This review is by Steve Campbell and appearing in Model Helicopter Technique
Figures will be added soon
Although not well-known in this country, TSK machines have been around for quite awhile. They have a well-deserved reputation as the Cadillac of model helicopters, and unfortunately are priced accordingly. The MyStar series, first seen about three years ago, is TSK's effort to produce a high-quality, yet affordable helicopter. They have succeeded admirably.
Your basic MyStar kit (30, 46, 60, and gas) is a stacked-frame design utilizing aluminum frame pieces and a modular approach to construction. Nothing revolutionary there, right? Right, but the overall fit and quality of the parts has to be seen to be believed. You will find more bearings here than in any but the top-of-the-line FAI machines from other makers. And, metal abounds. Aside from the skids, the only plastic parts are the tail boom mounts, front T/R transmission housing, and horizontal fin support. All of the bearing blocks are metal, as are all frame cross members. These cross members have a 1mm hole that runs at right angles to the threaded portion, so you can use a paper clip or something similar to keep the cross member stationary while tightening the bolts. The cross members that connect the main frames are also rebated; they have reduced-diameter "steps" that key into matching holes on the frame pieces for a sure, solid structure. Attention to detail like this is found throughout the machine. As stated earlier, the kits come standard with aluminum frames. Hobbies and Helis International, which is the largest U.S. importer, offers carbon fiber frame sets as an option on the 30 and 60. These come standard on the 46 and gasser (only if you buy your kit from Hobbies & Helis. Any other source will provide the aluminum frames). Made in the U.S., these carbon frame sets are simply gorgeous. They are also finished. The edges and cut-outs all have dressed edges. No ragged edges or splinters, as is quite common with other popular carbon frame sets. If you are not familiar with carbon fiber frame sets, you are in for a treat. They look good, are easy to work with (unless you have to drill them; more on that in a minute), and are incredibly tough. There are a few nay-sayers in the modeling press who decry carbon frames, presenting an entire litany of supposed problems. Well, maybe they have had problems. I and a whole bunch of other folks are quite happy. These frames do demand a certain amount of care when assembling the kit, but, when done properly (and that is no trick to accomplish), they just can't be beat. In addition to these frame sets, Hobbies and Helis offers a host of goodies for R/C helicopters. One thing conspicuously absent from their catalog, however, is an extensive list of "upgrades" for TSK products. Care to speculate why? If you guessed that such are not needed, congratulations. The TSK birds are right, straight out of the box. There are a couple of goodies that make life a bit easier, and we'll talk about them. But, unlike most other machines of this complexity, such extras are not necessary; just nice to have. The box-stock machine is as good as it gets.
TSK kits are genuine kits; that is, very little is done for you. The rotor head arrives 90% complete; you must build everything else. If you are into instant gratification, you would be better off with a plastic ARF machine. These birds are precision artifacts, and require care and attention to detail when being built. You cannot throw one of them together while watching TV and expect much success. For that (and several other) reasons, I do not recommend a TSK machine to beginners unless they have the guidance of a competent helo pilot who is familiar with stacked-frame models and their idiosyncrasies. But to an intermediate pilot wanting to move up in the world (such as yours truly) and who is willing to spend an extra bit of time building his new treasure, the MyStar series is what you have been looking for. After much thought, I decided to present this review in a numbered sequence, which corresponds to the numbered steps in the manual. We'll pay particular attention to areas which are not covered or are vague. The MyStars have typical Japanese instructions; excellent isometric drawings accompanied by as few words as possible. Lurking within the instruction manual are several areas waiting to cause you grief. So settle in, hang on, and I'll steer you through these rapids. If a numbered step is not here, naturally no clarification was needed. There are very few of these.
Before we get to step one, there are a couple of things to do. My left upper rear frame was missing the two holes for the rear T/R servo bolts. These holes secure a metal plate that the servo and T/R push-pull bracket fasten to. This plate is assembled in step 5, but the holes must be drilled now if they are absent. A quick call to Brandon at Hobbies and Helis confirmed that my kit was not the first with this problem, but that it would be quickly rectified. If your kit is missing the holes, you can get a replacement frame piece or simply drill the holes yourself, like I did. Be advised that carbon fiber is TOUGH. Use a carbide drill bit at high speed, and place a hardwood backer on the opposite side, so that the carbon fiber will not splinter when the drill breaks through. Also wear a filter mask, as carbon fiber dust is bad news for your lungs and mucous membranes. The second task you need to accomplish is to elongate the three engine mount holes in the lower main frame pieces. There are actually five holes in that area; two are already elongated. These are for the .32-size engine mount, since the lower frames are the same for the 30 and 46. Use a small Swiss rat-tail file and elongate the three .46-size mount holes in the same vertical direction as the other two. If you fail to do this now, you will be very sorry in a day or two. Don't ask me how I know.
1) These are the rear canopy mounting posts. Along with the collective lever bolts (step 5), switch plate cross members (step 25, if you use them), front canopy posts (step 32), and the tail rotor transmission bolts (step 9), these are the only screws that should be loctited in place until the entire machine is together. You should clean and thoroughly de-grease all bolts and threaded portions as you build, but just snug them up dry. There will be some final alignment and adjusting necessary at the end of the build. Once that is done, and all bolts are fully tight, then you will go back and, one by one, loctite everything in place. Tedious, yes. But necessary.
3) The drawing shows washers under the bolts that hold the bearing blocks. One thing I found out quickly is that carbon fiber will compress slightly under tension. You should use washers or those fancy finishing caps on all bolts that mate up against the carbon fiber parts. One exception is the two rear bolts on the top bearing block. Regular washers or caps here would interfere with the fit of the swashplate radius guide stay (step 19). I used a couple of the tiny 3mm R/C car washers Steve DiFranco mentioned in his JUL-AUG-SEP 94 column. You really should get a bunch of these to back up the bearings on all your bellcranks. See that same article on why. As to the carbon frames, the washers and/or finishing caps more than double the surface that contacts the frame sides, and helps spread the load, so to speak. Those caps look really neat, but are damned expensive. I ended up using them on all bolts that were not covered by the canopy, and putting washers on the bolts hidden under the canopy. Of course, if your kit has aluminum frames, using washers and/or caps on the structural bolts is unnecessary.
