stunthanger.com
Building Tips and technical articles. => Building techniques => Topic started by: Howard Rush on July 03, 2012, 02:32:54 PM
-
A nincompoop in my shop (I'm not naming names) adjusting my new plane's elevator bias unscrewed the pushrod from the ball link deep inside the airplane. The wing of this airplane doesn't come off, but the tail does, so after inserting an LED on a stick, I could see the dangling ball link. I tried a bunch of stuff, but what worked was to put a piece of 1/32" music wire inside a 3/16" OD arrow shaft, poke with the wire until it got into the hole in the link, lift the link so the wire could bottom out, then jam the arrow shaft into the end of the link. The next step was to slide a 3/8" aluminum tube over the whole thing and pull out the smaller arrow shaft and wire. With the body of the link inside and aligned with the tube, it was pretty easy to hit the hole with the pushrod and screw it in. Then I pulled off the 3/8" tube and felt very clever.
The primary lesson is that if you are rotating the elevator ball link to lengthen the pushrod assembly and you notice that it's getting really easy to turn, take a peek to see whether the pushrod is rotating.
-
A nincompoop in my shop (I'm not naming names) adjusting my new plane's elevator bias unscrewed the pushrod from the ball link deep inside the airplane. The wing of this airplane doesn't come off, but the tail does, so after inserting an LED on a stick, I could see the dangling ball link. I tried a bunch of stuff, but what worked was to put a piece of 1/32" music wire inside a 3/16" OD arrow shaft, poke with the wire until it got into the hole in the link, lift the link so the wire could bottom out, then jam the arrow shaft into the end of the link. The next step was to slide a 3/8" aluminum tube over the whole thing and pull out the smaller arrow shaft and wire. With the body of the link inside and aligned with the tube, it was pretty easy to hit the hole with the pushrod and screw it in. Then I pulled off the 3/8" tube and felt very clever.
The primary lesson is that if you are rotating the elevator ball link to lengthen the pushrod assembly and you notice that it's getting really easy to turn, take a peek to see whether the pushrod is rotating.
Also....be very aware to never unscrew the rod until there is not much threaded part left, the ball links will strip out in flight ... and never bottom out the threads in a ball link, many times the link will crack and break off at that point... ouch !!
Randy
-
The primary lesson is that if you are rotating the elevator ball link to lengthen the pushrod assembly and you notice that it's getting really easy to turn, take a peek to see whether the pushrod is rotating.
Howard, if we're ever at a meet together and you want to fly my plane to tell me what's wrong -- the handle and my gratitude are yours.
But if it's all the same to you, I think I'll do my own adjusting...
-
Randy's comment reminds me that a couple years Howard and I were out flying and conversation turned to pushrods and ball ends. He announced, rather blithely I thought, that at least some of his pushrods were simply bottomed out in the ball ends. "What?! We only know of a couple ways to cause a failure with the type of ball ends you and I use - and you just mentioned one of them, the most common!"
As to Tim's comment I have no retort. Well, actually I do. But in a rare display of restraint I will hold back. Or simply take out my frustration on Aviojive...
Dan
-
As to Tim's comment I have no retort. Well, actually I do. But in a rare display of restraint I will hold back. Or simply take out my frustration on Aviojive...
Dan
LL~
-
Dan,
Please, get the spelling right. It's "Avaiojet."
Charles
-
Dan,
Please, get the spelling right. It's "Avaiojet."
Charles
Aviojive,
Prior to doing anything but grinning over your response, please do give me the opportunity to see this in perfect clarity: You, a man who can't seem to go longer than one sentence without making the silliest of spelling mistakes, are attempting to berate me over my clearly intentional--and mildly funny, hardly provocative--spelling of your handle?
Now don't force me to cite examples...
Dan
-
For what it's worth I agree with Howard in that his was indeed a very clever solution to a problem of his own making even though I find use of the word "nincompoop" a bit harsh.
Also, while the new model having a removable tail did make this snaking of stuff around interior of fuselage a little easier it also needs to be pointed out that this very feature is probably what led to the problem in the first place. I envision Howard as having removed the tail piece for the same reason male dogs lick between their hind legs with such gusto and once having a good length of pushrod in hand he turned it instead of the fittings. Or something like that, it frequently being difficult to correctly analyze Howard's every move even when it all comes out perfectly...
