Finally decided on plane

Brianna81

Active member
So, I'm going with the Tiny Trainer after all. After my previous issues with the motor/ESC, I decided to go with a better motor and probably an equally cheap. But at least I'll have a different one of each so I can test and figure out what went wrong. I also bought a speedbuild kit from FT for the Tiny Trainer. But I'm thinking of using it as a template to cut out the parts on DTF for my very first build. Save the good parts for after I've built at least one lol. I'm assuming others have tried this as well, and hopefully they had good results.

ESC - https://www.ebay.com/itm/40A-Helico...var=641436668456&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

Motor - https://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Turnig...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

I also got a 2s Turnigy 800 mAh battery, so I can see the difference in that and my 3s 1000 mAh, which may be too big for the TT, but at least this way I'll have a battery that fits either way. I'm not dead set on this ESC, I'm still looking into other options as well. Seems like there's either really cheap ESCs, or expensive, but not many in the middle. I got a set of xt-60 plugs, banana plugs and some heat shrink as well, since some bits here and there will need to be re-connectorized. So anyway, that's my setup of choice, we'll see how it goes.
 

Brianna81

Active member
If you are using the TT kit from FT as a template you can modify the powerpod and the nose cheeks so that your 1000 3S can fit easily as will a larger motor than standard if ever required.

See:- https://forum.flitetest.com/index.php?threads/larger-power-pod-for-tiny-trainer.57826/ The third post will show how to modify the pwoerpod and nose to accept batteries of around 1300 3S with ease.

Have fun!

So, from what I can tell on your mod, it looks like what you did to make more room for larger batteries, was shorten the length of the power pod?
 

Hai-Lee

Old and Bold RC PILOT
So, from what I can tell on your mod, it looks like what you did to make more room for larger batteries, was shorten the length of the power pod?
The powerpod is still the original Powerpod. It has a few cheeks glued to it to make the front portion wider, (the pieces were removed from the fuselage nose cheeks) The powerpod is used backwards in that the side thrust end is not used but rather the square end, (normally the back end),

The fuselage nose cheeks are reduced in area to allow the larger battery to be fitted and the remaining portion of the nose cheek is used to stop the modified powerpod from rearward motion in all but the most severe of crashes!

The parts of the old nose cheek fitted to the powerpod allow for a larger firewall to be installed AND for the powerpod to be restrained from rearward movement by the remainder of the nose cheeks fitted to the fuselage!

Have fun!
 

Hai-Lee

Old and Bold RC PILOT
@Brianna81 See below for a couple of pics of one waiting to be collected!

With a larger powerpod fitted and the cheeks on the fuselage reduced
1300 Battery.JPG


The original powerpod and the altered powerpod side by side next to the modified nose section.
2 powerpods.JPG


Have fun!
 

Kendalf

Well-known member
I also bought a speedbuild kit from FT for the Tiny Trainer. But I'm thinking of using it as a template to cut out the parts on DTF for my very first build. Save the good parts for after I've built at least one lol. I'm assuming others have tried this as well, and hopefully they had good results.
That's exactly what I did with my first two builds! Learned a lot from the mistakes I made with the first scratch built one, so that when I built the 2nd Tiny Trainer using the Speed Build kit it was much better.

That motor and ESC combination is bigger than what is recommended. The motor itself is nearly double the weight of the recommended 1806 motor, and this may make the plane very nose heavy. Also, more weight means needing to fly faster to keep the plane up, and generally for new pilots you want a plane that can fly slower. A 1806 motor and 12A ESC is a perfect combination for the Tiny Trainer and the other Mini series planes, and it's what is used for the Power Pack A.

For ESCs, I've used these 12A Emax ESCs (in a 4 pack here, or more expensive but US stock here).
 

Brianna81

Active member
That's exactly what I did with my first two builds! Learned a lot from the mistakes I made with the first scratch built one, so that when I built the 2nd Tiny Trainer using the Speed Build kit it was much better.


That motor and ESC combination is bigger than what is recommended. The motor itself is nearly double the weight of the recommended 1806 motor, and this may make the plane very nose heavy. Also, more weight means needing to fly faster to keep the plane up, and generally for new pilots you want a plane that can fly slower. A 1806 motor and 12A ESC is a perfect combination for the Tiny Trainer and the other Mini series planes, and it's what is used for the Power Pack A.

For ESCs, I've used these 12A Emax ESCs (in a 4 pack here, or more expensive but US stock here).

Ok, I knew the 2nd number in the motor was the "power", but I wasn't sure what the first number was for. I thought it was some sort of model number or something. But from what you're describing, the first number is more like the weight? Another thing I'm confused about is the ESC amperage. It looks like I've seen people using motors that have 30-35 max amp load, but using 10-20 amp ESCs? To me this sounds like a recipe for a fire unless I'm mistaken about something?
 

