Align 500efl Pro build thread.

[Planehazza]

A tip for next time. Write your opening post, then reply a few times immediately after with "reserved" as the post. Then as you add to it, you can just edit the posts then the whole build is together. Saves it being separated by other people's replies

Looking forward to reading it

[Vikki]

Plane, with that in mindI'll restart after all the pics are done in a fresh thread

Good point.

[bikerflier]

Particularly on the tail arm links put the locktite on a pin or cocktail stick and put it into the back of the hole thread, don't put it onto the bolt thread or it ends up on the bolt and in the hole and locks up the arms.
You still may need a little fettling here though as they are not the best fit.

Don't overtighten either as the brass inserts distort and tighten it all up.
Overtightening can also distort the plastic arms and distort them.

[Planehazza]

Cool There's nothing stopping you just editing the OP and adding to it, but most VB sites allow only 10 images per post, often including smileys. I'm not sure of the exact rules here though.

[Vikki]

Thanks, Biker.

Thanks, Plane.

Got the head done

[Reality Bites]

Thanks, Biker.

Thanks, Plane.

Got the head done

Onto the frame now....go go go!

[sparts]

You should be done for 8pm then and flying by 9 ))

[Vikki]

Frame done.

Servos in.

Tail done. Already built up just needed threadlock and tightening. No problems with tail other than a tiny, minuscule bit of movement. I've got some shim so I might shim it. It's less than half a mm.

Front tail gear case done.

Lots of photos but I'll leave them and full build text to a new thread.

Thoughts so far.

The quality is, in my opinion, exceptional. This is going to blow my Blades out of the water. Yes, Blade has its place and they've served me well but I think most beginners will eventually move up to something of this quality or higher.

The instructions are reasonably easy to follow but you do need to double or triple check to be sure you have the right screws. If in doubt measure them. I have difficulty judging length because for years I've been told that this (holds finger and thumb three inches apart) is 6 inches!

I can't wait to see it fully built. Spent 3.5 hours on it this evening. Should be done by tomorrow. Hope my batteries arrive tomorrow.

Best regards.

Vikki.

[MarkG_R1]

All this build talk is making me want a new heli

[Vikki]

Batteries have been shipped, ordered for next day and they were in UK warehouse so should get them tomorrow. 6 cell 3000mAh. Ordered 3 and that hit me £101!!

Pampers from Mother Care are here already. Leg braces (two poles in the ground with me strapped to them) are ready to go. Suit of armour polished and ready

All I need now is a finished and set up heli. Think I'll leave set up till Thursday.

[dillwhacker]

Go Mongoose!
Lets have a vid of the maiden!
x

[sparts]

I'm impressed Vicki,very quick build.I bought my Fusion 50 in April and still haven't finished it yet.only got the wiring harness to do and then gyro set up )

[Ritchieme]

Before the maiden fight I think you should fuse ginny and harry to Gary :-)

[Bronek]

Frame done.

Servos in.

How do you route your servos cabling? My 450 Pro instructions say nothing about this and I ended up pulling cables outside - it was next to impossible to push them inside after the build :-( In my current rebuild (fixing and upgrading servos) I route them inside when the frame is still open.

[helimadness]

My 500 elf pro was my first build (and only one so far) and also my first +3 channel heli. When I first opened the box I thought I had outdone myself but a couple of hours into it and it's fairly straight forward.
As mentioned above with the tail slider don't put the locktite on the bolt as you will get it on the busch when you slide the bolt in and will make the tail stiff. I get a toothpick and put a drop on the end and put it in the receiving thread so the bolt goes in clean.
The little arms nearly go straight when the slider is hard on the inside and can start to lock up a bit. Not sure the geometry is quite right. When setting up the tail I didn't use full max travel on the inside to make sure it was ok.
So you are sticking with the 3Gx? Do you know what version you have yet?
Take your time with the fbl setup. That was the longest part for me but also the first time I had ever set one up.

You are going to love it I'm sure.