Dragonfly Helicopter Store

Helicopter Kits

I have bad news and good news about the EZ helicopter.  For years I used cheap injection-molded black plastic propellers for the easy helicopters but they have disappeared. Kelvin.com makes a blue plastic propeller that is supposed to be the same and replace them, but the blue ones don't work for helicopters (in fairness, they might work well for airplanes, which is what they are designed for). That's the bad news.

I had already figured out how to make propellers from the curved strips of 2 liter bottles and I have instructions for those. Propellers made from soda bottles work much better than the old injection-molded propellers, but that design was for building everything from scratch. One part—the rotating, low-friction propeller bearing—is a bit challenging.

So what if I manufactured that difficult part, the propeller bearing? I have been making machines to make the parts for it and I have finished one of the 3 different machines I need. Using these pre-made bearings I have successfully made helicopters with kids in large groups and at crowded public events. I also made a step by step instructional video. And in trials in several middle schools (where students followed instructions on their own tablet computers) classes built the helicopters at their own speed (though within a class period) and largely without any help. They are a huge hit with kids. You can see the latest version of instructions here.

On a limited basis I am now selling complete kits with everything needed: bearing, balsa fuselage, propellers cut from 2-liter bottles and special “tan super sport” rubber (I try to use “off the shelf” parts whenever possible but TSS rubber really is an order of magnitude better than school or office rubber bands). You provide paper for the wings, clear tape and scissors. Or less expensively, you find your own 2-liter plastic bottles and cut strips for the propellers yourself—14 or 15 propellers from each 2-liter bottle. This video shows how to cut propellers from 2 liter bottles.

So that’s the good news. But here’s the rub. I have been distracted with other development work for months now and have not had time to build the other 2 machines to make parts. So I pay a skilled person to make the parts by hand. I can sell complete helicopter kits for $1.50USD each (or $1.25 each if you find your own bottles and cut your own propellers). When I have the other machines up and running I hope to reduce the price.

If you are interested in these helicopter kits, please contact me, Slater.

 

20 inches of 1/8" wide Tan Super Sport rubber band, enough for replacement for 2 helicopters.

$3 includes shipping because I can just mail it in an envelope.

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Not helicopters, but walkalong gliders are another great, engaging, low-cost flight project. How do they fly?

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A Note About Payment (PayPal, Checks, Purchase Order)

PayPal

Embedded PayPal buttons for customer convenience and security have worked well and automatically convert currencies. When you click on a button, you go to a secure PayPal page. We use PayPal for security and convenience, and you don't need PayPal account to pay via PP with a credit card. All proceeds go directly to the non-profit, education organization, the Physics Factory.

Checks

If you send in a check, please make it out to Physics Factory. Feel free to contact me, Slater, with any questions.

Purchase Order

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