Mini-Review Eflite Blade CX3 modifications - Part 1

[erdnuckel2]

Originally Posted by kodak_jack

The canopy I got was an extra one. The heli has a CX2 front canopy half on it with the boom. I guess the only thing holding my boom on is double-stick tape.

Could be - which I would claim is not good, so here is just another piece of food for thought.
Depending on how picky you are about the looks of the tailboom, you could make a DIY version (and I already posted this on another thread) for less than 10$ - and it will be connected to the frame, not stickytaped to the rear servo ...
... this is one of the times when Xtreme tuning parts (especially the one threatened by discontinuation) are great!

Buy some 5mm CF rod in your LHS or the "official" ESKY tail boom EK1-0243 (if you find someone who has it in stock.
Get the following part from Xtreme:

http://www.miracle-mart.com/store/in...oducts_id=1461

connect - eh voila, you got a 5$ tailboom (that actually really holds).

Beautify according to taste with boom support pipes or even CF fins ... (and you'll still be under the price for the Xtreme plastic booms) - I BET you like that !

Regards (once again)
Sven

[erdnuckel2]

Originally Posted by Razors edge 29

www.flyrcrivesud.com Day 2 – Parts Weighing

I have just finished weighing all the pieces I received for my www.flyrcrivesud.com mods. I was asked to do this by a fellow RC Groups member, whom we have a discussion regarding the weight factor with co-axial, and heli’s period. Sonny at www.flyrcrivesud.com stresses the fact that keeping the weight low is crucial to the CX series. I have a tendency to agree based on my own experience. Now, the digital scales I am using are not top of the line, but not junk either. And it was purchased brand new today. The weights are as :

From www.flyrcrivesud.com (weight in grams)
- “New” refers to the new “Zero Blades Strikes Core kit and new main gear”
- (<1) Refers to less than 1 gram, but will be added as 1 gram in this case.


1. Battery Tray 4
2. Landing Skids 4
3. 2 Blades 7
4. New Longer Inner Shaft 4
5. New Outer Shaft (includes, gear, bearing, bushing) 6
6. New Main Gear + Retaining nut with screws 2 7. Tail Boom Assembly 12
8. Fuselage 5
9. 2 Linkage Arms (<1) 1
10. Blade Grip screws + washers 3
11. Lower Rotor Head 1
12. One Side of Blade Grips (1 gram x 4 = 4 grams) 4

Total Weight of www.flyrcrivesud.com = 53 Grams


From www.boomtownhobbies.com (weight in grams)

1. Shorter Flybar with weights 9
2. Shorter Flybar without weights 3











Stock Parts Blade/ Upgrade Aluminium Parts CX3 Parts: (weight in grams)
Note, that the fuselage has been painted, thus adding extra weight and was done merely out of curiosity. Also, the outer shaft was weighed without bearing and washers.

1. Stock E Flite battery 44
2. Stock Fuse (painted) 23
3. 1 Stock Blade Upper 4
4. 1 Stock Blade Lower 3
5. Stock Skids 5
6. Stock Swash 2
7. Stock Inner Shaft 2
8. Stock Outer Shaft with Gear 5
9. Stock Flybar 9
10. Inner Shaft with Aluminium Head 5
11. Main Gear with retaining nut and screws (<1) 1
12. Lower Rotor Head (<1) 1
13. Aluminium Swash Plate 4


The only E Flite aluminium upgrades I have not weighed are the upper bearing holder and lower rotor head. However, I will not be using the lower rotor head anyways.

Also, I weighed by previous mod parts, the findings are as follows: (weight in grams)

1. Superskids 400 series landing gear with CX3 adapters
and SuperGrips for skids with 14mm M2 screws 22
2. Microheli Aluminium CX3 Battery Tray with screws 6


Results of Findings:

1. Sonny’s Fuselage is definitely lighter, but that’s a no brainer when you compare sizes.
2. The blades are about the same weight.
3. Sonny’s landing skids are 1 gram lighter than stock.
4. Sonny’s “New” Inner Shaft is 2 grams greater in weight, but longer.
5. Sonny’s “New” Outer Shaft is 1 gram heavier, however, it is longer and this measurement included the bearing, and washer.
6. The Stock Flybar and boomtownhobbies Flybar are the same weight, however, the boomtownhobbies Flybar is shorter than stock and has heavier weights.
7. Sonny’s main gear is 1 gram heavier.
8. Sonny’s Battery Tray is 2 grams lighter than the Microheli one; however, I do not have the stock weight of the battery holder.
9. The Total Weight of the Blades Grips Kit which includes, 4 blades, screws/washer set, lower rotor head, 4 grips, and 2 linkage rods is equal to 23 grams
10. Based on my findings, I should definitely save on weight, I have not yet calculated the exact number yet, but this is bound to change as I will be receiving Aero Nuts motors and will be removing the stock motors and heat sink that is currently on my CX3. I hope this is of some use and helps others in his/her attempt to modify the E Flite Blade CX3. More to come in the following days.

