Cypher Mods & Build Tips

[Vechlor]

Cypher Mods & Build Tips Thread Index


Airbrushing, Dyes, Paints

Canopy Airbrushing tips (http://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?p=2095826#post2095826)





Hardware, Mechanical, Tools

Skid Stops using Grommets (http://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?p=2096449#post2096449)
Canopy Mounting using Grommets (http://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?p=2096505#post2096505)
Removing Slop / Binding (http://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?p=2096583#post2096583)




Feel free to post your own mods or tips in this thread. Please include a Title for the post and I will list it here in the index so everyone can find it easier. There's lots of good information floating around, so lets get it organized! :thumbup:

[Vechlor]

Give your Cypher a unique look by spray painting the canopy and turn a few heads at the same time! My aim for painting the canopy is to look unique and stand out when flying from a distance using bright colors. As this is my first air-brushed heli canopy, I did some research on-line to find the best and easiest way to paint it. Instead of writing a complete how-to guide, have a look at this how-to guide (http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=799458) which I've followed closely to help me through the process.

Tools and Materials


#1 X-Acto Knife
Small Screwdriver
Hot Air Gun or Hair Dryer
40PSI Air Compressor
Paasche VL Airbrush #5 Nozzle
Paint Mixing Jar
Toothpicks
400, 600, 1500 Grit Wet/Dry Sand Paper
3M Scotch Painters' Tape 1” x 60yd
Tamiya 6mm Masking Tape
News Paper or Paper Towels
Acetone and glass jar for cleaning parts
Dupli-Color Clear Top Coat 11oz Spray Can
Faskolor Faskleaner 2oz Bottle #40202 (cleaner)
Faskolor Faswhite 2oz Bottle #40000 (base coat)
Faskolor Fasfluorescent Green 2oz Bottle #40107
Faskolor Fasfluorsecent Orange 2oz Bottle #40103
Faskolor Fasblack 2oz Bottle #40001

Removing Stickers and Windshield

To remove the stickers, use a hair dryer or hot air gun and apply a small amount of heat to one sticker at a time, this will warm up the glue and allow the sticker peal away easily. To remove the windshield, use a small tip screwdriver and remove both screws, then apply some heat to the windshield to warm up the tape underneath, the windshield should easily come off.

Steps for prep, masking and painting, please following this how-to guide (http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=799458), the only difference is, I used masking tape instead of liquid mask.

Painting Tips


Faskolor paint dries quickly, always keep the spray nozzle clean between uses. Use water to help clean the nozzle or acetone, make sure not to get any acetone on plastic.



Paint the lighter colors first and darker colors last. The white base coat helps bring out the bright florescent colors and white checker patterns.



If the paint is too thick to spray, add a few drops of water to the paint cup or paint jar and mix together. Some colors such as black spray fine without adding water.



To speed up the drying process, use a hair dryer after each coat until the paint looks tacky but still wet, repeat for the desired opacity.

Masking Tips


Mask off everything, even over-spray can get inside the canopy to create some kind of Picasso art style.



Use 6mm masking tape for wide curves and fine details as this tape can stretch a bit. For sharp curves or corners, cut short strips stacked on each other to make a rough curve, use a pencil to draw the curve on the tape, then use a sharp x-acto knife to cut the curve or shape you want by following the pencil line. Remember not to press hard with the knife and go slow to avoid any mistakes.



Use a toothpick to rub out any air pockets on the 6mm tape, this helps further seal the mask from paint seeping under the tape and creates sharper lines. Then use painters' 1in tape to mask off everything else.



To save tape, use a plastic bag to cover large areas that won't be painted and seal the edges with tape.



To mask off painted areas that have dried, put a strip of tape on cardboard or your pants leg, then pulled it up to help weaken the bond, this helps to remove the tape from the canopy without leaving any glue marks.

Canopy Stand

The stand was made in about 10 mins. (quick-and-dirty) using part of a cardboard box with the corners cut off to make the feet, bending and cutting part of a wire coat hanger with a large collar and set screw, lots of shipping tape to hold everything together and a small used sock (clean). The sock was folded over twice and molds itself to the canopy for a nice snug fit. The best part about this stand, you can rotate it while painting and move the whole thing outside to dry.

[Vechlor]

The Cypher kit comes without skid-stops to prevent the heli from sliding on smooth surfaces and from wearing out the skids on rough pavement. I had some extra grommets that measure 7/16OD x 3/16ID x 5/16 thickness and fit perfectly on the 5.3mm skids. I would probably go with thicker grommet, but this is what I had on hand and it makes a big difference with the heli on the ground.

[Vechlor]

After moving the canopy off and on a few dozen times, the mount holes in the canopy started to widen, even coming off the mount posts during a hover. Using two 5/16 O.D. x 1/8 I.D. x 3/16 Thick x 1/16 Groove Width, the rubber grommets kept the canopy on the posts very snug and made it much easier to mount and demount.

