My custom, handcrafted line adjustment fixture.

batjac Mon Apr 28, 2014 11:14 pm

Each plane I have gets its own handle, so once the lines are adjusted, they're set until the plane crashes or I want to change line length. But, I never seem to have anyone around when I change my lines and need to adjust them for neutral elevator. So, I use my handy dandy adjustment fixture. After cutting my lines to length and attaching the handle, I loop the line around a handy lamp in the living room and hold the plane in my left hand while tweaking the lines in the handle in my right. Works pretty good for Spectra lines.
My custom, handcrafted line adjustment fixture. DSCN1566_zpsb5f4b671

My custom, handcrafted line adjustment fixture. DSCN1566_zpsb5f4b671

The Dandy Mark

**RknRusty** Tue Apr 29, 2014 1:15 am

Hey, good idea, Just make sure your wingtip points directly at the lamp post.

batjac Tue Apr 29, 2014 6:00 am

RknRusty wrote:Hey, good idea, Just make sure your wingtip points directly at the lamp post.

It did. I just had to hold the plane and handle both in one hand to get the pic, thus the wing not pointing exactly at the lamp in the photo.

The Off-Point Mark

roddie Tue Apr 29, 2014 9:41 am

If you need to set elevator-neutral at the field, here's a handy little thing to keep in your field-box for small models. These are Popsicle sticks.. but you could use longer thin strips on models with a longer chord stab/elev.

My custom, handcrafted line adjustment fixture. Elev_n10

My custom, handcrafted line adjustment fixture. Elev_n10

My custom, handcrafted line adjustment fixture. Elev_n11

ian1954 Tue Apr 29, 2014 10:55 am

Popsicle? You mean "lollipop" sticks

http://www.craftyarts.co.uk/kids-creativity-c7/kids-activity-packs-c435/lollipop-sticks-1000-pieces-p5426?gclid=CKbU5f2Ghr4CFTHItAodAlQAMg%3Fgclid%3DCKbU5f2Ghr4CFTHItAodAlQAMg#11742

rat9000 Tue Apr 29, 2014 11:18 am

That is one neat little trick roddie,anything else up your sleeve! Its off topic but I was tapping crankcase 2 56 holes this morning on gummed up 049s, using wd 40, working engines as I went.Ran out of wd, found some Liquid Wrench it freed engines up right now.The stuff was black coming out of engines.

**Cribbs74** Tue Apr 29, 2014 11:21 am

ian1954 wrote:Popsicle? You mean "lollipop" sticks

http://www.craftyarts.co.uk/kids-creativity-c7/kids-activity-packs-c435/lollipop-sticks-1000-pieces-p5426?gclid=CKbU5f2Ghr4CFTHItAodAlQAMg%3Fgclid%3DCKbU5f2Ghr4CFTHItAodAlQAMg#11742

Popsicle....
My custom, handcrafted line adjustment fixture. VNeFbqK

Lollipop...
My custom, handcrafted line adjustment fixture. XzHSGOL

Great Idea Mark and Roddie for that matter. That should help when I am alone.

Ron

roddie Tue Apr 29, 2014 11:26 am

ian1954 wrote:Popsicle? You mean "lollipop" sticks

http://www.craftyarts.co.uk/kids-creativity-c7/kids-activity-packs-c435/lollipop-sticks-1000-pieces-p5426?gclid=CKbU5f2Ghr4CFTHItAodAlQAMg%3Fgclid%3DCKbU5f2Ghr4CFTHItAodAlQAMg#11742

"Craft Sticks" actually... in standard and "Super" sizes.

My custom, handcrafted line adjustment fixture. Stock-12

I do so much scratch-building/designing.. that I like to have things like this on hand.

My custom, handcrafted line adjustment fixture. Stock-13

roddie Tue Apr 29, 2014 11:45 am

Mark.. sorry to derail your thread. If you're at the field alone and want to actually see the degree of elevator deflection using your idea; just bring a round tent stake with you and stick it in the ground at the 1/2-way distance of your lines to center-circle... and walk your handle back to the airplane. Even if you're flying over pavement.. there's usually grass/dirt nearby for set-up.

rat9000 Wed Apr 30, 2014 1:19 am

Mark,I was taking a second look at your plane,I'd like to see a couple of pictures of it.Whats the wood.Tks rat (Mark)

batjac Wed Apr 30, 2014 6:17 pm

roddie wrote:Mark.. sorry to derail your thread. If you're at the field alone and want to actually see the degree of elevator deflection using your idea; just bring a round tent stake with you and stick it in the ground at the 1/2-way distance of your lines to center-circle... and walk your handle back to the airplane. Even if you're flying over pavement.. there's usually grass/dirt nearby for set-up.

Roddie, I'm not a serious pattern flyer. Hobbies lose their fun when I get too serious about them. Other than the detail for the Reed Speed plane, I just make my planes look nice, and then turn them loose. I just like to go roundy-roundy with the occasional loopdy-loop. Once the lines are set up initially, I don't find a need to tweak them at the field. Good enough is good enough for my kind of flying.

The Loopy Mark

batjac Wed Apr 30, 2014 6:23 pm

rat9000 wrote:Mark,I was taking a second look at your plane,I'd like to see a couple of pictures of it.Whats the wood.Tks rat (Mark)

Rat, the wood is just plain balsa. The plane is my BTC-2 from this thread:

https://www.coxengineforum.com/t6512-the-btc-2-build

The Plain Mark

roddie Thu May 01, 2014 2:16 am

batjac wrote:
roddie wrote:Mark.. sorry to derail your thread. If you're at the field alone and want to actually see the degree of elevator deflection using your idea; just bring a round tent stake with you and stick it in the ground at the 1/2-way distance of your lines to center-circle... and walk your handle back to the airplane. Even if you're flying over pavement.. there's usually grass/dirt nearby for set-up.

Roddie, I'm not a serious pattern flyer. Hobbies lose their fun when I get too serious about them. Other than the detail for the Reed Speed plane, I just make my planes look nice, and then turn them loose. I just like to go roundy-roundy with the occasional loopdy-loop. Once the lines are set up initially, I don't find a need to tweak them at the field. Good enough is good enough for my kind of flying.

The Loopy Mark

You know Mark; you and I have very similar aeromodeling interests, as well as skill-sets. Building/designing has always given me a lot of pleasure over actual flying. The amount of small of small 1/2A C/L airplanes that I have, greatly outnumbers my larger models with built-up construction. This season I'm looking to finally finish a couple of bigger models because of their increased performance, slower speed and the ability to penetrate breezy weather better than the small ones. I like the idea behind your BTC series though.. and you are very right about keeping it fun.

getback Thu May 01, 2014 8:13 pm

Mark did you fly the btc 1 ? just read the other tread , would like to see the out come of this build Biplane

I have one of those engines and was woundering what I could do with it Huh...

nice I understand the extra wood for strength , but the monakote is easier to repair lol!

Getback

getback Thu May 01, 2014 8:31 pm

Mark, My Dad talks sometimes about when they flew back I would say in 1948 or so that they would just cut some pieces from plywood and fly knowing they would be fixing them soon as to not take a lot of time to build one , and material was slim for a child . I am sure they were using large ignition engines though with prop buster on them lol!

Food foe thought I guesss Popcorn

Getback

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My custom, handcrafted line adjustment fixture.

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