Smoke Signals From The Bench
Surface Control Tips
Once the fuselage is built with the rudder and elevator hinged in place (and pinned) and with the servos secured you can carefully measure the distance from each servo arm to the horn (both at the neutral position). Determine where the rod will exit the fuselage.
Now take the distance from the servo arm to the point where the rod exits the fuselage, subtract 2 in. and this will be the length of wood dowel or arrow shaft required for your model.
Cut a wire piece 4 in. in length. Cut each wood rod to the proper length. Measure in from each end about 2 in. and mark a circle around the rod at that point. At one end of the rod drill a hole straight through the rod at the mark large enough for the wire to pass through.
Using your hobby knife cut a straight groove in the rod from the end, 2 in. back to the hole. This groove need only be deep enough to allow the diameter of the wire to fit. Now make a 90 degree bend 3/8’s in. back from the end of the wire.
Set 30 minute epoxy in the groove and place the wire with the 3/8’s in. at the 90 degree bend going into the hole in the rod. Wrap the rod with the wire piece using thread and set aside until the epoxy sets.
Repeat this process with the second wire piece at the other end of the rod. Note the position of the slot for the rod end that will go to the servo and be sure to cut the other slot in the proper position on the rod end going to the horn.
The wire end going to the servo can be bent using a “Z bend” tool. Or you can place a 90 degree bend keeper on the wire and then make a 90 degree bend at the end of the wire, place it in the servo arm hole and then slide the keeper to hold the wire in place.
The wire end going to the control horn for the rudder or the elevator could be threaded so that a self tapping nylon clevis or a metal threaded clevis can be placed on to the wire end and clasped to the proper hole in the horn.
A small piece of fuel tubing can be placed on to the wire prior to putting the clevis on so that it can be pushed over the clevis to hold it securely to the horn. A Goldberg metal golden clevis with a holding clip, or the Dubro Safety Lock Kwik-links or the Dubro HD Control Horns can be used instead of fuel tubing.
