Synergy N7, The 'BIG' build thread.

[Rctintin]

Onto the undercarriage now, nothing special about this except the mounting lugs that go into the skid tubes.

[URL=http://s1008.photobucket.com/user/Rctintin/media/263_zps5d7a28dc.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1008.photobucket.com/albums/af210/Rctintin/263_zps5d7a28dc.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

They have a M3 thread down the centre, so if any of you have an old, or even know what one is, *FLY BAR* still laying around, you can just thread it onto the end of your flybar and insert this lug into the skid tube to where the hole is for the skid bow clamp screw fits in.

[URL=http://s1008.photobucket.com/user/Rctintin/media/264_zps4c66d813.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1008.photobucket.com/albums/af210/Rctintin/264_zps4c66d813.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

[URL=http://s1008.photobucket.com/user/Rctintin/media/265_zpsa2f9c5d4.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1008.photobucket.com/albums/af210/Rctintin/265_zpsa2f9c5d4.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

[Rctintin]

Next job is the boom and torque tube. The TT is an alloy tube with ends that need to be assembled. Here I used a smear of RED locktite when I slid the end in, and then again RED on the Nylock nut just as insurance!

[URL=http://s1008.photobucket.com/user/Rctintin/media/267_zpsf84db2f7.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1008.photobucket.com/albums/af210/Rctintin/267_zpsf84db2f7.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

For added security for this part, as I really do not want this coming apart, I cut a short piece of heat shrink and shrunk that over the entire nut and bolt. This really is going nowhere now!!

[URL=http://s1008.photobucket.com/user/Rctintin/media/268_zps4c7bc820.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1008.photobucket.com/albums/af210/Rctintin/268_zps4c7bc820.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Both the tail push rods are carbon tube with very strong machined ends that look like they are made from Stainless steel. Don't forget to roughen up the ends of the rod with some sandpaper or file before gluing the ends on. My preferred choice of glue, and that is also the suggested route in the instructions is JB Weld. I have never had a JB Weld joint break. Just work it up inside the rod ends, sliding it up and down so you know the whole joint is covered in the epoxy.

[URL=http://s1008.photobucket.com/user/Rctintin/media/269_zps1a012ad8.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1008.photobucket.com/albums/af210/Rctintin/269_zps1a012ad8.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

[Rctintin]

Now I moved onto the tail box. This once again like the rest of the heli, is beautifully machined and designed. It's also identical to the E5 and N5c (The E7 has stronger tail gears) Again it needs to be stripped down and rebuilt with thread lock.

[URL=http://s1008.photobucket.com/user/Rctintin/media/270_zps567d9dd5.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1008.photobucket.com/albums/af210/Rctintin/270_zps567d9dd5.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

The tail pitch arm is made of plastic, and works perfectly well (over 200 flights on my N5c with zero issues) But, when I was on [url=http://www.fblrotors.com/]Welcome to FBL ROTORS UNLIMITED[/url] website ordering my Ti turn buckles, I saw they had yet more bling!! This time it's an alloy pitch arm, beautifully machined by the masters at KDE for FBL Rotors to replace the plastic arm. Obviously, I had to order some!!

[URL=http://s1008.photobucket.com/user/Rctintin/media/271_zpscfa4a77e.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1008.photobucket.com/albums/af210/Rctintin/271_zpscfa4a77e.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

[URL=http://s1008.photobucket.com/user/Rctintin/media/272_zpsfc969e04.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1008.photobucket.com/albums/af210/Rctintin/272_zpsfc969e04.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

The only issue I found though was that the brass insert was binding a touch on its pivot ball. I'm told that the arm is perfect for N5c/E5/E7 ball as they are chrome, but I'm told the N7 and E7se balls are turned balls, and they are a hair larger in diameter. All I did was mount the ball in a pin chuck, and span it in a drill with some 1200 grit paper soaked in oil to polish the outer face untill it was a perfect fit in the brass sleeve.