5) There are three very important things here, so read carefully. If you intend to use the T/R push-pull parts, install the carbon fiber bellcrank bracket here at the same time you install the #F4210 servo plate. Push-pull on the tail rotor is strictly an option. The issue system in the kit is tight, slop-free, and perfectly serviceable. But a push-pull (or closed loop) system is much easier on the servo, so I used it. Unfortunately, the parts supplied in the push-pull kit from Hobbies & Helis don't fit just right, and require a modification to the machine, which we'll cover in step 8. The MyStar 46 is the only one of the series that has this peculiar problem. The H&H kit parts are the same for all MyStar machines, and fit the others just fine. The catch here is in the geometry of the 46's upper frames. No big deal, just a minor annoyance. What is a big deal concerns the left roll bellcrank assembly, found in this step. The drawing in the manual shows an additional M3 x 1.5mm spacer on the left side, where the bellcrank attaches to the collective arm. While not immediately apparent, the purpose of this spacer is to prevent the left-right cyclic and fore-aft cyclic pushrods binding against each other at full swashplate deflection. The spacer is not nearly wide enough to prevent it from happening. Jon Tanner noted this in his review of the machine in Model Helicopter World. He solved it by slightly bending the fore-aft cyclic (elevator) pushrod. I would rather not bend pushrods, for several reasons, so I used a 3mm x 6mm bearing and a M3 x 18mm bolt instead of the supplied M3 x 15mm bolt and 1.5mm spacer to secure the assembly (photo # 2). This barely provides enough clearance at eighteen degrees of total swashplate throw (photo # 3). If you insist on getting twenty degrees throw, which can be done, use the bearing and the spacer and a M3 x 20mm bolt. Finally, the two M3 x 8mm bolts that secure the collective pivot arms to the central collective shaft (photo # 4) cannot be tightened too much, or the entire collective mechanism will bind slightly at both ends of its travel. The correct tension on the bolts is far too loose for comfort. No problem. Equally tighten both bolts a smidgen at a time until you detect the binding at the ends. Then, one at a time, remove the bolts and place a drop of red loctite on each one. Re-tighten to the correct tension, meaning that the collective system is free and smooth as a baby's butt. The red loctite will hold no matter what. If disassembly should be necessary in the future, simply zap the bolt heads for a minute with a 100-watt soldering gun, and they'll come right out. Okay, onward and upward! Are we through yet?
6) If you are using the push-pull option, the T/R servo must be reversed from the drawing (the output shaft must be to the rear). The servo hardware is 2mm bolts and nylon locknuts. It doesn't get any better than this, folks. Alas, for you guys and gals with carbon frames, all is not well. You need two 2mm washers per bolt, and only one per is supplied. You can't really criticize this, as the kits come from Japan with aluminum frames which only require one washer. You could probably get away with one washer, but why be a cheapskate? Besides, your R/C car buddy should be happy to donate some of his extra 2mm washers to the cause. If he wants to be cheesy, you know what to do... While we're on the subject of servos, they all- except for the left/right cyclic, which sits on top- are mounted on the left side of the machine. Be sure you mount your servo bolts from the right side (as viewed from the tail), with the nuts on the left side (outside). Once the bird is together, you won't be able to get to the nuts if you do it the other way. The frames have slots for a hex wrench to reach inside. These slots are not big enough for a nut driver, wrench, or pliers. Do it backwards, and you'll have to take the entire helicopter apart to pull a servo. What a comforting thought, eh?
8) The plastic tail boom holders are not symmetrical and only fit properly one way, so pay close attention here. If using the T/R push-pull, the lower rear bolt must be replaced with a low-profile hex-head type (photo # 5). Otherwise, the T/R pushrod and front ball link will bump against the bolt head (of a normal cap bolt). I used a 3 x 30mm bolt. This small metric hardware can be exceedingly difficult to find. If you have no luck, call my man Scott at (504) 923-3303. He operates a metric supply house. He also flies choppers and runs R/C cars, so he knows what we need and tries to keep it in stock.
9) Ensure that the T/R belt pulleys (part # MD 4220) are seated all the way snug against the bearings to avoid binding. Instruction notes tell you to fit everything snug and test for binds. Good advice. When the mechanism is smooth, fit the belt, reassemble, and loctite every bolt. While you're doing that, marvel at the T/R pitch change bellcrank mechanism. Totally smooth, totally slop-free. Was I serious about the quality of this kit, or what? An additional note says that the belt and pulleys are "consumables" and should be replaced periodically. Just what the definition of "periodically" is remains vague. I do know that the belt supplied with the 46 kit is composed of some new material other than what has been previously provided with the 30 and 60 kits and is supposed to last longer. My buddy Alan, who flies a lot (and doesn't keep a log; a pox on him!) has had his MyStar 30 for three years and has only recently changed out the original belt. It was showing a bit of fraying at several points on the edges, and was probably okay for a good while longer, but he feels the same way I do; such preventative maintenance is cheap insurance. That's why I change out my glow plug every five operational hours regardless of its condition. As far as the pulleys are concerned, Alan has yet to change any of them.
10 & 11) Follow the construction notes carefully. The T/R pitch change links are a one-way affair; TSK faces out. Check the balance of the T/R hub with and without blades. Mine was "spot on", as the Brits say. The T/R blades were tight in the grips; I had to sand the mounting flats a bit for a smooth fit. The vertical fin must be notched to clear the front T/R transmission bolt (photo # 6). This peculiar anomaly is found on every TSK machine, yet you won't see a word about it anywhere. It gave me a particularly bad case of the pinky-tail, as I didn't discover it until after the fin had been painted. I sealed it with CA, but the whole deal still torqued me off. Breaking the surface integrity of a painted surface is not a good idea. Incidentally, the G-10 fin set offered by Hobbies & Helis is excellent and just about mandatory if you want to paint. The issue plastic fins are slick, very flexible, and don't take paint well at all. Before we leave this step, I should tell you that here is one of two places I deviated from the construction sequence. You would be well advised not to fit the T/R pushrod at this point. The boom length/belt tension must be adjusted carefully later on, and a fitted pushrod will have to be re-adjusted. Also, don't forget to CA (thin CA) the plastic front T/R housing to the boom, as shown in step 11.
