Adjustable Lead Outs

[Motorman]

I'm putting adjustable lead outs in this Banshee wing. The tip rib is 2-1/2" in from the tip. Should I just glue the adjuster to the tip rib or make something to glue it too closer to the wing tip?

MM

[Steve Helmick]

I'd suggest making up (laminate) thicker tip pieces and mounting the LO Guide in the tip. That's what I did (see the picture), but I put the LO guide too far aft. I didn't use enough of that there algebra stuff.  Steve

[55chevr]

Looks pretty ... too far aft?

[Tim Wescott]

I would do something that puts the slider closer to the slot than two inches.  Here's what I did, to a Banshee that was given to me already made with fixed leadouts -- it's got some contributions by other people, too.  I'm not saying you should necessarily do this, just take it as an idea: http://stunthanger.com/smf/index.php?topic=28339.0

You could probably make a sub-rib, or just a pair of rails, to hold the leadout slider that will fit inside the covering of the tip.  Then make the slot in the wingtip by duplicating the curved tip top & bottom.  That should make for a nice discrete adjustable leadout guide.

Alternately, quite a few guys use ferrules stuck into holes in the wingtip.  You drill a succession of holes in the tip, make a slot between them for the leadouts, and plug ferrules into that.  Then you can not only adjust the leadouts but you can do so individually.  It's a nice low-tech method that seems to make a lot of people happy -- hopefully someone will post a picture.

[Steve Helmick]

Looks pretty ... too far aft?

Didn't you read my post?  Steve

[Motorman]

I'd suggest making up (laminate) thicker tip pieces and mounting the LO Guide in the tip. That's what I did (see the picture), but I put the LO guide too far aft. I didn't use enough of that there algebra stuff.   Steve

That doesn't look like the regular adjuster you can get from Brodak. Is that custom made?

I guess what I'm asking is, how far in the wing can the adjuster be before it's a problem?


MM

[55chevr]

Steve - read your post ... revisited and now I can see what you referring too.  Still pretty though just not functional.

[Steve Helmick]

Now that I think about it, I made the front LO fixed and only the rear moved fore/aft. I think. There was a reason, but I can't remember whatever it was. Probably because I used too little algebra and finally realized it was wrong.

I'm certain it's a Brodak unit, but maybe any early one?  The stock 3/32" sheet tip outlines, doubled, with about 3/16" spacers made a pretty nice installation, tho I don't think plywood is a great material for the LO track. Phenolic or epoxyboard might be better. I've been meaning to burn that wing.  Steve

[john e. holliday]

I really like the idea that Bobby Hunt has on his plane he is building.   Nylon screw/bolts that are drilled for the leadouts.   The lot is cut wide enough for the leadouts to pass thru.   Holes are drilled and tapped  for the nylon screw to go into.   Looks like a lot of work, but with the right tools it is not that hard to do.  The wing tip is a hard wood block embedded into the wing tip.   I think the pics are in the build section.

[Jim Thomerson]

I make leadout tracks out of 1/8 square hardwood.  Two 3 1/2 inch pieces, and two 1/2 inch pieces glued together.  Easier than sawing out of Ply or whatever.

[Joe Just]

This is the easiest way I have tried for movable line position. By using this simple method I can adjust both leadouts independently of each other. I use nylon ferules that are usually thrown away after using a glucose pen by cutting them to length and removing the solid end as they come with a insulin pen. The leadout guide is 1/8" ply. (Now if I could only finish better!)
Joe

[Paul Allen]

This works also.

[Allan Perret]

I guess what I'm asking is, how far in the wing can the adjuster be before it's a problem?

The slider can be all the way into the last rib.  I sometimes build the slider into the last rib and than make the tip plate with a centered pocket to accommodate the full range of travel.  When I do that I make the last rib 1/8" thick.

[Motorman]

This works also.

Thank you Paul, that's what I'm going with.

MM

[Greg Hart]

I like the way Steve's look, but designed to the curve and length of the whole tip would of looked real nice. I see some people put notches and whole pins for adjustments which the internal design how it is constructed for that I'm not knowledged in that construction, ( never done it that way ) but would like to see pic's and know the in's and out's of the functions of it. Not to change the subject.

[Tim Wescott]

Thank you Paul, that's what I'm going with.

MM

I would have suggested something like that, but I couldn't figure out how to describe it!

[Geoff Goodworth]

Here's what I use. I think Tom Morris showed the method in Stunt News a decade or more ago.

Although the ply adds a little bit of weight, the weight of the fully assembled tip with slider is less than the same balsa parts with a 3/32" ply tip weight box.

[Paul Wood]

Here's what I use. I think Tom Morris showed the method in Stunt News a decade or more ago.

Although the ply adds a little bit of weight, the weight of the fully assembled tip with slider is less than the same balsa parts with a 3/32" ply tip weight box.

That is exactly the way I do it.  Just completed this exact installation on a Continental wing tip and it works very well.  Also easy to cover by wrapping the covering into the slot and securing it to the inner surfaces of the ply plates.  I recommend it.

Paul

[john e. holliday]

Finish out that tip with scrap balsa and it looks a lot better. 

[FLOYD CARTER]

It certainly saves a bunch of work and "re-inventing the wheel" by mounting the line adjuster at the tip rib. The actual tips can be 2-3" further out, and the function will not suffer.  For adjusting, I use a socket head 4-40 screw and access the adjustment through the tip slot using a long hex wrench.

Floyd

[Dick Pacini]

I have a P40 ARF that is like that with the slider buried in the wingtip, only accessible with a long arm Allen Wrench or hex driver.  It is so deep that I can't see the screw head.  I have to stand the wing on its end and look in the slot with a small flashlight in order to engage the screw head.  A very poor design, in my opinion.  I will never build a plane set up like that

[Allan Perret]

Here's what I use. I think Tom Morris showed the method in Stunt News a decade or more ago.

Although the ply adds a little bit of weight, the weight of the fully assembled tip with slider is less than the same balsa parts with a 3/32" ply tip weight box.

So how do you access the locknut when you need to adjust it ?

[Dick Pacini]

So how do you access the locknut when you need to adjust it ?

The way I see it is, the elastic stop nut on the end is only to prevent loss of the screw.  The screw threads into a blind nut and the washer under the head bears against the top and bottom plywood.  So, you would loosen the screw, move the slider to where you want and then snug the screw up again.

[john e. holliday]

If you do not put a long enough bolt in with the lock nut on the inside of the wing, you will learn why we do that.    It also keeps you from unscrewing the bolt too far.   There is a good construction post over on SSW that I copied and do on my planes.   It seems like a lot of work, but is worth it.   I think the next plane may do it like Bobby Hunt's design with the hardwood block and drilled Nylon bolts.