[URL=http://s1008.photobucket.com/user/Rctintin/media/273_zps44e27ee9.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1008.photobucket.com/albums/af210/Rctintin/273_zps44e27ee9.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

The tail pitch slider comes pre assembled with its pressed on star washer. This is the same as the E5/N5c, but I felt was a backward move having built the new E7se pitch slider. This uses a nut and very fine pitch thread on the brass slider, and if you get a notchy bearing, it can be taken appart more easily than this star washer type. Again for insurance, I scratched up the outside of the slider around the star washer, and drizzled in JB Weld to lock it all together.

[URL=http://s1008.photobucket.com/user/Rctintin/media/274_zpsfd4b1a06.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1008.photobucket.com/albums/af210/Rctintin/274_zpsfd4b1a06.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

One point to check here, and this was on a few of the first batch kits is that the pitch arms are assembled the wrong way round. The reason for this is because the tail on this heli has reverse rotation to the norm. This has no effect on flight performance as proven by the many thousands of flights pilots have made with the TDR. My TDR has probably the best tail of all my machines. To check it, when you go to pop the link onto the tail blade grip ball, you will be trying to push on the smaller end of the link hole over the ball, instead of the larger side. Don't forget here to size these links!! This is really important, because if the links are tight, your tail control will not be solid, but 'twitchy' as the servo it forcing the slider to move.

[URL=http://s1008.photobucket.com/user/Rctintin/media/275_zps3c050cfd.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1008.photobucket.com/albums/af210/Rctintin/275_zps3c050cfd.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

[URL=http://s1008.photobucket.com/user/Rctintin/media/276_zpsac236983.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1008.photobucket.com/albums/af210/Rctintin/276_zpsac236983.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

One point to remember on the tail is that there is a set screw in the end of the tail output shaft. This is there, just like the front tail transmission one, to lock the roll pin in place in the bevel gear. Again I degreased the internal thread, and used RED locktite to set it in there. It's in the RH end looking at the next picture, locking that pin in place going through the gear.

[URL=http://s1008.photobucket.com/user/Rctintin/media/277_zps91db22d6.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1008.photobucket.com/albums/af210/Rctintin/277_zps91db22d6.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

As with the tail push rods, the boom supports are thick carbon rods, and the ends are JB Welded in place. They come with holes already in place for cross drilling and pinning. Even though this is not mentioned in the assembly instructions, I drilled mine out with a 2.5mm drill, and then ran a M3 tap through the hole. Now I used a M3 pan head bolt with a smear of CA on the thread, and screwed it in there. I have in the past used an M3 setscrew, but the hex inside is so small, I have broken off the allen driver bit doing them up (Agile 7.2 build)

[URL=http://s1008.photobucket.com/user/Rctintin/media/278_zps82d52954.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1008.photobucket.com/albums/af210/Rctintin/278_zps82d52954.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

[URL=http://s1008.photobucket.com/user/Rctintin/media/279_zps092bd940.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1008.photobucket.com/albums/af210/Rctintin/279_zps092bd940.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

[Rctintin]

When installing the boom into the front boom clamps, don't push it all the way in. look through the frame, and as soon as you see the front edge appear from the front of the front clamp, thats where you need to stop. The front clamps have a M3 threaded hole in the top centre of each one for pinning the boom in place. You only need to fit one bolt here, and seeing as the main gear partly obscures the front clamp hole, it's best to go for the back one. I ran a length of tape around the boom so I could see if the boom had moved during assembly of the TT etc. For the pinning, get a short M3 bolt (6mm) and snug it down onto the boom to mark it. You have 2 options now, either use the M3 hole as a drilling guide or pull the boom out and drill it away from the airframe. This second one is what I did because I did not want drilling swarf in my heli!! Just use a 2.5mm drill for this, and file off any burr with a needle file. When you refit the boom, push it up to the tape, and your hole is in line, and the bolt will self tap through the boom. This same principle is used now on the tail box end to pin that to the boom.