12) The drawing here is not clear; it is very easy to get the bearing blocks the wrong way. The flush side of the bearings go against the pulleys. Do not install the top block until the next step.
13) The top bearing block (photo # 7) is installed after the belt has been given a proper quarter-twist and placed on the pulley. The drawing shows this clearly. Construction notes advise you to ensure smoothness in the pulley/bearing arrangement before tightening everything down. See step 12. If yours binds, you have one or both bearing blocks upside down. The drawing shows some tape wrapped around the tail boom where it goes into the mounting blocks. I'll rat myself out here and admit that I never noticed this until just now. Needless to say, my boom doesn't have any tape, and it hasn't shifted a bit (other than where I adjusted the belt tension after the initial flights), so I suppose said tape is not that important. T/R drive belt tension, on the other hand, is important. The technique shown is a bit vague. I followed it as best I could, and was advised by Alan that my belt was a tad too loose. Keeping in mind that he has three years' experience with the machine, I tightened it up a bit and haven't touched it since. As you put time on the machine, watch the edges of the belt for fraying. Something else to remember is that the belt will develop "humps" where it goes around the pulleys if allowed to sit for a long time; sort of like flat spots in a car tire. These humps will cause a definite tail bounce until they work themselves out during the first few flights after a long lay-off. Every couple of days, rotate the tail rotor a dozen or so revolutions if the bird hasn't been flown.
15) See construction note: by "lightly", they mean the main shaft should spin smoothly within the torrington bearing. If you must "adjust(?) with 320 sandpaper", as the note says, be sure to clean the mast completely with a solvent before sticking it back into the torrington bearing. An old machinist's adage says; "It is better to work on the nickel part instead of the dollar part." Here, the torrington bearing is definitely the dollar part.
18) Nothing is shown or said about it here, but the pin in the wash-out limiter (part # 513-5670) must fully engage the groove in the wash-out base (part # 513-5650). The pin prevents the base from twisting. Leave the limiter loosely mounted until the head is fully set up; then lock it down so that the pin is constantly in the groove, regardless of swashplate position.
19) Don't forget the grease, as shown. It should be replenished occasionally, as you fly.
20) Again, these bolts are lightly snug. Leave the lower tank mount plate (part # SF 3007) very loose; it will be removed later to install the tank. You will find that a 5.5mm open or box end wrench and T-handle 2.5mm hex driver will be very helpful when the time comes to tighten all the nuts and bolts. I would highly recommend a set (1.5mm, 2mm, and 2.5mm) of the precision ground and hardened drivers like those once marketed by Miniature A/C. They are guaranteed not to round themselves or your bolt heads off. I understand that Miniature A/C no longer offers these, but you can get a similar set from Ron Lund at Rick's R/C (800) 321-9909. Stand by for sticker shock; these puppies ain't cheap. But if they prevent you from having to drill out one rounded bolt, they will have paid for themselves. I use mine for final tightening, and for loosening a stubborn bolt. Ball drivers are really convenient for spinning bolts down to snug or backing out an already-loose bolt, but if you want to make sure a bolt is as tight as you can get it, without hearing that dreaded "click" (that says you have just rounded a bolt), these hardened hex drivers are the thing to have. I believe Hobbies & Helis also offers these tools.
21) Are you like me? Do you despise these automated phone answering systems that so many businesses are using today? You know, the kind that goes, "To place an order, press one. To check on an existing order, press two. To speak with a live human being, press 0 and don't hold your breath..." I really hate those things. And as far as I'm concerned, the need to dial indicate round pieces/parts on model helicopters ranks right up there with said phone answering systems and tooth decay as one of the greatest communist plots of all time. But on many machines, it is a necessary evil that must be done correctly. The MyStar is no exception. The construction note says that the cooling fan and clutch must be exactly aligned or damage will result- and says no more. This brings to mind the instructions in the do-it-yourself brain surgery kit a deranged uncle bought me when I was ten; "First, open the skull." Come on, Mr. TSK! Give us some guidance here. The MyStar utilizes a floating start shaft and pinion that does not need dial-indicating. But the fan, fan hub, and clutch must have as close to zero run-out as possible, or the machine will shake. One really great thing about Concepts was the direct cone start; none of that pesky dial-indicating. I had an X-Cell at one time, and it was equipped with the then-new self-aligning clutch (which didn't, but that's another story). So, I was basically ignorant of what to do with my new machine. Alan to the rescue; here's an easy way to do it. First, mount the engine on the mount. Then mount the fan on the fan hub. The machined metal fan from Hobbies & Helis is very nice and drastically increases the efficiency of the cooling system. I bought one. Try to tighten the screws as evenly as possible, especially if using the plastic fan. You don't want any warps in the fan-to-hub fit. Now we mount the fan/fan hub to the engine. Before you do this, I would check the run-out on the engine's crankshaft. It won't be perfect, but should be within one or two thousandths (.001-.002). If you've got one that goes six thousandths (.006) or more, you might never get everything aligned. Note that the fan hub mounts directly to the engine drive plate, using a 10mm nut (usually supplied with the engine) and two Nord washers. The Nord lock washers have radial notches on one side and interlocking notches on the other. The interlocking notches go against themselves. Don't use loctite, but snug that nut down as tight as you can get it. Now secure the engine mount in a vise and dial-indicate the fan hub at the point shown by the mechanical pencil in photo # 8. Using a colored pencil, make a mark on the hub and crankshaft where the high point reads out. These marks should be aligned with each other. Loosen the nut and rotate the fan hub so its mark is now 180 degrees from the mark on the crankshaft. Crank the nut down, and check the run-out again. If you're real lucky, you'll be at one or two thousandths (.001-.002, which is the maximum allowable) or better. That's your goal. Continue to move the fan hub around on the shaft until you get it. You must completely tighten the nut every time you shift; otherwise, you will not get a valid reading. If it just won't happen, its shim time. You will need some .001 brass shim stock. Cut a small piece and