FlightLink Control Duette

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stuart mackay
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Location: Swaffham, Norfolk
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FlightLink Control Duette

Post by stuart mackay »

Chatting with Shaun the other evening about matters modelling and LemonRx, we got round to my FlightLink Collection and were discussing a gap that needed filling...I have been looking around for a 2 channel Duette produced by FLC for the boat and then emerging RC Car market back in the early seventies, Mike K was aware and he had been making some enquiries with Forum members on my behalf but to no avail until the chance conversation with Shaun who told me that he had one that needed a serious dose of looking at! We discussed how cool would it be to move his collection of servos and receivers from his junk collection in a Yorkshire attic to another one in Norfolk! :D :D :D
Seriously, Shaun had some other FLC Rx and servos that would contribute to make complete sets of a couple of Sovereign and Series 4 transmitters in my FLC collection! Thanks Shaun, you are a star!

A couple of days later, a carton arrived with a massive amount of FLC "stuff" and Shaun was right, the Duette Tx had paint peeling and generally a look of being used...probably used in a boat as the left hand stick had its self centring spring unhooked and judging by the overall condition had probably spent some time underwater!! :)

The most important thing is that it is a complete set (minus DEACS) with a matching 2 channel receiver with a plug in Xtal socket, switch harness and two of the FLC PSX2 servos but missing the Tx aerial but it's badges were intact...phew!

A plan was hatched immediately on receipt and some of the corrosion was neutralised with white vinegar and luckily most of the fasteners were able to be saved. All the small parts went into my alcohol ultrasonic cleaner and this gets rid off a lot of the solidified castor oil and general detritis and crud. I was relieved to be able to get the plastic silk screened FLC badge off the folded and welded steel Tx case intact.

I have found a local powder coating company in Norfolk and intend dropping the case into them next week to see if they can chemically strip the stove enamelling and repaint. What will happen ultimately with the electronics is undecided, The condition is such that by the time I have finished any originality will be long gone, so it may get a PhilG Digispark and LemonRx conversion to 2.4...but let's wait and see how the Tx case restoration goes first...watch this space!

Pics below as a "Before" shot and hoping to post updates as the project proceeds!

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RobertC
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Location: Grimsby UK

Re: FlightLink Control Duette

Post by RobertC »

Hi Stuart

Eagerly awaiting to see your results , being a fellow flc avid follower πŸ˜€
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stuart mackay
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Re: FlightLink Control Duette

Post by stuart mackay »

Just picked the refinished case up from the powder coaters and here it is in all it's glossy blackness!
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RobertC
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Re: FlightLink Control Duette

Post by RobertC »

Looks good in pictures , are you happy with the finish of powder coating verses Stove Enamelling ?
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stuart mackay
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Location: Swaffham, Norfolk
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Re: FlightLink Control Duette

Post by stuart mackay »

A couple of days after collecting the refurbished case from Lustre Coatings in Norwich, who charged a reasonable Β£20, a day was spent doing the reassembly and wiring to convert to a Digispark 2+1 from Phil Green that was in stock, as the original 27 MHz aerial was missing, a LEMONRX DIY 2.4GHz DSMP (Spektrum compatible) module was used for the RF...what else, I hear you cry !?!

The left hand stick needed some work to make it self-centring again, the meter was cleaned up & repaired where the clear plastic had broken. Also a couple of surplus charge sockets were liberated from an old FLC charger that I had previously cannabilised for a Rob Cloke FLC build.

I added a button for calibration and the throttle sequential control to the Tx face to make a "kinda" Mode 1 1/2 stick layout!

I removed a couple of tuned coils from the original PCB to enable it fit back into place without fouling the new Digispark wiring. The meter was made into an expanded scale using a 6V Zener and trim pot adjusted to about 11k Ohms.

Initial power up and calibration showed that I needed to do some rewiring of the stick/ trim pots and a quick phone call to Mike K showed that I had wired the encoder signal wires incorrectly (Should be on centre tag of stick pot and not the trim pot!)....thanks as always, to our resident "Boffin" that is Mr Kitchen!

Anyway here are the pics of the finished article, just need to have a conversation with Tobe next week at Ponty about his servo encoders and to see if I can get the original FLC servos to work as 3 wire jobbies and the original FLC Rx case will then be receiving a LEMONRX 6 channel receiver to get it all working again as a 21st Century FLC Duette Plus One!
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Duette Badge reduced.jpg
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Shaun
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Re: FlightLink Control Duette

Post by Shaun »

Looks Good Stu,
Bring it up to PonteπŸ‘.

You could have used a new screw for the backplate though. πŸ˜΅β€πŸ’«

Cheers,

Shaun.
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stuart mackay
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Re: FlightLink Control Duette

Post by stuart mackay »

Shaun wrote: ↑21 May 2022, 14:09 You could have used a new screw for the backplate though. πŸ˜΅β€πŸ’«
Going for originality, Shaun!! :D :D :D :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Just setting up a Sharky with it to bring to Ponty!

Thanks again, Shaun!
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RobertC
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Re: FlightLink Control Duette

Post by RobertC »

Excellent result Stuart , I converted one flc servo using an amplifier taken from a micro servo , works perfect ..
Nice job all round πŸ‘Œ
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stuart mackay
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Re: FlightLink Control Duette

Post by stuart mackay »

RobertC wrote: ↑24 May 2022, 13:32 Excellent result Stuart , I converted one flc servo using an amplifier taken from a micro servo , works perfect ..
Nice job all round πŸ‘Œ
Thanks Rob! Hopefully it will fly a sharky around the Yorkshire skies this weekend!?!

Is the FLC servo motor a normal 5 V DC motor, just thinking about the centre tapping of the Rx battery and wondered if FLC used a lower voltage motor and the centre tap to reverse the direction??
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RobertC
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Re: FlightLink Control Duette

Post by RobertC »

I just replaced the amplifier on a like for like wiring the same as the micro servo was wired , there is a video on here showing it working , they are rather slow compared though …
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