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Building Tips and technical articles. => Building techniques => Topic started by: Leester on December 17, 2006, 10:38:31 AM
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I started building this 2 years ago and got it down yesterday to finish it up. It's about 90% completed but The tail wheel mount with the kit is a problem (at least for me). It's not wide enough for a regular tail wheel and is built in with the rudder. Anybody have any tips or solutions you came up with to mount this and have it look decent ? Pictures would be great. Thanks
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I am not sure this will be any help, but if I understand your problem, your tailwheel is too wide to fit, along with a retainer on the wire gear. All I can think is to look for a narrower tailwheel, and/or use a soldered washer to retain the wheel. I think the washer takes up the least amount of space. There are some pretty narrow tailwheels out there (Glen Lee wheels come to mind), but they don't go with the "Golden Age" Tucker look.
How much space do you actually have (or how wide are your tailwheels)?
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Alan: The tail wheel is suppose to fit in the bottom fin which is 3/8" wide.
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Hi Lee,
Are those triangles (mounts) plywood? If so, I would cut the rudder to match them, and flush them to the sides. I am guess there is a piece of 1/16th wire for the TW? If so I would epoxy the wire from the outside (stick all the way through) with just the tiniest bit of under length so that I could "fill" it when I do the finish. A washer on each side of a Perfect 3/8ths tail wheel should then fit. (??)
Bob Hunt built the Tucker (and did an article) in FM several years ago. I hope he sees this and tells how he did his.
Bill <><
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Correct on the ply triangles and wire, but the total width of the mount with the triangles is 3/8" the tail wheel must fit inside. I'll use the wire mount tip.
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HI Buddy,
It's only 4 am here, but it's one of those nights that I can't sleep! **) Off work, on vacation, too much change in the "schedule" I guess!
Anyway, how much space is there actually between the ply mounts? Should be at least 1/4", right? There are "streamlilned" perfect wheels that go down pretty small, but IIRC, the 3/8th standard Perfect tail wheel is less than 1/4" wide.
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Well it is clear I didn't understand the problem, but at least it provoked others the reply! j1
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Hi Bill and Alan: Thanks Alan for getting the ball rolling. Just so no confusion the bottom fin is cored and the ply goes inside on both sides. After coring to 1/64 thickness on each side and the ply is 1/32 I have 1/4" of room and my perfect tail wheels are a hair over that. I can't go any thinner on the sides as there would be no support at all. Are there any thinner tail wheels ? And by who ? Any more suggestions welcome. Thanks
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I would be inclined to glue a teardrop-shaped piece of 1/16" ply or basswood on both sides of a cutout for the tailwheel. I'd make the cutout for the wheel plenty big above, and fit a form-fitting bottom plate. A simple pin (tubing would be good enough, or just 1/16" piano wire) would be 1/2" long, if you go this route. I'd sure look for thinner tailwheels, tho, or might make one out of Delrin rod.
Probably not a good idea to hinge the rudder on this setup, just minimal rudder offset. I'd drill the hole in one side, install both, and drill through the second. Double drill, to make them a tight fit, perhaps burnish to size with a hunk of wire in an electric drill. Leave the wheel off until painting is done, then install it and the pin, and add a drop of CA to each side, followed by a drop of paint. One side could be made blind, by covering with a bit of FG or CF with a longer pin installed (a 90 degree leg for torque should help get it loose).
I got a new laser cut RSM Tucker kit a month or so ago. What a pretty design!
I'm having a little trouble figuring out a color scheme, tho. I think it should be pretty simple, so as to not distract from the beautiful shapes. Please post pics of yours... y1 Steve
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Steve, unless they changed this set up it's what you'll have to do on yours. Mine was one of the first lazer cut kits of the Tucker Eric put out.
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i built a tailwheel into the bottom of my stuntwagon kind of similar to what you are doing . here are a couple of pictures i took.
its hard to see in the pictures but it is two pieces of thin brass about .030 thick by 3/16 wide made into a fork with the wheel on a 1/16 wire soldered between them. the brass is soldered together and then i drilled glue/lightening holes in the tounge part and cut a slot for it to fit into. it was not glued in until after the plane was painted
hope this helps
dave jr.
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Thanks Dave that looks just like what I need to do, what tailwheel did you use ?
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I think it was a 3/4" sullivan they look a lot like old perfect wheels. i have a 3/4" perfect that looks just like it.
I noticed you were from moline ill.
i used to work for KONE (montgomery elevator) and visited moline a couple of times for company bussiness
it sure gets snowy there this time of year. burrr.
Dave jr.