Conference vmszoo::rc

    Marc,
    
    One thing I should offer for straightening yer' wing and for initial
    construction is the use of ammonia, yes, regular household ammonia.
    
    Ammonia has been used by woodworkers/cabinet-makers for years to
    aid in making [any] wood conform to other than flat shapes. It
    [ammonia] has the ability to "temporarily" alter the cellular structure
    of wood, making it verrrry flexible and this effect is quite pronounced
    when applied to balsa.  Dampening balsa sheet with ammonia makes
    sheeting a leading-edge a piece of cake and even minor compound curves 
    can be sheeted in this manner.
    
    I used this technique for the first time on the MiG-3's fuselage
    and was verrry impressed with it...it made sheeting all the complex
    curves of the MiG's fuselage a real snap.  Opinions on water-to-ammonia
    mixture vary...I just used it full-strength.  Note that a slight
    yellowing of the wood occurs when ammonia is applied but the color,
    strength and all other natural properties of the wood return to
    normal once the ammonia has evaporated/dried.  I just apply the
    ammonia to the top of the sheeting with a sponge, glue, pin, weight
    in place and allow to dry...try it, I guarantee you'll like it.
    
    For yer' purpose, I'd suggest using ammonia in place of water in
    a spray bottle prior to pinning/weighting the wing down.
    using ammonia. 
    
    Adios amigo,	Al
    
    P.S.  The only drawback to using ammonia is that it "DOES" stink!!

>Could somebody please bring a bearing puller that I may borrow to the DECRCM 
>meeting tomorrow evening - I will bring in the shaft if someone wants to take 
>it home for their puller?  I'm about to try and rig something up with
>two pieces of steel and a vice.  Hack, hack, hack.

Al Ryder brought in this really neat set of generic puller tools and in
no time we had the prop retainer off.  I'll heat the casing and try
to get the rear bearing off tonight - looks easy now that I have the
confidence of having Al Ryder and Charley Watt look at it and explain
to me what exactly I was looking at.


Eric - how about for next meeting...

	I would like to see your scanner even if we don't scan anything.  
	When do we get the vacuum bagging demo?

Bye          --+--
Kay R. Fisher  |
---------------O---------------
================================================================================

    
    Of course I started this topic because I had an idea to enter
    and couldn't find a good place for it, so here's one to kick things
    off.  At first I thought it might be so obvious that I was dumb
    not to think of it sooner, but Charlie liked it and hadn't thought
    of it so here goes...
    
    Here's a quick and easy way to mount intake and breather nipples on
    your can or bottle of glow fuel (I used a Red Max bottle cap).
    If you have an old Sullivan fuel tank (or similar), take the rubber
    stopper assembly from it.  Cut a hole in the bottle cap to just fit
    the rubber stopper uncompressed.  Shove the stopper in (with the two
    copper tubes installed), tighten the screw that compresses it and you 
    have an airtight seal.  A klunk and proper length of tubing inside
    the fuel container, and the proper tubing connections to your pump
    outside complete the job.  My setup is perfectly airtight and I don't
    have any qualms about leaving it that way when not in use.
    
    It's probably been thought of and done a hundred times before, but
    if it helps one or two people that's what this topic is all about!
    
    Ok guys, now let's here yours!
    
    Bill
    

    I have to say that I really liked Bill's idea (-.1).  I have tried to
    seal my caps with silicone caulking but it only lasts a year or so.  I
    have seen many people use a fuel system that is not air tight and I am
    constantly lending people like that a tank of good fuel to show them
    that's why their engine runs like *hit.  It only takes a little
    moisture in your fuel to mess things up and if you leave your bottle
    unsealed in a damp basement or garage, you'll soak up moisture like a
    sponge.  That's what's wrong with the Dubro setup with the brass
    fittings.  It's not airtight.  Bill solved this problem with something
    that most of us probably have laying around in our junk boxes.
    	One caution with this setup:  Make sure that your pump doesn't leak
    and try to mount it above the fuel tank so that if it does leak, you
    won't fill your flight box up with fuel.  On hot days, the sealed up
    bottle will build up pressure that could cause a leak.  I have been
    using a Sonictronics electric pump with a sealed system (silicone)
    without ever having leaking problems, but my previous pump did leak on
    me.  If you get a leak and it is below the fuel level, it'll siphon out
    all over.
    	The only safer approach is to remover the filling system from the
    bottle and put a cap on.  This is a pain and it subjects your fill
    system to contamination when it is not in the bottle.  I plan to modify
    my system to use Bill's fuel tank stopper idea the next time the
    silicone needs replacing.
    
