I saw a great idea for a training/test stand concept designed by Henrick Christensen. I decided to modify it and hopefully beef it up to train with my trex 500 and trex 550L dominator.
Bill of materials: The main pvc pipe is 1 1/8" od x 7/8" id X 30" long
inner black pvc pipe .830 od treaded ends x 24" long
3/4" x 28" x 22" plywood
2 x 4 under bracing of main base
(2) 3" long light compression springs
(2) flat washers approximately 7/8" od --- 1 separates the springs and the other will sit on the top of the upper spring
3/4" od x 8" wood dowel --- placed on top of the springs
3/4 threaded Pvc floor flange
1 1/4 threaded galvanized floor flange
1 1/4 thread x 1 pvc adapter
3/4 threaded galvanized pipe nipple
(2) 3/4 threaded x 6 cpvc pipe
(4) 3/4 female x 1 male threaded cpvc adapter
(2) 3/4 x3/4 x 3/4 threaded cpvc tee
(4) 1" U brass strap clamp
misc nuts, washers, lock washers, carriage bolts, screws for attaching other wood items
All the items were purchased at a local lumber yard such as Menards, Home depot or Lowes. Instead of a wobbly base concept I decided to make my base stationary and allow the top to totter in 2 different directions to allow for all movements a heli will use in actual flight. To make the base I used 3/4" plywood and attached 2x4 to the underside to give it added weight. I then drilled and put from the underside up (4) 1/4" carriage bolts which secured a threaded galvanized base flange to the top of this base. I wanted to use a metal pipe for the main upright post could not find a pipe that would fit snuggly inside of it. This inside pipe needs to rotate and go up or down thus I settled on a plastic pipe which worked better with the plastic pipe I used as the inner pipe. I found a plastic pipe with threads on each end to use as the inner pipe and a water plastic pipe for the outer pipe which I needed to glue to a threaded adapter. This then was screwed into the galvanized flange already secured to the main base.
The 2 compression springs were inserted into the mail pipe with a flat washer separating them and one flat washer on top to allow the wood dowel to rest on. Next I added 4 wood braces to secure the main pipe so it would not flex. This was secured to the base with right angle brackets and a screw to each side of a 2x4 that I drilled a 1 1/8 hole into that then slid down the main pipe.
Next I cut a 3/4" plywood board that the plastic threaded pipe and flange were secured to. This assembly then went into the main pipe. On the upper part of this board I fastened the 2 cpvc tees that I bored out to fit the 3/4" cpvc threaded pipe. I screwed onto each threaded pipe at each end an adapter. This allowed the tee to rotate on the pipe. If you need to make it so the tee is snug to each adapter make a collar of a width to place on prior to the 2nd adapter. Each tee was then secured to each other with a pipe nipple and set at 90 degrees to each other. Once this was done I secured this totter assembly to the board with 2 U brass clamps. Next I cut another 3/4" plywood board and secured the upper tee of the totter assembly with 2 more brass clamps. To make certain this assemble would not tip to far I also added some stop supports to the underside of this upper board. The pics will show what I mean. I then placed (4) 1/4 carriage bolts through this platform to allow another board to secure your heli's running gear. Next secure a bongie cord with pipe clamps to keep the heli from lifting to high during your practicing. This can be adjusted to suite your height allowed to fly at as a max height.
Lastly I created 2 supports to keep this entire totter assembly from moving while you secure the heli to it. Also this will allow the battery to be plugged in and the gyro to initialize in a table top orientation. Pull out the supports and your ready to practice flying. Keep them in to do gyro setup or other adjustments to the heli.
Bill of materials: The main pvc pipe is 1 1/8" od x 7/8" id X 30" long
inner black pvc pipe .830 od treaded ends x 24" long
3/4" x 28" x 22" plywood
2 x 4 under bracing of main base
(2) 3" long light compression springs
(2) flat washers approximately 7/8" od --- 1 separates the springs and the other will sit on the top of the upper spring
3/4" od x 8" wood dowel --- placed on top of the springs
3/4 threaded Pvc floor flange
1 1/4 threaded galvanized floor flange
1 1/4 thread x 1 pvc adapter
3/4 threaded galvanized pipe nipple
(2) 3/4 threaded x 6 cpvc pipe
(4) 3/4 female x 1 male threaded cpvc adapter
(2) 3/4 x3/4 x 3/4 threaded cpvc tee
(4) 1" U brass strap clamp
misc nuts, washers, lock washers, carriage bolts, screws for attaching other wood items
All the items were purchased at a local lumber yard such as Menards, Home depot or Lowes. Instead of a wobbly base concept I decided to make my base stationary and allow the top to totter in 2 different directions to allow for all movements a heli will use in actual flight. To make the base I used 3/4" plywood and attached 2x4 to the underside to give it added weight. I then drilled and put from the underside up (4) 1/4" carriage bolts which secured a threaded galvanized base flange to the top of this base. I wanted to use a metal pipe for the main upright post could not find a pipe that would fit snuggly inside of it. This inside pipe needs to rotate and go up or down thus I settled on a plastic pipe which worked better with the plastic pipe I used as the inner pipe. I found a plastic pipe with threads on each end to use as the inner pipe and a water plastic pipe for the outer pipe which I needed to glue to a threaded adapter. This then was screwed into the galvanized flange already secured to the main base.
The 2 compression springs were inserted into the mail pipe with a flat washer separating them and one flat washer on top to allow the wood dowel to rest on. Next I added 4 wood braces to secure the main pipe so it would not flex. This was secured to the base with right angle brackets and a screw to each side of a 2x4 that I drilled a 1 1/8 hole into that then slid down the main pipe.
Next I cut a 3/4" plywood board that the plastic threaded pipe and flange were secured to. This assembly then went into the main pipe. On the upper part of this board I fastened the 2 cpvc tees that I bored out to fit the 3/4" cpvc threaded pipe. I screwed onto each threaded pipe at each end an adapter. This allowed the tee to rotate on the pipe. If you need to make it so the tee is snug to each adapter make a collar of a width to place on prior to the 2nd adapter. Each tee was then secured to each other with a pipe nipple and set at 90 degrees to each other. Once this was done I secured this totter assembly to the board with 2 U brass clamps. Next I cut another 3/4" plywood board and secured the upper tee of the totter assembly with 2 more brass clamps. To make certain this assemble would not tip to far I also added some stop supports to the underside of this upper board. The pics will show what I mean. I then placed (4) 1/4 carriage bolts through this platform to allow another board to secure your heli's running gear. Next secure a bongie cord with pipe clamps to keep the heli from lifting to high during your practicing. This can be adjusted to suite your height allowed to fly at as a max height.
Lastly I created 2 supports to keep this entire totter assembly from moving while you secure the heli to it. Also this will allow the battery to be plugged in and the gyro to initialize in a table top orientation. Pull out the supports and your ready to practice flying. Keep them in to do gyro setup or other adjustments to the heli.
