Tandem gyro plans

[davh12]

Joe,

Retired HS shop teachers are the best. My old machine shop teacher is the one who got me tuned into metal fab/machining. Depending on the size of mill work that you do, there are a couple of ways to mill. I'm not sure of the chuck/lathe platform size, but I know there are some tool post attachments that look like a mini mill vise that you can get to use your lathe as a "horizintal mill" for smal jobs. To include geared advancing knob. TAIG lathe products make one for theirs, but it's a small chuck. I think 1.5" is max diameter stock it can turn, but not sure how long the mill path is with regard to the slide span of movement. Another option is a cross slide vise with a drill press for light mill work with larger spans of movement along the mill tool route. But some times you can find good deals on use mills. Mills can bet pricy though. Best of luck. Our you tube is action up here on this end, but I'll check his stuff out when I get a chance. Thanks.

 

[Roundwing]

Dave,

I'm a little ahead you on this one but thanks for the though. I'm headed over to Harbor Freight tomorrow to buy a large electric heater or two. A wood stove would be the best choice but there is no way to vent it from my shop.

Another thing that I'm doing is changing my tool post on my lathe. I'm looking at a quick change post from Grizzly so it won't take so long changing tools. Also, it's about time that I buy a small mill to compliment the lathe.

There's a fellow on youtube that has made tutorials on machining that were very good. I believe he is retired high school shop teacher who does the videos as a hobby. He is a wealth of knowledge to folk like me with a limited background. His website is www.tubalcain.com.

If you want to see some really good machining videos check out Keith Fenner.
All on You tube.
He has a machine shop in Maine and shows does a very good job explaining what he is doing.
Thirty plus years experience.

Rick

 

[joe nelson]

Dave and Rick,

I love watching these folks work because they make it look so very easy and know it's not. The major thing I watch for is the types of tools they use so I know what to buy. I'm finding out the greatest cost of getting a new machine is buying the d@mn tools.

Right now, I'm looking at a Grizzly G 1006, 2hp mill. It has good bed travel and is small enough to fit in my shop. I'll also pick up a set of collets, fly cutters and end mills. I would think that these tools should get me started.

Rick, I'll certainly check out Keith Fenner's website. Any information will improve my 10 minutes of experience...lol.

 

[davh12]

Joe, sounds about right. When I got my first lathe, it did not even have the drive pulley or electric motor...just bare bone stock lathe platform.

 

[joe nelson]

I've ordered my Grizzly mill today. Man, I love new toys.

The youtube videos make machining look easy but I'm guessing that it'll easier as I get more experience. The Keith Fenner videos are so very informative and it's going take several viewing to get all the techniques down.

 

[joe nelson]

It's here. I can't believe how fast the mill came! The UPS truck dropped it off around 2 this afternoon and it's sitting in my garage just waiting to be unpacked. Tomorrow, I'll need to rent an engine hoist to mount it to it's stand.

 

[joe nelson]

Here's a dumb question. My new mill has a jacobs style chuck, so do I need to buy collets?

 

[joe nelson]

Over the last couple of days, I have been working on making parts for my project when I came across a video on "lost foam casting." This allows you to make a form from styrofoam and pack it in foundry sand to cast aluminum parts specific to your design requirements.

To some of you this may be old news but I'm just now discovering it. The process makes for a reduced amount of machining required to generate parts and can be made from scrap metal that you may have around the shop. Things like bell cranks and pullies should be easily done with several made at a time.

This process seems to be promising but only time will tell.

 

[joe nelson]

My weekend project is to move my new milling machine into my shop. I hope it doesn't rain.

 

[joe nelson]

As an update, the goal of this part of my project is to increase the size of the tandem so it is easier for me to work on. The smaller size of the previous tandems make it very difficult to make minute angle changes to the flight components accurately.

 

[hillberg]

Heck make it 1/4 scale or full size. ( full size is a little riskier but easier to manufacture.)

 

[joe nelson]

Don,
I was thinking about full size since I'm tired of working such in a small scale. I'm getting older too and I can't see the smaller stuff very well anymore.

It's my intention to tow it for testing on a trailer that I pull behind my truck. It's going to be more expensive this way but I feel that there will be better results in the end. This will give me a change to make sure all components are turning the right way and the control input is correct. I don't need a big thrill at my age if something goes wrong.

I just got a small mill for my shop and that took a lot of time to set up because of my bad back. I hope to catch up with the project now that exercise is over...lol.

PS Have you seen the MC4 project lately? Man, I think that little bird is cool.

 

[hillberg]

Saddly the Mc 4 was returned to the Museum, Reids wife took him to the cleaners, He's doing a project in Washington , A brantly/Robie two placer.

I have designs for an 8 place tandem rescue helicopter that will be started soon I hope.
My back is still fubar, I can be vertical for 20 minutes, After that horizontal for a day or three. Young is over rated & old sucks. I'll be happy with a little thrill.

 

[joe nelson]

Don,

I feel for you and your back problem. I'm in the same boat as you with the prolonged standing so I use a mechanics stool to slide around my shop. All heavy lifting is done by mechanical means just like last week with my milling machine. All my work benches are built around 28 inches high instead of the normal 32 inches for use with my stool. I'm not going to let my injury rule my life!

I didn't know you were interested in tandems enough to design and build one...good luck! The more I work on my project the more that I discover the differences between gyros and helicopters. Not to mention, the differences between tandems and their configuration but you know much more than me on the subject.

I have plans from the internet for the Mc4 and it is not as complex as I had originally thought. The plans gave me many ideas on the control configuration and what doesn't need to be included on the gyro. I'll confirm this when I start tow testing.

 

[hillberg]

The design fills a nitch, a fuslage of honeycomb palet ,walls ,bulkheads all parts interchangable on the gearboxes ,blades & controls, so the parts count & tooling is reduced, Need to find a pt 6 for a powerplant,

Need to see the Doctor in my wifes familyin China, Bones & Back injurys are their speciality (1300 years worth) but the County Cubical Hamsters have a hard on for me, Keep messng up the retirement process, Going on 5 years (I think it has to do with the costs of launching contract fire helicopters to a bad fire in 2008?? & the Sheriff dept was not on the clock)

 

[joe nelson]

Don,

You had recommended that a solution to my gearbox problem may the use of a Honda final drive differential. I have been looking at a GL1800 differential but I have a question about the lubrication. Since it will run on it's side, what changes would I need to make to insure good lubrication. By looking at the picture the breather would need to rotated by 90 degrees along with the filler plug. The drain plug can be used as a chip detector also.

These are just thoughts and questions that I was milling around.

 

[hillberg]

the mariano mc 1 used vent high drain low and 1/2 filled with lube (a few ounces ) worked fine ran cool on 60 hp for a 700+ gross weight.

 

[joe nelson]

Could the fill cap be made into a sight glass for oil level and filler? If you used a couple of elbows and clear tubing.

Thanks Don!

 

[joe nelson]

Does anyone know the mast angle of the AS 18?

 

[joe nelson]

I received two Honda GL 1800 gearboxes yesterday by UPS. These will be modified to be used on my tandem project. The gearboxes will be coupled and mounted on a trailer to test their durability.

I will start posting pictures as soon as there is something to see.