Hi, guys/gals-

After doing a couple searches, I'd still really appreciate some advice on leadout attachments. I just received a couple of Eric Rule's (RSM) nice new CF bellcranks as advertised in SN this month. They have well rounded brass bushings (eyelets) in the leadout attach holes, which probably shouldn't require any further treatment past looping and wrapping the leadouts. However, I noticed that they're quite a bit bigger in I.D. (maybe about 1/8" ID) than required by the .027 wire. So when I loop the leadout wire through to begin wrapping (clamping with forceps), it only contacts the radiused bearing surface at two points, one on each side:



I don't think that line tension will change this. So, even though I might actually build a plane that will outlast my "crash and burn" phase...

1) Will this prove to be a problem?

2) If I thread the .027" wire through a loose fitting "U" or better shaped tube, is brass better than copper?

I was hoping to save some limited space in this model by avoiding the need for tubes, but I like to "do the right thing."

Thanks!

SK

Serge Krauss

Attachment #1, (jpg file)

I don't know if this leadout attachment method works, but were I to try it I'd put a dollop of grease on each attachment.

Howard Rush
Bellevue, WA

besides a bit of grease, take a needle nose pliers, slide the loop around, and bend a bit of a flat spot in the loop, that will ride on the side of the bushing. If you want to get really trick, make new leadouts and put short piece of brass or steel tubing in the bellcrank to take the wear, or do the trick of putting a piece of brass tubing over the leadout and bending it to shape so it rides on the side of the bushing.

Doing nothing is likely to encourage the leadout to wear a groove into the bushing and start flexing.

Phil C

I really like Phils suggestion. I remember making and installing a bushing in the old fox and Veco aluminum bellcranks.

I especially like the idea of using tubing.

I'm wondering why everything is spinning around?

John Miller

Practically speaking, it's my opinion that no modifications are necessary. If there is any way to over engineer a device, a modeler will find several expensive, labor intensive methods to waste time, effort and money.

What's wrong with Tom Morris's phenolic bellcrank which come with excellent leadouts already attached? Either of these bellcranks are good for thousands of trouble free flights without modifications. OCD anyone?

Al

>Hi, guys/gals-
>
>After doing a couple searches, I'd still really appreciate
>some advice on leadout attachments. I just received a couple
>of Eric Rule's (RSM) nice new CF bellcranks as advertised in
>SN this month. They have well rounded brass bushings (eyelets)
>in the leadout attach holes, which probably shouldn't require
>any further treatment past looping and wrapping the leadouts.
>However, I noticed that they're quite a bit bigger in I.D.
>(maybe about 1/8" ID) than required by the .027 wire. So
>when I loop the leadout wire through to begin wrapping
>(clamping with forceps), it only contacts the radiused bearing
>surface at two points, one on each side:
>
>
>
>I don't think that line tension will change this. So, even
>though I might actually build a plane that will outlast my
>"crash and burn" phase...
>
>1) Will this prove to be a problem?
>
>2) If I thread the .027" wire through a loose fitting
>"U" or better shaped tube, is brass better than
>copper?
>
>I was hoping to save some limited space in this model by
>avoiding the need for tubes, but I like to "do the right
>thing."
>
>Thanks!
>
>SK


Hi Serge,

I am certainly not an aerodynamic or engineering expert of any kind but I think Al makes a really good point in regards to this. Before I used Tom Morris's bellcranks, I was looping the .027 wire through annealed 1/16th copper tubing which in itself acts as a bushing which purpose is to not let the wire cut through the bellcrank or have the bellcrank eat through the wire over time due to line tension and wear. I do not know if copper or brass tubing is best. Tom uses brass and I have never had a failure with one of his. I used copper and never had a failure either. I have not seen Eric's bellcrank that you mention but knowing Eric it will be a first class piece of equipment like everything else he offers. If Eric's bellcrank has a built in bushing in the hole, then I would think that would be the same thing as running your leadout wire through brass or copper tubing as extra protection against failure.

I do think Al is right when he said we have a tendency to over engineer things at times. That mindset if a little will do the job, more should be better is not always true.

Mike

Those who would sacrifice freedom for security deserve neither - Ben Franklin

>I do think Al is right when he said we have a tendency to over
>engineer things at times. That mindset if a little will do
>the job, more should be better is not always true.
>

I don't really agree. Stunt, at least successful stunt, is about mastering *details*. The basic design above is probably sufficient but considering how it could be done better is certainly worth the effort. Particularly in the case of leadout end fittings, which are probably the place that needs the most improvement in terms of design.

