enivid
Junior Member
Hey guys,
I wanted to share my laser cut quad frame build with you to get some design input and gauge interest in this type of design. My version 1 can be found at http://flitetest.com/articles/foldable-quad-build-log and http://flitetest.com/articles/laser-cut-foldable-quad-design.
I've gone over the improvements of my design in this post: http://flitetest.com/articles/laser-cut-foldable-quad-frame-design-v2
All of the part are bamboo built by ponoko and my original design challenge was to make a cheap frame that required only minimal of hardware to build: M3 screws, zipties and nylon spacers (both cheap and one very easy to source).
So let's build!
I used metal M3 hex screws to assemble the quad pivot.
Applying some blue locktite
Trying to get some tension on the zipties to hold the landing gear securely
Secured the ESC to the plate using zipties
The two bottom ESCs are ready, feeding the top two ESCs through.
Secured the top ESCs with zipties and completed the core assembly using nylon spacers
The bottom plate has a convenient Velcro strap anchor for the battery.
Here is a side view of the completed ESC sandwich. I use a lynchpin to secure the Quad for flight since it can be folded.
Placed the KK board on some foam (from its packaging) and mounted it using some leftover zipties.
Used zipties to cleanup the cabling, the booms have little ziptie anchors that make this very easy. In this build I used spare zipties terminators to give it a nice clean finish like on the landing gear.
Secured the RX using a ziptie and a leftover ziptie anchor.
The gopro fits perfectly between the plates (I have a nice collection of nylon spacers to achieve this). The Velcro strap keeps it safe here... This wasn't my design intent but it's a nice little feature, I will test its robustness on my maiden.
Folded quadcopter for storage.
Deployed quad ready to fly!
I wanted to share my laser cut quad frame build with you to get some design input and gauge interest in this type of design. My version 1 can be found at http://flitetest.com/articles/foldable-quad-build-log and http://flitetest.com/articles/laser-cut-foldable-quad-design.
I've gone over the improvements of my design in this post: http://flitetest.com/articles/laser-cut-foldable-quad-frame-design-v2
All of the part are bamboo built by ponoko and my original design challenge was to make a cheap frame that required only minimal of hardware to build: M3 screws, zipties and nylon spacers (both cheap and one very easy to source).
So let's build!
![IMG_0137-1200.jpg IMG_0137-1200.jpg](https://ftforumx2.s3.amazonaws.com/2013/07/52051_a44b9abb5c14d5585ad63bb3c0a75086_thumb.jpg)
I used metal M3 hex screws to assemble the quad pivot.
![IMG_0138-1200.jpg IMG_0138-1200.jpg](https://ftforumx2.s3.amazonaws.com/2013/07/52049_5249e67dccd245079993eac9a8c471db_thumb.jpg)
![IMG_0139-1200.jpg IMG_0139-1200.jpg](https://ftforumx2.s3.amazonaws.com/2013/07/52054_86134d891403bb506e2d551f7b0b0218_thumb.jpg)
![IMG_0140-1200.jpg IMG_0140-1200.jpg](https://ftforumx2.s3.amazonaws.com/2013/07/52056_8b3fd6d273be41d9481fc58323a122c2_thumb.jpg)
Applying some blue locktite
![IMG_0141-1200.jpg IMG_0141-1200.jpg](https://ftforumx2.s3.amazonaws.com/2013/07/52058_c4a5c47cb3948f20285b0e7e529e89a9_thumb.jpg)
![IMG_0142-1200.jpg IMG_0142-1200.jpg](https://ftforumx2.s3.amazonaws.com/2013/07/52061_c9fb589498a1c20e3be9547990cad980_thumb.jpg)
