balancing lo-wing
06-09-2013, 12:07 PM
#1
Thread Starter
balancing lo-wing
I just finished assembling a super chipmunk,,,,,,also have a GSS,,I was wondering if it is okay to balance these upright instead of inverted. I was shopping for a good balancer,,,a couple of them claim you can balance them upright,,Im a little confused cause I was always under the assumsion? that these low wing aircraft should be balanced inverted,,,,,,,What is the way? While Im at it what is a good balancer that I can rely on?
THX-TAZZZZ
THX-TAZZZZ
06-09-2013, 12:37 PM
#2
RE: balancing lo-wing
Balance inverted, the best balancer I have found is my fingers. get it into the CG range in the instructions and adjust after flying. There is more bandwidth wasted on the topic of CG then needed. IMO it's more important to measure the airplane to see where your incidences and thrust line is before flying yet with an ARF most people don't.
06-09-2013, 07:03 PM
#3
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RE: balancing lo-wing
Actually, you can balance a low wing upright, but it's just easier to have the weight of the fuse on the bottom which acts like a pendulum.
It is easy to build your own. Most people in this hobby have the skills and tools to make their own balancer. You can make a very nice solid balancer for about $10.00 with parts from the hardware store. Here is a parts list and a picture of mine.
Shower door rollers have ball bearings
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Prime-Lin...6201/100237765
Storm door turnbuckle rods
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Wright-Pr...V691/202065835
4 rubber feet
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Shepherd-...9131/100148565
A couple 1/4 x 20 stove bolts and wing nuts.
Some scrap wood for the base and arms.
Epoxy the rollers into some 1/4" plywood for wing supports and add a little foam tape to protect the wing.
Mount the rollers to the ends of the turnbuckles ( the turnbubles already have holes in the ends for this).
Make some arms out of some scrap wood, drill 1/4" holes and epoxy the turnbuckles into the wood arms. Add the rubber feet to the bottom and you are good to go.
You can see in the photos how the arms need to be built to slide along the base for different size planes. This balancer will handle my 150 Twist with a Saito 220. Plenty strong
It is easy to build your own. Most people in this hobby have the skills and tools to make their own balancer. You can make a very nice solid balancer for about $10.00 with parts from the hardware store. Here is a parts list and a picture of mine.
Shower door rollers have ball bearings
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Prime-Lin...6201/100237765
Storm door turnbuckle rods
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Wright-Pr...V691/202065835
4 rubber feet
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Shepherd-...9131/100148565
A couple 1/4 x 20 stove bolts and wing nuts.
Some scrap wood for the base and arms.
Epoxy the rollers into some 1/4" plywood for wing supports and add a little foam tape to protect the wing.
Mount the rollers to the ends of the turnbuckles ( the turnbubles already have holes in the ends for this).
Make some arms out of some scrap wood, drill 1/4" holes and epoxy the turnbuckles into the wood arms. Add the rubber feet to the bottom and you are good to go.
You can see in the photos how the arms need to be built to slide along the base for different size planes. This balancer will handle my 150 Twist with a Saito 220. Plenty strong
06-09-2013, 10:58 PM
#4
RE: balancing lo-wing
ORIGINAL: tazzzz
I just finished assembling a super chipmunk,,,,,,also have a GSS,,I was wondering if it is okay to balance these upright instead of inverted. I was shopping for a good balancer,,,a couple of them claim you can balance them upright,,Im a little confused cause I was always under the assumsion? that these low wing aircraft should be balanced inverted,,,,,,,What is the way? While Im at it what is a good balancer that I can rely on?
THX-TAZZZZ
I just finished assembling a super chipmunk,,,,,,also have a GSS,,I was wondering if it is okay to balance these upright instead of inverted. I was shopping for a good balancer,,,a couple of them claim you can balance them upright,,Im a little confused cause I was always under the assumsion? that these low wing aircraft should be balanced inverted,,,,,,,What is the way? While Im at it what is a good balancer that I can rely on?
THX-TAZZZZ
This is how I balance my larger planes, high or low wing, makes it easy to decide where you need to move batteries & things around.
See Pix
Cheers
06-11-2013, 02:38 AM
#6
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RE: balancing lo-wing
Yes I too am now using the Vanessa Rig and for the first while I didn't trust it because it was too easy .. It is cheap to build . Works on any size plane.. ( anything I have run into so far ) 5 lbs to 45 lbs High wing or low wing... Just remeber too put your slings on before you attach you struts ...