You don't need an aft high point, asymmetrical airfoil to be successful in stunt. Nor do you need wiggling rudders, backwards bellcranks, nor ST60's with extra head fins welded on, But they were developed to address minor issues that were intended to be improvements.

Asking the same thing about the leadout end fittings is *in no way different* from that.

Brett

I would worry about wearing through the metal bushing and having the carbon rub againt the wire. I like Phil's suggestion.

Howard Rush
Bellevue, WA

Serge,

If you do use a U-tube as a 'thimble' through the bellcrank, I expect brass would be better than copper. The alloy should be harder than the pure copper.

But, what do I know?

Happy New Year!

\BEST\LOU

Thanks so much for the input, guys! While I've decided what to do and have accomplished most of the work here, please don't hesitate to post further, since I suspect that I and others will still be interested in your own observations and preferences.

I too liked Phil's tubing suggestion and have used it. I think Eric's CF bellcranks are super nice - probably would have outlasted several of my planes as-is - but I wanted to learn more and progress. So today I tried pre-made copper eyelets and brass tubing, and after a false start (having to extract some copper) I settled on inserting and tapping each end of a short piece of brass tubing. This flared its ends, locking it into the original-equipment eyelet while allowing freedom of rotation. Work was minimal and the tubing rotates quite freely. The brass is actually easier than the half-complete stock copper. I'll pass the leadout wire through it and, after looping and wrapping, I should be able to even drop in a small quantity of JB-Weld to keep the wire from working at all. I think these will be super nice and dependable controls.

Al, I was seriously considering using the Tom Morris phenolic bellcrank or Brett Buck style, especially since the phenolic would have allowed me to drill my flap-rod hole at an angle to accomodate centering the controls with line rake, but my plane has minimal space inside the wing root, and I wanted a little tilt, which the tubed leadout ends or bolts ate up. I will definitely use one of these on a larger model - perhaps my VERY unconventional next(?) one.

I am thinking about how I can safely bias the flap arm hole...

If I haven't made it clear, even with my concerns, founded or not, I think Eric's CF bellcranks are extremely nice, and anyone who wants to go a step further and take Phil's suggestion will find it ultra simple to do. Thanks again, everyone.

SK

Serge Krauss

>Thanks so much for the input, guys! While I've decided what
>to do and have accomplished most of the work here, please
>don't hesitate to post further, since I suspect that I and
>others will still be interested in your own observations and
>preferences.


Serge,

This is one detail where I like to put in a little extra effort to create a true bearing surface. Don't let this sketch scare you off, because it's not nearly as complicated as it looks.






Simply find a thimble of the correct outside diameter that mates well with the inside diameter of the bushing in the bellcrank. Cut it to the appropriate length, and JB Weld a flat washer on one end.

Thread your leadout cable through the thimble, bend as necessary to make a wire wrap joint, and when done, use a toothpick to add JB Weld around the cable where it exits both ends of the thimble. The thimble does not have to be full of JB Weld. You only need enough to ensure that the thimble moves with the cable. My sketch is idealized, and in reality, the cable will make a gentle arc, touching the edge of thimble in the direction the cable is bent.

You can either add a drop of oil when finished, or apply a small amount of white grease as you insert the thimble.

That's all there is to it....you've now got a true bearing surface with an order of magnitude more surface area than was illustrated in your drawing. (nice sketch, by the way)

Perhaps it's a bit of over-engineering, but that's part of the fun of building your own models....you get to be the boss !! I remember something that Windy Urtnowski once wrote, and it was something to the effect "...make every part the very best you can, before installing it in your model...". That philosophy sure works for him, and I try to incorporate it as much as possible in my projects.

Cheers.

Warren Wagner

Attachment #1, (jpg file)

