Servo Horns

d8veh

Elite member
The jumbo popsicle sticks cost about $2 for 50. You can get three horns from each one - maybe 4 if you're careful;


servo horn 1.jpg servo horn 2.jpg
 

kilroy07

Legendary member
Another great source for control horns is dental picks.
(Not my tip, I believe I saw here maybe...)
IMG_7866[1].JPG
Just remove the line and snip the handle and done!
 

Merv

Site Moderator
Staff member
I use plastic gift cards, cut the card into 1/3rd's, then cut each 1/3rd in half to form a triangle. knock off the corners, drill the holes & done. They are fast, cheap & no wood grain to split.
 

d8veh

Elite member
I use plastic gift cards, cut the card into 1/3rd's, then cut each 1/3rd in half to form a triangle. knock off the corners, drill the holes & done. They are fast, cheap & no wood grain to split.
I tried old credit cards (if they're the same), but I wasn't happy with the strength around the hole.

i routed out the shapes in the popsicle stick by hand using my Dremmel with a 1/16" carbide burr. It takes about 30 secs to do each one. To drill the hole, I use a scrap piece of push-rod wire bent into a crank. The sharp cut end soon bores through. That way, you get an exact tight fit for more precise control.
 

Grifflyer

WWII fanatic
I tried old credit cards (if they're the same), but I wasn't happy with the strength around the hole.

i routed out the shapes in the popsicle stick by hand using my Dremmel with a 1/16" carbide burr. It takes about 30 secs to do each one. To drill the hole, I use a scrap piece of push-rod wire bent into a crank. The sharp cut end soon bores through. That way, you get an exact tight fit for more precise control.
yeah I do the same things to cut my pushrod holes.
 

buzzbomb

I know nothing!
I love this forum! You guys rock. I've said it before, I'll say it again. YOU. ROCK. I bought a sheet of control horns from FT. Seemed like a good idea, and it was, really. I'm going to need them and it pushed my order into free shipping.

You all just made me realize something. It really just clicked in my head. A control horn is just a lever that the servo connects to, to move a surface. It really doesn't matter what it's made of, or even it's shape really. It needs to have a hole that's not going to expand quickly with use, it's got to be long enough to move the surface it's attached to, and it needs to be cut so that parts of it can be glued into the foamboard. That's pretty much it. Keep it light, keep it strong and have tabs so it can be glued.

The angle of the rod to the surface is of obvious importance. A higher inclination would mean more throw. Stick to about where the plane was designed with the FT control horns and you've got it. Dremel off a slice of laminated plywood. Cut out a piece of the plastic housing from an old DVD player. Given a Dremel ( or the like) the possibilities are endless.

I love you guys! :love:
 
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Hai-Lee

Old and Bold RC PILOT
I love this forum! You guys rock. I've said it before, I'll say it again. YOU. ROCK. I bought a sheet of control horns from FT. Seemed like a good idea, and it was, really. I'm going to need them and it pushed my order into free shipping.

You all just made me realize something. It really just clicked in my head. A control horn is just a lever that the servo connects to, to move a surface. It really doesn't matter what it's made of, or even it's shape really. It needs to have a hole that's not going to expand quickly with use, it's got to be long enough to move the surface it's attached to, and it needs to be cut so that parts of it can be glued into the foamboard. That's pretty much it. Keep it light, keep it strong and have tabs so it can be glued.

The angle of the rod to the surface is of obvious importance. A higher inclination would mean more throw. Stick to about where the plane was designed with the FT control horns and you've got it. Dremel off a slice of laminated plywood. Cut out a piece of the plastic housing from an old DVD player. Given a Dremel ( or the like) the possibilities are endless.

I love you guys! :love:
Ideally the hole for the pushrod should be such that the pushrod end is located directly above, (t right angles to), the hinge line for optimum control surface radial linearity. It will function as you have stated almost anywhere really but the responses are different the further from the hinge line you get.

Just a thought!

have fun!
 

PoorManRC

Master member
I second that you guys ROCK!! :love::cool::)
I have learned so much, SO fast! Gotta admit, I do like the Horns on Thingiverse. Most of them look much stronger than the originals. I really like the side plates on some of them.

I'm more worried about the Control Horn popping off, than anything else that could happen!!
..... My Dremmmel is about 20 years old, and used often. That IS one of the key Tools for even a Novice Modeler.
 

BS projects inc.

Elite member
I'm a 3d printing nerd so I print all my firewalls and control horns. But before I did that I would use plastic gift cards, as mentioned earlier. They work great and are VERY tough. Getting the hole just right can be trick, I would heat up a needle with my soldering iron or hot glue gun and then pierce it through the plastic.
 

buzzbomb

I know nothing!
I'm a 3d printing nerd so I print all my firewalls and control horns. But before I did that I would use plastic gift cards, as mentioned earlier. They work great and are VERY tough. Getting the hole just right can be trick, I would heat up a needle with my soldering iron or hot glue gun and then pierce it through the plastic.
Dremel, my friend. Dremel. After the hammer it's the most used tool in my house, and mine is older than than many of the people I work with. I think I purchased it in 1995 give or take.