Originally Posted by hobie14

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http://img710.imageshack.us/img710/7987/img0317cm.jpg

http://img687.imageshack.us/img687/1305/img0326kb.jpg
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Judging by your photos, you don't seem to use the O-ring which keeps the blades together.

Jürgen

My Aeronaut CAM Carbon 9x7" Folding blades arrived today. Looking for a way to mount the folding prop very light weight and prevent the blades from folding to far, I came across this solution:



I will use only the bar on which the blades are mounted. Front and back two epoxy tabs (circuit board) that will stop the blades from moving more forward or fold back. There's no need for rubber rings to retract the blades.

Originally Posted by Jurgen Heilig

Judging by your photos, you don't seem to use the O-ring which keeps the blades together.

Jürgen

I sure don't ......

I never want to see an O ring on a folding prop ever again .....

Originally Posted by Sleurhutje

My Aeronaut CAM Carbon 9x7" Folding blades arrived today. Looking for a way to mount the folding prop very light weight and prevent the blades from folding to far, I came across this solution:



I will use only the bar on which the blades are mounted. Front and back two epoxy tabs (circuit board) that will stop the blades from moving more forward or fold back. There's no need for rubber rings to retract the blades.

Which prop hub is that Sleurhutje?

Originally Posted by hobie14

I sure don't ......

I never want to see an O ring on a folding prop ever again .....

May I ask "why not"?

Jürgen

Originally Posted by Wing-span

Which prop hub is that Sleurhutje?

This isn't my propellor. I have the Aeronaut CAM Carbon blades. But looking the picture it sure is a HobbyCity folding prop with spinner.

Originally Posted by Jurgen Heilig

May I ask "why not"?

Jürgen

Because I believe it contributes to sudden, even slightly violent, torsion loads on the CF shaft, that are avoided without it .......

As you know I have suffered from what I might call de-lamination of my CF shaft after 40 minutes flying time and just 2 or 3 minutes of static testing to check Amps/Vibration ........

following this failure I set out to eliminate as much of the possible reasons ......

I replaced the shaft with CF Rod flown in over night from the UK at a cost approx 30% of the original Plane kit ....... none available locally .....

Despite assembly exactly to the instructions supplied with the Power Set there was some doubt on this thread regading level of vibration ....... the ground test did indicate it could be better and in retrospect I think I would assemble the drive assembly much in line with George's suggestion in his earlier post, but of course this was not possible for me without buying a completely new drive set and so here is what I did .......

I stripped down the shaft / motor adaptor / prop adaptor and while waiting for the new shaft material to arrive I took a 4mm length of brass tube and ran the tube through the mounted bearing and up to the motor adaptor to check alignment ........ I found the alignment could be improved but how ? ...... I took a 4mm drill bit and using the plain end of the bit I manipulated the bearing in the plastic housing to move the alignment only a tiny amount at a time ...... I found I could improve the overall alignment after just a few small adjustments (testing the new alignment after each bearing move with the brass tube) ...... will the bearing retain it's new position? - I think it might ...... George's method relies on glueing the bearing housing to the fairing after the motor/adaptor/bearing/bearing housing/shaft, have all been assembled with the glueing of the bearing housing to the fairing being the final task to achieve the best possible alignment .......

As mentioned I no longer use the O ring on the folding Prop ....... It works perfectly on power up and in the air ...... it is so smooth relatively speaking that I imagine sudden torsion loads on the shaft are virtually eliminated .......

The Stock MPX ESC has two Motor start options ...... normal and soft start ....... I fitted an ESC from my parts box that has three options ..... Normal / Soft / Very Soft with of course with it being set to Very Soft for the XENO ...... this may well be over Kill but I wanted to give the overall setup the very best chance of being successfull and so used the new ESC ......

It's early days yet ...... I have 10 flights of typically 8 minutes each with the new setup ..... the XENO has performed perfectly and as weather permits I will do many more to confirm my progress .......

I have waited so long for my XENO to be delivered that I am determined to make it a success .....

http://img710.imageshack.us/img710/7987/img0317cm.jpg

Originally Posted by hobie14

...
I stripped down the shaft / motor adaptor / prop adaptor and while waiting for the new shaft material to arrive I took a 4mm length of brass tube and ran the tube through the mounted bearing and up to the motor adaptor to check alignment ........ I found the alignment could be improved but how ? ...... I took a 4mm drill bit and using the plain end of the bit I manipulated the bearing in the plastic housing to move the alignment only a tiny amount at a time ...... I found I could improve the overall alignment after just a few small adjustments (testing the new alignment after each bearing move with the brass tube) ...... will the bearing retain it's new position? - I think it might ...

