(23-Jul-2016, 11:03 AM)sloscotty Wrote: I think I would pay more heed to Biggles than me - he's had a lot more experience flying (and crashing) than I have   .  In fact, I may have to reconsider my re-build and my new build.

Here are a couple of photos - one of my rebuilt 160 after it's crash that ripped off the top plate, and one of my new 130 build:

   

On the rebuilt 160, I used rubber grommets below the PDB and an 8-10mm aluminum screw going through the grommet, the pdb, and into a 6mm M-F nylon standoff.  Above that is a nylon F-F spacer with a 12mm aluminum screw through the top plate. (Note I only used a nylon nut at the rear of the FC.)  I also used 12mm aluminum screws at the front and rear of the frame (on top).  I mount the battery on the top, and I hoped 12mm screws would prevent what happened before - so far so good, but I haven't crashed it really hard.

On my new 130, I am not using any Male-female standoffs, only Female-female spacers (and nuts).  In the middle, I am using 14mm alum on the bottom, going through the frame, 3mm nut (as spacer), through the pdb, and into a F-F spacer.  On top, I am using 12mm alum going through a printed rx vtx holder, the frame, a 3mm nut (not in photo yet), through the flip32, and into the same F-F spacer.  My battery will be slung below, so the forces won't be like my previous build.  I might reconsider though, after reading Biggles post.

I wouldn't use nylon screws at stress points though - the heads can pop right off.

Thanks Scotty......I've given this a good deal of thought and I am probably going to do something that is one of my more stupid moves and not heed you OR Biggles. Please understand that I intend no disrespect towards you OR Biggles and I am awear that both of you have much more experience then I and I absolutely value your and Biggles advice and really appreciate you guys being willing to share.

However, that said, my feeling is this......the metal screws will extend through both plates, essentially "clamping" them together. The only place they will be exposed is where they actually pass through the boards. The rest of them will be completed shielded within standoffs or spacers. In the event of a crash......ok...WHEN it crashes if there is enough force to bend or expose those screws to the point where they can come in contact with anything electrical, the damage is going to be catastrophic anyway. COULD it happen? Absolutely and very well may. However, given the level of flying I do (by that I mean I am not good enough to fly really aggressively yet) I think (hope) my crashes will not generate the kind of forces that would be required to produce that kind of damage. When/IF I improve enough to approach the level of flying you guys do, I may think about a rebuild, but for now I think I'm gonna try it this way. Thanks to both of you for your advice and please keep it coming, I need all the help I can get.

(23-Jul-2016, 01:44 PM)sirdude Wrote: Thanks Scotty......I've given this a good deal of thought and I am probably going to do something that is one of my more stupid moves and not heed you OR Biggles.  Please understand that I intend no disrespect towards you OR Biggles and I am awear that both of you have much more experience then I and I absolutely value your and Biggles advice and really appreciate you guys being willing to share.  

However, that said, my feeling is this......the metal screws will extend through both plates, essentially "clamping" them together.  The only place they will be exposed is where they actually pass through the boards.  The rest of them will be completed shielded within standoffs or spacers.  In the event of a crash......ok...WHEN it crashes if there is enough force to bend or expose those screws to the point where they can come in contact with anything electrical, the damage is going to be catastrophic anyway.  COULD it happen?  Absolutely and very well may.  However, given the level of flying I do (by that I mean I am not good enough to fly really aggressively yet) I think (hope) my crashes will not generate the kind of forces that would be required to produce that kind of damage.  When/IF I improve enough to approach the level of flying you guys do, I may think about a rebuild, but for now I think I'm gonna try it this way.  Thanks to both of you for your advice and please keep it coming, I need all the help I can get.

Oh heck sirdude, no offence taken in the slightest, we are all here to help one another. and you are right, what may not work for one may work for another, I know in my case I took a huge hit when I crashed, so much so I smashed the gopro lens protector and then the gopro lens and lcd screen, So I hit really really hard.

Ditto what he said.  I think it will work fine.  For me, in my rebuild, I had to consider weight (striving to keep it under 250g all up), which is why I used aluminum.  I also swapped cameras because the beefier build (longer screws, etc) pushed it over the limit.  (On a side note, I also had to change props.  I saved almost 10 grams by swapping out the 4045 BNs for some plain 4045 DALs. That gave me room to use the heavier Hyperion batteries.  It flies really nicely now.)

Thanks guys.....much much appreciated!!

(23-Jul-2016, 01:48 PM)BigglesFPV Wrote: Oh heck sirdude, no offence taken in the slightest, we are all here to help one another. and you are right, what may not work for one may work for another, I know in my case I took a huge hit when I crashed, so much so I smashed the gopro lens protector and then the gopro lens and lcd screen, So I hit really really hard.

Damn...it sounds like you crucified that camera....concrete?

(23-Jul-2016, 05:41 PM)sirdude Wrote: Damn...it sounds like you crucified that camera....concrete?

Full bore into the biggest tree around..lol

Got a little more done to day on my 160.......would have gotten a lot further but my wife told me I was going to the movies this afternoon (sigh)....anyway......

I have brought the power, Vbat and the buzzer leads in on the underside of the FC.  The power out to the RX, Sbus, and telemetry are located on top of the board as are all the ESC leads.












Got one of the motors installed..



Also started work on the cam.  (which wont go in until all my flight gear is installed and tested).  I added some epoxy to the wire connections on the board to act as strain relievers ....



As you can see I had to modify the holder for the cam a bit.  When tilted way back it clears the top plate but as you rotate it to more of a horizontal position, the outer corners were contacting the along the edges of  the window that the lens looks through....so I removed them.





Thats all for now!

Got all four motors on......still need to calibrate the ESCs and add the flight gear....hopefully I will do the maiden this weekend.

A very nice neat compact build there..nice work.

Thanks Biggles! Much appreciated!!

(26-Jul-2016, 12:34 AM)sirdude Wrote: Got all four motors on......still need to calibrate the ESCs and add the flight gear....hopefully I will do the maiden this weekend.

Looks good Chris!  Can't wait to see the rest of your progress and hear (see?) the results of the maiden! 

What did you use for landing pads?

Hey Scotty....Thank you very much sir.   I am shooting for this weekend for the maiden, but I've had a problem at one of my rental properties and I may be dealing with that, we'll see.

The landing pads are made by Lumineer and I got them from getFPV.com.  It's the only place I have been able to find them.  For this build, I cut them in half because they were really designed for something in the 250 class and were too big at their full size.  They are self adhesive.  Every once in a while I'll rip one off, but they are cheap and easy to replace.  Where did you get the popcorn icon?

Chris

(26-Jul-2016, 12:22 PM)sirdude Wrote: Hey Scotty....Thank you very much sir.   I am shooting for this weekend for the maiden, but I've had a problem at one of my rental properties and I may be dealing with that, we'll see.

The landing pads are made by Lumineer and I got them from getFPV.com.  It's the only place I have been able to find them.  For this build, I cut them in half because they were really designed for something in the 250 class and were too big at their full size.  They are self adhesive.  Every once in a while I'll rip one off, but they are cheap and easy to replace.  Where did you get the popcorn icon?

Chris

The pads look good - I take it they are very light?

Stole the popcorn off of RCG...shh... (it's actually an animated gif, but only the first frame showed up here - darn!)

You do know there is a "corkage" fee for bringing your own icons..LOL

(26-Jul-2016, 12:30 PM)BigglesFPV Wrote: You do know there is a "corkage" fee for bringing your own icons..LOL

Oops - caught again.  How much do I owe now?