place it between the fan hub and drive plate directly under the high side. You may have to double or triple the pieces of stock to get where you want to be. This is a very laborious process, and one that is very tempting to skip. Don't even think about it. Incidentally, the more observant of you out there are by now asking, " How to immobilize the crankshaft while I'm dancing with that nut?" Well, there are basically two ways. The first is to remove the engine backplate and jam the con rod with a plastic toothbrush or some similar, non-marring tool. That's the way I used to do it. Alan swears by a piston lock, which screws into the glow plug hole and extends down into the combustion chamber, jamming the top of the piston. I wince every time he does it, but it works great without (so far) damaging anything. For sure, its a lot less hassle than the first method. By the way, Alan got the run-out on my fan/clutch down to .00075. The boy is good... Once the fan hub is right, bolt the clutch on and start all over again, this time checking where the metal pointer is indicating in photo # 8. It will take a bit of finessing the gauge pointer to get a repeatable reading, but stay with it. If the clutch needs shimming, do it exactly as described for the fan hub. Now, there are several schools of thought on just when you should apply thread locker to the bolts involved here. If you set everything up dry, then go back and loctite them, there is a good possibility that you will move something and lose your setting. If you put the loctite on first, then have to fiddle with things to get them right, the loctite will harden and make the bolts (or engine crankshaft nut) difficult to turn. This is a "six of one, half a dozen of another" deal that really doesn't matter. Just make sure you do apply loctite at some point. Bottom line? Aligning and dial-indicating the fan/clutch is an onerous, aggravating pain in the kiester that you just cannot avoid. Luck may be with you; that magic .001-.002 reading may show up right away. But don't count on it. I cannot over-emphasize the importance of this task. It must be done right. Just ask anyone who has experience with an old Schluter, X-Cell, or other machine with an in-line fan/clutch/start shaft. If those parts are not running true, the machine will shake; period, end of story.
22) As stated in step 21, the pinion gear and start shaft "float" (because of the torrington bearing, the start shaft is only under load when turning the engine over; when the engine is running, it is merrily zipping along with no resistance; the pinion gear is exactly opposite), and therefore do not need to be dial-indicated. There is an alignment chore that needs to be accomplished, however, which we will cover in step 32. Your main tasks in this step are to install the clutch lining and fan shroud. The drawing that describes the clutch liner installation is a bit rudimentary, but actually shows you everything you need to know. They show epoxy being used to glue in the liner. I have a problem with that, as high heat generally causes epoxy to fail. Alan uses thick CA, another method that raises my eyebrows; but it works for him. Out of habit, I used JB Weld, which is heat-resistant metal epoxy. It works great, but has two problems. First, you must make absolutely sure you have cleaned up all excess with a Q-tip and alcohol, immediately, before it cures. This stuff is hard as steel when cured (it was originally designed to repair holes in car radiators, if that's a clue) and will definitely damage or destroy the clutch if any excess that has cured is rubbing against the clutch. And "the second is not unlike the first". If the clutch liner needs replacing, the only way to do it is grind it out with a Moto-Tool. Regular epoxy or CA grinds pretty easily. JB Weld does not. I fried two clutch liners when I was flying Concepts, both due to hot starts. The thought of spending who knows how long sucking clutch liner dust made it very easy to fork over for a new clutch bell. I plan to do the same with this machine when the time comes. Some things are just not worth saving money over. Whatever adhesive you use, I would suggest wrapping the clutch with masking tape and forcing it down into the bell. This will ensure that the liner adheres to all surfaces of the bell. Just don't glue the clutch to the bell. Finally, the fan shroud (depending on your engine) will probably have to be relieved so the throttle arm will not bind. Temporarily mounting the shroud to the engine/clutch bell assembly will show if you have a clearance problem. Remove only as much plastic from the shroud as is necessary. Go slowly, and be sure before you cut. You will need some sort of extension on the throttle arm. As a rule of thumb, the ball (or whatever attachment method you prefer) should be 21mm out from the downward portion of the fan shroud. This distance will be pretty close to in line with the ball that is on the throttle servo arm. I made an extension from a Concept 30 ball link, as I described in my APR-MAY-JUN 96 column. The photo of the Thunder Tiger Pro 46H in the accompanying engine review shows this extension clearly.
23) Here is the other area where I strayed from the instructions. I did not install the engine at this point. Its no big deal; I just preferred not to have the extra weight of the engine there while I wrestled the bird around hooking up the rest of the frames. Also, waiting until step 32 will simplify lining up the pinion gear extension into the lower start shaft bearing. It would be a good idea, however, to hold the engine in the same orientation that it goes into the machine and see what is closed and what is open in regards to the throttle arm. Make yourself a note of this on the diagram found on page 25.
24) Regardless of whether or not the engine is mounted, do not install the hex start coupler (part # SD3014) or set the gear backlash yet. We will come back to this step for backlash adjustment later. The start coupler is just about the last piece to go on the bird. Again, all structural bolts are just snugged up at this point.
25) This is one of the very few less-than-desirable design features of the MyStar series. The switch plate, if mounted this way, is deep inside the canopy. Its not so much a problem with the other MyStars, but the canopy (which is the same as on the 30) is a very tight fit on the 46. There is no way you could get your fingers up in there. Alan has home-made extensions on both his 30 and 60 switches- which use the issue switch plate. Not only am I unhappy with the kit's switch arrangement, but I really like the heavy-duty switches I got from Ultra R/C Products. The layout of these switches precludes a normal mounting. If you will look just under the metal pointer in photo # 13, you can see the switch mounted on the rear lower frame. A better view of this switch can be seen on my old Concept 60 in my last column. These folks were out of Cumming, GA, but the phone number I have is no longer in service. I would like to get a couple more of these things. Does anybody know if they are still in business?