![IMG_0143-1200.jpg IMG_0143-1200.jpg](https://ftforumx2.s3.amazonaws.com/2013/07/52066_605dd429ee3a5ace942facdc7ea5cc01_thumb.jpg)
![IMG_0144-1200.jpg IMG_0144-1200.jpg](https://ftforumx2.s3.amazonaws.com/2013/07/52070_046d05583fb28e86441e21a942fffcc7_thumb.jpg)
![IMG_0145-1200.jpg IMG_0145-1200.jpg](https://ftforumx2.s3.amazonaws.com/2013/07/52072_2983ebf56added32049b475f0401580b_thumb.jpg)
![IMG_0146-1200.jpg IMG_0146-1200.jpg](https://ftforumx2.s3.amazonaws.com/2013/07/52075_e8a287aa1bb0c034314b949414fb1b1c_thumb.jpg)
![IMG_0147-1200.jpg IMG_0147-1200.jpg](https://ftforumx2.s3.amazonaws.com/2013/07/52081_d546c0fa99f123bc92973065b0a53d2b_thumb.jpg)
![IMG_0148-1200.jpg IMG_0148-1200.jpg](https://ftforumx2.s3.amazonaws.com/2013/07/52084_3ffa100c8409fd74d5ecd97bf80b3843_thumb.jpg)
![IMG_0149-1200.jpg IMG_0149-1200.jpg](https://ftforumx2.s3.amazonaws.com/2013/07/52088_b1a81ff4eab593a0e09c5f6801f35952_thumb.jpg)
Trying to get some tension on the zipties to hold the landing gear securely
![IMG_0150-1200.jpg IMG_0150-1200.jpg](https://ftforumx2.s3.amazonaws.com/2013/07/52092_6470de069c470c497624e7afb7ed8d14_thumb.jpg)
![IMG_0151-1200.jpg IMG_0151-1200.jpg](https://ftforumx2.s3.amazonaws.com/2013/07/52096_e1bce77825250f20ed8c7a85450f86cd_thumb.jpg)
![IMG_0171-1200.jpg IMG_0171-1200.jpg](https://ftforumx2.s3.amazonaws.com/2013/07/52126_2f943fb059e841252897ddfa5aa296dc_thumb.jpg)
![IMG_0172-1200.jpg IMG_0172-1200.jpg](https://ftforumx2.s3.amazonaws.com/2013/07/52134_3677815108ac98940191ddc47aaed72e_thumb.jpg)
![IMG_0173-1200.jpg IMG_0173-1200.jpg](https://ftforumx2.s3.amazonaws.com/2013/07/52138_8ea422c06a38124754c6daace5543179_thumb.jpg)
![IMG_0174-1200.jpg IMG_0174-1200.jpg](https://ftforumx2.s3.amazonaws.com/2013/07/52150_a3d371ce72d6063db9d4891642dd833c_thumb.jpg)
![IMG_0175-1200.jpg IMG_0175-1200.jpg](https://ftforumx2.s3.amazonaws.com/2013/07/52154_e8ffe9dde5dffedbaa57e2449385d5fd_thumb.jpg)
![IMG_0176-1200.jpg IMG_0176-1200.jpg](https://ftforumx2.s3.amazonaws.com/2013/07/52158_6331916f914857735c85f773e2563fb3_thumb.jpg)
![IMG_0178-1200.jpg IMG_0178-1200.jpg](https://ftforumx2.s3.amazonaws.com/2013/07/52163_a9b4fdeb080b35cbde962569180c5580_thumb.jpg)
![IMG_0179-1200.jpg IMG_0179-1200.jpg](https://ftforumx2.s3.amazonaws.com/2013/07/52167_7a334b93c618752f261839d408754fb7_thumb.jpg)
![IMG_0153-1200.jpg IMG_0153-1200.jpg](https://ftforumx2.s3.amazonaws.com/2013/07/52100_fdb4549e07ddfa17e1a011f9bc89fc9a_thumb.jpg)
![IMG_0154-1200.jpg IMG_0154-1200.jpg](https://ftforumx2.s3.amazonaws.com/2013/07/52104_264c1a73eeea580d1549eedb8957d5b1_thumb.jpg)
![IMG_0155-1200.jpg IMG_0155-1200.jpg](https://ftforumx2.s3.amazonaws.com/2013/07/52108_1000633c9e562dee7a3918caae597d4f_thumb.jpg)
![IMG_0156-1200.jpg IMG_0156-1200.jpg](https://ftforumx2.s3.amazonaws.com/2013/07/52114_3b2281747d501ddb3f576938ea554be9_thumb.jpg)
![IMG_0157-1200.jpg IMG_0157-1200.jpg](https://ftforumx2.s3.amazonaws.com/2013/07/52120_e69556444d8caeb67bd9d9f73f67f0c1_thumb.jpg)
Secured the ESC to the plate using zipties
![IMG_0183-1200.jpg IMG_0183-1200.jpg](https://ftforumx2.s3.amazonaws.com/2013/07/52171_5d09bdc4b6e3af79d9530a3ec4428e9a_thumb.jpg)
![IMG_0184-1200.jpg IMG_0184-1200.jpg](https://ftforumx2.s3.amazonaws.com/2013/07/52175_3e7271a0d6f9e4782131e82adb38d0a8_thumb.jpg)
The two bottom ESCs are ready, feeding the top two ESCs through.
