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Model Forum / Radio Controlled / Air Models / February 2010Tricks for easy wing strut attachment?
Hello Gentlemen, I have a couple of high-wing models that I really like to fly; a 71" World Models J-3 Cub ARF/Saito .56 and a kit-built 72" Unionville Hobby deHavilland Beaver/Thunder Tiger .40. But I'm finding many times when I'm looking over the models hanging on the shop ceiling, deciding which ones I'll bring to the field to fly, I pass them by because of the hassle of attaching the functional wing struts with tiny screw (Beaver) or tiny screws and nuts/bolts (Cub). I have read that some folks attach the struts to the wing with hinges, so they stay attached to the wings and fold flat for transport. At the fuselage end, I've heard of the small plastic ball/socket joints used, for a simple snap-together fit. Do you have a favorite set-up or clever trick for quick and easy wing strut attachment? Thanks for any tips, desmobob "Medicine is the keystone of the arch of Socialism" -- Vladimir Lenin "Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy. Its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery." --Winston Churchill > Hello Gentlemen, > [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > > Thanks for any tips, Just thoughts: Hinges should work fine even as structural elements, because the loading on a strut should be strictly along it's length. Plastic ball and socket joints would definitely be a weak link -- if you're just using the struts for show, these would work fine, but if you want them to be load bearing consider that you're basically hanging a good part of the weight of the plane from them. _If_ the struts are just for show, you could just drill holes in the fuselage sides, make the ends of the struts out of wire, and just plug them into the holes. But this wouldn't bear any weight.  SignatureTim Wescott Control system and signal processing consulting www.wescottdesign.com >Do you have a favorite set-up or clever trick for quick and easy wing strut >attachment? I have seen ordinary steel quick links used. SignatureRoRo >> Do you have a favorite set-up or clever trick for quick and easy wing strut >> attachment? > > I have seen ordinary steel quick links used. Oy, but I wasn't thinking with my last reply! Those ought to be much stouter than nylon ball & socket joints -- and you can get the 1/4 scale ones that are stouter yet. And yes -- I've seen them used, too, I just forgot :-(. SignatureTim Wescott Control system and signal processing consulting www.wescottdesign.com >Oy, but I wasn't thinking with my last reply! Those ought to be much >stouter than nylon ball & socket joints -- and you can get the 1/4 scale >ones that are stouter yet. Ball links are actually quite tough. I think they'd work just fine on Robert's 70+ inch models. He would, of course, have to install them so that the load occurs in the right direction, otherwise they'd pop right off. In helicopters, the ball links take considerable loads, and they're pounded back and forth 2000 times a minute or so. SignatureRoRo >>Oy, but I wasn't thinking with my last reply! Those ought to be much >>stouter than nylon ball & socket joints -- and you can get the 1/4 scale [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > right off. In helicopters, the ball links take considerable loads, and > they're pounded back and forth 2000 times a minute or so. I've seen a Cub model at the field that used hinges on the wing ends of the strut and a plastic ball/socket on the fuselage end. It seems like a very convenient and easy to build system, but I was concerned about the direction of the load on the ball/socket as Roland mentioned, as well as the possible loosening of the joint due to frequent disassembly/reassembly, which I don't think the ball/socket links are intended for. I like is the attachment method used on the new L-4 Grasshopper e-power model that Horizon sells. The wing end of the strut (double ended) has a small pin sticking out of the outside of each branch of the strut and a pair of small cylindrical receptacles on the wing. You just squeeze the two ends of the strut together a bit, line up the pins with the receptacles, then let go and the pins slide into place. I couldn't tell what they used on the fuselage end. (I probably didn't make that very clear... there's a photo of it in the model's photo gallery at Horizon's website; it's a nice looking little airplane.) I may try to replicate this set-up in my Cub but it's not applicable to the Beaver, which has single, not "Y" struts. Good flying, desmobob Wow! This message came through from the R/C Groups forum somehow... I don't know what I did, but sorry for the duplicate info. Good flying, desmobob What I really like is the attachment method used on the new L-4 Grasshopper e-power model that Horizon sells. The wing end of the strut (double ended) has a small pin sticking out of the outside of each branch of the strut and a pair of small cylindrical receptacles on the wing. You just squeeze the two ends of the strut together a bit, line up the pins with the receptacles, then let go and the pins slide into place. I couldn't tell what they used on the inboard end. (I probably didn't make that very clear... check out the model at Horizon's website; it's a nice looking little airplane.) I may try to replicate this set-up in my Cub. The Beaver is a little simpler because it has just a single strut (but man, those screws are tiny!). Good flying, desmobob Signaturedesmobob > What I really like is the attachment method used on the new L-4 > Grasshopper e-power model that Horizon sells. The wing end of the strut [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > Good flying, > desmobob As far as screws go, I change out many screws for cap screws and use a hex driver. This make many tasks easier. mk (microfasteners.com) >> What I really like is the attachment method used on the new L-4 >> Grasshopper e-power model that Horizon sells. The wing end of the strut [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > mk > (microfasteners.com) I already did that, but I generally forget to bring a screwdriver-style hex driver of the appropriate size and end up using a tiny L-shaped allen wrench that I keep in my field tool box. :-) I'll go to the Tower Hobbies site right now and add a driver to my shopping cart! Good flying, desmobob >>> What I really like is the attachment method used on the new L-4 >>> Grasshopper e-power model that Horizon sells. The wing end of the strut [quoted text clipped - 25 lines] > Good flying, > desmobob I became a believer. I got a set for the flight box and one for the shop, and couple extra of the most needed.( I misplace things) mk >> I already did that, but I generally forget to bring a screwdriver-style >> hex driver of the appropriate size and end up using a tiny L-shaped allen [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > and couple extra of the most needed.( I misplace things) > mk On my work bench, I have a set of metric and a set of SAE by Wiha. What nice tools! I put two less expensive sets in my shopping cart... I'll try to fit them in my field tool box. Good flying, desmobob Use metal clevices or quick links. If you want extra security slide a piece of silicon fuel tube over them. Cheers, Nigel __________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature database 4893 (20100224) __________ The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus. http://www.eset.com |
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