Hai-Lee

Old and Bold RC PILOT
Ok, I knew the 2nd number in the motor was the "power", but I wasn't sure what the first number was for. I thought it was some sort of model number or something. But from what you're describing, the first number is more like the weight? Another thing I'm confused about is the ESC amperage. It looks like I've seen people using motors that have 30-35 max amp load, but using 10-20 amp ESCs? To me this sounds like a recipe for a fire unless I'm mistaken about something?
The numbers on a motor are generally the can diameter followed by the can height! Weight is not mentioned or considered in the part numbering BUT as you will understand a bigger diameter or can height will mean greater mass and therefore greater weight.

As for your concerns in relation of current used by motors generally it is a function of the load on the motor, (the propeller diameter, pitch and number of blades). You can run a motor with less than maximum possible current draw if you reduce the load on the motor just as easily as you can burn out a motor with too much current by overloading the motor. If you know what you are doing you can use a large motor in the place of a smaller motor if you adjust the load. (Sometimes a heavier motor can assist in achieving proper plane balance).

It might all seem complicated but you will learn it all with time!

have fun!
 

Brianna81

Active member
So having a matching ESC for the max draw isn't a bad thing if you can make it fit, your plane just may have way too much power at that max setting, gotcha lol. Probably better to "under power" a motor designed for more than you need than push one too hard. I'm sure I'll learn with practice like you said though. Cool cool, thanks
 

Brianna81

Active member
Good grief FT ships FAST. I ordered my plane on either Sat or Sun, and I got it today. That was SUPER quick. I didn't even pay for overnight. It was $11 for the cheapest shipping, $14 for the next one (which I went ahead and picked that one, cause I figured the quicker it ships the less chance it has to get damaged) and then it went up quite a bit from there. Thanks FT shipping peoples!!!!
 

Brianna81

Active member
Finally made it to dollar tree. They had TONS of foamboard. They had the normal rack on the shelf, then they had 2 giant boxes of it too. I got 6 sheets of white and 4 sheets of black. Figure I might see if I can make a half black/white plane at some point :) First though, will have to do the tiny trainer from the speed build I'll use as a template. Still waiting on a couple of parts from china. I think I need a new soldering iron as well. I couldn't figure out why mine wasn't working very well last time I went to use it, and then I saw a small piece missing out of the tip. Just, a little tiny hole where a part of it came out. If I put solder in that hole, it melts great. Anywhere else on the tip? Not so much lol. Cheapo harbor freight soldering iron. Get what you pay for I guess.

Oh, I also got some popsicle sticks and a couple of little toy cars. I figure I can steal the wheels from those to use as landing gear? Might be too heavy compared to actual RC airplane landing gear? I dunno, we'll have to experiment and see. I seriously doubt that much engineering goes into the cheapo hanging landing gear though. Probably not a whole lot more goes into the retractable ones that some people build :D Based on how many I've seen in YouTube videos that look like they lock up causing the plane to nosedive on the ground during landing lol. Anyway, just an update I wanted to post.

Oh I'm still trying to figure out the electronics hookup though. I haven't experimented since my last attempt that failed. But, do you have to calibrate the ESC the first time you use it? Is there a special process for this? All the videos I've seen online appear to be "plug it in and go" but I'm guessing the people who make those pre-program the ESC. So, if an ESC is already programmed, is there any easy way to force it to be reprogrammed in case I messed it up and did it wrong? I'm going to search more about this, but it seems like this is one of those things that everybody knows and so they don't talk about, and then a new person comes along and is like "uhhhhh, which way did he go George?" feeling all lost and confused.
 

FDS

Elite member
You usually have to calibrate the top and bottom positions of the ESC. The usual method is to bind your receiver first, power down, then put the ESC in the throttle plug on the RX. Put your throttle in the full up position and power on again, when the ESC bleeps put the throttle right down, then wait a few seconds, power off. To check it’s done power on again and try the throttle. Do all this with the motor mounted on the power pod PROPS OFF.
Different ESC’s have variations in calibration process, you need to check the manual for whichever one you have. YouTube videos can be good too.
You can’t mess up calibration, if you change the programming there’s usually a way to reset the ESC, it tells you via beeps and you use stick inputs to trigger it.
 

Brianna81

Active member
I'm thinking my ESC is just fried. As soon as I plug it in it just beeps 2 times and pauses, then repeats that over and over. Tried a different motor, different battery, all do the same thing. I did get my little emax 1806 x 2286 and emax 12A ESC to work though!! Didn't even have to program that ESC. Since the receiver was already bound, it just worked :)

**Edit** cut the connectors from the first 30A ESC off, soldered them onto my 40a ESC, put a female xt-60 on, worked perfect. Was definitely a bad ESC.
 

