Yes. Use a bullet (or other) level across the top of the dubro to make sure it is level. It is crucial.
There are a hundred (or more) ways to do this that I am sure will work, and you can find hundreds of videos online, each with variations of adding/subtracting weight with diffferent methods, and balancing at the hub, wings, top side, bottom side, etc.
I am lazy at heart and I like doing things quickly, and boiling it down to what is important and discarding what isn't. I am sure everyone has systems that work.
What I do is the simplest quickest way I have found. It works, and it works for both Phantom and Solo.
I have found that the hubs aren't the issue on these, and I have not found a prop for either I couldn't balance perfectly without sanding the blades. I used a balancing rod for Phantom/Solo, a Dubro, a block of wood, l level, and a battery operated corner sander.
I set the Dubro on a flat surface, and put the block under each side, to level it. I then place the level across the top of the DuBro cradled as the rod will be, to make sure it is level, and adjust accordingly.
Now that it is level, I attach the prop to the rod and place it on the Dubro and turn it so the blades are at 9:00 and 3:00. 8 out of 10 props will have one side fall down. The sander I use sits upright, with the sanding surface perpendicular to the floor. I turn that on and rake the trailing end of the heavy blade across the sander. It is a bit like sharpening a knife and takes some art, but doing this is very quick.
I continue to do this, moving the prop blades to various points around the clock and sanding the heavy side until it will stay still at any point. This happens quick, and usually takes 1 to 3 sandings. I currently have 24 balanced props (2 Solos) as well as 12 for (1) Phantom. I hear people talking about balancing the hub, but I have just not found it necessary for props like this that are more precision than the old props wth holes all the way through.
I made a short crude video with GoPro to explain. Like I said, I am lazy. I only had balanced props to start with so I started by sanding the "other" side of a previously balanced prop to unbalance one again for illustration.
Ok so I finally made a video of my own. Please check this out. This is what I've been trying to articulate with words but must be failing miserably. I think I prove in the video that the hub is causing my issues. Would love to get your opinion Earl.
Hi nuggetz,Ok so I finally made a video of my own. Please check this out. This is what I've been trying to articulate with words but must be failing miserably. I think I prove in the video that the hub is causing my issues. Would love to get your opinion Earl.
Thanks for chiming in Earl. So if I understand you logic correctly I should be able to get the same results by adding weight to one of the blades or removing more weight from the one I initially started sanding? . I think the aluminum part of the prop in this case is not balanced and is contributing to the balance issue. I will remove the bit of clay and add tape to the lighter side of the blade that trails when the prop is in the 5 o'clock position and see what happens. Also do you disagree with my assessment of both blades weighing the same since they are able to sit horizontally and when flipped 180 degrees? Gravity runs straight up and down which is why I can't get myself to understand and interpret the behavior of the prop while horizontal.Hi nuggetz,
I see what you are saying, but I just disagree with the reasoning. In the end, I think you are just adding weight to one side of the prop, but doing it up where weight makes less difference.
Here is another way to look at it. The Solo props weigh about 12 grams total. The center of the hub is pressed aluminum. I would guess the remainder of the hub is maybe 5% of the hub weight? And that total remaining plastic (not the aluminum) part of the hub would be very small, and in the miligrams range The aluminum part of hubis are very uniform and unlikley to be out of balance, and if they are you would have much bigger problems.
Now... Think about how out of balance the hub "could" be based on the total weight, how much is aluminum, and look how much weight you are adding.... Keep in mind, modeling clay is quite heavy in comparison to the plastic.
The weight that matters is in the wings. If you were to add weight at the tip of the wings as opposed to the hub, it would make a larger difference as to the balance of the prop. That is why you are adding so much weight. It is up where it makes less difference.
Think what would happen if you put tire weights at the center of the tire instead of out at the end of fthe rim..... Now think about how much lead you would need to balance a tire if the weight was placed near the hub.
What i know for sure, is that I can take any Phantom or Solo prop, and balance the prop to the point that it will sit still anywhere on the balancer by sanding the top. Not actually sand that much, and typically do it in about two minutes. Given how much they "could" be out of balance, that also makes sense. They are fairly precision made... Especially in comparison to the amount of weight you are adding.
As I think I mentioned (and I showed in the video) I always test at 12;00, 1:30, 3:00, 4:30, 6:00, 7:30, 9:00, and 10:30. When I can do that, That is what shows me the prop is balanced. My experience with the resulting quad performance and video coroborates that.
That advice though is worth exactly what you paid for it And your mileage may vary.....
In the end, if it works for you... do it.
Thanks for chiming in Earl. So if I understand you logic correctly I should be able to get the same results by adding weight to one of the blades or removing more weight from the one I initially started sanding?
