Cypher 3D - Love this Heli!

[maddog57]

Lowflyer, I've got a set of Align 325 carbons I'm saving for the day my piloting skills are better. Til then , the stock woodies will work, they're cheap so I don't feel so bad taking a set out. Same with the servos, I'm gonna stay with the non-digitals for now, except on the tail. I'm using the logictech 2100/3100 gyro/servo. works beautifully.

This is cool. We're gettin' a good list of "peeps" here so far. Maybe the Cypher is more popular than I thought

Chris

[lowflyer101]

maddog, , new align 325d carbon under$30 still too cheap compare to 710mm carbon on my 700n $130 a pop . stock cypher plastic main grip could save the carbon blade in crash. most time i crash 450 heli i dont detroy my carbon.. ooop what i am talking about??? this is my first electric heli since 6 months went into dark side of nitro .

with time permit, i will take a video of cypher with couple of us local pilots flying real hard/ pitch pump abuse to see how this heli hold on all stock. i still trying to finnish it, no maiden yet , judge from price tag/ quality/ when it come out the box, this heli kick the minitian/ trex sa butts . no question... however, i still needs to fly it lol.. cant wait .

right now some slop i found during build : the tail pitch arm interface with vertical fin. to solve it , I use 2 small m3 washer inside of lower vertical fin mount. give tail pitch arm clearance room ..
belt tension and gear mesh, factory build the belt littte bit loose (hold the tail and try spin the head, the belt slip easy) , motor gear mesh too tight, loose it up a hair thin to go easy with HS/motor/esc/ lipo

[maddog57]

The only problems I've had on mine , have been small things. I didn't like the selt-taping screws mounting the tail blades. The blade seemed to catch on the screw threads. Tried reaming the blade hole which was better but still not good enough. Ended up enlarging both blade and grip holes and attach using a 2mm socket head screw w/ seif-locking nut. Now the tail blades are free to do their thing, free of any binding and are nice and secure.

I had to adj. the gear mesh of the motor too. That's an easy one. I use a small strip of plain paper and run it thru the gears. Should see a nice crisp tooth pattern in the paper, but don't wanna see any cuts of the paper.

The swash on mine is slop - free. Went thru the whole head and found a few slightly loose screws, which was taken care of by pulling all screws and putting lock-tite on the threads. All in all my Cypher was exellent outta the box. Needed only minor linkage adjust to get it all level. Man I love this stuff,lol!

Lowflyer, that'd be cool to see some vids of your bird in the air. I'd post a few but they'd be pretty lam with me trying to maintain a hover. One of these days, when I can do FF I'll post one. I've seem a few videos of the Cypher doing some mild 3D, so to see 'er pushed would be cool.

Hey zero-dark-thirty, did you get yours in the air yet? I should have mine up by mid-week.

Chris

[blvdbuzzard]

I have been playing with my Cypher. I had the GY401 with an Airtronics 94761 digital servo. I tried a G401B gyro that sells for $40.00 shipped. Held like a rock but would drift. Tried a lot of different things and it did not help. I wanted to use the GY401 in my Raptor 30 with the matching S9254 servo. I ended up ordering (2) Logitec 2100T gyros with matching 3100G servos for $110.00 from heliproz.

After reading Maddog57's reply, I am wondering if the vibrations of the tail blades and the sheet metal screws were not screwing with the gyro. It is a good gyro but can not handle ANY vibratioons.

The Logitc's are great. A little bit different to setup but easy enough to do. They hold like the tail is glued to the position. I am back to doing back flips and stationary rolls with my Cypher. I was doing sort of a flip and piro. I would pull the nose up to vertical, do a piro then finish the flip. I lost it big time. Talk about almost planting it. I pulled full positive pitch when I was inverted. Not good. I slammed full negitive pitch just in time. I was then inverted, nose in and had no way of knowing whats next. I was banging the stick fighting it all the way. After what seemed like an hour, really about 30 seconds or less, I was able to get it tail in at about 100 feet up. Landed and called it a day. Did not want to push my luck with the helicopter Gods.

I a running the factory seconds carbon blades from deal extreme. I ordered (3) sets for like $12.00 each. They have surface imperfections, I can not see them when it is in the air so I don't care. They fly well, that is all I care about.

