John C

I'm working along on my Honker Racer, some plans bashing going on. I'll discuss more once it's done and I see how it flys .

Anyhow, I'm looking for a source of a fuel tank other than a Sullivan SS2. and 1/2A aluminum landing gear like my HOB Spacewalker. I've checked SIg, Hobby Lobby, Tower, etc. but I'm finding little to nothing listed. Thus the question, what's your 1/2A components source [sm=confused.gif]

Thanks,

John C

vicman

My Feedback: (10)

If you can get me a sample of the gear you want I may be able to help
pm me with a sketch or pic.

Andrew

John --

The aluminum gear for the SIG Hummer will work -- part no. SIGRPBA250. When you get to the SIG site, do a part number search for: SIGRPBA250 It can also be found in:

Sig Accessories & Parts --> Accessories & Replacement Parts --> Formed Aluminum Landing Gears

ptulmer

My Feedback: (5)

I've bought individual components from HOB before. Give'em a call. Great people!

Dubro makes alot of 1/2a accessories, including 2oz tanks. Or cut one out of tin and solder it together. Awhile back there was an article in Flying Models by (I think it was) DB.

Here's a nice main gear that I've thought about ordering. http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXCFS3&P=0
If you use it, I'd like to know the weight.

dieFluggeister

I have the basic Honker and love it. I would be very interested to hear how your racer flys. The 2oz Dubro tank is a tight fit even in the chunky fuse.

How many oz tank are you looking for? Would the fuji film tank work?

John C

Thanks for all of the ideas. Further question - where can I get some 4-40 X 1" nylon screws for my bolt on wing mounting? I've got 6-32, but they look a bit big.

I think I will call HOB and see if I can get the tank and landing gear from the Spacewalker. I had my LHS order the DuBro 1/2A aileron linkage earlier today, should get it next week. Apparently there is not an on-line hobby shop specializing in 1/2A components?

Just covered the elevator and horizontal stab and am getting ready to do the tape hinge thing. Also, mounted the aileron servo horizontal to the wing and preped the three other servos on a mount for the fuselage. Until I get a tank and the tailfeathers completed, I won't know where the servos will end up in the fuselage. Wing covering on hold until the linkage and ailerons preped - cut off the wing though

Thanks,

John C

AndyW

My Feedback: (1)

Most of the tanks commercially available are just jury rigged down to a small size with no thought as to the size of the other components relative to the tank size. Plus, they give you standard fuel tubing for the clunk and she no clunk.

What I do is look in the department stores for small sample shampoo bottles or even hair spray for that Elvis look, or give it to your better half. As shown, the capacity is 30 ml and that's just over one ounce. Perfect for 1/2A. When the bottle's empty, cut off the neck and here's the tricky part. Use a number 11 Xacto to get close, then use a Dremel drum sander and work out the tank neck to size BY HAND. Don't even think of using the power tool for this operation. Work it in and out and around, until you feel no more drag on the drum and you will now have a hole that's just right for a snug fit on your stopper. Then, with soap and water, wash and flush out the plastic slag.

The stopper comes with three holes, two for tubing and one for the screw. You set aside the screw and the plastic squash plates. You don't need them with the hole in the tank in the size you just made. It'll be a nice, tight fit. Now you take some brass tubing and solder a short piece 1/8" the next size up, in the middle. The hole in the center, for the screw, is slightly larger and won't hold the fuel back for long. The extra diameter takes care of this and helps to hold it in place. This center tubing becomes your fuel delivery line. In a three tank system, the other two holes do their job and if a two line, you plug one hole.

Not that having the fuel pickup line in the center of the stopper places it, and the clunk, in a more functional location, equidistant from all corners of the tank. A flat tank as you see has the advantage that your fuel head changes much less from a full to an empty tank. Banking and even knife edge hasn't exposed any problems here.

Depending on the diameter of the fuel line you have, sometimes the OD is just right for a snug, leak free fit and the center brass tubing can be eliminated.

These tanks have been run for the last five years or more, even on muffler pressure and I've never had a problem. Eventually, the stopper takes a 'set" where the tank pinches it but this can take up to three years and in any case, its a problem with a regular tank.

Illustrated is the tank set up using components turned down on my lathe. As an article on this was contemplated, a non machinist version was developed and that's what's described in the preceding. I have two of those flying right now for two years and no leaks, no errors. I used a custom clunk and thin wall tubing in my early versions. Stock fuel tubing can work as long as you use the standard clunk that goes with the original.

A caveat. Works on Sullivan and Dubro stoppers. Are there any other brands? If so, check the diameter.

Works for me, hope that helps.

Bipe Flyer

My favourite tank for 1/2A is the Hayes 2oz. It has a very small non-rubber stopper that doesn't come loose and there is no plumbing to setup. Just cut the clunk line to length and push on the stopper retainer ring and it is ready to go.

http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXK828&P=ML

SIG makes inexpensive landing gear blanks in various sizes. You just need to drill and bend them to suit.
http://www.sigmfg.com/cgi-bin/dpsmar...h_02KeyWord_01

combatpigg

My Feedback: (3)

I second the motion on the HAYES 2oz. The other thing I highly recommend is SULLIVAN small size fuel line. I have never seen 4-40 nylon screws, they sound too wimpy to me for wing hold down duty. A single countersunk phillips head wood screw looks clean and does the job nicely[with a doweled LE]. I have a scrap sheet of .040 aluminum that I have made LG from, the axles are 4-40 machine screws.

Andrew

Binder Head

[link=http://www.microfasteners.com/catalog/products/NYL.cfm]Microfasteners[/link]

dieFluggeister

1705493- Andy
I like your use of the mini bottles. I was curious, have you tried heat to get the right neck size? With boiling water and a little ingenuity, bottle necks can be shrunk or even expanded to size. A very warm frypan will curl the rim for added strenth, and a red hot pointy thing is great for making holes that are much less prone to splitting than of drilled ones.

(Dont tell the wife about the frypan thing...)

John C

Thanks for all the input .

I've placed my Microfastners order for a variety of stuff including the 4-40 nylon screws. I used two I had for mounting my HOB Spacewalker wing at the rear, capturing the front by the fuselage sides and spacer/stops inside the fuselage to keep the wing from moving sideways. No issues with this. I'm planning on screwing down the four corners of the Honker wing - hardwood mounts in fuselage in place. I'll probably put some dowel stock or ply for the screw head to load against in the wing.

I'll either do Sig or HOB for the landing gear...their 2 oz. tank that comes with the Spacewalker has the small, screw in opening for the clunk tube. Don't know if it is a Hayes or not though. I made a standoff from 1/4 sq. balsa at the firewall for this tank.

I just put the Norvel .074 back in the Spacewalker in case the weather is good tomorrow - windy and cloudy today, although 45 F

JOhn C