Furling on 8 footer

[Jimmy D]

Hello, I recently completed the Hugh 8' with a Colorado style 3 spoke mount. I took all my bits to a pro welder, I can weld but not like this guy. First we welded the axel stub into the offset, this is where I screwedup, because  the cutout where the offset meets the yaw bearing is 4 degrees out of square. Of course I had a fifty/fifty chance but guess what. DUH, I had to think fast, which wood have been handy a few minutes earlier, the welds are really good, so stub and offset were scrap at this point. We proceeded to complete this mirror alternator. If we look at this machine from behind, tail sticking back towards us, we see the offset and hub to the right and tail hinge on the left. Now still looking from behind, if I carve  my blades in mirror also so they turn clockwise am I OK or is it time for sewerside. Thanks, Jim  

[Flux]

I can't quite follow your description, but if you have just built a mirror image, it will work perfectly well.

No need to carve your blades for reverse rotation, it will make no difference.

As long as the offset is the same, the furling hinge has the same angles  and it is a true mirror image then carry on and don't worry about it,

Flux

[Jimmy D]

Flux, Thanks for your reply.

I will try to describe my concern better. With the regular machines in furl it would seem that they present their trailing edge to the wind and come to some sort of balance. I am worried that with my mirrored machine and normal blades, in furl it would present the leading edge and possibly drop in and out of furl. I am not contradicting, just a worried newbie.

[Flux]

There is a slight effect from making the thing a mirror of the conventional but it is actually to your advantage and you will loose that advantage if you reverse the prop rotation. it is a small effect and doesn't matter much whether you change rotation or not.

With the conventional machine, as it furls the gyroscopic force tries to bend the spindle downwards, this is not possible but the bottom of the blades are bent backwards and the top forwards.

When it recovers from furl the things bend the other way. Normally the thing yaws more rapidly during furl than during the recovery so it would be safer if the blades bent away from the tower as it goes into furl and that is what yours would do.

Things should be built with plenty of clearance so that blades can't strike the tower and even if you build it the better way there is likely to be as much gyroscopic forces from general yawing from turbulence as from proper furling, especially if the machine is not on a high tower in clean air.

This does in a way relate to your concern, it must always have a leading edge and a trailing edge presented to the wind as it furls, rotation just decides which edge is on top and which is on the bottom.

Flux

[Jimmy D]

Flux,

What an excellent answer, had to read it several times before it sunk in. Great sighs of relief! Thankyou very much for yor time.

Jim