Excalibur
Key Veteran
Location: Destination: Earth
| Finally got started on the Spectra-G build tonight, and I am going to attempt to document the process from box to hover, as compared to the Predator Gasser I built and flew for the past few years. I know there are a couple of other threads going on regarding this topic, but I figure the more people contribute, the more accurate the body of work will be. So here goes. . .
First snag: No printed manual. After looking at the PDF files supplied with the kit (and online), it was obvious that I would need to print out the instruction manual since I don't have a computer in my workshop. Problem is, there are three separate sections to it; the written instructions, the drawings, and the users guide. Instead of printing all three out and have them scattered around my workbench, I combined all of them in Adobe Acrobat and took it in to my local Kinko's to have it printed and bound:
  
I set it up with double-sided printing so that all of the written instructions are on the left-hand side, and all the assembly diagrams are on the right-hand side. If the instructions continue on to the next page, I simply duplicated the diagram on the next page to keep things in sync. In the back of the manual I included the users guide. Slick - one manual, all information, $17 bucks. I do wish that Minair would have provided the printed manual like Century does with the Predator. Such is life.
Second snag: Wrong instructions for the Tempest head. Apparently, Minair upgraded the Tempest head but failed to properly document it in the manual or assembly diagrams. There was actually a separate "printed" mini-manual for the Tempest head included in the box, but even this one was wrong. The new head is a machined single piece, with a full flybar cage requiring assembly instead of the "L" arms as shown in the manual. Here's the kicker: there was a separate, single sheet folded up in the parts bag that contained the flybar cage parts that was a diagram of how the new flybar section goes together, but NO written instructions or reference to this critical piece of information in the manual!
Now, building from the diagram isn't difficult, however, the diagram made reference to an "Existing control rod" link that has to be built into the assembly. No reference to the correct part number was made, forcing you to dig through the rest of the manual near the back to figure out which one of three types of links you need to use in the assembly. AAAARRRRRRHHHHGGGGGGG! This was my first introduction to the Spectr-G build, and was not expected.
Ok, 'nough bitchin', the head and parts are truly beautifully machined and all metal, so that is really cool. This head will be a work of art when finished, if I don't tear out any more of my receding hairline.
Score:
Instruction manual - Point: Predator
Machined head parts - Point: Spectra
Hopefully more to come. . .
Xcal
Camper Fuel: It's Not Just for Breakfast Anymore |
... but quite apart from the included CD it would be nice if they updated their web-based manual and at least with the included CD made the point that an update might be available - it's what most modern software does and no reason why the manual should take a different approach...
