Big T

Sarik don’t supply and strip or sheet wood, only the formers.

Pop over to our Facebook group, RC Model Autogyros for more info on blades, set up, first flights etc. Blades are not so difficult to make after you have done one set. However you can buy suitable blanks from Astikmodels.mozella.com

So you need a good computer radio with 4 or 6 channels. The rotor control is done in the radio usually setting the model up as a flying wing with ailevators mixing 2 channels , throttle, rudder. But a word of warning, if you have never flown a radio controlled air plane before this is not a type of model to learn on. Even really experienced fixed wing a rotary wing pilots struggle with auto gyros.

Hi, you can get a Gemini plan from Richard Harris direct. There is also a build log on here from me.

Hi Tom, well done for having a go at blade making. Due to the nature of home made blades the cord wise c of g will nearly always be different and in my experience makes no real difference in performance . With the commercially produced AJ blades, they always advised drilling the hole on the centre of lift for the airfoil section they used and gave a measurement from the leading edge. In fact that’s where the full size gyro blades are mounted. What is much more important is that the blades are as close as possible in weight and the length wise balance point of each blade is the same. If weight is needed to equalise, that’s where it is put. Keep the leading edge as sharp as possible and remember you may need negative shim to increase spin up.

The STL files are available for download at STL Download. I have printed in Prusament PLA and eSun PLA+ and as you can see the printed parts are robust. I have used Balsa sheet for the tail and Correx with bamboo and CF inserts to strengthen. I have used 0% and 5% infill to test the strength and both work well.

Hi David, with a tractor we hang the model from the Jesus Nut in ready to fly condition with blades fitted and radio on. You then measure the angle of the thrust line and horizontal, this is known as the Hang Angle. With a 3 blade set up you are looking for a start point hang angle of between 15 and 18 degrees as a starting point. Too shallow an angle is equivalent to a fixed wing model having too rearward a c of g. You also need to build in right motor thrust. The mast can be angled rearward to aid the hang angle. The longer the mast the more stable in flight but too long causes issues with roll stability. I would start with the Whippit dimensions and work from that. Blade size can be calculated by use of the spreadsheet.

Hi Stephen, I am interested to know if you have experimented with the span wise CofG position. In particular the effect of moving the CofG further towards the tip and if so have you found a sweet spot?

The STL files for the blades are in the FILES section of our private facebook group RC Model Autogyros

Posted by Joakim Karlsson 1 on 29/01/2021 15:47:32: Posted by Richard Franks on 29/01/2021 15:13:39: Really depends on your confidence at building.I dont think the sarik plan pack includes the materials for the rotors but I will look in the unopened one in my workshop Thank you! If you are a 3D printer there are several different STL files for a complete blade set that do very well for the Panther. If not then the thought of making blades from scratch seems more daunting that reality. It’s not that difficult if you select the wood and have either a belt sander or David plane and sanding blocks. Have a go! What’s the worst that can happen?

That’s going to be interesting, never seen a clockwise model gyro.

Posted by Andy Joyce on 18/01/2021 13:39:55: In the process of making the blades. Note the plan shows a 1mm blunt edge to the LE although early pictures on the tread show a sharp LE. So which is better, blunt or sharp? Sharp works best in my experience. Better spin up.

I second the flying close to aid orientation. My regular fixed wing flying certainly improved after flying gyros, it does feel weird when flying vintage 3 channel. I keep trying to level the wings in the turns! Couloir choice is also important though. I like to have o e end of the model a different contrasting colour. On some I have fitted lights.

Posted by Chris Dowell on 12/11/2020 08:46:30: Even when all blades have been made to identical weights ...you will find that the entire head assembly has to be balances as one unit. This usually requires small strips tape to be added to the tips of the lighter blades . This is a critical part of the set up. Chris... Chris I am sure you are correct but.....I have always added weight to the blades lengthwise CofG to get them to the same weight. Then I make sure to cover them with the exactly the same size of film, then double check the weights again. Lately I have experimented with using the thin heat shrink tubing that is used by the food and lipo manufacturers, widely available on eBay. Works very well and is stronger than silly film

It might be an optical illusion but there doesn’t seem to be any rear tilt on the mast? All of my model gyros have at least 5 degrees, some more.

