Pitts S1-S by EMHW
#227
RE: Pitts S1-S by EMHW
Yes! Finally a post. I was starting to suffer from withdrawals!
Are you sure that test stand is mounted to the ground solid enough? Looks like you could have a flying test stand there!
#228
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RE: Pitts S1-S by EMHW
LOL! All that stand will need is some wings with this engine. But I do have tie downs if needed.
John that is a 33x14 on there right now. I got it cheap and will use it for the run-in. It should give me a good idea of what size I actually want. I can take the rpm reading's and calculate a better fit. And at around $150 a prop I don't want to buy any more than I have to.
#229
RE: Pitts S1-S by EMHW
Robert,
Check your e-mail, I send you a few pics of my engine box and mounting. Sorry about the delay, I was feeling like crap yesterday.
Keep away from that big prop, 2 weekends in a row someone at the field has gotten prop bitten. One was just a little nick but the 2nd guy reached thru the prop trying to check his fuel line on a 120 4-stroke. Mangled his finger pretty good. It is amazing how people forget there is a prop spinning there are put their hands in.
Later!!
Anthony
Check your e-mail, I send you a few pics of my engine box and mounting. Sorry about the delay, I was feeling like crap yesterday.
Keep away from that big prop, 2 weekends in a row someone at the field has gotten prop bitten. One was just a little nick but the 2nd guy reached thru the prop trying to check his fuel line on a 120 4-stroke. Mangled his finger pretty good. It is amazing how people forget there is a prop spinning there are put their hands in.
Later!!
Anthony
#230
RE: Pitts S1-S by EMHW
I always cringe when people reach around or just behind their props to adjust something. I just waiting for them to make a mistake! They get too complacent with them. And I know what it's like to get smacked by a 120 4-stroke when starting, I didn't have my starter. No broken bones or cuts, just bruised pretty good. I borrowed one after that....
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RE: Pitts S1-S by EMHW
I got it Anthony, thank's. I have a great deal of respect for these props. And even warn others when need be, right Anthony. I don't like hand starting so I bought a gear reduction starter. I used that starter today on the Valach. Yes it has been ran, yes there is video, and as soon as it's loaded onto You Tube I will post it. It is rather boring in my opinion because when I say it's the first star I mean first start. The priming of the carb is never quick or easy, unless one has a starter. Which I went and got after a few flips. Just don't like flipping. When the vid is ready I will post it.
#232
RE: Pitts S1-S by EMHW
I can't even imagine what that thing would do to a hand. I got bit by a little OS 55 and spent 3 months in physical therapy, along with lots of lost income. Not to mention the pain. Really gave me a real respect for a spinning prop. No matter how small. She's really coming along nice Robert. Can't wait to hear that thing screaming past in a low knife edge.Steve.
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RE: Pitts S1-S by EMHW
Steve, you will never see one of my planes screaming along on a low knife edge. Not with me piloting it anyway. I am having a little bit of a time loading the vids, be patient. On a stupid note, I have to tell this story so maybe no one will repeat my stupidity. Yea I screwed up, big time. Ok, after the first two runs of about 4 minutes each I reworked the throttle linkage to stay below 3000rpm and fired it up in an effort to let it run through a gallon of fuel. Just a minute or so into this run "Crack" and the prop went flying. It hit the car bounced off and hit the truck and then came to rest about 100 feet down the driveway. Of course the first thought that came to mind, after crapping in my pants, was oh piss. You see, this is where my stupidity comes in, in my haste to get it fired up after returning home from flying I had forgot one minor task. I had mounted everything temporarily to get it all set up which includes the lack of thread lock on the prop bolts. Yea! You got it, I never went back and thread locked the six prop bolts or the center nut. So the center nut spun off and I assume the six became just loose enough for them to shear. What a dope.
#234
RE: Pitts S1-S by EMHW
Well at least the only thing hurt is a little bit of pride and I assume the prop.
Just chalk it up as a lessoned learned or re-learned the hard way Take it from one who knows it could be MUCH worse.
