Originally Posted by HeliGriff

I was keeping a per-heli list of all my parts expenses. It was starting to reach ridiculous. So, I stopped keeping track of it. Problem solved! The good news is that, the better I get at flying, the less I have to spend!

I did the exact same thing!

Okay, I have to make a retraction, Bravo47..

I've been thinking of a build that I want to do in 2013. As the price of the project keeps rising, I'm now looking at bail-out/rescue/self-level/save my A$$ options. Although the Helicommand Rigid offers EVERYTHING a scale enthusiast would ever want, it's way over my head at this point. I tried picking up some tips on various HC blogs and those guys are definately at a much different knowledge level than I. Besides, I don't need all of those features. The HC3SX has rescue mode, but I'm not sure what else you need to complete the system. The SK720 seems like the best choice for basic "rescue" and ease of installation, at an affordable price. So, the following statement is hereby retracted.

Originally Posted by HeliGriff

Yes, I've seen the Auto Return GPS systems, Auto-Upright systems, Auto Fixed-Point Hovering systems.. Although I fully enjoy the technology and I do appreciate it, I don't really have the desire to "automate" my helis. It's cool stuff though!

There's no need for a retraction mate. We all change our mind as we learn more in this hobby. Personally I would not bother too much with E-Stabilization unless I had a large scale aircraft, and i'm not motivated to learn 3D, and I don't need any hover assist. My GAUI550 is exceptionally stable anyhow with just a 2801pro RX and HH gyro. My 4F180 is also very stable and predictable in the little stuff.

regards

Mick

Originally Posted by HeliGriff

Yeah, I'm at that weird age. Started lifting weights at age 53. Got into helis at 54. Here we thought our teenage years were the strange ones!

I've also collected five helis so far, since January. I display only three at a time so it's not so obvious to the wife as to how many I've accumulated!

Speaking of bank account.. I was keeping a per-heli list of all my parts expenses. It was starting to reach ridiculous. So, I stopped keeping track of it. Problem solved! The good news is that, the better I get at flying, the less I have to spend! It feels good when your "flights-to-parts order" ratio goes from 1:1 to 10:1 to 20:1... It takes the heat off.

I'll be buying fewer helis and concentrating on a single "build" project over the next year. I'm saving up for it now. Unless of course I just can't stand it and I buy that V200D03.

Never too old to play!

Hey brothers can I join the "oldies" club? I got into messing with helicopters at the ripe old age of 56 though I have been into R/C models since I was in my teens and currently have a collection of electric and gas buggies.

My venture into choppers hasn't been all that exciting as yet because the damned things keep breaking down! As I've mentioned in another thread, I have a Blade CX2 a Twister Hawk and a Walkera 180z non of which I can get flying due to equipment failure.

Neither the Blade or the Twister will generate enough lift to take off and the Walkera's tail rotor drive keeps slipping causing the machine to continuously spin in circles.

If anyone can advise how to convert the 180z to Direct Drive I'd like to have a look at the conversion. I've seen the youtube videos of the 180D conversion but don't know if that will work on the 180z.

Originally Posted by CaptainLegless

If anyone can advise how to convert the 180z to Direct Drive I'd like to have a look at the conversion. I've seen the youtube videos of the 180D conversion but don't know if that will work on the 180z.

This is the best one ive read about-

Link- http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1229031

Originally Posted by Bravo47

This is the best one ive read about-

Link- http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1229031

Originally Posted by CaptainLegless

Hey brothers can I join the "oldies" club? I got into messing with helicopters at the ripe old age of 56 though I have been into R/C models since I was in my teens and currently have a collection of electric and gas buggies.

My venture into choppers hasn't been all that exciting as yet because the damned things keep breaking down! As I've mentioned in another thread, I have a Blade CX2 a Twister Hawk and a Walkera 180z non of which I can get flying due to equipment failure.

Neither the Blade or the Twister will generate enough lift to take off and the Walkera's tail rotor drive keeps slipping causing the machine to continuously spin in circles.

If anyone can advise how to convert the 180z to Direct Drive I'd like to have a look at the conversion. I've seen the youtube videos of the 180D conversion but don't know if that will work on the 180z.

Welcome Cap't! We'll take a look into it! I'm a little confused because the photos that I see for the 180Z is a shaft drive (direct drive?). If it spins around when you take off, I'd say the tail gyro is faulty or the shaft is broken inside of the boom (common). What the heck are you guys doing awake at 2 am.

Originally Posted by HeliGriff

Welcome Cap't! We'll take a look into it! I'm a little confused because the photos that I see for the 180Z is a shaft drive (direct drive?). If it spins around when you take off, I'd say the tail gyro is faulty or the shaft is broken inside of the boom (common). What the heck are you guys doing awake at 2 am.

Okay, I see now... Electric tail motor.

The new CB180Z is all shaft driven, according to the photos on helipal. http://www.helipal.com/walkera-hm-cb...l-edition.html Is that what you have?

If not, it appears that the frame is the same as the V200D01 in the link that Bravo47 provided. I don't see any reason why you couldn't convert it using V200D01 tail parts. It would take at least:

main gear assembly
canopy mount
tail boom housing
tail shaft
tail assembly
maybe more..

