FT Swappable Wheels

by FSMultirotors | October 20, 2013 | (20) Posted in How To


****DISCLAIMER****

WHEN WORKING WITH KNIVES AND POWER TOOLS, SAFETY IS OF GREAT IMPORTANCE. YOU MUST WEAR PROPER SAFETY EQUIPMENT INCLUDING GOGGLES OR GLASSES. I CANNOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY INJURIES CAUSED BY ATTEMT OF THIS PROCEDURE.

This is a cheap easy way to make landing gear wheels that work well with the FT swappable series planes and other FT scratch builds. Please rate this article and read our other articles.


What you will need to make 2 wheels are the following...


4 Empty Soda Cans

Exacto Knife or Utiliity Knife

Sandpaper or Disc Sander

Hot Glue Gun

Drill

A Center Finding Device 

Black Sharpie (optional)

1/16 Drillbit (If using suggested music wire landing gear)

1-2ft of 5/8 In. Round Solid Foam Insulation (http://www.homedepot.com/p/Frost-King-E-O-5-8-in-x-20-ft-Polyurethane-Caulk-Saver-C23H/202262332#.UmPgOPmsiSo)

STEP 1: Cutting The Cans

Take the empty soda cans and cut the bottoms off like depicted below. Try to cut as close as you can to where the color stops as it will make sanding easier. *****Be very careful if using an exacto knife or utility knife, as you can cut yourself very badly if caution is not excercised*****

 

STEP 2: Sanding 

Then you sand them so there is no color left showing. Don't sand too much you want to sand just past the color on the soda can. *****Be careful if you are using a disc sander or powered sander as the soda can bottom can be sent flying through the air by the sander******

 

BEFORE SANDING

STEP 3: Drilling The Holes 

Use a center marking gauge or something similar to mark the center of the of the soda can bottoms.

 

Once you have done that take a drill and your 1/16 drill bit and drill a hole through each bottom at the marked spot.

 

STEP 4: Gluing

Now you are ready to glue them together. Put a bead of hot glue along the ridge on the bottom of the soda can bottom then line the two halves up, press together, and let the glue dry.

 

STEP 5:  Adding Tread

Take your foam insulation and and put a dab of hot glue inside the wheel hub. Let it cool a little then put the end of the foam in. Continue this procedure around the whole wheel hub. Once you get too the last bit of foam cut it so it fits snug next to the other end then glue.

 

 

 

 

 

 

STEP 6: Finishing Touches

Now you can add your finishing touches. I just like to use a sharpie and color in the tread but you can try what ever you want. Paint it, put stickers on it, or whatever you think looks good.

 

 

 

 Thanks for supporting zcopter and please check our other articles.

Credit goes to, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9Aat8EAW3Y#sthash.cpUev6P2.dpuf , I got the idea from this video and decided it needed to be on flitetest.com so I made this article.

COMMENTS

pichettem on October 25, 2013
Very creative solution! Nice work.
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FSMultirotors on October 25, 2013
Thanks!!!
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rick_harriss on October 25, 2013
Neat nice work.
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FSMultirotors on October 25, 2013
Thanks!!!
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eagle4 on October 25, 2013
good pics to go with the tutorial mate. but if anyone wants to see a video of this. check this out. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9Aat8EAW3Y
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rockets4kids on October 25, 2013
Not to mention proper credit for the person who first posted the idea...

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Eric Herman on November 2, 2013
thank You!
zcopter- could you link to my Article in the related articles section? I have some good tips that you don't have, they could be helpful for people who don't have a drill press or a centering tool, or some other options for glue, etc... I gave you the link in my earlier comment.
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FSMultirotors on November 3, 2013
Sure! Sorry we didn't give you enough credit.
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FSMultirotors on October 25, 2013
This is where I got the idea from I will put a credit in to that video.
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AIR_MODEL on October 28, 2013
cool!
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AIR_MODEL on October 28, 2013
what is that gray Backer rod ?
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FSMultirotors on October 28, 2013
The insulation?
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AIR_MODEL on October 29, 2013
insulation? i don't know .I've never seen before
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FSMultirotors on October 30, 2013
It is this http://www.homedepot.com/p/Frost-King-E-O-5-8-in-x-20-ft-Polyurethane-Caulk-Saver-C23H/202262332#.UmPgOPmsiSo
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Eric Herman on October 29, 2013
The Article is on flight test. http://www.flitetest.com/articles/cheap-homemade-wheels
Thanks for the note at the end for credit.
The wheels look good, Thanks for the post on here for people new to the site.
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kechengdu on November 1, 2013
不错
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FSMultirotors on November 1, 2013
谢谢您
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FSMultirotors on November 1, 2013
Google Translate is very useful at times like this.
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Bernie on November 9, 2013
The cheap wheel build was awesome ,really good idea...

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iflyoften on November 20, 2013
Just made 6 sets of wheels using Minicell Foam, 1/4 inch dowel rod in a hand drill with a 1-1/2 inch plywood circle and double sided tape. I used a hole saw to make the plywood disc, glued the dowel rod in and put the drill in the vise. I mounted a 2-1/2 square piece of foam on the disc with double sided tape. Turn the drill on and ease a #11 exacto blade into the spinning foam. Now you have a wheel that should weigh less than a gram even with a coffee stir axle.
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FSMultirotors on November 20, 2013
Nice idea, thanks for sharing.
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FT Swappable Wheels