Wrapping lead out's...

[Bootlegger]

  What do you do when you put a thimble in the wing tip leadout, how do you get  started tightly wrapping your copper wire so that it doesn't slide away from the thimble?
  Seems that there is a better way...

[Mark Scarborough]

Gil
there is a couple photo essays on the Brotherhood of the Ring site ( crass self promotion here)
I think you may be starting from the opposite end from what I do. I start away from the thimble, wrap towards it, then fold the end over and wrap away from the thimble.

Heres a link
http://www.brotherhoodofthering.info/flightline/photos/photo-thumbnails.asp?albumid=119

[Crist Rigotti]

I don't use thimbles.

[Bryan Higgins]

Very very small needle nose pliers.  Clamp them in vise holding wire then wrap with 28ga. Copper wire.
Other lead out done same way but with red colored wire on up elevator.

Bryan

[john e. holliday]

As Cgrist said don't use thimbles /eyelets.  Take 1/16 tubing, brass or copper.  Run it thru a torch until red hot.  Cut into 3/4 to 1 inch lengths.  Find a small phillips are music wire the size you want your loop.  After putting the leadout/flying line thru the tube bend it around the phillips/music wire.  Then wrap as you normally would.

I also don't use wrapping anymore.  I tried to post some time ago how I do it using Carl Shoop's swagging method.  I have not so fat had one fail so far(yes i am knocking on wood).  The tubing helps hold cable where you want and before you start wrapping/swagging can be adjusted just a bit.  Mush easier to show than tell about it. DOC Holliday

[GGeezer]

Bootlegger,
I too have been frustrated by this job until  I developed a handy helper.
I make a small crimp sleeve from 1/16" O.D. aluminum tubing cut to 1/16" lengths.
1. Slip this tiny sleeve on to the lead-out (DON'T FORGET THE HEAT-SHRINK TUBING FIRST!)
2. Loop the lead-out back through the sleeve
3. Place the thimble in the loop
4. Lightly hold the sleeve in a needle nose pliers and slide the sleeve up tight against the thimble. You can make adjustments at this time to the location of the thimble on the lead-out.
5. When all is to your satisfaction, squeeze the pliers to crimp the joint. The sleeve will hold everything tightly in position.
6. To make things even easier, I hook the binding wire through the sleeve after step 1. This nicely holds the binding wire for wrapping.
So far, the soft aluminum sleeve doesn't seem to cause any problems as far as damaging the lead-out wire.
I also use this technique for wrapping control lines.
I no longer dread this job.

Orv.

[Howard Rush]

I wrap the wire around the eyelet, twist the two wires a couple of turns, then make a right-angle bend in the loose end about an inch from the eyelet.  It usually stays put well enough to wrap with copper wire, starting at the bend in the wire and wrapping toward the eyelet.  Then I fold the bent end down against the wrapped wires and wrap it together with the other two.  For leadouts, I only do half a turn around the eyelets.  For lines, I do 1 1/2 turns. If you bend leadout wire 1 1/2 turns around the eyelet, you'd probably need something extra to hold it.

[Richard Grogan]

Bootlegger,
I too have been frustrated by this job until   I developed a handy helper.
I make a small crimp sleeve from 1/16" O.D. aluminum tubing cut to 1/16" lengths.
1. Slip this tiny sleeve on to the lead-out (DON'T FORGET THE HEAT-SHRINK TUBING FIRST!)
2. Loop the lead-out back through the sleeve
inding wire through the sleeve after step 1. This nicely holds the binding wire for wrapping.
So far, the soft aluminum sleeve doesn't seem to cause any problems as far as damaging the lead-out wire.
I also use this technique for wrapping control lines.
I no longer dread this job.

Orv.

Thanks Orv! Thats the most useful tip I've seen on here in a while.I agree, don't forget the Heat Shrink Tubing! I wonder how many of us have done that at least once?    

[Serge_Krauss]

I use forcepts to hold the leadout wire together tightly at the thimble, after I've wrapped it around the thimble twice. That's difficult, but the forcepts lock firmly close to the loops and remain in place. I start wrapping copper wire from the center of the wrapping area toward the thimble. When it's close enough, I remove the forcepts and continue wrapping toward the thimble, untill the leadout loop is again tight. I then continue the other end of the wrapping outward to the chosen length, bend the leadout end back toward the loops, and wrap the full length of the double strand back to the thimble end. It's a job I dislike, but the forcepts have made it endurable, with a tightly wound product. The double loop is difficult and probably unnecessary with those thick leadouts, but the forcepts make it much easier.

[Bootlegger]

      Guy's ya'll came thru again !!  I sure do 'ppreciate all the suggestion's..  Again THANK'S...

[Richard Grogan]

      Guy's ya'll came thru again !!  I sure do 'ppreciate all the suggestion's..  Again THANK'S...

Hi Gil! Whatcha doin', writin; a book? 

[Bootlegger]

  Mornin' Richard, I am lookin' for ways to make toy airyplane buldin' easier..

[Bob Johnson]

I did this "How to" a while back, thought I posted it, apparently not. Sorry for some of the fuzzy photos, I'll redo them when I do my next plane. Hope this is helpful. Feel free to ask questions.

Bob

[john e. holliday]

As I don't have round nose pliers I wrap the 1/16 tube around a very small phillips screw driver.  Yes the cable will stay in place, you can still minor adjusting in case it slipped a little.  I use the swagging method of Carl Shoop.  Also I don't use the shrink tubing as I want to see the cable.  I have strands break in the cable even when I was wrapping with the fine copper wire.  Thanks for the great photos as you are great with the detail.  Have fun,  DOC Holliday

[Bill Little]

One thing I have found really useful in doing lead outs is a pair of Jeweler's Pliers.  They have one round jaw (which tapers) and the other jaw is matching, but with a concave face.  You can carefully *pre-bend* the LO wire to go around the thimbles very easily with them.  They will safely bend a circle as small as about 1/16".  I also use a pair of hemostats to hold the wire at the thimble to start wrapping.

Mongo

[Mike Griffin]

I don't use thimbles.

Neither do I Crist.  I run the .027 Leadout wire through and 1/16th piece of copper about 1 1/2 inches long that I have annealed, and bend it over a small dowel to make a horseshoe, wrap the leadout with copper wire, fold the tag back and wrap it too.  Great way to do it and you do not have to mess with those thimbles which I hate.

Mike