TIPS & TRICKS

Model Airplane News, Jan 2005 by Garcia, Steve, Whitney, Bryan, Martin, Peter, Teeter, Matt

diy self-tapping screw

You'll have an easier time installing screws in hard plastic if you thread the holes with a homemade tapping screw. Using a fine cutoff wheel in your Dremel tool, cut a slot across the threads of a screw of the same thread size and pitch as the one you plan to install. (Safety first: use a vise to hold the screw.) The slot will allow shavings to escape as the screw cuts threads in the plastic. Thread the tapping screw into the part to make threads, and then remove it. Now you're ready to install the correct screw with less strain on your wrist and much less risk of stripping I the screw head.

Steve Garcia, Philadelphia, PA

safety tip

Everyone knows that you're always supposed to put the cap back on your hobby knife before you toss it back in your pit box-too bad you lost the cap the same day as you bought the knife. A quick solution is to loosen the blade and then insert it backward in the handle. This will preserve the sharpness of the blade and help you avoid injury when you reach into your flight box.

Bryan Whltney, Santa Clara, CA

flowing filter

It's easy to install a Du-Bm fuel filter backwards if you're not paying I attention. If the filter is installed backwards, contaminants will collect on the wrong side of the filter element and can potentially clog the fuel line. Also, if you reinstall a dirty filter backwards, fuel running through the filter will actually carry dirt off the reversed filter and into the carb. To avoid this, use a hobby knife to scribe an arrow on the aluminum casing to indicate the proper direction. Remember that the 0-ring should be at the rear of the filter case. For greater visibility, you can fill in the scratched-on arrow with a permanent marker.

Peter Martin, Smithfield, Rl

greasy plug

Installing a new glow plug can be a real pain if the gasket keeps falling off. To hold the gasket in place, dab a tiny bit of grease or a drop of after-run oil onto the gasket.

Matt Teeter, Boston, MA

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