Building twin 800e birds

[HeliGriff]

I can't thank you enough for posting this build! Awesome job! -HeliGriff

[JustinS]

Great build mate, owners will be stoked!
in the last pic, whats the extra layer if glass on the canopy?

[hidaven]

Please post the maiden video!

[nu66ie]

JustinS It is a piece of fiberglass used to reinforce the canopy mount holes. It gives those areas extra firmness when you fiddle trying to poke the mounting studs through the holes. Both of these canopies seem a little more finicky to get lined up. The mounting studs don't go through the hole square and you have to twist the canopy to get them lined up. And once they crack, it only gets worse.


Ill post more later.

Thank you for your comments

[hidaven]

Hey pal, I'm doing the KDE tail upgrade but only the parts that replace the cheap plastic arms and brass screws in the tail. Aside from that, does this Heli need any other upgrades and/ or mods in your opinion? Great pics and you make things nice and neat!

[RyanW]

They both looked good today. The pinion set screws are tough to get to though

-Ryan

[nu66ie]

hidaven, This heli is pretty good out of the box. Here is what I changed on these two birds and/or planning to do to mine.

Triple check you have the pinion set screw on the flat spot. Double checking didn't cut it this time. Its a good thing I have autorotation skills, and 800mm blades. (Thanks for your help yesterday RyanW)

Make sure you use the correct ball link on the rudder control rod. There are three different style ball links in the kit.

My main gripe is that the linkage rods are not turnbuckles. Especially the short ones on the DFC head. Once you pop that link on, it becomes a pain to get off during setup. I've tried several different ball link pliers, and they all gouge the swashplate. You can unscrew the ball but risk damaging the outer threads on the swashplate when you pull it out and you got to pull pretty hard. A turnbuckle would make set up easier and more accurate.

Removed all radial bearings and re-seat them. Often there are a few that loosen up after a few flights and play develops.

I replaced the small button head screws that mount the rudder servo to the aluminum mount and the ones that attach the mount to the frame with hex heads and also a little longer.

I replaced the small button head screws that mount the elevator servo to the aluminum mount with hex heads but the ones that attach the elevator mount to the frame, those need to keep the button head but be a little longer. A hex head may rub on the swash linkage rod.

Remove the servo extension connectors for the ESC an RUD and size to fit the wires and solder the connections.

Replace all of the servo connectors with a Futaba style connector I use Vbar and the receiver case is designed for a Futaba style connector. The JR type connectors fit is OK but not nearly as secure as a Futaba connector as it has the ridge on the side.

After a few flights, I will be adding a second washer in the tail grips. The one that sits between the outer radial bearing and thrust bearing. Stock is 8x10x0.3mm, I'll be adding either a 8x10x0.1mm or 8x10x0.2mm to take the play out. Makes for a happier tail.

Replace stock main blade spindle screws with the ones made by Lynx.

KDE metal link upgrade

Titanium turn buckles. I've used the ones made by Lunsford Racing.

Added three additional frame braces. I used Align's hexagonal bolts.

Boom support reinforcement plates.

Some of this may seem nit-picky or anal but that's the way I build.

[hidaven]

Nu, thanks pal.........Where did you add the 3 frame braces? I added one over the back 800 tray since i took the 700 smaller tray out......Also, do you think the stock blade grip bolts are risky?? havent heard of too many blade grips letting go in the trex line...

lastly, did you re crimp the plugs on the servo wires or just solder the 2 halves and shrink wrap? Oh and why the need for the plastic tail rod joiner plate?

Oh! And how does it fly????

Thanks Pal,

-Dave

Update, I can see the 2 high frame braces here......where's the lower one?

[RyanW]

Don (nu66ie) did a stellar job of assembling these machines! Very clean build and wire routing. Saw both machines fly yesterday and they looked buttery smooth. If you are in Albuquerque, it is worth going to the flying field and meeting these guys!

-Ryan

[nu66ie]

Thanks Ryan -- BTW, I now have a set of ball head hex drivers on the way...

hidaven - Here is a pix of the frame brace locations. I did it to give extra rigidity around the one way bearing area. I'm not sure if swinging all that mass up top may cause some flexing in the frame around the main bearings.

