Readers tips & tricks

Model Airplane News, Dec 2001

SAVE FUEL AND THE ENVIRONMENT

Fuel is expensive, and the environment is priceless; save both by building yourself a fuel catch can. Having your fuel-- tank overflow line empty into your muffler means you have to wait until fuel trickles out onto the ground to know that your tank is full. You can avoid this by taking a clear plastic bottle (such as those used for holding spices) and drilling two holes in its lid. Install a pressure fitting in each hole and attach a length of fuel tubing to each-one 4 inches long and the other 1 inch long. Insert a fuel probe into the 4-inch piece. When you fuel your plane, detach the overflow line from your muffler and connect it to the catch can. When you see fuel start to collect in the can, you know your tank is topped up. Disconnect the overflow line and reattach it to the muffler, then insert the open end of the fuel probe into the 1 -inch tube segment on top of the can; that makes a closed loop and seals the can.

Steve Wissink, Pickett, WI

SPACE SAVER

For many modelers, workshop storage space is at a premium. Everybody knows you should store small items such as screws, washers, pins, etc., in jars to keep them organized, but those jars take up valuable shelf space. To reclaim that space, glue or screw the jar lids to the underside of your workshop shelves (use silicone RTV glue). When you screw the jars closed, they hang out of the way but are still easily accessible.

Robert Patterson. Point Pleasant, WV

FILE HANDLING

Needle files are very useful for detailing small model parts, but their narrowness makes them difficult to hold comfortably. Make handles for them out of 1/2-inch-diameter dowel. Cut the dowel into 2 1/2-inch segments, and in one end, drill an 1/8-inch-- diameter, 3/4-inch-deep hole. Chuck the dowel in a drill press and spin it while you sand its end round with coarse sandpaper. Then insert the tang end of your needie file into the hole, and secure it with instant glue. As a bonus, you can color-code the handles for ease of identification.

Jay Wallace, Ashland, OR

SAFE PROPS

Spinning props are nearly invisible, and that makes them a prime cause of accidents at the field. To help avoid a mishap, paint the tips of your prop with sharply contrasting colored stripes, black and yellow work well. Remember to balance your prop after you've painted it.

Justin Felderhoff, Montgomery, TX

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STRAIGHT SANDING

Precise angles can make a world of difference to the strength of your plane. Sanding by hand can be tiring, and it can be tough to get the angles perfect. Instead of eyeballing it or having to stop and check your work with a square after every few strokes, make yourself a sanding jig. Make the base out of 3/4-- inch plywood covered by an 1/8-inch-- thick slab of Masonite for durability. Fasten a length of plywood alongside the Masonite to serve as a guide rail. Make sure you have a slight gap between the rail and the

Masonite and that their edges are perfectly aligned. Cut a notch in a plywood block to match the rail's cross-section, and make sure it slides smoothly along the rail. Glue sandpaper to the side of the block. To make the removable fence, sink two 3/8-- inch-diameter dowels into a second piece of plywood, and drill holes in the jig's base for the dowels to fit into.

Jay Wallace, Ashland, OR

HOMEMADE CHOCKING PANEL

Holding a model securely on your workbench, at the field, or during transportation can be a real challenge. Make a chocking panel out of a 2-foot-square piece of plywood. With a saber saw, cut closely fitting holes to match the positions of the model's wheels. For extra security, you can fashion tie-downs around the holes. The plywood is large enough to accommodate several sets of holes for a variety of models, and it will hold a plane down on the bench, at the field and in the trunk of a car.

Dave Seale, Dedham, MA

NO-DRIP FUEL TIP

Working on a plane that has recently had fuel in it can be messy. To reduce clean-up time, take a 3/4-inch-long piece of tightly fitting brass tube, and slip the ends of the pressure line and the feed line onto it. This will prevent fuel from dripping out of the carburetor when you turn your plane over to work on it.

Joseph Kazakavage, Sebastian, FL

STRAIGHT WINGS

Sometimes, a model tends to roll one way or the other, even though its wing incidence looks OK. A simple way to verify that everything is aligned property is to attach four straight sticks that are about 24 inches long to the underside of your wing panels, two per side. Use rubber bands to secure the sticks and see whether all four line up property. If one points slightly upward or downward, you have found the source of your problem.