Product Review: RDLohr's Outrage 550 Flybar Lock

ksmith0034 · 09-08-2010, 08:56 PM

I recently received the brand new Flybar Lock designed specifically for the Outrage 550 by Rick at RDLohr's Clearly Superior Products. Since I had previously been using the allen wrench through the see-saw trick, it was a joy to get my hands on a proper tool that was intended for this job.

First off, the tool works exactly as advertised. The fit is fantastic as it locks the flybar firmly in place while you adjust your pitch ranges. It is simple to use as demonstrated in the provided instructions.

Some of the CNC machined edges were a bit rough and unfinished, but could easily be sanded or filed to improve the finish if desired. In fact, Rick mentions in the instructions that the pieces can even be filed a bit if the fit is too tight. I didn't find that necessary as the pieces fit snugly in place as advertised.

The only problem I found about RDLohr's Outrage 550 Flybar Lock is the size. While it's nice to have a small, compact tool that can be thrown in the tool box, it's almost too small. Especially since it's made of clear lexan! The tiny pieces could easily get dropped or lost. I'll probably use a sharpie to color in the raw CNC areas for visibility, but I think a simple twist tie looped through the holes holding each piece together will be the best approach when it comes to keeping track of this fantastic tool.

rdlohr · 09-08-2010, 09:51 PM

Excellent. Glad you like it!

The holes you mentioned are there for exactly that purpose, to keep all three pieces together.

As far as the rough edges, the side edges are actually smooth, but the very top of the edge is left with a very thin artifact left over from cutting them. I remove some with my fingernail, but its too time consuming for me to remove them all and still keep my price low when making a lot of them. It doesn't affect how they work, but I end up removing them on my personal tools.

Thanks for the thorough review. I love to hear how my parts work out for people.

Rick

backburner1955 · 09-08-2010, 10:25 PM

I just received my Outrage 550 Pro Flybar lock from Rick tonight, and it would redundant for me to review the parts because Kevin nailed it right on the head.

Unfortunately, I wont be able to use it right away, as I wont be starting the build for a few weeks.

The parts are great, thanks Rick.

Kevin, your pics are missing.

rdlohr · 09-09-2010, 05:49 AM

Your welcome Bryan. Thanks for setting me up with a head. This one was fun to design because it was a bit of a challenge.

Rick

Foxden · 09-09-2010, 06:11 AM

Hey Rick,

did you make one yet for the Vel 50? if you had the FBL for the 550 it is the same head that comes on the Vel 50

ksmith0034 · 09-09-2010, 07:41 AM

I fixed the pictures. Thanks for the heads up Bryan.

branflake12 · 09-09-2010, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Foxden

Hey Rick,

did you make one yet for the Vel 50? if you had the FBL for the 550 it is the same head that comes on the Vel 50

Hows about one for us little guys that fly a G5? The head is also a bit unique...and the only flybar locks i have seen either involve tape or zip ties...

wolfdown · 09-09-2010, 04:32 PM

Can you post more pics from different angles?

rdlohr · 09-09-2010, 06:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Foxden

Hey Rick,

did you make one yet for the Vel 50? if you had the FBL for the 550 it is the same head that comes on the Vel 50

I promised Gregg I would make him an FBL tool for the Outrage 550 head he lent me, so I will have it as soon as I have the time to make them.

Quote:

Originally Posted by branflake12

Hows about one for us little guys that fly a G5? The head is also a bit unique...and the only flybar locks i have seen either involve tape or zip ties...

Find someone who will send me a head for a while and I'll give it a shot.

Rick

gregg25 · 09-09-2010, 07:44 PM

take your time rick. im not in a huge rush. i used a flybar and double checked with a digi gauge which was 2* off . im still waiting on the new case so im good but need a replacement becpro v2 now . does it ever stop?

rdlohr · 09-09-2010, 07:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gregg25

take your time rick. im not in a huge rush. i used a flybar and double checked with a digi gauge which was 2* off . im still waiting on the new case so im good but need a replacement becpro v2 now . does it ever stop?

