help pls: FT Simple Soarer

[ofiesens2]

So I am building my dad a simple soarer for Christmas, trying to get him in to RC flying. First of all, let me know how you think I should present it to him. Right now, my 3 ideas are either trying to wrap it (the plane will be built, so it will look rather silly), try to "hang" it on the tree, or present it to him by throwing it across the room to him. Let me know what you think.

ALSO, and more importantly, the pushrods I have are much too short for the build (I probably need another 5 inches). Right now, I don't have time to buy longer pushrods, and the wire from construction flags that I sometimes use is also too short. Has anyone else found a solution to this? I feel like I either have to move the servos back further (and kill the CG in the process) or ziptie/hotglue 2 pushrods together to make 1 long pushrod. Please let me know what works (or if it doesn't).

Thanks

 

[Craftydan]

I vote a combo between 1 & 2 -- wrap it and "land" it in the tree. Don't glide it to him. If you've built/trimmed it right it should glide pretty far, and a panicked catch may break it.. Give him a chance to break it outside first


As for the CG . . .

First off, I hate using ballast to get CG right, but I hate not flying worse. A bit of lead in the nose will do wonders and won't wreck the SS's performance. Avoid ballast if you can, but if you can't, use it.

Second, adding on longer/heavier linkages will cause the CG will move aft. Not as much as moving the servos aft, but still, it moves aft.

Whatever you decide to do, set the balance after the controls are installed.


As for building your own longer linkages . . . done any fly fishing before?

http://flitetest.com/articles/how-to-make-detachable-control-rods

If you haven't, you can to try something new -- this isn't that hard. People have been making Carbon pushrods like this for years by tying or heat-shrinking wires with Z-bends to carbon rods and adding a drop of CA (super glue) to make the joints mostly permanent. Pretty reliable, and works with metal-to-metal (or metal to bamboo) push-rods just as easily.

 

[magic_marty]

What i use when needing longer control rods is Mig Weld wire it's not quite as stiff as the control rods FT sells but works well as long as you add extra supports to keep it from flexing..Used it in my FT Explorer and it worked perfect but as mentioned i had to add extra supports to eliminate the flexing..You could just use extra stir straws and foam blocks spaced evenly and it works out great...Luckily i have a endless supply of Mig Wire cause i operate robot mig welders at work and they get it in 600 pound barrels..lol

 

[Hai-Lee]

A quick method to lengthen a pushrod is to cut it in half so that the ends formed to fit the servo arm and the control horn are maintained and then fit a skewer into the gap and wrap to the pushrod using either cotton or even fishing line. When wrapped and checked for length smother the cotton wrapped areas with CA or areldite and let it dry or set.

Sometime in the future replace with a pushrod of the right length just to be safe long term.

As for hiding the gift on the morning I did (Last Year) place a gift plane in my sons car trunk and then stole his keys and wrapped them with a little note that his gift was in the trunk.

It worked for me!

 

[ofiesens2]

Thanks for all the help guys! I ended up putting a z bend in the construction flag wire and attaching that end to the servo, and on the other end I used hot glue and heat shrink to attach the standard FT pushrods for the extra length to go through the linkage stoppers on the elevator and rudder.

Most of the plane is built! Just have to install the tail feathers and electronics and maybe minwax it. I'll definitely post pictures on Christmas morning of the giant glider hanging from the Christmas tree

 

[SoylentGreen4579]

from the tree it comes ... to the tree it returns

 

[Henry]

I've been using stainless tig welding rod for push rods and landing gear. It's really stiff for it's thickness. It comes 1m (3+ feet) in a huge variety of gauges.

 

[Faralon]

Two Tiny Trainers (with the wrong props, CORRECTED) in a pear tree!