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Brianna81

Active member
And meet Ying Yang. Took me literally all day and night, taking the parts out of the speedbuild kit, then tracing them onto the black and white DTF and basically building it from scratch. Had to make a few parts over again from "learning experiences". The horizontal stabilizer is upside down, didn't realize it until after I glued it, but it works lol. Took FOREVER to adjust the rudder push rod. First it was too short, then it was too long. Bend and bend and bend some more. Finally got it to what is hopefully needing very little trim. Don't have a prop for it yet, going to try to get one tomorrow. But that's all that's missing aside from a little more tape here and there. Not too sure how I feel about the Velcro holding the battery in place like that. I did use Hai-Lee's nose/power pod mod, well, more of an inspiration to figure out my own lol. But I got the 2S 1000 mAh in it in the picture there. It balances out and everything seems to work. I'm sure the maiden will point out several flaws if you guys don't find them first lol. There she is though, for better or worse.

Sorry for the pictures facing just one direction. It was a little windy outside and it kept moving unless it was pointed into the wind. My table is still a mess from building it and I didn't feel like cleaning it yet, wanted some pictures first lol.
 

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FDS

Elite member
Good luck with the maiden!
Get the cheap foam wheel landing gear, your bird is already heavier from a big battery and large ESC, lower weight makes a better flier especially on smaller planes.
A top tip from Hai-Lee is to put a 1mm shim under the leading edge of the wing on the TT to increase its incidence , helps it glide better.
 

Brianna81

Active member
The motor is the 1806 2280/12A combo I pictured above. Out of the 2 motors I have, that seemed to be the best fit. It took me actually buying some motors to see what it was I think all of you were actually trying to tell me lol. My Turnigy 2826 2200KV is pretty massive when compared to the emax 1806. Though I think I can still get it and the 40A and 2826 to fit thanks to that mod Hai-Lee mentioned. I'm going to wait until I make the sport wing for that though. I learned in this build that I shouldn't have gone with the cheapest glue gun I could get on eBay. Definitely getting something different today.

On that note, I wanted to apologize for my newbiness that probably frustrated a lot of you. I realize that a trip to the local hobby shop to see the differences in motors and battery sizes probably would have been enough to help me realize some of the things I couldn't see in eBay pictures. While I'm sure people in other states may be accepting, I have no idea what the people who are in this hobby in my area are like. Being a transgender person who has been told nothing is for sale in other types of stores, I didn't want that to be my first experience IF it goes that way here. Thankfully it's been the far less common than people being accepting or even just indifferent. It still leads me to do the majority of my shopping online for most things. Just easier then dealing with the what-ifs. However, while I know I can get some props online, I'm going to take my power pod with me (I really don't want to remove the motor from it again, took me 20+ minutes just to get it installed lol) and bite the bullet and see what's out there. We have a couple of local hobby shops, so, even if I get denied at one, hopefully the other will be better. I should be ok though.

Thanks for the tip on the shim. I could almost tell it needed something different the way it sits. Maybe I didn't do my bends correctly, but the trailing edge of my wing didn't sit quite flush with my table after building it, so I could see using a shim to help it hold that designed position better.

Very excited to build the mini sportster now though! I like the look of the white/black foam board combination, and if it helps me visually on this TT, I may go the and route on it. l loved being able to have the speed build kit to trace the parts onto the foam board though. So much better I think to do it that way so you can visualize what the parts are actually supposed to be like. Would almost be awesome if FT sold a set of plywood or some other easy to trace templates, though I imagine it would be very cost prohibitive and paper just works better for that. However, I think I'll continue to do it this way, as I know I'm helping FT at least a little with buying these instead of just doing the free plans. In the end, when I've got my building skills and the right parts, I should be able to build a decent looking FT foam board plane I can paint, if my pen and razor haven't killed the originals too badly :).
 

FDS

Elite member
I used thin Velcro under the front of the wing, one bit stuck to he fuselage, the other on the wing, helped hold it in place.
Noob questions are not stupid in any way, if anyone here acts like it’s beneath them to answer then they have a problem not you! If you don’t know something, you don’t know it, there’s no hierarchy of questions on this forum. Sorry to hear you have been discriminated against in stores, hopefully your local hobby store is a bit more respectful, if they aren’t it’s them that’s at fault! Stores with miserable and offensive staff deserve to go out of business.
That 1806 will be ideal on the TT. Mine flies great on a cheaper version of that motor.
A hackspace with a laser cutter could turn you out a set of templates. Also the Speedbuild kit gives you a free set of outlines for replacement parts- the frames you are left with when you pop out the parts!
 

Brianna81

Active member
That 1806 will be ideal on the TT. Mine flies great on a cheaper version of that motor.

Mine was only $12 with free shipping, though it took a long time to get here. Got my ESCs from China a week before the motor showed up, ordered at the same time lol