Dacron control lines

How many 60' rolls of Dacron do you have is the next question.

The Baby Ring is fast enough on anything more than the most anemic Babe Bee to need 35' lines. Most rolls of Dacron are 60', so that complicates choosing the method of hooking up the handle. If you have an unlimited supply of line, the best method is to run a continuous loop from the leadout attaching tackle, through a hole in the handle, a few wraps around the adjusting thimble, and back out the other side of the handle and back to the plane. Allow a little extra for knot tying. But if you have one roll of dacron, I would just anchor it to something and unspool it and find the center, and cut one side about a foot longer.

Run the long end through a middle hole in the handle and tie it to the adjusting button and wrap a few inches around it. Then tie the other end to the opposite hole. Attach your clips and use the adjustment wraps to even the lengths. Finally, when you hook it to the plane have someone help you do the fine adjustment while holding neutral elevator, and checking full up and down.

Thans guys, that was very helpful.

Cheers

RknRusty wrote:How many 60' rolls of Dacron do you have is the next question.

In the long run, I think you may be more pleased using one of the newer high-tech braided fishing lines such as Spiderwire. For a given strength, it's much smaller than dacron, has almost zero stretch and will be less draggy when flying. Because 1/2A's have lower line tension, less drag means less line bow which lowers the tendancy to turn the plane into the circle.

Andrew is right. Any of the new braids(NOT monofilament) are superior. The names Dyneema and Spectra are associated with these products, so look for that on the package. There are several brands of fishing line that use this, including Spiderwire. I use another brand who's name escapes me now. Most people like to use lighter weights such as 15# test. But I have successfully used 30# and it's still smaller and lighter than Dacron. A 1/2A plane will fly much better with these lines than with Dacron.

It's coated with Teflon, so very slick, requiring a special knot as shown in this video. This is the AMA approved video tutorial:

Okay, I understand the knot, but how do I insure that the finished line length will remain equal on both lines? I have been fighting symmetry in the finished lengths of line, and wonder if there is a quick and easy way to finish with two, equal-length lines, besides trial-and-error. Any hints? I've tied over a dozen, now, and they all seem to vary, more than I want to make-up for with the handle.

Mark the fold of the knot with sharpie or something. This will keep you in about 1/4 inch of each other.

There should be a loop through the handle that allows for adjustment because lead outs are frequently different on different airplanes. The loop is frequently secured with a screw. This means that lines within an inch or two of each other are acceptable.

Phil

I use a sharpie to mark the fold too. I haven't come up with a better method.

That's the fold where it passes through the eyelet, or right there, at the eyelet?

GUS THE I.A. wrote:That's the fold where it passes through the eyelet, or right there, at the eyelet?

Yes, that's where I mark it.

RknRusty wrote:

GUS THE I.A. wrote:That's the fold where it passes through the eyelet, or right there, at the eyelet?

Yes, that's where I mark it.

About the same here. Unless you are using crazy huge hardware those points are pretty close together.

Phil

I use braided white dacron fishing line because it's light, has little air resistance, and I have nearly 100 yards remaining on a spool which should last me a good long while. Being white it's easy to see when it's lying on the ground.

Used on a red plastic Goldberg handle I use one continuous length which I can adjust according to the plane to be flown. Any surplus may be wrapped around the handle until needed and secured by a rubber band.

SD

Having just made a set of lines using 5 turn uni-knot and eye thimbles (from Brodak), using hi-vis yellow Power Pro Spectra fishing line (from Ebay) I discovered that tying the knot ON the mark to form a loop, with the mark in the slider portion of the knot you can then make 2 turns around the thimble and tighten the knot up, then use whatever grabbing/wrap-and-pull tool to tighten the know down all the way.

My first try was ON mark (I'll call it beginner's luck), my second, third, and fourth tries I untied before finishing, and my fifth try is about 1 inch off, longer, than the mark.

Now this is naturally made more complex via the knot being doubled.

So I have a nice new set of YELLOW 35' spectra lines for here.

Phil

I usually luck up and get the lengths equal, but if not, that's why the handles are adjustable.

As so often is true, Rusty's observation is infallable.

SD