Originally Posted by
Viper1GJ
Matt,
Thank for your reply and ideas.
Where do you get your carbon tubes that will telescope inside each other? How do you glue them to the fuse sides? I assume to the top and bottom of the side. What material do you make your fuse formers from?
I had planned on using plain Dubro tanks since they are cheap and available. I'm using a 100 oz and 80 oz for fuel and an 80 oz for smoke. The same for the aluminum wing tubes, they are much cheaper than carbon and available with pre-made sleeves. I have looked at PET bottles before but never figured out how to close them up and put fittings in.
I also use Radio South heavy duty hinges. I like them since they are easy to slot, use lots of them, 2-4" apart, and allow great gap seals just by ironing covering material in the hinge line.
Gary
Carbon tubes can be purchased from CST Sales and/or ACP. A quick on line search will reveal several sources. Kite makers also.
For my models, balsa formers work fine. On occasion, I will laminate glass and honeycomb stock where extra lightness and stiffness are needed. I control strength by the glass I use. Nothing wrong with your approach tho....glassed balsa is a fine engineering material. Strong, stiff and light enough.
Setting up PET bottles is so elementary you'd kick yourself once you see it done. My fittings are not permanent installs...serviceable. Bulkhead type fittings require a plastic washer with a neoprene seal washer outside the tank and a plastic nut inside the tank. Holes are burned in the tank with a soldering iron. Fittings are installed from outside..... Nut is fished on inside with a length of cable. Snug down with fingers. Tools not necessary. Caps are lined with viton (best) or teflon lined neoprene. Once the cap is on snug, I add a strip of Fusion Mastic tape which holds firm but is serviceable. McMaster Carr probably has everything you need except for large PET bottles