NutBall Scratch Build

[PrInCe]

Thank you

What do you mean by servo holes? Ther servos can be locates anywhere you want on the wing. In the video, they are posted right next to each other on the diameter of the circle. The control horns can be attached by cutting a slit into the control surfaces, pushing the control horn up so that part of the control horn is above the control surface and the base is on the bottom of the control surfaces. Make sure that the holes on the control horns line up with the hinge. For what type of control horns, just buy any type from Hobby King with the screw on base. Here is a iink for one of them. Discard the small rectagular base piece as it is not necessary in this case.
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=8599

Wire size can be any size really as long as it is not flimey. Personally I use 0.047in. Music wire. If you use this music wire, you will need a small drill to enlargen the holes on the servo horns.

 

[PrInCe]

thanks teflyer, bits and pieces on order, can this be used for the wheel legs also or is there something else?

one more Q: well probably not haha.
what are the thickness of the skewers, as all i can find over here in sunny south wales "not" is thin 2.5mm

 

[Freechip]

My NutBall

Well here's my NB. Sorry if it's been asked before, are the plans for the bat that is supposed to used this swap box available and if so where are they?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GHhj-h3_as&feature=youtube_gdata_player

 

[chowell]

What is the size of wire to make the landing gear?

 

[teflyer]

thanks teflyer, bits and pieces on order, can this be used for the wheel legs also or is there something else?

one more Q: well probably not haha.
what are the thickness of the skewers, as all i can find over here in sunny south wales "not" is thin 2.5mm

Sorry for answering so late. I have not been online or checked this thread much. The music wire I told you about should probably not be used for landing gear unless the plane is really light. the music wire is still rather flexible. I would go with a much thicker diameter.

Also for the second question, that thickness of bamboo will be fine. The stuff I use is 3mm so not that much different.

 

[bagsy31]

My Nutball

Hi All,

And thanks to Josh & Josh for the inspiration. I'm new to RC and have even managed to get beyond being 'buddy boxed' so far but I was inspired by the video to have a go, so here's a couple of pics of my Nutball.

It's yet to have it's maiden flight as the weather here in England has been rubbish for the last few weeks.

I've now started on an F-22.

Regards

Bagsy31

 

[colorex]

Nice! Flown it yet?

 

[spencertrejo]

Just built mine, love the way it flies. Here is a link to my article on Flitetest.com

 

[Joker 53150]

After just purchasing a HZ Super Cub for myself to learn on, my 12 year old son decided he wanted to fly too. I figured a Nutball would be a great way for him to learn so I picked up two sheets of foamboard today, one for him and one for me. This should prove to be a good father/son project, and will hopefully give me more confidence with the Super Cub and also the larger balsa Cub I have (currently without electronics, as I don't want to tempt myself to fly it until I've gotten more flight time).

After a couple hours showing him how to NOT cut off a finger we've got the main bodies and vertical stabilizers cut and ready to assemble. Next up it's time to order the electronics.

 

[Nonamerc]

Can I use the stock bixler engine with an 6X4 prop???

 

[colorex]

Can I use the stock bixler engine with an 6X4 prop???

Why not?

 

[Mirabile Visu]

I'm very grateful to Flite Test for introducing the Nutball, especially with Josh's detachable fuselage design to utilise differing wings. Here is my Alien Nutball, which flies really well (in calm winds.....)

Trevor

PS Isn't the transverse bamboo skewer (to hold the fuselage to the wing) in the wrong position in the plan? It should be in front of the rear fuselage locating slots, not behind !

 

[Joker 53150]

The boy and I finally got a day without wind to try the maiden flight of his Nutball. After a little trimming we found it flew great! Perhaps a little tail-heavy still (even with a couple washers taped to the nose), but we were both able to keep it flying for quite a while.

I did find that the controls were overly responsive, especially the rudder. Anything more than a tiny stick movement meant a fast spin and dive. After getting it home I moved the controls further in at the servos and we'll give it another shot to see how much easier that makes it.

