Soko has done it!!

[soko]

Hey,

Am I mistaken or did you recently loose all your helis due to CC ESCs burn down?

Soko

[Luvmyhelis]

Originally Posted by soko

Hey,

Am I mistaken or did you recently loose all your helis due to CC ESCs burn down?

Soko

Yeah, I did, sorry it took so long to respond. Been kinda frenetic for the last week.

I not only lost the helis. But both complete sets of my Mks servos, and it took out one of my SK720s. I wasn't a happy camper. Plus, and this is even worse. I custom built a heli for a close friend who lives over in Bankok. I had the heli in its third maiden hover just tuning in the Sk720 SL and poof! The CC Ice50 burst into flames. It came down in a fireball. So, I had to rebuild it and send a completely new heli out to him out of my own pocket. Fun stuff!

I was already building it for free as it was. Not to whine here. I came real close to bagging the hobby for a while.

[heathy]

Originally Posted by Luvmyhelis

Yeah, I did, sorry it took so long to respond. Been kinda frenetic for the last week.

I not only lost the helis. But both complete sets of my Mks servos, and it took out one of my SK720s. I wasn't a happy camper. Plus, and this is even worse. I custom built a heli for a close friend who lives over in Bankok. I had the heli in its third maiden hover just tuning in the Sk720 SL and poof! The CC Ice50 burst into flames. It came down in a fireball. So, I had to rebuild it and send a completely new heli out to him out of my own pocket. Fun stuff!

I was already building it for free as it was. Not to whine here. I came real close to bagging the hobby for a while.

Randy. I think I would be crying at that stage. How many CC burn ups have you had exactly?

Guessing they won't be getting any second chances with you then ??

[Luvmyhelis]

Originally Posted by heathy

Randy. I think I would be crying at that stage. How many CC burn ups have you had exactly?

Guessing they won't be getting any second chances with you then ??

You would think not! Had three go up on me.

I also went through three HV40s on another project until they finally got one to me that phased properly at the speed I needed. Those also caused two prototype motor losses as they burned up on the bench! Still well under their advertised phasing specs. That one (HV40) I need for my 12s 450 work with a prototype scorp they built for me. But if any other Esc manufacturer could come up with an esc that phased on a 12 stator motor at 49000 rpm I would jump all over it. As it was, I found a flaw not only in Castle's processor but also in their software! As I was able to use one of their cheaper Phoenix HV30s and run the same motor wide open without any problems. Before this Clint at Castle had quit returning emails. Also some of his advice was pretty poor and caused a 70 amp spike that roasted another motor. He blamed the results on me until I proved it was the esc's phasing limitations that caused the stutter and spike. Not to mention his advice to turn off the esc's safety net. They switched reps on me three times during the process. When I showed them the hole in their newest software release. I got a quiet thank you. And a new esc that worked. I had dozens of logs showing those motors hitting a wall at half their rpm ratings. And the Castle controller stuttering and spiking the motor with 15 times the running current. Yeah, my fault you say?

And then earlier when their reps made two references to me that this was all my fault, and no one else was having these problems when I had helis dropping from the sky engulfed in flames?

That suddenly quieted once I posted up about them, and dozens hopped on with the same issues. Funny how that happened. 6 weeks later they started dropping that line and supplanting another newer style esc instead. Again, coincidence? Me thinks not!

Imagine what Scorpion Motorworks thought of me also having to reorder the second burnt up motor as a consequence of this? It almost cost me my sponsorship. Thanks Castle!
Again, funny how that motor ran perfectly with another controller.

So yes, (done with my OT rant now) I am stuck with at least one for the time being. All the other replacements I sold off. And I would kill to be in the active working community again and be able to afford much higher quality esc's. Those days when I made 70+k a year are long gone.

But, at least I will be still building helis. And with Soko's help. And his brilliant kit, they will come out even more precisely setup.

[shadco]

added this to my kit for my Mini Protos which is a total pain in the ass to set the head up on.

Brilliant

[Luvmyhelis]

Soko, what a well thought out kit! Simple and elegant. Anyone can use this and get tracking dead on! And by dead on, I do mean dead on if your mechanical setup work is right and things aren't sloppy.

Not only is the stepped disc a novel idea as it addresses most the known grips. But even with the oddballs I found I can simply use normal blade grip spacers to get a perfect fit.

And your Soko electronic measuring tool is about as well thought out as anything I think I will ever see! You even got the cute storage bag down perfect!

Well done!

I am using this to set up a current 250 (with Vbar) I am finishing up for a guy, then I am reworking my Sk720'd Warp360 since I decided to add turnbuckles on their fbl links to get the tracking dead on. Their stock versions kinda suck as you can only get tracking within a half end link turn. This tool allows a guy to dial it in without any tracking error down to 1/10th of a degree. Then it is on to a Goblin I have built for another guy when Sk finally gets the black out. Sadly if they wait too much longer the guy I am building for might just tag something else on it. But the Soko kit is a perfect fit for that system also!

