Would you install your elevator servos in balsa?
12-24-2012, 07:42 PM
#1
Would you install your elevator servos in balsa?
I'm a bit perplexed right now. [&:]
I am assembling a VQ giant scale Fly Baby. After cutting out the covering for the horizontal stab, I was able to see inside the fuselage. There are areas cut out of the wood for mounting the elevator servos. Only thing is, it looks like just plain ol' balsa wood to me. [X(]
Personally, I would not install servos in balsa sheet on even a park flyer. But maybe my thinking is flawed......
What's you guys opinions?
I am assembling a VQ giant scale Fly Baby. After cutting out the covering for the horizontal stab, I was able to see inside the fuselage. There are areas cut out of the wood for mounting the elevator servos. Only thing is, it looks like just plain ol' balsa wood to me. [X(]
Personally, I would not install servos in balsa sheet on even a park flyer. But maybe my thinking is flawed......
What's you guys opinions?
12-24-2012, 08:49 PM
#2
RE: Would you install your elevator servos in balsa?
Servo screws into ply of some type is my rule... Can you cut some small rectangles of ply and glue to the balsa area? Sometimes it needs to go behind the existing mounting surface so the servo will sit down inside flush..
12-24-2012, 09:11 PM
#3
RE: Would you install your elevator servos in balsa?
I agree with you foodstick. Needs ply at a minimum. I will be able to do something, not sure what yet. I can reach inside with a tool to place pieces of plywood. Just seems so strange to me. I am wondering if it is not balsa, but some sort of Viet Nam jungle wood that has the look of balsa. Tomorrow when it's light outside I am going to poke it from the inside with an Xacto. I suppose I should have done that already. It just really threw me for a curve.
12-25-2012, 08:18 AM
#8
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RE: Would you install your elevator servos in balsa?
You should be able to glue plywood reinforcements internally on the balsa through the hole intended for the servo.
If it is impossible to access the servo mount from behind for reinforcement and if the balsa is thick enough. What I have done with good result in the past is to enlarge the holes in the balsa to about 6mm (1/4 inch).
Then I have cut lengths of hardwood dowels and glued then in the enlarged holes, flush with the outside surface. New holes were drilled in the dowels for the servo screws, add a few drops of thin CA in the hole and all this becomes like concrete.
Then I have cut lengths of hardwood dowels and glued then in the enlarged holes, flush with the outside surface. New holes were drilled in the dowels for the servo screws, add a few drops of thin CA in the hole and all this becomes like concrete.
mike
12-25-2012, 09:36 AM
#10
RE: Would you install your elevator servos in balsa?
you need some forceps with a angled head, tape the ply piece to the forcep, apply glue to the upper face ..slide it in ,position it and gently clamp it with the forcep.. Also a small clamp will work in many cases as well.
12-25-2012, 10:53 AM
#11
RE: Would you install your elevator servos in balsa?
Now that it is daylight again and I had all my worklights on I took another look inside, and poked it with my Xacto knife. It's definitely balsa wood that I am looking at.
However, epoxyearl (from another thread) was spot on about it possibly being "balsa plywood" because in a cutout below I can see the thin ply sandwiched between two thin sheets of balsa wood.
I will reinforce it though to be safe.
Thanks guys!
However, epoxyearl (from another thread) was spot on about it possibly being "balsa plywood" because in a cutout below I can see the thin ply sandwiched between two thin sheets of balsa wood.
I will reinforce it though to be safe.
Thanks guys!
12-25-2012, 03:43 PM
#12
RE: Would you install your elevator servos in balsa?
It's good you saw that before you put the stab on, now it will be easy to reinforce the servo area with plywood or base wood. Better safe than sorry
12-25-2012, 04:15 PM
#13
RE: Would you install your elevator servos in balsa?
ORIGINAL: Kmot
I'm a bit perplexed right now. [&:]
I am assembling a VQ giant scale Fly Baby. After cutting out the covering for the horizontal stab, I was able to see inside the fuselage. There are areas cut out of the wood for mounting the elevator servos. Only thing is, it looks like just plain ol' balsa wood to me. [X(]
Personally, I would not install servos in balsa sheet on even a park flyer. But maybe my thinking is flawed......
What's you guys opinions?
I'm a bit perplexed right now. [&:]
I am assembling a VQ giant scale Fly Baby. After cutting out the covering for the horizontal stab, I was able to see inside the fuselage. There are areas cut out of the wood for mounting the elevator servos. Only thing is, it looks like just plain ol' balsa wood to me. [X(]
Personally, I would not install servos in balsa sheet on even a park flyer. But maybe my thinking is flawed......
What's you guys opinions?
