Swashplate levelling?

Afternoon all,

Does anyone have any views on them swashplate levelling gizmo things that you can buy to, er, level your swashplate? I'm just getting around to setting my 700 up now, and I have adjusted the linkages to get the swashplate level, but my only reference is a calibrate Mk1 eyeball. Just wondering if it is worth spending soem Ebay money on a levelling tool....

Also, can anyone recommend a decent pitch gauge for setting up blade and flybar angles? Easy to use is an essential quality that it must have, otherwise it will be thrown out of the workshop, and put on the pile of "burn with Guy Fawkes" rubbish....

Cheers
Andy

Hiya mate,the best pitch guage is one of these,
http://www.readyheli.com/ROBR1405-Robart-Heli-Blade-Pitch-Meter_p_35876.html
It comes with a flybar locking clamp,flybar bubble level and guage with bubble level.
I use 4 different pitch guages and this is the best one I've tried.
I never use a swash level,just i ball it because when you level it perfect with a level tool you always end up putting a little right trim on the first flight.
A little tip for you,
Get 0 deg at centre stick,then bring the other blade round and measure it on the same side as the first blade.
This way you won't need to adjust any tracking.
I figured this out a while ago and haven't had to track a heli since.

Danny.

Some Guru in the past suggested
All you need is one of these from SMC
This is the same thing, just over £12, it's plastic, simple and does the job
Why spend more than you need to?
http://www.heliguy.com/Extras/RC-Helicopter-Tools/RC-Helicopter-Pitch-Gauge/

Because of the bling and precision,oh yes.
I've got one of those heliguy ones and I keep it in my flight box if I need to use it at the field.
It works perfectly fine but the robart one locks everything down so both your hands can be on the transmitter.Lovely.
So Andy how goes the build so far?

Regards.

Danny.

Hands free, I like. Precision, I like. Cheap, I like. I guess you can't have everything right

Yeah, the build was pretty interesting to be honest. There were quite a few changes from the stock 700 build, and some bits and pieces that needed me to get my head round to sort out, and some minor bits that were not mentioned anywhere (like the inaccessible servo clamping nuts, the fact the stock tail linkage needs extending by 27mm or so, etc etc.

Still, it is more or less complete now, just got a few linkages to tune, and soem electronics to mount. I've decided to ditch using a governor for now too and rely on throttle curves to begin with. I'll probably fit a rev limiter at some point in the future, especially if I ever progress to anything more advanced than basic circuits

I've just seen that Concept copters are having a closing down sale too, I could have saved the best part of £70 on the gasser conversion kit! They've got a trex 600 gasser conversion kit for £154 too, which is tempting.....

Andy

As far as swash plate levelling, I got Tony Eifflaender to turn me discs bored out to suit the relevant mainshaft. Rest it on the swash plate and set the linkages to match that.

there are three languages in Wales or so it seems. Welsh,English and Helispeak

Helispeak is actually a very specialised dialect of "mumbo-jumbo".....

andy

Swashbuckling Barstewards to you

John you forgot the 4th option,Zaide speak.Lots of swearing,shouting ect.
Andy if you're thinking rev limiter this is the one I use,
http://www.fast-lad.co.uk/store/ar7100r_channel_dsm2_heli_receiver_with_built-p-3973.html
It's not cheap but it has a regulated throttle and gyro channels and a backplate sensor which can be switched out for other sensors.
I've tried a few different govenors and I've found the rev limiter to perform much better.

Danny.

ankay ooyay eakspay ackslangbay

PDQ wrote:ankay ooyay eakspay ackslangbay

thats what MGS does for you

Pig latin. Nice

Andy

Okay its only 19 days late - but -
I once tried a large washer cut into a 'C' shape with two small spirit level bubbles glued on top at 90 degrees to each other:- unclip the linkage rods, slide around the main shaft and sit it ontop of the swash plate - worked ok but not fantastically - plus you have to make sure the heli is on level ground too otherwise its all a pointless exercise.

Keep things simple and it works well - At the moment I use a small allen key ratchet strapped to the main shaft:- Remove the head assembly and ratchet strap a small allen key upside down against the main drive shaft. If you hand turn the drive gear the allen key turns too. You can level to the 90 degree sticky out bit! - Cheap, works well and is reliable! - Hey, just thought, I should post this in the "hints and tips section!"

I did it by eye in the end

Andy

Aye Aye Cap'n