Author Topic: Tom Morris Handle Shaping (Read 2783 times)

Phil Goldberg · « **on:** June 26, 2017, 11:56:36 AM »

I am assuming that the Tom Morris Handle Shaping is done on the bolsters that fit in the palm. To do so I might put some powder on my hand, grip the handle and therefore find the spots that can be shaped for a custom fit. Am I on track? Phil

Chris Belcher · « **Reply #1 on:** June 30, 2017, 10:00:52 AM »

I have 3 of these and the last one I just basically removed the hunks of wood on both sides...never had that much luck "customizing" to the shape of my hand...but i like a skinny feelling handle. I like to feel the pull in my index and pinky fingers.

Paul Smith · « **Reply #2 on:** June 30, 2017, 02:12:36 PM »

With both the Brodak & Morris handles I glue balsa blocks to the wood handles, then sanded the balsa to fit me.

Chris Belcher · « **Reply #3 on:** June 30, 2017, 03:50:59 PM »

The Morris handles he's talking about already have 2 huge chunks of wood on the sides that you are supposed to custom shape to your hand. I guess the powder thing would work if you gripped it and then drew on the lines ...I just always ended up carving/sanding 95% of the wood away. I recently purchased a KAZ hardpoint and some hello kitty clips and have been VERY pleased...once I narrowed the spacing. These are very nice, well made and fully adjustable..they will adjust your wallet a bit as well:)

Steve Helmick · « **Reply #4 on:** July 01, 2017, 11:21:07 PM »

Haven't used a TM handle in quite awhile, but the first thing I had to do was remove most of the finger scallops, then a lot of the side pieces, and then replaced the hex nuts with elastic lock nuts.

Steve

Brett Buck · « **Reply #5 on:** July 02, 2017, 06:16:51 PM »

Quote from: Phil Goldberg on June 26, 2017, 11:56:36 AM

I am assuming that the Tom Morris Handle Shaping is done on the bolsters that fit in the palm. To do so I might put some powder on my hand, grip the handle and therefore find the spots that can be shaped for a custom fit. Am I on track? Phil

My suggestion would be to make it as close to a Hot Rock as possible in the basic shape, and adjust it only in the area to ensure that your fingers touch the forward projections. In particular, don't put any tilt or funny angles in it, or thumbrests, or anything like that.

Brett

dave siegler · « **Reply #6 on:** July 03, 2017, 06:23:19 AM »

How about putting on a disposal rubber glove and smearing the whole thing with Bondo grab the Bondo to make a custom impression

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Brent Williams · « **Reply #7 on:** July 03, 2017, 03:50:23 PM »

IMHO, I'd nix that bondo idea on your Morris handle. Don't add unnecessary weight to the handle for some dubious ergonomic gain.

You've gotta hang on to the handle (and the tug of the plane) for 6'ish minutes and then complete some challenging maneuvers towards the end of the pattern. Why add fatigue to the mix. Try and keep the overall weight to a minimum.

john e. holliday · « **Reply #8 on:** July 04, 2017, 09:05:49 AM »

Sounds like some one needs some gym work. I have so many handles to fly with and I think the heaviest is one I bought from Dick Byron at VSC to tame down my Dragon. The lightest is the Expo handle from Larry Renger. But, when I'm flying I never notice the weight difference let alone think about it as the planes have decent pull/tension on the lines.

I guess if I was standing there holding my arm out straight with the handle in my grip it might get heavy. But, then again the arm gets heavy with out holding any thing. Try it some time in your living room when no one is around.

dave siegler · « **Reply #9 on:** July 04, 2017, 05:15:54 PM »

Quote from: Brent Williams on July 03, 2017, 03:50:23 PM

IMHO, I'd nix that bondo idea on your Morris handle. Don't add unnecessary weight to the handle for some dubious ergonomic gain.

You've gotta hang on to the handle (and the tug of the plane) for 6'ish minutes and then complete some challenging maneuvers towards the end of the pattern. Why add fatigue to the mix. Try and keep the overall weight to a minimum.

It's a little Bondo not a lead casting. Less than the size of a golf ball

My bono handle is still lighter than some off the shelf ones. That handle is impossible to pickup upside down

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Steve Helmick · « **Reply #10 on:** July 05, 2017, 07:34:46 PM »

Anything that doesn't feel good to your paw needs to go. Balsa side chunks would make it easier, but the pine (?) isn't too bad if you attack it with the correct tools...coarse wood rasp, very coarse sandpaper, etc. There's way more wood there than you need, except perhaps where some may need to be added (per Mr. Buck's instructions) to make the handle fit snugly on the index and pinky fingers.

I hope Brett wasn't making fun of the thumb locator on my Chris/Alan/Arkady CF handle, 'cause it's peachy. Helps keep my thumb from drifting upwards. All the other fingers are a snug fit, so why not the thumb?

Steve

Paul Smith · « **Reply #11 on:** August 07, 2017, 11:30:38 AM »

Quote from: dave siegler on July 03, 2017, 06:23:19 AM

How about putting on a disposal rubber glove and smearing the whole thing with Bondo grab the Bondo to make a custom impression

I'm not sure what the plastic was, but Art Adamisin was making personal handles that way back in the 60's.

Ted Fancher · « **Reply #12 on:** August 07, 2017, 11:05:16 PM »

Hmmm. If someone believes he/she needs a handle a half oz lighter than his/her existing handle in order to prevent pilot fatigue prior to the tough maneuvers I think a better first step would be to get more exercise or, if exercise tires one even more than flying with the "heavy" old handle, decrease the lap times by a tenth of a second and allow the airplane's increased tension to do the heavy lifting.

Ted

john e. holliday · « **Reply #13 on:** August 08, 2017, 10:24:30 AM »

Thanks Ted. There are only 2 handles I could tell when I was flying them or picking them up, the old Fox handle and the J-Roberts throttle control handle. But once plane was air born I never noticed the weight of the handle. Especially a Sterling Gaurdian with McCoy Redhead 60 on high speed.

Author Topic: Tom Morris Handle Shaping (Read 2783 times)

Phil Goldberg

Tom Morris Handle Shaping

Chris Belcher

Re: Tom Morris Handle Shaping

Paul Smith

Re: Tom Morris Handle Shaping

Chris Belcher

Re: Tom Morris Handle Shaping

Steve Helmick

Re: Tom Morris Handle Shaping

Brett Buck

Re: Tom Morris Handle Shaping

dave siegler

Re: Tom Morris Handle Shaping

Brent Williams

Re: Tom Morris Handle Shaping

john e. holliday

Re: Tom Morris Handle Shaping

dave siegler

Re: Tom Morris Handle Shaping

Steve Helmick

Re: Tom Morris Handle Shaping

Paul Smith

Re: Tom Morris Handle Shaping

Ted Fancher

Re: Tom Morris Handle Shaping

john e. holliday

Re: Tom Morris Handle Shaping