Originally Posted by killbucket

Why I like these anyway, #2
You just can't get a bare-bones single rotor FP this low priced...

Nine Eagles Solo Pro (micro single rotor) and Nine Eagles Free Spirit (larger single rotor) come pretty close. Both cheap, both single rotors, both 4 channels, both with 2.4G TX that is able to be used on the entire Nine Eagles fleet of helis and both with batteries that are easily interchangeable, replaced and charged outside of the heli. Not to mention an LCD on the TX with digital trim readouts and adjustment, throttle percentage display, sub trim mode and gyro adjustment.

Originally Posted by killbucket

This one's back in its crating, and off to Hayabusa Heli since an interest in the breed was stated in writing here.
And the knowledge base is sufficient to assure me that doing this won't end in tragedy.

Looks like it should be at my place on Monday. Will wait for a calm day and see how it goes. I'm going to try and find adjustable links at the local hobby store as Ed suggested if the roll drift it too much. Seems like once the roll is adjusted to stop the side drift, it should hover with little side drift. Something to try anyway.

Once you get that sorted, the next challenge will be fore/aft precision.
The swash plate pivots a good distance ahead of the main-shaft, so both ends of it lift to a degree, rather than one end actually dropping.

And the design is clearly biased to rearward thrust (hopefully safer operation). This is why I'm all for just making the WHOLE interest in going four-channel with a different swashplate (I have a nice metal one for my 9104 already).

Hayabusa,

Looks like you'll get the chance to do the same modification that "Monkey Junk" (remember him?) did to his 9100.

I am reposting the video he put up to demonstrate just how steady the hover of his 9100 was after the mod:

Double Horse 9100 3CH Single Rotor (0 min 21 sec)

Ed

Originally Posted by Hayabusa Heli

Looks like it should be at my place on Monday. Will wait for a calm day and see how it goes. I'm going to try and find adjustable links at the local hobby store as Ed suggested if the roll drift it too much. Seems like once the roll is adjusted to stop the side drift, it should hover with little side drift. Something to try anyway.

Originally Posted by edwong3

Hayabusa,

Looks like you'll get the chance to do the same modification that "Monkey Junk" (remember him?) did to his 9100.

I am reposting the video he put up to demonstrate just how steady the hover of his 9100 was after the mod.

Ed

Yes, I remember that mod. I've got a couple of big hobby stores in the area, so should be able to find some adjustable links if needed. Don't know why DH didn't design it with some adjustable roll links ... guess they figured a fixed link at the right length would be OK if it was the right length. Maybe there is enough slop in the mounting holes to give the rotor head a little more fixed right roll. Something I'll check first.

My guess is, the lean that's been noted as already being in it as delivered, is "optimum" in the designer's view.

Well, I've added a hillbilly-tech link bar that I just tweak for adjustment, and it worked like a charm. Find the topic on the 9100 series under mini helis for more detail.

Credit elsewhere for the mod, K? MonkeyJunk had it down.

I had this thing hanging around me like a big, fat S107 for over 4 minutes solid, even with a slight side wind.

Quote for Package and Magazine Ad Copy:
"People walking by stopped to watch, and the thing did NOT embarrass me." -Killbuckets

This is a "Get One", in my book. But the swash absolutely NEEDS to be tweaked first.

Supposedly, MonkeyJunk found some kind of adjustable link in a hobby shore that fit on the DH 9100 heli. We need to hear from him to see what that part brand and part number was. Your DH 9104 probably has beefier links to start with, so would probably use a larger adjustable link adaptation.

KB - since you replaced the RH link, you must have pulled the swash plate down some on the RH side with the "hillbilly link" ... did that help the servo give you any more for/aft movement too? You got your servo arm in the farthest out hole in the servo arm?

Originally Posted by Hayabusa Heli

Supposedly, MonkeyJunk found some kind of adjustable link in a hobby shore that fit on the DH 9100 heli. We need to hear from him to see what that part brand and part number was.

Unfortunately, MonkeyJunk has not participated in the forum in months! I think he didn't even have more than 50 posts when he wrote his last message. Too bad. His input was very valuable.

Maybe you can take the link to a local hobby shop, and perhaps they can come up with what you need.

Ed

Well congrats KB! It looks like you found Three Channel Single Rotor "Nirvana"!

It would have been really brilliant to see a video of that 9104 hovering around you like a "big, fat S107".

Ed

Originally Posted by killbucket

Well, I've added a hillbilly-tech link bar that I just tweak for adjustment, and it worked like a charm. Find the topic on the 9100 series under mini helis for more detail.

Credit elsewhere for the mod, K? MonkeyJunk had it down.

I had this thing hanging around me like a big, fat S107 for over 4 minutes solid, even with a slight side wind.

Quote for Package and Magazine Ad Copy:
"People walking by stopped to watch, and the thing did NOT embarrass me." -Killbuckets

This is a "Get One", in my book. But the swash absolutely NEEDS to be tweaked first.

Originally Posted by edwong3

Unfortunately, MonkeyJunk has not participated in the forum in months! I think he didn't even have more than 50 posts when he wrote his last message. Too bad. His input was very valuable.

Maybe you can take the link to a local hobby shop, and perhaps they can come up with what you need.

Ed

Yeah, that's too bad he disappeared. Maybe he'll pop back in sometime. I can certainly take the heli to the local hobby shore to see if they have any adjustable links that might work.

It was pretty calm tonight with some small wind gust here and there so I tried flying outside between gusts for the first real flight. Once the 9100 was in the air it seemed to hover pretty decently with maybe just a little side drift ... less than I thought it would. Man, this thing can get going really fast and even if you yaw it 180 degrees while in fast forward mode the momentum really carried it. It definitely has it's own unique flight characteristics and I can see where it could be pretty fun to fly once you get use to its characteristics. If it hovered with zero drift in any direction it would be even better, so I'll try to pursue an adjustable link of some kind.

I am stupidly trying to FIX a four-year old samsung camera...won't go into vid mode...argh...
I've just hovered mine, in the living room. It seriously needs more swash movement- I notice that the servo's in "backwards" (so the throw goes the right way) and the link to the swash is at a severe angle for a swash-link, my understanding is vertical is perfect...hardly close, more like 30deg or so away from the mast at the bottom.

I may flip the servo, and do a reverse-throw mod to the TX to correct the geometry- more evidence this is REALLY a 4-channel copter that's been hobbled.

My link is in the next-to-outermost hole in the arm, and moving it out will only make the angular mis-match worse.


It occurs to me the short servo throw is because the Rx thinks it's moving TWO of them...

$79 is a good deal, but i was lucky to buy mine for just $65 shipped!!

Originally Posted by tony1983

$79 is a good deal, but i was lucky to buy mine for just $65 shipped!!

If you buy 4 or more, I believe you could get it less than $60 shipped.

Originally Posted by killbucket

Once you get that sorted, the next challenge will be fore/aft precision.
The swash plate pivots a good distance ahead of the main-shaft, so both ends of it lift to a degree, rather than one end actually dropping.

And the design is clearly biased to rearward thrust (hopefully safer operation). This is why I'm all for just making the WHOLE interest in going four-channel with a different swashplate (I have a nice metal one for my 9104 already).

what metal swash plate are you going to use. i broke mine and can't find any cnc parts for the 9104 yet