Switchblade Updates

NEW ALTERNATOR LOCATION – July 27, 2021

NEW ALTERNATOR LOCATION – July 27, 2021

Since we had to put in the tube frame X-brace to stiffen the tube frame tail supports, the alternator had to find a new home. The X-brace ran right through where the alternator was! So we fabricated...

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WELDING THE X-BRACE – July 9, 2021

WELDING THE X-BRACE – July 9, 2021

We brought back specialty welder Brian Trainor to weld the X-brace which is part of the tube frame at the rear of the vehicle. This will provide additional stiffening for the tail to frame...

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WAXED CHAIN INSTALLED – July 8, 2021

WAXED CHAIN INSTALLED – July 8, 2021

Now that the spray-on wax lubricant was applied, the chain (for gear reduction to the prop) was installed and tested to check for heat tolerance and suitability. We ran the engine up to 7,000 rpm...

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USING PROVEN CHAIN TECH – July 6, 2021

USING PROVEN CHAIN TECH – July 6, 2021

We had an oiling system for the chain gear reduction to the prop for our prototype, but found that there is a well-proven spray-on wax lubrication that removes the necessity of an oiling system. We...

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MORE ENGINE SUCCESS – June 24, 2021

MORE ENGINE SUCCESS – June 24, 2021

We have been testing the engine the same way we tested in the wind tunnel. We start with everything on, and then test while removing pieces to see what they contribute to the vibration analysis....

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