Getting your facts right

I was recently building a model from scratch when I came to the point of thinking about the ailerons and control rods. I had some spare fittings for linking the control rods to the servo, but no control rods. I was also conscious of the thickness of the ailerons on the main wings. Now this is where the problem started as the wing section was not very thick at all, so I needed something small in diameter, or the end of the control rod would poke out of the thin end of the aileron.

Armed with this information I took a walk into the local model shop and all that I had with me was some money. I was sure that they could help me if I explained the problem. Well after erming and ahing for some time I walked out with a length of control rod and assumed that the fittings I had back home would fit.

Problem 1. The fittings I had were of the threaded type which were to be screwed on to the upward part of the control rod and then attached to the servo with a small bit of threaded rod, giving me some adjustment. Of course I bought the rod that had no thread.

Back to the model shop only to be told “You can’t put a thread on that as it is hardened steel”. Bugger!, came to mind very quickly with a lot of other words that I won’t print here. What can I do now, as the assistant started to look through packets of fittings on the back wall. Well would you believe it, the model shop had not got any small fittings to suit the control rods, not even those that use the tiny grub screw .

I was then asked what type of plane I was building. I replied it was one of those from the magazine where you get the free plan (no advertising here!) It was suggested that seeing that this was a small plane fitting out for electric power that I could use a piece of heat shrink tubing to connect the control rod to an adjustable length of control rod that connected to the servo.

I suppose it was my fault that I did not tell them that I had the plans enlarged by 30% and that a 25 engine was being shoe horned into the nose. I suppose I was a bit taken back that someone would suggest using heat shrinking tubing to form a “L” shape to hold together two metal rods that controlled my ailerons.

I just did not fancy the ailerons being held together by some tubing, so the model is still sitting on the work bench and has not been touched for two months now. I am going to wait until the local show is on and buy a range of fitments, so that I don’t get caught out again.

So what have I learnt by this,

Buy an ARTF, it is less stressful and you can fly it within a few days.
Buy a kit if you need the modelling experience as it should contain all the parts you need except for the electronics and engine.
Get a good catalogue from a supplier and order the complete range of bits from him (if you have the money!).

PS. Has anyone tried the heat shrinking tubing method and does it work, please let me know if it does.