Mike and I were talking about pitch gauges at Redwood yesterday and I wanted to post a couple pics of what I use. This is actually a saw blade angle gauge that I bought at Woodcrafters in Portland, but it makes the most awesome pitch gauge I've ever seen. Woodcrafters doesn't happen to have them on sale right now, but Amazon has them for $26. Here is a link to that: http://www.amazon.com/Wixey-WR300-Digital-Angle-Gauge/dp/B001PTGBRQ All I had to do is attach a piece of 1"x1"x.062" angle to the back with double sticky tape. You need one hole in it for your blade holder screw and you're done. The gauge reads accurately to 0.1 degrees. To use it you just get your heli nice and stable on the table and then lay the angle on the back of the gauge on your tail boom. The boom is perpendicular to the main shaft so after you press the zero button, the meter is ready to read your exact pitch angle. Move the gauge over to the blade holder and you're ready to go! I used mechanical pitch gauges for years before I got this and it wasn't until I used the new setup that I realize I probably never had the pitch I thought I did. In addition to better accuracy, you'll find this gets the job done about twenty times faster. If you're heli has a flybar, remember you need to find a way to lock it perpendicular to the main shaft before you start. There are lots of simple ways to do that depending on what kind of heli you have. Use this once and you'll never go back! ...Tiger
Not to one up you or anyone so please take in the grain it's meant to be but more info is more info. There are a number of Digital Pitch Gauges specifically made for Rc Helicopters these days. Also a number specifically for fixed winged aircraft. Wing Angle Incidence Gauge I believe is the correct wording, yes I had to look it up {LOL} The Saw Blade Gauge was first used when some bright fellow first hit on teh idea they could be used for a pitch gauge and in those days there where none to had for any price. Even Rc Logger as most Rc Manufactures are doing these days were simply doing a copycat from teh DIY guys like yourself This is the one I personally use ... RC Logger Home - Digital Pitch Gauge But of course I do have my DIY Fly-bar Leveler And just for you iPod/iPhone (and Android) users out in the world ... {LOL} Note: one of them needs a calibration [glow=maroon,2,300]w00d[/glow]
[size=1.25em]SmartPhone Digital Pitch Gauge: [/size]Inspired by Tiger's post! I'm sitting here reviewing the thread w/ obviously too much time on hand. So I'm thinking my iPod Digital Pitch Gauge was always a a PIA to use for a simple Pitch Gauge. Then I get the grey cooking and in a true MacGyver fashion I think up the victims. Which are Two-Sided Tape and a very cheap $5 Pitch Gauge that's so incredibly cheap it ain't worth beans. In an effort at keeping it short let the pictures do teh thousand words ... [size=1.25em]Victims:[/size] Two-Sided Tape and the Incredibly Cheap $5 Pitch Gauge that ain't worth beans [size=1.25em]PROS:[/size] A usable SmartPhone Digital Pitch Gauge. [size=1.25em]Cost:[/size] It's a DIY J.0.B that ain't supposed to cost you anything, assume all the needed parts were on-hand [size=1.25em]CONS:[/size] One issue that might be a problem as my iPod was [size=1.25em]near [/size] too heavy. If I were to use the iPhone this probably would be too much weight to hang off the blades and especially so for any heli less than a 450 in size. Thinking about using the iPad!?! Well I ain't going to assume some "Lurker" might NOT wanna try {Bada-BIG-Bada-Boom} I'll be here from 9 to 5 don't forget to TIP the waitress on the way out ... [shadow=grey,left]w00d[/shadow]
