Tricks for easy wing strut attachment?

Just thoughts:

Hinges should work fine even as structural elements, because the loading on a strut should be strictly along it's length.

Plastic ball and socket joints would definitely be a weak link -- if you're just using the struts for show, these would work fine, but if you want them to be load bearing consider that you're basically hanging a good part of the weight of the plane from them.

_If_ the struts are just for show, you could just drill holes in the fuselage sides, make the ends of the struts out of wire, and just plug them into the holes. But this wouldn't bear any weight.

I have seen ordinary steel quick links used.

Oy, but I wasn't thinking with my last reply! Those ought to be much stouter than nylon ball & socket joints -- and you can get the 1/4 scale ones that are stouter yet.

And yes -- I've seen them used, too, I just forgot :-(.

Ball links are actually quite tough. I think they'd work just fine on Robert's 70+ inch models. He would, of course, have to install them so that the load occurs in the right direction, otherwise they'd pop right off. In helicopters, the ball links take considerable loads, and they're pounded back and forth 2000 times a minute or so.

What I really like is the attachment method used on the new L-4 Grasshopper e-power model that Horizon sells. The wing end of the strut (double ended) has a small pin sticking out of the outside of each branch of the strut and a pair of small cylindrical receptacles on the wing. You just squeeze the two ends of the strut together a bit, line up the pins with the receptacles, then let go and the pins slide into place. I couldn't tell what they used on the inboard end. (I probably didn't make that very clear... check out the model at Horizon's website; it's a nice looking little airplane.)

I may try to replicate this set-up in my Cub. The Beaver is a little simpler because it has just a single strut (but man, those screws are tiny!).

Good flying, desmobob

I've seen a Cub model at the field that used hinges on the wing ends of the strut and a plastic ball/socket on the fuselage end. It seems like a very convenient and easy to build system, but I was concerned about the direction of the load on the ball/socket as Roland mentioned, as well as the possible loosening of the joint due to frequent disassembly/reassembly, which I don't think the ball/socket links are intended for.

I like is the attachment method used on the new L-4 Grasshopper e-power model that Horizon sells. The wing end of the strut (double ended) has a small pin sticking out of the outside of each branch of the strut and a pair of small cylindrical receptacles on the wing. You just squeeze the two ends of the strut together a bit, line up the pins with the receptacles, then let go and the pins slide into place. I couldn't tell what they used on the fuselage end. (I probably didn't make that very clear... there's a photo of it in the model's photo gallery at Horizon's website; it's a nice looking little airplane.)

I may try to replicate this set-up in my Cub but it's not applicable to the Beaver, which has single, not "Y" struts.

Good flying, desmobob

Wow! This message came through from the R/C Groups forum somehow... I don't know what I did, but sorry for the duplicate info.

Good flying, desmobob

Use metal clevices or quick links. If you want extra security slide a piece of silicon fuel tube over them.

Cheers,

Nigel

__________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature database 4893 (20100224) __________

The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.

As far as screws go, I change out many screws for cap screws and use a hex driver. This make many tasks easier. mk (microfasteners.com)

I already did that, but I generally forget to bring a screwdriver-style hex driver of the appropriate size and end up using a tiny L-shaped allen wrench that I keep in my field tool box. :-) I'll go to the Tower Hobbies site right now and add a driver to my shopping cart!

Good flying, desmobob

I became a believer. I got a set for the flight box and one for the shop, and couple extra of the most needed.( I misplace things) mk

On my work bench, I have a set of metric and a set of SAE by Wiha. What nice tools! I put two less expensive sets in my shopping cart... I'll try to fit them in my field tool box.

Good flying, desmobob