Tips&Tricks
USEFUL HINTS FROM MODELERS | Illustrations by Richard ;ompson
Beauty shape up
Need to do some quick shaping of foam for an
airplane or model repair? A heavy-duty nail
file just might be the trick! If you are working
on foam or balsa wood, a nail file can remove
material quickly. Many cosmetic nail files have
two di;erent grits, one on each side. If the file gets clogged, it can be
brought back to new condition by using masking tape to remove waste
material from the surface.
Conrad Rompala, Green Lake, WI
Sponsored by
Rolling, rolling,
rolling, no more
Here is a simple and easy way to chock any wheel and
keep models from rolling around on your work area. Get
some pipe insulation tubing, cut length to fit and notch out a space
to fit your desired wheel. Place the wheel in, and your plane stays put.
Hank Curtis, Colorado Springs, CO
Magnetic construction
Instead of using the time-honored method of laying up aircraft parts
like wings, tail and fuselage parts over plans and using straight pins into
a soft sub board, I use super magnets. Start with a piece
of flat steel plate with the plans laid on top. Next, place a
clear glue barrier down and hold it in place with magnets
at the corners. Start placing parts on the plans, holding
them in place with various shaped magnets. Magnets can be
placed on either side of the part to position it to the drawing. Use a flat
magnet on top of thin parts to hold it down to the surface. Parts can be
moved around and adjusted, while held firmly in place at the same time.
When finished, your plans are as good as new and don’t have a ton of
pinholes.
Wayne McNab, Pender Island, BC, Canada
Taping up your rotation
When checking the rotation of your electric motor in a plane or glider,
simply remove the propeller assembly. Wrap a 3- or 4-inch piece of
scotch tape around the shaft and stick the ends together. When you
start up the motor, you will see right away which direction the shaft
is turning. Make any needed corrections and then put the propeller
assembly back on.
C. Robert Gladding, Tavistock, Ontario, Canada
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