Originally Posted by 2500GENE

I use blue painters tape and often do 71mph dives to get video of bikini babes.

Gene:

Ooowe, Oooweee! Do they ever see you coming and dive for cover? I love this thread!

VJ

Originally Posted by r3tro74

Here is what I came up with today for landing gear.

I like the old early flight and WWI planes and borrowed some ideas form gear setups on those models and made it up as I went along. The joints were wrapped with copper wire I got from stripping down some old automotive electrical wire and then soldering.

I used exactly (2) 3' pieces of .063 wire with none left over. I wish I could claim careful planning and diligent measuring for this, but it just kind of worked out that way.

I still need a couple of speed nuts to secure the wheels and something for a tail skid.

The gear is removable because it is secured with tape.

Really nice job. Well done!

Originally Posted by StarHopper44

I can't believe how similar that is to something I scratched up! You been sneakin' round my house, bub? *LOL* Nice job, anyway.
Unless you've already got the right speed nuts in mind, a couple small black beads glued in place would work/look good.

AFA tail skid:

Tip: epoxy 2 of 'em together side by side.
.

Like your tail skid idea- it has some style with all those curves!

I know this model does not really need landing gear, I just like tinkering with stuff when I get a day off. I may try to make up snow ski and water pontoon attachments.

The plan is to have a camera on the bottom aimed down so the landing gear will give some protection from the ground.

Originally Posted by ajbaker

+1. Well written and good suggestions.
Sometime, after all the drugs, I really need to put something about prop "need to know" basics on Page #1 because it keeps coming up again and again ...

. What do you think?
AJ

Me....I wouldn't bother AJ. Props ain't what the Group is about - the plane is. If I did anything, on the recommendation for a 4x6 I might add the phrase that it'll need balancing, as all new props do....and prolly a note that for the stock 5x3, it especially needs balancing for best performance. AFA how to balance....available all over the innarwebz, with film 24/7.

Basically cuz, lookit all the germane info that IS provided there (Pg1) yet, how many times do folks just jump in at the end & ask questions that are well answered there already. IE, putting every word ever written about props on Pg1 won't prevent that....so why even bother. It'd just be extra work for you & still wouldn't serve your purpose.

My 2¢....

PS: Gene's a good lookin' man....I've seen 'im lookin' up in a tree & he seemed to be pretty good at it. AFA your attraction to him, pills or no....that's an entirely other issue, best discussed between you & your Dr. The only thing you have to question is your real motivation for gettin' refills, and unrepressed cravings for Florida oranges.

Hi Everybody,

Per ajbaker's recommendation I started a thread on "Sky Surfer / Bixler FPV" for discussion specific to using the Sky Surfer / Bixler for FPV:

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1533848

If you are interested in FPV - please considering helping to kick this one off..

-Steve

Originally Posted by ilovefpv

Hi Everybody,

Per ajbaker's recommendation I started a thread on "Sky Surfer / Bixler FPV" for discussion specific to using the Sky Surfer / Bixler for FPV:

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1533848

If you are interested in FPV - please considering helping to kick this one off..

-Steve

Nicely organized and presented. We have needed a Sky Surfer FPV thread for some time and I, for one, really appreciate you starting an FPV thread for the Sky Surfer. It takes a lot of pressure off of me to keep Page #1 updated. So, a BIG thank you to you for starting it.
AJ

Just finished my Bixler with many of the mods described in this thread.

Thanks for such a rich resource. It helped me a whole heap.

Mods:

1. 3mm carbon rod - Fuse
2. 3mm carbon rod - Elevator
3. 3mm carbon rod - Rudder
4. 4mm carbon rod inserted into the supplied 5mm carbon wing spar
5. Rare earth magnets in wing roots to keep them in safe
6. Extreme packing tape to all control surface hinges
7. Extreme packing tape to protect / keep fuse halves together (glued also)
8. Du-bro control horns - Elevator and Rudder
9. Du-bro wing tips to protect aileron servo horns
10. Du-bro skid for tail
11. Silicone fuel tube on rudder rod to protect horizontal stabiliser
12. Removed all decals and applied custom paint scheme
13. Removed the washers in nose

Stock Prop, Motor and ESC - like the RTF would ship but got the ARF.

