Gonzo - How is the CP going?

Gonzo,
I hear you have got your computer radio Does this mean you have added the third servo to the swashplate and completed your collective Piccolo?

How is it going?

I've been trying this using aluminium tubes (I don't have a lathe). I've done the slotted tube with flybar passing through a ball inside the tube and it's moving fairly smoothly.
I'd be inspired to continue with it if you're having some success.

Hi R22,

Okay, here is the update on my CP project. Since Piccolo is my first heli experience, I'm learning a lot about how heli works as I go along.

I do have almost everything ready to go. Second Piccolo, computer radio, and 3 servos. I'm just waiting for GWS 6ch Rx to come in. My Tx uses 6th channel for the pitch. I'm now working on converting the swashplate for 90 degree CCPM.

Now, this is the bad news. Like you R22, I don't have a lathe so I had made my hub out of 3mm ID 4mm OD brass tubing using my trusty Dremel. I thought the brass is stronger than the same size aluminum. Well, I was wrong. During my second testing of this setup on my FP Piccolo, I had a minor crash (more like a hard landing). She tipped over and the blades got folded together. That was it. But my handmade hub didn't survive this minor crash. It was all twisted up. I didn't realize how much torque the rotor puts out. I was so depressed, I didn't even post it on this BB. Sorry.

Out of desparation (since I was already at the point of no return), I had contacted a BB friend (I don't know if he wants this made public) and he was nice enough to machine an aluminum hub to my specification. I will be getting this hub in the next week or so. Many thanks to this BB friend.

In the mean time, I'll be building the second Piccolo for CP with 3 servos as well as converting my FP Piccolo to brushless. I'll try to update you as I go along.

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NHG91200

I guess with only 3mm ID tube, you didn't have a ball inside that tube did you?
My slotted tube is bigger than that and will need a couple of tubes inside it to reduce it to the 3mm main shaft. I hope, being bigger it will be stronger.

I think your layered tubing hub would work much better than my original brass one. Keep us posted on how it turns out.

You are right. I didn't have a ball for the flybar in my first attempt. I think this is why I was getting some vibrations.

For the new machined hub, we wanted to make the design as simple as possible so the I.D. is 3mm as well. The O.D. is 6.8mm. By doing this, we can keep the hub in one solid piece. I'm going to be using a 3mm ball with 2mm hole in it for the flybar. If we were to use a larger ball, we would have had to make the hub in 2 separate pieces (similar to JT's).

I haven't received the hub yet but I'm expecting it to arrive sometimes this week. I've already finished the swashplate for 90 degrees CCPM and attached 3 servos to the main frame.

I'm taking pictures as I go along so hopefully I can post the finished project in the next couple of weeks.

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NHG91200