Been to windy and cold to fly at home. WInds have been above 50MPH and snowing. Not a good time to be outside trying to fly.

It is hard to go up against a Trex clone for the same price. The EXi goes for $100.00. Every one wants a Trex clone. I think the Cypher is better then the clones. I have a MX450 and a DIablo. Both are FANTASTIC helicopters. I am scared to fly the Diablo, to much to repair it compared to the Cypher. The MX450 is worse in cost per crash.

I think it is Rex envy, wonder if there is a helicopter version of Viagra for the Cypher. Shuold be an outstanding seller. Just no one wants it compared to a Rex. I like mine, seems that every one who tries it likes it. Just need to get people off there Rex and onto thier Cyphers.



Dru.

[Zero-Dark-Thirty]

Originally Posted by maddog57

The only problems I've had on mine , have been small things. I didn't like the selt-taping screws mounting the tail blades. The blade seemed to catch on the screw threads. Tried reaming the blade hole which was better but still not good enough. Ended up enlarging both blade and grip holes and attach using a 2mm socket head screw w/ seif-locking nut. Now the tail blades are free to do their thing, free of any binding and are nice and secure.

I had to adj. the gear mesh of the motor too. That's an easy one. I use a small strip of plain paper and run it thru the gears. Should see a nice crisp tooth pattern in the paper, but don't wanna see any cuts of the paper.

The swash on mine is slop - free. Went thru the whole head and found a few slightly loose screws, which was taken care of by pulling all screws and putting lock-tite on the threads. All in all my Cypher was exellent outta the box. Needed only minor linkage adjust to get it all level. Man I love this stuff,lol!

Lowflyer, that'd be cool to see some vids of your bird in the air. I'd post a few but they'd be pretty lam with me trying to maintain a hover. One of these days, when I can do FF I'll post one. I've seem a few videos of the Cypher doing some mild 3D, so to see 'er pushed would be cool.

Hey zero-dark-thirty, did you get yours in the air yet? I should have mine up by mid-week.

Chris

Not yet I should have her put together sometime next week..

Mike

[lowflyer101]

i original install align ds420 on tail, this a bad choice , tail wag like hell, now i got big fat futaba 9254 on tail,, work perfect.. only problem,, HEAD HEAVY . even with fat 9254 on boom. esc/ rx on back .. 401 on front.. the head still heavy ... i don't know how much my lipo weight?? my pack is very old hobbycity purple pack. 2200 mah.. what packs you guy used... how the balance on your cypher450?

[blvdbuzzard]

I am using the red label HK 2200 packs, ESC is under the frame in the back.


Dru.

[maddog57]

Lowflyer, I'm using CellPro 2200mah packs. ESC is mounted under tthe rear of the frame [between the skids]. RX is mounted under the tail boom and Logictec gyro is on top of the boom. Mine is nose heavy too, even when I use a 1800mah pack. I tried mounting the tail servo app. 2" in front of the vertical fin using a short link rod from my spare parts collection. That helped level it out some. Only problem was when I had a boom strike the tail servo was taken out! So the servo is back to the original spot. I've read where others have talked about the Cypher being nose heavy. Some have tried to compensate by adjusting the swash, others have tried adding weight to the tail, still others have said the nose being heavy wasn't a problem. I haven't flown mine since putting the tail servo back to the normal spot cuz I'm waiting on blades [just saw the UPS man drop them at my door, yahoo!] I'll try it and let you guys know if I have an issue with it being nose heavy.

later,Chris

[nerlinger]

I have a new Cypher that I am gathering electronics for now. I need a DX7 and a JR3400g tail servo. I am sure it will fly nicely.

[blvdbuzzard]

nerlinger, if you don't have a radio yet, look at the Airtronics RDS8000. It goes for $229.99 with two Rx's. Best bang for your radio buck.

So far I am impressed with the Airtronics 94091 micro servos. They are holding up well to the abuse, errrrr I mean use . They are tight and slop free, good speed, good centering and them seem to be happy.

I am going to order the GWS HPX high speed analog servo to go wint my G401B and see if I can get it to stop drifting.