I pulled the trigger and ordered my winter project yesterday. Can't wait!

The first will be a quick conversion to one of my Razor 450's. It will get a flybarless multi-blade head and 3G system.

The second project will span the next two winters, beginning with pod-n-boom heli (pictured) and ending with a 500D fuselage and a five-blade head conversion.

Stay tuned...

Originally Posted by HeliGriff

I pulled the trigger and ordered my winter project yesterday. Can't wait!

The first will be a quick conversion to one of my Razor 450's. It will get a flybarless multi-blade head and 3G system.

The second project will span the next two winters, beginning with pod-n-boom heli (pictured) and ending with a 500D fuselage and a five-blade head conversion.

Stay tuned...

I did a 5B conversion a year or so ago. They make a wicked sound. I did make a mistake in using a "rigid" blade mount head though which gives the gyro's and servo's a lot more work to do. If I went down that track again I would choose a 4 blade "floating" head for a smoother ride.

You should enjoy the two projects

Mick

Originally Posted by HeliGriff

Okay, I see now... Electric tail motor.

The new CB180Z is all shaft driven, according to the photos on helipal. http://www.helipal.com/walkera-hm-cb...l-edition.html Is that what you have?

If not, it appears that the frame is the same as the V200D01 in the link that Bravo47 provided. I don't see any reason why you couldn't convert it using V200D01 tail parts. It would take at least:

main gear assembly
canopy mount
tail boom housing
tail shaft
tail assembly
maybe more..

Thanks for the replies guys, I checked out the link in the post by Bravo47 - thanks. That is the sort of mod that I was wondering about though it did look to be a bit of a challenge. I'm a newbie to the hobby but do have plenty of patience if given the instructions to follow and the equipment to work with so I'm looking to find just that - instructions and parts.

Yes HeliGriff, that's exactly what I have. The problem seems to lie with the gears keeping slipping. I found a thread here on the forum that gave a technique for tightening them up but the problem recurs within seconds of powering up again which is very frustrating to say the least!

Originally Posted by Bravo47

I did a 5B conversion a year or so ago. They make a wicked sound. I did make a mistake in using a "rigid" blade mount head though which gives the gyro's and servo's a lot more work to do. If I went down that track again I would choose a 4 blade "floating" head for a smoother ride.

You should enjoy the two projects

Mick

Thanks Mick! I did read about that. The heads I have chosen to consider are all soft (floating) heads. In addition, the electronic stabilization system should also have phasing features built in. However, on the Razor, I won't need it. Mechanical phasing will do because I'm going 4 blade on that one. It's a really deep topic, but the experts have figured it out. Thank Goodness because I never would have! I may be bugging some of my blog pals for advice when I get that far.

Originally Posted by CaptainLegless

Thanks for the replies guys, I checked out the link in the post by Bravo47 - thanks. That is the sort of mod that I was wondering about though it did look to be a bit of a challenge. I'm a newbie to the hobby but do have plenty of patience if given the instructions to follow and the equipment to work with so I'm looking to find just that - instructions and parts.

Yes HeliGriff, that's exactly what I have. The problem seems to lie with the gears keeping slipping. I found a thread here on the forum that gave a technique for tightening them up but the problem recurs within seconds of powering up again which is very frustrating to say the least!

Capt, within a few weeks you will know EVERY screw, pin, part, in that heli! Eleven months ago I bought my first heli. Today, I can build a V200D01 from scratch parts in under 6 hours. I know this because I have done it. It's amazing to me how quickly the brain can absorb new knowledge, even if you're an old fart like me! Don't be afraid to tear it apart. It WILL go back together again.

Yes, the gear mesh must be a little on the tight-side and you'll have less chance of stripping all the gears. The main gear will strip while saving the tail gears. That's okay because the main gear is a 5 minute swap-out. I NEVER land my V200's in grass. They are too low-profile and the tail gears will strip every time.

If Walkera comes up with a one-way bearing for the 180/200 size helis, we'll all be happy! One-way bearings save the gears from stripping. On the other hand, Walkera would lose sales revenue on a million gears per year!

Happy Flying!

Originally Posted by HeliGriff

If Walkera comes up with a one-way bearing for the 180/200 size helis, we'll all be happy! One-way bearings save the gears from stripping. On the other hand, Walkera would lose sales revenue on a million gears per year!

Happy Flying!

I guess the modding solution would be to fit a V200 head to a HK250GT($30). It would require some skills though due to the differing main shaft size amongst other things, but it would offer a belt drive tail and one way bearing.

Mick

Originally Posted by Bravo47

I guess the modding solution would be to fit a V200 head to a HK250GT($30). It would require some skills though due to the differing main shaft size amongst other things, but it would offer a belt drive tail and one way bearing.

Mick

Might be easier to get an Align Trex 250 maingear, motor pinion, and one-way bearing. I'm not sure if the shaft sizes are the same, but you could sleeve the Walkera shaft if needed. We need to get Dsobbe on this ASAP!

Houston, we have a problem..

The black stripe represents the rotor-diameter of my project heli. I think I'm going to need more space!