    Let's have some more good ideas!
    
    Charlie

    Something I've noticed while watching folks fuel there plane is
    that they connect the fuel line to the carbuerator line (which
    means they have to disconnect it from the carb) and then disconnect
    the back pressure line from the muffler so when the tank is full
    the fuel squirts out.  Over a period of time this can add up to
    alot of wasted fuel.
    
    My way around this is to create a fueling inlet.  If you don't want
    to pay $8.00 for a QUICK FUELER VALVE from Dubro, you can make one
    by simply running a third line from the tank and have it exit the
    fuse at some point higher than the tank itself.  Insert a 1" piece
    of brass tubing in the end of the line and CYA it for insurance.
    Drill a hole in the fuse where you wish to exit and pass the brass
    through the hole and CYA or epoxy it in place.  I then use those
    little toggle switch covers (found in any Radio Shack)  to close off 
    the tubing.  Works like a charm.  Or for a more secure fitting,
    you can buy FOURMOST BULKHEAD FITTINGS ($2.79 ea) to replace the
    brass tubing.  Now when you fuel up, you merely connect your fuel
    line to the inlet.  (Works great for ships with cowlings)
    
    The other side to this is the wasted fuel out of the backpressure
    line.  What I do here is run the return line to the vent on the
    gas can.  Once my tank is full the fuel simply goes back to the
    source without losing a drop.  Re-connect the the line to the 
    muffler and your all set to go.
              
    Keep em' coming.
    
    
    Ken

    We seem to be stuck on fuel stuff, but on the same theme as the
    previous reply, waste can be prevented on a normal two hose setup by
    connecting a return line from the pressure line to the fuel can vent. 
    That way when the tank in the plane is full, the overflow goes back to
    the fuel can instead of on the ground.  I haven't bothered to do this
    but I know people who do.  When not in use, you plug the fill line into
    the return line from the fuel bottle.  This provides the airtight seal.
    
    

    I was going crazy to find some small clamps for tight areas. I happen
    to filing some FIPS and noticed the Binder Clip on one. Sooo, I
    got a bunch of different sizes and they have really come in handy.

I've always had a bunch of wooden clip on clothespins many of which have been 
trimmed to fit special areas. Always amused my wife to see my hightech
"Modeler's clamps" I also find that with some used 12 or 14 gauge wire through
the spring, you can make yourself a flexible 3rd, 4th, etc. hand real quick.

    For some nice small clamps take those wooden clothspins with the
    metal spring and take them apart. Now put them back together inside
    out so the clamping surfaces are now smooth.
     
 Clamping >  -   -               -   -
 End        | ( ) |             ) | | (
            | | | |             | | | |    S is for spring
            = | | =             | =S= |
 Original   | | | |   Modified  | | | |
            | (S) |             ) | | (
            | | | |             | | | |
            | | | |             | | | |
            | | | |             | | | |
            |_| |_|             |_| |_| < New clamping end
    
    This gives smooth jaws that have more contact area due to the
    pivot point being further back. I've also modified this further
    by taking several of the modified clamps and glueing them together
    back to back. With the inner fingers cut off you end up with a wide
    mouth custom clamp.
    
    Dan Eaton
                               

    I have a simple trick that I use to prevent vibration from wearing the
    aileron servo wheel holes.  I put a #64 rubber band around the wheel
    and then around the torque rods.  This applies a force to keep the
    pushrods compressed towards the servo but does not load the servo at
    all.  I had a couple of planes that wore out the wheels and this trick
    solved the problem completely.  Just make sure that you get equal
    tension on the two sides of the rubber band so that there is no force
    trying to rotate the wheel.
    
    Sorry, no picture!
    
    Charlie (who can't draw with a keyboard)
    

    Before I got to build models without pins with the magnet builder, I
    used pins extensively. Here is a tip from yesteryear.
    
    After you build a wing (for instance), and pull out the pins (I use
    pliers to save my fingers), I drop them back on the table at the same
    spot. Once I have got all my pins out, I pick them quickly with a
    magnet, that also serves as a "pin cushion". No fuss, no muss.
    
    ajai

I use weights instead of pins or magnets.  When I'm around a
tire dealer I scout the area for tire weights, usually pick up a
half dozen or so while I'm waiting for my car.  The big ones I
use for building weights, the small ones go for ballast...like
counterbalancing a certain K&B .20 in Son of Quick Stick...took
an ounce at the end of a long tail arm. 

The weights get consumed in crashes, or at the glider field where
I loose ballast from my pockets.  

One of these days I'm going to melt a bunch down into more handy
shapes.