27) This step shows the optional left/right cyclic servo support from Hobbies & Helis. Photo # 9 shows this installed. It prevents the servo shaft from flexing in any direction. This idea, using a bracket and bearing to immobilize the output shaft, is an excellent one that all servos would benefit from. JR has a similar adapter kit, without the bearing, that one can fit to any servo. I had one on the collective servo on my Concept 60. The problem is that you really need to use the mounting bracket that comes with the kit, and it is difficult to get that puppy shoe-horned into the tight confines of most helicopter servo trays. This is definitely one of those "nice to have" items, but it certainly is not necessary. The roll servo works no harder that the others; I suspect it is there because it was easy to modify. I will put one of these H&H accessories on the gasser, and am seriously considering trying to put the JR kit on collective and fore/aft cyclic on that machine as well. The push-pull set-up on TSK birds is as good as I've seen, and I doubt this modification does a whole lot to improve things, but it does add some extra peace of mind. Incidentally, what you see to the right in the photo is not how I secure the gyro sensor. The R/C car strap is just to hold it temporarily in place until final set-up; thin double-sided foam tape is the permanent fixing.
28) Again, be sure to install the servo bolts as shown.
30) Here is where you will probably discover why we have not tightened all the bolts down. The front servo frame assembly would not line up properly; I had to loosen every structural bolt before it would go in. Don't panic; this is not uncommon with stacked-frame machines. Before you install the servo frame, wrap the servo leads with something to prevent their chafing against the edges of the frames. Electrical tape will work, but the plastic spiral wrap from Robbe, shown in photo # 10, is simply outstanding for this purpose. Photo # 16 has a better view of this spiral wrap. The German firm Robbe is a giant of the hobby industry in Europe, and they have some really neat stuff. Unfortunately, Robbe goodies are very difficult to come by in the U.S. (just ask anybody who operates a Schluter helicopter).
31) Keep the bolts loose, because you are likely to have the same alignment problem with the front stiffener here and with the radio tray in step 32.
32) Once the radio tray is in, you have completed all main structural assemblies. Your engine assembly should have been prepared in step 22; now is the time to install it. The needle valve must be removed. Note that the pinion gear has a "step" (reduced diameter) at the top. This fits into a recess in the bottom of the start shaft bearing. It is a press fit; not especially critical, but get it as uniform as you can. Alan recommends a drop of CA on the step to prevent the pinion gear from spinning inside the bearing race. This is an excellent idea. Just be very careful. CA and bearings do not mix well. As noted in step 23, screw in the six M3 x 8mm engine bolts finger-tight only. Hopefully, you slotted the holes as mentioned earlier. If not, do it now. I'll bet my pension you won't be able to line the engine up properly otherwise. Here's why; the main gear/pinion gear backlash adjustment and pinion gear/start shaft bearing tension are dependent upon some vertical "float" in the engine position. We'll look at this in detail in a moment; but now, its time to do what is probably the most important step in the entire build of this kit. It is tedious and time-consuming, so take a break if you've been working awhile. Are we all fresh and relaxed now? Okay. Secure your trusty piece of glass. It is likely that the engine cylinder head is protruding below the metal frame stays at the bottom of the machine, so position the glass, and the machine on the glass, so the stays are flat (photo # 11). From now on, your job is to keep those metal frame bottoms perfectly flat on the glass. Starting at the top mast bearing block, tighten the bolts in a symmetrical manner. In other words, don't go down one side of the bird and back up the other. Do the two front bearing block bolts, then the two rear bolts, etc. And leave the loctite bottle alone for now, because its a good bet that you will have to go back and loosen a bolt or two while you're adjusting the frames. Go slowly and keep track of where you are. You don't want to miss one. Leave the four start shaft bearing block (part # MF4840) bolts, six engine mount bolts, and four lower tank support (part # SF3007) bolts loose. Once all bolts, except those just mentioned, are as tight as you can get them, and the lower metal frame stays are still perfectly flat on the glass, you're in good shape. Now get the thread locker out, go back and secure every tightened bolt; one by one, from top to bottom. By now, you're probably ready for another break. We'll set the gear mesh and secure the engine after the next two steps.
33) Assemble the struts and skids as shown in the drawing. No guidance on how far in the skids should go is provided. I set mine so the rear edge of the skids are 40mm from the rear struts. Tape the skids in place on the struts, ensuring that they are oriented the way you want them to be on the machine. Then drill a 2mm hole into the skids themselves through the hole in the strut bottom brackets. This will allow you to screw the 3mm grub screws into the skids instead of just bumping up against them. I CA'ed mine in as well. Those suckers aren't about to vibrate loose now. Don't forget to CA the skid caps. It helps to slightly radius the inside edges of the skid ends with an old X-Acto blade.
