home manufactured rotors?? what do you guys think?

[asra]

[NiqueNaque]

Ben,Despite being an engineer of all sorts with reasonable hands on skills there is no way I would do it, period. Not unless I was supervised by someone who really knows how to do it, properly, and with a demonstrated record.It is what you do not know that will kill you, in a rotor blade this could be many things, but usually it is that one ingredient, experience.Ross Bannerman could tell you of his very frightening ride down from 20' on a set of delaminating alloy blades. These blades were riveted at 150 mm intervals instead of 75mm intervals, the glue had failed and the absence of rivets precipitated its total failure. The person who built those blades by virtue of this did not have the experience that tells them that you must rivet them at 75mm, hence the failure.As most blades are composites of either alloy components or FRP's [fibre reinforced plastics] there are many different things to consider, and if it were the first set you were to make, it would be a consideration fraught with dangers.In short, it is not something for builders to 'just do it', it is something that should be left with a rotor builder with a great depth of experience.Hope this helps,Nick.

[asra]

One hundred percent behind you Nick...and they're relatively inexpensive also, so why would you even think about it.Pete

[asra]

A couple of comments on Ross's blade failure. Unlike other blades by a reputable manufacturer the ones in question did not have the top skin formed so its leading edge wanted to lie in its recess in the leading edge extrusion, furthermore while the flat bottom skin had its leading edge champhered to lock into its leading edge champhered recess there was no such arrangement for the top skin.Another factor which I am starting to believe has some relevance was the apparent flexing of the blade at the point where the delamination started. This flexing appears to be caused by a mismatch between the coning angle of the hub bar and the coning angle the blades are actually requiring on that particular machine with that pilot's weight. That is one of the reasons I am experimenting with a spring steel hub bar.Many years ago when a certain top aeronautical engineer was involved in helping our fledgling sport get started in Australia we were directed to make the bend in the middle of the hub bar over a 36" radius, it was later accepted that it would be OK if it was in the middle 7". To my knowledge we only have one manufacturer who complies with this.John EvansThink logically and do things well, think laterally and do things better.

[asra]

G,day.I cant comment on rotor blades because i've never owned one.My question is, do manufacturers teach young people how to makethem ? If not, where can the next generation of blade builder gainthe nessesary experience to carry on the trade ?Cheers.Robert DunnMackay. Qld.Growing old is good while it lasts.

[asra]

i have two home made sets here now, but one was built by an engineer and the other fella refined the way he did it and went on to make hundreds. shame no one seems to pass this stuff on.

[asra]

[asra]

Hoody, thats what I'm after! your so right! that is a real shame that nobody passed that skill on!Thanks!Ben D

[asra]

Ben, and anyone else interested in makeing your own rotorblades ...a fell'a in California has made his rotorblades and now sells plans on how he did it.here is the info..........Debbie Hoskins 9644 Road 28 1/2 Madera, CA 93637 Email: montecraig@juno.com....... I have the plans myself and plan on building the plywood rotorblades as soon as the weather gets better, right now I have 10 " of snow to contend with !.... people asume that Rotorblades are impossable to make yourself but the proccess is not hard at all, just like a propeller it just takes a bit of knowledge and hands on work.... the art is NOT DEAD.... but as long as people say its totally unsafe to build your own it will be a lost art in the near future ! Its a wonder that any of the old time Helos ever got off the ground... but they didn't have rotorblades to go out and buy they had to make them themselves or not have them at all .... I keep trying to tell people that there is nothing about a gyro that is so technical that a layman can't understand and build from the ground up ! if you can't do it and relie on store bought parts thats all well and good ! but don't tell people they cannot build good quality parts because you can't ! thats absurde! homebuilt parts , gyros and entire aircraft have been built throughout the years, yes people die in them , people also die in store bought aircraft as well ... if your serious about building your own rotorblades instead of paying $1200.00 pluss then aquire the skills you need and build them, just about anyone that has worked a bit with laminateing wood and has an attention to detail can build them and it might even cost you as much as $200.00 ! the tools needed are c-clamps a hammer and a drill and most importantly a belt sander to form the leading edge shape.... oh and a screw driver and verious drill bits. not to mention the wood and glueand blade bench .... these blades can be made with a positive twist in them if you like .... they are heavier than say Dragon wing blades but some would argue that is a good thing for verious reasons . They can also be made longer than 10ft as mine will be 12ft, it just takes a longer blade bench and a few more screws ! the plans cost $35.00 U.S. and come on a CD or paper form. if i remember right . Believe me its not hard nore technical, and he covers the blade setup extreamily well , if it isn't glass smothe when your done its not his fault ! I used his set up methods on my own repaired blades and it works fantastically ! I believe unlike alot of folk that it don't have to be perfect, it just has to work ! and be safe ! I wish you luck in your endevor Ben ! I think you could build these things in your sleep ! get the plans and you'll be supprized how fast they will come togather ! remember. this is MY opinion , i'm not selling anything but I think it would do alot of you guys a world of good to see how simple it is to make a rotor blade !it don't have to be carbon fiber to work ! REALY !!!!!catcha later !Bob." Momm'a alwayse told me , Son the impossable is only a little bit Harder... and ya know I do believe She was RIGHT ! "

[asra]

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[asra]

Good to see Bob is still alive. His posts always make me smile.Daryl Patterson

[asra]

Yep ! I b alive and Kickin' !still workin on the gyro when weather permits ... I have taken off at least 50 pounds of stuff so its a bunch lighter I have come to the conclusion if the cotton pickin' Gyro don't fly this year I'm sellin it ! .... well, thats what I've said but I doubt I could part with the o'l girl after I have put so much of me life into her ! .... the big question is weather or not my little Rotex 447 can push a 28ft rotor ! .... I kind'a doubt it ,,, but I have hurd of 24 ft rotors on Ultralight gyros with 447'sso it should be able to handle the extra footage ! .... but in all truthfullness if I can get to the Bunny hop stage again I will be quite happy ! Good luck to all you fellers and gals down under ! have a goodern'c ya !Bob......" Momm'a alwayse told me , Son the impossable is only a little bit Harder... and ya know I do believe She was RIGHT ! "

[Michael]

Anybody who tries to build their own rotor blades without a huge amount of skill and knowlege is inviting an early death.Talk to Pete Barsden. He's an expert on the subject.Michael.

[asra]

you guys are right! we all should be thankful that there are somethings we can build ourselves on a gyro and some we simply cannot!..... hey its better than a car fettish.... you really cant do much but buy off the shelf products now with modern cars!Thanks guys.... lets just chalk that one up to Youthful enthusiasm!!!

[asra]

I can't see a problem with building your own rotor blades. The old blokes that are building them now must have started somehow. Whats wrong with going and getting some instuction on how it is all done, buying the right bits and having a go. I know of some fellas up Nth Qld that roll their own without any problems. I even flew with some of their rotors. Some are heavy, some lack performance, some are a bit agricultural looking, but they were all made correctly and they worked.It's just a whole lot more fun and satisfying when you do it all yourself. Nothing is out of your reach if you learn how first.I think I would build my own rotors before I would build my own rotor head. I don't believe I have the machinery skills to turn out a rotorhead but I have watched blades being made and tested and think that with some instruction and help I could do it too.Just my way of looking at things and the way I live.Graeme.