DIY Training Gear

[silverwings007]

Hi,

I'm in the process of making some training gear for a 450 class electric heli. Going to be using carbon fibre rod and plastic golf training balls.

Anyone done this before? Basically I need to know what diameter carbon fibre rod is best. All sizes available from 1mm all the way up to 5mm.

Would 3.5mm rod be any good?

Thanks

[orb]

Hi, just fished out my old training gear and rods are 2mm thick 240mm long

[dam74]

Carbon Rods off my Thunder Tiger training gear for 400/450 class are 4mm in diameter and each rod (4 of) are 400mm long (including the part that goes through the ping pong ball). They're connected via plastic cross support with each arms facing downwards slightly so that the heli is raised off the ground. I tried making my own gear for the Blade400 using small carbon rods and it was shit and too flimsy. For the sake of £10 is it really worth it?

[scallybert]

[...]For the sake of £10 is it really worth it?

That's what I'd have said - but budgets vary, and those £10s add up.

One thing. In hindsight, I think the rods on my bought-in t/g were too thin.

Not that this stopped it working, but I think it made the t/g prone to provoking resonance issues, where the whole heli would shake. Some helis were worse than others. I think thicker - hence stiffer - rods may have avoided this.

Similarly, you may want to think how heavy the balls are. The heavier they are, tehmore effect it will all have on the handling (this effect can be beneficial, but may not be.) Heavier balls, and longer or flexier rods are likely to make resonant frequencies lower - and probably more of an issue.

[dam74]

I've given up using the training gear as I didn't like the way the heli felt with them on.