Consolidated Build tips thread---Sticky please

[John Cook]

Velocity 50 consolidated build thread:
AssuieG has posted a prior thread where he and users had posted tips on builds. I wanted a more consolidated thread to help people. I will edit as required and as I’m building the thread it will of course be incomplete for a time period. I will also be adding pictures to help illustrate some tips.
As I’m building my 3rd Velocity 50, and also helping a friend build one. I have come across, learned of, or developed several tips that I would like to share. I will be closing the thread to user replies so it doesn’t get congested. I feel many if not most forum users don’t bother with threads like AssuieG’s as most people are too impatient or don’t have the time to sift through the data in non-consolidated threads. For that reason I would like to put this out there for people to reference. These are my opinions and don’t necessarily mean that something or everything listed cannot be done successfully another way. Just things I have found to work for me, and many others I’ve talked to. If you don’t agree, that of course is your right and part of what makes this forum a warehouse of information; Please don’t send me pm’s stating I’m wrong and try to argue with me about it. That said, I’m not infallible and will listen to reasonable explanations on why I might wish to edit or change something. This thread will be subject to change and edit by myself so be advised that advice or tips can and may change as I find alternatives I feel may be easier, better, etc…
Thanks
John

Tips provided in build order

Head:

1) Use red thread lock on all head parts except spindle bolts some use blue. I now use red, but sparingly. HFG uses red so you risk getting the Capi rabid if you don't use red as well. If used appropriately red is NOT permanent and will protect better than blue against screws backing out. I coat about 4-6 threads with the red thread lock and wipe my finger against the screw to wipe off excess. Please make sure prior to applying thread lock the screws are appropriately de-greased.
2) I deviate from the instructions a bit, in that I don’t assemble the whole head and place on main shaft. I like to assemble the head into 3 separate parts and wait until further in the build to finally assemble. I assemble the head block, grip arms, flybar /seasaw and cage as one assembly. The lower mixing arms and washout as another, and finally the swash as the 3rd. This allows me to level the swash once the frame is finished without having to take apart a whole head assembly and pop links on and off which IMO leads to link wear and slop.
3) Verify your upper mixing arms/bell hiller arms are oriented correctly. I myself have put the links on whereas the arm was then backwards in orientation. I know of others who have done this as well. Easy to do and screw up. Easy to identify and fix with a simple check.
4) Programming head: If you are a newer pilot or more of a sport flier, I would recommend an intermediate or intermediate/advanced mix. If you are a 3d pilot I would recommend the advanced settings with the exception of the flybar cage moved to the H1 position in the manual. Charley had mentioned at an event that you can run more swash mix that way and gain some cyclic back. I do prefer the feel of this setting myself and feel that once your swash mix is compensated, is actually a bit faster and feels better overall. An Intermediate/Advanced mix I have found to work well would be G2: S2, E2, B2 or B3(B3 being a bit faster), M2, H1. Linkage rods can be made as to Intermediate settings lengths in manual.
5) I highly recommend the pitch ball upgrade—it adds about 1-1.5 degree of collective and cyclic pitch to the potential of the head.
6) DO NOT SIZE THE HEAD LINKS—they will wear in within a few flights and people who size the links run the risk of them becoming loose and could potentially fail/pop off in flight.
7) Link tip- I myself am a bit of a paranoid person. Things that can go wrong often do in spades to me, so I like to prevent failures if I can. One tip I’ve used for awhile in this hobby since I started is to sand the tip of links to remove the “flashing” and to make sure there is no pinhole/air bubble from the cast. I have never had an Outrage link that was bad in this manner. I have had a couple of Align links I found tiny air bubbles at the tip which may have impacted the strength of the link. However, the process of casting plastic is similar between manufacturers and this is an easy step and IMO cheap insurance. Plus, I’ve also had links in the past that had enough flashing on them and almost a sharp tip that when moving your hand or knuckle against them had created cuts/abrasions. Another reason I started doing this. What I do is take either some 300 grit sand paper, or even better yet, an Emery board. Take the top of the link and bring it across in a sweeping motion and rounding over the tip. One to two passes should suffice. This will remove the casting flash and show the top of the link. If it’s nice and flat your good. If you see a little “crater” that was an air bubble and be glad you found it now.


