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Building Tips and technical articles. => Building techniques => Topic started by: Matt Piatkowski on May 12, 2016, 06:35:10 PM
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Please see the attached and advise.
Thanks,
M
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Please see the attached and advise.
Thanks,
M
Matt,
I cannot open that link. Got a simple JPEG photo you can Post?
Charles
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Please see the attached and advise.
Thanks,
M
Those axles are heavy heavy,,
I use a 6-32 allen head cap screw with a lock nut in the carbon gear, ,then a washer, the wheel, and another washer held in place with a nylock nut...cheaper, lighter and more reliable...
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Avaiojet,
Please right click the file name and click Save Link As...from the drop down menu that will appear.
This will allow you to save the file on the hard drive of your computer.
When the file sits on your local hard drive, Adobe Reader will open it.
*.JPEG size from my digicam is usually too large for the Stunthanger.com website/server.
Mark,
I thought about using the 5/32 screw with aluminum blue 8/32 UNC locknuts (these light locknuts are shown on the photo in the attached file).
Do you install the wheel directly on the screw thread or use the metal sleeve (stainless?brass?) to protect the wheel hub material from wear?
By the way: in the meantime, I have found that the axles installed now in the aluminum landing gear I am showing, are 5/32" dia. and have been manufactured by Klett Plastics in Forth Worth, TX.
I am checking now if Klett Plastics still exist and, if yes, if they still manufacture 5/32" dia. axles.
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Matt,
That doesn't work, so I still cannot do it. ???
If you're looking for simple bolt on wheel axles I should have some. Someplace. Probably be .125 for the wheel opening size.
Is this what you need?
You can also use a long machine screw. Head on one side and the double nut on the gear leg.
Sleeve the threads with a brass tube. I've done this.
Charles
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Avaiojet,
Please right click the file name and click Save Link As...from the drop down menu that will appear.
This will allow you to save the file on the hard drive of your computer.
When the file sits on your local hard drive, Adobe Reader will open it.
*.JPEG size from my digicam is usually too large for the Stunthanger.com website/server.
Mark,
I thought about using the 5/32 screw with aluminum blue 8/32 UNC locknuts (these light locknuts are shown on the photo in the attached file).
Do you install the wheel directly on the screw thread or use the metal sleeve (stainless?brass?) to protect the wheel hub material from wear?
By the way: in the meantime, I have found that the axles installed now in the aluminum landing gear I am showing, are 5/32" dia. and have been manufactured by Klett Plastics in Forth Worth, TX.
I am checking now if Klett Plastics still exist and, if yes, if they still manufacture 5/32" dia. axles.
Klett to my knowledge does not product model products any more
as to the wheel, I do typically use a brass sleeve as a bushing.
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*.JPEG size from my digicam is usually too large for the Stunthanger.com website/server.
Not only do photo re-sizing programs exist, there are websites where you can do it.
I happen to use Gimp, which is way too pro for most people to want to mess with, but it'll do anything that it ocurrs to me to do. There's software out there that makes it easy.
I'm hoping that someone will jump in here and recommend something -- I went looking for a thread, and couldn't find one.
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simple clean viewer will do VERY basic functions
and free
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Another alternative would be to use a carbon rod for the axle. I have used this on a carbon gear, maybe a rod/tube/arrow shaft up to 3/16" diameter. Requires a really tight fit when you drill the hole for the rod/tube to go through the strut, but once it is a press fit, put it in with CA and it will stay forever. Then put a brass bushing over the carbon rod, otherwise the carbon rod/hole in the wheel does not wear well.
Lightest axle you can use and it works. I know of at least one other top builder/flyer that has done this and as far as I know, he has had no problem with carbon axles. If I use a carbon strut in the future, I will use a carbon axle.
At least try it on a blank piece similar to your gear strut and see how rigid it can be. I have done it on several medium size OTS ships with hundreds of flights and never had a failure other than the wear between the axle and wheel hub.
Keith
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simple clean viewer will do VERY basic functions
and free
hmm did not post the link, my bad
try this
http://www.irfanview.com/
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Another alternative would be to use a carbon rod for the axle. I have used this on a carbon gear, maybe a rod/tube/arrow shaft up to 3/16" diameter. Requires a really tight fit when you drill the hole for the rod/tube to go through the strut, but once it is a press fit, put it in with CA and it will stay forever. Then put a brass bushing over the carbon rod, otherwise the carbon rod/hole in the wheel does not wear well.