Dru.

P.S. Welcome to the Cypher hood.:O:O

[maddog57]

Originally Posted by nerlinger

I have a new Cypher that I am gathering electronics for now. I need a DX7 and a JR3400g tail servo. I am sure it will fly nicely.

Hi Nerlinger. Another good choice in radios is the Spektrum DX6i. About $180 retail, I got mine for $150 from my lhs. Half the price of the DX7. But the DX7 is a great radio, just a tad out of my price range. Dru is right about the Airtronics too. Think the DX7 and Airtronics have more options than the 6i, like 2 more idle-ups to name one. I'd love a Spektrum DX7e, which is pretty new. hey, they're all good radios!

Welcome and enjoy.

Chris

[irjamesm]

Originally Posted by blvdbuzzard

nerlinger, if you don't have a radio yet, look at the Airtronics RDS8000. It goes for $229.99 with two Rx's. Best bang for your radio buck.

So far I am impressed with the Airtronics 94091 micro servos. They are holding up well to the abuse, errrrr I mean use . They are tight and slop free, good speed, good centering and them seem to be happy.

I am going to order the GWS HPX high speed analog servo to go wint my G401B and see if I can get it to stop drifting.


Dru.

P.S. Welcome to the Cypher hood.:O:O

Yea, we seem to be a small group,but a comitted one.
(i think dru is not that far from me, and wants to show me some of his skills?)

[irjamesm]

Originally Posted by irjamesm

Yea, we seem to be a small group,but a comitted one.
(i think dru is not that far from me, and wants to show me some of his skills?)

After i posted, and read that....hope it didnt sound weird??

[wmartin38]

Originally Posted by lowflyer101

i original install align ds420 on tail, this a bad choice , tail wag like hell, now i got big fat futaba 9254 on tail,, work perfect.. only problem,, HEAD HEAVY . even with fat 9254 on boom. esc/ rx on back .. 401 on front.. the head still heavy ... i don't know how much my lipo weight?? my pack is very old hobbycity purple pack. 2200 mah.. what packs you guy used... how the balance on your cypher450?

I am using the Flightpower 2170 and a fat futaba gyro as well my balance is very good!

[blvdbuzzard]

Well Irjamesm, I did get a laugh out of it

We are in the opposite corners of San Diego. I am in the extreme east county, about 70 miles east of Lindbergh field. Way out where the big windmills are or the Golden Acorn casino. I have my own runway, not as large as I would like, but I usually fly in my front yard.

I am trying to join Chollas R/C, http://www.modelaircraft.org/clubdetails.aspx?club=1567

It is a 60ish mile drive each way. My brother belongs to the hemet flyers so we trade drives. He drives the 90 miles to Chollas and the next month I drive to hemet.

We are also going to join the Torrey Pines Gulls,
http://www.modelaircraft.org/clubdetails.aspx?club=3059

He just bought a 2.6meter Ventus from Nitro planes. I still have 5 slope planes from years past.


For the most part, I fly anything I can. Helicopters have been the most frustrating and rewarding R/C I have done to date. Here is a pic of my addiction. I have found that you can not leave 2 helicopters in the same room over night. They breed like rabbits.


Dru.

[irjamesm]

Originally Posted by blvdbuzzard

Well Irjamesm, I did get a laugh out of it

We are in the opposite corners of San Diego. I am in the extreme east county, about 70 miles east of Lindbergh field. Way out where the big windmills are or the Golden Acorn casino. I have my own runway, not as large as I would like, but I usually fly in my front yard.

I am trying to join Chollas R/C, http://www.modelaircraft.org/clubdetails.aspx?club=1567

It is a 60ish mile drive each way. My brother belongs to the hemet flyers so we trade drives. He drives the 90 miles to Chollas and the next month I drive to hemet.

We are also going to join the Torrey Pines Gulls,
http://www.modelaircraft.org/clubdetails.aspx?club=3059

He just bought a 2.6meter Ventus from Nitro planes. I still have 5 slope planes from years past.


For the most part, I fly anything I can. Helicopters have been the most frustrating and rewarding R/C I have done to date. Here is a pic of my addiction. I have found that you can not leave 2 helicopters in the same room over night. They breed like rabbits.