To install the grommets, I had to open the canopy holes to about 3/16 with a reamer tool and use needle nose pliers (or a small screw driver works good) to push one end of the grommet through the hole. These grommets I had on hand, but if you can find one with a grove width of 1/32, that would fit the thickness of the plastic better.

[Vechlor]

A heli with tight or loose linkages, screws, gyro tape etc. will make it harder to control the heli and possibly cause a crash if something fails. Listed below are some tips on how to fix slop or binding.

Ball Link Slop


A ball link on a metal ball should be tight enough so that if you tap on the servo arm, the link should barely move around the ball.



If using normal pliers or ball link pliers, check for scratch marks on the metal balls as this can lead to premature wear on the link socket. If the metal ball is damaged, it should be replaced.



Use a small piece of heat shrink tubing or tape on the ends of the ball link fork or needle nose pliers, this will help to protect the metal ball when removing a link.

Note: One side of the ball link socket has an engraving (groove) while the other side is flush. The engraved side of the socket should always face the metal ball to function properly. If the link is not on properly, it can cause the link to stretch and loosen and could lead to slop or even pop off during flight.
Ball Link Binding


Another good tip posted on this forum is to use a spare metal ball and a razor blade knife to cut two slits on each side of the metal ball. Mount the ball on a spare servo arm or a drill and turn the metal ball inside the plastic socket until the binding is removed. Another suggestion is to use a spare canopy mounting post for the handle and screw the metal ball in the threaded side (with some loctite).

Flybar Mixing Arm Slop


The flybar mixing arms and the mixer-block arms use brass eyelets for mounting. If the arms slide on the eyelet while moving the main blade grips back and forth, then the brass eyelets might be a bit too long. I used 400 grit sand paper to remove material from the smaller end of the eyelet until the extra movement was gone. Keep in mind not to sand too much off or binding will accrue.

[kevinbattista]

tail mod..
I had a problem with the "+" screws on my tail mount stripping:arggg:
(i like to change my fins alot) so i used 4 2mx20 hex head bolts and 8 nuts.
Run the bolts through the opposite way the screws were, then add the first set of nuts to hold the tail housing together ( this also leaves a space so the rod end doesn't rub the fin) ~ you may have to open the holes a bit on the fin ~ then washer and cap nut. piece of cake:thumbup:


also , sometimes there is metal showing from the male/female bullet connectors so i added a piece of heat shrink longer and bigger to slip over the female connector.. only heating the wire side , it makes a nice boot, no arking here:thumbup:


another wise piece of advice was the plumbing solder for tail weight.:thumbup:


NOTE: something i learned the hard way ... Cypher main gear is a 0.4 mod ... and the main motor shaft is 2.3mm.. they DO NOT make a 0.4mod pinion with a 3mm bore hole.. SO.. if you change your motor (like i did) make sure it has a 2.3mm shaft.. or you'll have to get a drill press to bore out the pinion gears to make them fit (like i did);)

[tlrascal]

Note: Ball links have a mark or engraving on one side of the socket, this side should always face the metal ball. If the link is not on properly, it can cause the link to stretch and loosen and could lead to slop or even pop off during flight.
[/QUOTE]
You've advised wrong on ball link orientation. Mark should be on the outside not inside as described.

[kevinbattista]

Note: Ball links have a mark or engraving on one side of the socket, this side should always face the metal ball. If the link is not on properly, it can cause the link to stretch and loosen and could lead to slop or even pop off during flight.

You've advised wrong on ball link orientation. Mark should be on the outside not inside as described.[/QUOTE]



correct me if wrong but one side is flat and the other has a rounded side... rounded side should face ball...

[maddog57]

Het guys, seems there's a little confusion on link orientation here. Vechlor is right. One side of the link has a "ridge" around the hole... this is the side that goes onto the ball first. Myself, I just look at each side and look for the bigger hole... it goes onto the ball first..Takes a little getting used to, but after a bit, it's easy to tell the difference in hole size.

Chris :thumbup:

[kevinbattista]

just watch the video.... ;) Bob x~plains it about 5mins into the vid
http://video.helifreak.com/?subpath=finless/generic&filename=Ball_Links101.wmv
flat side goes out , round side to ball / smaller opening out, bigger opening to ball.
on ALIGN links the "A" goes away from the ball...for the record I just looked at the links Hobby People sent me (oem for CYPHER ) and there is NO mark..

[Vechlor]

tlrascal, kev,
Sorry for the confusion and bad choice in words as I was trying to describe the groove on the Cypher link, which has no letter or mark. As for trex links, the letter does face away from the ball, which is correct.

Post revised above. :thumbup: