Could not find my stash of copper wire and after remembering a free flight article I tried Kevlar thread  on another plane.  This is the tail skid for the Lively Lady.  It has worked great on several other planes in which I would normally use copper wire.  Works great using a sewing needle.

Don't need solder.  It does take CA very well.   My scissors won't cut it, so I use my side cutters for small wire..

By the way I don't recommend Kevlar for doing lines.

     I would think the kevlar might be superior to copper due to the fast it can conform better and take glue better. Glue just wraps around the wire, but can actually bond with the kevlar fibers like a true composite. I think I have some of this stuff, and this is a good use for those old Perfect/Sullivan kevlar flying lines that are perfectly useless as flying lines!!
  Type at you later,
  Dan McEntee

I think Kevlar and CA on lines would be the same as Solder.  There would be a stress point at end of the wrap.  I guess shrink tubing over the wrap and extended out on the line might solve that problem.

If you don't have a spool of copper wire, how do you wrap your leadouts?  Control lines?

Maybe you don't do that.

I have a 1/4 lb spool of # 27 tinned copper wire.  Lasts a very long time.

If you don't have a spool of copper wire, how do you wrap your leadouts?  Control lines?

Maybe you don't do that.

I have a 1/4 lb spool of # 27 tinned copper wire.  Lasts a very long time.

I swag the ends of the cable, lines a nd lead outs.  Should be a pic some where in this forum.

I do mine differently. But Kevlar seems to work well.

If somebodys building something really big , these ones hold Tons . Even have special ' splicing grease . '



TALKING OF TAILSKIDS ! taken on occasion  to fit a ' shoe ' ,



Though ive used 16 G wire ( 1/16 ) with two 3/8 loops about 2 inches seperated , finished . 400 degree loop .
Then folded aft ea side held at the center 3/8 ,  with the loops adjacent ( a left hand and right hand )  and ends out can be cut after biding. soldering to shid. this time anyway .
You can see the ply the loops are in , up into the rudder . here .
 
Thats bound in to sternpost or ply plate .
AFTER a piece of 1/8 or whatever is bound & soldered . That conection hopefully enclosed . ( you live & learn  )
1/8 wires bent back for foot . Leg Filed Flat ( for less drag & weight ) or Airfoiled . So it looks cool & matches . . .

A piece of 16 guage plate , say 1/4 wide . Soldered ( generously - 80 watt iron )  onto the ' foot ' leg . 

Thrown in the vice ( if still possable ) . and filed to a ' teardrop ' in plan . Fr. edge a continuation of the leg , so we dont hook to much hay .
Solder dressed with the file , so its all aerodynamic , streamlined , and a wonder to behold . 

Weighs stuff all , can use less shock to aft fuse. as an excuse . If you like making things .



Thats a earlier one. built into the appendage , sadwiched in ply . Replacement in the rebuild is forward on a ply plate in the floor . loops close under weight . Joints inside .
But you can see the little shoe . Could even replace it if you wore it off on tarmac .
Folkerts has it adheared to the spruce  fin. fuse vertical spruce tailpost , Which can be rebated to fit around the loops . Figure two loops' keep it straighter easier . 

reused that ' tailcone . hollowed . Now bogged . Mustve been the cold & paint fumes .  I think id better do a nice new clean light one , rather than junk .
Piece of ply on centerline , vertical . And standing it on its tail might not be terminal to the extremety .

The most fun tailskid I have used was a  piece of flat spring from a wind-up alarm clock.  With soft rubber main wheels, the plane had a neat way of landing (on concrete, of course).

The 1947 Yates "Madman" kit plans showed the flat spring, but I don't think it was part of the kit.

Why try to re-invent the wheel?

Maybe they didnt get it right, first try .

One of these , outta carbon fibre . Wheels Chassis & panels . ELECTRIC ,( as long as the put some brakes on it , to much traffic about, these days . )
would be a better city car than most of the rubbish made today . And you could have BLACK as std. any other colours EXTRA.

we'd better pattent that idea ! Move Over , Tesla . 



Can you ' recycle ' carbon fibre ?

If somebodys building something really big , these ones hold Tons . Even have special ' splicing grease . '



TALKING OF TAILSKIDS ! taken on occasion  to fit a ' shoe ' ,



Though ive used 16 G wire ( 1/16 ) with two 3/8 loops about 2 inches seperated , finished . 400 degree loop .
Then folded aft ea side held at the center 3/8 ,  with the loops adjacent ( a left hand and right hand )  and ends out can be cut after biding. soldering to shid. this time anyway .
You can see the ply the loops are in , up into the rudder . here .
 
Thats bound in to sternpost or ply plate .
AFTER a piece of 1/8 or whatever is bound & soldered . That conection hopefully enclosed . ( you live & learn  )
1/8 wires bent back for foot . Leg Filed Flat ( for less drag & weight ) or Airfoiled . So it looks cool & matches . . .

A piece of 16 guage plate , say 1/4 wide . Soldered ( generously - 80 watt iron )  onto the ' foot ' leg . 

Thrown in the vice ( if still possable ) . and filed to a ' teardrop ' in plan . Fr. edge a continuation of the leg , so we dont hook to much hay .
Solder dressed with the file , so its all aerodynamic , streamlined , and a wonder to behold . 

Weighs stuff all , can use less shock to aft fuse. as an excuse . If you like making things .



Thats a earlier one. built into the appendage , sadwiched in ply . Replacement in the rebuild is forward on a ply plate in the floor . loops close under weight . Joints inside .
But you can see the little shoe . Could even replace it if you wore it off on tarmac .
Folkerts has it adheared to the spruce  fin. fuse vertical spruce tailpost , Which can be rebated to fit around the loops . Figure two loops' keep it straighter easier . 

reused that ' tailcone . hollowed . Now bogged . Mustve been the cold & paint fumes .  I think id better do a nice new clean light one , rather than junk .
Piece of ply on centerline , vertical . And standing it on its tail might not be terminal to the extremety .

I don't know................that looks like it'd take a lot of tip weight to counter act it. 


Jerry