Doesn't get any better than this! I think I love this thing! And it isn't the giant Pia to use as my RcLogger as you can do this blades off! Which makes bench work so much better when not having to mount and fight the big blades swinging around while setting up the head on larger helis.

LMH

[joallen001]

Is everyone enjoying the soko? I am looking at going with the rclogger and just came across this. A little more expensive but looks well thought out.

[Gerald71]

If you want it perfect you need the Soko tool

[TBur]

Originally Posted by joallen001

Is everyone enjoying the soko? I am looking at going with the rclogger and just came across this. A little more expensive but looks well thought out.

Lovin it, very easy to use. I've setup my 3 helis and a few for my friends, I don't regret the purchase even though I have an older rc logger.

[soko]

Hey guys!

Just want to let you know about our Youtube channel here.

We uploaded our first instructions videos so check it out

If you like them why don't like us on our facebook page as well

Here is the first part of the video embedded!

Have fun!



Soko

[lcc014]

Originally Posted by soko

Hey guys!

Just want to let you know about our Youtube channel here.

We uploaded our first instructions videos so check it out

If you like them why don't like us on our facebook page as well

Here is the first part of the video embedded!

Have fun!



Soko

Nice work, Soko Looking forward to seeing more instructional videos on using your tool.

[soko]

Hey guys,

Just want to let you know about the completion of the setup videos with the Soko Kit



Keep on flyin'
Soko

[soko]

Hey guys!

Just wanted to let you know about our new Soko Kit instructions v2.2.

Besides a lot of other features it now includes a step by step guide to measure your tail pitch - of course for all sizes and brands of helis.

We also added some new pages on our website so go and check it out.

Soko

[Razmo]

Was there no mention of leveling the swash at high and low stick after leveling at zero pitch?

Raz

[soko]

Hey,

Have a look at section 4.4. "Setup of swash plate at full pitch". This section exists since day one...

Soko

[Razmo]

I see, thanks. Nice product.

Question, I currently own MiniV, 3GX and Skookum FBL units. I don't recall the instructions suggesting the sensors be reset while the helicopter is perfectly leveled. Is there such an option and/or a need?

I'm assuming the primary purpose for absolute vertical alignment of the main shaft is for your tool to do it's job, correct?

Raz

[soko]

Hey Raz,

I know there're quite a lot pages - but thats a big point everyone likes about it. Its even for the newbie no problem to setup his/her heli with the Soko Kit.

About reset of sensor see bold sentence "If your gyro/FBL system has a self-level feature, it’s a good idea to recalibrate the sensors." on page 18 and 21

The Soko Kit itself doesn't need the absolute vertical alignment... its more or less a need of the correct procedure to setup your heli. You can use the Soko Kit like any other pitch gauge as well!

Soko

[soko]

Heya,

Just wanted to let the subscribers here know about the new vids:
One great flight video of our custom Goblin 700 and two instructions vids.
If you life in the US stay tuned for same great news for you guys!

flight vid:


tail setup vid:


calibrating the soko gauge:


Soko

[yhchoong]

Hi Soko, I'm trying to understand the purpose of calibrating the gauge.

Maybe I'm not spending enough time thinking it through - from your video it states that the gauge will go back to take reading 1 if the surface is not perfectly level.

But in order for the gauge to know that it's not perfectly level, it needs to be already properly calibrated in the first place.

So what gives?

Or does it mean that it simply compares reading 1 and 2, so if they are the same both 180degs apart, that means geometrically the surface is perfectly level and hence the gauge will accept the new reference points?

[soko]

Hey,

Its about the guys that found their absolute angle value (small number on the right top corner) is out of absolute spirit level.
Until now no one knew how to set the null point of the absolute angle.

So the calibration is about to tell the Soko Gauge which level is shorizontal spirit level and set the absolute value to 0°.

To do this you need in advance a surface that is already in horizontal level. You need to do this with a separate tool - like a carpenters bubble level for example.

Once your "reverantial" surface is level you perform the calibration process as shown in the video to reset the zero point of the Soko Gauge.

Now to your statement: "But in order for the gauge to know that it's not perfectly level, it needs to be already properly calibrated in the first place."

May sound weird but thats not true

Background info: The Soko Gauge is a digital gauge, but the key measurement itsel is still the best and robust one: a weight and gravity. So there are no chips or electronics that are doing the key measurement - so nothing can drift due to temperature and/or age.
Anyway... So the angle of this mechanical rotating weight is measured electronically. Now if you place the Soko Gauge on a surface when "-1-" is showing and press the button, the electronic stores the angle of the mechanic. Keep in mind that its just a value and has nothing to to with an absolute angle. So lets say the value is 3456.
Now you turn the Soko Gauge by 180° and press again.
If the surface is in horizontal level the readed value is still 3456 because the rotating weight has the same angle and position. So all is good an the Soko Gauge knows know, that 3456 is 0.0°.
If it reads a different angle than 3456 it knows that the surface is not horizontal and therefore declines to finish the calibration process.

Sorry, is quite a long explanation, but I hope it helps.
You can open up the Soko Gauge if you like to see how it work

Soko