How to fasten servos?
 

I'm currently building a Zaunkönig from http://www.fiberplanes.de/ (yes, a mini-review will come when (if?) I get her in the air) . I'm planning on using a throttled Surestart for power and two 9 gram servos for aileron and elevator, and a 5 gram servo for throttle. When using standard servos there are those brass tubes and rubber "things" (I can't remember their names in English) for the screws. Is something similair necessary for small servos on a 1/2A-powered plane?

/Stefan

RE: How to fasten servos?
 

The Rubber thingees are Grommets and the brass part is a Thimble.

I am using Double sided tape for my small models. Just sticking them to the sides . 3M Scotch Foam Mounting Double-Sided Tape MMM #4011. It's the red one

A friend has started to glue his in with cheap painters caulk or bathroom tile sealant.

RE: How to fasten servos?
 

Thanks. Tape makes things a lot easier.

RE: How to fasten servos?
 

I've used the good red 3M tape as well. Cheaper substitutes may not hold it long term. The only downside is trying to dig it back out if/when the servo fails.

When mounting them to balsa, I first make a "pad" out of thick CA glue cured with accelerator.

RE: How to fasten servos?
 

That was a good tip! Thanks a lot.

RE: How to fasten servos?
 

I clean the servo cases with alcohol, then apply a piece of double sided tape and work it into the surface well with my thumb while the release paper is still on the opposite side. Then when I attach it, I peel the release paper, give the fuse side (or whereever I am mounting it) a very light mist of CA kicker, and apply a thin layer of CA to the tape surface before sticking the servo in place. Seems to stick pretty aggressively, but I am sure other methods work well too.

RE: How to fasten servos?
 

I screw mine in place, it can't get much simpler than that and it is easy to disassembled. For the throttle servo one can use a bit of soft rubber between the servo and the wood (it will not be a proper mount, but better than no rubber at all).

RE: How to fasten servos?
 

I only tape mount when the situation calls for it. Otherwise I'm happy with screw mounting as well.

RE: How to fasten servos?
 

Squishing the servo into a pile of Shoe Goop does a good job too. Like other's have said, the bare balsa wood mounting surface should be primed with thin CA first.

RE: How to fasten servos?
 

CP, I used to do Goop too, especially in foam. However I noticed that there was a lot of strange corrosion going on after a year or so. Since then I wrap masking tape around the servo case and pot the servo with gorrilla glue. GG holds it firmly in place and the tape allows me to remove the servo cleanly later on if I need to. Best part is the strange corrosion disappeared.;)

I didn't see the plane the OP listed on the website link. Everything in that site looked a bit big for 1/2a:eek:

RE: How to fasten servos?
 

Try here; [link]http://www.fiberplanes.de/cnc.htm[/link]

http://www.fiberplanes.de/bilder/zaun1.jpg

RE: How to fasten servos?
 

Thats much better!
They look pretty nice.
Back to the OP though, I think screws would be the best option.

RE: How to fasten servos?
 

I prefer screws. It gives a nice, clean installation that is easy to live with. If you ever need to remove the for maintenance or replacement, you'll be happy. I usually go with two rails crossing the fuselage, resting on a couple longitudinal pieces against the fuselage sides. The rails look a little beefy in the picture, but it's a pretty tiny plane (M.A.N. Microjet II)

RE: How to fasten servos?
 

I better let Tom Strom know about this corosion..! He's the one who gave me the tip about gluing servos into Q40's to give them the best isolation from vibration. I can see how GG would work well too.

RE: How to fasten servos?
 

Goop works great for putting servo trays into a Q40

RE: How to fasten servos?
 

When I use double sided tape I also use a small stick of balsa wedged in slightly from the other side of the frame, I glue the frame side but not the servo side...Rog

RE: How to fasten servos?
 

My opinion (which may not be worth much) is to NEVER use tape of any kind to attach servos. Although they usually stick very well to the plastic servo case, they often don't stick good enough or at all to the wood frames you are trying to stick them on. 1/2a airframes don't cost much and build up easy, but do you still want to chance destroying an airframe because you used double sided tape to attach a 12.00 servo?

I have found that goop or shoe-goo works very well, and it is true "a little dab will do ya" I glue the servos in place. Shoe-goo can usually be removed if needed (though its not always easy) but you never have to worry about it coming off!

Simply put a small drop on the side of the servo case and smush it on wherever it needs to go, the goop will spread out and squeeze out from around the edges making a super good bond, and it weighs less than trying to use those grommets and thimbles- (probably a bit more than double sided tape though)

L.R. [8D]

RE: How to fasten servos?
 

Is Shoe-goo the same as Liquid-sole?