Lightest axle you can use and it works. I know of at least one other top builder/flyer that has done this and as far as I know, he has had no problem with carbon axles. If I use a carbon strut in the future, I will use a carbon axle.
At least try it on a blank piece similar to your gear strut and see how rigid it can be. I have done it on several medium size OTS ships with hundreds of flights and never had a failure other than the wear between the axle and wheel hub.
Keith
Hmm I would have nver considered this option,, but if it works tis certainly worth a go....
I have a set of gear that has the same issue, a very narrow foot to put axles in, VERY narrow, perhaps this is the solution..
How do you retain the wheel on the axle then, with a washer and cotter style pin?
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Hmm I would have nver considered this option,, but if it works tis certainly worth a go....
I have a set of gear that has the same issue, a very narrow foot to put axles in, VERY narrow, perhaps this is the solution..
How do you retain the wheel on the axle then, with a washer and cotter style pin?
Thought about a pin, like a cotter style pin, but the problem with that, I think, is that the rod/tube axle might have a tendency to split where the hole is drilled through the end of the axle.
What I used was a washer, then another tube that was a tight fit over the axle to retain the washer in place against the wheel hub, then judiciously applied CA to keep the retainer in place over the axle. A way to keep the CA from wicking in between the hub and the axle is to apply a bit of petroleum jelly on the axle before you put the wheel on the axle. Just make sure that none of the jelly is on the parts that need to be bonded with the CA.
There are probably other ways to retain the wheel. This is what worked for me.
Maybe a cotter pin style approach would work if you somehow fill the hollow axle tube/axle to minimize the possibility that the end might split where the hole is drilled through for the pin.
Also recommend that you try putting this sort of axle on a blank piece of carbon (similar to the end of your strut) to see if you can get a good press fit of the axle to the carbon strut and that it will withstand a reasonable amount of load without some sort of failure.
Keith.
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Another alternative would be to use a carbon rod for the axle.
I've done this a lot. I used .210" carbon pushrod tube. I think PW has used smaller. You can either put a foot-long piece through the holes in both legs and whack off the part in the middle after the glue dries or make a jig to align the axles and save material. I used some fancy epoxy, but JB Weld would probably do the trick. The axles last a season or so before they wear noticeably; wheel hubs not as long. I put some plastic-safe lubricant on them. The last time I did it I used some Teflon shrink tubing over the axles. Old axles are easy to drill out and replace. I poked a 1/16" hole in the end and used cotter pins. If the axle split when I drilled it, I put another piece of tubing inside as a doubler where the cotter pin hole goes through.
Lately I've been using NMP aluminum axles from Central Hobbies, because the carbon axles were too big for some wheels. Their weight isn't too bad.
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Use a brass tube, nut and bolt. Do it backwards. The tube makes a shoulder for a washer, and to protect the wheel from threads. The bolt head goes on the outside and keeps the wheel on, the nut on the inside.
Phil
http://www.spadtothebone.net/freeplans.htm
direct link to the picture
http://www.spadtothebone.net/misc/axlebolt.htm
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Phil,
I have done it that way, but it has most always lead to less than satisfactory results for me. I prefer the axle to be Locked onto the gear leg, and then I can adjust the tension on the wheel for breaking effect... independent of the need for the axle to be stable
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Phil,
I have done it that way, but it has most always lead to less than satisfactory results for me. I prefer the axle to be Locked onto the gear leg, and then I can adjust the tension on the wheel for breaking effect... independent of the need for the axle to be stable
Just use a longer bolt, cut off the head, mount to landing gear using a nut each side of the strut, add wheel, add wheel collar and adjust to desired drag. The best of all worlds.
