Blue Align Blade balancer??

[Strumminthesix84]

I just purchased the cheap blue align blade balancer. This is my first time balancing my blade cpp symetrical blades. I got my two equal wine glasses setup, found my center of gravity for a single blade and then put them onto the contraption. One of the blades was obviously lighter than the other so I put tracking tape on the center of gravity line until they were both balanced. Everything was running smooth until I tried to flip the balancer over and it wouldn't balance at all. It would either fall one way or the other. My question is if this is supposed to happen? The blades balance perfectly when placed one way on the balancer and will bounce back to normal when they are pushed to either side. Then flipped over, when pushed to one side the blade will stay down, and when pushed the other way it will also stay down. To clear up the flipping it over which may seem confusing when I say flipping it, the tracking tape would stay on the same side, as opposed to rotating the blades which would deem the tracking tape on the other side. Hope that made sense.

[TheBum]

You have to make sure the blades are perfectly aligned in the balancer. Have you watched Finless's video on blade balancing (http://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=11373)? He uses the same balancer in that video.

[Strumminthesix84]

So If I get the blades center of gravity equal, and then use the align blade balancer, the blades should be balances no matter which way they are facing? (four positions possible rotating and flipping).

[Strumminthesix84]

Anyone? Anyone? I have been messing around with these blades for about 2 days now and I'm about to go through my 1st pack of tracking tape. I have them perfecty balanced when placed one way on the two wine glasses and then flipped over there falling to either side. IS THIS NORMAL??? Please help me before I break these blades in half. Thanks

[Strumminthesix84]

OK I believe I figured it out. The blades have to be facing with the leading edge pointing clockwise in order to balance correctly. If Im wrong someone please correct me. Thanks

[jeffk]

OK I believe I figured it out. The blades have to be facing with the leading edge pointing clockwise in order to balance correctly. If Im wrong someone please correct me. Thanks

Clockwise and counter-clockwise are irrelevant with this balancer. The blades MUST be lined up perfectly with one another. If they are not, they will not balance properly. TheBum referenced the Finless video on blade balancing 101 and you should go watch it carefully. Bob shows you how to make sure the blades are lined up precisely.

Also, the blades mount to the balance shaft the exact same way they mount in the heli.

[Strumminthesix84]

Ive watched that video about 4 times (Great instruction). I got the blades CG matched perfectly using the lined paper, main shaft, and the reference lines as he said. The blades were tipping at the exact same time with the reference lines matching and everything straight after a few lines of tracking tape on the one side. I then put the blades on the balancer, lined them up on the side of a table and made the blade edge parallel to the table using a ruler to make sure it was perfect. Then I put the balancer on my wine glasses(which I checked with a level) Then I got both the blades perfecty balanced with no tilting using tracking tape on the opposite blade I taped to fix the CG. Everything seems perfect. Then I lift the balancer off and check the other 3 various ways you can place the balancer on the glasses and maybe one of the other ways it will stay balanced, and the other 2 it will fall in which ever direction it is tilted slightly with no bounce back to correct the tiliting. What is going on here? It's very frustrating

[jeffk]

How tight is the axle of the balancer in the holes of the blades? If there's any slop and the axle isn't centered in the holes, it could do this.

At this point, just guessing.

[Strumminthesix84]

The slop is minimal. I made sure it was lined up perfectly this time with no change. Thanks for the suggestion though. I had to remove the plastic pre-blade grips I guess you could call them to be able to fit the balancer shaft into the blade cp symmetrical blades because the hole cut for the screws in the plastic was too small but underneath the plastic peices the drilled hole was the perfect fit. Would this affect anything. Are these blades maybe just to light and difficult to balance Heres a pic of the blades so you can see what I removed. Thanks again

[jeffk]

I dunno but it may have something to do with their weight. During the brief two days I had my Blade CPP, I used my Align balancer to balance them and didn't have much trouble, though I didn't try from all different angles. They seemed to be well balanced. I'd say try 'em out. They might be fine.

[Strumminthesix84]

Did you remove the plastic pieces as well?

[kgfly]

Remember that a seesaw balance is very sensitive so the slightest difference will show up. If they are balancing in two out of four orientations you are good to go. Some folks fly without balancing at all and don't have vibration problems, others spend ages trying to achieve perfect balance. If you have them balancing in one or two orientations and drooping slightly in the others then you are probably within 0.1g or less in weight and 1mm or less in CG which is really quite adequate. Relax and go fly.

[Strumminthesix84]

Much thanks. Thats what I wanted to hear, but couldn't bring myself to accept. Now I can relax a bit tonight.