>>Thanks so much for the input, guys! While I've decided
>what
>>to do and have accomplished most of the work here, please
>>don't hesitate to post further, since I suspect that I
>and
>>others will still be interested in your own observations
>and
>>preferences.
>
>
>Serge,
>
>This is one detail where I like to put in a little extra
>effort to create a true bearing surface. Don't let this
>sketch scare you off, because it's not nearly as complicated
>as it looks.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>Simply find a thimble of the correct outside diameter that
>mates well with the inside diameter of the bushing in the
>bellcrank. Cut it to the appropriate length, and JB Weld a
>flat washer on one end.
>
>Thread your leadout cable through the thimble, bend as
>necessary to make a wire wrap joint, and when done, use a
>toothpick to add JB Weld around the cable where it exits both
>ends of the thimble. The thimble does not have to be full of
>JB Weld. You only need enough to ensure that the thimble
>moves with the cable. My sketch is idealized, and in reality,
>the cable will make a gentle arc, touching the edge of thimble
>in the direction the cable is bent.
>
>You can either add a drop of oil when finished, or apply a
>small amount of white grease as you insert the thimble.
>
>That's all there is to it....you've now got a true bearing
>surface with an order of magnitude more surface area than was
>illustrated in your drawing. (nice sketch, by the way)
>
>Perhaps it's a bit of over-engineering, but that's part of the
>fun of building your own models....you get to be the boss !!
>I remember something that Windy Urtnowski once wrote, and it
>was something to the effect "...make every part the very
>best you can, before installing it in your model...".
>That philosophy sure works for him, and I try to incorporate
>it as much as possible in my projects.
>
>Cheers.
>
>Warren Wagner

I really like this method and don't think it's overkill.
there is another thing to consider with putting a cable through a hole and letting friction work between the edges of the hole and the strands of the cable.
The individual wires in the cable are very small and where they contact the edges of the hole can create very high unit loadings and add to wear from fretting. In other words the cable is not a smooth surface to contact the mating surface of the "Bearing" and therefore puts more wearing load where it contacts the edge. I don't think lubricating this joint will help very much.


Randy C

A little off topic. I flew my #7 Easy for some 7 years before the outside wing came off. I had someones white plastic 4 inch bellcrank. I put teflon (like for CA applications) tubing over the cable leadouts. There was no wear at all.

Which fails more often, the basic bellcrank leadouts or the adjustable elevator pushrods on stunt ships? Actually, I don't have much against adjustable controls since I originated many of the commonly used adjustments myself, but there seems to be unnecessary concern and over-engineering of simple, inherently reliable systems,

Al

>Which fails more often, the basic bellcrank leadouts or the
>adjustable elevator pushrods on stunt ships?

Leadouts, by about a factor of 100 based on my experience over the last 20 years. Adjustable control failures are rare, and limited almost entirely to people who still use clevises. Ball-link failures are almost unheard of.

On the other hand, I see 2-3 leadout failures a year, almost entirely at the bellcrank end.

Brett

>>Which fails more often, the basic bellcrank leadouts or
>the
>>adjustable elevator pushrods on stunt ships?
Al

> On the other hand, I see 2-3 leadout failures a year,
>almost entirely at the bellcrank end.
>
> Brett

And you are comparing those failed bellcrank/leadout Assemblies with the two bushed configurations we are discussing here? I never suggested that just any assembly was adequate. I was just remarking that "gilding the Lilly" isn't required when choosing a competent, likely reliable, configuration.

Al

I'll second Brett on this. Leadouts are much more likely to fail, especially at the bellcrank. The most likely source of failure is to run the stranded leadout wire through the bellcrank and form the loop just a bit too tight. It only takes a very slight tightness in the loop and the wire will start to grind through the bellcrank. If the loop is slightly too tight the termination acts as a lever when the loop binds, sawing the wire into the bellcrank. Howard's point about the stranded wire showing very high point loads is a good one.

some sort of bushing on the wire is the easiest way to go.

Another possible failure point is vibration. The leadout is constrained at the bellcrank end and can focus vibration in the lines and leadouts into the termination. That can lead to premature fatigue failure. Being able to inspect and replace the leadouts is a great feature to build into the plane. That is one reason I started using monoline button type terminations on bellcranks years ago, along with an access hatch to get to them.

Phil C

>A little off topic. I flew my #7 Easy for some 7 years
>before the outside wing came off. I had someones white
>plastic 4 inch bellcrank. I put teflon (like for CA
>applications) tubing over the cable leadouts. There was no
>wear at all.

Reminds me. I'm working on a couple of planes with external bellcranks (one of which is a #7 EASY), and for those solid leadouts make a lot of sense.

Not too many folks would recommend solids overall, but the bellrank connection issue certainly disappears!

Larry Fulwider

Anyone ever remove the cover on an inline 6 cylinder Mercury Outboard?


