Rcflyer on here (Erik) in Denmark is looking at building a stick machine and is talking about building his own rotorhead.... I suggested it might be better to buy a second hand one and put in a new bearing rather than trying to build your first rotorhead from drawings? (never actually seeing one first) Just my opinion, but I am a scaredy cat when it comes to critical things like rotorheads

He would be after a head to suit skywheels (which he has already) and any prospective head would need to be

So, if you have a rotorhead that will be ok with a new bearing, lets hear about it

He may be determined to build his own, in that case, if anyone has any drawings/plans for a rotorhead that would go good with McCutcheons, that would be good too..... he can fill you in with any more details

yes i do...go see my for sale thread.

I mentioned to him over there to sign in and come here. We have everything he needs here since he wants to build a gyro too.

viewtopic.php?f=11&t=1104

Hi - here I am. I saw your two rotor heads and thought they were in Australia. :-)

Was I invited by someone else than Murray? But then I had already registered here, hehe.

Anyway, yes I need a rotor head. And I suppose no one has dared make a drawing, because it's such a critical component?

I have to be a , my small-as-possible-nothing-to-do-about-it salary and family makes it so. That's why I'm not in the air already. Plus, I don't like to be frowned upon by all the "normal" people.

But I've reached an age, where I have to begin fullfilling some of my dreams. Having the blade set and engine makes it possible to pursue this.

Still, this cheapa$$ is looking at the price + $32 (for handling the forms), x 25% sales tax on all of it. So I need to make the best possible deal or wait some more.

Can I find details about this rotor head anywhere? I could easily find the other head. And I liked the needle bearings.

Cheers
Erik

Hi Erik,

Welcome to the Free Speech Forum. My name is Darren and i have the rotor hawk head for sale.

I would like $400 US for it. I am coming down from $700 so the price is firm plus there is shipping and all like you mentioned that you would be responsible for too!

I would like Jake (our forum parts master guru-sorry Jake-when it's true it's just IS!!!!)

He would know for sure if this rotor hawk head is suitable for the skywheels hub and blades.

I too have 23'skywheels for my CLT Air Command called Wolverine...See my build called Wolverine
for reference.

I will look into shipping and get back to you if you want to proceed with the deal after some info
from Jake or anyone else who knows better then me this heads compatibility with skywheels.

I got this head with a Hornet project from a friend and then bought a more complete Air Command
gyro thinking it would get me in the air quicker but that did not happen as planned so it's available
and I will use the funds to put in my current build.

I will PM you with news when I get it about things as they develop.

Thankx and enjoy our sandbox here at Sky Wolverines!!!

Hi Erik. I think I had put a drawing of a head up in the educational section..............
It is rather a complicated process with a lot of precision machining involved.
But it can be done, Do you have a cad program you can open cad files with?
Here is a drawing of a single bearing head.

I will go fit my hub and check the undersling......Thank You Jake...I remembered you told me that once and I forgot...I will write down this time!!!

You Rock!!

I just fitted my skywheels hub and looks good to me.

The rotor dyne head is almost an exact copy of the head I have on the air command minus the
holes to the rear. Everything else matches up.


Air Command w/hub


RotorDyne Head


Erik do you want the rotor head? I still need to check shipping. But it looks good to go if you want to use it
with your skywheels.

Hi again.

Yes, I'll buy your rotor head.

Will you please check USPS for the postage?

Cheers
Erik

Gabor, thank you very much for the drawing. It's nice to have. I installed Turbocad 12.5 so I could see it.

But I know it's not that practical (nor economical) to make my own. Maybe later, if I become good with my shop tols.

I saw the head Jake made - very nice indeed - that crossbar was built with love.

I hope I can make something like that one day - I have the tools, now I must acquire the skills.

Cheers
Erik

No problem Erik.
I hope you start a build thread here.
As you can see we are build thread junkies.
Welcome aboard by the way.

Many people start building a gyro, they have intentions of finishing it, but sometimes they get overwhelmed by making hard stuff like rotor heads.... that is why you find 'unfinished projects' so often.... by buying the head off wolvie, you save yourself the stress of building something you haven't actually ever seen, having to buy the right alloy (not cheap) buying the right bolts, finding the right bearing, trying to center the bearing hole absolutely perfectly and deciding you need a rotary table ($250) making 2 bearing housings coz the first didn't work , wrecking a second bearing housing coz one of the holes for the teeter plates went astray (buy more alloy) make the teeter towers, then find the grain is going sidewards, instead of longways (buy more alloy)etc etc.... so your cheap, home made head costs you $1,200 ...... then you finally fit the rotorhead and the blades shake and you don't know if it is the rotorhead or not?

By buying wolvies.... you make the frame up, stick the head on, and you know the head is right You can always copy it.... at least you know exactly what it should look like..... and you might even make improvements, because you know how it works

Hi Murray.

I wrote Joe Souza, mostly because he claims on his website, that his (contemporary) head doesn't need a trimming spring at all. Interesting.

He wrote me back he made that head a long time ago. I like to know who's made the stuff I buy, so that was great.

My start was nearly 30 years ago, when (in 1986) I imported a Rotax 477 directly from Austria. A bit later I had it exchanged for a 503.

And when (in 1988) I went on my only trip to the US partly to visit the Oshkosh fly-in, I ordered a set of 23' Skywheels. I had seen
pictures of the Fetters Air Command machine, even seen a few seconds of flight in a Danish movie. So I was really fired up.

So one more thing for my "Time Machine".

Cheers
Erik

Erik the trim spring only needed when you have a head that has a lot of offset.
For example on the Behemoth's head there is only 1/4" is the offset.
Even with 720 lbs all up weight it does not need spring.
The stick stays where you put it.

That's great Erik.... Keep a build book, so you know where components came from and if they are second hand/used/with hours on, just write down how many hours are on things....

You can call yours a time machine (what about 'De Lorean'? from 'back to the future ) ..... mine will always be 'Pteradactyls' (flying dinosaurs)

Murray, so far all parts are NOS (new, old stock). But I better make a spreadsheet of parts to stay on top of the process.

F*cking Pterodatyls? Then there ought to be two of them, I guess?

BTW, it looks like I won't be getting my demo ride in the Cavalon. The owner has to be in Germany on the 25th. And I don't know yet if I'll have the time thursday.

Gabor, thank you for the nugget of knowledge. I'll throw it into the more or less empty bowl I call my head

Cheers
Erik

Edit: Erik's Spell Check complete: Pterodatyls -> Pterodactyls

Hi Erik,

Welcome to SW forum, glad to have you here!

You and I may be in similar places... I am in the middle of building a machine shop in my basement. I have a Taiwanese clone of a Bridgeport J head mill set up and functional... and probably the last week of Feb, a Taiwanese 13x40 gun-smithing quality lathe will (finally) arrive.
Now I need to work with them and develop the skills. And yeah, one day I will build a rotor head from scratch also... albeit it will not be anywhere as good as Jake's...

Will be watching for your build thread... always something to learn!

John/GA

Gabor, is there any way you can convert this to a PDF file? I have no way to view it as a DWG file.......computer inept..

,,,,,,,,,,,,

It's not supposed to be black......
Let me give it a try.