General Blade tightness, how tight?

[canongraphy]

Hey guys,
A question, I know how to set the blade tension on a 450, but on the 600 I assume the tail blades are fairly loose like the 450, but the main blades should be how much tighter than on a 450?
I have read where on a 700 its pretty tight but not sure how reliable that info was.
And I see where a lot of guys remove the blades when transporting so do you not use locktite on the main blades?
The little details is what I struggle finding out, the stuff you experienced guys don't have to even think about because its routine.
I haven't found this talked about anywhere here yet and thought it was worth asking, not just for me but for others starting out.
Also, to recap, I have a Align Trex 600 ESP with a DX8, I owned an Align 450 Plus RTF before this, and it had one battery to plug in.
My 600 of course has 2 The esc to motor and the main power from the little battery for the electronics with the switch.
What is the proper sequence after turning on the TX? Want to make sure I do it correctly.
Everything is ready I think, I purchased a heavy duty practice gear as I had on my 450 from a guy in cali.
I like it because if something is wrong and it starts spinning like a top there is no damage and you can shut it off.
The cheap gear isn't anywhere near as good. I can give a link if any new guys are interested he sells it on ebay for different size heli's.
Thanks!
Jeff

 

[Tony]

I have never run that setup, but I would plug in the ESC, then the BEC AFTER you turn on the Tx and THEN flip the switch. This will activate everything and yoru tx will take over control.

As for the blades, it depends on what ESC you are running. If you have a GOOD ESC like the Align, then the soft start is GREAT and you can set them up, what I would call, normal. If you are using a cheap ESC that has a very jerky start, you will have to tighten them down pretty tight to keep them from going out of track, but not so tight that it wont' straighten them out at full head speed.

Setting your blade grips is pretty easy. You will hold your blades horizontal and jerk the heli pretty good (start by going in a downward direction, then 'jerk' the heli to a abrupt stop) to get the blades to drop. It will have to be a pretty hard jerk and they should ONLY fall to a 45º angle. If they fall more than that, they are too loose, less, they are too tight. This is how I do it on EVERY heli except mSR and mCP-X.

As for the tail blades, I run them so they are snug and will not fall under their own weight. Most blade grips though will hold them pretty tight anyway.

I never take my blades off unless I have to, but you are right, some people do. I do not use thread lock on the blade bolts and that is because they are held in with a nylon lock nut. Thread lock will destroy the nylon. Just make sure to check your blade grip tightness before every flight to make sure they didn't come loose. If they did come loose, it's time to replace the lock nuts.

Hope this helps. and you are right, it's just second nature to those that have done it a million times. I will try to get something uploaded here shortly on how I do it. Hell, in all honesty since I'm running a nitro, mine are pretty loose since I can control how fast thye spool up. If I blip the throttle, it will stop with the blades crooked lmao. Done that a few times while testing.

 

[canongraphy]

Hey Tony good question! lol I know the Bec is align but can't tell on the ESC without unmounting it...its blue! I have a email to the seller hopefully he will remember, I have a feeling its not Align but will find out.
I know what you are talking about as far as shaking the heli to drop the blades, I saw that on you tube from a guy that was more interested in selling his book than sharing information, at least that's how I took it, he doesn't have the passion many of you have for this hobby, I can tell from your video's.
I will reply here when I find out, if he doesn't reply I will findout myself, I ran out of zipties so as soon as I pick some up and get these wires all fixed where I want them, this baby is ready to spool up.
I have a Canon 1D mk 3 so I can get some video's of my flights hopefully soon, that's if I can teach my wife to hold the camera still enough so you guys don't hurl chunks LOL
Thanks!

 

[Tony]

The easiest way to check your ESC, is to spool it up. If it's nice and slow on it's start, then it's a good one. But, if it just snaps to life, then it's a cheapo. but, I'm sure it's a good one. And we are used to watching shakey videos lol. Mostly of people laying the 3D smack down on the helis.

 

[Westy]

Hey guys,
A question, I know how to set the blade tension on a 450, but on the 600 I assume the tail blades are fairly loose like the 450, but the main blades should be how much tighter than on a 450?
I have read where on a 700 its pretty tight but not sure how reliable that info was.
And I see where a lot of guys remove the blades when transporting so do you not use locktite on the main blades?

I have an ESP ..... I tighten my blades so that they are tight enough to get them moving you have to put a bit of effort in and once it is moving it does not stick (if you get what I mean). I take a mental note on how far I back off the first screw (1mm or 2mm or 3mm & Duplicate it to the second blade) - Then I double check each blade to make sure they are identical on tension.

You will know if you are too loose as when you begin to spool up ... if the blades flop ..... you nee to tighten them more. The concept is to get them tight enough so that they can find their move into their own CG and balance harmonic point as they start to spool up.

My 600 of course has 2 The esc to motor and the main power from the little battery for the electronics with the switch.
What is the proper sequence after turning on the TX? Want to make sure I do it correctly.

I have this exact set-up also .... you can simply plug in your battery into your ESC and it will beep once. Then you power up your TX as normal and then switch on your BEC battery. after it initalises the ESC will initialise and go through all its sounds..... then simply throttle hold off and fly!

Everything is ready I think, I purchased a heavy duty practice gear as I had on my 450 from a guy in cali.
I like it because if something is wrong and it starts spinning like a top there is no damage and you can shut it off.
The cheap gear isn't anywhere near as good. I can give a link if any new guys are interested he sells it on ebay for different size heli's.
Thanks!
Jeff

you can use golf Training balls (the hard plastic ones with holes in it) and 10mm wooden dowelling for the cross legs.

When it is time to change the battery, simply remove the battery and change it ... leaving the ESC plugged in.... and you are away.

 

[Tony]

It's like there is an echo in here lol.

 

[Westy]

heh heh

 

[stokke]

I use Tony's jerking method for testing my tightness OMG LOL

- - - Updated - - -

And it works every time!

 

[Lee]

With 600 and 700s its better to tighten the main blades a bit more than you would the 450. I have mine like Westy said. pretty hard to get them moving but then they slide round with a bit of friction. If they are to lose then you will get blade lag in flight. The drag over the blades will slow them down and cause instability. I couldn't do the blade jerk test with my 600, they are much tighter than that. I just make sure that before spooling up, i pull them out as straight as i can.

 

[coolgabsi]

With 600 and 700s its better to tighten the main blades a bit more than you would the 450. I have mine like Westy said. pretty hard to get them moving but then they slide round with a bit of friction. If they are to lose then you will get blade lag in flight. The drag over the blades will slow them down and cause instability. I couldn't do the blade jerk test with my 600, they are much tighter than that. I just make sure that before spooling up, i pull them out as straight as i can.

Yep and blade lag also equals boom strike so be safe make then tight.. Check like tony said

Fly safe!! have fun!

 

[canongraphy]

Tony the esc and the regulator are both Align brand so yep a slower spool up!
And thanks guys, tight and jerk I got it lol

 

[Tony]

Good deal. When the heli is in IU, it will keep those blades slung out and straight. Like Gaba said though, if you throttle up too fast, like going from normal mode to IU and it changes immediately in speed with a LOT of torque, I fyou just so happen to add pitch at that time, it can and will cause the blades to go out of track and could hit the tail boom. Not a pretty sight as the heli explodes lmao. Have not done that myself, but I always check my blade grip tightness. But don't let me worry you, if you can jerk the heli, rather abruptly, and the blades fall slightly, you will be good. and that ESC will work great, so no worries there.