With a PZ 3S 2200Mah battery pushed all the way forward, slightly tail heavy at a target CG of 60mm.
Added 30G weight up-front to give a slightly nose heavy balance at 60mm CG.

Probably the only additional mod I will make is to add an efficient cooling inlet / outlet. Played around with my Radian Pro hatch and might butcher a spare to fit to my Bixler.

Got a picture too before she gets scars from the belly landings.

Looking forward to the maiden.

Originally Posted by StarHopper44

PapoRon sez (in italics):
"not sure if we are on the same pg here ... "
Maybe on same page....reading different paragraphs?

"does not fit the hub on the collet-type prop adapter that comes with the stock BL motor, "
Dunno what you got, but the stock adapter on mine is not a collet type. A collet is cone-shaped & spread slightly larger than the shaft it's meant to clamp upon, which it does by its clamping sleeve advancing towards the larger end, forcing the split end to clamp down on the shaft it's intended to grab. The STOCK adapter has none of this....it's either a press fit or possibly glued in place -- I suspect the former.

"The ID of the [TGS] 6x4 prop hub is 7.82 mm ..."!
I have 4 TGS 6x4 props....the ID of the "precision" end (the back end of the hub) is 7.62mm. This figure is stated several times on the printed insert. This 'back end' being the side the adapter rings slip inside, and coinciding with the concave surfaces of the blades. Of note, the 'non precision' front side ID is cited as being ~6mm.

"The ID of the 6x4 prop hub is 7.82 [7.62] mm on one end & 6.09 mm on the back end. "
Here I believe you are clearly mistaken. As we've established, the 'adjusting' inserts go in the rear of the prop hub, which would have to be the larger, or 7.62mm hole. This side is even identified on the insert slip as "Aft Face" of the hub.

"This back end bottoms out on the adapter hub before the collet asm. even begins to tighten on the motor shaft."
You lose me here. The prop, with correct adapter ring slips onto the sleeve portion (what I think of as the 'prop-hub seat') closely, with a hair's worth of side-to-side freeplay....ie close, but not 'snug'. The critical thing to remember is all that inner spacing serves merely to center the prop on the hub as a sort've guide....the critical surfaces for both exerting pressure to both clamp the prop the prop in place to keep it from spinning on the shaft, and assure it's held square to the blades' axis, come from the adapter parts that contact the front and rear faces of the prop's hub. If there's a tiny bit of play around the prop shaft/adapter at this point, it doesn't matter....ergo:
"In either case the larger prop opening (which makes up 3/4 of the prop hub) will not be making contact with the adapter hub. " is off the table....and
" & larger prop hub opening is 7.82 7.62mm.".....that 7.62mm hole is 'filled-in' by the 'adjustment' ring -- that ring's ID only serves as part of the centering-guide mechanism.

Note also, the 'hub seat' portion of the collet (which measures 4.55-4.6mm according to my records) doesn't reach all the way thru the prop hub anyway....hence the prop's front, "non-precision" hole of ~6mm never really comes into play, centering-wise, anyway.

Note that, the first time you put the collet onto the motor shaft, the prop hub itself helps clamp the collet onto the shaft, by pushing back on the 'seat sleeve' which is part of the front (in our 'pusher' setup) faceplate, said piece doing the camming action which clamps the split collet down onto the shaft. Again, at this point prop ID matters little -- you got it started off centered (on blade tip-to-tip axis) and the face plates took over from there, locking the prop in place.
*Note: I only have 1 collet-type prop adapter (well, 2 ea of same item ordered) -- can't speak for other brands but think they're pretty universal in how they operate.


Gawd I hope that all makes sense!

My ARF Skysurfer (quite possibly a v3) also came with a collet adapter, I posted pics of it a couple weeks ago. I had to use a headsuprc adapter for my TGS 6x4 because it does not fit on the stock one. Even with the best fitting adjustment ring, there was a fair amount of play and I could only center it by feel. If at all, I would say it's only out a few hundredths or so. However, when I throttle up there is a bit of vibration. It's hard to explain how much vibration, but I would say several times as intense as a cell phone vibration at half throttle. It's concerning me a little, and I'm considering balancing the prop and/or trying the other 6x4 I have and see if it's any better. Is a bit of vibration normal?

Typing on my phone, BTW, forgive any autocorrects/etc.