34) So far, all of the options we have discussed have been just that; nice to have, but not really necessary. TSK's rubber landing gear dampers (part # B6500) serve a real purpose. They isolate the mechanics from the skids and generally provide a good deal of shock absorption. Photo # 17 has a good view of these. Both ends are threaded internally to accept the 3mm bolts that hold the skids on. Replace the provided 3mm x 14mm bolts with 3mm x 12mm bolts when attaching the skids. The longer bolts will bottom out inside the dampers. Use a 3mm flat washer under the lower bolt heads to prevent compressing the skid plastic too much. Use the provided star washers between the upper bolt heads and the frame stays, and thread lock on all eight bolts. I highly recommend these dampers. Next, fit the two boom supports dry to get the proper angle, then glue the ends in and install. Finally, do not install the 2mm x 6mm self-tapping screw into the horizontal fin support and boom yet. You still have to adjust the tail rotor drive belt tension. Once that 2mm screw is in, the boom is locked in that position (until you drill another hole). Now we get to the next critical part; aligning the engine/start shaft in the frames. You might have noticed that the four holes for the start shaft bearing block bolts are elongated on the fore/aft axis. This is to allow for final alignment of the start shaft once the engine is squared up and the gear mesh is set. There has been much written about just what is proper gear mesh. It is easy to set on this bird. Push the engine upward, forcing the pinion gear into the clutch bell, as far as it will go. Now rotate the main gear with your thumb. You should feel some drag. Gently ease the engine down, a smidgen at a time, until the main gear spins freely. Snug up all six bolts. The four start shaft bearing block bolts should still be loose. Spin the main gear while watching the clutch bell closely. You will probably see the bell wobbling a bit. Loosen one or more of the six bolts as necessary and adjust the engine's position until the bell is spinning true, with no discernible wobble. Check this from the front and both sides of the machine. When you're there, lock those six bolts down. Now install the hex start coupler on the start shaft (be sure the 3mm grub that secures the coupler to the start shaft is against the flat on the shaft and is loctited well) and check for binding by rotating the coupler clockwise. You can get a better feel for it if you insert your starter adapter (which you have to buy) in the coupler. Move the bearing block as necessary until the coupler spins absolutely freely, then lock those four bolts down. Now check the clutch bell again for wobble. There should be none; if there is, make adjustments as necessary. Once the main gear and starter coupler spin with no discernible drag and the clutch bell is running true with no wobble, we are home free. All that's left is to loctite the ten bolts, one at a time. This method is much easier than using a piece of onion-skin paper or whatever. The construction notes tell you that you should have 0.2-0.3 clearance in the gear mesh. 0.2-0.3 what? Inches? Millimeters? Miles? They don't say.
35) As stated earlier, the canopy on this bird is the same as for the 30-size machine, so you have no room to spare under it. Plan your radio installation carefully. Apparently, this problem is not confined to the MyStar. See last issue's installment of "Clue-less in Cleveland" for a description of the same headache on a different brand of machine. I ended up having to secure the battery under the radio tray so that the receiver and gyro gain control box would clear the windscreen. Those trick little R/C car straps are indispensable for this. You are provided with two places to mount the gyro. If using a mechanical gyro, I would strongly suggest you mount it in the rear location, behind the mast. This will isolate the gyro motor noise from the antenna and receiver. A piezo gyro, of course, can go wherever. Much has been made of gyro location, in terms of better response, etc. As far as I'm concerned, the jury is still out on all of that. It may matter to a contest pilot. But for a sport pilot, just put the thing someplace. I doubt your machine will suffer for it.
36) Apparently, Mode 1 is still prevalent in Japan. It was indeed the first "proportional" mode, along with single stick. Mode 2 was created to more closely follow the controls on a full scale single seat plane: aileron and elevator with the right hand (stick), and throttle with the left hand. Rudder, of course, is with your feet, but there was only one place left to put it. Mode 2 also mirrors a full scale helicopter control lay-out; both cyclics with the right hand, collective and throttle with the left (along with rudder on our boxes). I know a few guys who still fly Mode 1 on fixed wing, but Steve Helms is the only dual-rated (or rotary-wing only, for that matter) pilot I know who flies choppers on Mode 1. Anybody else out there flying helos on Mode 1? I would like to hear from you.
37) TSK provides you with three plastic servo wheels for the push-pull set-ups; collective and both cyclics. Its a nice effort, and these wheels are better than nothing, but you really need to get a good set of metal wheels to do the MyStar justice. Hobbies & Helis sells servo wheel sets for various radios and machines. The one for the MyStar series has four wheels and one arm (for throttle). I guess they figure you will be using push-pull on tail rotor. The set costs (hold on here) forty bucks. I can hear you screaming; eight bucks apiece for lousy servo horns? No way! I agree; that is a bit much. But quit whining; I paid ten bucks apiece for mine. They just recently lowered the price. The holes in these things are pre-drilled for the proper ball spacing, and the holes are also tapped for 1.5mm screws to secure the balls with. No tiny nuts to mess with; just a spot of loctite. Hey, I choked when I bought my set, but I feel they are worth it in the long run. Photo #12 has a good view of these wheels, which are anodized purple. Whatever kind you do use, set your servo horns up so that the ball pattern and spacing is exactly as shown in this step; otherwise, binding of the controls might result. Also, ensure that you mount the push-pull bellcranks so that their angle matches the angle of the balls on the servo wheel (photo #12).
++38 & 39) These two steps cover the preparation and installation of all linkages except for the head. You need to pay very close attention to the diagram in step 38. Two sizes of ball link are provided; short and long. Some pushrods have one of each. I love these pushrods; at 2.6mm in diameter, they are stout. The lengths shown are for a standard sport set-up; five or so degrees negative at low stick, five or so positive at mid-stick, ten degrees full stick with twelve on throttle hold for autos. Unless your engine is very strong, I doubt it will pull ten degrees. I ended up with eight degrees at full stick. But my point here is that, using these instructions and set-up directions, your machine will fly great right off of the work bench. It is puzzling how the instructions can be so in-depth in some areas and leave you twisting in the wind in others.
40) As with the canopy, the tank supplied with the MyStar 46 is the same one that comes with the 30-size bird. It has a 290cc capacity and is not really large enough for a 46-size machine. Brandon at Hobbies & Helis has used a tank from some Japanese after-market firm that has a 320cc capacity and fits perfectly; call him at (610) 282-4811 for details. I plan to get one. In the meantime, a header (or saddle) tank will give some additional fuel capacity. I feel that saddle tanks are necessary anyway to ensure a uniform engine run. The problem here is that there really is no good place to mount an auxiliary tank on TSK helicopters. We solved that problem by using BoLink # BL 1857 servo tape. This stuff is very thin, wide, and incredibly strong. As you can see in photo # 13, I simply cut a piece of this tape and stuck the Hayes two ounce saddle tank to the main tank. I know, I know; I said the same dirty word when Alan showed me this trick. No way that's gonna work! Wrong again. It works like a champ. I don't know what sort of adhesive BoLink puts on this stuff, but it ain't coming loose! Also, remove the bottom tank support and put a piece of this tape on it; install the main tank, replace the bottom support, and your tank is there for the duration. Even though it is a quite snug fit in the frames, I feel better knowing it is anchored and cannot move. The BoLink servo tape can be found at various hobby shops. I know for sure that AirBorne Hobbies in Dallas (214) 393-3602 has it. One other problem with the MyStar's fuel system is that there is no "good" route to run the muffler pressure line. I ended up running mine over the fan shroud, between the clutch bell and front servo tray structure (Jon Tanner calls it the "radio crate"). Secure it with a couple of nylon ties to keep it out of the clutch bell.