[URL=http://s1008.photobucket.com/user/Rctintin/media/280_zpsfa6d5b59.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1008.photobucket.com/albums/af210/Rctintin/280_zpsfa6d5b59.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Before you pin the tail though, you need to be sure its perfectly inline with the main frame. Because of the nature of construction of the tail box, you have two nice flat areas along the top of the side plates to rest a straight edge. I used my 'Grippy' bar for this, and now you can line this up with the main gear ahead of it and rotate the tail box until it is parallel. Now screw in your M3 bolt to mark the boom, and repeat the drilling that end.

[URL=http://s1008.photobucket.com/user/Rctintin/media/281_zps31152417.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1008.photobucket.com/albums/af210/Rctintin/281_zps31152417.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

[URL=http://s1008.photobucket.com/user/Rctintin/media/283_zps03704c89.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1008.photobucket.com/albums/af210/Rctintin/283_zps03704c89.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

[URL=http://s1008.photobucket.com/user/Rctintin/media/284_zpsf40b3fc9.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1008.photobucket.com/albums/af210/Rctintin/284_zpsf40b3fc9.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

I chose to make my tail a bit brighter just to help flight orientation. This is dayglow sticky film, stuck over the tail fin and a sharp exacto blade used to trim it to the shape of the carbon.

[URL=http://s1008.photobucket.com/user/Rctintin/media/285_zps82525968.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1008.photobucket.com/albums/af210/Rctintin/285_zps82525968.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

[Rctintin]

Now that most of the heli was built, I was eager to try the canopy on it. The canopy mounts are really good. The rear one's are called 'Key chain' Not sure why, but they are pretty much similar in design to RC Booyer style. The best bit though is the front mounts. No struggling here to spread the canopy over posts, or R clips, these are slide in cups like the Minicopter Diabolo and Speed TDR canopy mounts. There are 2 machined stubs mounted on the frames, and a pair of Delrin cups mounted inside the canopy. These work so well, I will be buying another set to install on my E7se!

[URL=http://s1008.photobucket.com/user/Rctintin/media/256_zps27d902e8.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1008.photobucket.com/albums/af210/Rctintin/256_zps27d902e8.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

[URL=http://s1008.photobucket.com/user/Rctintin/media/257_zpse9b214c7.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1008.photobucket.com/albums/af210/Rctintin/257_zpse9b214c7.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Due the the canopy's being made wherever, flown to wherever, and then back to the UK, they get quite a hit of temperature changes while being fairly un supported in their cardboard box. Due to this, some guys have had the one side rub their main gear, and I was one of them. The trick here is to wedge some paper towels in between the gear and the inside cheek of the canopy, and now get a hair dryer (or in the case of someone like Ben Varley with no hair, use a hot air gun :tongue:) and gently heat up the side of the canopy making sure you are not over heating it!! Let it cool, and remove the towel, and the canopy is back where it should be.

[URL=http://s1008.photobucket.com/user/Rctintin/media/287_zps5a4ac1b2.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1008.photobucket.com/albums/af210/Rctintin/287_zps5a4ac1b2.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

[URL=http://s1008.photobucket.com/user/Rctintin/media/288_zps406659f4.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1008.photobucket.com/albums/af210/Rctintin/288_zps406659f4.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

[George J]

Rob
Again, this is one if the best build threads I've looked at for a long while. Fantastic work mate. :)

[rachel]

Wow superb build thread and cool pictures ,..........:joyous:
Just one thing though , I wouldn't advise pinning the boom at the front end, on the rear of the two mounts , it's a high stress area and drilling a hole there could cause a crack to form and failure of the boom .

Better to pin the boom at the front mount , before fitting the main gear , or do what I did , mark the boom and remove the four bolts from the front mount , undo the clamping bolt on the rear , front mount , slide the boom back slightly.
Drill the hole ( not through the threads though) align the drilled hole in the boom support ,
fit the pinning bolt , slide the boom/ boom mount forward in one unit , back in to place , and refit the four bolts and tighten the rear support clamp bolt .

or remove the main gear and insert the pinning bolt .

