Hints & Kinks

Model Airplane News, Feb 2000 by Newman, Jim

NO-SCRATCH KEY

To avoid scratching the muffler's mating surface as you tighten the engine-- mounting screws, cover the shanks of your Allen keys with heat-shrink sleeves. A deep scratch on that surface encourages exhaust leaks and can damage any gasket used between the muffler and exhaust stub.

Leon Brandon, Farmersville, TX

SERVO-SAVER

The plastic packaging from a spinner can be used as a streamlined fairing over a servo and will also protect the servo from damage when it is mounted below a wing. Attach it with canopy glue or adhesive trim tape.

John Ledford, Del City, OK

CAPTIVE EXTENSION

To avoid losing your exhaust extension, file a groove around the muffler tailpipe then snap a soft wire ring (a) into the groove. Push the rubber extension onto the engine and over the ring, then apply two tie-wraps (b) to secure it. An O-ring instead of wire will work well, too.

Hovik Ghassemian,

Glendale, CA

SEND IN YOUR IDEAS. Model Airplane News will give a free one-year subscription (or one-year renewal, ff you already subscribe) for each idea used in "Hints & Kinks." Send a rough sketch to Jim Newman, c/o Mom Airplane News, 100 East Ridge, Ridgefield, CT 068774606 USA. BE SURE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS ARE CLEARLY PRINTED ON EACH SKETCH, PHOTO AND NOTE YOU SUBMIT. Because of the number of ideas we receive, we can't acknowledge each one, nor can we return unused material.

BEARING PULLER

If you are having trouble dislodging a bearing from a blind housing and you've already tried heating the engine case and tapping it on a wood block, try this.

Grind a slight taper onto the head of an Allen screw of a suitable size, then drive it gently into the center of the bearing, headfirst. Place a drilled-out, hardwood block over the bolt, heat the case, then place washers and a nut on the screw. Draw the bearing out of the housing by tightening the nut.

This should only be done to a bearing that is to be discarded.

John Manen, Nashua, NH

CHARGE ORGANIZER

Mount a power-outlet strip with a built-in fuse on a perforated pegboard, then hang your transmitters on the board as shown. Number the transmitters and chargers to match the models hanging overhead so there is no confusion about which charger plugs into which TX and model. Install dummy (unconnected) plugs in the pegboard so you can "park" unused charge leads in them to avoid untidy tangles.

Jay Crowley, Lake Tapawingo, MD

TOOL HANG-UP

Attach a tie-wrap to the hanging loop of your motorized tool. This will make it much easier to hang on a nail or hook and lessen the stress on the built-in loop.

Bob Krieger

Wheeling, IL

WIND INDICATOR

New fliers often have difficulty interpreting a 14 wind sock, so Harold mounted this foam glider or a bushing made out of a spray pump (a). It is painted a bright color to further help fliers see the direction of takeoff or landing. Also shown are indicators seen at airports (b). These usually have wings, which are not needed on an RC field because we don't observe them from above.

Harold Watson, Lupton, MI

MINTY ACCESS HATCH

To make a simple access hatch for retract or radio charging connections, glue in the lid from a Tic Tac box or a similar container.

Steve Arnoczky, Sandusky, OH

CIRCLE-CUTTING COMPASS

Glue a knife blade to the point of your dividers to make this covering-film circle cutter. Be sure the cutting edge is leading as you twirl it.

Carl Diehl, Brentwood, CA

WELL, WELL, WELL!

The plastic covering from a wheel package makes a great wheel-well liner. Lightly sand the plastic to make glues and enamels stick better.

Mike Garner Ponte Vedra Beach, FL

GOOD CONNECTIONS

This remote glow-plug connector is a modified pushrod connector. Drill out the pushrod hole to fit the glow-plug post (a), then place an insulating plastic washer (b) on the plug before attaching the connector. The tightly fitting shrink sleeve is illustrated with a dashed line.

Joe Letoumeau, Brantford, Ontario, Canada

STICKY SITUATION

Attach control horns with doublesided tape before attempting to drill mounting holes. This will prevent the horn from sliding around as you mark its position. The tape can be left on because it will not be visible after the horn has been attached.

Ric Rector Redding, CA