PapiWata:
Parkingzz, I don't understand why you are making your own propellers, since home-made props are bound to be so much harder to balance to prevent vibration. Just looking at that METAL 4-blade propeller on your plane, I will venture to say that the bird will NEVER fly with that heavy, clearly unbalanced propeller concept.

You look at a picture and suddenly get a feel of the magnitude of the weight huh? You must be a genius!
As for the propellers,they aint bound to be so much harder to balance,if you know the know-how... Don't look at the seemingly 4 metal blade as you call it. Just wait and look at the video and you will see the thrust that thing produces that lifted the craft a couple inches off the ground.. That's no metal 4 bladed propeller. They are two seperate propellers. One is a factory built plastic prop,and the other is an aluminum version. Practicaly,it was found that the two props gave twice the thrust when only one prop was used. As for the balancing,the prop was precisely built such that the balancing needed isn't much. Needful to say that i didnt even balance it,just spun it and check the vibration,it was well within tolerable limit. Mind you no prop is 100% balanced.

PapiWata:

Go with factory bought propellers, and save yourself a whole ton of pointless "busy work".

You call that pointless "busy work?"
The last i checked,factory bought props weren't for free..
It's not much fun me building that prop. There's not much fund here for me to buy a factory one nor order one,ok. What you saw me use were donated to me from Britain when i was building my rc helicopter last year. If you gave me one then why should i waste my time on pointless "busy work".

PapiWata:

I think you can really speed up your progress by avoiding any tasks that are akin to re-inventing the wheel.

Nothing is.... What i am doing here is,trying to get what i can't get, if i should wait for money to arrive.. And if i had done that so i wouldn't be re-inventing the wheel,then there wouldn't be this thread.

Parkingzz, RC aircraft ALL props, even those made in factories, MUST be balanced, to avoid major vibration. Go to Youtube, search for RC aircraft propeller balancing, and you will see many tutorial videos showing how balancing is done with brand new factory-bought propellers. There are ALWAYS tiny defects in the plastic used to manufacture RC propellers, so it is EXTREMELY rare to find one that is balanced right out of the box.

On the issue of your using two single-blade propellers to fabricate a "composite" four-blade propeller, I challenge you to post a link that will show even one single RC plane that was fitted with a 4-blade propeller, because I am certain that you will NEVER find such a setup, since it is highly inefficient to use 4 blades. For ALL RC aircraft, you will only ever find two-bladed and three-bladed props, but NEVER a four blade prop. Please, prove me wrong since I am no expert, and I am willing to be corrected if my statements here are incorrect.

Your claim that the 4-blade propeller you are using "generates thrust" and lifts the plane "a few inches" off the ground does not amount to evidence that the setup will get airborne and fly at normal RC altitudes. You may not be happy with my suggestion that you get rid of the 4-blade propeller setup, BUT, in the long run, you WILL revert back to a simple 2-blade setup, though you may keep that fact to yourself, so prevent me reading about it and writing in to say "I told you so".

Finally, in reference to your mention of the cost of RC aircraft parts, I do agree that they can get quite expensive, BUT, props are about the cheapest RC components out there, and cost less than $5 apiece for high quality ones from Hobby King. If you can afford a cheap phone handset, then I am CERTAIN that you can afford to buy a dozen or so assorted RC propellers with a variety of pitch and diameters. Speaking of propeller pitch, I cannot for the life of me see how you can ACCURATELY replicate specific prop pitch that is a VITAL performance component for all props, in a home made propeller.

Anyway, my brother, I am making these comments out of appreciation for your skill and tremendous creativity, so please don't take my suggestions as anything but constructive advice that WILL be proven right in the course of your ongoing experimentation.

Pakingzzz:

You look at a picture and suddenly get a feel of the magnitude of the weight huh? You must be a genius!
As for the propellers,they aint bound to be so much harder to balance,if you know the know-how... Don't look at the seemingly 4 metal blade as you call it. Just wait and look at the video and you will see the thrust that thing produces that lifted the craft a couple inches off the ground.. That's no metal 4 bladed propeller. They are two seperate propellers. One is a factory built plastic prop,and the other is an aluminum version. Practicaly,it was found that the two props gave twice the thrust when only one prop was used. As for the balancing,the prop was precisely built such that the balancing needed isn't much. Needful to say that i didnt even balance it,just spun it and check the vibration,it was well within tolerable limit. Mind you no prop is 100% balanced.

You call that pointless "busy work?"
The last i checked,factory bought props weren't for free..
It's not much fun me building that prop. There's not much fund here for me to buy a factory one nor order one,ok. What you saw me use were donated to me from Britain when i was building my rc helicopter last year. If you gave me one then why should i waste my time on pointless "busy work".


