sillyness

My Feedback: (25)

Just wanted to pass this word along.

I got sick of my 30 lbs graphtech tailwheel falling apart (tread coming off, wire bending, wire breaking, etc...).

SO, I decided to bite the bullet and get what was supposed to be a heavier but stronger tail wheel... the RCBlimp Pro wheel.

I got the unit and it looked very very very nice. Titanium haigh style wire, much larger wheel (hopefully won't catch in the grass like the GT one), the wheel is enclosed in a carbon fork, no wires to bend, nothing. It felt heavy in my hand though. Oh well... the price we pay for durability.

Today I finally got around to swapping them out. I took off the Graphtech TW and threw it on the scale... 58 grams (2.05 ozs)... and it felt light in my hand. Then I weighed the RCBlimp TW... 43.5g (1.53 ozs!!!). Wow... my hand makes a horrible scale!!!

So... I did some math, and I get to take 1.75 ozs off the nose (switching to lighter motor mounting washers) and keep the same balance!!! Result... 2.25 ozs saved... like taking the original tailwheel off and leaving it off... and then some.

I highly encourage all of you to give this very high quality product a look. Can't wait 'till the snow melts so I give her her a test run.

Dean Bird

My Feedback: (39)

I just got the biggest one in the mail today for my Composite-ARF Extra 260. It's only supposed to weigh 2 ounces!! Keeping weight out of the tail is SO critical. Great stuff from Shawn at RC Blimp Productions.

http://www.rcblimpproductions.com/

I got some of the carbon/balsa plate for baffling, tank trays, etc. I got a carb cover too. I'm taking lots of steps to make my engine the smoothest running and transitioning engine I've ever had.

Later,

Dean Bird
Sun Valley Fliers
Phoenix, AZ

sillyness

My Feedback: (25)

I've also got a couple of the carb plates... unfortunately they showed up after it started snowing here so I never got to try them. Bummer.

Be careful with all that carbon. It's a conductor. I read about a guy in Model Aviation that can't get decent range in his Carden 40% Extra. He used carbon to build a tank tray, baffle tunnel, rudder tray, baffles, etc....

From a physics standpoint, you can accidentally build a "Gaussian Cage". This is what is used in planes like the B-1 and B-52 to harden them against the EMP associated with nukes. It's also part of the reason you are safe from lightning in your car. If set up right, the carbon will carry small currents generated by EM signals. The currents generate their own electrical and magnetic fields opposite of the ones that created them. If these are all close enough they coalesce and generate a field cage... the generated fields add up to form a field inside the cage that cancels out any incoming fields. Hence... poor range. Personally I would just use balsa and 1/64" or 1/32" ply... can be made lighter and stronger than the carbon. You can throw some simulated carbon monokote on it if you want.

Anyway, good luck with your CArf!

Dean Bird

My Feedback: (39)

Yikes!!

Here's a picture of the trays in my 3.0m Extra 330S. The SWB rudder tray was screwed into hardwood rails going across the fuselage. The carbon/balsa plates on top of the rails on both sides of the tray made it very solid. The plates were then used to mount the batteries, receiver, rudder matchbox, etc.

Thanks for the info.

Dean

sillyness

My Feedback: (25)

It would take a super computer to figure out if something will create problems. It was more food for thought than anything.

Just mounted the tailwheel. It makes the plane look like a low-rider compared to the graphtech. Oh well... landings will now be easier on the plane. With the design of the plane and the way it sat on the gear before (fairly flat) it would touchdown tail first and the mains would drop on (at the AOA for the speed I want). Now all three gear should kiss at roughly the same time.

rcblimppro

You two guys are great, I'm glad to see you happy with the tailwheels. There is much more to come, I have several projects that I am working on that I hope to have available real soon. First on the list will be CF wheel pants in 33 and 40% sizes. A forked design CF control horn that captures the ball link is next and some fiberglass spinners will follow. The spinners will be available in various sizes, utalise a single senter bolt and will come white or silver. I will be posting pics here as things come available.

Shawn Berkheimer


http://www.rcblimpproductions.com/

sillyness

My Feedback: (25)

Sweet... thanks man!!!

mu2driver

My Feedback: (15)

Hey Shawn I'll be ready for those Gear Cuffs the end of Feb...also I will order up the same tail wheel as Dean for my 260..

rcblimppro

The gear cuffs are really cool, we have them installed on My CA an AW 37% Extra and a Radiowave and they just really make the airplane look finished. Whait untill you see the CF wheel pants.



Shawn

mu2driver

My Feedback: (15)

Hey I just checked the mail and YES they came in...I will do the fitting asap and paint them to match..

Carbon Fiber ones would look sweet as well..

Whats the best method to install them?

Also what are guys using for the black rubber seal that mates to the fuse?

Thanks!!!

rcblimppro

Some guys are putting small neoprene tubing around them. I have been attaching them to the gear with a small glob of Shoo Goo. I have done a set in CF but right now CF is in short supply so the price would be considerably more but I am willing to do it.

Shawn

mu2driver

My Feedback: (15)

Thats cool man...I am diggin these...Im already preping for paint...

aviti

My Feedback: (54)

Shawn - How much do you think the carbon fiber wheel pants will weigh. I am interested in 35% size.....

rcblimppro

The CF wheel pants won't weigh any less than the fiberglass counterparts. The lightest CF cloth that can be obtained right now is 5.7 oz. That is really overkill a wheel pant so the result is the same weight as the fiberglass. The advantage will be a much stronger stet of wheel pants that won't need to be painted and look really high tech. The 35% CF wheel pant sould weigh between 1 and 1.25 oz.


Shawn

wifpwcf

[quote]ORIGINAL: rcblimppro


You two guys are great, I'm glad to see you happy with the tailwheels. There is much more to come, I have several projects that I am working on that I hope to have available real soon. First on the list will be CF wheel pants in 33 and 40% sizes. A forked design CF control horn that captures the ball link is next and some fiberglass spinners will follow. The spinners will be available in various sizes, utalise a single senter bolt and will come white or silver. I will be posting pics here as things come available.

Shawn Berkheimer


http://www.rcblimpproductions.com/







HI shawn do you send your products to anyone in australia i am interested in them.or can i get them threw you
cheers glen

quist

My Feedback: (198)

I received my RCBlimp Titanium tail wheel for the 40 lb plane last week. It only wieghs 1.8 oz. That is freaking awesome.

sillyness

My Feedback: (25)

They are pretty sweet, eh?

rcblimppro

Glen, The products are available from Ian Howard ( Desert Aircraft Australia) .




Shawn

sillyness

My Feedback: (25)

Shawn,

How much bigger is the XLarge TW vs. the Large TW? The L seems a little small on my 35% Extra... wondering if I should go for an XL for my 35% Panzl.

wifpwcf

sweet thats where i got my 2.6 from ill call him
cheers glen

rcblimppro

Silly, the large unit is good for an airplane up to 30 lbs. I have a local guy here that is bending his up pretty bad doing harrier landings but I doubt you are subjecting you equipment to that type of abuse. The XL is 1.5" longer and about 1/4oz heavier so I don't think it would be a problem to put one on a 35%.



Shawn

rcblimppro

I have a pic of the new control horn. They will get inset into the surface pretty much the same as the Comp ARF. You will have to provide somthing in the surface as a hard point. They are 2" long and need to be inserted into the surface at least 1/2"


SHawn Berkheimer
R/C Blimp Productions.com

rcblimppro

Control horn

sillyness

My Feedback: (25)

Yeah... my plane is about 29 lbs. My landings are generally TW first, but not harrier landings. I haven't flown the TW yet... will get her going when the snow melts.