Making the Swashplate

making the swashplate

making the rotor head

making the cyclic control system

making the tail rotor

installing the servo

an introduction to electronic components

building an airborne video system

flybarless CP modification I

flybarless CP modification II

brushless modification

lithium cells

making your own blades

technical data

photo gallery

video page

Swashplate is the most sophisticated part of a RC helicopter.  It seems to be a simple unit of a factory one. However, it is a whole new thing of making one by yourself. Here is my design based on my own little knowledge about the swashplate. What you need includes:

• 1 ball bearing ( 8*12)
• 1 plastic spacer (8*12)
• rod end set ( for holding of the aluminum ball in the swashplate )
• aluminum ball  ( from ball linkage set 3*5.8 )
• aluminum ring
• epoxy adhesive

The rod end set has first been cut into a round shape. It is then inserted into the plastic spacer as shown below:

Make sure that the aluminum ball placed in the rod end can be moved freely. 2 holes were drilled on the plastic spacer in  order to house two screws that used to hold the ball linkage.

The back of the swashplate

In my design, the swashplate is fixed on the main shaft. This is simply done by applying some glue between the aluminum ball and the shaft

# be careful when applying epoxy to this tiny unit or you would get every part being

   glued together.

My instructions are too confusing? Here is my draft of the swashplate which might help you. I still find that my design is a little bit too complex. If you have a better design, please let me know!

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Ben Hui - web master    2002