Ward

>Anyone ever remove the cover on an inline 6 cylinder Mercury
>Outboard?
>
>
>Ward

????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

Larry NorCal Circle Jerks

Did you consider contacting Eric Rule and asking him if he perhaps designed the bellcranks to allow copper tubing with the leadouts running through the tubing bent in the same way as one does it with a regular nylon or similar bellcrank? Reason I ask is I agree that just running leadout wire through the hole will no doubt cause the leadout wire to break (wear through) a strand at a time as previously mentioned and being as Eric made the holes larger it sounds to me that he may have intended copper tubing to be used or a bushing of some kind, the excellence of every item Eric sells tells me that he would not have designed or sold anything that would be prone to causing a disaster.
Maybe if Eric sees this post he could chime in as it may be very helpful to those that are not as experienced as Brett,Phil, Howard, John, Randy and all the others that offered very good suggestions.
Incidently I have had a 1/16" phenolic bellcrank (which was the normal size), break straight through the centre from pushrod hole corner through the pushrod hole and bellcrank mount hole after losing line tension the model flying accross the circle and snapping the lines tight when I used to fly FAI combat in Europe, with the older heavier models using Oliver Tiger diesels prior to changing to flying glow powered foamies, so no it seems that no method is truly unbreakable,that said I use homemade phenolic bellcranks using thicker material on my stunt models except I dont cut the middle out like Tom Morris does as the wieght saved is negligable, ever since I bought a set of Tom Morris controls and and decided to make my own similar to his system with my own modifications.
At least that is what I did when I was still building and flying.
Richard.

If one has nothing good to say about another they should not say anything at all

>Did you consider contacting Eric Rule and asking him if he perhaps designed the bellcranks to allow copper tubing with the leadouts running
>through the tubing bent in the same way as one does it with a regular nylon or similar bellcrank?

Yes, I talked to Eric on the phone when I ordered them. They got here in the midwest from California (I think) in only a couple days. I enjoyed our discussion very much, and based on our conversation, I'm pretty sure he is monitoring this thread. He doesn't comment though. He feels, as Al does, that the smooth, rounded eyelets are sufficient, but I believe chose the diamenter to allow for all choices. It was so easy to pass the brass tubing or copper eyelets through that I followed Phil's suggestion. J-B Weld is setting up in the first of the two tubes as I type ('hope I haven't gotten it into the bearing surface edge!).

SK

Serge Krauss

Happy New Year's Day...and thereafter! I got up this A.M. to check the J-B Weld and see whether my first leadout attachment was a success, before finishing the second. It had not taken any time at all to do, but the J-B epoxy required quite a few hours to set. Well, everything works really well, and the 28-gauge wire I used for wrapping made a light, compact installation.

Clearances are about perfect - EXCEPT FOR ONE THING. Neatness can be overdone...'brain fade. I forgot the basic idea and left myself only 34 degrees of bellcrank rotation, before the loop meets the smooth, rounded edge of my bellcrank arm. She-e-e-e-e-sh! I think that this allows ample, probably excessive, flap deflection at 1:1, but white-knuckling it will get one to that place. I put the 4" bellcrank in my hand, like a handle, and can also see that this deflection is about the maximum that the wrist can normally make.

So...I may just use it as-is, although changing it isn't that much trouble - just an annoyance. The clearances otherwise are so good that I'd hate to give up their advantages in this particular wing.

Anyway, for those interested in this thread, I think that this bellcrank is neally nice and with the tube bearing makes a simple, elegant, and compact control package. 'just don't overdo it.

SK

Serge Krauss

I think you will be fine, I went from Intermediate to Advanced flying a modified Twister that only had about 18 deg of elevator deflection. Several years ago I flew it with a video camera pointed at the elevator. Never used the available travel anywhere in the pattern.

>Clearances are about perfect - EXCEPT FOR ONE THING. Neatness
>can be overdone...'brain fade. I forgot the basic idea and
>left myself only 34 degrees of bellcrank rotation, before the
>loop meets the smooth, rounded edge of my bellcrank arm.
>She-e-e-e-e-sh! I think that this allows ample, probably
>excessive, flap deflection at 1:1, but white-knuckling it will
>get one to that place. I put the 4" bellcrank in my hand,
>like a handle, and can also see that this deflection is about
>the maximum that the wrist can normally make.
>
>So...I may just use it as-is, although changing it isn't that
>much trouble - just an annoyance. The clearances otherwise are
>so good that I'd hate to give up their advantages in this
>particular wing.
>SK

Serge,
This is the point that I was trying to make in my first reply. While obsessing over the bellcrank bushings, you are willing to rationalize a poor bellcrank installation and risk building a poorly maneuvering airplane.

