Ideas to save my dominator build

[rwdreams]

Well to make a long story short. I can't move my dominator build around any more. It's too tall. Ive been tipping it back to clear the doors but it's getting dangerous. And eventually I'll have a tail. I need to tip the mast lower. I don't want to build a folding mast. Too heavy and complicated. I thought I would take off the control rods and seat so the mast could tip forward if I take out some cluster plate bolts. But I would have to mount the engine and shocks on a separate short mast. Then when I tip up the main mast up I can use clamp mounts to the secondary mast and replace the cluster bolts, control rods and braces. I plan on doing this only to trailer the gyro when finished. I've seen the hornet design and the sport copter. Has any body made made something like this on a dominator? I'm open to advice. Thank you for reading this and offering any advice.

 

[Resasi]

Sadly only confirmation that choice not to go folding can lead to a change of build site.

We had to move from my son’s comfy garage in Orlando to a hanger in Zephryhills, which meant a long commute to continue to build and a longer period building.

 

[Gyro28866]

Buy or build an enclosed trailer that can double as a shop/hangar.
My last trailer purchase was a 38' Gooseneck, I converted the part over the neck into my camper and it has 30' of floor. I can easily haul 2 gyros to a flyin

 

[Brian Jackson]

In an earlier build years ago I had contemplated replacing an overhead garage door with a side-by-side "barn door" style. This would have provided a way to cut a clearance notch through the wall above the door opening for the mast/head to pass through. The notch would have had it's own small door that would be normally closed. It would have also required structural reinforcement since it would be splitting the roof truss.

Fortunately a much-needed divorce negated that requirement. What are the specific building conditions you are trying to solve for? I would be very hesitant on making any structural changes to your ship if there are other options available.

 

[rwdreams]

Well all good considerations. I don't mean to in any way comment on another's life. I've already been divorced. And while it will lose me friends and followers here, I can't divorce. She's cute, been really nice to me, owns a 32 and probably would not give me a quick triple tap ending. So on that note I can't change the house either, it's brick. Now the trailer is an option, as I have one. But I would really still like to have my workshop in the garage for the build. The nearest hanger would be a real drag to drive to. I've got so many mods now anyhow, Yamaha engine and all. I think I'd at least like to try.

 

[Rotorhead]

over the years tried few different options

 

[rwdreams]

Thank you for the pics. Did you find they were succesfull? Was there a great weight penalty?

 

[GyroRon]

Can you build it in the garage at full height? The problem is just that it won't just easily roll out the garage?

If so, build it there.

When time comes to get it out of the garage, you will need to get some of your strong buddies to come over, but if you need to, you CAN tip the gyro over to one side of the other and roll it out of the garage tipped over. Youll need to strap the nose fork back to the keel so it doesn't caster and using some helpers, tip it over to one side or the other so for instance the right main and the nose wheel is the only things touching the ground and tip it over far enough to clear the door. Will need several people to hold it and push and pull it as you do this. And you will need to show them where it is safe to hold onto the gyro ( Mast and landing gear )

If you don't have any strong friends, you can likely scare up some strangers to come over to help via a community facebook page or just drive to a local gym or something and offer to pay a few bucks for 15 minutes of their time. You could even hire a mover crew to come over to help move it, probably cost you 100-200$ but its out of the garage.

 

[rwdreams]

You know I feel stupid to not have thought of that. It won't work tipping it back but I haven't tried forward. I use rollers on my ppc to move to sideways. I could put that under the two gear and just roll it out. Not really convenient but I can't see putting a joint in the mast. Just to move it a few times.

 

[wolfy]

If it is just for the build, why not just build it and then when finished unbolt the mast to get it out the door. And I have also tipped them over on the side to get out of a garage, works well just need a couple of extra blokes as said above.

wolfy

 

[GyroRon]

Heck I didn't think of it till now, but as tall as the front of a dominator is, if you just removed the front landing gear, lowered the nose onto a movers dolly or even a skateboard, the forward tilt of the gyro might have the mast and rotor head low enough to clear a garage door. In my post above I was thinking push it over onto its side to where say, the front tire and right main tire is on the ground and left tire and rear tire is up in the air. With 3 guys there pulling and pushing, should be a easy task to do, but tilting it forward with removal of the nose gear, that might be all you need and you could do that and get it in and out by yourself easy.

 

[rwdreams]

Well the tipping is a no go. While I have a 3 car garage only 2 basicly square garage doors. I think I'd have to take off a gear. Wich might be easier than removing the front gear. But if the front gear comes off I wouldnt need help. I'll try that next.

 

[N7WWK]

I'm grapling with same problem garage door is only 7' high. Im looking at Harbor Freight has 10x17' portable enclosure under $200 looks like 9'6 high . Closes up completly only problem would be floor. In my case it would be in yard grass / sand could lay down some pt plywood. Pray for no hurricanes.

 

[rwdreams]

In Colorado you need heat, later air conditioning. I'm taking it all apart and starting over with a folding mast. Lots of complications. But the same is true of the Yamaha motor. Bigger prop means taller mast and that's an even bigger problem then. I'll contact my dar and see how to proceed when I make these kinds of changes. But a portable enclosure would be great for working on it non folded.

 

[BEN S]

Get a large piece of heavy duty outdoor carpet. Put some grommets in it and run a line woven in and out of the grommets to a broom handle and make loop. Remove the wheels an gear and build rig on rug. When done pull the whole thing out and reinstall wheels.
On a completely different note, the folding mast adds a bit of weight and complexity, but if done correctly also cuts down drastically on mast vibrations.
Thats the route I would go.