When the first V2 700s came out, there were apparently some issues with the spindle bolts breaking. I've had the Lynx bolts on my 700 since day one, and will have them on my 800 as well. They say the load resistance is much greater. A few of the fliers here are using the Lynx bolts too.

The servo wires with extensions had the plastic casing removed, then the pins were joined and soldered. This way it would be easier in the future if you needed to take the servo or ESC out, just de-solder it. Plus it removes the possibility of an unseen connector coming loose and takes up less room inside the frame. And if I need to shorten an extension that is too long, I'll cut it, tin it, and fit it inside female side of the connection, and then solder it.

The tail boom support brace adds rigidity tot he tail as the carbon fiber flexes quite a bit. Also I saw a video of a T-Rex 550 a while back that had one of the boom braces hanging straight down after the lower bolt came out and with the top one loose, the rod was hanging down. My paranoia tells me that having that brace on will keep the boom brace up if a bolt comes out...

Frame strengthener locations


Extensions removed and wires soldered

[hidaven]

Thanks nu! Last questions.

Any pics of your packs wired up? I did everything as you did, need to know how you wired the 12s pack together and where you ran the wires....I followed all your pics and yours STILL came out nicer!

Also did you glue the cf rods inside the cf tube as well as gluing the metal tips on?

Lastly, how did it fly?!?!? What are your initial impressions? Thanks again pal for all the help!

Dave

[nu66ie]

No, I didn't get pix of the battery arrangement.

The flight packs were velcro'd with their thinnest side on the battery tray with the wires in the center of the two packs. They are TP 4400mAh, The battery that slides into the frame first was 20mm from the tray edge. Both sets of battery leads are facing the rear of the heli, with the series adapter connected, it runs straight out the rear of the heli (on the side with the switch) and up to the ESC connector. I had to extend the length of my series adapter by 1.5 inches.

The battery facing the front of the heli was sticking out only an inch or so from the front of the canopy so I used another strap to strap it to the receiver mount. With this arrangement, the CG was spot on.

The receiver pack needs to be no taller than 20mm, and not extend past the edge of the receiver battery mount. The TP 3800 mAh pack would not fit with the canopy fastened, it was too tall. So we moved it to the side opposite the Vbar. The same with the two Hyperion 2100s, Only one would fit on the tray. The 700e DFC was the same way.

I did epoxy the CF tubs onto the pushrods, but did not glue on the aluminum tips as they are already a tight fit and the links actually gently press up against them.

On the elevator linkage rods, the gap I used was more like 1mm, not the 2mm suggested.

I temporarily put a 3 inch extension in between the Vbar unit and the finished ESC connector because it is easier to connect the Castle Link while you setup and get the headspeed set to your liking. With the wiring so tight it is a pain to fiddle with that connector. Once the ESC is set up, remove the extension and put the finished ESC wire back into the receiver.

How did it fly? Loud, very responsive, beautiful, 10 fold.... It felt similar to the 600efl Pro, only a whole lot bigger! Once it is on the ground and you back away from it, the size isn't so apparent until you spool it up. The size of the spinning disk is massive, loud and it moves allot of air. The flip and roll rates are perfect with the Vbar V5.3.

The small crowd watching was speechless and cheered at the end of Matt's first flight.

It has a light and very snappy feel and allot of hang time. Tic-tocs were effortless. It is hard to explain the sensation of that giant bird flying other than saying that it was the best flying heli I have flown. The new 700e DFC feels heavy compared to the 800e.

I will be posting a video to YouTube tonight of Matt McDermott's first flights.

[nu66ie]

Here is some video of Matt McDermott flying his new 800e for the first time. The first flight he was flying it on my radio which has the collective sprung to center, hence the comments about hovering at zero pitch.

He is an awesome heli pilot with crazy skills and can't wait until he gets use to this beautiful bird and starts to wring it out. I'll post more in the next week or so.

Matt McDermott's 800e DFC Trekker

[thielecg]

Nice Builds man!

[Curt S]

Damn vids make it harder too look at mine sitting undone.

Thanks for the pic of making the servo extension. Something so simple, yet i never thought of it. I always just soldered a longer length of wire on and used new ends. Daaaa ur way is sooo much easier.