Control Linkages

fred0000

Senior Member
i've made Z-bend pushrods that are adjustable, they work great.

top rod is a standard Z-Bend push rod, bottom one has adjustability cause of the middle V bend.

zbarrod.jpg
 

Ak Flyer

Fly the wings off
Mentor
Fred, that's exactly what I use on my cub ailerons. Works fantastic and really fast and easy to make.
 

Mike oxbig

15% nitro is my cologne
Ugh I hate making z bends. I never get them right.

I like to use those sullivan gold clevis's on both ends of the pushrod. They self tap onto 2-56 rod fairly easy. I like to set them up To the right length and then solder them on for extra insurance. They are a little heavy for parkflyers though.
 

Bbjen

Member
Hi everyone, noob guy here.

No one ever talks about the guage of the wire used.

What type of wire should i buy to make my linkage?
 

earthsciteach

Moderator
Moderator
You should use as light a guage as possible. What does that mean? In my opinion, it means the rod should be capable of moving the control surface with some resistance on those surfaces. If they flex, you can decrease buckling of the control rods by running them through plastic rods, straws, coffee stirrers or simply pinning them to the fuselage in some way. Hard to explain that one without a pic.
 

Tritium

Amateur Extra Class K5TWM
I use tig welding filler wire for my linkages since I have it on hand. I have stainless, aluminum, phosphorus bronze (1.5mm) and titanium (1mm).

Thurmond
 
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jetpackninja

More combat please...
Mentor
You should use as light a guage as possible. What does that mean? In my opinion, it means the rod should be capable of moving the control surface with some resistance on those surfaces. If they flex, you can decrease buckling of the control rods by running them through plastic rods, straws, coffee stirrers or simply pinning them to the fuselage in some way. Hard to explain that one without a pic.

Coffee stirrers work great.
On foam planes wire staples also work very well I may have to snap a pic or two when I get home.
 

Bollie

Member
i've made Z-bend pushrods that are adjustable, they work great.

top rod is a standard Z-Bend push rod, bottom one has adjustability cause of the middle V bend.

zbarrod.jpg

I've seen those bends in push rods before an never knew what they we're for, thanks

I use 0.8m wire from a mig welder for shot push rods - less than 100mm or so. for anything longer I use a 1mm solid carbon rod with some of my mig wire on one end to make the Z bend. I use come CA and heat shrink to join the carbon rod and wire. works a treat.
 

SkySlayer

ARC=Almost Ready to Crash
I've seen those bends in push rods before an never knew what they we're for, thanks

I use 0.8m wire from a mig welder for shot push rods - less than 100mm or so. for anything longer I use a 1mm solid carbon rod with some of my mig wire on one end to make the Z bend. I use come CA and heat shrink to join the carbon rod and wire. works a treat.

Ive never had to make a bend in my piano wire it just works perfect.
 

Platser

Junior Member
What the beautiful red round Z-bend making tool present in video? Where I can get such one, or at least what keyword I should use for search?
Z-bend tool.jpg