Training gear can protect your RC helicopter.
Flying RC helicopters can be an expensive hobby, and training gear is a smart way to protect your investment while you learn fly. Training gear is an accessory that attaches to the base of the helicopter to protect the aircraft from less-than-perfect landings. Ideal training gear is lightweight and balanced so it does not affect flight. Training gear kits are available at hobby retailers, but you can build your own out of simple materials for a much lower price.
Instructions
1. Cut the dowels. Measure a 28-inch length of the 5/16-inch dowel and cut with the handsaw. Cut four 28-inch dowels. Also cut the 3-inch dowel to a length of one inch to make a round disc. These wood pieces will create the frame for your training gear.
2. Drill holes in the disc. Use the measuring tape to find the exact center of the wood disc. Draw perpendicular lines that cross through the center and extend across the diameter of the disc. Use a 5/16-inch drill bit to drill four holes on the edge of the disc at the locations marked where pencil lines end. The holes should be about 1/2 inch deep.
3. Slide a rubber washer on the end of each 5/16-inch dowel, followed by a wiffle ball. The holes in the wiffle balls should be large enough, but if the fit is tight, use a utility knife to shave away excess plastic. The balls should be able to spin freely on the dowel. Place the ball close to the end of the dowel, with about 1/2-inch of dowel protruding outward. Place another washer on the other side of the ball. Complete for the remaining three balls.
4. Drill small holes through the dowels on either side of the washers with a 1/16-inch drill bit. The holes should be within 1/16 inch of the washers. Drill a total of eight holes. Slide a cotter pin through each hole and bend the ends of the pins to secure them in place. The pins and washers will hold the wiffle balls in place at the end of each dowel.
5. Apply wood glue to the inner part of the holes in the wood disc. Insert the empty end of each dowel into the holes. The fit will be tight, so you might need to twist the dowel into the hole to push it in completely. Measure the dowels from end to end to ensure that the lengths are still the same. Use the handsaw to trim away any excess so all are exactly the same length.
All wood pieces are now connected and your training gear should look like an X with a disc in the center and wiffle balls at the ends. Allow the glue to dry overnight.
6. Install the training gear. Place your training gear on a flat surface and put the helicopter on top of it so each of the landing skids intersects each dowel. From above, the gear should look like an X, not a T. Wrap the twist ties around the landing skid struts and around the dowel to secure the gear in place.
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