DIY: 4G6 Crash Proofing and Performance Enhancing mods! Updated 27July2010

[enuro12]

Well i've read the entire thread now. Maybe timewerx will have a large apartment and decide to get a 4G6 for the indoor windy days.

Also looking forward to V8 blades.

Thanks for all your hard work!


On another note, i had my first crash with my 4G6, and subsequently my first gear strip. Can someone make a video of the tail gear saver mod? I just cant grasp what i'm supposed to be doing.

[timewerx]

Originally Posted by Silverexpress01

CC, I'm totally intrigued by this one blade thing. Nightflyer started with a plane prop, and it got me thinking about my parkzone um p51.

I used to read a discussion about this regarding full size helicopters. While single blades will actually give the best aerodynamic efficiency, and helicopter designers should know that fact, there has to be a very good reason why it's not done in real life.

Even though you can cancel out vibration with a counterweight, there is still significant vibration issues once pitch is applied and gets worse with increasing pitch/decreasing headspeed. May not a big issue in planes as it is with helis because of plane's proportionally low mass propellers.

Originally Posted by enuro12

Well i've read the entire thread now. Maybe timewerx will have a large apartment and decide to get a 4G6 for the indoor windy days.

Also looking forward to V8 blades.

Thanks for all your hard work!

That is still a 50/50 possibility. Hopefully, I could find the time to take one more flight test for an itsy bitsy design change from the last picture I posted here. The design is very good now.

[timewerx]

First and foremost, see attached for V8 Blades and V3 canopy template. Download V7 blades instruction here http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showa...0&d=1280553918

Instruction for making canopy is here https://www.helifreak.com/showpost.p...3&postcount=28

Disclaimer:

Same as the disclaimer for V7 blades in the link given above. In addition, this blade has not been fully tested as some missing instructions (wasn't able to grab picture of rounding the leading edge, hope I could describe it in words!). So proceed doing this mod at your own risk!

I finally made it to New Zealand as a student! So this certainly means no helicopters for me at least for one year and probably my last money spent on Walkera because of my location.

The mods are the V8 Unfinished Blades. That name is actually a warning. The blades has not been fully performance tested yet. It is however been crash-tested, roll-pitch tested, climb out. Here's some notable improvements over V7:

-Slightly better climbout performance
-Less weight
-Better crash crash survivability and crash protection
-Stronger attachment to the graphite core.
-Higher roll-pitch rates as per TX/mechanical setup
-Reduced control coupling in high energy banking - which is good.

Efficiency has not been tested due to lack of time. Had a crash unfortunately at 6:25 minutes before I could reach the end of the flight duration of usually 7 minutes. I only did quick repair in so little time left and only went as far to do few last 'draining flights' to get the batteries to storage charge for the very loooonngg storage.

Instructions:

-Please use downloaded template and the link for V7 blades. The process is nearly similar. However, give higher priority to instructions given on the V8 template and page 2 and it must override some parts in V7 Blades instructions if necessary. So make sure to read the template and page 2 first before using V7 blade instructions.

-Skip Step 37 in V7 Blades instruction manual.

-Page 2 of V8 Blades instruction is optional. It must be printed on the same paper you printed the template but on the other side (with the top of the template going to the printer first). Laser jet printer is required for the pattern in Page 2. If done correctly, you should have black wavy lines a third of the blade from the leading edge. It is used to improve aerodynamics of the blade. The wavy lines act like dimples on a golf ball that's why laser jet printing is necessary to have slightly protruding wavy lines. However, this has not been tested for real yet. In theory it might work, not sure for real.

-Finally, make sure the leading edge of the blade should be rounded as possible. I applied a light pressure of a ball point pen along(exactly in) the middle line of the blade while the blade is placed on top of a newspaper before I folded it. I used a straight rule so I drew a perfectly straight line along the middle line. If you fold it after that, the paper should fold along the line you drew very clean and straight. That's how I made a gently rounding leading edge.

I think that's it! Hope you enjoyed probably my last mod ever for Walkera 4G6 (and possibly all its derivatives!)

Picture below is V8 Blades and V3 canopy applied. The green coloring is due to the fluorescent green color paper I used. If you use only white colored paper for example, the color will be black and white.

[hjns]

Hi Mark,

Looks great! Wish you all the best in LotR land!

[Jeff_Barrett]

Glad to hear you made it there safely, Mark! Don't be a stranger!

Originally Posted by hjns

Looks great! Wish you all the best in LotR land!

[timewerx]

Lol Henk! CC, the place is so safe I tell you!

LotR, hmmm...

'Land of T Rex' ??THe place is really great for flying Trex 250 or just about anything once I get back to the hobby!

For sure, my first heli after 4G6 is a T250 or a clone!

[lazor 22]

Stay away from the clone 250's BAD business!!