41) I used the Hatori 45HNS muffler, mounting it with it's included hardware. I don't know what kind of muffler is depicted in the manual, but it seems a bit strange. The Hatori is simply superb. Another accessory I recommend is a package of the pre-cut gaskets that Hobbies & Helis offers. Put a little clean oil on one before you install it, snug the bolts down good, and it will last a long time. The supplied aluminum gasket is famous for developing leaks; I would avoid it.
42) As we discussed in the last column, this has to be right. This type of rotor head makes it relatively easy, but you still have to pay attention to what you are doing. Don't forget the brass washers that go between the Hiller control arms and the flybar yoke. The rotor head, which comes assembled, is simply a work of art (photo # 14). It is all metal, and the machine work is like the rest of the model; exemplary. I added the Hobbies & Helis flybar stiffeners because I think they definitely enhance the control sensitivity of the head, while at the same time giving some protection against bending the flybar during transport/handling. I accidentally bent a Concept 30 flybar once while getting it out of the truck. That was a real wanker.
43) It is probably a waste of time, but check the head balance on a high point, with the blade bolts installed. Mine was perfect.
44) TSK kits do not come with main blades. There are several ways to look at this, but I think they are operating on the premise that anyone who buys their product is a discriminating modeler who has definite likes and dislikes. I have heard some tales (and seen some evidence) of really lousy blades packed in helicopter kits. Yes, it is an added expense to an already high-priced machine, but at least you don't end up with something you cannot (or will not) use. What you need here is a pair of 600mm blades in the 150 gram region. I used the excellent Hi-Products AD-46 blades, which are white gel-coat fiberglass and weigh 143 grams apiece. These are great all-around blades; rock-solid in the hover, and absolutely no pitching tendency in forward flight. They also handle the limited aerobatics I am capable of with ease. Alan has the comparable Hi-Products blades on his 30 and 60. He is much more advanced in aerobatics than I am, and is quite happy with these blades. Rotor blades are a highly individualistic thing. Each of us has his preferences. Also note the caveat in the manual about not exceeding 1800 rpm on the head. There is a group of guys in California who claim to run 2000+ on their TSK birds with no problem. I have also been told of a fellow whose MyStar 30 head blew up at altitude shortly after he cranked up the head speed and squeezed out the absolute max in swashplate throw. I don't know; I'm just passing on information. I would imagine, though, that the warning against exceeding 1800 rpm was not put in the manual simply because there was some space that needed filling. For a final observation on main blades, this machine uses 4mm main blade bolts, which I think is great. The bolts supplied are not "shanked"; there is no shoulder, they are threaded all the way up. Shanked bolts, that are threaded only far enough as is necessary, are definitely stronger. Hobbies & Helis has these bolts, and I recommend them. But they are made for the 60 and gasser and are about 10mm too long for the 46. No problem, that's why Dremel invented the Moto-Tool and cut-off wheels.
45) The canopy is the last major item. It is a beautiful gel-coated piece, ready for paint or decals. But be prepared for some hassle, as it is really too small for this helicopter. Once mounted, it gives the machine a somewhat stunted, pugnacious appearance. I think it looks much better on the 30. Having said that, it is up to the rest of the kit, quality-wise. If you decide to paint it, be sure that you drill all necessary holes and make all necessary cuts first. We start by drilling the rear mount holes, which are marked. Drill 3mm holes; we'll enlarge them for the grommets later. Slide the canopy in place, making sure that the metal bottom stays go inside. Use 3mm bolts and temporarily mount the rear to the posts. The next step is critical for a good fit: carefully mark the front holes. Double-check before you drill. Install 3mm bolts here to verify the fit. If correct, remove the canopy and enlarge the four holes just enough to fit the supplied rubber grommets. Now, mount the muffler. Measure from a known point that you can get to when the canopy is in place ( I used the rear edge of the fan shroud) to slightly beyond the front edge of the muffler. Also measure the width of the muffler. Now, remove the muffler, mount the canopy and transfer the measurements onto the canopy. Remove the canopy and cut the muffler slot. A Dremel sanding drum works best. Lacking that, drill a series of closely-spaced 1/16" holes around the inside edge of the cut-out, and "connect the dots" with a new #11 X-Acto blade. Finish up the edges with fine sandpaper. Re-mount the muffler and canopy and check the fit. If okay, leave the canopy mounted and get ready for some fun. Personally, I would rather get poked in the eye with a sharp stick than cut and fit polystyrene windshields, but we all have our little crosses we must bear. Doing this chore with the canopy mounted serves two purposes; both hands are free, and the canopy won't end up with a twist in it. I've heard of that happening to some people. Try to score a pair of curved Lexan scissors from an R/C car buddy, as they make this onerous task a little easier. Be advised that the rear cut lines on the windshield are all wrong. Cut the front half of the windshield to fit, and secure it to the canopy with tape. Then use tape to lay out the rest of the lines to conform with the canopy, and cut to fit. Once a good fit is obtained, tape the windshield in place and install the canopy screws as shown. Those screws protrude a good ways on the inside surface, so I placed a daub of silicone caulk on the exposed points to prevent any possible chafing of the wiring harness. Now's the time to paint or apply decals to suit. If you use the decals, apply some Formula U clear polyurethane to fuel proof them. Use the brushing type and cut it 50/50 with its own special thinner. The stuff that comes in the spray can is much too thick and will turn yellow in no time at all. Once the canopy is finished to your satisfaction, install it and check to ensure that the upper rear edges clear the swashplate links (photo # 15). Mine didn't (could be due to that twisting mentioned earlier), so I had to use longer 3mm bolts with 5.5mm nuts turned onto them inside, next to the grommets, to act as spacers. Also, if you have a front-mounted gyro, check to see if it is rubbing against the windscreen. Lastly, I fitted some Ace foam tape on the portion of the bottom metal frame stays that the bottom inside surface of the canopy mates to. If your canopy fits as tight as mine does, you should too. Otherwise, any vibration will cause the metal stays to abrade the fiberglass in very short order. Once the canopy is fitted, it becomes apparent that some sort of remote glow plug adapter is needed, since it is next to impossible to get to the plug with the canopy on. Photos # 16 and # 17 show the way I did it. Now go back to step 11 and fit the tail rotor push rod. Use a fine-toothed razor saw or Dremel cut-off wheel (best method) when cutting this carbon fiber rod to length. Don't make the mistake of trying to cut it with snips or such; it will splinter and fray. Rough up the ends with 220 or rougher production paper so the CA will have something to bite to when you attach the couplers. The pushrod guides are a snap fit on the boom and must be CA'ed in place. Use thin CA and be frugal with it, otherwise a mess will result. I've heard of that happening to people as well.
