The 'What did you do in your workshop tonight?' thread

[Snoopy1]

Before you do that, I have a dle 20 Pitts Muffler. We can check the dimensions. No sense in you buying one if I've got one.

Just measured the bolt spacing it is 32mm from centreline to centreline. And the bolt going into the motor is 3mm. Are sure you do not need it.

 

[Snoopy1]

Well I decided to have a look at the 20cc Edge that I drilled into the ground earlier in the summer. See if I can salvage some thing out of it. Cleaned all the mangled wood of the fuselage. Will make quick layout on the workbench and see if it is a worthwhile project for the OS 22Gt. The stabilizer looks good in the picture but is broken loose and a couple of the hinges are broken so I will have see if I can remove it or try to fix it in place.

 

[Snoopy1]

Well made a small start cut and sliced all the bulk heads and pulled the fuselage in to make it 2 1/4 inches wide from the tail to the motor bulk head. That will make things a little easier to line up. The show stopper can still be the stabilizer. Need to finish up on the fuselage to were I am and then tackle the stabilizer. If the stabilizer can be fixed without destroying it then that will be done and then finish of the fuselage to the motor bulkhead.
Hopefully by making it only 2 1/4 wide it will take out some weight.

 

[stangflyer]

Just measured the bolt spacing it is 32mm from centreline to centreline. And the bolt going into the motor is 3mm. Are sure you do not need it.

Not at present.

 

[stangflyer]

So a little maintenance tonight on the new 330. Besides the slight wrinkle in the turtle deck from Sundays outing that I already ironed (literally) out, I also addressed a couple of other issues. First off, I added a couple of ounces of weight to the stab tube as my trim was slightly off from the previous flights. I remember what the 260 had and though they are different planes, they both share the exact same hardware. Other than the behemoth 8000mah twin Lipo's, everything is the same. I intentionally only added some of the weight I had in Baby. Just to see if there was a difference in overall setups/plane configuration and overall airframe. Not too much really. So now I am sitting right at about the same ballast weight in the tail of the 330 as was in Baby.

Second thing I noticed, (which is not uncommon with new ultracote covering) I had a couple of stripes that were not completely sealed down. So, I got those ironed out also.

The big chore was to rewire the receiver and program the new Gruapner MZ32. Between my son and I, we have discovered some hidden features/treasures of the new radio. (Mostly @Shayne Epley) (huh....who would've thunk?)…. Hidden features? No...say it isn't so. LOL. Actually we were a little disappointed when we discovered the channel slaving along with the dual/triple/quad rates and expo. Remember what I was saying a few weeks back fellas? Yeah, so not true. In a matter of speaking that is. I simply went into the programming of the radio and discovered that if I select a different wing configuration, I would have what I needed. (Wow, what a concept huh?) Or so I was thinking. What a dummy I was. This crazy radio has so many wing configurations it is mind boggling. I changed my original programming from "two aileron" and then slaving in two extra "aux" channels to tie in all four aileron servos. Oh, they worked just fine. Lightening fast ailerons. Almost too fast it made the big Extra a little nerve racking to fly. And talk about hovers or any other maneuver? Wow. Mainly because I was not able to dial in dual rates or expo. Ah but here is where it gets good. By changing the wing configuration to "four aileron-two flap", I was able to split all four aileron servo channels for ultra precise tuning and centering. Not to mention...get this. Triple rates with superb expo programming. In that configuration, if I wanted to use a different switch, I could actually get "Quad" rates. So you're all wondering why I selected the four aileron two flap config? Well, as awesome as this radio is once again beginning to proof itself to be, it does not have the functionality of separate aileron channel programming for rates and expo like my son and I need on our three aileron per wing PAU Edge and Behemoth Yak (2). Ah but this is the beauty of it as it stands for now. According to Gruapner USA, the flaps can be slaved in to act as aileron channels so that the rates and expo can be added. Guess we'll see how that works out when we start programming those planes with the new radio system. The overall best part of this whole thing is this. Gruapner told me right after I bought my new MZ32 that a new firmware release was scheduled for use later this year. Well, it is later this year. And it is coming from what I have been told. Not only is it supposed to include uploading on to the radio, actual photos of your plane that will be shown when you select that plane to fly, it is also supposed to have full channel mapping. In other words, If I want an aileron channel to operate from "Switch 8" (Just an example) I can program the radio for that. Also, it will have the capability of having as many aileron channels, (again just an example) as I want. Now Hitec has actually had this similar feature for sometime. Most other radios have too. But according to Gruapner, it was not a feature they considered as the MZ32 was primarily designed for Top Gun style and pattern and turbine pilots. You know the sort? The guys that don't need all those features on their Top Gun or their Pattern and turbine models. In essence, it was designed with the more elite class of pilots in mind. So what are we? Chopped Liver? That is what I asked Gruapner. LOL. Maybe that is why they are doing a revision of the firmware. Too many end users were complaining about functionality. LOL. Overall I think this will make the Graupner MZ32 a much more sought after and user friendly radio. Not to mention it will make it a lot more attractive to us 3d pilots, no?