Dru.

I use to fly in this back area where i lived, but i've moved and dont have a place to fly.
I have 2 foamie planes an easy star w/brushless motor, and a twin star with 2 brushless motors
I've been flying the heli in the driveway
Wow, lots of heli's i see the cypher there 3rd from the right..

James

[blvdbuzzard]

The line up from left to right is HBKII, HBKII aluminum, AXE bell hiller and GY240 modes, AXE with belt drive GY240 modes, RC-TEC Diablo, MX450SX, Cypher, Nexus 30, Raptor 30V1

This does not have any of my planes in it. That is another addiction I am trying to break. There have been soome pretty good sales around the net. Hard to keep saving this much money

Dru.

[Globs]

I got a Cypher after my 450, because the local hobbystore sold the bits very cheaply and it was a nice simple heli!

It's been easy to fix too but I've had two crashes now. the first was my own fault and needed a new mainshaft (bent 20degrees), top bearing, main+tail blades, boom, flybar and auto-rotation bearing.

The second crash was because a screw came out of the swash plate - they are loose and need loctiting in too! In fact every single screw is now loctited!!
The HXT900s appear to be crashproof

The ESC gets very hot which I'm sure is poor for battery life but seems to work in the cold weather I have. The way I have mounted everything is:

ESC - plastic mostly cut away and tyrapped right on top in front of mainshaft with the two capacitors toward the swash and the heatsink upwards. This gives the best cooling. The receiver is under the back servo-taped on one end stuck just to the underneath. The satellite rx (servotaped) + gyro wires (tyrap) are stuck on one side. The installation is very neat, all 3 servoc wires go under the RHS elevator servo and tyrapped up just behind to clear them from the cogwheel. The elevator servo is installed from the outside and is nicely inline.

I also stuck some flybar weights on to slow the response down a little in my small garden. The blades are 450 size so I'm putting 450 woodies I have spare on it next.
I have oiled all the bearings.

It flys very well and is nice and precise, a very simple design that is easy to fix and flys with wind very well. The only mod I may make is a better ESC and a better tail servo!

[blvdbuzzard]

Well I got a couple more flights on it today. I am getting better with it.

A word of caution though. Watch you setup. I was in normal mode just hovering and doing piros. I flipped into idle up 1 and was doing some power climbs, climbing piros and some back flips. I was pretty high and did some back ward flight back to me. I was dropping at about a 45 degree angle flying back wards. The tail totally blew out big time. I caught it then it blew out again. I almost lost it, the tail blew out so fast.

Well I landed and did some checking. I had a gain setting of 85 in normal mode and only 30 in idle up 1 and throttle hold. So I cranck the gain up to 85 in all 3 modes and all is well. The tail holds so freaking good now.


I am doing back flips, forwad flips, rolls both sides and piros. I will soon be back to stall turns and FF flight. This helicopter flies so well. A guy at the field was impressed at how it is put together. He likes it big time. He was asking what ESC and motor I put in it. I said it came with them and it was $150.00. He thought i was joking. I said HP had it on sale for $100.00 for Pres day.

I am a happy camper.

GLOBS, check out http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.10786

I bought (3) sets and they fly pretty well. Way better then woodies.


Dru.

[Globs]

Bolted it back together today. This helicopter is soooo easy to work on, much much simpler than the 450 but still with proper ballraces on the mixing arms, tail blades etc.. I used loctite on every single metal/metal thread just to make sure, including the tail holder bolts..

So it only took about half an hour to fix it up and it was flyable again. Took it down the park today and it handled the wind pretty well, did a few circuits and boy can it go fast!

BTW: Thanks for the CF blade reference, I'd already ordered 3 sets of GF blades but when those are gone I'll get the CF ones. One thing I'm not short of now is blades however

I also ordered a new servo for the tail as the HXT900 I'm running is not fast enough for the wind here - this one - a HP-DS09-GMD with a 0.06s@0.8kgcm and can handle 6v if required.

Very happy with the way this flys - I added two brass flybar weights on mine (brass collars from the LHS drilled out to 2mm dia) as I wanted the head to be a bit slower.