Help: upgrade broken E-max 250/280 or purchase HMB235?

[Jrl]

Guys - I could use some help deciding what to do about my frame. I currently have the e-max 250 frame that came with the clear plastic arms. The motor screws crack the plastic and I've gone through the original four arms and 4 more replacements. The things crack just sitting on the bench even when I install the screws finger tight. I added washers, which appears to help, but I'm out of spare arms. The E-max kits from MassiveRC now come with very nice 5MM carbon arms. I can purchase four carbon arms for $32 dollars or pick up a HMB235 for around $50.*

What would you guys do? I would probably just get the full e-max kit so I had spare parts or should I pick up the HMB235?

I'm running a GPS and OSD on my current e-max so room is important.*

I just fly for fun. No fpv racing up here in Rochester NY...yet.


Thanks!!

 

[fyechaser]

Jrl, I have an HMB235 that I've been flying now for several months. It's like a timex "it takes licking, and keeps on ticking" I use it at club events to teach fundamentals of multirotor flying to folks that never flown a multirotor. They haven't been able to kill it, and I haven't been able to kill it either. If durable is at the top of your list, you owe it to yourself to get one.
The main base frame even comes with a lifetime warranty.

No....I don't work for MultiRC, but I do know Mark and Shawn. Great folks to deal with.

Jim

P.S. I don't run GPS or OSD on mine but I would think you could find room if your careful with placement and wiring.

 

[Darkback2]

So a couple of things. Acrylic is really prone to cracking. Polycarbonate is better, but you can't laser cut it because it releases chlorine gas when it is burned. It also has really oily smoke that fouls the mirrors of your laser cutter pretty quickly. Some threadlocker fluids destroy plastics, both acrylic and polycarbonate. I've had polycarb robot parts shatter because a kid used threadlocker blue on a screw. Wiping it off doesn't always help, and I've seen cross contamination where a screw that was in the same bin as other screws with threadlocker had enough of it on them to cause problems with plastic parts... :-(

That said if it is the frame that is the problem why not go with a completely new frame made out of a more resilient material? The HMB looks like it is pretty robust! I personally fly a carbon fiber ZMR but I have had to replace arms twice once trying to do a flip, and the second about a week ago when I flew straight into a brick wall...

Sorry you are having issues...

DB