looking at the "Inner Shaft with Aluminum Rotor Hub: BCX/2/3" and it seems there are two parts listed. There is an EFLH1240 and EFLH1240A. I searched in vain. I can't determine the difference between the two...

http://www.horizonhobby.com/products/EFLH1240

http://www.horizonhobby.com/products/EFLH1240A

Originally Posted by SJMarty

I can't seem to figure this one out. I'm looking at the "Inner Shaft with Aluminum Rotor Hub: BCX/2/3" and it seems there are two parts listed. There is an EFLH1240 and EFLH1240A. I searched in vain. I can't determine the difference between the two...

http://www.horizonhobby.com/products/EFLH1240

http://www.horizonhobby.com/products/EFLH1240A

its written on the side ... the difference is that one has been discontinued ...

Originally Posted by SJMarty

I can't seem to figure this one out. I'm looking at the "Inner Shaft with Aluminum Rotor Hub: BCX/2/3" and it seems there are two parts listed. There is an EFLH1240 and EFLH1240A. I searched in vain. I can't determine the difference between the two...

http://www.horizonhobby.com/products/EFLH1240

http://www.horizonhobby.com/products/EFLH1240A

If your looking for aluminum upper heads, go for the extended to help prevent blade strikes.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Xtreme-E-Fli...item3f129c0106