Great job Rob :-)


Edit :
Matt has stated to Rob, that pinning the boom at the rear clamp is , ok , however it is preferred to pin at the front clamp, so no need to change your booms , but my preference would be to pin the front, but it's your choice,.....
either way a stunning heli and a superb review , well done Rob

[liamm =D]

very good build thread i have been very tempted to get the synergy n5c :D as i miss having a decent size nitro :( but after reading this i do like the look of the n7 too so just need to decide on witch one to get now lol

[ROSSCO]

Hi Rob,

Great job on the build thread, I would recommend that you change out the boom as pinning the boom at the rearward boom clamp is not advised as this significant load on this area and the pinning of the boom at this point can weaken the boom enough that a failure can occur.

I do find that the two boom clamps have enough clamping pressure without pinning, but if you feel that pinning is required then I would do as Rachel suggested and remove the boom clamps and pin before imstallation in the main frame as the main gear obstructs acces to the front boom clamp.

Hope this helps,
cheers,
Ross

[B]UPDATE REGARDING N7 BOOM PINNING:[/B]
Just to clarify on the boom pinning method on the N7, on behalf of Rob i have asked Matt what the prefered pinning method is for the N7 and he says that although he doesn't advise pinning the boom at the rear boom clamp position he has yet to see a failure from doing so.

Matt and the team have found that the two boom clamps provide more than adequte clamping pressure, but if pinning is prefered then securing with a M3x6 button head bolt at the front boom clamp is the preffered method. To do this the boom clamps will have to be removed from the main mechanics and the boom drilled, pinned and pre installed in them prior to the assembly being refitted in the main mechanics.

Hope this helps,
Ross

[ROSSCO]

[QUOTE=liamm =D;1104918]very good build thread i have been very tempted to get the synergy n5c :D as i miss having a decent size nitro :( but after reading this i do like the look of the n7 too so just need to decide on witch one to get now lol[/QUOTE]

Get one bought Liam, you know it makes sense dude!!! ;)

[Rctintin]

Rachel/Ross, thanks for your valid input re the pinning of the boom. I figured that lots of other Heli's out there are pinned at the rear end of the front clamps, so assumed it would also be OK on this machine also. I have here 4 Align heli's (550, 2x 700e's & 700n) the new Thunder Tiger E700 and both my Gaui X7 and NX4 all have the boom pinned in that position as per the manufacturers instructions. Also, my N5 and N5c are pinned at that place.

I would love to hear from others who have any advise or opinions on this please, as its all good info to share around.

I'm more than happy to replace the boom though if you really do feel that this is a major issue in the safety of the model.

[Rctintin]

Now that the main build is done, it's time to set her up. I have a build table that is very sturdy, level and flat. First thing to do is zero your pitch gauge to the frame of the heli. Something nice and flat across the frames is ideal, and for me once again another use of the 'grippy' tool

[URL=http://s1008.photobucket.com/user/Rctintin/media/289_zps872ce23e.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1008.photobucket.com/albums/af210/Rctintin/289_zps872ce23e.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

I use a broken blade to hold my pitch gauge. Its about 150mm long, and has around 50mm length of aerofoil left after the root. Once you have your swash levelled and head block and links installed (DON'T OVER TIGHTEN the Jesus bolt!!) I mark one blade grip with a black dot so I know which one I have set first. Now this is where the turn buckles come into their own, as just simply turning the rod with it's LH and RH threads, you can accurately set zero pitch at mid stick.

[URL=http://s1008.photobucket.com/user/Rctintin/media/290_zps5ce81eae.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1008.photobucket.com/albums/af210/Rctintin/290_zps5ce81eae.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Being Nitro, I did not want to over pitch the blades, so opted for +/-12 deg.