Alignment of motor, adapter, driveshaft and ball bearing is very important:

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showp...&postcount=311

Jürgen

So for the cost of a xeno incl shipping you get a year of the magazine free?
Depending on shipping options it might even come out lower then buying one from a online store...

so what is the catch?

Originally Posted by Sleurhutje

Okay, one free Xeno on it's way. I was in doubt getting a subscription to either FMS Magazine or Modell Magazine. You made the decision quite easy.

Originally Posted by cmulder

So for the cost of a xeno incl shipping you get a year of the magazine free? ...

No, it is the other way around:

When you subscribe to the magazine for a year, you get a Xeno kit as a promotion kit at a special price of €15.- or €23.-.

When you subscribe to the magazine Modell for two years, the Xeno kit is free. It is up to you whether you consider this as an attractive offer. You get 24 model magazines (normally €4.20 in the shop) plus 12 DVDs plus the Xeno for €124.- (for Germany) or €130.80 (for Europe).

Jürgen

Originally Posted by Jurgen Heilig

Alignment of motor, adapter, driveshaft and ball bearing is very important:

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showp...&postcount=311

Jürgen

Indeed it is but do the instructions and sequence of assemby ensure that this alignment remains during the final bonding operation i.e. the attachment of the bearing housing to the fairing ..... remember the shaft is not in position at this stage according to the instructions ...... the only real item trying to ensure alignment is the fairing, a foam moulding !!!! ......

George's approach using a slow set adhesive allows the bearing housing to at least be adjusted after bonding and after inserting the shaft ..... could you do that with Cyno? ..... I wonder ..... I suspect it's the luck of the draw ..... I don't like gambling ....

I have a longer term experiment I would like to do with a brand new Drive Set kit, to better improve shaft alignment....... just the fairing/drive shaft / bearing / shaft components ..... If I can get them I will do it in the future ....

Originally Posted by hobie14

Indeed it is but do the instructions and sequence of assemby ensure that this alignment remains during the final bonding operation i.e. the attachment of the bearing housing to the fairing ..... remember the shaft is not in position at this stage according to the instructions ...... the only real item trying to ensure alignment is the fairing, a foam moulding !!!! ......

George's approach using a slow set adhesive allows the bearing housing to at least be adjusted after bonding and after inserting the shaft ..... could you do that with Cyno? ..... I wonder ..... I suspect it's the luck of the draw ..... I don't like gambling ....
...

Both parts of the Elapor fairing sort of lock into each other. Both plastic brackets lock into the Elapor parts. If the ball bearing is pressed all the way into the rear bracket, everthing should nicely line up.

When inserting the drive shaft through the ballbearing into the alu-adapter, any alignment issue should become noticeable. The shaft needs to hit the adapter, otherwise the ballbearing may need some minor adjusting.

Jürgen

Originally Posted by Jurgen Heilig

Both parts of the Elapor fairing sort of lock into each other. Both plastic brackets lock into the Elapor parts. If the ball bearing is pressed all the way into the rear bracket, everthing should nicely line up.

When inserting the drive shaft through the ballbearing into the alu-adapter, any alignment issue should become noticeable. The shaft needs to hit the adapter, otherwise the ballbearing may need some minor adjusting.

Jürgen

Yes ..... agree completely ....

when your at the leading edge of technology you often have to find these things out yourself .......

I'll know next time I build one ......

One more video just to upset Jurgen (because he may well have a foot of snow and minus 10 degrees C) ......

The video below was taken yesterday and takes my number of Xeno flights since the mods discussed previously to 14 (plus 4 as originally built) ......

Not sure my camera really does the Xeno justice ...... the microphone is deeply sensitive ..... I'm sure it would pick up a frog $$$$$$ in the Forest 500 feet away .... .... it does sound loud but there is no real vibration and the new shaft is sound after 14 flights of typically 8 to 10 minutes each .......

Multiplex XENO flying wing ...... (9 min 39 sec)

Will a Hyperion Litestorm 1800 VX 3S (33x100x23mm) fit the batterycompartment or is it too long?

If too long, can it (it's quite thin) use some space of the compartment for the rx/esc?