Blade balancing tape

georgeb3dr · 05-27-2007, 11:24 PM

I was looking to buy some balancing tape for wood blades and was wondering what you guys were using, or if you had any links to places online where you bought it?

This came up today because I ran out of the align tape that comes with the wood blades.

socal · 05-27-2007, 11:27 PM

use electrical tape. it has a little wieght to it so your not making 30 rounds of tape on the blade.

kgfly · 05-28-2007, 02:40 AM

Plain old sticky tape if only a little is needed or electrical tape if you need a bit more weight.

Pinecone · 05-28-2007, 06:41 AM

I'm with kgfly.

bronicabill · 05-28-2007, 09:44 AM

I prefer strips cut from Monokote trim sheets out at the tips. I use red on one tip and yellow on the other, and blade tracking is a breeze as it's very easy to see which is higher. If I need tape near the middle of the blade purely for balancing, I use plain old clear packing tape cut in appropriate width strips. It is practically invisible once in place, and it sure as heck doesn't come off without quite a bit of effort, so I don't have to worry about it coming off by accident.

fredgarvin · 05-28-2007, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bronicabill

I prefer strips cut from Monokote trim sheets out at the tips. I use red on one tip and yellow on the other, and blade tracking is a breeze as it's very easy to see which is higher. If I need tape near the middle of the blade purely for balancing, I use plain old clear packing tape cut in appropriate width strips. It is practically invisible once in place, and it sure as heck doesn't come off without quite a bit of effort, so I don't have to worry about it coming off by accident.

Exactly what I've used, except I've used regular Monokote (not trime sheets) applied with Monokote trim solvent.

bronicabill · 05-28-2007, 12:49 PM

Yeah, that would work too... just a bit more effort than I'd prefer, but I'm sure quite effective. Since I painted the outer half of my Hyperion CF blades white for visibility in flight, I don't think I'd want to use solvent on the paint as I suspect I'd end up with a mess...

Stealthpilot · 05-28-2007, 01:28 PM

I like to use the clear portions of the Trex decal sheets. There is lots of "left over" decal materal left over after you've trimmed out the decals, and since its clear, you dont really see it unless your looking for it.

JayDBaltimore · 05-28-2007, 02:31 PM

I used paint stripe tape from Pep boys.

Rick Rotorhead · 05-28-2007, 02:56 PM

Electrical tape.

I got one bad set of red 325 pro woodies that I had to 'tip balance' and even then they took 6 of the supplied 'tracking tape' strips to balance them - if I had balanced them at their CG like you're meant to it would have need 12 strips

I may re-do them and use a heavy clear varnish on the underside as a weighting method.

coolbreeze8 · 05-28-2007, 04:06 PM

www.grandrc.com put tracking tape in the search box they got it in rolls

Dewey

jpolidore · 05-28-2007, 09:26 PM

I use electrical tape, I put it on the lighter blade then I use that blade to adjust tracking. Black tape on white blades is plenty enough visual. I like the electrical tape because, it is cheap and you can cut it to any width with a hobby knife, creating different weights, so one piece of tape is all I ever need.

05-27-2007, 11:24 PM	#1
georgeb3dr Registered Users Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Dallas, TX	Blade balancing tape I was looking to buy some balancing tape for wood blades and was wondering what you guys were using, or if you had any links to places online where you bought it? This came up today because I ran out of the align tape that comes with the wood blades.

05-27-2007, 11:27 PM	#2
socal Registered Users Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: san diego	use electrical tape. it has a little wieght to it so your not making 30 rounds of tape on the blade. __________________ Gone in search of myself, if i should return before i get back please keep me here

05-28-2007, 02:40 AM	#3
kgfly HF Support My HF Map location Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Melbourne, Australia	Plain old sticky tape if only a little is needed or electrical tape if you need a bit more weight. __________________ Kenneth * MSH Protos Stock motor/15t/Align75/Align DS510/GL730+DS520/7s A123 2300 * TRex450CF/430L/12t/CC45/HS65mg/L2100T/KP 3s 2200 25C or 4S LiFe Previous rides: HX242, W5-4, TRex450(HDE), TRex450(SE), QJ-EP8v2, BCX2 ,Logo10, Hurricane550 SIM: Phoenix (previously also Reflex/XTR, ClearView, RF, FMS)