Nothing is.... What i am doing here is,trying to get what i can't get, if i should wait for money to arrive.. And if i had done that so i wouldn't be re-inventing the wheel,then there wouldn't be this thread.

Don't mind him pls. He shld build his own and let us see it

Fash20:
Don't mind him pls. He shld build his own and let us see it

With my very poor fabrication skills, I would not attempt to build a propeller that I can buy factory-made for between $2 and $5 each, Fash20, especially since any RC plane propeller I attempt to fabricate by hand would be lopsided, and also consume more time than I have to spare. Thanks to the World Wide Web, the global market is open to Nigerian now, and the propellers I am suggesting that Parkingzz obtain off the shelf will cost on average less than the price of dinner at a cheap eatery.

Engineer Parkingzz, I want to beg you to avoid any soldering directly to those highly volatile LiPo batteries. Packaged 2S, 3S, or 4S batteries made by Zippy, Turnigy or any of the commercial lines are not cheap, but, since you have posted pictures of your RC aircraft using off-the-shelf LiPo batteries in the past, I am convinced that you may already appreciate and wish to avoid the hidden dangers of spontaneous explosion when dealing with LiPo batteries.

Sincerely, man, I admire your skill as a RC plane and systems inventor, but, even if you disregard all other advice that I may offer here, PLEASE consider my suggestion that you obtain factory-made LiPo battery packs for ALL your RC projects. A single incorrect wire connection on a LiPo battery can make that volatile cell go off like a hand-grenade. I don't even want to think about someone working on a LiPo battery at the instant when such a mishap occurs, so again, if you have not made the decision already, I urge you to avoid soldering to LiPo batteries, and buy stock ones from Hobby King.

All the best, Onyiisi Parkingz. This hobby of yours will take you places where price will no longer be a limitation. Keep it going, and one day we readers of the Nairaland Technology forum can recall that we witnessed the humble beginnings of your successful enterprise, thanks to the magic of the internet,

PapiWata:


With my very poor fabrication skills, I would not attempt to build a propeller that I can buy factory-made for between $2 and $5 each, Fash20, especially since any RC plane propeller I attempt to fabricate by hand would be lopsided, and also consume more time than I have to spare. Thanks to the World Wide Web, the global market is open to Nigerian now, and the propellers I am suggesting that Parkingzz obtain off the shelf will cost on average less than the price of dinner at a cheap eatery.

Engineer Parkingzz, I want to beg you to avoid any soldering directly to those highly volatile LiPo batteries. Packaged 2S, 3S, or 4S batteries made by Zippy, Turnigy or any of the commercial lines are not cheap, but, since you have posted pictures of your RC aircraft using off-the-shelf LiPo batteries in the past, I am convinced that you may already appreciate and wish to avoid the hidden dangers of spontaneous explosion when dealing with LiPo batteries.

Sincerely, man, I admire your skill as a RC plane and systems inventor, but, even if you disregard all other advice that I may offer here, PLEASE consider my suggestion that you obtain factory-made LiPo battery packs for ALL your RC projects. A single incorrect wire connection on a LiPo battery can make that volatile cell go off like a hand-grenade. I don't even want to think about someone working on a LiPo battery at the instant when such a mishap occurs, so again, if you have not made the decision already, I urge you to avoid soldering to LiPo batteries, and buy stock ones from Hobby King.

All the best, Onyiisi Parkingz. This hobby of yours will take you places where price will no longer be a limitation. Keep it going, and one day we readers of the Nairaland Technology forum can recall that we witnessed the humble beginnings of your successful enterprise, thanks to the magic of the internet,

Nice but I guess you don't live Nigeria cus it seems you think the props are easy to get here in Nija.

Fash20:
Nice but I guess you don't live Nigeria cus it seems you think the props are easy to get here in Nija.

Unless I am mistaken, Parkingzz has already made a few purchases from Hobby King, in one of his earlier projects, so it is safe to say he is familiar with the ordering process at Hobby King.

I did some little work on the craft today...
I had come to conclude and accept that the material i used in building the airplane beeing white in colour, would blend with the sky once airborne,causing visual distortion for me during a flight session.
Hence the need to put some heavy mark or some sort of painting on the body. So it would seem like a beacon within a hundred yards or so in the sky..
I decided i would just paint some vital edges on the craft,so that once in flight,it can silhouette the sky enough for me to see it...
Using a transparent tape,i taped the edges of the wings,rear stabilizers,rudder,elevator,propeller and under-belly of airplane...
Then,with a slightly thinned green paint,i sprayed a series of dotted lines on the taped edges. Allowed it to dry..
As i write this,i am sitting down watching my lipo batteries charge.. Am done for now with the plane. Looks like i'll be going to the field tomorow morning for a maiden. However,if i do,i'll make a video of it. And post it.

Here's the craft this morning.

