Control Horns

[Mike Griffin]

This is personal I guess but I HATE nylon control horns like the Dubro type.  The older I get and the more arthritis I have in my hands they are becoming increasingly difficult for me to install (trying to line up the little screws with the holes in the top nylon flat plate)  It really has become a struggle for me to try and screw these things on an elevator.  Has anyone discovered or come up with a better control horn that is strong and easier to install than the old standard nylon ones?  I have looked in Tower and did not see anything that took my breath away.  Any ideas guys?

Thank you
Mike

[Mark Scarborough]

I have made mine for profiles out of multiple layers of 1/64 ply cut, ( 4 or 6 depending on the size of the airplane) drilled for pushrod holes, and then epoxied into a slot on the elevator. It worked well without the screws

[Randy Cuberly]

This is personal I guess but I HATE nylon control horns like the Dubro type.  The older I get and the more arthritis I have in my hands they are becoming increasingly difficult for me to install (trying to line up the little screws with the holes in the top nylon flat plate)  It really has become a struggle for me to try and screw these things on an elevator.  Has anyone discovered or come up with a better control horn that is strong and easier to install than the old standard nylon ones?  I have looked in Tower and did not see anything that took my breath away.  Any ideas guys?

Thank you
Mike

Hi Mike,
You might try what I do.  Locate the control horn where you want it.  Glue it on to the elevator with a tiny dab of CyA then drill the holes and put the screws through the holes and place the other part on the other side and start the screws then simply screw the screws into place.  Also I always use socket head screws because they can be inserted onto the hex wrench and put in place that way so they are easier to handle.

Randy Cuberly

[George Truett]

I install them just like Randy with a slight mod.  I put the socket head screws on a wrench and spin the tips for just a second on my belt sander.  A little bit of a point on the end helps them start threading into the nylon.  You can get packs of 20 longer 2-56 socket head machine screws from Micro Fasteners.

[Mike Griffin]

Randy and George, that is basically the way I do it to or try to do it.  The big difference is that I was trying to use the screws that come with the horn with the tiny phillips head screws and the screwdriver keeps slipping out of the screw head.  I will try the small hex
heads and see if that helps.  I often have a hard time lining the screws up with the holes in the flat plate.  Thank you all for the suggestions and I will try that. 

Mike

[Dane Martin]

These gentlemen have great ideas. The ply-horn that mark explained is what I use on all my ringmasters, and even the 800 square RM.

The combat horns are nice, and super easy to locate. There's the cheap and easy way, with a 4-40 or 6-32 bolt and two tee nuts, and the dubro plastic connector for ailerons or whatever.

Then there's the adjustable commercial type of post type horn. They're used often on giant scale 3d models also.

[Dane Martin]

Adjustable at the horn

[john e. holliday]

I too replace the little screws that come with the nylon horns with socket heads.   I get mine from RTL Fasteners.  The Ply wood horns like Sterling used on most of their kits can be cut to a taller horn and angled forward for the ball link.   I have done that on several planes to get a taller horn.

[Fred Underwood]

I have made mine for profiles out of multiple layers of 1/64 ply cut, ( 4 or 6 depending on the size of the airplane) drilled for pushrod holes, and then epoxied into a slot on the elevator. It worked well without the screws

Formica works well in a single layer, but not much fun to tool.

[Eric Viglione]

This might not be an option depending on the design, but could you just use an offset joiner horn and avoid the nylon thingie all together?  I seem to remember someone selling a profile version with a bunch of offset to get the contol horn outside the area of a normal center horn used in a built up?
EricV

[Perry Rose]

As Dane said above I make my own with a dowel hard point, a 4-40 bolt and a Du-Bro connector. Cheap, easy, strong and adjustable in .001 increments if you wish.

[John Park]

Formica works well in a single layer, but not much fun to tool.

I second that.  I recently made one out of ordinary Formica for a Baby Flite Streak.  My electric fretsaw cut it easily, and epoxy secured it firmly.  Good wearing properties.