[yellowpecora]

Originally Posted by timewerx

LotR, hmmm...
'Land of T Rex' ??!

Lord of the Rings, that's because most of the filiming for the movie
was done in NZ... But probably your guess is just as good ;-)

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[timewerx]

Originally Posted by lazor 22

Stay away from the clone 250's BAD business!!

THanks! Will keep that in mind, super combo's got some good prices anyway.

Originally Posted by yellowpecora

Lord of the Rings, that's because most of the filiming for the movie
was done in NZ... But probably your guess is just as good ;-)

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The part of NZ I live doesn't look much like LOTR land, looks more like Georgia, USA (even the music people listen to..), in a good way that I really like

My hobby atm is tinkering with my car(used), never actually tinkered with a car before and it also happens to be the first car I ever owned. There's just few things that needs to be fixed like brakes, oil change, etc and cost of labor here is simply something I'd rather bother doing some time doing research and learning some basic car maintenance/repair. It's turning out to be fun and I get shaped up at the same time, tightening and carrying stuff

[Jeff_Barrett]

Yup ... owning a car is much like owning a heli, hey??

[timewerx]

Originally Posted by Crazy_Canuck

Yup ... owning a car is much like owning a heli, hey??

In many respects, my car is like the 4G6 except the quality. One of the smallest around, size is between Chevy Aveo and Leyland Mini, sensitive to wind gusts, sensitive to road conditions even if it's in very good running condition, and a little underpowered.

I remember when I am bored, I would take my 4G6 for a spin. Now, when I'm bored, I'd take my car for a short spin in rural roads, good thing the car gets 35 mpg!

[Jeff_Barrett]

LMAO! Hope you get a heli back in your hands sometime soon... if not for your own safety, then for the safety of others... LOL!

[lazor 22]

Did you copy the Synergy N5 canopy Timewerx?

[Jskrapper]

Originally Posted by timewerx

In many respects, my car is like the 4G6 except the quality. One of the smallest around, size is between Chevy Aveo and Leyland Mini, sensitive to wind gusts, sensitive to road conditions even if it's in very good running condition, and a little underpowered.

I remember when I am bored, I would take my 4G6 for a spin. Now, when I'm bored, I'd take my car for a short spin in rural roads, good thing the car gets 35 mpg!

Nice! Congrats on the first car. If you have any questions on repair or maintenance, ask me! I am an auto guy by trade!

[timewerx]

Originally Posted by Crazy_Canuck

LMAO! Hope you get a heli back in your hands sometime soon... if not for your own safety, then for the safety of others... LOL!

Yep, I might be. My uncle's getting my two young cousins coax and I'll definitely be teaching them how to fly those. Don't think they'll progress beyond that any time soon. We're all on a budget!

I'm safe driver here though, can't pull the same stunts I did back home, plenty of cops and CCTV's aroundBack home, everyone's a crazy driver!

Originally Posted by lazor 22

Did you copy the Synergy N5 canopy Timewerx?

Nope, but I was surprised how similar the shape looks. I did copy the livery one time though after I saw the Synergy canopy. I felt better that my canopy design isn't that strange after all.

Originally Posted by Jskrapper

Nice! Congrats on the first car. If you have any questions on repair or maintenance, ask me! I am an auto guy by trade!

Perfect and thanks! I'll try to do things DIY and would would definitely need advise soon. Maintenance costs would be a lot lower if you DIY. First thing I've done so far is replace the caliper pads. Things went well and safe and thankfully, without collateral damage, lol!

[lazor 22]

Wow the shape does look similar... I was just looking at color schemes.

[timewerx]

The proportionally large chin especially...

I shaped it around the components with just enough breathing room for cooling and crash protection and reduce a bit of rotorwash drag. However, making the optimum shape was quite limited using just flat sheet paper. That's how the shape came about.

That picture reminded me of home!

[Jeff_Barrett]

Hahah. Well stay safe and have a great Christmas!

[timewerx]

Thanks and Merry Christmas and Happy New Year as well and to everyone!

Not much from me atm this holidays, having hard time teaching my young cousins fly their 3ch Syma coax... Actually, having a hard time myself flying it too! It has no gyro and ofc, only 3ch limitation. It would take a lot to stop it hitting a wall!

P.S. I just developed and tested my first ridiculously cheap DIY performance mod on my car. Engine power has increased slightly but improved fuel economy is yet to be determined. It's just as fun but felt more rewarding modding than helis(because cars are more useful?). Can't share it lol for this is not a car forum and for safety reasons!

I don't think I could DIY crash proof a car though.

[lazor 22]

OMG Timewerx I just saw this photo LMAO i've been laughing for 10 minutes finally got my eyes cleared to post this. and it's 4:09 people are asleep!!