When I get to where I'm more proficient with this 450, I'll probably go with Align blades at $20 a set. I need more practice before I'm ready for those.

 

apparently some of the align blades are not 325mm, I'd check that before you buy

 

They have 325mm and 360mm. I'm not so concerned if they are 310-315mm from bushing to tip. Here's a listing from a wholesale distributor (non public sale):
http://www.alignrcusa.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=69_43_28

 

I took your advice and I did buy another Align product, I manage to get a good deal for a pair of align tail booms. Got them locally so that should arrive soon. So the tally so far Align DFC dampers and tail booms

 

It's safe to say this 450 has forever changed my standards.
As I scroll through EBay and other online sources browsing around at different things, I catch myself automatically passing things up or ignoring things altogether that don't meet or exceed the specifications I'm working with now.
I can't even bring myself to look at a Heli with less than 325mm blades, less than 3S power, or has a fly-bar (aside from the ones I already own).

 

you're running 3300 HS right? So 310mm or 315mm blades should be fine with that. Just make sure your blades can handle it.

That's a bit too high for my cheap ebay blades I think. I'm going with 3000HS not any lower so the extra girth,firmness and length on the main blades(true 325mm) will hopefully give my heli the extra bite. Least that's the plan. The 3D pro are flybar blades I think, if it is I should get a better cyclic response

 

My tail rotor shafts arrived today. I ordered a couple of different sets.
One seems to be longer than the other. Also one has a plastic pulley and the other is metal.

http://imgur.com/sanlxal

So I tried to get the best of both.

http://imgur.com/kfpgCU2

Hope it works???

 

I was at 3300, but I went back to 2875 / 11t pinion. 3300 was okay, but my power system seemed a bit boggy during hard pitch, and I didn't like the tail vibration at the higher Rpm. The noise I was getting with 11t pinion turned out to be a bearing in the motor- which I have since replaced.
At 2875, the 450 is still responsive with 315mm blades, has plenty of pop to the collective, and draws a bit less power.
A stronger 6S motor and batteries would solve the problem, but I'll run what I have till I'm ready for more power.

 

AHHHH now you are heading in the right direction! More headspeed means more pop which means more fun! Everything MUST be right though... Try running 4K like my gobby! (no DONT, only joking, dont try it, but yes i run 4k). Just be a bit carefull re things flying apart. Your feather shaft bolts must be in and tight, your blades should be balanced very closely. 6S is an awesome and very economical progression path.

 

omg 4k HS is a bit out of my league or rather my 450 build. 6S is just too much power for my mild sport flying style. But I'll go half way and shoot for 4S(lipo) on a 3S motor. Hope it will be good enough.

 

It wouldn't take much for me to go 6S... motor and packs.
My 45A Align ESC is 2 to 6S capable, so no wiring changes needed. It's from a Dominator, so it should be strong enough.
Im just not quite ready for that yet, I still need more practice.

 

Beaver 2800HS might be a bit too low. Once you start doing other maneuvers you might not get enough tail authority. So the end result may be a tail blowout and crash???

What size tail blades are you using??

 

Stock 58mm tail blades. I haven't had any tail blow-out yet. Tail twitches 3cm at the most under full pitch bump and goes right back into place within a fraction on a second. Inverted flying and flips are locked in good with no tail drift. Have tail stops set to near full range. Only problem I've ever really had with tail was when linkage was binding once.

 

I don't like doing them but funnels can be a demanding on the tail.

 

I

haven't tried funnels yet.

 

Funnels can be "VERY" demanding on a tail expecially if the funnel is steep, tight and fast with a stiff wind blowing. Its how i test how well my tail is holding....

 

I haven't gotten to funnels yet. I've been working flips and trying to get inverted orientation locked in. I'll get there eventually.

 

I haven't been able to get very many flights in lately. Either it's been just beyond acceptably windy, or too many kids lurking around the park for me to attempt flying. Meanwhile...
The sim is a trip! I've been running flips and rolls and sustained inversions non-stop for no less than an hour a session. I've also been trying different models and sizes, and I'm really beginning to feel the differences in flight characteristics. After flying a 450 for some time, a T-rex 700 or a Raptor 90 is almost like flying a large plank in comparison..... much more stable and manageable than a 450.
Then there are the Scale models, most of which seem to be based on varying sizes of fly-barred Trex-nitro platforms. I can definitely tell the weight differences. Most of the scale models in the sim are capable of inverted flight. It's strange to fly inverted with the likes of a Huey, a Lama (flying erector set), MI-24D Hind, RAH-66, etc. The two strangest models were the R-44 with its "pendulumish" response and high-mounted main rotor.... and of course, the CH-47 Chinook- which is a very different experience when performing aerobatics!!

(On Planks- mostly easy to fly to the point of virtual boredom. Loops, rolls, inverted flight, blah, blah, blah........ except for the really fast and twitchy EDF ones- they are a bit more difficult.)

 

A heli flies on blades (it's their wings), don't get cheap blades, they are not worth it in the long run. It will fly much better with good blades, and really, for a 450, lash out and buy a set of decent brand name blades, they are just not that expesnsive FFS.
Simon

 

I had already made up my mind to get either Align or Zeal blades next.
Meanwhile, the blades I'm currently running are CF.