Author Topic: Fuel Tank mounting (Read 6570 times)

Clay Schmidt · « **on:** August 31, 2006, 10:13:55 PM »

Does anyone have pictures showing any kind of method of mounting a metal tank in a Imitation type profile? I'm looking for ideas.

TIA,

Clay

john e. holliday · « **Reply #1 on:** September 05, 2006, 09:51:25 AM »

Where are the experts on this one? Myself I use J-bolts screwed into the fuselage just above and below the tank with rubber bands. Another is to mount the tank to a peice of plywood that is bigger than the tank length wise. Have slots cut just in front of and in back of the tank. Screws go thru the slots so the tank can be moved up or down to get even engine runs between upright and inverted. Of course this depends on how much room between leading edge of wing and engine. I have even made the plywood plate deeper than the tank so the slots would be above and below the tank. Would post pictures, but, new camera program does not work properly. Hope I haven't confused you too much. DOC Holliday

Clay Schmidt · « **Reply #2 on:** September 05, 2006, 06:39:27 PM »

Thanks for the info Doc.

I've been doing a lot of butt scratching and I think I've come up with something that is adjustable, and isolates the tank from vibration. I'll post a picture or two when I get it done.

Clay

Russell Shaffer · « **Reply #3 on:** September 05, 2006, 07:21:39 PM »

I really like the vibration control part. Please post details.

Paul Taylor · « **Reply #4 on:** September 05, 2006, 07:52:49 PM »

Not my idea but one that I borrowed.

Clay Schmidt · « **Reply #5 on:** September 05, 2006, 08:47:31 PM »

Well here is what I'm trying to do. It's not quite done but I think you'll get the idea. The black things are 80 duro lord mounts. I'll solder a slider bracket to each side of the the tank then bolt the tank to the rubber mounts. A cover will hide everything.

I'll post more pictures when I'm done.

Clay

Clay Schmidt · « **Reply #6 on:** September 05, 2006, 10:57:20 PM »

Here is a picture of the right side. After I get the tank mounted I'll fill the areas in the front and rear of the tank with balsa.

Jim Kraft · « **Reply #7 on:** September 06, 2006, 09:50:38 AM »

Really neat Clay; Which one of your pattern planes engines is missing a couple of lord mounts?

Ralph Wenzel (d) · « **Reply #8 on:** September 06, 2006, 10:25:07 AM »

Quote from: rootbeard on September 05, 2006, 07:52:49 PM

Not my idea but one that I borrowed.

I stole the same idea, but for the foam rubber, I substituted a piece of air-cell (bubble-wrap) packing material.

Clay Schmidt · « **Reply #9 on:** September 06, 2006, 05:23:52 PM »

Actually Jim the lord mounts are off an old heli I had that's since gone to heli heaven. They were used to dampen the landing skid. You can purchase these through www.ronlund.com. They come four to a set. The part # is JRP960117

Some of the early engine soft mounts did use this type of dampner. They just didn't work very well.

Clay

Russell Shaffer · « **Reply #10 on:** September 06, 2006, 05:42:40 PM »

How did the bubble wrap work out? I never thought of it for vibration control, but it sure won't soak up fuel.

Ward Van Duzer · « **Reply #11 on:** September 07, 2006, 11:10:44 AM »

Scurvy old tank, but you'll get the picture! Brodak Mounts soldered to tank. Then sqeeze GE Seal to the back edge of the tank. Now squish it down on a piece of waxed paper on a flat surface. Tomorrow morning peel it off, and trim of the excess silicone. Note two things here, There is more silicone at the rear of the tank. This moves the fuel pickup a little more outboard. Second, see that I replumbed the overflow vent away from the model where you will see the overflow when the tank is full.

Adjustable mounting.
Vibration absorbing.
Convenient!

Ralph Wenzel (d) · « **Reply #12 on:** September 07, 2006, 12:38:27 PM »

Quote from: Russell Shaffer on September 06, 2006, 05:42:40 PM

How did the bubble wrap work out? I never thought of it for vibration control, but it sure won't soak up fuel.

The AIr-Cell (bubble wrap) worked just fine. Rock-solid runs. It appears to be fuel-proof, too, at least at 10% Nitro.

Clay Schmidt · « **Reply #13 on:** September 07, 2006, 09:04:07 PM »

Quote from: Ward Van Duzer on September 07, 2006, 11:10:44 AM

Scurvy old tank, but you'll get the picture! Brodak Mounts soldered to tank. Then sqeeze GE Seal to the back edge of the tank. Now squish it down on a piece of waxed paper on a flat surface. Tomorrow morning peel it off, and trim of the excess silicone. Note two things here, There is more silicone at the rear of the tank. This moves the fuel pickup a little more outboard. Second, see that I replumbed the overflow vent away from the model where you will see the overflow when the tank is full.