Rich will he need some motor offset?

Posted by Carlos Rodrigues on 06/10/2020 01:23:12: Malcom, Thanks for your quick answer. Please, tell me what changes when using shims? Lift? Bigger head rotation? What is the difference between using neutral angle and negative angle? What about positive angle? Can it be used? Carlos Negative pitch causes the blades to spin up quicker and faster but reduces lift proportionally. The more neutral the pitch is the more lift is produced but the slower the spin up. Neutral pitch can work depending on the way the blades are made, hand made blades are always different as opposed to jig machined blades. Positive pitch doesn’t work as the blades will not spin and will not produce any lift. Basically it’s the same principle as windmill sails.

Posted by Bob Cotsford on 14/08/2020 18:56:46: I was curious whether the height of the blades above the tilt pivot was critical as I was thinking an old pancake can motor from a dead Pheonix glider might be repurposed as a bearing unit with the windings and magnets removed. I have done the same. As long as the blades clear the tail fin when the rotor is tilted back to the max for spin up it will be OK.

Posted by Andy Joyce on 14/08/2020 16:45:55: Thanks Bill, now found an identical product in the UK but at a silly price, so looks like I will be going down the route of using Richards wooden design as suggested by Dave. Its possible to use a variety of methods to provide a spindle. Any of the old production reduction gears used back in the days before brushless motors for example. I have even used the front crankcase of an Enya 2 stroke motor. Wanted ads on RC Groups are another source.

Hers a video of the DAG 120%. https://youtu.be/1LHyO9JZ1_Q

Thats a nice Panther. The RPG was first gyro and since then I have built 3 for myself and 3 for friends. Its a great model. My tips for modding the plan are make the top deck removable to aid easy change of battery, I make the nose slightly longer and hollow to allow lead as an easy way to get the weight forward if needed, make the rear boom from square carbon tube, mount the rudder servo under the fuz with either pull pull or a push rod. I also made the stab out of laminated dollar tree or depron. Also one of my flying sites was very bumpy to a ditched the piano wire undercart for one piece of alloy.

Both of mine have had a variety of tail components: depron with balsa stuck on to give a better hinge mount, dollar board, all balsa. No change to cg needed.

Rich, I thought that on pushers the horizontal stab was needed to counteract the prop wash. Also it acts as a mount for the extra vertical stabs that prevent Newton’s 3rd law yaw?

Great pictures Rich, it was a great day to test out the Revolver 2 in different wind conditions as the thermals went through. I need to make a couple of mods to the Suzuki Revolver. Air scoops and vent holes to cool the ESC and a better Lipo security metnod. Apart from that she flew like a dream. Thanks go to Ian and club mates for the day. Well worth the 1.5 hour drive.

Posted by B YELLOP on 07/06/2019 09:01:35: Hi, the article says prop is 8x7.5. It is illustrated as 3 blades. On this site I have seen many pictures/vids that are 2 bladed!. What is the size recommended for the D3530/14 motor and how many blades please. Being a returnee I have a lot to learn. Regarding the balancing of the main rotor blades. You recommend using Balsaloc , I assume this is to add weight in the right place!!. What else can be used as my local model shop has indicated that this type of product is not widely used. What type of product is acceptable for same purpose, assuming it will be covered at some point? As is glaringly obvious I have every thing to learn about modern covering types and techniques so please bare with me. So many questions, sorry to be such a pain . Barry Edited By B YELLOP on 07/06/2019 09:05:43 I have tried several methods of blade covering and balancing. For adding weight to the blade before covering I have used I have used urethane varnish, balsaloc, pva, water based primer undercoat, They all work. Traditionally I used a heat shrink covering film ensuring that I use the same amount on each blade. For final balance after covering I normally use electrical insulation tape on the c of g. To move the c of g I insert small nails in the end of the blade and fix in place with glue. We have even used coins as a field fix.