Anymore info, ideas, things to incorporate into the stand? Things to NOT incorporate?
I've built a few and seen a hundred over the years.
Here is a list of bullets in no particular order:
- Make it to a height you would like to stand and crank a finicky engine. Your engine is on a stand for a reason and may require some tinkering. It's nice if you're not flipping at eye level or kneeling to curb-height.
- Make it's as universal as possible. While today you are thinking G62, next week your club may start a killer class of 1/2A pylon racing you'd love to join.
- Make it stable. I don't mean stable like when things are going well. I mean stable when things go wrong. You will thank me the first time that Jett .90 throws a prop blade at 16,000rpm and the SOB starts shaking (shaking is an understatement).
- With big engines, weight is your friend... but make that weight removable. You won't use your stand if it takes 3 men and a boy to move it out of the shop into the yard for some testing.
- Make a provisions for a shelf behind the motor. Again your engine is on "the bench" probably because you want to work on it. That usually means a few tool and a good sized gas tank.
- Fuel proof it well. Making my first test stand in high school wood-shop proved to be the last test stand I'd make for 30 years. The yellow metal stand was the first new stand since 1978. Regular old polyurethane works well.
- You will need to make provisions for a big tank. Preferable 32oz. You would also like the tank height to be adjustable. Setting up your engine perfectly and setting the needles for your next big test flight means nothing if the tank is a foot to low.
- My first test stand was made of 3/4" marine grade ply and something of a box. In fact, was more like a speaker box. It worked well for years but it was loud. An open structure will serve you better.
- If you plan to do any testing over time, you will probably want to make provisions for a goo collector.
This is just a blast of the first few things that came to mind. I'm sure there are more. I feel like I'm giving up 30 years of test stand design in one post.... Oh well....
Bill Vail