NitroCrushr
Senior Heliman
Location: Lancaster, PA
| RaptorHelius,
I don't really have any detailed plans for the stand, but let me give it a shot.......
The base is a 14"x14" piece of 3/4" Plywood
For the base clamps I started with two 1-1/2" x 1-1/2" blocks of wood that were about 12" long.
While they were still in one piece I had my buddy notch out the bottom for the skids using his table saw. The notch is about a 7/16" square. I then had him make the 45 degree angle cut. This angle cut helps to spread the skids a little bit as you press the heli onto the stand.
I then centered my heli onto the base and made a line along the inside edge of each skid. I also marked off the location of the skid cross supports.
The next step was to cut each 12" piece into three individual pieces (you'll end up with six total - three for each side). As you can see on my stand, the base clamps are in three pieces along each skid. The end pieces are approximately 1-1/2" long, and the center pieces are about 4-3/4" long. Once each of the 12" pieces are cut into three individual pieces, mark off where they will be mounted on the main base. You'll want the smaller (1-1/2") end pieces to be mounted so that they touch the heli skid cross supports. This will keep the heli from sliding front or back. The base clamps should also be mounted so that the bottom, outside edge of the 7/16" cut-outs line up with the inside edge of the skids. This line should already be marked on the base.
The next step is to mount the base clamps onto the main base using Wood screws. I pre-drilled the holes to keep the wood from splitting out from the screws. Note:In addition to the wood screws, I put a thin film of wood glue on the bottom of each base clamp before I mounted them.
Next step is to drill the two holes for mounting the stand to the top of a step ladder. I made a line across the main base right where my center of gravity is on the heli (directly below the mainshaft). The center to center distance of my holes was about 6-1/4".
After that I sanded everything down and applied two coats of sanding sealer, followed by two coats of good quality fuel proof paint.
After the paint dried I mounted four small rubber feet to the base of the stand and that was it 
Oh yeah, to mount the stand on my step ladder I use two 1/4" x 3" carriage bolts with wingnuts. You'll have to drill two holes in the top of your step ladder the same distance apart as the ones you drilled in your heli stand. While you could probably mount your stand right to the top of your ladder with the carriage bolts, I placed an additional block of wood benteath the top step of the ladder for added support. This block of wood will also need to have two doles drilled the same distance apart as the two holes in the heli stand. So to sum up mounting of the stand to the ladder..... the stand goes on top of the ladder, two 3" carriage bolts come down through the stand, through the top step of the ladder and through the additional wooden block. Put a washer and a wing nut on each carriage bolt and tighten it up and you're ready to go
I like to weight the base of the ladder down to, although I don't know if this is necessary.
tisrich,
Yes that's correct. The skids have to spread apart a little bit before they snap into place under the base clamp.
No, I don't where a helmet like Ray |