Thanks for the detailed report of your findings Ryan, there is just a little drawback: does your scale really only show full gram values ? because a few of the parts that you weighed, I did too, and if you round it out to full grams, those little amounts behind the "." tend to add up (bigtime). So if weight is as important to you as you say, it would be a big help, if the weights could be at least to the first - better yet to the second decimal position ....

[Razors edge 29]

Unfortunately, or maybe I don't know how yet, the scale will not go below one gram. There is ounce, kilogram, pound and gram. I tried other functions to get below, but nothing worked. Like I said its not a top of the line scale, but it works lol.

[Razors edge 29]

Sven

Your welcome, no problem on report

[kodak_jack]

Originally Posted by Razors edge 29

Kodiak Jack

Yes the boom should have a o ring on in for sure. Go to www.flyrcrivesud.com and check out Sonny's stuff. check out pics these links for a example of what the boom is supposed to look like. The ring is fastened to below the main frame and hooks onto a stabilizer fin on the boom and is pulled back into place to act like a brace or stabilizer I guess. These pics will also show you how the canopy should look. On the CX3, the only thing that holds this fuse on is the front rod affixed to the batteru holder. Your spare probably does have holes in it right? Neither, does mine. I hope this helps; I should have more pics up of it built in days to come.


Ryan
http://flyrcrivesud.com/2o.jpg
http://flyrcrivesud.com/1o.jpg

The canopy has 4 holes in it already, but it works if I only use the front two! The picture helped. It's the opposite of what I usually do. I usually only use the back two holes on my canopies. If the O-Ring is necessary to make this boom work, I wonder if I can buy it separately or if I can buy one from a supplier who sells O-Rings/ O-Ring material. Does the O-Ring really work or should I think about some other way to mount it?

[Razors edge 29]

Kodiak Jack, I have not installed it yet so I can't comment. Maybe e-mail sonny and ask him, he is pretty helpful. I am glad the pics helped .
Have you picked up an MSR?

[erdnuckel2]

Originally Posted by kodak_jack

The canopy has 4 holes in it already, but it works if I only use the front two! The picture helped. It's the opposite of what I usually do. I usually only use the back two holes on my canopies. If the O-Ring is necessary to make this boom work, I wonder if I can buy it separately or if I can buy one from a supplier who sells O-Rings/ O-Ring material. Does the O-Ring really work or should I think about some other way to mount it?

Hi Jack,

forgive me for being so direct and blunt: but - man, I really can't figure you out - and I don't understand you ... or your problem.

On the other thread you wrote

"I never said I didn't like tinkering (?), but with 6 heli's, I'm not about to plunk down a lot of money unnecessarily."

and in the mean time I gave you a bundle of hints that are just that: some tinkering, but not "plunking down" money unnecessarily.

How about you just go an measure the diameter of the flyrivesud boom - if it is 5 mm, SCRAP THE WHOLE O-RING STUFF and attach it with the Xtreme adapter ... will cost you about 6 bucks with shipping and is for sure way more secure and stable than the O-Ring solution ....

Watcha say??

Sven

[Razors edge 29]

Now now boys

[erdnuckel2]

Originally Posted by Razors edge 29

Now now boys

Did I say something bad ??

If so, forgive me, because I did not want to sound snappy or in anyway offensive ... and I didn't want to flame in your thread Ryan (if you consider it being that) ... I just wanted to make it clear that I really don't see where this fixing the boom problem requires THAT much consideration.

If you like the O-ring - fine! If you don't, look for another solution ... but if somebody offers one, why still keep on digging and digging ...

and: as you HAVE the flyrivesud boom Ryan, would you mind confirming that it actually IS 5mm in diameter?

and @Jack:
in case you feel like my last post offended you, I apologize, that really wasn't my intention - I am just wondering why I put ideas for solutions out there, if nobody seems to really take notice of it ...

But I hope you accept the apology if I DID offend you ...

Sven

[Razors edge 29]

No no, i was just kidding. There are two holes on the boom brace adapter, I am not sure how big they are or why there is 2 of them. The other ryan mentioned something about a metal boom kit from Sonny, maybe it was a earlier proto type

[erdnuckel2]

Originally Posted by Razors edge 29

No no, i was just kidding. There are two holes on the boom brace adapter, I am not sure how big they are or why there is 2 of them. The other ryan mentioned something about a metal boom kit from Sonny, maybe it was a earlier proto type

Do you have a caliper (I hope I wrote the word right) ??

