Well that did not go as planned. Trying out different power levels during a ground test, got the mesh vibrating and caught a prop tip. Not sure how I could have better secured the mesh. Part of the prop dented the base tube. Video: Groundtest - YouTube
Any comments appreciated.
Did you tighten the mesh with the pull string?
To start off, I maybe wrong but hereâs my thoughts. I highlighted the paracord to help with the following explanation. At the yellow circle their is an overhand knot on the blue paracord. The highlighted red paracord is anchored at one end in the hoop and at the other end they ran the end through the overhand knot in the blue highlighted paracord and then tied an overhand knot in the red to keep it from pulling through the original overhand knot in the blue paracord. The picture is a screen shot of your rig, you can see the red paracord is loose, once youâve tightened the blue highlighted paracord by pulling it tight through the provided rope grabbing carabiner you should then pull the end of the red highlighted paracord so it sucks tight through the overhand knot in the blue paracord and then ad an overhand knot to the red line so it doesnât loosen again. Sorry it sounds confusing
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I think if it was tightened properly the red would have tightened too.
Look at the green here:
The knot and cord in green need to move counter clockwise to allow the red to get tight.
It depends on how folks anchor the two ends of the paracord. Some connect the two carabiners together making a complete circle, others connect one end to the left side of the frame and one to the right. Depending on which method and where you connect to the frame or route through the frame can affect how the two lower pieces of paracord tighten. So whichever style you choose, we now know itâs important to make sure they are tight. Thank you for for posting the video and Iâm glad youâre okay, Iâm impressed how much energy was released when that prop came apart.
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Here is how I rerouted mine:
I made a loop to act as a pulley so that all cords have equal tension.
I also attach my hooks to eyebolts:
If you use the eybolts you will need to adjust the knots or make a loop like I did.
Glad you are ok!
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Glad you were not trying to takeoff during that. Your the 1st to bring up this issue/concern â I will be double checking for this before my initial run up.
Rgs, Patrick
Great feedback! Thank you all.
Now: any hints, tips, techniques for repairing/reattaching the mesh to the tube?
This happened to me also on my first flight attempt. Luckily I was still on the ground when this happened. I guess the neting was not tight enough.
How did you repair the netting?
There are videos on YouTube that show how to both weave and mend netting. Iâve been thinking of making my own netting with Dyneama or something. Iâve had to repair mine several times just because the carbon wears on the net. I sanded the edges of the carbon so that it isnât sharp but itâs still abrasive. Also, one time my motor fell over net down onto cement and cut the net in a few spots.
I donât like how close the net is to the props⊠it wouldnât take much to push the net with a hand or elbow and hit a spinning prop even with a tight net. I think the arms should have more curve to hold the net away and maybe even move the motors back a bit in the process. Moving the motors would mess with the balance as well as how it fold up though.
Got it, thanks. Looks like the key part I did not want to hear was that I need to drill out the rivets and put in new ones after repairing the net.
Perhaps we would benefit from a category/topic for tracking safety related incidents/accidents. Whatever led up to any significant damage or injury.
I had to repair my net once as well on my two stroke paramotor.
This was the video that helped me figure out of how to do it:
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That fits the engineering flowchart:
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Repaired the netting, riveted it back. But can figure no way of tightening the netting that would make me happy with the clearance from the lower two props. How about hooking or velcroing the midpoint or the radial paracord to the back of the arm? See pics.
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Crude prototype of a bent metal hook to catch the midpoint of the radial paracord and pull it to the back of the arm, giving more clearance to the prop.
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I wont trust anything that is not complete attached 360deg, such as a locking ring or clasp, that can not for any reason such flex or vibration come undone unless the person makes it. Yes you hook wont fall off if the bungee comes lose but if the effect of the bungee comes loos then your defeating the purpose of having the bungee tighter
Cheers
How about a pigtail style hook. 