I’m looking for a good frame kit in the range of 500-650mm. The tarot stuff looks decent, but what I don’t like is those round arms where the motor mount isn’t keyed in any way. So you have to make sure each motor is perfectly level. What I’d prefer is either a flat arm or shaped so that the motor can only be put on flat and level.
Needs to be readily available in the US (links are helpful if that’s allowed here).
Thanks
There are not many choices, it’s why there are so many Tarot Builds. You don’t say for what purpose this will serve so I will suggest this 575mm frame from Catalyst…
Yes I should have said this is a lightweight video/inspection rig. So would need to modify the above suggestion to accommodate a gimbal underneath.
I solved that problem by using after market motor mounts. .
The only problem is I can’t find a US vendor.
Just out of curiosity, what kind of flight times are you shooting for?
Those look nice but they still appear have the issue of fitting on a round tube so they have to be perfectly leveled and checked regularly in case they vibrate out of level.
I’m shooting for 15-20 minute flight times.
Look closer… They have a “through bolt.” You get the mounts lined up and then drill through the tube. I have these mounts on two quads and a hex.
Ahhh I see now. I apologize that I missed that. I may order a couple sets of those. Thanks
No problem. I was was having issues with the stock plastic Tarot motor mounts failing so I went looking for metal mounts. When I saw these also had a through bolt I knew I had hit pay dirt.
I have these on my stretched 650 Sport: Aluminum Motor Mounts
The more I think about these, I’m curious how you deal with mounting on the other end. How do you keep the round stock from rotating or being mounted unlevel on the end attached to the body?
This would be the advantage of something with a square arm or keyed shape.
There’s now the TD-650
http://www.proficnc.com/all-products/262-td-650.html
if you can find a retailer in your area.
I really like those frame kits but proficnc only seems to sell 5packs and I couldn’t find another online retailer that sells them.
Look for Hexsoon TD-650 I think you will find one.
Found it on sites in EUR and UK but nothing in the US. Can you point me in a more specific direction? Thanks
Tarot uses an “end clamp.” The small bolts hold the clamp to the top and bottom frame plates and the through bolt holds the tube in place.
Vito:
Just a DYI thought here. I’ve been making my own frames for a few years now, asking a friend to CNC the frame plates and using Home Depot aluminum towel bars for the arms. See the image.
The tubes are 15mm square, come in lengths of up to 30in. The material itself is soft to work and easy to drill. I simply sandwich the tube between the top and bottom plates, usually mounting power distribution gear between them. Motors mount directly to the tubes and I add spacers in the tubes so the motor mounting screws don’t crush the tube.
During a crash, the arms bend taking a lot of the crash energy. I’ve never had a frame plate break/crack. I’ve crashed, bent 2 arms, driven to HD and back, drilled the frame side and motor mount holes and been back in the air in 2 hours.
Weight-wise, the tube is .1gm/mm or 1gm/10mm. Sure the CF round tube is probably lighter, but is it when you include the motor mount and frame end adapters?
A 30in tube is $5.00 at the Depot.
Ron
Thanks for posting. That’s a great design. I may go that route in the future. I’ll have to design some frame plates.
For now, I went with the Hexsoon frame. I had to order from UK but shipping seems pretty fast.
Vito:
Two other things to file away.
I have used spacers between the arms on a Tarot 650 Sport frame. This requires drilling additional holes in the plates for the arm screws. And of course printing the spacers. The spacers are needed due to the Tarot landing gear mounts.
If you want my frame drawing, drop me a PM. It’s top and bottom plates. The bottom plate has space for a lipo battery hanging sideways about where the rear arm attaches. I fly as a + hexa as you can see.
Safe holidays,
Ron
…not sure of the issue here… have three round arm quads/hex here…all use a top/bottom carbon fiber plate and two ‘arch bridge’ style metal clamps so tube runs all the way through the motor mount making wiring accessible. I’ve crashed my 650 Tarot folder at least three times and have never had to align the motor mounts. The mount plates are large enough (past the motor diameter) that I did pin the plates to the arms, similar to the way the folding arm ends at the quad body are pinned at the pivots. They were aligned sqaure on the table (pivot and mount plate) during original assy, and have never been an issue.
ptegler