'cause that is a tool I am using almost daily in the meantime. Oh, and I did not start stripping my CX3 yet - I want to wait for my new batteries to come and fly it once more in its original setup ... (and maybe make a few seconds of video of it) ... before that get lost forever

but once I did, I WILL take everything apart, make an excel sheet with the weights (I intend to do this based on the parts# listing in the manual) as it exists for the Lama3/4, but NOT for the CX's (or do I just not know where to look? ) and also ad the existing tuning parts from the different companies (and then sell it for the big bucks on ebay! )

But seriously, I think that is something really helpful and necessary for the whole CX-community! ... And it seems like nobody made one yet - WHY ??

[Razors edge 29]

I agree, you and me are doing people a favor, however, some people dont appreciate it, and make me sound like a sales rep, lol. I do not have a caliber, but realize more and more I need one. I look forward to your results Sven. I am holding off rebuilding my CX3 as well until my Aero Nut motors come in, well I will start to put the components ect back into new main frame that I got today, but it will not fly until my motors arrive which is hopefully in 2 weeks or so, so it will be a while. but I will post progression. I am taking my time on this and doing it right, I don't want anymore screw ups. I am going to mod my MCX 3S00 and try to figure out this MSR

[kodak_jack]

Originally Posted by erdnuckel2

Could be - which I would claim is not good, so here is just another piece of food for thought.
Depending on how picky you are about the looks of the tailboom, you could make a DIY version (and I already posted this on another thread) for less than 10$ - and it will be connected to the frame, not stickytaped to the rear servo ...
... this is one of the times when Xtreme tuning parts (especially the one threatened by discontinuation) are great!

Buy some 5mm CF rod in your LHS or the "official" ESKY tail boom EK1-0243 (if you find someone who has it in stock.
Get the following part from Xtreme:

http://www.miracle-mart.com/store/in...oducts_id=1461

connect - eh voila, you got a 5$ tailboom (that actually really holds).

Beautify according to taste with boom support pipes or even CF fins ... (and you'll still be under the price for the Xtreme plastic booms) - I BET you like that !

Regards (once again)
Sven

Somehow, I missed this post yesterday, Sven. Thanks. If you've used this part before, what do the bottom mounting holes go to? It must be to the battery tray -to- frame mount, right?

[kodak_jack]

Originally Posted by Razors edge 29

Kodiak Jack, I have not installed it yet so I can't comment. Maybe e-mail sonny and ask him, he is pretty helpful. I am glad the pics helped .
Have you picked up an MSR?

I've already got 6 heli's. I'll wait a little (Christmas) before I take the dive. Now that I have a CX2, I can buy it BNF. I don't need to accumulate any more transmitters. I see posts by you about problems you are having with your msr. I've also seen msr's in the classifieds already . When a new heli comes out, I like to wait and read about the shortcomings before I jump. Another contender is the new version of the HBFP. They've finally improved on the frame and jumped up to a 3 cell battery. FP's are much more squirrely than a coax and the smaller they are, the squirellier (?) they are. This is VERY apparent on the Walkera 4#3b. I think the msr is meant to be a stepping stone to the CP Pro2 or Blade 400. This is the old problem that has been around for a while now. You can buy a heli for indoors, and most of us don't really have enough room for an indoor heli unless it's palm size. That same heli usually doesn't do well outside, especially with wind, so, the IDEAL heli is always going to be the next heli designed or an upgrade to an existing one. I have two palm size coax's, two 180 size coax's and two 300 size FP's. I'd like to sell one of the palm size coax's to offset the new-to-me CX2 and to cut down on the number of heli's I have now. If I bought an msr, I'm going into yet another size battery and charger. OBTW, there's also the Walkera CB180 heli that is the size of the CX2/ Lama 4, but an FP heli. It has a shaft-driven tail that doesn't thrill me, so, I'll wait and see how that one holds up over time.

[erdnuckel2]

Originally Posted by kodak_jack

...
OBTW, there's also the Walkera CB180 heli that is the size of the CX2/ Lama 4, but an FP heli. It has a shaft-driven tail that doesn't thrill me, so, I'll wait and see how that one holds up over time.

Morning all,

it's me again Jack ... are you sure about the dimensions of the CB180? Because I read everywhere the rotordiameter it 44cm which would bring it a lot closer to the BIG Lama or the HBFP (V2) ... this is one reason I am more and more tempted to go for the Kestrel500sx once I dare the step up from the CoAxes (again) because it needs to be as close to indoor size as possible due to the fact that I don't HAVE a place to go to fly outdoors ....

Sven