Also, the rationalization that the bellcrank movement would be enough based on holding a 4" bellcrank in hand and observing its deflection is based on the thought that wrist movement is the sole input to flight maneuvers. In fact, movements of the body and arm greatly increase the effective travel of the leadouts. Up control is frequently increased during maneuvers by pulling the handle upward toward the right shoulder or rotating the body clockwise. Outside maneuvers are tightened by extra leadout travel when subconsciously pulling the handle toward the lower left side or rotating the body counter-clockwise to tighten corners. These motions of the body are instinctive and have to be considered when designing the airplane's control system. These motions of the arm and body need not be exaggerated and are more than common to most flyers. In fact, body motions when maneuvering are nearly universal. Look at videos of stunt flyers in action. If wrist movement only were to operate the leadout movement, then restricted movement of the bellcrank is a real killer.

Al

Hmmmm...I just had to log in for the first time in years.

Al-

Point is well taken. The situation is interesting though, since it concerns the "slack" line, which must flex slightly past 34 degrees - oops, that's 38 degrees, upon better measurement - when tension is retained. My concern is naturally about fatiguing.

SK

Serge Krauss

'forgot-

For those who haven't bailed out yet, here's the gadget:



SK

Serge Krauss

Attachment #1, (jpg file)

Larry, if you have an external bellcrank the best way is to run the lines directly to the bellcrank. Eliminate 4 terminations and two connectors that can cause trouble.

Phil C

>Larry, if you have an external bellcrank the best way is to
>run the lines directly to the bellcrank. Eliminate 4
>terminations and two connectors that can cause trouble.

I don't want to. I like solids for external bellcranks.

Good advice, but I've had to change everything I learned from 50 years ago except how to do a good set of solid leadouts. I'll be darned if I'm giving that up!

Larry Fulwider

> . . .
>I too liked Phil's tubing suggestion and have used it. . . .
> . . . So today I tried pre-made copper eyelets
>and brass tubing, and after a false start (having to extract
>some copper) I settled on inserting and tapping each end of a
>short piece of brass tubing. This flared its ends, locking it
>into the original-equipment eyelet while allowing freedom of
>rotation. Work was minimal and the tubing rotates quite
>freely. The brass is actually easier than the half-complete
>stock copper. . . .
> . . .

Serge --

Or, you could call it Warren's method with your flare (and flair) instead of washers. Or Phil's method, or . . . At this point, seems like a possible new easy way for phenolics also. I'm ready to copy it, anyway.

Since you've already done it, save us some experimenting time --

1. What size brass?
2. What size tap to get a nice flare?
3. How did you hold the tubing to "tap" the second end?
4. Did you anneal the brass tubing? I can imagine problems if you do, and problems if you don't.

I think I know, but let's hear from the guy that's "dun it"

You will show a pic, I'm sure

Larry Fulwider

Larry-

>Since you've already done it, save us some experimenting time

I hate to disappoint anyone, but I don't have a vast array of appropriate, sophisticated tools. So I just did what I thought would be sufficient.

>1. What size brass?

The eyelet openings are just a hair (my best measurement unit) under 1/8" in inside diameter and about 5/32" deep, as installed. So I used the closest thing I had, which was 3/32" O.D. brass tubing, cut to lengths of about 7/32".

>2. What size tap to get a nice flare?

No fancy stuff - just nail sets and center punches that I have for mundane uses, a very fine rat-tail file, and a ball peen hammer. I don't know how they are classified in size. Here are the items involved, minus the hammer:



>3. How did you hold the tubing to "tap" the second
>end?

After squaring off and smoothing the tubing ends and filing briefly around the inner edge, I just placed the cut piece of tubing into the bellcrank eyelet as the bellcrank lay flat on a piece of marble. I (hammer) tapped it with the most mildly tapered item in the picture to widen out the diameter some on the top side. Then I used the next one, and finally the most obtuse. I guess I reused each a time or two, until the piece looked as it does in the picture (by the way, that's a scan of the actual parts, rather than a photo). I don't go so far as to make the piece snug. After the stage seen in the scan, I turn the whole thing over and repeat the process on the other side. Finally, I alternate sides until I'm worried about getting it too tight. I judge this by inserting the file snugly and pushing it in and out to see how much the part moves. When it ceases to move perceptively, I stop. I doubt that the inner bearing surfaces match in shape that well, but I'm sure they have a smoother and larger area of contact on the leadout side. After looping the leadout wire through and wrapping it, I use a tooth pick to fill the space around the wire with J-B Weld, hoping that this will keep the wire from moving within the tube and ensuring that the tube rotates as needed in the bellcrank eyelet. I'm depending on the firmness of the cable and J-B Weld to keep the tube within the eyelet, if it should wear through the flared ends. Nothing sophisticated, and the time spent making and installing that flared tube is much less than the time I've spent typing this - unless I screw it up and have to remove it (Ha!).