BTW: Thanks for sharing, between you a me making mistakes if enough people pay attention to what not to do they won't get hurt
Later!!
Anthony
Just chalk it up as a lessoned learned or re-learned the hard way Take it from one who knows it could be MUCH worse.
BTW: Thanks for sharing, between you a me making mistakes if enough people pay attention to what not to do they won't get hurt
Later!!
Anthony
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RE: Pitts S1-S by EMHW
Well the pride is healing and the prop is in the trash, it took a licking and not worth reusing. Here is the start-up vid. But ya got to keep in mind when I say first run I mean first run. Getting the carb primed is never easy unless one uses a starter which after a couple flips is exactly what I went and got. I hate flipping props. Any way,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wC_OvWXK5hs
#236
RE: Pitts S1-S by EMHW
Well, at least nothing was hurt but the prop. That's bad enough though. $150 you say? That stinks. I bet you don't do that again. Live and learn. Yeah, I don't have the cahones either for low knife edges. Or the skill for that matter. I keep it up high enough to bail out if need be. Thanks though for sharing the story. I might just go and make sure all my prop nuts are thread locked. Steve.
#237
RE: Pitts S1-S by EMHW
Wow Robert. I just watched the vid. That's one serious piece of equipment you got there. That prop is a beast. Lucky it didn't total the car when it hit. Lol. Down right awesome.
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RE: Pitts S1-S by EMHW
Thanks Steve. It is well beyond what I'm use to for a power plant for sure. Here is the second run and when I throttled up to near 3k rpm's I had to sit against the stand. Nothin much in this one either but here it is.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiU0-...ature=youtu.be
#239
RE: Pitts S1-S by EMHW
OH YEAH! That's freakin' AWESOME! I want one!
Here's an idea; you've got wheels on the back of your stand, just put a steerable wheel up front and a platform to stand on in back and you could have a blast breaking in that engine! How 'bout that?!
Oh, and yes, thanks for sharing your.... uh.... experience. That's two prop stories so far. (Recent that is...)
Take care,
David
#241
RE: Pitts S1-S by EMHW
The engine sounds really good.
You may want to reinforce that stand a bit before you do much in the way of full throttle runs. It will pull like nobody's business.
Have fun with it!!
Anthony
You may want to reinforce that stand a bit before you do much in the way of full throttle runs. It will pull like nobody's business.
Have fun with it!!
Anthony
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RE: Pitts S1-S by EMHW
Anthony I do have a picnic table that is big enough. I contacted AMR for a new hub, they will have to order one. I could probably have the machine shop remove the remainder of the bolts left in the hub.
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RE: Pitts S1-S by EMHW
I havent read your full thread but I did pick up one thing. That is you are planning to use the Eagletree Guardian because you are not that good a pilot. I think you will be disappointed. The Guardian in vibration sensitive. It works very well on electric models but I havent got it to work on a gas powered plane yet and I am using a much smaller gas engine (15CC)
Be sure to monitor the AHI on a computer with the engine running full speed before you fly it. And be sure to set up the on off control so you can shut it off
Be sure to monitor the AHI on a computer with the engine running full speed before you fly it. And be sure to set up the on off control so you can shut it off
#245
RE: Pitts S1-S by EMHW
Robert, thanks for posting the video, the engine is awesome. I think you need a more stable engine stand though... With a prop that big for safety sake you may want to buy two of those real small orange safety cones to put on the ground giving you some reference of where NOT to walk into...I shudder to think of what would happen. I can't wait to see it on the airframe!
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RE: Pitts S1-S by EMHW
It has only been five days since putting some glue on this project but it seems like forever. I got real busy with summer related work. Anyway, I have epoxied the stab tube blocks in place. During the clean-out for the tube I have realized the tube was cut too short. This I mentioned back in post #126, and that I did not want to get it wrong. But I got it wrong anyway, it would not be a problem but this aluminum tube is an odd ball size so finding another may be difficult. I might have to order one from the mfg and that may take a few weeks to get. Unless someone here knows of a source for tube be it aluminum or carbon fiber, the diameter is .3875.
#248