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 servos, new mantis owner tips
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lincoln

49 Posts

Posted - 09/21/2004 :  10:42:49 PM  Show Profile
Well, this may be short as the wonderful web site ate the first version and wouldn't spit it back out.

I am new to the mantis, but it is not new. Used to belong to Anker. Thanks Jose!

Wondering about servo specs. I do have some HS-85's, but they were meant for another project and I'd like to use some old mini servos which I think I still have around. How much torque required? Do they tend to break gears? (I have yet to break a gear, somehow.)

Has various dings, one in leading edge which sticks in in the middle and out next to that. Thinking of injecting urethane glue (like Gorilla Glue), mushing into correct shape and waiting.

ALso various smallish dings in wing bottom and elsewhere. Tempted to use spot putty, but that might be heavy.

This is my first composite covered wing, previous highest tech was obechi.

Is this thing slow in the wind, or is Anker just spoiled when writing article? My old Anthem was great in the wind with 7037, though it weighed more.

Lincoln Ross

kiesling

45 Posts

Posted - 09/22/2004 :  11:25:27 AM  Show Profile
I highly recommend using metal gears all around.
This is mostly to keep from striping gears during spot landings.
HS-81s or 85s have enough torque for the Vs and ailerons.
HS-225 metal gear or equivalant for the flap.

To remove small dings try using a wet paper towel and a monokote iron.
Just place a wet paper towel over the ding, press the monokote iron on it for a few seconds.
Let it cool, repeat as necessary. You can get most dings out this way - or at least make them much smaller.
This works on painted surfaces, but seems to work a little better on unpainted ones.
Just make sure the towel stays wet so you don't overheat the wing.

As far as wind goes, that is what ballast is for.

Tom

Tom

Edited by - kiesling on 09/22/2004 5:15:39 PM
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lincoln

49 Posts

Posted - 09/22/2004 :  2:41:11 PM  Show Profile
Thanks for the advice, Tom. I'm kinda thinking that a bigger, older servo would have survivable gears anyway, though, and I have a spare, I think. Besides, by not having stripped gears yet, aren't I missing out on one of the basic human glider flying experiences?

A ballasted Mantis, from the numbers I recall, would still be a touch lighter wing loading than the half ballasted Anthem. But I suppose I could make a streamined ballast pod on top of the wing! It's got to be a lot better than my Oly 2!

Lincoln Ross
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Anker

83 Posts

Posted - 09/27/2004 :  4:55:35 PM  Show Profile
Lincoln,

I have the ballast slugs I originally made for that ship. I'll try to remember to get them to you. They fit in the holes in the pylon. I put them in in the following order to incrementally add weight: Big front, small back, middle.

I assume you are talking about the tail servos. They don't take a lot of stress unless you dorn the plane, in which case the pushrods will try to strip the servos.

Anker
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lincoln

49 Posts

Posted - 06/16/2006 :  12:30:03 PM  Show Profile
I've been flying the Mantis a few times now. Takes some getting used to but then I haven't flown a 5 servo glider in some time. Good performance. I hope to tune it up some more. Still have to make up some ballast. On windy days it could really use a lot. I took off the really draggy lead blocks at the intersection of the vtail, but now, with only a AAA pack (800mah) in the nose, I still need a quarter taped in front of the vee. Thinking of shortening the nose. I suppose I could put in some really nice fillets instead.

I still have some questions:
1. Is there enough extra structure in the wing to put in a countersink and use a flat head for the wing bolt? Perhaps there's a hardwood block in there? As is, the wing nut and the protruding rod seem like they must produce a LOT of drag.
2. I'm paranoid about the joiner rods slipping into the long tube in the wing. Any tips on ways to prevent, without blocking the tube? Seems like a good place for ballast.


Lincoln Ross
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lincoln

49 Posts

Posted - 04/22/2007 :  10:05:26 PM  Show Profile
Well, I stripped both servos for the v tail today. Thinking that maybe I need to get metal gears. They were HS-85's. Not sure what those other servos I was thinking of were. I don't know if I stripped them from dorking or from flying really fast. Didn't seem like I dorked it that hard.

Maybe I just have servo stripping karma right now, as I had a receiver go bad and send a servo in my Easy Glider hard over, stripping it, a week or two ago.

Lincoln Ross
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Fly2High

70 Posts

Posted - 04/23/2007 :  12:49:13 PM  Show Profile
Lincoln,

Everyone I know loves to us Jr ds368 sevos in the wing of a Mantis. Thery're light weight and very strong.


Frank
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