![IMG_0185-1200.jpg IMG_0185-1200.jpg](https://ftforumx2.s3.amazonaws.com/2013/07/52179_a451f4e0b63e447eedd05f254e1c985c_thumb.jpg)
![IMG_0186-1200.jpg IMG_0186-1200.jpg](https://ftforumx2.s3.amazonaws.com/2013/07/52182_1142dc3ffd5d3fe2aab9b4c480abd968_thumb.jpg)
Secured the top ESCs with zipties and completed the core assembly using nylon spacers
![IMG_1367-1200.jpg IMG_1367-1200.jpg](https://ftforumx2.s3.amazonaws.com/2013/07/52201_151c77320525cf44b1045f5a84a6c5b3_thumb.jpg)
![IMG_1368-1200.jpg IMG_1368-1200.jpg](https://ftforumx2.s3.amazonaws.com/2013/07/52204_7f6587bbfaa818ff7245f72bed5aa542_thumb.jpg)
The bottom plate has a convenient Velcro strap anchor for the battery.
![IMG_1369-1200.jpg IMG_1369-1200.jpg](https://ftforumx2.s3.amazonaws.com/2013/07/52206_552c83efa167b7d55eab353d9edca24e_thumb.jpg)
Here is a side view of the completed ESC sandwich. I use a lynchpin to secure the Quad for flight since it can be folded.
![IMG_1360-1200.jpg IMG_1360-1200.jpg](https://ftforumx2.s3.amazonaws.com/2013/07/52185_dac1cc8cf2db06e6a45e915d2878f24b_thumb.jpg)
Placed the KK board on some foam (from its packaging) and mounted it using some leftover zipties.
![IMG_1362-1200.jpg IMG_1362-1200.jpg](https://ftforumx2.s3.amazonaws.com/2013/07/52188_0ab1e8e2023591cf1b371927f7fc5f92_thumb.jpg)
![IMG_1363-1200.jpg IMG_1363-1200.jpg](https://ftforumx2.s3.amazonaws.com/2013/07/52190_d60f50d94149abfa78c131cda569526c_thumb.jpg)
![IMG_1373-1200.jpg IMG_1373-1200.jpg](https://ftforumx2.s3.amazonaws.com/2013/07/52216_cedb70ed2a3f6f5ae12ec81ef9df61db_thumb.jpg)
Used zipties to cleanup the cabling, the booms have little ziptie anchors that make this very easy. In this build I used spare zipties terminators to give it a nice clean finish like on the landing gear.
![IMG_1364-1200.jpg IMG_1364-1200.jpg](https://ftforumx2.s3.amazonaws.com/2013/07/52193_5750839fc758c5e425e15f885c07d9a4_thumb.jpg)
Secured the RX using a ziptie and a leftover ziptie anchor.
![IMG_1365-1200.jpg IMG_1365-1200.jpg](https://ftforumx2.s3.amazonaws.com/2013/07/52196_7d59b6217b37a739e7ebd092ab086886_thumb.jpg)
![IMG_1366-1200.jpg IMG_1366-1200.jpg](https://ftforumx2.s3.amazonaws.com/2013/07/52198_94f9ccd3a9604070199f4936a2344bf1_thumb.jpg)
The gopro fits perfectly between the plates (I have a nice collection of nylon spacers to achieve this). The Velcro strap keeps it safe here... This wasn't my design intent but it's a nice little feature, I will test its robustness on my maiden.
![IMG_1370-1200.jpg IMG_1370-1200.jpg](https://ftforumx2.s3.amazonaws.com/2013/07/52212_d186f3b40266cdae4315adbf26544f88_thumb.jpg)
![IMG_1372-1200.jpg IMG_1372-1200.jpg](https://ftforumx2.s3.amazonaws.com/2013/07/52223_340e474870556329fac882128f7b1a3e_thumb.jpg)
Folded quadcopter for storage.
![IMG_1374-1200.jpg IMG_1374-1200.jpg](https://ftforumx2.s3.amazonaws.com/2013/07/52217_f07253aa64611ba358fe634560fdd8c5_thumb.jpg)
Deployed quad ready to fly!
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