Anyway, the big 330 is now all re-programmed with triple rates and expo on all surfaces. Independent of each other for ultra precise tunability and programming.

 

[Snoopy1]

Thanks for the up date on the radio seeing that I am interested in a new radio. Looks. It is getting better over time. It will Be interesting to see how the updates work. Looks like after you bug them for things we will have a good 3D. Radio.

 

[AKNick]

I'm still having growing pains with my 18SZ. I was flying my edge with smoke. I have several "conditions" so I can achieve triple rates. I found out today while I was flying that from DR to TR my smoke had less output. It appears that I somehow mixed it to my rates or the condition hierarchy trumped it. weird. need to do some digging but I'm not impressed very much on the logic system yet. I think a tear ran off my cheek listening to the excitement you are having with the MZ32, all the feedback, and what you are doing with it.
So does it feel buttery smooth like your trusty hitec?

 

[Snoopy1]

It is interesting to read about all the radios. Some of the fundamentals that we need or already have is not in the so called new radios that can do everything. It is really stupid most of us upgrading to get more channels and a little bit of telemetry. And all we get is radios that talks to us play music and many other things that we really do not need. Does anyone really listen to us on what we really need.

 

[stangflyer]

I'm still having growing pains with my 18SZ. I was flying my edge with smoke. I have several "conditions" so I can achieve triple rates. I found out today while I was flying that from DR to TR my smoke had less output. It appears that I somehow mixed it to my rates or the condition hierarchy trumped it. weird. need to do some digging but I'm not impressed very much on the logic system yet. I think a tear ran off my cheek listening to the excitement you are having with the MZ32, all the feedback, and what you are doing with it.
So does it feel buttery smooth like your trusty hitec?

Yes, there are so many possibilities with the MZ32. And it appears the company is listening to the input from the end users. That is a first for most any company isn't it? LOL. Anyway, I am very excited about the radio now. "NOW" that I am starting to figure some of the things out. Heck, it has more stuff on it than I will probably ever use in seven lifetimes. Course the Aurora A9X was the same way. I have said it before and I will say it again and I will continue to say it... If Hitec had come through with a radio with more channels, I never would have bailed outta the boat I was on. To me, my A9X was just like a part of my hands. And even now when I hold it, it still fits like a glove. I highly doubt I will ever get rid of it. Primarily because I have so many accessories for it along with nine million receivers. Add to that, I will never just give it away and for what they are going for...it would be absolutely criminal to sell it for that price. As for the MZ32? Yes, it feels so good in the hands too. A different kind of feel, but good all the same. Know what I mean? The gimbals are smooth as the satin your girls nighty is made from. And absolute precision like I have never seen. To give you an idea, both my son @Shayne Epley and I started out with the original Hitec Aurora. It only has the capability of doing 1024 resolution. When I bought my A9X, (which is 2048) it was like...Whoa! Seriously! There are a few people out there that will tell you that you can not...or most can not....even a seasoned sponsored pilot would not be able to tell the difference in resolution. Ha! That is such a big lie. Indeed you can feel it. And see it. And with the Maxima receivers, it is capable of 4096. But the feel of that is not like what you would expect. Very nice.... but when you watch your servos... it is "jump, jump, jump, jump....etc." between resolution points. Also, the servos sound a little "mmm, grainy". Does that make sense? Ok, fast forward to the MZ32. It is true 4096 resolution no matter what. When I move one of the sticks, the servos are so absolutely glass smooth you can't hardly tell they are moving unless you watch them. And talk about silky. It is like pure poetry in motion watching them. Like fluid.... ya know? And just listening to them....being...."QUIET". LOL I have never had all my ganged servos so precision quiet it is almost spooky. Last night while programming the big 330, I had the plane on and once I was all done setting everything, I listened for what I could hear. That plane was so dead quiet it was a little eerie. Not even a throttle servo hum. Yes, I like it. And yes, it is so so smooth.

 

[stangflyer]

It is interesting to read about all the radios. Some of the fundamentals that we need or already have is not in the so called new radios that can do everything. It is really stupid most of us upgrading to get more channels and a little bit of telemetry. And all we get is radios that talks to us play music and many other things that we really do not need. Does anyone really listen to us on what we really need.

Oh I think there are some companies that do. But keep in mind, you are one voice, I am one voice and what we say (even if we agree) may not be the general consensus. The norm would be to try to appease many, not just a few. So that being said, Take Gruapner for example. People wanted a radio that had a butt load of tricks up its sleeve. And they did it. You want 999 model memory? The MZ32 has it. You want telemetry? You got it. You want to listen to your radio communicate vital functions? You got it. You want a radio to play your favorite tune while you are wringing out your most bad ass 3d plane? It's in there. You all remember how on some radios that the companies did updates on the firmware and if you downloaded it and you did not like it, "too bad, so sad, sad sack". Yer stuck wit it. Not the MZ32. If you don't like the firmware or updates, just back date it like you would your computer and all is well. It has so many features I could sit here and list them for the next 24 days, (not even kidding) and never repeat myself once. I think they are listening Snoops. We just have to get on board with everyone else. LOL