Also, the little cups that you find in restaurants for cream make
great epoxy mixing cups.  Flush them out with water, of course.

    The next time you happen to be in a Roy Roger's stop the the fixin
    bar. They have small plastic cups for you to put your sauces in.
    Grab a bunch and stuff em in your pocket. They are great to mix
    small amounts of epoxy in and they are free.

Well, I wasn't going to admit it, but the paper condiment cups
from Wendy's and Hardees have been liberated for said purpose.
And you don't have to wash them out.

    How about being able to build over the plan without ending up taking
    half the plan up (and apart) when done ! 
    
    The backing film of most coverings is great. So when you are cutting
    out pieces refrain from cutting the backing film. Just place it over
    the plan and bobs your uncle ! Epoxy and the like just can't stick to
    it. 
    
    Eric();

    Tip from a beginner:
    A large (20cc) syringe and 16-18ga needle make an excellent dispenser
    for white or titebond glues. Both can be obtained from feed stores
    without prescription(guess the junkies dont like large gauge needles)
    for a few bucks. Use the plastic cap to keep the glue from drying up
    but buy a few extra needles just in case.
    

I got a couple of large "needles" from my dentist; they're used
to squirt water into the little holes where your gums are
receeding... I think the process is called "irrigating".  Anyway,
they're about 3/4 inch around and about 5 inches long.  They
don't have a needle; the tip curves around and ends in a little
hole - all of this molded in the same plastic part.

I let the dentist know that there was absolutely no way in hell
that I was going to do this -- and he already knew what he could
do with floss.  We worked out a compromise.

I use one of these for priming my engine; I fill it up when I
fill the tank and use it to squirt the primer into the carb.  It
is absolutely perfect for  the job!  Also, when cleaning out an
engine, such as after a crash, its great for squirting a high
pressure blast into the port area which is very hard to hit any
other way.  This keeps me from removing the cylinder and piston
during cleanup, thereby preserving the wear pattern in those
parts. 

I haven't had a lot of luck with syringes and glue; either the
type mentioned in the previous note, or the type made especially
for glue.  They always seem to gum up and plug after the second
or third filling.  

    
    	This is a helpful trick for tinting canopies. Rather that soak in
    dies, you can get a can of transparent colored spray paint made by
    Testes. Spray the inside to the desired tint.
    
    Bob G.

To solve a problem that I have always had - mounting the far end of the 
receiver antennae. Previously I have drilled two holes in the tail and pushed
the antennae through both. The problem with this method is the lack of slack if
the antenna gets pulled in those _oops_ landings. Using a small rubber band is
messy.

So.... 

I cut the side off a plastic clevis (the side with the hole in it - stating the
obvious) and just stuck it into the side of the tail with epoxy. Not being too
sure whether it would be a satifactory solution I decided to give it a go. The
antenna is a good fit in the hole - not too loose or too tight - and if it
comes to a landing in the rough or among the trees it will pop out saving the
antenna and the tail. One or two others have used it and are happy with it and
it looks pretty neat.

Regards,

Eric();

    
    The other day I was out of CA and desperately needed just a few drops.
    I noticed that an old bottle of Zap had a little left on the bottom, even
    though it wouldn't come out the nozzle despite shaking (the top of
    the bottle isn't designed to let all of the CA out).  By poking a pin
    into one of the corners of the bottle, I was able to get the rest of
    the CA out, and it turned out to be quite a bit of CA!  More than enough
    to get by in a pinch!
    
    Bill

    Here's another......
    
    
    I recently put on a snuffler on my OS .61  It's great except that the
    little drain hole at the bottom of the outlet likes to spray oil
    everywhere. A 10-32 pressure tap fits this hole nicely and a length
    of fuel tubing tied to the LG on my Panic cleaned up this act
    dramatically.
    
                                              Dave

    The previous note reminds me of another...
    
    When I showed up at the field with my T60 with an OS SF61 Pumper, Charlie
    told me it would be a good idea to seal off the unused pressure tap on
    the muffler and reduce engine goop.
    
    I used a short length of fuel tubing with a knot in it to plug the tap.
    (and should be still on it, wherever it is! :-) )
    
    ajai

    re .21 - plugging

    I've used a short piece of brass fuel tubing, soldering a solder plug
    in one end. This makes a great plug.

    For me I have found that using VELCRO to mount the receiver and battery
    pack works wonders. You can adjust the CG and it has some shock
    absorbancy, as tested several times on my Panico landings. Nothing
    moved much and NO damage, even on my last stall-snap-spin from 50'.
    Then firewall was ripped off, wings broken etc but nothing happened to
    the rcvr or battery. The rcvr was wrapped in foam and one part of the 
    VELCRO zapped to the foam, the other (longer) strip zapped to fuse.
    The battery was wrapped separately and same method. Can shift things
    around at field without glueing etc etc.
    
