Good Value

[Ian 777]

Hi

I just worked out what my heli. would cost If I built it from scratch using the best prices I can find on the net ( Inc PP)

Belt barebones kit 38.56
CopterX V2 head 35.43
CopterX V2 tail 17.70
UGT 05 swash 15.30
4 sg90 8.59
Align Pro woodies 6.50
Glass Canopy 10.50
DX6i 98.65
Motor 14.95
Esc 12.50

TOTAL £258.68

That may sound a lot to you in the states but if you change the £'s for $' you wont be far off what you would pay

You'd also have a complete head and tail you could sell on Ebay or donate to some newbie who's just piled his in


http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/8900/20080427helicopter0007kq3.jpg

[helihathnofury]

From whom do you get your Align woodies from at that cheap price? I did the same the other day, and all my bling came to £140, excluding copter and DX6i.

Mike

ps, glad I got over the brief but worrysome lack of confidence and self-doubt!!!

:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

[Ian 777]

Ebay Hong Kong:YeaBaby:

I wonder how much a Trex 450 with a metal head and tail and dx6i would be?

:Slap Woops! just realised I forgot the gyro and battery thats another £40:dontknow

[helihathnofury]

But how much would a stock Trex 450 cost, with all the kit etc so it would be ready to fly? I paid £65 for the Belt, another £106 for the DX6i, and £140 on spares/upgrades. That's £311.

Mike

[helihathnofury]

Here's the latest pic of her------

[Ian 777]

Mmmm sca two tone sort of feel to it. The purple looks ok too
Is that swash any good? what did you do the canopy with?

Is the red sticker on the blade balanced?

[helihathnofury]

Sprayed the canopy with matt black enamel aerosol paint, using lots of masking tape. Yup, the blades get balanced with the Align red/blue tracking tape on. Doesn't really look like a Belt at all now, more like a, er Trex 450!!!!!!!!!! Next time to the USA, will get some ally HDX 450 skids etc.

Do like the colors on your canopy though, really good.

Mike

[Ian 777]

Very much 2 tone is cool...
No unnecessary ornamentation 'William Morris'
Truth to materials 'Walter Gropius (bauhaus)
Well except that its a piece of plastic imitating a hightly complex piece of aviation engineering that is.... Aestheticaly it's in the best traditions of modern applied art:lol:

[helihathnofury]

.......will get a nicer, racing canopy when my flying is good enough for one!!!!

[another_finn]

Hey, black and white never go out of style :)

Just finished rebuilding what used to be my Belt CP today... and no, I'm not going to add up all the costs. I did that once, about $150 ago, and I learned my lesson...

[Ian 777]

Nah Mike the black and white is cool. The white canopy rib may be a slightly unneccesary nod toward the figurative in an otherwise strongly styalised theme

but the overall thing has an understated elegance IMHEO:rolling

[Ian 777]

Mika I've probably asked before but whats the swash on yours ?

Oh by the way I went to Helsinki in 1977 You Guys really know how to build a City,
trees every where, lovely, I suppose you have the advantage of low population density though.

[another_finn]

It's the Microheli Uni swashplate for T-Rex 450. It's really solid, but the tight tolerances mean I do need to remember to lubricate every few flights to keep it moving smoothly. If I was going to do it again, I'd probably go for a 3DX swashplate. I just don't see enough difference to justify the higher price - and by this I don't mean the Microheli is anything but perfect. The HDX/3DX just seems every bit as good.

I think Helsinki has changed a little from the 70s, but there are still plenty of trees left lining some of the larger streets. As you say, it helps having a country 40% larger than the UK with 1/12th the population...

[Ian 777]

I just remember being in a major city and thinking Where's the city? the whole Finnish approach seemed very appealling...( I was only 15)

Without being bothered to look on the net how much is the microheli swash and also what rad are the outer balls set on (approx. in relation to the Esky swash)

Thanks:)

[another_finn]

It's $44.99 at HeliDirect... and I wish you'd asked yesterday when I had both on the table. I can't measure any appreciable difference with the swashplates mounted - center of ball to center of ball is about a millimeter more than on the Esky swash, but the balls are also mounted on longer stalks. I'd say for all practical purposes the outer dimensions are close enough that you'd never notice the difference.

[Ian 777]

Thanks mate
thats close enough, the UGT 05 one is several mm bigger.

[DierWolf]

Finn where'd you get the black Trex head? or is it plastic Trex 450 XL parts?

[another_finn]

Bought it off ...er, can't remember whom at the old forum. It's a T-Rex 450 S alloy/plastic hybrid. The center hub looks black, but it's that Align gunmetal grey they have on the XL upgrade parts.

[DierWolf]

Oh ok so its the 3mm feathering shaft then, cool.

[Jonnyheli]

Those black and white woody blades are sexy, I also have them and I love them lol.

Ian, will you post a recent video of you flying? I want to compare my flying to yours. I saw a video of you flying about a month ago doing FF and it looked like the stage I am at now, well maybe a bit better than what I am now but close. I would just like to see how much you have progressed since then :D

Cheers,
Jonny

[Ian 777]

Yeah sure Mate I'll do one tomorrow night if the weather is Ok

I've got better but not as much as I'd like, spent too much time on this forum instead of flying!

Have you got a field yet jonny?

All the best Ian

[Jonnyheli]

Ok cheers. No, I haven't got a feild yet but I can find one any time soon. There is a field opposite my house but its not flat and there a houses near and people walking passed all the time and I don't want to put any one in danger. I also don't want people asking me to go higher etc when I am concerntrating. But there are a few places I have in mind.

For now tho my garden is ok, its quite big... probably about 12 x 12 metres. When the weather gets better and the wind dies down I will be taking it to a big open field or a car park and I think I will start progressing faster then:D

Looking forward to seeing the vid!

Thanks,
Jonny

[Ian 777]

Jonny
Sorry didn't get round to doing a vid to day, late back from work and busy since then, will try tommorow if the weathers ok

How come your on the internet at 3 0clock and not at school :confused:

[Ronniebiggs]

Nice helis. All very nice. AnotherFinn. How is your tail working? Do you have to put constant adjustment into it when you fly? Also how did you get it level. The hole dont match up to the tail. I had to use a spirit level.

Andy:)

[another_finn]

The mechanics are perfect, but the pEsky gyro is letting it down. The gain setting is a constant balancing act between not enough hold and too much wobble. And it was behaving so nicely on the plastic frame... My gyro placement is a little exotic, and I think there may be some vibration confusing it. If I can't fix it with moving the gyro and adding some more padding, I'll have to see about getting something better.

The hole on the Microheli tail matches the hole on the Esky CF boom perfectly, but I still eyeballed it because the boom itself has some room to twist in the frame.