Larger Power Pod for Tiny Trainer

Hai-Lee

Old and Bold RC PILOT
The Tiny trainer power pod has a few limitations and many complain about its inability to withstand impact damage as well as how they cannot fit the motor that they want to fit.

I decided to do a Tiny Trainer version of the venerable "Ugly Stick" and so the wing/lift and the power pod needed to be revised.

The issue I struck in the past was the slightest nose impact often damaged the power pod mounts and altered the thrust angles such that a new power pod was often the only easy way to return the plane to its intended thrust angles.

After a little deliberation I built the robust power pod, (MIDI?) to suit the Tiny trainer. It now has impact resistance by transferring the impact forces to the bose side cheeks rather than directly to the skewers use to retain the power pod in position. Now the Skewers are there only to stop the power pod from moving forward or falling out of the nose. CAUTION!! As the power pod is more solid, if you impact the ground there is the chance that the motor will bear more impact damage and could be severely damaged in the event of a crash!

Here is the procedure to build and fit the more robust power pod!

Firstly in order to fit the power pod the nose cheeks/reinforcing on the nose of the TT will need to be altered or modified. Apart from the removed portion the cheeks/reinforcing will still need to be fitted into their original positions.

Here is the info on what must be removed from each nose cheek.
Nose cheek Mod.jpg


Once the nose section is complete you need to fold up and glue the original Mini Power Pod but DO NOT fit the standard firewall/motor mount!
DSCF0021.JPG DSCF0022.JPG DSCF0021.JPG

Next cut a scrap of FB to be 25mm wide and 100mm long. Measure and score cut at a distance of 31mm from each end of the scrap piece. Next add a second score cut at a distance of the thickness of the FB used, (5mm), from the existing score cuts but on the side closest to the centre of the piece.
Now remove the foam from the channels to allow the fold and glue process.
DSCF0022.JPG DSCF0023.JPG

Next take the Mini Power Pod which has been folded and glues and glue it to the centre piece of foam on the new reinforcing piece. The reinforcing piece must be glued and aligned with what was the "Wrong" end of the mini power pod. It must be the end with ZERO side thrust!

DSCF0024.JPG

Now fold up and glue the remaining sides of the reinforcing piece ensuring that the ends on the reinforcing piece are flush with the tops of the sides of the original power pod.

DSCF0025.JPG DSCF0026.JPG

Next test fit it to the modified nose section.
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Remove power pod from the nose section and cut the required size firewall/motor mount from your chosen material. I use plywood, (41 x 37 mm). Then glue or mount the firewall to the powerpod ensuring that the bottom and side edges line up flush. The top of the firewall protrudes 5mm above the front of the firewall and fits against the top piece of the nose section.
DSCF0030.JPG DSCF0021 (2).JPG

Test fit to the modified nose section.
DSCF0022 (2).JPG DSCF0023 (2).JPG

The powerpod is held in using standard BBQ skewers as per the original TT Power pod.

Fit your desired motor and you are right to go!

Here are a couple of my larger motors fitted.

a CF2812 1534kV with a 7x6 prop
DSCF0024 (2).JPG

A 2826 1200kV propdrive with an 11x4.7 SF prop
Nose wheel.JPG

Side and down thrust angles are added by the use of blocks or shims!

I hope you like the idea!

Have fun!
 

mayan

Legendary member
You my friend are a genius and just helped me finish another piece of my puzzle on the TT/Edge crossover project. Well done!

Just built myself one minus the firewall which I’ll need to cut out when I have more time.
FB51AEB2-06DB-4A44-B23D-F24B242E334D.jpeg
 

Hai-Lee

Old and Bold RC PILOT
Well the modified Powerpod is still flying without a real problem, (I still have not crashed it as yet).

he only thing that was annoying was the difficulty to fit the battery inside the nose of the fuselage. Basically it is too narrow for some of the batteries I wanted to use and so I thought on it for a while and decided that a second version, (not quite as strong), was needed to clear up more room. This Powerpod works best in the Second version of the MUTTS Nose section.

Here is what I did!

1. Standard powerpod foam ready to fold
DSCF0022.JPG

2. Powerpod folded and glued
DSCF0023.JPG

3. Cut Qty 2 small cheek blocks for fitment to the powerpod
DSCF0024.JPG

4. One side cheek glued into place

DSCF0025.JPG

5. Both side cheeks fitted
DSCF0026.JPG

6. Version 1 and the new version 2 side by side
DSCF0021.JPG

7. The changes to the nose cheeks of the Tiny Trainer Nose.
Cheek changes.jpg


Both powerpods are interchangeable and the only real change is to free up more room in the TT nose. This hollows it out considerably whilst still providing a level of impact resistance, (reduced over the first version but not a fatal weakening).

I will update the post when I finalize the new nose cheek information/drawing!

Have fun!
 
Last edited:

mayan

Legendary member
Well the modified Powerpod is still flying without a real problem, (I still have not crashed it as yet).

he only thing that was annoying was the difficulty to fit the battery inside the nose of the fuselage. Basically it is too narrow for some of the batteries I wanted to use and so I thought on it for a while and decided that a second version, (not quite as strong), was needed to clear up more room. This Powerpod works best in the Second version of the MUTTS Nose section.

Here is what I did!

1. Standard powerpod foam ready to fold
View attachment 128759

2. Powerpod folded and glued
View attachment 128760

3. Cut Qty 2 small cheek blocks for fitment to the powerpod
View attachment 128761

4. One side cheek glued into place

View attachment 128762

5. Both side cheeks fitted
View attachment 128763

6. Version 1 and the new version 2 side by side
View attachment 128764

7. The changes to the nose cheeks of the Tiny Trainer Nose.

(TO be drawn up!)

Both powerpods are interchangeable and the only real change is to free up more room in the TT nose. This hollows it out considerably whilst still providing a level of impact resistance, (reduced over the first version but not a fatal weakening).

I will update the post when I finalize the new nose cheek information/drawing!

Have fun!
Great work! Yes the stair it had was making it hard to fit batteries. Happy that you fixed that :).
 

bracesport

Legendary member
@Hai-Lee - this gets me thinking - usually, I fasten my motors permanently with an RP (plastic) nose section for a motor mount hot glued to the fuse - they have proved to be quite robust - the FT swappable is a great idea to save on gear - I am going to have a crack at an RP swappable with some cushioning for those pesky crashes!
 

messyhead

Well-known member
I might try using this modified nose for more space. But just to check, is the final section from your diagram above, a L shape with quite a lot removed?
 

Hai-Lee

Old and Bold RC PILOT
I might try using this modified nose for more space. But just to check, is the final section from your diagram above, a L shape with quite a lot removed?
Yes, the "L" shaped portion is all that remains of the original nose reinforcement/nose cheeks. With the shape altered it is possible to fit a 1300 3S battery into the nose on the MUTTS/Tiny Trainer.

Have fun!