Originally Posted by Grazer

Just finished my Bixler with many of the mods described in this thread.

Thanks for such a rich resource. It helped me a whole heap.

Mods:

<SNIP>

Got a picture too before she gets scars from the belly landings.

Looking forward to the maiden.

Nice. Very nice. It seems that folks like you who do such a perfect job in building the plane also have no problems whatsoever when the maiden happens. Make sure to take a video to share with everyone. All of us like videos of the maidens. Again, welcome.....
AJ

Originally Posted by Dkumagai

My ARF Skysurfer (quite possibly a v3) also came with a collet adapter, I posted pics of it a couple weeks ago. I had to use a headsuprc adapter for my TGS 6x4 because it does not fit on the stock one. Even with the best fitting adjustment ring, there was a fair amount of play and I could only center it by feel. If at all, I would say it's only out a few hundredths or so. However, when I throttle up there is a bit of vibration. It's hard to explain how much vibration, but I would say several times as intense as a cell phone vibration at half throttle. It's concerning me a little, and I'm considering balancing the prop and/or trying the other 6x4 I have and see if it's any better. Is a bit of vibration normal?

Typing on my phone, BTW, forgive any autocorrects/etc.

I found the TGS had a difficult time centering on the adapter as well and am sticking with the APC 6x4p instead as it had no vibration and was ultra quite compared to the TGS. I had to change the motor direction since I'm using the pusher version but it works great.

I've had my skysurfer for about a month now. Engine suddenly won't produce much power at all. I'm guessing the ESC went (every time I checked it was only slightly warm). I normally fly UM's so it's only got a dozen or so flights on it. Two questions...

1) Is it possible engine (brushless) went so suddenly or is it more then likely just the ESC. What ESC (and engine) would make the most sense if I need to replace both. Does it make sense to upgrade engine (mostly using it to teach son and daughter to fly)...

Originally Posted by ajbaker

Nicely organized and presented. We have needed a Sky Surfer FPV thread for some time and I, for one, really appreciate you starting an FPV thread for the Sky Surfer. It takes a lot of pressure off of me to keep Page #1 updated. So, a BIG thank you to you for starting it.
AJ

Well put 'im a link on Pg1, awready!
(You really should put one in for Papo60's build blog too. Par excellence!)

Originally Posted by Grazer

...Got a picture too before she gets scars from the belly landings.

Looking forward to the maiden.

Nice lookin' skin job too! What'd you use to paint 'er with?

I'd like to get an engine/ESC here in US vs ordering from hobbyking. Would any of these make sense...

http://www.hobbypartz.com/optima.html

Once I settle on a replacement engine I'll get an appropriate ESC and swap that in 1st to see if it works.

Originally Posted by Dkumagai

My ARF Skysurfer (quite possibly a v3) also came with a collet adapter, I posted pics of it a couple weeks ago. I had to use a headsuprc adapter for my TGS 6x4 because it does not fit on the stock one. Even with the best fitting adjustment ring, there was a fair amount of play and I could only center it by feel. If at all, I would say it's only out a few hundredths or so. However, when I throttle up there is a bit of vibration. It's hard to explain how much vibration, but I would say several times as intense as a cell phone vibration at half throttle. It's concerning me a little, and I'm considering balancing the prop and/or trying the other 6x4 I have and see if it's any better. Is a bit of vibration normal?

Typing on my phone, BTW, forgive any autocorrects/etc.

When you say "collet adapter", you talking about a split collet?
If so, that's completely news to me....but then the only one I've seen 1st-hand is the Bix, which has not....and I've examined it with a magnifying glass.

Vibes....bad. Period. If it's shakin' like a cellphone buzz, WAY bad -- more than, at only half throttle.....WAY way bad. And nothing personal but, "considering balancing" is ludicrous. AFAIC, there is no option here. I've now had perhaps 20-25 props on my balancer, from every mfr that makes 'em in our sizes. (That I know of). THERE HAS NEVER REPEAT NEVER EVEN ONE OF THEM COME OUT OF THE PACKAGE ALREADY BALANCED. And this includes brands like MAS & APC.

It always comes down to this. If you knew nothing else (like what I just said about every prop), HOW would you know whether it's balanced or not without putting it on some form of balancer? And once it's on there, and you know......whatcha gonna do, bad boy bad boy? Just take it off again without balancing?