Blade balancing

[That Guy]

Don't mean to open a can of worms, but is there any sort of concensus about what method of blade balancing is better: scales or mounting the blades on a spindle? I have to say I had not considered a digital scale, but that seems like an easy way to do it, if the .1 gram scale will work.

Opinions?

[whoanelly]

Either or is fine. Scale is def easier.

[thatdude596]

is you got the loot get a scale. most accurate way. i dont think its necessary with the 450's. you can get away with a 5-8 dollar ebay balancer

[Cailid]

If you get a scale, get one that's accurate to .01g. Most of the cheaper ones are only accurate to .1g

[Avidflyer]

Get a decent set of blades and run em. I have never balanced a set of Blades on my 400 or 450. Unless they are way far out on a 400 you'll never notice the difference. Now on something like my Raptor where my 600mm Carbon blades weigh about as much as an entire Blade 400 that's another story.

[crashmore]

Originally Posted by Cailid

If you get a scale, get one that's accurate to .01g. Most of the cheaper ones are only accurate to .1g

+ 1. A scale accurate to .01 g costs like $19 at Amazon and is great tool to have. (BTW, digital calipers have gotten really cheap too and are great to have.)

Weigh the blades, then add the difference to the lighter blade at the center of gravity of the blade, which you find by balancing it teeter-totter-style. Easy. I use electrician's tape that is .04 grams / centimeter. Just measure, cut, and apply. (You can just barely see a little piece of black tape wrapped around the middle of the leading edge of the closer blade in my icon.)

[That Guy]

Originally Posted by Cailid

If you get a scale, get one that's accurate to .01g. Most of the cheaper ones are only accurate to .1g

That's what I was wondering.. specifically if .1 gram would be accurate enough. From what you're saying, it's not.

[CACN]

Bob's blades balancing method is the best. Here is the video:

http://video.helifreak.com/?subpath=...lancing101.wmv

[whoanelly]

Originally Posted by Avidflyer

Get a decent set of blades and run em. I have never balanced a set of Blades on my 400 or 450. Unless they are way far out on a 400 you'll never notice the difference. Now on something like my Raptor where my 600mm Carbon blades weigh about as much as an entire Blade 400 that's another story.

+1 if they are carbon just have at it...if you stick with stock woodies then balance every single gawt dam time...

[Harbormaster]

Originally Posted by That Guy

That's what I was wondering.. specifically if .1 gram would be accurate enough. From what you're saying, it's not.

The .01 resolution scales will weigh 100 grams. That should be plenty of capacity for most heli stuff, and the fine resolution is nice to have.

[crashmore]

When you get a heli set up just perfecty it just hums.

I could be wrong, but I think the time spent getting blades balanced just right really does make a difference. If you do the math for that small weight difference times the RPMs and the distance from the hub (or whatever--it's been a long time since I took physics), a small out-of-balance weight can have a big effect.

[thatdude596]

I had two identical cheap woodies. One was set was perfect, the other way off. Cant complain for 6.00 bucks