[URL=http://s1008.photobucket.com/user/Rctintin/media/292_zps7563f413.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1008.photobucket.com/albums/af210/Rctintin/292_zps7563f413.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Now, something really weird happens that I have seen a few times before, and I believe its a eCCPM thing. With my servo arms as flat as possible, the swash dead level, the blade grip at dead on zero mid stick, I get 12deg (negative), why do I get nearly 13deg (positive) the other way?!! (Any explanation will be very welcome!!) It could be a V-Bar thing, I don't know.

To correct this, I just go into my Tx end points screen and reduce the throw to match 12deg + and -

[URL=http://s1008.photobucket.com/user/Rctintin/media/291_zpsb3ba2702.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1008.photobucket.com/albums/af210/Rctintin/291_zpsb3ba2702.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

[Rctintin]

I now need to set the other grip to zero. I do this by obviously first putting the stick to mid position (50/50) and then I use a pair of Silver Steel bars that are 300mm long, and drop them partly through the blade grip holes. By eyeing these 2 bars up to be perfectly vertical and in line with each other, you will have perfect blade tracking straight off the bench. This method has never failed in all the builds I have done on both mine and customers heli's.

[URL=http://s1008.photobucket.com/user/Rctintin/media/294_zps75ad1073.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1008.photobucket.com/albums/af210/Rctintin/294_zps75ad1073.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

[URL=http://s1008.photobucket.com/user/Rctintin/media/295_zpsd1a788c4.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1008.photobucket.com/albums/af210/Rctintin/295_zpsd1a788c4.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

The last part of this build is to set up the throttle arm. The servo arm centre to ball distance should be the same as the throttle arm centre to ball distance. In this case it was 16mm. Now centre your throttle servo (again I use my servo tester that sends out a pulse the correct width to keep the servo dead centre) and get your servo arm and push rod to as close to 90deg as you can. The push rod should be the exact length of the servo arn centre and barrel centre.

[URL=http://s1008.photobucket.com/user/Rctintin/media/293_zpsb6a8a66f.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1008.photobucket.com/albums/af210/Rctintin/293_zpsb6a8a66f.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

I made another thread on this forum on how to set up the awesome V-Bar nitro Gov in combined mode here [URL]http://www.rcheliaddict.co.uk/mikado-v-bar/105735-v-bar-setup-nitro-gov-combined-mode-instructions.html[/URL]

[Rctintin]

Well, thats her built, so I have a few more pics to share of the finished article just before her maiden flight

[URL=http://s1008.photobucket.com/user/Rctintin/media/300_zps21ea4fb0.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1008.photobucket.com/albums/af210/Rctintin/300_zps21ea4fb0.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

[URL=http://s1008.photobucket.com/user/Rctintin/media/301_zps1a8dfce9.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1008.photobucket.com/albums/af210/Rctintin/301_zps1a8dfce9.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

[URL=http://s1008.photobucket.com/user/Rctintin/media/302_zps94d0d61b.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1008.photobucket.com/albums/af210/Rctintin/302_zps94d0d61b.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

[URL=http://s1008.photobucket.com/user/Rctintin/media/342_zpsad614b79.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1008.photobucket.com/albums/af210/Rctintin/342_zpsad614b79.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

[URL=http://s1008.photobucket.com/user/Rctintin/media/297_zpsadea0194.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1008.photobucket.com/albums/af210/Rctintin/297_zpsadea0194.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

[URL=http://s1008.photobucket.com/user/Rctintin/media/297_zpsadea0194.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1008.photobucket.com/albums/af210/Rctintin/297_zpsadea0194.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

And she flies!!

[URL=http://s1008.photobucket.com/user/Rctintin/media/303_zpsf1d4e6c4.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1008.photobucket.com/albums/af210/Rctintin/303_zpsf1d4e6c4.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

[George J]

Rob

Notice you're using a 451 on throttle, you running that on HV with rest of the system with no issues?