K&S says that their 1/8 aluminum sheet is 6061-T6. Their SKU is 83072. The 2024 would work even better (it is stronger), if you have some. It has added copper, which increases the strength and fatigue resistance, but is more susceptible to corrosion in full-sized planes. But that's not really an issue with models....

I will note that the gear will handle some abuse, but if your pilot is in the habit of slamming the plane down right in front of the pitman, you CAN bend the gear leg. If that is the case, a single wire strut might be a better choice. If you are considering that, then I would suggest using 5/32" music wire for a single-strut setup.

Favorites , Shark 45,   and Midas 45

I used a TruJust for a long time, till I finally got a fray on a cable.  I took a Dremmel to the black urethane handle to get down to the mechanism  I made a HotRock copy out of plywood and installed the adjustment mechanism.  Three layers of 1/4 inc wood with the center part cut out to hold the parts.  I can't stand to fly without inflight adjustments.  I think some of the parts you see here are from the CSC.

Sounds like you are in the same boat as too many of us.   Glad you are still able to read and post.  I too have stuff that may wind up some where that with a little work are still flyable.   At one time I had heard there was a person headed my way with a truck and trailer.   Have not seen them.

LOL! I've taken a lot of heat over the years about the Tru-just handle. Okay, here's the story. I had seen the handle design that the Adamisin family had been using, and it had a lot of top line arm length. Gene Schaffer had one and wanted to make another one like it, but he didn't have the machine shop resources with which to make one. I decided to give it a try, and since I was a machinist for my father's automation machine company, I did indeed have the necessary tools with which to make a few prototype handles. In fact, I produced one just like the Adamisin handle (actually used a tracing of Gene's handle...), only I extended the bottom arm to match the length of the upper arm (I never could figure out why one of the arms on the Adamisin handle was longer than the other). Well, the handle that I made worked very well for me with the way I trimmed my models, and I switched over to it immediately. Up to that point I had been using (like almost everyone else) an EZ-Just Hot Rock handle. I liked the Adamisin inspired handle much better, and it instantly gave me better bottoms and lock. Gene saw my handle and asked me to make one just like it for him. Bob Lampione also wanted one. And my mentor and flying buddy (and eventual best man at my wedding...), Bill Simons also expressed desire for one. I was scheduled to go to Gene's apartment in Queens, New York one weekend day. Bob Lampione and Bill Simons were also invited. I decided the night before that trip to make the handles. Now, the original batch of handles were hand made from linen base Phenolic (commonly called Bakelite). I used the milling machine in Dad's shop for a lot of the operations on the handles, but the actual outside shape was hand filed by me using Rat Tail and flat files. That operation took about an hour and a half to complete on each handle, and I had to do it three times that night - after having done all the preliminary operations that evening as well. Needless to say, the sun was coming up as I completed the shaping of the last handle. I drove from the shop straight to Gene's apartment. When I unveiled the handles (I just sort of threw them on the table in Gene's shop) there was then what reminded me of a shark feeding frenzy. Gene, Bill and Bob almost literally fought over which handle was perceived to be the "best" one. Trust me, they were all about the same. Gene, being the host, got first choice, and he used that handle for quite a while. Bill Simons was the first to decide that the arms were too long for his style of flying/trimming, and cut them down to approximately the length of a Hot Rock handle. But, Gene and I continued on for some time with the long arms with a high degree of success. Those original handles were made around 1970/71. I made a larger spacing handle from Delrin in 1973, and that's what I used to fly my original Genesis 35 at the 1973 Nats in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

Around 1974 my father and I formed Controline Specialties Co. (CSC). We later named it just Control Specialties Corp, mainly because I started servicing the RC community with foam wings and other products. My father was producing a number of technical parts using a self-skinning, expandable urethane foam, and the thought struck me that we could make a commercial version of my handle using that material and process. Dad came up with a great way of making the handle in-flight adjustable for neutral setting, and we were underway. A very accurate aluminum model was created, and from that we made several molds. Each mold was filled around four times a day (the curing process took an hour or so), and we cranked out several hundred of those handles over a couple of years. I used one of the production handles to win the 1976 Nats and the 1978 Worlds, so the criticism of the long arms may not be totally justified. Hey, they worked for me and the way I trimmed my airplanes in those days.

Over the years I've changed the way I trim and fly. For several years I used a variant of the Bob Baron designed handle with success. Lately I've been using the Kaz Minato (MNT) 90mm handle, and I like it a lot (I have seven of them!). So, the Tru-Just handle will go down in Stunt folklore as just one of many handle designs that worked for some and not for others. I gave my last one to Will Davis' grandson, Wesley. Will told me that Wesley refuses to fly using any other handle. That too will change as he progresses...

Later - Bob               

               

Many years ago I tried an Enya 09-IV in my Jr Streak, and it was a really nice combination. I'd suggest 40 to 45' lines, and agree with Motorman on a 7-4 and 10% nitro (even 15%). While they're torquey little engines and could handle an 8-4 better than many other 09s, I still felt they were better with a 7-4 or 7-5. An 8-6 or 9-4 would definitely be doing it no favours.

I know there are some pilots up there.

Sorry to hear about your knee. Maybe a bar stool would put you back in the air.
Good luck.

Quote from: Robert Zambelli on Yesterday at 11:04:37 AMDon't try and insult people's intelligence with a statement like "that you must use a clunk tank". Total bull$hit in my opinion.

  And other people have other opinions.

    Brett

The phone line for incoming calls to the store is temporarily on hold.
If you need to place an order, please do so on line.
Bob Z.

I've been away from the hobby for a long time. I'm not sure if there's anyone here who remembers me. About 5 years ago, I injured my left knee (quad tendon tear), and I can no longer fly. I live in southern Ontario, Canada (st. Catharines). Is there anyone here from Ontario?  I've got some stuff that needs a new home.

Colleen