Home Built

[asra]

HiJust thought I would put a few thoughts and photos of the gyro I am currently building. It is my first gyro so I would appreciate any thoughts and tips as I go.I was about to start on the Hornet that can be found on the internet. Luckily

[asra]

Ok - Time for an update.Since the last post the undercarriage has been totally changed to a more conventional design using chrome moly tube and motorbike spring over shocks. When the weight of the shockers is combined with the rest of the pieces, it is no lighter than the fibreglass rod design. It should be better than the fibreglass on a heavy landing as it cannot over-travel. With the fibreglass they would just continue to bend - you could just keep bending them and bottom out on the keel if you hit the deck hard enough. I used 19mm fibreglass rods that were too flexible, if I had used 25mm rods I think it would have been OK.The new rear undercarriage is 1" chrome moly with 0.049" wall. The pivot ends are 6061-T6 with a 1/2" bush fixed by 3/8 bolts - the ends will be pinned in the tube with 1/4" bolts. Attaching the strut to the shocker is a 1.5" tube with 0.049" wall, which is a hand push fit onto the shocker body. All the force is transferred through the 3/8" bolt that goes through the standard shocker bolt eye. The 1" tube also bottoms out on the end of the shocker. To step down for the 1.5" to 1" tube I turned up some nylon bushes that are a light press fit - the tubes will be pinned also by 1/4" bolts. This gyro will be landing in paddocks so it needs to be capable of rough landings. The photos may be easier to understand the design. The trailing link is 3/4 chrome moly with stainless plugs and 3/8 ball ends.The front landing gear had been started last time, but now I have finished the aluminium swingarm. It is all fabricated from 4.0mm plate and folded using 8mm radius tooling in a 20 tonne garage press. Manitou air shock gives suspension and dampening. The engine now has the 44mm Makuni fitted which gets me approximately 62hp out of the Kawasaki 650. I have just picked up on Ebay a set of twin 38mm Makuni"s which should now get it closer to 70hp. Electric reserve fuel pump is fitted with separate water trap - just to be sure! The engine electronics have been enclosed in an alloy box.I have purchased the prop - a 68" IVO - less than $600 now with the AUD being so high! I had a work college bring it back in hand luggage. The flying kanagaroo lost it for 4 days, which made me a little nervous.The cooling system is complete and connected, using an electronic water pump and controller. The steel radiator housing has been replaced with an aluminium design which is much lighter - it will probably need some shrouding to get the air flow down past the seat!The next steps are the flight controlsI have one set of plans for a single place rotor head - does anyone else have a design they are willing to share? I would really appreciate another design as a sanity check!Once again any comments or advice greatly appreciated. I would rather change things now than find out the hard way!!More photos in next postTimC

[asra]

Hi - more photos

[asra]

HiLatest update is with the flight controls. After reading the article in the last Gyro News I definitely thought for a beginner it would be better not to use a pump stick. Besides I don"t believe there is enough room under the seat and between the mast to make one fit. The same space constraints ruled out the benson design.The design has the mixer at the base of the stick and then the push rods going down both sides of the keel - I guess it is loosely similar to a Rosco. All the swing arms are 4mm plate, with the major pivot made from 1.0"X1/8" 6061T6 tube. The ends of the tube are turned down to dia 22mm. The plates were drilled 7/8" and pressed onto the tube. Once assembled I used the #4 morse dead centre from my lathe and garage press to rivet the tube into the plates. The swing arms pivot on stubs made from poly bearing material.The stick in the photos is a proto out of mild steal. The final one will be the same shape as I have some 25mm X 25mm X 1mm, 4130

[asra]

i see you said you want an electric pre rotator, i have a starter off a v6 commodore and a ring gear off a sigma 2.6l engine it means the head with no rotors spins at 350rpm so is geared just right and it spins my 27ft patrony (44kg) rotors up to 140rpm only one ive heard of who can beat that is owen dull who uses the same starter but he has an altenator dedicated to keep up the voltage with fancy resistors for a soft start, i like to hand spin mine to 30rpm before engaging for my soft start ;D

[asra]

HiThanks for the info - have you ever put an amp-meter on it to see how much current it draws during windup?TimC

[asra]

Thanks for the info - what sort of plate did you put your ring gear on? How did you attach the ring gear to the plate?

[asra]

Hi BrownyThanks for the info - do you have a rotor brake on your set-up?TimC

[asra]

And how many fingers are missing?How the hell do you add the faces???

[Des Garvin]

Kawasaki asked "How the hell do you add the faces???" Just click on the faces that are shown along above the box you are typing in to reply. They will appear as

[asra]

;D > 8) ??? : :P :-[ :-X :- :-* :"( not working for me!!!!!

[Des Garvin]

Yes it did Kawasaki just look at your post above. Des Garvin

[asra]

Thanks DesCould not see the tree"s for the forest.

[Des Garvin]

And after 6 decades

[tonydenton]

i still cant load photos , i"ve clicked myself stupid