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David,
I dont follow your logic, why not leave the head on the bold and use that and a lock nut to secure it to the gear, then use a lock nut to hold the wheel on,, why would you cut the head off, then have to clean up the threads and use a heavier nut in plcase of the head,,
sorry I jut dont see the benefit
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Mark,
I was thinking of using a long bolt that's not threaded full length, use the threaded end with two nuts to secure to the gear strut, then whack off the excess length at the head end to the appropriate length and use a wheel collar to hold the wheel. No cleaning up of threads required. The same thing could be achieved by threading the end of a piece of round stock but not everyone has the capacity to do that.
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These are good ideas for axles if your plane is too light or your CG is too high.
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These are good ideas for axles if your plane is too light or your CG is too high.
well My CG isnt to hi, but, I need an ounce or so more to catch up to you I think Howard LOL LL~
of course regardless you still fly better than I do so there is that
Until you posted your trick method with carbon axles, I thought my 6-32 was the lightest thing going, its MUCH lighter than the commercial axle units
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I believe these are the ones that Howard indicates that he's using. They're on my current dawg also, and they seem trouble free enough. The spacing to the outer clip location suits the wheel hub thickness of the Dave Brown 2.25" narrow wheels, but there are apparently some thinner wheels out there. Not sure what or where those would be. The R/C pylon racers apparently use these, and we know they're not going to land as smoothly as a CL stunter. The screw that holds the aluminum axle to the LG strut (I think) is a 4-40....but maybe smaller, definitely not larger. Mine came with buttonheads, but I changed to regular socket heads (bigger hex wrench). Really light, but also pretty expensive at $10 EACH.
I have looked online for aluminum hex bolts to reverse-engineer some for the new plane, but haven't ordered any yet. I don't think it will be all that hard to make these at home for anybody with a toy lathe. If you do it, be smart and buy a roll tap from your local machine shop supply store. Also inquire about the correct drill size, because the threads are formed, not cut. REALLY strong. Also use a good tapping lube...or STP. No lube = broken tap. y1 Steve
https://www.centralhobbies.com/cat3.php?cat=25&subcat=128 (https://www.centralhobbies.com/cat3.php?cat=25&subcat=128)
Part Number "NMPAXLEFGL"
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Regarding Matt's use of the .pdf file type for posting pictures...I have zero idea why Charles can't open a .pdf...the program is a free download from the folks that sell the software to make .pdf files. Just about any website that posts .pdf files (such as AMA's site) will provide a link to the download, and it's SAFE TO DO.
I have also wondered why Matt does this, and didn't realize that posting pictures in .jpg format was a problem. Like Mark said, the IrfanView (free) software is out there, easy to operate and any 4 year old can do it! I know this, because I can do it, and figured it out myself. There have been several threads on SH about how to do this, and I think there's a pinned topic somewhere.
I downloaded it from a site called "TwoCows" or maybe "TuCows"...I forget...but it's a download site for Shareware and Freeware, and is a safe place to download from. Resize the picture to 640 to 850 pixels wide, click the box to save aspect ratio, and then "Save As" (compress) at about 75%, and see what happens. You'll need to create a title for the file, and will need to "save as" each variation so that you can tell which is which, and also so you can go back to the original if you need to. I just name the file like "Toucan Matt P.jpg", and the resized & compressed version would then be "Toucan Matt P%.jpg". Creating and typing the title is the slowest part of the process, but I have done pictures in about 15 seconds, using IrfanView. FWIW, all digital cameras I've had (3) came with proprietary software on a CD. I tried to figure out Olympus and again tried to figure out Canon software...nope! My brother tipped me off on IrfanView...I didn't even try Nikon software. IrfanView is "DA BOMB". Got that, NSA?
Some guys who try to post a picture that they reduce to meet file size limits by simply resizing. This isn't good, because the picture is then about half the size of a postage stamp when opened. Yes, you can post it. No, we can't see what it is that you're posting. Should not have to right click on the link or anything of the sort. One left click, and the picture should open! If anybody has questions about working with IrfanView, I'll try to help. Send me an email or PM. No guarantees, however. LL~ Steve
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I have photoshop, and a couple other graphics programs that will do it, but for simply resizing to post, Irfranview is dead simple, fast, and for me the important part is it is free, and it loads to use in seconds unlike photoshop that takes a couple minutes to load up and get ready,,
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On my android smartphone I use this app called "reduce photo size" It is really very simple and means I don't have to load stuff to my pc to post.