Okay, sports fans, that's it. Finish your radio installation and set-up, and your new bird should be ready to soar. I used my standard set-up: for hover, two degrees negative at low stick, zero degrees at quarter stick, five degrees positive at mid-stick, seven degrees positive at three-quarter stick, and eight degrees positive at full stick. For forward flight (idle-up 1), five degrees negative at low, zero degrees at quarter, five positive at mid, seven at three-quarter, eight at full. Having the middle part of the curve identical like this prevents my machine from jumping around when I flip the idle-up switch. For throttle hold, I have five negative at bottom and twelve positive at full, with a straight line in between. For the throttle curve, I used the old Mark One calibrated eyeball and the proven S.W.A.G. (Scientific Wild-Ass Guess) method. I did carefully static-track the main blades while setting up, and I must have done something right, because I have yet to turn a link. What very small adjustments were needed have been accomplished at the transmitter. The flying comments portion of this review will be short. The MyStar 46 is the sweetest machine I have ever owned, and there's not much more one can add to that. Rock steady in the hover, arrow-stable in forward flight, and as agile as your set-up permits, this helicopter bridges the gap between squirrely 30-size machines and expensive-to-operate 60's. A simple, solid structure, with a full complement of bearings and push-pull on both cyclics and collective, is topped off with a beautifully machined rotor head. With the exception of the elevator/aileron push rod geometry, as noted, the missing notch in the vertical fin, and possibly the canopy, I honestly don't see how the kit could be improved. I have over six hours on the machine as of this writing- January 1997- and haven't so much as found a bolt that needed tightening. Simply stated, I heartily recommend this entire series of machines, without reservation.
TSK, as a manufacturer, does not advertise. What few ads you see are from the distributors. Alan actually met and chatted with "Mr. TSK" in a Dallas hobby shop several years ago, and asked him about this. The answer was that TSK is a small, family-owned company that would prefer to put their capital into a quality kit and let it sell itself. The MyStar series was a direct attempt by them to garner more market share. I have no idea how much of the market they do have, but I have yet to speak with a MyStar owner who was dissatisfied with the quality of his helicopter. They for sure have sold me. Of course, nothing is ever ideal. The downside is that parts availability can be slow. Hobbies & Helis is the largest distributor of the machine, however, and they usually have what you might need. While some of the parts prices are quite reasonable, others are scandalous. A replacement fiberglass canopy is a smooth $110, including windscreen. That's larceny; but to be totally fair, the canopy has no pin holes and is ready to finish as is, saving you a bunch of preparation time. Hobbies & Helis is now developing several alternative canopies (standard fiberglass and butyrate plastic are two of the materials involved) that should be a bit more reasonable; work is progressing, but the finished product is still a ways down the road. The bottom line is that, unless you crash the sucker or neglect routine maintenance, your need for parts should be few and far between. The MyStar helicopters are well-engineered and manufactured machines. Their parts are not designed to fail at a certain point, as seems to be the case with some other models. They are dependable, enjoyable products. As mentioned earlier, Hobbies & Helis (610) 282-4811 is the largest U.S. importer and the only source of the neat carbon frame sets for these machines. Another good source for kits, parts, and technical advice is a fellow out in California by name of Silas Kwok. Silas has been flying model helicopters since 1972 (which makes him, along with Don Chapman and a few others, one of the true old-timers) and he has been flying TSK machines since 1985. He communicates with the TSK folks in Japan on a weekly basis, and is undoubtedly the most knowledgeable individual about the TSK line there is outside of the factory. Silas can be reached at (415) 591-0888.
I apologize to those loyal readers who have no interest in a MyStar for subjecting you to this marathon treatise. But I have lost count of how many times, when in the middle of a project I started based on a magazine review, I said to myself, "Why didn't that bonehead writer mention this?" Could it be that he/she was simply a better builder than me? Nah... At any rate, the MyStar Gas will be reviewed here in an upcoming issue; if you plan on building one of those, or a 30 or a 60, hang on to this copy of MHT. The basic construction of all the MyStars is very similar, and while each is a bit different, this review can be used as a reasonably accurate guide to pitfall avoidance. As usual, feel free to contact me with any questions or comments. The phone number is (504) 658-9221; call between 6:00 and 10:00 P.M. Central time weekdays. If you get the answering machine or one of the kids, leave a number and time I can call you back collect. Don't forget your area code. Should you prefer to write, the address is: 5251 Sophie Anne Dr., Zachary, LA 70791. Please enclose SASE for a written reply.