RINGMASTER PUSHROD

[raby fink]

I am trying to finish a Ringmaster, but I need a 3/32 pushrod for it. It did not come with one. Please let me know if you know where I might find one. It is the only thing that is keeping me from finishing it.
Thanks
Raby

[Richard Grogan]

Raby,
You should be able to find piano wire at your local hobby shop. However, most here will recommend using carbon fiber tubing with theaded ends and ball links assembled with JB Weld. Wrap the CF ends with thread impregnated with epoxy to prevent splitting.If you do a search here you will find several threads discussing this type of installation.

Should you choose to use the piano wire, you will need a z-bending tool for your ends. I don't know where you will find one pre-bent to fit the Ringmaster!

For more info on Ringmasters, go to www.brotherhoodofthering.info

[Andrew Hathaway]

There is no reason to over-complicate a Ringmaster.  Get a piece of 3/32 wire, put a 90* bend at each end, and use soldered washer keepers.  Add a fairlead support somewhere in the middle to keep it from flexing... Half a safety pin, a cotterpin, or half a Luxon line clip, will do the job just fine.  A Ringmaster does not require a $20 pushrod. 

[De Hill]

I am trying to finish a Ringmaster, but I need a 3/32 pushrod for it. It did not come with one. Please let me know if you know where I might find one. It is the only thing that is keeping me from finishing it.
Thanks
Raby

Go to the nearest hardware store. They should have some 3/32 music wire.

[Brett Buck]

Go to the nearest hardware store. They should have some 3/32 music wire.

   Exactly. There isn't much advantage to a ball-link system with something like a Ringmaster. Ball links are great when the pushrods have to move through large compound angles but don't gain you much when you have a 18" long pushrod that moves up and down 1/2".

     Brett

[John Stiles]

Here's how I bend mine, I put the bellcrank end in first[top in drawing] and the other end you twist the wire enough that when you put the end into the hole, and let got the twist...it rotates 1/4 turn and will not come out without help. >>

[ray copeland]

Raby,,  i buy the 4-40 size pushrods threaded on one end available at almost every LHS even R/C shops for about $1.50 ,  they come with an adjustable clip that snaps into your control horn. Cut to approximate length on the non threaded end figuring in your z-bend to go into the bellcrank, and you will have about an inch of adjustment at the horn. Trust me the adjustment comes in handy!!    Ray

[Jim Thomerson]

The classic Ringmaster pushrod is made out of coathanger wire.

[nobler]

...and uses an empty, dry tube of Ambroid for tip wt, wrapped around that ever-so-pesky spar.

And, heavens, please keep the ply control horn on the elevator.

And heavy Perfect wheels, at least 2.5".  With Perfect hubs.

The balsa (not clear) canopy, thank you.

But, do extend the maple mounts, and the ply doublers.

Currell

[FLOYD CARTER]

For really "quick and dirty", use a piece of 3/16" hardwood dowell.  Glue a short piece of  threaded clevis rod to the ends (bind with sewing thread).  Plenty strong for a Ringmaster.

Floyd

[Larry Fulwider]

Well, Raby, your choices aren’t limited to either a $20 pushrod at one extreme OR a piece of 3/32” baling wire or coat hanger wire at the other extreme.

A pushrod acts as a “pushrod” half the time. The other half of the time it is a “pull-rod”, in which case it doesn’t flex at all. Having a pushrod flex up to the point that it hits a guide in one direction and not the other has no advantages that I know of. That is as true for a Ringmaster as for an Impact. You could argue that on a flapless sport plane, since the pushrod runs all the way from the bellcrank to the elevator, then even for a relatively short-coupled model the pushrod is likely longer than that of a 35-40 sized flapped stunter.

For about $2.25 (maybe $1.75 extra?) per plane, you can use a Dave Brown pushrod (for example), regular soldered washers or Z-bends, and have a stiff not too expensive setup.
(BC pic)
Ray’s suggestion is a good one for any “sport plane” for the simple reason that most folks don’t follow the “one set of lines and one handle for each plane” guideline on their sport planes. It is nice to have all your sport planes with the same neutral, a set of “sport plane” lines and handle. An adjustable pushrod on each airplane (or all but one!) makes that easy to do. If you like that convenience, get some threaded 4-40 rod, and add a clevis or ?? your choice. Clevises can fail, but these ($1.50) are safe, far as I know. I think the (cheaper) Gold n Clevis are OK?
(clevis pic)
Anyway, a $4 stiff, adjustable, pushrod doesn’t seem overly extravagant, even for a “beater”.

Larry Fulwider

[George]

...and uses an empty, dry tube of Ambroid for tip wt, wrapped around that ever-so-pesky spar.

And, heavens, please keep the ply control horn on the elevator.

And heavy Perfect wheels, at least 2.5".  With Perfect hubs.

The balsa (not clear) canopy, thank you.

But, do extend the maple mounts, and the ply doublers.

Currell

At one time the Ambroid tube used a screw eye as a cap... which converted to a pushrod guide (for smaller models). Those old Ambroid (and other cement) tubes were useful! 

Raby, you can use a screw eye (from your hardware store) about halfway between the bellcrank and the elevator to prevent a wire pushrod from flexing under compression. Careful of the position. You do not want to add friction to the controls.

George