Phil
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Here are a couple of pictures reduced with Irfanview. They started out at over 3MB each. Using "re-size/resample" this is what I got. I takes longer to take the photos and load them in the PC.
The axles weigh 2 grams each without the circlip. I've used both methods, 6-32 screw and this way, I prefer this one.
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Here are a couple of pictures reduced with Irfanview. They started out at over 3MB each. Using "re-size/resample" this is what I got. I takes longer to take the photos and load them in the PC.
The axles weigh 2 grams each without the circlip. I've used both methods, 6-32 screw and this way, I prefer this one.
Mike, two questions if I may , first, what carbon gear is that?
second, are the axles you are fabricating or purchased parts.
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The gear came from Randy Smith. These particular axles came from Central Hobbies. The quality wasn't less than I expected and not quite the right size for my Sultan so I made the ones that are on that one. The circlips that hold the wheels on are available locally so it wasn't a problem. Both of my Shrikes had 6-32 socket head screws for axles. When you use wheel pants a hole is required in the pants for access. Not a big deal I guess, but I like the aluminum ones better.
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Here are a couple of pictures reduced with Irfanview. They started out at over 3MB each. Using "re-size/resample" this is what I got. I takes longer to take the photos and load them in the PC.
The axles weigh 2 grams each without the circlip. I've used both methods, 6-32 screw and this way, I prefer this one.
Mike, have you figured out a way to adjust braking with this setup? I was thinking about a piano wire whisker rubbing on the wheel or tire, maybe with a micro-screw adjuster on the LG leg. With your home-grown wooden wheel pants, I think this could be pretty easy to incorporate. With the uber-light CF wheel pants, not so much, especially after they are as thrashed as mine are! y1 Steve
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I quit using brakes.
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And, my wheel pants are lighter than the "uber light" CF articles.
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Tim has a very slick system. Includes a "cotter key".
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For kits that have Aluminum gear I supply M4 screws and nuts. I got this from Dennis Lipsett. They fit wheels with holes for 5/32 axles.
Pat
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Those axles are heavy heavy,,
I use a 6-32 allen head cap screw with a lock nut in the carbon gear, ,then a washer, the wheel, and another washer held in place with a nylock nut...cheaper, lighter and more reliable...
I use 4/40 axel
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Hello ,
I know this is an old listing , However I have many of these New Klett Landing Gear available now. These are the originals that have been stored in Mr Kletts widow's garage . Let me know if anybody is interested , I will put up a New listing also . I also have Tail wheel parts and partial assembles ,a lot of Carl Goldberg Plastic hardware , all molded by Klett for Goldberg. Send me your questions or wants . I believe there are Axle assembles ,but not sure on sises and amounts .
Steve
stevenehlers77@gmail.com for faster replys
By the way: in the meantime, I have found that the axles installed now in the aluminum landing gear I am showing, are 5/32" dia. and have been manufactured by Klett Plastics in Forth Worth, TX.
I am checking now if Klett Plastics still exist and, if yes, if they still manufacture 5/32" dia. axles.
[/quote]
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4-40 bolts grade 8 make great axels, or if your plane is really heavy use 6- 32 bolts , both used with a T nut on the wheel pant side, and a Nylock on the gear side makes for a nice adjustable system, You can turn the nolt heads in, to keep the wheels snug as the wear
Randy
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I use the thicker Du Bro steel axles then drill out the axle on the lathe. I also reduce the thickness of the mounting flange and reduce the thickness of the nut. You can also counter bore the wheel hub and make a flanged aluminum end bushing to act as a bearing and to reduce the length of the steel shaft. Mount the bush with slip fit and hold in place with blue locktite.
Kim
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Use a brass tube, nut and bolt. Do it backwards. The tube makes a shoulder for a washer, and to protect the wheel from threads. The bolt head goes on the outside and keeps the wheel on, the nut on the inside.
Phil
direct link to the picture
http://www.spadtothebone.net/misc/axlebolt.htm
Matt, This is the way I do it only I put a washer on both sides of the wheel and Gear. Four total. I use a 4-40 cap head bolt from "micro fastners" with a shoulder (not threaded all the way) and sometimes with an 1/8" eyelet.
Jerry