Thanks Gregg. I am kind of backed up cause I had to go on a business trip for a few days.
No, it never stops!
Rick

ksmith0034 · 09-09-2010, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wolfdown

Can you post more pics from different angles?

Rick has some other pics posted in this thread:

http://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=237703&page=2

rdlohr · 09-17-2010, 09:44 PM

Was this what you had in mind?

gregg25 · 09-18-2010, 10:05 PM

rick perfect thats exactly what i was thinking -perfection-- umm can you make a dash for a 68 camaro outa acrylic ? just kidding.

rdlohr · 09-18-2010, 10:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gregg25

rick perfect thats exactly what i was thinking -perfection-- umm can you make a dash for a 68 camaro outa acrylic ? just kidding.

LOL, send me a Camaro head and I'll see what I can do...

Rick

rdlohr · 09-18-2010, 10:22 PM

He is a view looking more FBL like since its an FBL Alignment Tool.

Rick

gregg25 · 09-18-2010, 10:41 PM

im impressed

i think that may be a big seller too its not hard to tape the flybar to the button but its a pain in the a@@ to get it level on the tape this setup fixes it and i can use my 10 dollar pitch gauge again thats more accurate than my digi box thats 2* off all the time .

rdlohr · 09-18-2010, 10:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gregg25

im impressed

i think that may be a big seller too its not hard to tape the flybar to the button but its a pain in the a@@ to get it level on the tape this setup fixes it and i can use my 10 dollar pitch gauge again thats more accurate than my digi box thats 2* off all the time .

I think you'll like it. It's solid as a rock.
Rick

09-08-2010, 08:56 PM	#1
ksmith0034 Registered Users Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Columbus, OH	Product Review: RDLohr's Outrage 550 Flybar Lock I recently received the brand new Flybar Lock designed specifically for the Outrage 550 by Rick at RDLohr's Clearly Superior Products. Since I had previously been using the allen wrench through the see-saw trick, it was a joy to get my hands on a proper tool that was intended for this job. First off, the tool works exactly as advertised. The fit is fantastic as it locks the flybar firmly in place while you adjust your pitch ranges. It is simple to use as demonstrated in the provided instructions. Some of the CNC machined edges were a bit rough and unfinished, but could easily be sanded or filed to improve the finish if desired. In fact, Rick mentions in the instructions that the pieces can even be filed a bit if the fit is too tight. I didn't find that necessary as the pieces fit snugly in place as advertised. The only problem I found about RDLohr's Outrage 550 Flybar Lock is the size. While it's nice to have a small, compact tool that can be thrown in the tool box, it's almost too small. Especially since it's made of clear lexan! The tiny pieces could easily get dropped or lost. I'll probably use a sharpie to color in the raw CNC areas for visibility, but I think a simple twist tie looped through the holes holding each piece together will be the best approach when it comes to keeping track of this fantastic tool. Attached Thumbnails __________________ Outrage 550 Silver Pro For Sale - Neu 1907H/1Y, Spartan Quark, Align 610's cyclic, 650 tail, ICE 100, CC Pro BEC, Z-Weave mains, KBDD 92mm tail, AR7000 Hirobo Sceadu Evo 50 (SOLD) Last edited by ksmith0034; 09-09-2010 at 07:10 AM..

09-08-2010, 09:51 PM	#2
rdlohr HF Support My HF Map location Join Date: May 2006 Location: Massachusetts	Excellent. Glad you like it! The holes you mentioned are there for exactly that purpose, to keep all three pieces together. As far as the rough edges, the side edges are actually smooth, but the very top of the edge is left with a very thin artifact left over from cutting them. I remove some with my fingernail, but its too time consuming for me to remove them all and still keep my price low when making a lot of them. It doesn't affect how they work, but I end up removing them on my personal tools. Thanks for the thorough review. I love to hear how my parts work out for people. Rick __________________ Helifreak, the place to be! Rush 750,Logo 400SE 600SE, TREX 450SE, 500, 600, Blade mCPX,130X My products, flown by top pilots around the world, like you! To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