    Ciao, Panic-Ed

    Anyone have any neat little ideas on how to cut braided cable without
    munging up the end??????? Everytime I try, the end of the cable
    flattens out and the strands seperate making it impossible to insert
    the cable into it's housing.
    
    Steve

    Steve,
    
    I'm not sure of the application you have here but one way to do it
    might be to carefully remove the outer insulation jacket, then, using
    as low a heat as you can get away with, lightly solder-tin the braid in 
    the area where yer' gonna' cut it.  Then rather than using diagonal
    cutters which will flatten the cable in the area of the cut, you might
    want to try using a razor saw to cut through the tinned braid and the
    rest of the cable.  Just a thought but it might work.......
    
    Another way might be to stick the cable into a piece of brass (or
    other) tubing sized to fit snugly (but not tightly) over the cable. 
    Then, use the razor saw or even a cutoff wheel in a Dremel moto-tool to
    cut through tubing and cable.  When removed from the tubing, the cable
    should be cleanly cut with a minimum of fraying of the braid.
						 __
				|      |        / |\	   	       
      	         \|/		|______|__(o/--/  | \	   	       
      | |        00	       <|  ~~~  ____ 04 ---- | --------------------
    |_|_|        (O>o		|\)____/___|\_____|_/	   Adios amigos, Al
      |     \__(O_\_	        |	  |___/	 o	   (The Desert Rat)

    Steve, the ONLY way I have been able to cut cable satisfactorily is
    with a cable cutter.  I know this sounds too simple, but maybe one of
    your club buddies has this device.  It cuts clean, sharp ends and the
    ends will not frizzle.
    
    This is done by masking the cable at the point you want to cut and
    cutting through the middle of the masking tape so that the end has
    already been secured.  I learned this in building homebuilt airplanes.
    
    If you have to but a cable cutter, any good hardware store has one
    which will handle cable up to 1/2 inch (they cost about $40, ouch!!).
    
    However, first try masking tape with a good pair of wire cutting
    pliers.  Hopes this helps.
    
    
    
    Regards,,                 
    
    Ollie , the Newcomer

    Thanks Al and Ollie......Al, I've already gone the tinning route
    and it didn't help. Never thought of buying a cutting wheel for
    the drill though. The application is flexible push rod cable. I
    need to solder on the threaded ends and the tolerance is so close,
    any distortion in the wire makes it impossible to put the end on.
    I hate it when I sit down to work and run into something like that
    that stops me cold.
    
    Ollie......I'll bite the cable in two with my teeth before spending
    $40.00 on wire cutters. 8^)
    
    I hear Z bend pliers have holes for cutting piano wire and cable
    that works very nicely. Maybe that's the answer.
    
    Thanks all for the help.
    
    Steve                                           

    Club buddy to Steve Smith - 
    
    You could borrow my cable cutter if ya like. I paid $25 odd for it, for
    use on my bicycle brake/derailleur cables. Before you say it's too much
    to pay, consider that I'd have to pay $80ish for an annual bicycle
    tune-up for the thousands of miles I ride every year! So I plunked down
    the $$ for the first year to buy all the tools of the trade, and get
    "free" tune-ups for a lifetime! :-)
    
    Anyhooo, bicycle or no bicycle, this hobby is free. I said that before,
    and I'll say it again... Be an aeromodeller in India before you
    disagree!
    
    ajai
    
    ps. looking at the design of the cable cutter, it is basically built
        like metal sheet shears, but has a curved edge (to trap the cable)
        instead of a straight edge. Dunno why that makes them more costly
        than the plain ole shears...

    From the [Cape Cod] Discover Flying R/C newsletter & a George Wilson


    "My bicycle shop sells bike brake cable that nicely fits inside the
    small Nylon tubing marketed by Hobby Lobby (and others).  This stuff is
    not sold separately in hobby shops.  Mine is about 4 feet long and
    0.062 inches in diameter.  It sells for a little over $1.  Cable 0.050
    inches is also available."

    FWIY,  Sullivan Gold-N-Rod #507 "Very Flexible" cable is 0.032, and,
    since I have the package and a micrometer in hand, the yellow plastic
    sheath has an OD of about 0.075.  A heavy cable (brand unknown) of
    cable I have used before is 0.062 or ~ 1/16th of an inch.  Hobby Lobby
    sells 1/16th cable to go with their Nylon tubing; the combination is
    $4.99 for 20 feet.   Hmmmn.  The bike shop is more for convenience than
    for a bargain.  If I hadn't already typed this, I wouldn't.

