twistedmustang

How could I add weight inside an ARF wing, inside tip under monocoat

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

I usually drill a hole and add split shots (Fishing weights) coated with epoxy.

Once you have enough weight, just cover the hole with covering

mikegordon10

10-4 to what MinnFlyer said. Do it on the bottom out toward the tip. Works like a charm!

build light

One rule to always remember when adding dead weight anywhere for any reason in a model is to make sure it will be secure under any condition and that includes unplanned significant impacts!
Seriously. You do not want the weight to be able to shift under any condition or you may suddenly find your aircraft acting pretty weird and you may not consider that the fault might be the ballast has shifted or worse, moves and shifts without your knowledge. Sometimes even a firm hand launch can cause this when you don't truly think about how secure it is.

Robert

foodstick

I was gonna recomend a C-clamp.... but these suggestions look pretty good also ..ha ha

Bozarth

My Feedback: (15)

lead and a hot glue gun.

jetmech05

not hot glue.....seen to many hot glue joints fail under a load

airbusdrvr

You didn't mention the type aircraft. If it has a solid balsa wing tip and depending on how much weight you need, you could cut a small slit in the covering. Then drill an appropriately sized hole and insert a nail held in place with some CA or epoxy. I would suspect that on an ARF, you wouldn't need very much wing tip weight unless you are offsetting something you added to the model.

frenchie79

Good point. I cut the covering on the bottom of the wing, a center bay next to the last rib (if it don't have wing tips) then pound a piece of lead flat like a dime, penney or quarter size pending weight needed. Roughen the side of the lead and epoxy it to the center of the last rib near the spar. Cut a square of covering and replace over the bay.

Deadeye

I buy lead in a 1/4 diameter 'rope'. It's used for fishing, and requires only a small hole be drilled in the TE of the wing, right next to the last rib. Poly glue it in, take a hole puncher and punch out a small circle of matching monokote, and viola.

Bozarth

My Feedback: (15)

Shoot! I wish I would have known this years ago! I have been using this method for years without a single failure. Perhaps you are thinking hot glue is bad for structure adhesion, which I would agree. But to simply hold some lead weight in place, it works perfect! Have you ever tried to remove hot glue/weight? Very difficult.

Kurt

Edited to correct my poor grammar!

Bozarth

My Feedback: (15)

Twistedmustang,

You could also do what we do with our pylon racers: We buy sticky backed lead tape from golf stores and tape a strip on the bottom of the wing a few inches from the tip. 5 inches equals approximately 5 grams. Some racers simply tape a quarter to the bottom of their wing (a quarter is just over 5 grams). Either way you can slowly add until you get the desired results. You can find more info on this in the pylon section, or go to www.nmpra.org.

Kurt

lomcevek1

How about the possibility of removing weight from the other side ?

There are only two times you should ever add lead to an airplane

1: Bullets
2: Batteries

mikegordon10

Heck ya why not just shorten the span of the offending side of the wing. Just kidding.

build light

I must agree. Never add weight if you can balance by removing weight.
Typically most airplane fly better when they weigh less than more.
Adding weight increases wing loading and increased stress on all important structural members.

Do you know if it is a balance problem or a trim problem?

Robert

j.duncker

My Feedback: (2)

Start with a full box of Tic Tacs.

Eat Tic Tacs

Glue empty container into wing tip leaving lid free. Add and remove split shot until balance is achieved.

I used this method when I was trying to trim out my pattern modelss to fly in straight lines.

kmtranmd

My Feedback: (71)

I used Silicone caulking paste from Home Depot. Just squirt it into a hole cut out, then add lead to your desire and cover it with more caulk. I did this for up to 16 oz worth of lead in nose of the Mosquito twin warbird. Did not even come off after the plane crashed much later. It also works great to hold down that battery pack you have to put behind the firewall, hard to reach areas, and gives it vibration dampening too. Make sure you use fresh caulk. Old/bad caulk will not harden correctly.

saintcreed

My Feedback: (205)

The method I use to laterally balance the plane is...I use sod-er that comes on a roll...it's roughly 1/8" in dia....cut the appropriate length of sod-er to get the desired weight one needs to balance the plane...drill a 1/8" hole in the leading edge at the wing tip to the desired depth...insert the length of sod-er, a little ca glue and it's done...blunt wing tips are easier than tapper-ed...tapper-ed wing tips I drill the hole on the bottom side...and start with a smaller bit for a pilot hole so the larger bit won't walk on you...just make sure you drill the hole straight in...doesn't bother the strength of the leading edge at the tip, 'cause there is no strain there too speak of..

RC11

My Feedback: (7)

Ditto saintcreed.
Great way if you have to add weight. I just put in too much and keep pulling it out and cutting it off untill I achieve the perfect balance. Bravo!!
RC11

Charlie P.

Easiest way I have found is to drop the aileron servo and use Vinyl ("electrical") tape to attach pennies or a piece of lead to the servo case and then screw it back in place. No holes and easy to adjust.

Only works for models with multiple aileron servos, of course.

LuftwaffeOberst

I put my Lead weights inside the Servo Cover... on or near the rib on the light side of the wing, making sure it doesn't get in the way of the servo function. It works great... very little or no trim needed on the radio.