Help! Got Stuff. Need More.

buzzbomb

I know nothing!
Thanks to a friend of mine's early Christmas present, I've purchased this, and most of it is recently arrived at my home:

A-Pack (I bought the A-Pack for my FT TT! I'm so stoked. It's gonna fly!) I know I can get comparable components elsewhere and save a few bucks, but I know all that's in it is the correct stuff for the plane I'm about to fly and will work together. As a noob, that's good stuff.
3 Batteries (A bit optimistic perhaps, but I WILL be flying!)
Charger
Transmitter and receiver
Spare props

All of it is from the FliteTest store or HobbyKing. Unfortunately I didn't have the foresight to order a battery checker with my HobbyKing order, and it seems like a good idea to have one.

So I am ordering a pocket battery checker, an in plane battery alarm and an amazingly cheap Turnigy servo checking and centering tool. All together they are like ten bucks. But, it's ten dollars shipping! I don't want to pay ten dollars shipping on a ten dollar order. I will if I have to, but then a thought occurred:

Is there anything I am missing and will need, that is really cheap, that I can get from a HobbyKing US warehouse?
 

Hai-Lee

Old and Bold RC PILOT
The things I never seem to have enough of are;

Linkage stoppers
Wheel collars
Small wheels
Propeller adapters
Bullet connectors for ESC/Motor connections
Small plastic propeller spinners
Servo extension leads
Servo "Y" Harnesses
Servos

The above items and propellers are what I use to pad my orders to get to the required dollar amount, (normally for the free delivery, assuming they have stock of course).

Have fun!
 

d8veh

Elite member
Rather than an expensive battery checker, you can get a lipo alarm from Ebay. It'll show you the individual cell voltages and the total, which is all you need to know. What's more, it'll beep when you're flying and your battery is getting low.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/EB6E-1S-...41f43427da:g:3-EAAOSwHu5b6mR6&redirect=mobile

One thing you will need is 0.8 to 1.0mm piano wire for the push-rods. It's often cheapest from a model shop. While you're there get some 2mm for the undercarriage. You'll be surprised at how quickly you get through that wire.
 

basslord1124

Master member
Not sure if you have done any soldering, but I would "standardize" your battery connectors. Like, make sure and get batteries/ESCs with mostly XT60/XT30 connectors if you prefer OR Deans connectors, etc. If you can solder, pick you up some battery connectors of your choice...both male/female. If you can't solder (although I'd highly encourage learning to do it), then pick up some connector adapters...like Deans to XT60, and so on.
 

Bricks

Master member
Have you tried Banggood.com they carry a lot of stuff and shipping should be reasonable to the EU.
 

d8veh

Elite member
Whish I could order from the Flite Test store - Unfortunately the shipping is daft money to the UK :(
Yes. If Flitetest were here, I'd have ordered every one of their kits, but we have to add on the shipping cost, duty and handling charges, which makes it cost around 50% more for a big order, and for a small one, it's closer to double. We have some UK suppliers, but it actually works out cheaper to buy direct from FT if you order enough. As an example, the $40 Spitfire costs $60 in the UK from SMC. Add an FT powerpack, and it takes you to $162. For that sort of money, you can get some nice RTF planes with a transmitter and battery.

Luckily, there are some very acceptable cheap motors, escs and servos from Hobbyking, Aliexpress, Ebay, etc and if you make from plans, the extra cost of the FT foam-board is tolerable, so it's possible to make a complete plane for around £60 ($76).
 

CarolineTyler

Legendary member
Yes. If Flitetest were here, I'd have ordered every one of their kits, but we have to add on the shipping cost, duty and handling charges, which makes it cost around 50% more for a big order, and for a small one, it's closer to double. We have some UK suppliers, but it actually works out cheaper to buy direct from FT if you order enough. As an example, the $40 Spitfire costs $60 in the UK from SMC. Add an FT powerpack, and it takes you to $162. For that sort of money, you can get some nice RTF planes with a transmitter and battery.