09-08-2010, 10:25 PM	#3
backburner1955 Registered Users Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Fresno, CA.	I just received my Outrage 550 Pro Flybar lock from Rick tonight, and it would redundant for me to review the parts because Kevin nailed it right on the head. Unfortunately, I wont be able to use it right away, as I wont be starting the build for a few weeks. The parts are great, thanks Rick. Kevin, your pics are missing. __________________ *To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.* AMA# 982814 To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. *To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.* *To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.*

09-09-2010, 05:49 AM	#4
rdlohr HF Support My HF Map location Join Date: May 2006 Location: Massachusetts	Your welcome Bryan. Thanks for setting me up with a head. This one was fun to design because it was a bit of a challenge. Rick __________________ Helifreak, the place to be! Rush 750,Logo 400SE 600SE, TREX 450SE, 500, 600, Blade mCPX,130X My products, flown by top pilots around the world, like you! To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

09-09-2010, 06:11 AM	#5
Foxden Registered Users My HF Map location Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Port Charlotte, FL	Hey Rick, did you make one yet for the Vel 50? if you had the FBL for the 550 it is the same head that comes on the Vel 50 __________________ *Clyde Fox* *Port Charlotte, FL.* Team Rotorworkz/Outrage

09-09-2010, 07:41 AM	#6
ksmith0034 Registered Users Thread Starter Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Columbus, OH	I fixed the pictures. Thanks for the heads up Bryan. __________________ Outrage 550 Silver Pro For Sale - Neu 1907H/1Y, Spartan Quark, Align 610's cyclic, 650 tail, ICE 100, CC Pro BEC, Z-Weave mains, KBDD 92mm tail, AR7000 Hirobo Sceadu Evo 50 (SOLD)

09-09-2010, 04:32 PM	#8
wolfdown Registered Users Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: USA	Can you post more pics from different angles? __________________ Rush 750 w/ Xera 4530-500 (12T), YGE160HV, WR S.BEC, Torq 9180/9188, AR7200BX Outrage 550 w/ Scorp 4020-1390 (13T), YGE120, CC BEC Pro, Quark, MKS BLS980, Futaba BLS451 Last Rebuild: 10/15/12 (O550)

09-09-2010, 07:44 PM	#10
gregg25 Registered Users Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: covington, la	take your time rick. im not in a huge rush. i used a flybar and double checked with a digi gauge which was 2* off . im still waiting on the new case so im good but need a replacement becpro v2 now . does it ever stop?

09-17-2010, 09:44 PM	#13
rdlohr HF Support My HF Map location Join Date: May 2006 Location: Massachusetts	Here you go Gregg Was this what you had in mind? __________________ Helifreak, the place to be! Rush 750,Logo 400SE 600SE, TREX 450SE, 500, 600, Blade mCPX,130X My products, flown by top pilots around the world, like you! To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

09-18-2010, 10:05 PM	#14
gregg25 Registered Users Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: covington, la	rick perfect thats exactly what i was thinking -perfection-- umm can you make a dash for a 68 camaro outa acrylic ? just kidding.

09-18-2010, 10:22 PM	#16
rdlohr HF Support My HF Map location Join Date: May 2006 Location: Massachusetts	He is a view looking more FBL like since its an FBL Alignment Tool. Rick __________________ Helifreak, the place to be! Rush 750,Logo 400SE 600SE, TREX 450SE, 500, 600, Blade mCPX,130X My products, flown by top pilots around the world, like you! To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

09-18-2010, 10:41 PM	#17
gregg25 Registered Users Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: covington, la	im impressed i think that may be a big seller too its not hard to tape the flybar to the button but its a pain in the a@@ to get it level on the tape this setup fixes it and i can use my 10 dollar pitch gauge again thats more accurate than my digi box thats 2* off all the time .

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