Newbie Looking to build a HDX 450SE -

[jfrock25]

First off,

If only I didn't buy that havoc from Target!!!
If only I didn't buy that Air Hogs Reflex
If only I didn't buy that BCX2.....

Now I'm hooked and slightly obsessed.

I have never been involved in any type of RC as a hobby, So this is all new to me!
I think my girlfriend thinks Im nuts.

I have been reading reading reading. I have watched the Finles Bob HDX 450 video builds, and plan to watch them several more times.

I am about to start reading all the newbie stuff stickied here as well.


So,
Ive decided to dive right in, I was almost tempted to buy the Blade 400, but have since decided against it. I want to know how a helicopter works inside and out. Which will let me fix any problems I come across.

I also plan to get a sim at some point during my build to practice.

For some reason I am drawn to the HDX 450 SE, so this is the path that I think I'm going to go. I went to helidirects website and put together one of the kits. I need some help though. Can anyone tell me out of these parts, is there any that I can go cheaper on and any that I should immediately upgrade to. Also what tools am I going to need? Any Misc things that I should get right away.

HDX 450SE V3 w/ motor Silver Frame
Brushless motor - NONE as it comes with one
Speed Controllers - Quark Universal ESC 33A
Servos - Hitec HS 65MG X 3
Tail Servo - Logitech 3100G Servo
Gyro - Logitech 2100T
Battery - Mega Power 2100MAH 20c X 2
Charger - Hyperion EOS LBA10

XTRA - Hardware Scew Bag HDX450SE 6.99

Total for that 682.52 w/ free shipping

For Radio I have decided for the DX6i w/ AR 6200 Reciever
This is from thebarnfloor.com for 179.99

To me it seems as this is my first real heli I am not going to be using the Extra Features the DX7 Provides for a long long time. This way it will save quite a bit of money. Agree? Disagree?

Is there anything I'm missing besides the sim? Can I use my DX6i with a sim? Im not sure how that exactly works.

Total = 862.51


Any help Comments would be great?

Once everything is built I plan on finding someone local probably through my hobby shop to inspect everything and maybe show me properly how to set things up if they would be so kind!

Thanks,
Im Justin by the way and located in Chicago.

[istandalone]

not sure about the dx6i with a sim, but i know from people here that it's a good radio, just not as good a the dx7. check out www.readyheli.com (http://www.readyheli.com) , as they have a logitech 2100 & digi tail servo combo and that servo is meant to be used with that gyro. you might want to consider the gy401 from futaba, just because it's easier to set up then the 2100 for a beginner. for tools, do you have any? you'll need a set of allen/hex wrenches, not sure if the hdx is metric or sae but you should be able to find a kit that has both. get a decent screwdriver set, not micro tiny but smaller then say a flat head #1. needle nose pliers, and regular pliers can be had in a set too. get a decent soldering iron, 30w minimum. i'm surprised that any hobby shops online or storefront don't sell a ready-made toolkit that has everthing you'll need. decent tools aren't really cheap, so don't be surprised if you spend several hundred dollars just on tools alone. your in chicago? check out the helifreak locator, as there has to be other pilots in your area. mark your area on the locator too. everyone in this hobby that i've met would bend over backward to help out a newcomer. i'm the same way, i love helping people when i can and getting others into the hobby. your in the right place bro. oh, one more thing. you're going to be broke in a manner of months, and by the end of this coming summer you'll prolly have 3 or more birds. they're like lay's potato chips. you can't have just one.

[Snoopy6]

Speaking of tools.....I bought a set (Kobalt, chrome-nickle)) of 6 mini-pliers from Lowes, including diagonal cutters, long needle nose, regular needle nose, flat nose, curved needle nose and dykes for under $14. They have rubberized handles. I don't believe you can find a better value. :thumbup:

[Pinecone]

1) Read the threads on the HDX helis. Personally I would get a Trex. I went through the same questioning about 20 months ago, and go the Trex. HDX stuff has problems.

2) If you are really hooked, the DX7 will take you further. But teh DX6i is hceap enough you can sell it for some reasonable amount when you do upgrade. :)

[CagedVR6]

Yup you got in as i did. It was 1st the havoc from Target, little did i know that would later ruin my bank account

Then it was the axe cp...junk...ebayed it


Then it was the blade CX2, kept that maybe 6 months and loved every bit of it. Seriously fun Heli


Sold that for Realflight G4 and now currently have whats in my sig.


Im in the process of building.


Heres all the stuff i have bought so far aside from the heli.


I already had needle nose and other pliers and screw drivers so i didnt need to buy those.

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f138/drel83/Goods.jpg?t=1203171980

[lotus7]

recently sold my HDX450 , having upgraded to the HDX500
I would start there, not much more than the 450 but a lot more stable and can fly in reasonable wind
I ordered 2 DX6i from Barnfloor late Dec , originally available 4 Jan , when this date was put out a few times with the latest expected date 29 Feb, I changed the order for 2 DX7s for me and my son, arrived in South Africa 8 days later. I since ordered another DX7 for my younger son .
The service etc from Helidirect and Barnfloor super - considering the fact that we are damn far from USA

[jfrock25]

So I updated my list at the top to include the logitech 3100g per the reply that its meant to go with the 2100t gyro.

I will have to take a look at the 500 size but unfortunately Im trying to keep myself on a budget.

What about my other servos, will these (Hitec HS 65MG X 3) work fine?

Lotus7 how did your HDX build go? Have you ever flown a Trex for comparison? For some reason I seem to have my heart set on the HDX.

Thanks for all the comments so far. I'm not even planning on purchasing anything for at least a month as I'm trying to research about everything more. This is quite a bit of information to soak in coming from no RC experience.

Now its time to get my twice a day BCX2 fix ;)

Oh I have one really dumb question. What is the crystal for? Am I going to need this for my receiver and transmitter? I haven't included this in my list yet as I dont know what its for???

[istandalone]

that's the beauty of dx6/7, no crystals and you should be 99.9% glitch/interference free. i've yet to take the plunge to spead spektrum, but soon. prolly with my "george bush is an idiot" check we are supposed to get.

[jfrock25]

what canopys fit the HDX 450, do all the canopys that fit the Trex 450 fit the HDX?

Is the white one that comes with the kit meant to be painted?

I saw a picture somewhere of someones that was a maroon color with black window. Thought it looked great!

[randerson07]

Are you actually in Chicago? or a suburb? Im about 50 miles from Chicago in Pingree Grove. I took a different route from you, Ive been into RC since I was probably 10, but didnt buy my first car till I was 18, my parents wouldnt pay for me and I didint get a good job till then.

I got into Helis cause my dad got me a Blade 400 for xmas(since I now live in my own home and still play with toy cars, they have since changed their minds about my hobby/addiction). I then came into a little cash and built one from scratch. I went with the Thunder Tiger Mini Titan cause Ive never been one to run what everyone runs, and because it was $200 with ESC and Motor from Amain, where Ive been buying alot of my car parts from. From there I went with the best I could afford.

My suggestion, if that HDX is in the $200 price range, get a Mini Titan, or Trex SA, or even the RCTek( I think its like $100 for the bare bones kit). Also get the DX7 I have a DX6I and Im certainly in this for a while and will not be able to run a nitro bird with Gov unless I get a 7ch radio. I think theres a website that has a Trex package for like $500 that would also be a good place to start.

And last, if your a good deal west of Chicago, I just learned theres about 4 of us in the Mini Titan forum on this site that are going to be hitting up the golf dome in Bensenville this winter.