GSNadmin
Staff member
Who doesn’t like learning an easier way to do things? These tips all use items around the house or shop, so they won’t cost you a dime. Have your own tip you’d like to share? Send it to MAN@airage.com and you could win an assortment of Bob Smith Industries glue (plus worldwide accolades & fame, of course!).
BOLT TAPERING
Are you having difficulty getting the nylon bolts to align with the nuts? This often happens when you try to attach the wing to the fuselage. To solve this issue, add a tapered lead to the end of the bolt using a pencil sharpener. This simple, little lead-in at the end of the bolt will improve the installation and ease of the alignment.
NYLON BOLT EXTRACTOR
This is how I remove a broken nylon wing-mounting bolt at the field. Just heat up the end of a Phillips screwdriver (you can use a lighter or matches, or lay the bit on your car exhaust manifold), and press the screwdriver into the broken stub about ⅛ inch. The heated screwdriver will make a Phillips slot in the broken stud. Once cool, just turn and remove the broken stub.
CONNECTOR CRIMPING
Due to the difference in diameter of standard wires and in sizes of wire from different manufacturers, it is sometimes difficult to get all the strands into the connector before crimping. I like to use a pair of needle-nose pliers in reverse to open up the connector’s crimping end to accommodate all of the strands. When crimping, this makes for a much neater job and I don’t have to trim off the wild strands.
WING BOLT WRAP-UP
Tired of slipping off your wing bolts and damaging those nice new wings? Wrap narrow strips of masking tape several times around the head of your bolts and then give them a shot of thin CA to harden them. The resulting “fence” will prevent the screwdriver from skidding out of the slot and scarring your wing.
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BOLT TAPERING
Are you having difficulty getting the nylon bolts to align with the nuts? This often happens when you try to attach the wing to the fuselage. To solve this issue, add a tapered lead to the end of the bolt using a pencil sharpener. This simple, little lead-in at the end of the bolt will improve the installation and ease of the alignment.
NYLON BOLT EXTRACTOR
This is how I remove a broken nylon wing-mounting bolt at the field. Just heat up the end of a Phillips screwdriver (you can use a lighter or matches, or lay the bit on your car exhaust manifold), and press the screwdriver into the broken stub about ⅛ inch. The heated screwdriver will make a Phillips slot in the broken stud. Once cool, just turn and remove the broken stub.
CONNECTOR CRIMPING
Due to the difference in diameter of standard wires and in sizes of wire from different manufacturers, it is sometimes difficult to get all the strands into the connector before crimping. I like to use a pair of needle-nose pliers in reverse to open up the connector’s crimping end to accommodate all of the strands. When crimping, this makes for a much neater job and I don’t have to trim off the wild strands.
WING BOLT WRAP-UP
Tired of slipping off your wing bolts and damaging those nice new wings? Wrap narrow strips of masking tape several times around the head of your bolts and then give them a shot of thin CA to harden them. The resulting “fence” will prevent the screwdriver from skidding out of the slot and scarring your wing.
Model Airplane News - The #1 resource for RC plane and helicopter enthusiasts featuring news, videos, product releases and tech tips.
Continue reading...