Great work....keep it up bro!
I'm getting interested in RC quads myself, thinking i'll start out with a Quad, entry & learning curve shouldn't be too steep. Anyone, flying quads here? I might need some pointers!
)

Pakingzzz:
Here's the craft this morning.

waiting to see it in the sky


I saw some rc helicopter /plane on konga/jumai

can you tell me the best to order

I want something that I have almost 80% full control of , good battery and can also fly outdoors.

ordering abroad is a noo , for me based on bad experience with post office

Great Effort I must say, good job however I must also say that this is crude engineering.......don't get me wrong its not your fault, its just how the manufacturing sector of our country is.
what stops us from having (small) companies that produces molds or get prototypes done....(Power/Electricity). until then we can't produce sellable technology.
Imagine taking this effort of yours to the market.

Deyou:

Imagine taking this effort of yours to the market.

quite profitable i would say.

litaninja:
entry & learning curve shouldn't be too steep. Anyone, flying quads here? I might need some pointers!
)

Yeah entry and learning curve is steep.. Am interested in Quads but aint ventured into it yet,but i'll certainly venture into it this year.

Last month,i had a friend of mine to order a digital tachometer for me online. The tachometer was made in china and cost roughly N1,200 naira..
I just received it today.
It could be set to display in Rpm (rotation per minute) or Rps (rotation per second). With a reading accuracy of up to 150,000 Rpm. I guess it would come handy in my present and consequent projects.
But first of all,i shall use it to determine the propeller Rpm!

Below is the Tachometer with the laser cover on.

The front view with the laser on.

I'm following but what is the work of d Tachometer

Fash20:
I'm following but what is the work of d Tachometer

To determine the speed at which the propeller is rotating, most likely.

PapiWata:


To determine the speed at which the propeller is rotating, most likely.

ok

Tried to read the Rpm of the propeller today,but to no avail.
This was partly because,the reflective tape that comes with the Tachometer,got lost enroute. So i was forced to fabricate something as close to a reflective tape. The result was'nt acceptable as the Tachometer refused to read.. I suspected poor reflectivity.
I shall look for a material with high reflectivity.

Did some work on the prop. I relocated the reflective tape towards the shaft.

After securing the tape stuck to the new position,i revved up the prop and switched on the Tach. Although i was doing this with a low battery,i went ahead because i just wanted to get some readings displayed on the Tach. So i grabed my Tx and kept my throttle stick at middle,and below was the reading i got.

That's 5,246.9 Rpm with a low battery!
Next,i took the throttle stick to full stick,and the Tach registered 8,970.3 Rpm.
I guess i shall be getting more of that when i charge up my airplane battery.

I think am really in for a big suprise!
My helicopter blades were doing 2600 Rpm. And here am having my home-made prop doing some 8,970 Rpm!
At that speed,it was really at ballistic speeds!

Following...

Man am following u, and happy new year to u. I hope to work with u on similar project this year. I am quite skilled in building flying objects. Pls may I have your email my is ......jetplain39@gmail.com

patrickkkk:
Man am following u, and happy new year to u. I hope to work with u on similar project this year. I am quite skilled in building flying objects. Pls may I have your email my is ......jetplain39@gmail.com

Happy new year to you too.. My email; kingsleyobinna26@yahoo.Com

That's pretty good that you are skilled in building flying. What crafts do you fly?

Pakingzzz:
I think am really in for a big suprise!
My helicopter blades were doing 2600 Rpm. And here am having my home-made prop doing some 8,970 Rpm!
At that speed,it was really at ballistic speeds!

Add that to the thrust of the craft. It wasn't satisfactory to me. There is alot of inefficiency in the system,add that to the rate at which it drains my battery. It didn't go well with known theories.
Hence the need to modify the gearbox.
If i can recall correctly. In my gearbox,the prop gear was gotten from a standing fan. It has 59 tooth.
On the other hand,the pinion on my brushless motor has 13 tooth,so that gives a reduction ratio of 4.5:1.

After some fidling. I finally got two more gears from a standing fan.
I intend to shrink the gearing ratio further down,to accomodate a bigger and longer prop. So i've settled for a gearing ratio that will fall between 10:1 and 15:1.

It is one thing to buy a store bought reduction gearbox, and it's another thing to build a custom built one yourself.
Because the gears i choose to use, has a teeth gap of 1mm,and a height of 0.8mm. To design a gearbox with those gears, using homebuilt technique, would require precise calculation and measurement for the required length of the spacing and installment of the meshing gears, if it was to work,so the gear tooth tolerance won't be too tight nor to loose.

The modification saw no use for my old prop,and as such,a new prop holder had to be come in.
I decided to use an Align 550 tail blade holder as my prop holder.
The pix below is the prop holder,and the shapft being fixed in.

Below is the gears i got from two standing fans.

One of the gears have been modified to have dual in line gear.