Home Built

[asra]

Had an Ag pilot do a bit of spraying on a block in some rough country in the lower alpine region of Victoria. The differential in elevation is 1,500ft with some bloody tight gullies. Funny lot the Ag pilots, the last 6" of each wing had a few dints in them - from bird strikes (but the bird was sitting in a tree at the time)!!!! Yet start talking about gyro"s and they stop talking - gyro"s are just too dangerous!!!!Anyway back to building the highly dangerous gyro (all relative to me) ;D. The whole idea of this forum is to learn from others so as to minimise that risk/danger.I have done a bit of machining of the rotor head, the main bearing block and the spindle forks. The main bearing block is symmetrical so it is easy enough to hold in the 4 jaw chuck. The teeter bearing seat on the spindle fork was totally off centre so that had to be clamped onto the face plate and then bored out. I centred up the hole in both cases by marking out the centre spot, centre punching the spot. Located the dead centre in the tailstock into the centre punch, then tightened up the jaws (slowly and evenly) or the clamps on the faceplate. To get a good finish I lubricated the last few cuts with a squirt of WD40. Another small trick when making 2 of anything, I always Superglue both blanks together and then start machining. This way you can be sure that both will be identical and it almost halves the total time to make them. I have also glued the spindle forks to the bearing block to drill the bolt holes - a lot easier to make sure that everything is correct before you drill and you only have to mark up one side and then drill all the way through. I always let the glue set for an hour or so and then come back to it with fresh eyes, double check everything and then do the machining. Hope everyone has a great New Year and 2012.

[asra]

Yep it may be old and slow - but it allows him to get into those tight gullies. We have tried helicopters on the same job but the results were not as good. Like most things gets down to the skill of the operator! ;D ;D ;D

[tonydenton]

tim, thats some awesome photos and commentry , it"s not hard to see your enjoying it , there is something to be said for building your own flying machine. i"ve also had a similar coversation with a crop duster, all was well until i pulled my gyro out of the hanger, and he said "oh those things are dangerous", i replied with " whats your problem, we both fly and we both have to wear helmets".they seem to have a double set of standards. i have just started work again on my 2 seat tandum. i"ve been waiting on my tri-tail for over 18mths. when working on the keel and tail i was thinking that the steep drop in your keel and then back to the tail could develop some sort of a flutter with the tail ?????? you only have a short drop piece, so that would be a bonus for it to stay firm, hopefully everything will good.

[quoj]

Funny lot the Ag pilots, the last 6" of each wing had a few dints in them - from bird strikes (but the bird was sitting in a tree at the time)!!!! Yet start talking about gyro"s and they stop talking - gyro"s are just too dangerous!!!!Anyway back to building the highly dangerous gyro (all relative to me) ;D. The whole idea of this forum is to learn from others so as to minimise that risk/danger. i"ve also had a similar coversation with a crop duster, all was well until i pulled my gyro out of the hanger, and he said "oh those things are dangerous"Yes, it would be sooooo nice to, once and for all, kill the stigma that has stuck to gyros like a fresh cow pat on a barn wall!I have enough trouble getting some people to believe that the autogyro concept is real!I"ve had people accuse me of talking bu11$h1t when I tell them that the rotor is unpowered, and then obnoxiously ask, "Well, what"s *that* then, stupid??" whilst pointing to the pre-rotator!(There"s a youtube video of a chinese guy that has countless "armchair experts" claiming that it is fake and just a greenscreen!)As for the "Ooooh, no, no, no, no, no! Those things are dangerous!", well I"ve put a few FW pilots in their place by reading them the riot act and explaining about thrust lines and HStabs and early years of unbridled low-hour inventors acting as test pilots!I am glad to have entered the gyro community in an age where we have the chance to set things right.

[asra]

Tony - I have been thinking about the flutter issue. I take it that the flutter is caused by the steep drop tube vibrating. Originally I was going to run a stay back from the bottom of the drop tube to the mixer plates, do you thing that would solve the flutter (if it happens)? Does it have to be a solid section or could I just run some wires??I got the basic spindle drilled and bolted together yesterday. I made up the stop plate and have included a few photos of machining the plate to size in the lathe (I find I get a better finish and more accuracy in the lathe than my old mill) as well as setting up the plate to be central in the 4 jaw.One note on the AN Bunnings hardware - currently using M6 everywhere, but this allows me to drill out and ream for 1/4" or larger on final assembly with true AN hardware.

[asra]

"Yes, it would be sooooo nice to, once and for all, kill the stigma that has stuck to gyros like a fresh cow pat on a barn wall!"While inducting a new bloke today, as usual, when he expressed an enthusiasm for "having a go" in my gyro, I had to communicate, numerous times, that he would quickly be on the business end of a 223 if he put any of those wishes into action.Told him he can get lessons with Max in Darwin, but not interested. Some of the stigma may be due to clueless buggers jumping on like it"s a motorbike or goKart

[quoj]

.. when he expressed an enthusiasm for "having a go" in my gyro...Some of the stigma may be due to clueless buggers jumping on like it"s a motorbike or goKartThat"s funny, but yes, I recall once having a picture of myself in a $50,000 sailplane/glider that I"d finally got endorsed on and a workmate said to me, "Cool! Did they let you have a go in that "ultralight"?"I set him straight on how many hours and dollars I spent getting my posterior into that (not so) "ultralight."Yes, some people do indeed see gyros as just a toy that you"ll "get the hang of" after a few minutes, like a go cart or a dirt bike.Yes, this

[asra]

It has been a long time!It gets back to late January and I was driving back from 2 weeks holiday with the family at Wye River on the Great Ocean Road. Just out of Geelong the ABC news announced that there had been a helicopter crash near Mangalore. As soon as I heard it I felt sick. I know I should not wish ill on others, but I hoped like hell that they were right and it was a helicopter! Alas we all know the tragic outcome.Sam and I were similar ages and his children are only a little younger than mine so it really hit home. I am afraid to say that my project is now permanently on hold. Soon after I stripped it down and I have stored it under the house, so all is not lost but it is going to be some time before it comes out again.Maybe I am a little selfish, but it was not only the loss of Sam but also the loss of my project that was so dear to me. To cope with the loss of both I had to go cold turkey with gyros.Much to my neighbours bewilderment my shed has not been idle. I started building wind turbines and mounting them on my shed a few years ago. I am up to design revision 6 and this one I can finally say runs silently - even my neighbours agree! Much quieter than the pulse jet engine, that really got them hopping. The turbine is about 1000w and has a 2m diameter rotor and this design I am sorry to say uses my gyro rotor head bearing!Anyway enough self indulgence, I would just like to close by wishing everyone smooth dense air and safe flying.Best wishes TimC

[AirWolf]

Hey Tim,Sorry to hear you have shelved your project, but I can certainly understand. It came as a terrible shock to all of us, but life must go on. Have missed your presence at the VSRA meetings and on the forum with your updates on your project. All the best for future projects and hope to see you around soon.Cheers, Ray.

[asra]

Hi RayGood to hear from you - the big question is. Have you got that BMW in the air?Best wishes TimC

[AirWolf]

Hi Tim,Hasn"t flown yet, all ready to go when we get some decent weather. Had problems with the mapping of the ECU but that"s all sorted now.Can"t wait to see it in the air.Ray

[asra]

Hi RayLook forward to seeing the videoTim

[kimberleybondy88]

Hi Kawasaki,How is the build going mate, this is honestly incredibly inspiring this Forum, and once i buy a gyro and get some honest long term experience would love to build my own gyro,I hope your build is still going well and look forward to seeing more in the near future of your build.