05-28-2007, 06:41 AM	#4
Pinecone Registered Users Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Maryland	I'm with kgfly. __________________ Terry AMA#47402, IRCHA # 3395 Blade CP "Pro", Trex 450SE, PiccoZ, Quick of Japan EP8v2 EX, Hurricane 550, Hurricane 200, JR Vibe 50, Blade mCX, Bergen Intrepid Gasser, Pantera 50, Blade mSR, Novus CP

05-28-2007, 09:44 AM	#5
bronicabill Registered Users Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Huntsville, AL	I prefer strips cut from Monokote trim sheets out at the tips. I use red on one tip and yellow on the other, and blade tracking is a breeze as it's very easy to see which is higher. If I need tape near the middle of the blade purely for balancing, I use plain old clear packing tape cut in appropriate width strips. It is practically invisible once in place, and it sure as heck doesn't come off without quite a bit of effort, so I don't have to worry about it coming off by accident. __________________ Bill Rainey AMA 16192 Huntsville, AL T-Rex 600N Pro, T-Rex 450 Sport, T-Rex 250, Blade mCP-X, E-Flite Taylorcraft 450

05-28-2007, 12:49 PM	#7
bronicabill Registered Users Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Huntsville, AL	Yeah, that would work too... just a bit more effort than I'd prefer, but I'm sure quite effective. Since I painted the outer half of my Hyperion CF blades white for visibility in flight, I don't think I'd want to use solvent on the paint as I suspect I'd end up with a mess... __________________ Bill Rainey AMA 16192 Huntsville, AL T-Rex 600N Pro, T-Rex 450 Sport, T-Rex 250, Blade mCP-X, E-Flite Taylorcraft 450

05-28-2007, 01:28 PM	#8
Stealthpilot Registered Users Join Date: May 2006 Location: Minnesota	I like to use the clear portions of the Trex decal sheets. There is lots of "left over" decal materal left over after you've trimmed out the decals, and since its clear, you dont really see it unless your looking for it. __________________ Randy TRex 600 Nitro Pro, TRex 450 pro Boeing CH-47F NETT SI

05-28-2007, 02:31 PM	#9
JayDBaltimore Registered Users Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Baltimore	I used paint stripe tape from Pep boys.

05-28-2007, 02:56 PM	#10
Rick Rotorhead Registered Users Join Date: May 2006 Location: Ludgershall, Wiltshire, England	Electrical tape. I got one bad set of red 325 pro woodies that I had to 'tip balance' and even then they took 6 of the supplied 'tracking tape' strips to balance them - if I had balanced them at their CG like you're meant to it would have need 12 strips I may re-do them and use a heavy clear varnish on the underside as a weighting method. __________________ 450SE Silver - Power: Neu1107-2Y + 10t pinion ESC: Jazz 40-6-18 Governed. - Batts: 4s, FP 2100 Evolites. Pitch +/- 12* (TC63 PC 0,25,50,75,100), cyclic 6* HS2900 HS65Mg x3 + GY401 + S9650 tail.... Rx: AR6200 - Tx: FF9Super(T9CP) +Spektrum Module Crash count = 13 for 179. Trex time aloft = 22:42

05-28-2007, 04:06 PM	#11
coolbreeze8 Registered Users My HF Map location Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Gardnerville Nevada USA	www.grandrc.com put tracking tape in the search box they got it in rolls Dewey __________________ The older I get the faster I used to be

05-28-2007, 09:26 PM	#12
jpolidore Registered Users My HF Map location Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Dacula, GA	I use electrical tape, I put it on the lighter blade then I use that blade to adjust tracking. Black tape on white blades is plenty enough visual. I like the electrical tape because, it is cheap and you can cut it to any width with a hobby knife, creating different weights, so one piece of tape is all I ever need. __________________ T-REX 500 ESP T-REX 600n Pro, O.S. 55, Outrage 56 AMA #900910

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