I tried using the copper eyelets, because of their broad flare, but they are softer and thinner walled, so I decided on brass. They are "fun" to remove.

>4. Did you anneal the brass tubing? I can imagine problems if
>you do, and problems if you don't.
>
>I think I know, but let's hear from the guy that's "dun
>it"

No, I just used scraps lying around "as-is".

>You will show a pic, I'm sure

I wasn't so sure, but this scanner that can't even scan a photo well anymore seems to make a good "camera". So there you have it.

SK

Serge Krauss

Attachment #1, (jpg file)

Just a quick follow-up note. After posting the above picture and while waiting for the J-B Weld to dry on my second leadout this weekend, I decided to use that half-formed part to quickly(!) rig up the second bellcrank.

I quickly(!) learned the following:

1) that a (very) slightly longer tube insert might work better.

2) that one should start one side just enough that the tube cannot pass through from that side, before starting the other side, and then alternate sides until everything is right.

3) and finally, when nearly finished, that just one tap at a time is the best policy!

I finally overdid it and need to grind off a flange from the offending part and...well, do it right. As everyone knows, the quick job gets disproportionately longer, when mistakes are made. Aside from one tap too many, I think that going too far on one side, before attending to the other, is unwise.

SK

Serge Krauss

Interesting thread so far.

At the moment I am building a Tony Eifflander ‘Freebird’ and have it on good advice that he simply hard soldered his lead-outs directly onto a steel crank!

This would mean that there is no pivot point at all and the flex of the wire has to provide all the necessary movement needed.

He also used a one-piece push rod system; that’s right the entire push rod(s) was one piece of piano wire looped from above down through the crank arm to continue back to other control horn in a ‘U’ shaped fashion.

No ball joints, no thimbles, no bushes were anywhere to be seen on the control system and he competed at a national level in Britain and Europe with never a problem.

If it helps flyers sleep at night then by all means include whatever seems the soundest engineering principal you can conjure up but it all adds weight and job time.

Thanks.

Darn nice pencil drawings btw.


MM

Serge,

Going through my collection of lead-out sets (Sullivan), I
find that .027 dia lead outs are class A-B (.051-.29).

Judging from your pictures of the bellcrank, the plane is
more like a class C-D (.30-.60). Those lead outs are .035.
I seem to remember Brett Buck talking about using .035 or .036.

Be sure to use large enough lead-out cables.

Rex

Rex-

This is for an LA-.25 plane, but I hadn't really been thinking about appropriateness for larger planes. I think I have .027's on my .40-powered plane too. Thanks for mentioning it.

SK

Serge Krauss

Serge,

I know that John Brodak ships .027 leadouts with his Oriental
and Fancy Pants; when my Oriental piled in due to a broken lead-out
(after reading Brett Buck's thread about 4 years ago) I realized that
he should have been shipping .036's.

I tried to talk him out of it, but the best I did was a replacement
kit at cost.

Rex

I personally won't do a braided leadout in any manor other than the method that Paul Walker show me almost 20 years ago. They act like a hack saw .

John Leidle

> I personally won't do a braided leadout in any manor other
>than the method that Paul Walker show me almost 20 years ago.
>They act like a hack saw .

Come on John....you can't leave us hanging like that ! <grin> Please briefly describe (with photo, if possible) what that method was that Paul Walker showed you.

TIA

Cheers.

Warren Wagner

Hi Warren,
I need to insert a drawing instead of writing but I will try...
1) Start with a PSP ( Windy) bellcrank
2) Slot it at the end where the leadout hole is, slot it so a leadout cable can be slid through.
3) Take a Sig eyelet & wrap a leadout wire around the eyelet & finish wraping it as you would wrap a leadout outside the wingtip.
4) Stick the eyelet - leadout combo into the fork slot in the bellcrank end .
5) Install a 4-40 bolt through the bellcrank hole to hold the leadout.
6) Spin the bolt into a blindnut to ( blindnut on the under side) .
7) Hotstuff the bolt & blindnut to act as lock tight.
I believe this method was used on the first B-17.
A picture says a thousand words.

John Leidle

Serge,

Ijust finished a set on the Bipe; tube thimbles.






Rex

Keep you lines tight !

Attachment #1, (jpg file)