green river rc

My Feedback: (2)

I would like to see how you guys reel in and store your lines. I have my lines on one of those yellow Sullivan spools. I have been reeling mine in by hand, and using my index finger to help keep the lines seperated. This works great, but takes forever! There must be an easier way. I tried a U-Reely once but to heavy and bulkey.

RRyan

Hi River,

Here's what I made for reeling in lines.

downunder

I store mine on what is designed to be the handle as well. There's a groove for both the up and down lines with winding handles attached but because I don't use it as a flying handle I disconnect the lines from my handle then slip the ends through a hole in each groove and attach them to that solid wire. Then it's just a simple matter of keeping one line tight as you wind and walk towards the model. To keep the free end of the lines in the groove I push in a small length of fuel tubing. These were very common handles in Australia (you can still get them), the one in the photo is plastic but they were also made from nylon and cast aluminium and are 5" in diameter. Something similar made from laminated ply would work just as well.

green river rc

My Feedback: (2)

RRyan, thats what I'm talking about! Do you have a closer look at the wire on the handle. Does it keep from tangling the lines. What's the little thing on the end of the wire, opposite of the handle? Must be some sort of guide? downunder, yours is cool to, but your reel is differant from mine.

gcb

green river rc,

One habit you should acquire is to walk your lines often. That is, with a cloth or paper towel (preferably saturated with some WD40 or equivalent) grasp the lines separated by a finger and walk down them to clean them, lubricate them, and check for kinks or broken strands (frays). At the same time you can check that the terminations and connectors are in good shape.
You can do this separately, then roll up the lines, or do both at once..as you may be doing now. Your choice.
I prefer cleaning and checking them as I roll them out AND as I roll them up. I developed that habit after losing a plane to a broken control line.

George

RRyan

The wire on the handle was ment as a guide and it sorta' works, the black at the end is shrunk tubing to keep the lines from rubbing on the steel wire. George has the right idea though, walk your lines after every flight and before you roll them up. Also, don't drag them through the grass or across the pavement. I have dedicated lines and handles for my airplanes and I leave the handle on and walk to it as I wind. I found if I drag them they always end up uneven up to almost a full reel circumference.

green river rc

My Feedback: (2)

Alright, sounds like good advice. I was dragging my handle as I would wind up my reel. I plan to get started on a winding device similar to RRyans right away. I'll post a picture when I'm done. I was already told about whipping down my lines, but haven't done it yet. Any more advice from you guys is greatly appreciated.

downunder

Never put any type of oil on your lines when you wipe them, they must be clean and dry. There's less friction between dry lines than there is with oiled and you'll appreciate this after a few loops have twisted the lines. Usually I'll just use a clean rag and wipe them until no more black shows on the rag but every so often I'll give them a clean with the rag soaked in methylated spirits or straight methanol (not fuel).

Jim Thomerson

The way to roll up your lines is carefully!. I wipe my lines before and after each flight with dry paper towel. It is amazing how black the marks on the towel are. Never put any pressure on your lines to separate them when wiping down. If they seem twisted, shake them until they loosen up and then proceed.

Jim

vertical grimmace

My Feedback: (1)

The way I roll up my lines is to first walk them out and make sure all of the wraps from loops are out, walking from plane to handle so as to allow the wraps to unwind. After disconecting at the plane I put the lines on the reel and then facing directly away from the plane I reel up my lines with them between my legs. This allows you to create tension and free both hands to wind them up. This is very fast and if done properly should work just fine. All of this cleaning and wiping stuff is fine and of course you should always inspect your terminations and kinks but that should be done before the roll up. I fly combat and believe me, I have a lot of experience with lines!
In fact I would suggest buyin them in bulk (1000') rolls as it is much cheaper. Then since you cut them you will learn about terminations and get them cut to the proper length.

AJ Sun

This post was on page 76 and I have had a few questions about lines. I have two sets of very old Sullivan fifty nine foot I think 7 stran. Sense I got back into U Control I’ve made some new lines. As short as fifty footers for wind correction. I unwrapped both of my old fifty nine foot Sullivan’s and found a pretty good kink in the down line. On only one set. The strands are not broken just kinked. I’ve always use copper to wrap my thimbled ends. And double back with another copper wrap. Back in the day that’s how the AF sgts instructed on the proper way to rap line ends. Today instead of using Ambroad glue I use the cryolactic thick formula and cover it with heat shrink. Back in the 60s that was not with us. What do you guys think about that kink, should I fly it or scrap it ? AJ