For our 111th installment, this week it's just me, but I have a guest in the workshop! My friend John joins me and we discuss our custom Wii MultiCopter Interconnect board. As you probably know, this board goes far to tame the wiring mess that is inherent in the Flight Stabilization System for our Multi-Rotor projects, and we've already shared the necessary files so that you can order them yourselves. However, if you do not want to order the minimum order of three boards from the manufacturer, we will start coordinating group orders this week so you can order less than three - be watching for the article to pop up on AllThingsCrash this week with instructions on how you can get in on this!

Albeit a bit somber, I take an opportunity to say goodbye to my dear friend Dennis who lost his fight with Cancer last week. If you would like to send a card or letter to his wife Anne, please email me and I'll provide her address. You can also share your kind thoughts on the Online Memory Book, as I am certain that the family would find it uplifting to hear from all of Dennis' online friends.

LINKS:

1.4a Files (same as 1.4, just a little better pin spacing and layout for multiple sensors)

Shopping List (The stuff you'll need to outfit the custom board)

WiiNotes (A great resource for setting up and using the FSS, hand-wired or custom board)

A Great QuadCopter Build Thread

Tayda Electronics

I am certain that many of you have been wondering about my friend and co-host of two years. I shared on the show that Dennis had been having some medical issues and had to step away from the microphone, but the truth is, he has been sparring with cancer for the last three months. Unfortunately, Dennis lost that battle and succumbed to the disease yesterday.

Anne, his loving wife, phoned me today to share the news and she advised that he went peacefully, which is all that each of us can hope for when our numbers are up.

If you would like to send a card, or letter, or whatever expressing your kind thoughts to Anne and the rest of the family, please email me and I'll give you the mailing address.

Dennis, I know you've gone on to a better flying site, my friend. You will be missed, but never forgotten!

Dennis "Dorsal" Fishback

Noevember 27, 1952 - March 21, 2011

So this week, it's just me and Ron in the workshop for episode #110. We do a little reminiscing and discuss bearing replacement in nitro motors and give a status update on the QSC TriCopter project. Wow! This year's Scratch-Build Club project has turned into more work than last year's design! LOL Bear with us, though - we're almost done!

LINKS:

DIY Hand-Wired Flight Stabilization System

Free Files! (use these to order the Wii MultiCopter Interconnect boards that we use)

Leadfeather's F-35 V-TOL

Join us next week, as we are expecting to have the information ready so that you can order your board kits directly from us so you can avoid that "bird's nest" of wires! Also, be watching AllThingsCrash this week for the setup and configuration information for the FSS.

In our 109th installment of the show, we talk a bit about electric power systems, especially how they apply to designs like our QSC TriCopter that we are building for this years Scratch-Build Club project. We actually have two systems that John and I have tried and we like them both. Also, the RCadviser discusses issues that are the real root cause to crashes.

LINKS:

MultiRotor Forums

AfterDarkLED - THE place to get your night-fly lighting!

QSC TriCopter Power Systems:

What I use and good for light payloads

Motors - TP 2410-09

ESC's  HKSS25

Props - APC 10x4.7

What John uses for heavier payloads (GoPro Hero)

Motors - ExceedRC Alpha 480

ESC's - ExceedRC Volcano Series 25 amp

Props - Master Airscrew 3 blade  TB0970 (2 tractor, 1 pusher)

Additional Items

BEC

Switch

My lightweight system flies great with a typical 3s2200 LiPo, while John's more powerful setup flies nicely on a 3s2600 - 3s4000.

Last year we kicked off Crash's Scratch-Build Club with a design of my own, the eQSC. The project was aimed at helping first-time builders successfully build a great flying model via easy-to-follow instructional videos, plans, and templates. This year, we're making this an annual event by jumping in on the Multi-Rotor craze with comprehensive resource materials (plans, templates, documents, and videos) so that ANYONE can build their own Quick, Simple, and Cheap TriCopter! We're going to kick it off this week in our 108th installment by talking all about the airframe!

Also in the episode, the RCadvisor gives us the low-down on Lipo safety and, of course, we talk about a bunch of other stuff. :)

Stuff we talked about:

Inexpensive X-acto Blades (Thanks, Randy!)

Send Your Letters To Congress!

Great e-QSC Landing Gear (Yep, people are STILL building last years' project plane!)

National Balsa (Great prices on the plywood and sticks we'll use onn the Tri)

HobbyPartz (I LOVE the ExceedRC Alpha Motors!)

Quanum Telemetry System (Currently on backorder, but I've got MY order in!)

FancyFoam Going Out Of Business :(

If you are diggin' on TriCopters and you plan to build along with us, following is a Bill Of Materials you'll need to gather for this weeks' segment: QSC TriCopter Airframe:

Two: 12" x 24" x 1/8" Light Ply or Birch Ply

One: 3/4" square, 48" long dowel (or Two 36" lengths)

Six: 4-40 screws 1 - 1 1/4" long

Six: Blind Nuts (preferrable) or locking nuts

Six: 4-40 sized washers (or Twelve if you use the locking nuts instead of blind nuts)

One: 4 1/2" - 4 3/4" x 1/4" diameter rod (aluminum or music wire)

One: 1/4" I.D. Wheel Collar

Three: Nylon Washers, 1/4" I.D.

Two: Nylon Shoulder Bushings, 1/4" I.D.

I am planning to have the templates, instructions, and videos up for the airframe build in the next day, or three. Keep checking AllThingsCrash.com, as that's where all the dope will be!