Adjustable mounting.
Vibration absorbing.
Convenient!

Ward,

Neat idea! I particularly like your vent. It would work well with the model I'm building.

Clay Schmidt · « **Reply #14 on:** September 11, 2006, 06:47:03 PM »

I got the tank mounting project finished up yesterday on the Armourized Tutor. My home made tank came out to 4.75 oz. I can adjust it up and down about 1/8" .

About my uniflow,,,the end of the tube is approximately 3/4 above the top of the tank. Should I leave it as is or loop it down?

The tank vent itself I stole from Ward's . Thanks Ward

Clay Schmidt · « **Reply #15 on:** September 11, 2006, 06:53:25 PM »

A couple more pictures.

Clay

Phil Smith · « **Reply #16 on:** September 13, 2006, 03:25:07 PM »

Ward,
Brilliantly simple solution to mounting tank on profile. I'll do it like that from now on....

Clay,
Very neat work, you're a true craftsman....

Clay Schmidt · « **Reply #17 on:** September 13, 2006, 07:09:42 PM »

Thanks for the Kudos Phil. I don't know about the craftsman part,,,I hacked plenty of tin up before I got the tank right.

RC Storick · « **Reply #18 on:** September 13, 2006, 07:14:23 PM »

Quote from: Clay Schmidt on September 11, 2006, 06:53:25 PM

A couple more pictures.

Clay

Best workmanship I have seen in a while! good job!

Ward Van Duzer · « **Reply #19 on:** September 13, 2006, 07:29:08 PM »

Clay,

Pretty muffler! Who built it? Whats it weigh? How much?

Bill Adair · « **Reply #20 on:** September 13, 2006, 08:05:32 PM »

Clay,

Really nice work!

I've never shock mounted my C/L tanks, but like your idea. I have a lot of those Lord mounts acquired while flying R/C, and I may try that some day.

I'm also curious about who makes that neat muffler?

Bill Adair

Clay Schmidt · « **Reply #21 on:** September 13, 2006, 08:20:58 PM »

Hi Bill & Ward,

The muffler is a Lite-Jett tube muffler. I got it from Dub Jett. His web site is www.jettengineering.com.

The muffler is very high quality and only weighs 1.2 oz or 34 grams. I weighed it myself using my gram scale.

Dub will fit these to about anything you want. He gets $35.00 plus a little for shipping.

Clay

Clay Schmidt · « **Reply #22 on:** September 13, 2006, 08:28:50 PM »

Bob & everyone else,

You are all too kind. It's nice to have a resource like this. You all help this ole retread more than you realize.

Clay

Peter Hess · « **Reply #23 on:** September 15, 2006, 06:01:05 AM »

Clay:
What a very neat and well-executed technique!
I would like to emulate it on my next profile but I am uncertain about what kind of nose structure is necessary to support the use of the motor mount. Could you please describe how you built the nose to support the use of the motor mount?
Thanks in advance for your description.
Peter Hess
Canton, CT

Clay Schmidt · « **Reply #24 on:** September 15, 2006, 03:57:13 PM »

Peter,

There is nothing special about the nose structure. The fuselage is simply a 1/2 balsa core laminated with 1/64th ply doublers then the thick balsa triplers.

The firewall is 1/8 birch ply with 6/32 blind nuts installed to accomodate the Dave Brown engine mount. It's simply glued to the front of the fuselage with epoxy.

I'm building two of these. I'm beginning the second fuselage this weekend. If you'll be patient with me I'll take a few pictures along the way and post them.

Clay

Peter Hess · « **Reply #25 on:** September 15, 2006, 04:03:41 PM »

Thank you, Clay. Pictures would be terrific!
Peter Hess
Canton, CT

Clay Schmidt · « **Reply #26 on:** September 15, 2006, 04:39:55 PM »

Ty,

Thank you for the kind words. I hope I enjoy this plane as much as you do your Imitation. I know I'm having fun building it. I will post pictures of the process from time to time. Funny how a tank mounting thread is turning into a build thread.

Clay

Clay Schmidt · « **Reply #27 on:** September 16, 2006, 06:52:18 PM »

I'm going to start a new thread in the Building Technique section. I started another fuselage and I have pictures of the tank soft mounting process from the start.

Bill Little · « **Reply #28 on:** September 16, 2006, 10:36:26 PM »

Hi Clay,

You have done a SUPER job on that ol' Tutor! I like everything I see there.

Get those pictures posted!

Bill <><

Clay Schmidt · « **Reply #29 on:** September 17, 2006, 09:51:29 PM »

Thanks Bill!

Clay