Overall, it's been a fun project and I can't wait to finish up mine so we can start "personalizing" them for some Nutball Combat!

 

[scootatrash]

Hi All,

All I can find are the layout/dimensions for the wing and rudder. I don't see any more detail about where the slots and/or skewers are located. I also cannot find any dimensions or details about the swappable fuselage.

I must be missing something ... can anyone pont me to these?

I was also wondering how you set up the model on your TX for this? Is it just rudder and elevator? OR is it set up with mixing so they both work with the right stick?

Thanks

 

[colorex]

I was also wondering how you set up the model on your TX for this? Is it just rudder and elevator? OR is it set up with mixing so they both work with the right stick?

No mixing, but you may prefer plugging the rudder servo into the aileron channel to steer with only the right stick.

 

[scootatrash]

Thanks Colorex. That makes sense.

 

[tramsgar]

Me and my kid have had a few good (and bad) times with our nutballs, but we're really chewing through props like crazy regardless of success. Most of the time the prop saver doesn't save the cheap GWS prop (RD-8043) we're using. This is a bit discouraging for the little guy when the rest of the nutball is extremely tough.

So I've been pondering how to add a real prop saver preventing the prop from hitting the ground at all. Does anyone have a good idea here? I can only come up with silly ones like long skewers sticking out from the wing and past the prop... I've gotten some stiffer, less cheap, props also, but haven't tried them yet.

 

[colorex]

Most of the time the prop saver doesn't save the cheap GWS prop (RD-8043) we're using.

Sometimes you just have to chop the throttle in time - but I admit the GWS props are kind of brittle.

Maybe fly over taller grass?

 

[jetpackninja]

What kind of motor and what style of prop saver are you using?
Can you provide a close up pic?
I use these props on some of my trainer type planes- very durable.
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_listCategoriesAndProducts.asp?idCategory=264
One of the tricks to getting a prop saver to work well is to cut down the shaft or the tip of the prop saver so that there is only enough left to center the prop. I'll try to get a pic or two if I can find one.

Me and my kid have had a few good (and bad) times with our nutballs, but we're really chewing through props like crazy regardless of success. Most of the time the prop saver doesn't save the cheap GWS prop (RD-8043) we're using. This is a bit discouraging for the little guy when the rest of the nutball is extremely tough.

So I've been pondering how to add a real prop saver preventing the prop from hitting the ground at all. Does anyone have a good idea here? I can only come up with silly ones like long skewers sticking out from the wing and past the prop... I've gotten some stiffer, less cheap, props also, but haven't tried them yet.

 

[tramsgar]

Sometimes you just have to chop the throttle in time - but I admit the GWS props are kind of brittle.

Maybe fly over taller grass?

Yea, I kill the engine when impact is imminent, still the nutball has nine lives and can pull up in the last second if I don't - very amusing to fly =). I've "taught" my kid to kill the power too, but it's not easy for him to remember every time it goes down. Still if it stalls out it almost always lands prop first and the cheap ones always break even if they don't spin. The prop saver works as it should, but it's not enough.

If only they'd only stop cutting the grass on that soccer field!

What kind of motor and what style of prop saver are you using?
Can you provide a close up pic?
I use these props on some of my trainer type planes- very durable.
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_listCategoriesAndProducts.asp?idCategory=264
One of the tricks to getting a prop saver to work well is to cut down the shaft or the tip of the prop saver so that there is only enough left to center the prop. I'll try to get a pic or two if I can find one.

I use the same setup as recommended by Bixler - 24g 1300 kv turnigy with the GWS EP Propeller (RD-8043 203x109mm).

Got this pair that I'll try: http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewitem.asp?idproduct=9877&buddycode=61805C2A-AAE9-43D1-A132-74B702189F5C
Hopefully they're stiff enough to let the prop saver do its job! They fit very loosely on the prop saver. If not, I'll try the ones in your link.

(Maybe if I bend a wire from edge to edge in front of the prop, hockey helmet style - it'd just bounce back...?)