Dan
-
Aviojive,
Prior to doing anything but grinning over your response, please do give me the opportunity to see this in perfect clarity: You, a man who can't seem to go longer than one sentence without making the silliest of spelling mistakes, are attempting to berate me over my clearly intentional--and mildly funny, hardly provocative--spelling of your handle?
Now don't force me to cite examples...
Dan
Dan,
I don't use spell check anymore. When I have I sometimes loose my Post.
I don't mind spelling help.
Help in all areas is/are great!
Modelers helping modelers.
Charles
-
Dan,
I don't use spell check anymore. When I have I sometimes loose my Post.
I don't mind spelling help.
Help in all areas is/are great!
Modelers helping modelers.
Charles
Aviojive,
Uh-huh...
And at last we come to something we have in common! I do not use spell-check myself when making submissions to SSW or Hangar. Never have, probably never will. I would like to point out our results vary markedly however.
Uh, are you actually asking for spelling help? If so, I do believe "loose" should have been "lose" in your response. You capitalized the word "post" and that is clearly incorrect. Both errors in one short sentence; my congratulations! There are a great many other examples to cite. Again, are you asking for a list of specific words you have spelled incorrectly? Not sure I have the time to catalog all of them.
And can we assume you have retracted your whining over my spelling of your handle?
Dan
-
Dan,
Nothing to retract, I actually thought it was cute.
Hey! I can let bygones be bygones, it's a great day to start from scratch.
BTW. I'll need your help with linkage. I think I've backed myself into a corner with my biplane pusher design.
I'm making a JPEG of the drawing. I'll need expert help with this one, no kidding around, I'll need help!
Watch for the Thread.
Charles
-
Dan,
Nothing to retract, I actually thought it was cute.
Hey! I can let bygones be bygones, it's a great day to start from scratch.
BTW. I'll need your help with linkage. I think I've backed myself into a corner with my biplane pusher design.
I'm making a JPEG of the drawing. I'll need expert help with this one, no kidding around, I'll need help!
Watch for the Thread.
Aviojive,
Wouldn't touch it with a 10-foot pushrod. A double-wing pusher?! Couldn't you come up with something weird?
And before you ask I also do not have any interest whatsoever in helping with linkage designs for a Bi-Slob...
Dan
Charles
-
Sounds like someone is getting a little perturbed on both sides. As far as spelling goes, I blame this new fangled keyboard thingy for my spelling mistakes. Sometimes I catch them and sometimes I don't. I guess I am one of the few that used to enjoy reading Da Dirts ramblings when he did Stunt News. H^^
-
Sounds like someone is getting a little perturbed on both sides. As far as spelling goes, I blame this new fangled keyboard thingy for my spelling mistakes. Sometimes I catch them and sometimes I don't. I guess I am one of the few that used to enjoy reading Da Dirts ramblings when he did Stunt News. H^^
Da Dirts ramblings, That's about all it is.
The Dirt should just let Aviojive go, put it behind him.
Well, I do kinda like being on people's minds. ;D
Now John, you know I don't get perturbed.
I have control of my faculties. n~
Charles
-
Also....be very aware to never unscrew the rod until there is not much threaded part left, the ball links will strip out in flight ...
(Clip)
Randy
Well Duh!!!
I thought I have always been carefull about setting up my control systems to be as bullet proof as possible. I had essentially the same components in a new Chiseler earlier this year that I have in my 12+ year old Bearcat with 1,000+ flights. And guess what, the threaded part of the elevator ball link cap stripped out as I was starting to go vertical from the bottom inverted part of a square loop. The flap pitching moment pitched the model into the ground before I realized what had happened. It was going to really be a good Chiseler. I had used too much "adjustment" on that pushrod, not leaving enough threads to hold the pushrod in the ball link cap.
-
Dan,
(Clip)
I don't mind spelling help.
Help in all areas is/are great!
Modelers helping modelers.
Charles
So Aviojet (nee Charles), is this an invitation to advise you in the future of all of your misuse of words and your mispelled words? That will keep someone really busy if they really cared.
Keith
-
So Aviojet (nee Charles), is this an invitation to advise you in the future of all of your misuse of words and your mispelled words? That will keep someone really busy if they really cared.Keith
Sure, and I'll correct manners.
Charles