Luckily, there are some very acceptable cheap motors, escs and servos from Hobbyking, Aliexpress, Ebay, etc and if you make from plans, the extra cost of the FT foam-board is tolerable, so it's possible to make a complete plane for around £60 ($76).
BangGood and HobbyKing seem to have become my 'best friends' this year....starting up in this hobby is quite expensive :D
 

buzzbomb

I know nothing!
Not sure if you have done any soldering, but I would "standardize" your battery connectors. Like, make sure and get batteries/ESCs with mostly XT60/XT30 connectors if you prefer OR Deans connectors, etc. If you can solder, pick you up some battery connectors of your choice...both male/female. If you can't solder (although I'd highly encourage learning to do it), then pick up some connector adapters...like Deans to XT60, and so on.
I can solder but I'm no pro. Doing so on a LiPo wire, are there any concerns with heat transfer to the battery through the wire?
 

d8veh

Elite member
No. To solder these thick wires, make sure your iron is up to temperaure, then put a bit of solder on the tip to help the heat transfer. Hold the tip against whatever tou want to solder. Do not remove it until you've finished. With the tip against whatever, add the solder until you have enough. Wait a couple of seconds after you've finished adding the solder, then remove the iron. Have a look at the joint to make sure it's OK.

Summary:
Heat up joint
Add solder
Continue to heat to bring back up to temperature
Remove iron.
Inspect.
 

whit

New member
I'd consider adding some of the larger heat shrink tubing (20-40mm depending on the part). That's one of the things that kept my project on the bench for a while because I'd replaced the power connector on the ESC. It didn't dawn on me when I ordered the parts that I'd need to replace the heatshrink once I'd done the soldering. DOH!!

In my case I should have included spare props (they're almost a sacrificial part - sort of like blood-letting on a car repair) and a spare ESC (I let out the magic).
 

BS projects inc.

Elite member
I'd consider adding some of the larger heat shrink tubing (20-40mm depending on the part). That's one of the things that kept my project on the bench for a while because I'd replaced the power connector on the ESC. It didn't dawn on me when I ordered the parts that I'd need to replace the heatshrink once I'd done the soldering. DOH!!

In my case I should have included spare props (they're almost a sacrificial part - sort of like blood-letting on a car repair) and a spare ESC (I let out the magic).
If your control rods end up being too long you can cut the control rod and lay the pieces over each other and use the heat shrink to hold them together as well! I have done this a couple of times. Also a pair of Z bend pliers is going to be recommended a lot and I could go either way with it. You use them very rarely but when you do they are VERY helpful.
 

jross

Well-known member
The things I never seem to have enough of are;

Linkage stoppers
Wheel collars
Small wheels
Propeller adapters
Bullet connectors for ESC/Motor connections
Small plastic propeller spinners
Servo extension leads
Servo "Y" Harnesses
Servos

The above items and propellers are what I use to pad my orders to get to the required dollar amount, (normally for the free delivery, assuming they have stock of course).

Have fun!

Any suggestions for a selection of prop adapters a guy might get to fill out his shipment? Wheel collars too. Any preference on bullet connectors size wise? I look at linkage stoppers and struggle to figure out what to buy. Never ordered most of your list before but it's a great list.
 

d8veh

Elite member
Any suggestions for a selection of prop adapters a guy might get to fill out his shipment? Wheel collars too. Any preference on bullet connectors size wise? I look at linkage stoppers and struggle to figure out what to buy. Never ordered most of your list before but it's a great list.
Linkage stoppers are linked in the posts above. They're exactly the ones FT use.
 

basslord1124

Master member
I kinda wish I was more consistent with my linkage stoppers. I have some that require an allen wrench to tighten and some that require a small precision flathead screwdriver. :oops:
 

sprzout

Knower of useless information
Mentor
Not sure if you have done any soldering, but I would "standardize" your battery connectors. Like, make sure and get batteries/ESCs with mostly XT60/XT30 connectors if you prefer OR Deans connectors, etc. If you can solder, pick you up some battery connectors of your choice...both male/female. If you can't solder (although I'd highly encourage learning to do it), then pick up some connector adapters...like Deans to XT60, and so on.

Cannot like this enough. I've gone to just about everything being XT30/XT60 connectors because you can't accidentally plug them in backwards like you can with EC3/EC5 and JST connectors. That's my particular preference, but as you can see, there are others here who share that preference. :)

And that reminds me - I need to put in an order for XT60 to XT30 adapters to charge my XT30 batteries...my adapters seem to have "vanished", and I'm betting it was either my dad borrowing them or my kitten going, "Ooh, look! Toys to pull off of dad's workbench when he isn't looking!"