    Ole' Buzzard talks of hooking up the antenna wire to a control cable,
    thereby eliminating additional weight besides drag.
    
    Anyhow, am doing things in a similar spirit.
    
    ajai
    

RE: .97  Despite my great respect for the Ol' Buzzard, (Dave
Thornberg, not Al!), I must caution on this one -- you will
change the tuned length of the receiver antenna by using the
control cables.  This length is critical, +/_ an inch or so when
you factor in the safety margin we need.  Best not do it.

Somebody sells a length of clear plastic tubing, about the
diameter of inner nyrod, for the express purpose of holding a
threaded antenna.  I've used this and can recommend it as being a
very clean and effective way to route an antenna.

    John,
    
    Yeah, I too raised an eyebrow when I read the bit about substituting
    control cable for antenna, WITHOUT worrying about the length.
    
    My own installation, however, doesn't muck around - I merely route the
    factory original 28 gauge wire through 1/8" tubing along the fuse, and
    out the rudder t.e. When I referred to doing things in similar spirit,
    I meant the drag reduction bit (irrelevant to a power plane, though),
    not the weight reduction bit! Besides, I use arrow shaft push rods in
    my ship.
    
    Good point though.
    
    ajai

    Well, I wasn't advocating changing the antenna and I don't remember
    Dave doing it either (maybe I ignored it since I know better) I find
    the light, clear soda straws in the cafeteria work real well and use
    the nyrod tubing as a snake to pull it through (my antenna is a
    friction fit in the yellow inner tubing so I don't have to secure it
    with glue/tape to pull it through) I thought a certain injun might pick
    up on a low cost "tunnel" but maybe he really has changed over to the
    "money can buy everything you need" philosophy in the modelling "land
    o' plenty" we all take for granted 8^)
    

    Certain Injun to Uncertain Pale Face :
    
    I would'a been sold on the soda straws idea, except that with my fuse
    being all sealed up, I can't use it - You see, I have to insert the
    entire 'tunnel' from the back end of the fuse, and I run into beeg
    problems where the straws are joined together!
    
    Besides, my tunnel has to snake around the bottom of the fin - soda
    straws aren't limber enough
    
    Injun breath
    

    I've put the straw tunnels in after the fact. I retrofitted a few older
    gliders that way. Just stick a dowel into the straws (missing smiles
    were understood).
    
    My local Ace hardware store had 1/4x20 nylon bolts in a few sizes. I'd
    be concerned about slop in a bolt that needs to be 2.5" long. I always
    thought you wanted the two bolt plates in contact so the movement would
    shear the bolt?

    I had the antenna routing problem with the Chuperosa; the tube that came
    with the kit was needlessly heavy, and I didn't want to use it.  But
    the path had to have a rather sharp curve, so plastic "straws" were
    sub-optimal as well.  Fortunately, my electronics workbench is adjacent
    to the modeling bench, and the answer was in front of me.

    1/16th id HEAT SHRINK TUBING will bend around curves and easily pass
    the antenna of an Airtronics, Futaba, or JR receiver.  It is readily
    available in 36 inch lengths from electronic supply stores.  (An over
    priced store in Nashua sold me ICO-RALLY HEATRAX #8501 for $1.50.) 
    This tubing weighs 1/3d as much as the Chup kit item and passed through
    a tail skid made from a Klett pushrod exit guide, PEG-2H.  Despite the
    squeeze of the exit and the snaking path just inside, antenna insertion
    has been easy every time.  The minimum bending radius (without folding)
    seems to be about 1/2 inch.  HEATRAX #8501 weighs 0.0018 oz/inch.  The
    exit/tail skid weighed 0.014 oz before removal of the "inside" part.
    
    Just for the record, here are the linear densities of alternatives:
    
        Dunkin Doughnut coffee swizzles split into two		0.0011 oz/in

        Tobin coffee swizzles (~ 1/8th in. diameter)		0.0015
        
        Cheap plastic soda straws ("Unique"; ~3/16ths)		0.002
        
        Chuperosa kit antenna tube				0.0061
        
        Yellow sheath from a Sullivan #507 pushrod system	0.0017
    
    The Sullivan sheath is smaller than the HEATRAX #8501 and weighs the
    same, but it is too small for the antennas tested.  It would be an
    alternative for a bare wire antenna or as a guide for a pull-pull line.
    If you caress the HEATRAX with a heat gun, antenna re-insertion may
    become a bit more difficult.

    Alton