I understand, but disagree. Given the construction, if these were molded incorrectly to the plastic it would be more than out of balance,. Again, I go back to the tire balance analogy. You have to add a huge amount of weight that close to the hub. I'm not even sure how you would do that in a practical way, or how you would take that much weight off the other side. if you were sanding the hub, there would be no plastic left....I think the aluminum part of the prop in this case is not balanced and is contributing to the balance issue.
I will remove the bit of clay and add tape to the lighter side of the blade that trails when the prop is in the 5 o'clock position and see what happens.
Also do you disagree with my assessment of both blades weighing the same since they are able to sit horizontally and when flipped 180 degrees? Gravity runs straight up and down which is why I can't get myself to understand and interpret the behavior of the prop while horizontal.
At this point, I would balance prop in the horizontal position only. Due to the possibility of too much material being removed from hub, Can cause separation.So in a Nutshell...are we basically all trying to say..Don't worry about balancing the hub ..just concentrate on balancing the prop ?
Thanks Steve..your Post and your knowledge have been very helpfulAt this point, I would balance prop in the horizontal position only. Due to the possibility of too much material being removed from hub, Can cause separation.
That said, there maybe other option available to balance hub, if in fact, the hub causing the vertical balancing test failures.
this is my opinion, on test I done.
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I Tottaly agree with you..Iv learnt so much and still learning from the kind people Iv met on this forum...I don't know where I would be with out them...Your welcome Del, knowledge is what were here for. I'm learning something new almost everyday.
That is what I am saying... Although I do it more than just making sure it will sit tight horizontally, as is discussed in my post with the video. I can only speak for myselfSo in a Nutshell...are we basically all trying to say..Don't worry about balancing the hub ..just concentrate on balancing the prop ?
There are many ways to add weight to the hub. Believe it or not I've been balancing smaller props for toy drones with great success by using UV activated resin. I suppose if a substantial amount of weight needs to be added one could embed a tiny ball bearing into the resin and cure it..Yes. That is my experience
I understand, but disagree. Given the construction, if these were molded incorrectly to the plastic it would be more than out of balance,. Again, I go back to the tire balance analogy. You have to add a huge amount of weight that close to the hub. I'm not even sure how you would do that in a practical way, or how you would take that much weight off the other side. if you were sanding the hub, there would be no plastic left....
OK. FYI: I have seen the stickers and tape approach, but I am not a fan. In addition to stickers absorbing water, tape can wear or get peeled off, and both are at one concentrated spot on the prop. I believe sanding acrosss the entire length of the prop to evenly distribute the weight works better.... Maybe that is the difference.
I do.... Sortof.... It is "possible" that they could be balanced, but unfortunately we are dealing with more than gravity. we also have friction, and a somewhat imperfect balancer. Your rod and machine will grab at spots, and one spot as a test simply isn't enough. My experience is that when you can place the prop at 3:00 and 9:00 you are getting "close" but often not close enough
That is when you work at 12:00 and 6:00. When you have both of those, you work at 1:30, 4:30, 7:30, and 10:30. My experience is that you take less off with each permutation. On occasion, I have even taken to much off, and had to take some off the other side (somewhat like I did in the demonstration) to get that last bit..
Again, your mileage may vary...
Here is a big question... I am almost positive you could not take that amount of weight off one side of the hub, and still keep the integrity of the prop... There just isn't enough there... So.. assuming you were going to add that amount of weight to the hub, how would you do it? As I mentioned, clay is quite heavy, and still you had a fair amount, and obviously clay won't work.
I am familiar with both UV cure and spray cure resin. That is going to be a LOT of resin, on a small hub....There are many ways to add weight to the hub. Believe it or not I've been balancing smaller props for toy drones with great success by using UV activated resin. I suppose if a substantial amount of weight needs to be added one could embed a tiny ball bearing into the resin and cure it..
I understand what you're saying about sticky spots and friction causing the props to hold position but in this case I double checked that isn't the case by removing the rod off the balancer and reseating it and giving those balance wheels a spin.. I really don't think friction is skewing my results here.
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EJH PRECISION PROP BALANCING ROD for 3DR SOLO, 3D IRIS+ & DJI PHANTOMS
FYI the Phantom and Solo rods are the same, so this will also work
http://www.amazon.com/EJH-Precision...pebp=1441221140560&perid=15C9TB63DZP9SJ85CXRS
It's the rod, not the hub. The rod is not perfectly straight. It's happened to me.Ok so I finally made a video of my own. Please check this out. This is what I've been trying to articulate with words but must be failing miserably. I think I prove in the video that the hub is causing my issues. Would love to get your opinion Earl.
No the rod I have is very much straight. I tested on a different rod and get similar results so I'm pretty sure that the hub is much heavier on one sideIt's the rod, not the hub. The rod is not perfectly straight. It's happened to me.
Well that is strange.No the rod I have is very much straight. I tested on a different rod and get similar results so I'm pretty sure that the hub is much heavier on one side
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