Alaska 2013

[Arnie]

Noel,

That fuel bladder looks very interesting.
Can you tell us:
1. What is its commercial name
2. Where did you get them
3. Approx how much they cost

Cheers,
Arnie

[Zwartie]

Great questions Arnie. I would like to know as well. I checked the Interweb and Ebay and the only thing I could find was a few hundred bucks. Quite a bit more than I would want to spend. Don't leave us hanging, Noel! 

Zwartie

Noel,

That fuel bladder looks very interesting.
Can you tell us:
1. What is its commercial name
2. Where did you get them
3. Approx how much they cost

Cheers,
Arnie

[tmkaos]

Noel

Godamn it Noel, are there any toys you DON'T have? Is that a helicopter in the background?!!!  I turn green with envy every time you put up a pic of your shed.. 

Sorry, just had to get that off my chest, we now return you to your scheduled broadcast.. 

James

[racerman_27410]

that a big boy heli right there 600? 700? 

largest i've flown (then repaired) is electric 450 size... i dont fly the bigger ones anymore but i do still have a blast with my blade MCPx indoors.   

I got hooked on flying 3D gas 25% planes after watching Joe smith fly at Joe Nall.....


Joe Smiths Friday Noon Demo with the 3D Hobby Shop 104" AJ Slick --Joe Nall 2011



KOokaloo!


Frank

[JMR]

 I love that stuff. That was great.

[ribbert]

Just noticed no Internet at home. Will post details when fixed
Noel

[ribbert]

that a big boy heli right there 600? 700? 

largest i've flown (then repaired) is electric 450 size... i dont fly the bigger ones anymore but i do still have a blast with my blade MCPx indoors.   

I got hooked on flying 3D gas 25% planes after watching Joe smith fly at Joe Nall.....


KOokaloo!


Frank

Frank, I've got no idea what you look like, you could have taken credit for the flying in the clip. That is amazing!

My helicopter is a 50 size with 60 motor and 750mm rotor span. It scares the shit out of me. They have a habit of attacking their pilots. In 99% of human strikes the flyers are hit by their own machines.  I never understood this until I had one. I do now. It makes for some very nasty injuries. It is pure luck that I have escaped this but many haven't. A flapping hole that once house a knee joint, scalped from just above the eyes and so on. Most injuries are across the back and on the arms though as guys drop into a crouch, cover their heads and turn away just before they are hit.

The rotors are carbon fibre and have about 45 kg's of inertia at the tips at flying rpm. Mere flesh and bone is no match.

They are bastards to fly and progress very slow if you can't afford to keep crashing or destroying them. It's not unusual on a morning at the field with about 15 helis to have 2 or 3 go home in a shoe box with not a single reusable or recognisable part.

Noel

[ribbert]

Noel,

That fuel bladder looks very interesting.
Can you tell us:
1. What is its commercial name
2. Where did you get them
3. Approx how much they cost

Cheers,
Arnie

The bladders are from a company in QL called "Liquid Containment" They make an incredible range of things.

The 12 litre bladder is $150 and the 8 litre about $140

They have an excellent website and motorbike specific products and just for once, they are made in Australia!

Noel

[racerman_27410]

Frank, I've got no idea what you look like, you could have taken credit for the flying in the clip. That is amazing!

My helicopter is a 50 size with 60 motor and 750mm rotor span. It scares the shit out of me. They have a habit of attacking their pilots. In 99% of human strikes the flyers are hit by their own machines.  I never understood this until I had one. I do now. It makes for some very nasty injuries. It is pure luck that I have escaped this but many haven't. A flapping hole that once house a knee joint, scalped from just above the eyes and so on. Most injuries are across the back and on the arms though as guys drop into a crouch, cover their heads and turn away just before they are hit.

The rotors are carbon fibre and have about 45 kg's of inertia at the tips at flying rpm. Mere flesh and bone is no match.

They are bastards to fly and progress very slow if you can't afford to keep crashing or destroying them. It's not unusual on a morning at the field with about 15 helis to have 2 or 3 go home in a shoe box with not a single reusable or recognisable part.

Noel

I know exactly what you mean about the heli's attacking their pilots.... Though i have not personally lost any blood i have seen what they can do.
i do most of my heli flying on the simulator now as i got tired of all the repairing..... even if you dont crash they take a ton of maintenance..... the RC helicopters have also completely stopped me from flying in real helicopters as i know that one tiny failure turns them (and the passengers) into falling rocks.

KOokaloo!

Frank

[Zwartie]

Got all the parts in today required to do the top end. Mike Law (Raceworks) got the Wiseco parts and I got the valves, valve stem seals, gaskets and other bits and pieces from RPM - thanks Randy! Here's where we're at right now:

Top end removed and a whole bunch of little parts sitting on the bench


Cylinders honed and outside painted and baked


Top end painted and waiting to be put in the oven


Mike holding the top end


Valve cover painted


Pistons waiting for new rings and Wiseco gaskets


Mike should have it all done by the middle of next week. Then it's time to put the "new" engine back in the bike! She'll be ready for the trek to Alaska and back!

Zwartie

[craigo]

Very nice shop you have there.

Wish you the best of luck on your dream vacation. Should be sweet!!! 

CraigO

[Zwartie]

Thanks Craig - I wish it was my shop. It actually belongs to Mike Law who owns and operates Raceworks Canada.

Very nice shop you have there.

Wish you the best of luck on your dream vacation. Should be sweet!!! 

CraigO

[Zwartie]

Mike at Raceworks finished the engine today!

Here it is on his shop bench


Tipped over so we can get at the oil pan


Oil pan removed


Just about ready to put the oil pan back on. Mike cleaned it all up and said it didn't look too grungy anyway.


So it's all back together now, sitting in my brother in-law's garage waiting until I can get put it back in the bike. I can't wait!!!

Zwartie

[Zwartie]

Got a little more work done this morning.

Removed the rear shock and dropped it off at Pro-Tech Suspension for a rebuild.


A view of the rear linkage before I removed it for cleaning.


Here's the bike with the swingarm cleaned up and on the floor.


Brad at Pro-Tech says the shock should be done mid next week so I'm hoping I can get the shock, swingarm and rear wheel back on. Then it will be time to reinstall the engine!

Zwartie

[FJmonkey]

Ben, I would love see more pictures of the shock linkage from different angles. I plan to remove my 84/87 style link and upgrade to dog bones. Having a visual reference would be nice. And you already have it very exposed. PM the picks so we don't bore the others watching the more exciting of the rebuild, thanks.