Blades for 7HV

[Granpappy]

Hi there. I'm in the process of rebuilding a 2nd hand 7HV that I bought and want to get new blades main and tail.

I want to use this heli for more precision flying and thought the Align 700mm F3C blades would be ideal as they are 435g/pair as opposed to 380g/pair which seems to be the norm for 3D type blades. I just wondered if anyone had any misgivings about using heavier blades or bad experiences with these particular blades.

Also I noticed that all 700mm main blades seem to have a common root thickness of 14mm where as the 7HV blade grips are 16mm. I will need to fit 1mm shims on each side of the blade roots but I cant find any shims on line. Can you buy these or do you have to make them?

For tails blades I was going to use Align 115 carbon fibre blades.

Cheers.

[bigpops]

Blades usually come with shims. RJX (14mm root) come with a set of 1mm shims.
Funkey brands (Edge, Switch, Radix, Rail, Rotor-tech) all have a 12mm root, so you'll need 2mm shims in the 7HV grip. Fortunately, they all come with a set of 1mm and 2mm shims.

Someone will have some blade shims knocking about and can send you some. I'd send you some, but I have no idea where to start looking to find them.

[Granpappy]

Cheers. If new blades come with shims then that will be fine. All the blades I bought before never had shims but then they were like 425's and 325's. I have never bought big blades before and I used the 600's on the X50 that came with the kit and they didn't need shims. Thanks again.

[philipjdall]

I can't speak for F3c blades as I've never tried them, but I'm sure you could dial in a precise feel simply by tuning the FBL unit in – i'd certainly try that before buying anything new.

[Granpappy]

I can't speak for F3c blades as I've never tried them, but I'm sure you could dial in a precise feel simply by tuning the FBL unit in – i'd certainly try that before buying anything new.

Do you reckon the F3C blades are more for flybarred helis then?

[trillian]

I have tried all sorts of blades on both flybarred and FBL helis, different headspeeds etc. and what ends up happening is that some blades will end up suiting a particular heli really well and then I'll think 'I love these blades, I'll try them on a different heli' and find that my fav blade of the week doesn't suit the other heli. I guess the point being that so many subtle details are involved.

I have tried and quite liked some very heavy blades, namely the Radix F3C 710s that weigh about 240 grams each, so really quite heavy AND a very outboard C of G. They worked brilliantly on the Rave Ballistic but felt too heavy on my other electric 700 machines.

I have a pair of the Align F3C 700s and I have tried them briefly on a few helis and wasn't wild about them... but that being said, it may just so happen that they suit the 7HV really well, as the Radix F3Cs did with the Rave.

In my humble experience the blades that have universally worked well for me on lots of helis, both flybarred and FBL and at all different headspeeds, are the Standard Radix 690s and 710s. I also had a pair of the FBL 710 V2s and they were very good.

Right now the two helis I have setup for similar headspeeds and flying style (low ish headspeeds and F3C style / big air) are the Kasama Faifa and the TDR. On the Faifa I settled on Edge 713s and on the TDR I'm using regular Radix 690s. (and owing to the wider spacing of the grips on the TDR, the swept disc area is similar between the two even though it has shorter blades on it).

Which I guess brings me to another good all round blade (Edge, and now Switch). The FBL 713s are not to heavy, not too light, good stable blade (I think they're right around 200 grams each)

I'd say if you already have the Align F3C blades give them a try and they might work really well. I'm not sure why but something about them just hasn't worked for me.

---Just to add, a while back I got some Rotortech 710s and was flying them on the Helix gasser and liking them. They feel a lot like the Radix blades.

[Mike Sanders]

I can't really comment about the feel of different blades because I am not a good enough flyer. I only do upright hovering manoeuvres, circuits and general upright flying around but I have experience of various blades used on my Align.

1. Align 3 g. 690 Good all round blade.
2. Rotorstar 690. Look and feel just like the Align but much cheaper.
3 Spin 710. Larger blade area so more lift. Gives the heli a pleasant floaty feel.
4 RJX 690 Feel a bit dull but cheap.

Good luck.

[philipjdall]

+1 on the radix, they are a great all round blade. These days I tend to go for rails as a base blade, they seem to fly well on almost all models.

If you're on a budget then have a look at NHP blades - made in the UK and are very affordable.

[Granpappy]

Many thanks for the replies. I guess trial and error with blades would be an expensive business especially as I only have the one 700 size heli. I'm thinking that with all the additional expense of battery packs etc. and a new fbl I might just maiden it with the stock Compass Blades and then after tuning the fbl, make a decision on what blades I really need for the heli to perform to my style of flying. I guess that it was a long shot hoping that someone had flown a 7HV with F3C blades. Thanks again.

[trillian]

I was trying to see what blades Sebastian Zajonz was using as he did some very nice videos with the 7HV. I have yet to see the blades mentioned but he might be using the Compass blades, I can tell they are black and white more or less in the same proportions as the Compass blades.

[jimmyhorns]

I had a pair of Spin's on mine, and it lacked any get up and go. A club mate (Milly/Don) bought it and changed the blades and it was a completely different machine, even at the same headspeed/pitch settings.

Odd really, as I like the spins, and they are fine on my other helis.

[ChrisB]

I use Hobbyking Rotorstar 690s on my 7HV and love them.

Use Edge,Align,Rail,Compass blades on other models like all those too.

[wadders248]

If you do want a pair of Radix F3Cs 710mm I've got a pair that I'll be selling, I also have the 2mm shims. They're immaculate as I've only used them for speed flying and only selling them because I want to get some specific speed blades.

[atomiccomp]

Hi there. I'm in the process of rebuilding a 2nd hand 7HV that I bought and want to get new blades main and tail.

I want to use this heli for more precision flying and thought the Align 700mm F3C blades would be ideal as they are 435g/pair as opposed to 380g/pair which seems to be the norm for 3D type blades. I just wondered if anyone had any misgivings about using heavier blades or bad experiences with these particular blades.

Also I noticed that all 700mm main blades seem to have a common root thickness of 14mm where as the 7HV blade grips are 16mm. I will need to fit 1mm shims on each side of the blade roots but I cant find any shims on line. Can you buy these or do you have to make them?

For tails blades I was going to use Align 115 carbon fibre blades.

Cheers.

I've ordered some Sig 715's from hobbyking for my 7HV. It's running an 800mx motor geared for 2k head speed so it should easily swing them. It's a heavy model the 7HV (mine is 5.3kg's RTF) so I hope the longer blades will make it more 'floaty'

Bargain @£38 delivered (assuming they are any good)! BTW don't crash it the parts are very expensive.

[Granpappy]

If you do want a pair of Radix F3Cs 710mm I've got a pair that I'll be selling, I also have the 2mm shims. They're immaculate as I've only used them for speed flying and only selling them because I want to get some specific speed blades.

Cheers. I'll maiden it first with the Compass blades and see where to go from there.