ADW 123 wrote:Bill, Im curious what kind of electronics you put in your build there... motor, servos, reciever, battery... price estimate would be nice too
Thanks
Considering what I used to pay for these components just a few years ago,
the cost is irrelevant at 25% or less from when I started building these small models. Once one starts building and enjoying these small models, cost will be a non issue, especially thinking of what folks spent when the BA2.5 servo was over $20ea.
The 4channel 72MHz ZX tech receiver is no longer carried by BP Hobbies, but was around $10. They still have a slightly heavier 6ch unit. They appear to be copies of the 72MHz JMP receivers that sold for $50-60 not too long ago. I had bought two of them at that price in the past.
For the current 2.4G technology, A comparable 4ch Spektrum AR6300 knockoff can be bought from Target Hobby for around $10. The Tower Hobby Tactic micro receiver using the AnyLink or Tactic unit would also be inexpensive.
The servos are 2 micro linear Spektrums (around $15 depending on model) and also 2 micro linear servos that are no longer sold by Nitroplanes that were around $5ea. I have seen that HobbyKing sells the same Nitroplanes micro linear servo, so a price could be looked up there and should be dirt cheap. 10gm micro outrunners can often be found for $10-15, where this AEO motor was bought from Nitroplanes. The small Hextronik outrunner from HK and other places is one I have had success with also. ELE seems to be high quality but their motors are more expensive. The 6A ESC is sold under various names (Pentium, Exceed, Hobbywing, etc) for around $7-$10.
The real issue is whether to use individual components, or the recent and commonly used bricks that people love. The second important thing is to familiarize yourself with the available micro gear in terms of brands, quality and performance. The total cost of this setup compared with a Spektrum brushless brick is less, but I understand there are now cheaper Spektrum brick knockoffs also, and there probably will be a knockoff brushless brick soon. There are several advantages to using individual components: This setup has a 6A ESC versus a 3A ESC that the bricks have, and I have also used 3s lipo with it in the past, where the brick can only handle 2s. Servos/rec can be mounted individually, wherever the builder pleases. A defective component does not force replacement of the entire brick. I also have had issues with micro linear servos in the past, and am convinced that a slightly heavier 2.5gm standard servo design like the BA2.5 and others are more robust. People love the new bricks and linear servos because they are small, light, and easy to mount. I still have some preference to a light .015" music wire servo aileron setup however, using a single 2.5gm servo which is similar in weight to using two linear servos for ailerons.
To add to all this, I just received a package of 50 male/female sets of JST-HX connectors and pins. This is something anyone building micros should do, and also purchase the smaller connector that Spektrum uses in bulk. Buying these connectors at the LHS (often sold as manufactured servo extensions) is highway robbery. If I had got these a week ago or so, I would have used them on the Hobbypartz servos, as their connector was just slightly different from a JST-XH. Just like the monkey on the commercial where he pounds the square block in the round hole, I managed to plug them in to the receiver without destroying anything. There was no way that I was going to pay $5 each for a darn extension at the LHS, just to get a JST-XH connector.
I'll have to take some flight video when my flying buddy is back from vacation, but I did take a quick cell phone photo after the flight this evening.