Frame:
1) Frame bearings. Please add a drop or so of thin ca around the ring where the frame bearings are installed. This will help harden the CF edges. Also, prior to pressing in the bearings, I add just a tiny bit, usually applying CA to a used zip tie end, to the flange and outside edge of the bearing. Taking care not to get CA INTO the bearing though which will make the bearing very rough. This will help to bond the bearing to the frame. Some users who have not done this, and fly hard, can create wear between the bearing and frame and over time “wallow” out that hole and create some slop.
2) I myself run YS 56 motors on my first 2 Velocity 50’s. Running a pressurized system, the tank can swell a bit and potentially cause some tank rubbing on the frames. I will use a 4-6mm length of fuel tubing cub lengthwise and placed along the upper and lower tank openings of the frame to prevent this. See pics to add.


3) Place your main shaft in the main bearing blocks before you tighten them to each frame half. This will align the blocks properly and allow for easier shaft install and bearing alignment.
4) Save yourself some frustration by putting the fuel tubing ON the tank prior to joining frame halves together.
5) Fuel tank clunk---The stock clunk works very well and is used with great success by team pilots. If you want to add an aftermarket clunk, I can recommend the fuel magnent. There is an easy mod posted by Onequick96GT(see link). After installing an OS bubbles clunk into a Velocity tank I cannot recommend it to people, until the revised tank is out. You need to ream the old tank too much that I feel it jeopardizes the ability of the tank to seal properly and hold pressure.
6) Clearance lower servo tray if your servo lead/grommet on your elevator servo appears “squished” on the tray. A dremel or X-acto works nicely and once clearance the grommet should fall nicely.

7) Frame opening for elevator servo lead---There are a variety of ways to prevent the servo lead from chaffing on the CF frame at this opening. You could shoe goo the lead, preventing it from moving and rubbing, place heat shrink or wrap around the lead. Sand the CF edges to make them less sharp. My favorite I just used on my new build is putting a 4-6mm piece of fuel tubing over the plug and lead of that elevator servo. Once the servo is installed, I threaded the fuel tubing up to and into the frame opening. I then CA’d the tubing to the frame to prevent movement and consequent rubbing. Even if it did break free and rub, the servo lead is protected.(see pics to add).

8) Install servos PRIOR to bottom plate AND motor install. I find it easier to install the servos and electronics prior to putting in the motor and bottom plate and skids. Easier to work and more room IMO.
9) Tail rudder control rod assembly---This is the metal control rod that goes inside of the CF support rod. I mod this as follows. Place one end of the metal rod inside of the CF rod about 1-2 inches. THEN--- add thick or medium CA to the remaining/exposed metal rod and then finish inserting into the CF rod. This will allow the CA to take up the space between the metal and CF rods and bond them as one. Once the metal rod is pushed through I try to equalize the exposed threads and rod to match approximately. I will add a few drops of thick or medium CA to the first end of the metal rod where it exits the CF tube since that didn’t get any CA on it, and allow that to form a bond as well. Let dry/cure. Once dry, you can add some heat shrink or fuel tubing over the ends to make them nice and pretty J. This mod is to help stiffen the control rod. While I’ve seen the team pros flog stock rods w/out problems. Some users have reported they felt the rod assembly was too “flexible”. This mod helps to stiffen the rod and I feel it’s one of those “can’t hurt” type things.
Tail:
1) I use all red thread lock again on the tail box assembly. The tail pitch slider and level assembly should be very smooth once assembled. If it’s not, try adding some tri-flow oil to the tail output shaft, sometimes a tight clearance between the tail pitch slider and the tail output shaft can cause some tightness. If the tightness persists, you likely have some of the small screws too tight, or the Tail Bell crank Support may be slightly out of alignment. What I have found to work well is to try to light up that Tail bell crank support and make parallel with the edge of the tail case side. Tighten that down. Begin to assemble the tail bell crank link, tail bell crank arms, pitch slider and grip arms loosely, again with proper use of red thread lock. Once all assembled as a unit. Begin to slowly tighten each of the screws a little at a time, progressing through the assembly. IE don’t tighten one bolt down and move to the next. DO, go ¼-1/2 turn in on each as you work your way from the Tail bell crank support out to the grip arms. Once you get to where some or all of the screws begin to snug down, do just that; snug them, but don’t make them tight. You don’t need gorilla torque on these. Snugged is good, tight is BAD. Red thread lock should hold well provided the threads were clean of oil/grease etc…. when assembled. Doing this should create a very smooth setup of the tail box.
To be continued:

Misc:
1) Boom Supports—Please add a drop or two of thin CA to the boom support ends and allow it to “wick” into the ends. This will help hold the ends on better. Although they are glued at factory, some have come loose over time. Also, a good idea to periodically check them, and any strange tail issues/behavior in the air, this is a usual suspect for that.
2) Main shaft collar—I’ve noticed with the new shaft collar, occasionally after a new build or crash/rebuild, while I tighten up the collar and take out the play in the mainshaft/gear, after about 5 flights I can develop some play. Not sure what this is, but once I again take out the play and re-tighten, it’s usually good w/out further adjustment until next crash etc…
3) Gov magnets---Seems I’m among the few holdouts who still use gov magnets lol. Many are moving to the spectrum back plate sensor. For those that still use magnets here is my method for putting them in and not goofing up orientation ie having 2 similar poles up/down etc…(ask me how I know :O) With magnets on bench, let them stick together. Once stuck, I take a black permanent marker and mark the exposed sides. These are opposite poles. Let marker dry. It will still rub off somewhat easily, so if you are ham fisted in handling these, you may also want to scribe a mark on these exposed sides with a xacto knife to further aid visualization. Mix up some 30minute epoxy. Take the magnets and slide them apart keeping the black/marked sides UP. Separate them so they don’t get back together. Put a small dab of epoxy in each of the clutch bell holes. I use a left over cut zip tie or similar to place that small dab in there. Don’t fill up the hole. Enough to coat the bottom and sides is plenty. The more excess you have, the harder it will be to put the magnet in. . Take one magnet, keeping track to keep that black side up and place in one of the holes. Do the same on the opposite hole. Each black side should still be UP. If you flip one of them you will either be totally non sensing or dual sensing with your Gov. Press each of the magnets down, I use a small hex driver (1.5mm works well). You should be able to seat the magnet down in the epoxy and allow the excess to “squish” around the edges of the magnet. Moving the magnet back and forth slightly as it sits, helps to facilitate this. A small amount of excess on the top of the magnet is ok. Anything over the surface of the clutch bell I do remove though so as not to interfere with the sensor. You should be good to go. You can verify proper sensor operation with your gov at this point, provided it’s hooked up.
4) Canopy grommets--Mounting into Canopy--These are biotch to put in unless you use the Magic Trick!!! What is that?? Easy as butter! Get a coffee cup or some shallow container you can get a pliers into and be able to pick up the grommets easily. Put a bit of water in this glass, cup etc… Microwave it till it’s good and hot, but not boiling. After you get the water hot, put in the grommets. Let sit in there for a bit. Take your canopy and make sure holes are reamed out to right size. I like them about 5-6mm in diameter. Pull out a grommet with pliers. Water is hot so be careful. They are now very very soft. Easy to put in the canopy hole and with just a little push with a hex driver will slide in. I let any residual water dry, then put some thin CA on the backside of the grommet to hold it there.

IF all else fails----ask Whiteside

[DominicD]

Throw some images up with your tips and i will sticky it.

P.S. I use red loctite on the spindle bolts as per the instruction manual.

[John Cook]

will do
I'm at work now and dont' have my camera or access to most of the stuff I want to show
thx

[tony whiteside]

Man that's looking very nice!!

Nice work John!!!

Ya skank!