Ringmaster Lead Outs

[Al Cantrell]

Hello,

I would like to get my Stirling Ringmaster in the air after a 39 year break.  It was last flow in 1983, crashed and repaired.  I need to get the lead outs ready to use and all I have to work with are two solid wires about 1-1/2 inches long.

Any pointers on getting connectors on this?

Thanks for any help,

Al

[bill bischoff]

Cut out a panel of covering on the bottom of the wing, cut off the leadouts at a convenient place, and splice on fresh pieces of music wire that are long enough to form ends on. Sand the old wire clean (the new wire too), overlap the old and new wire about one inch, wrap with fine copper wire, and solder. Form the leadout ends, and give it a pull test before patching the covering. Once you're satisfied it's all good, then fix the covering.

[Al Cantrell]

Hi Bill,

Thank you very much for the reply!  This will not be too difficult to fix.  Since this is solid wire, do is just make loops on the ends for attachment or do I use the eyelet / thimble method?

Thanks again,

Al

[Dan McEntee]

Hi Bill,

Thank you very much for the reply!  This will not be too difficult to fix.  Since this is solid wire, do is just make loops on the ends for attachment or do I use the eyelet / thimble method?

Thanks again,

Al

        If it's solid music wire, just make some smooth loops on the ends but don't make them too big. Try not to make any bend sharp bends, keep some kind of radius on the, Today's music wire ain't the same as it was, even if the model was built in 1983! I use round nose pliers even for something bent to 90 degrees. These come in several sizes but sometimes can be hard to find. I have several sizes because I used to fly a lot of free flight rubber powered models and used them for bending the prop hooks. Most guys use .030" wire for lead outs if they are using solids.
   Type at you later,
  Dan McEntee

[Al Cantrell]

Thanks, Dan.  Good stuff!

[Dave Hull]

I agree with Bill's splicing method as long as it is solid wire to solid wire. I would strongly suggest that you only use rosin core solder and rosin flux. Unless you are meticulous cleaning a joint soldered with acid flux, you will have corrosion issues and potentially failed leadouts. I have repaired several OPPs (Other People's Planes) that came apart from this problem....

I generally wipe off the joint after it has solidified but is still hot. Wipe it again with water that has plenty of baking soda dissolved in it to neutralize the flux. Then rub down thoroughly with a bit of towel soaked in acetone or lacquer thinner. Rub the works with a drop of oil on your fingertips, and call it good.

Here is an example of a formed teardrop shaped loop that I like to use. The wrapping wire is about 34 gauge, which works very well if served uniformly onto the joint.

Dave

[Dennis Toth]

Al,   
One tip with the solid leadouts is to use a short, large diameter leadout guide tube (say 1/8"). This will keep the controls from sticking,

Best,   DennisT

[John Park]

I gave up solid piano-wire leadouts in about 1970 - I built a kit KeilKraft Spectre, using the solid leadouts supplied in the kit, and had endless trouble with lines binding.  The same lines (the three-strand Laystrate we all used then) gave no trouble on any of my other models, all of which had flexible leadouts, so I kind of put two and two together.  I imagine solid leadouts transmit more vibration down the lines - is this a known problem, I wonder?

[Al Cantrell]

Hi Dave,
Thanks for the specific information on soldering, wire size and a beautiful example to aspire to.  I love the loops.

Hi Dennis and John,
Thank you both.  Since I'm in there doing "surgery" anyway, I can add the tubes at the same time. I'm thinking the lead outs were included in the kit and they do have a bit of a drag to them.

Kind regards,

Al

[Dan McEntee]

Hi Dave,
Thanks for the specific information on soldering, wire size and a beautiful example to aspire to.  I love the loops.

Hi Dennis and John,
Thank you both.  Since I'm in there doing "surgery" anyway, I can add the tubes at the same time. I'm thinking the lead outs were included in the kit and they do have a bit of a drag to them.

Kind regards,

Al

   If those are the original lead outs, you might find that music wire will rust. If you can, clean the wires with some scotch bright or steel wool, and then just rub some light oil on them. No grease. The smaller lead out guides is a good idea also.
   Type at you later,
    Dan McEntee

[Onelife]

I’m flew my ringmaster today and was wondering if anyone had the dimension  from wing tip back is the CG. ?  It’s a old S1 sterling kit the plans don’t give a dimension it just shows it being even with the front leadout which it is already covered and my leadouts are modified I did not use there holes so I’m stuck. The reason is it seems to always want to climb I built a shoestring a Brodak’s kit and it also want to clime it seems but I trimmed the CG on it according to plans. Any help ? Thanks

[Ken Culbertson]

I’m flew my ringmaster today and was wondering if anyone had the dimension  from wing tip back is the CG. ?  It’s a old S1 sterling kit the plans don’t give a dimension it just shows it being even with the front leadout which it is already covered and my leadouts are modified I did not use there holes so I’m stuck. The reason is it seems to always want to climb I built a shoestring a Brodak’s kit and it also want to clime it seems but I trimmed the CG on it according to plans. Any help ? Thanks

That may not be a CG issue, especially it is happening on two planes.  What do they do immediately after the engine quits?  Do they pitch nose up, nose down?  If the CG is off very much they will do one or the other of those.  If it is close it will just keep going straight and start slowing down.  I am a recovering "floating" victim.  My problem was my handle position and poor trim between the flaps and elevator.  You need to have it turning equal inside and outside before you approach the floating which is most likely a handle issue.  On one ship simply shortening the down line 1/8" stopped it cold.  Also, if the CG is the cause, then it will do it both upright and inverted.  Are you perhaps hunting?

Ken

[Dennis Toth]

One,
CG for S1 Ringmaster is 1 1/2" behind the leading edge as a starting point, closer to the leading edge is better then rearward. Like Ken said if it floats up when the engine quits it is tail heavy, (this is not normally the case as they tend to be nose heavy with most engine/mufflers), remove tail weight (if you have it) or add a heavier muffler, prop or spinner). Make sure you have your handle set for neutral properly, very small changes in this position can make flying more challenging. I like to set my handle for straight up and down with no bias. This gives you more wrist movement and less need for arm movement. Also, set the control horn length for slow movement by using the outer holes. On the S1 Ringmaster you only need about 20 degrees up and down, if it is going more move it down (away from the elevator) a hole at a time.

Leadouts are not real critical but with common 0.015" SS cable lines they are set about 1/2" behind the CG locations, so for the S1 since it is a straight leading edge the center of the leadouts would be 2 to 2 1/4" back from the leading edge at the tip.

Best,   DennisT