easy balancing method
 

I have never enjoyed balancing a low wing plane by putting the plane upside down on little sticks, yet if the plane is right side up it is to tippy when picked up at the wingtips. My last plane, I marked the fron and back edge of the balance pointe at the wingtips, and then attached a piece of tape at the tips with about 4 inches overhang. Then when balancing, lift by the ends of the tape. The tape allows the center of gravity to be below where it is liffted by the tape (which is precisely why a high wing plane is easy to balance).

RE: easy balancing method
 

I mark the C/G with a felt pen, and I use my fingers. It's a little time consuming but it works. I have been interested in the Great Planes Balance Machine. I don't know if I want it or not. The Tape Method is OK, I'm concerned it could lift up some paint in some of these Warbirds. I know CMP uses a paint that loves to come off if you're not careful.



Peter Dowling aka Luftwaffe Oberst
AMA District II #865404
Aero Modelers Club
Pulaski, NY

RE: easy balancing method
 

Using the tape method is not the best

If you are using 1/2" tape, your CG can be anywhere within that half inch

But it would work for getting a ball-park idea

RE: easy balancing method
 

Minnflter:
Not really true. The tape is just like an extension of the wing tip (only vertical, thus lowering the center of gravity). You can use any width tape and it will work, because it is where you pick up the tape that counts. Lifting by the wingtips by the fingers does work, but
the trouble is it is like an uncontrollable tetertotter, so using the tape makes it soooo much easier. Taking the paint off with the tape
is certainly a consideration. I used this on a film covering so no problem, and also used masking tape, so shouldn't be a problem for mose paints (but could be, I don't know). Once you try it, you will be surprised how much easier the balancing becomes.
Happy flying.
Sherman.

RE: easy balancing method
 

Save you money, those fancy CG balancers aren't any better than a hunk of wood with dowels stuck in. Get some replacement chisel end erasers and put on the ends of dowels. Mark the wing next to fusalage and sit it on erasers. You may have to round the ends a little but they won't slip. Works for me.

RE: easy balancing method
 

Two nice dowles, two .05 cent pencil erasers on the end of the dowls , stick the dowels in a scrap piece of ply with various holes drilled so the dowles can be moved in and out depending on the fuse width , and wala , perfact balanceing , no hassel

RE: easy balancing method
 

I'll try it.


Peter Dowling aka Luftwaffe Oberst
AMA District II #865404
Aero Modelers Club
Pulaski, NY

RE: easy balancing method
 

Sherman, Yes, what I said is 100% correct. If the tape is 1/2" wide, the plane will balance - that is, it will sit level - if you have the balance point ANYWHERE within that 1/2 inch.

Look at it this way. Instead of using tape, imagine putting two strings on EACH wingtip that are 1/2" apart.

Now, let's look at two senarios:

In the first, the balance point is 1/8" behind the forward string, and in the second it's 1/8" forward of the rear string

In #1, there will be more pressure pulling on the forward string, and in #2 there will be more pressure pulling on the rear string, but in BOTH cases, the plane will sit level.

A piece of tape will give you the same results due to it's width.

RE: easy balancing method
 

OK, I just built my new CG balancer. As you can see I have multiple holes equally measured apart. I also have different length Dowels with heat shrink on the tips to keep it tight in the holes. On the ends I put on the Pencil Erasers. I balanced a 2'x2' piece of Ply on it and I found the center balance with no problem. I think it will work fine, thanks guys for saving me a little dough. Now I can invest more money in planes. :D

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2...t/IMAG0009.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2...t/IMAG0011.jpg


Sorry about the quality of my pics. I drank too much coffee and my hands started to shake.



Peter Dowling aka Luftwaffe Oberst
AMA District II #865404
Aero Modelers Club
Pulaski, NY

RE: easy balancing method
 

Let me try to give you my favorite way of balancing a ship. Lets balance a low wing ship. First mark the balance point on the bottom of the wing. Now set a 16 penny nail in the rafters. Then run a long length of contractor's twine, looping the middle of the length two or three times around the nail. You will now have two equal lengths of string hanging from the nail. Put a small loop(around 1") at one end and a 2" loop at the other. You will stick a modelers T pin in the back end of the vertical stab or rudder. With the small loop, hang the tail on it using the pin, while hanging the nose at the spinner from the large loop, plane upside down. The plane will be in a suspension like cradle. You will now set up a length of twine hung from the nail. The other end of twine will be attached to a plumb bob; you can get a cheap one at the Home Depot. The plumb bob needs to dangle above the plane, not dragging against it. You hold the plane and let it gently swing in the cradle. The bob will point to where the plane's palancing point is; you will take small chunks of lead weights and place them on the tail at the horizontal stab or the nose at the firewall to make the bob point to the marked balance point. You will also notice that the plane may want to drop a wing; place a weight to laterally balance there as well. Mark where the weights are and glue them there when you take the plane out of the cradle. This works really well for pattern ships, but for overall balancing the one Luft has pictured above me works really well without the hassle. What I have described here really isn't a big deal once you have done one or two planes; you just need some space to move around the guy when he's hanging and it takes a little finnese to hold onto the ship and put the loops on him. If you have a moving table you could lay the plane on it and go from there. Hope this helps.

RE: easy balancing method
 

Try this: http://home.mindspring.com/~the-plum...%20Machine.htm
Easiest balancer I have used.

RE: easy balancing method
 

Pete , you may have to use thicker dowels, they may flex on you also remember to try to buffer the ends with small erashers of tape .

RE: easy balancing method
 

They work fine. The shorter dowels do not flex, only the large ones do a little. It won't effect the balancing point of any of the the aircraft. The Erasers are sanded slightly around the edges... this Luftwaffe Officer however doesn't fly Foamies or CMP's so no matter what, it won't dent the wings nor chip the paint. If you put tape around the erasers, the plane can slip. The rubber actually prevents the plane from slipping while in the process of balancing. This device lets me know where the balance point is, then I take the plane off the sticks and make my required adjustments until it all lines up to my measurement marks under, or on top of the wing. I played around with this device balancing books, Plywood and a Clip Board. Hmmm, now if I could only balance my Cat... then I'll be ready for the Fair next year. Heere kitty, kitty, kitty! :D





Peter Dowling aka Luftwaffe Oberst
AMA District II #865404
Aero Modelers Club
Pulaski, NY

RE: easy balancing method
 

lol foamies and CMP , i know how you love CMP :D.
Because I fly mostly warbirds (with rotating gear ) , my planes are balanced upside down , the tail areas have been at a min 13" , therefore short dowels wont work for me .

RE: easy balancing method
 

The long dowels I have are 26" long. The shortest is 10"... I use those for side to side balance. The other dowels is 13" and is used for smaller planes.

I have no Warbirds at this time until Hanger 9 starts making Axis Planes. I bought the Hanger 9 J-3 because I flew the real one many times, and my wife though it was a good idea to keep the good memories alive with my experiences. So I guess I can say technically, that the J-3 Cub is a Warbird.

I looked it up on the Net and there are records that a J-3 once shot down a Stork in WWII. I wonder how that happened? The observer must have used his side arm at close range. Hmmm, I was also shocked to find that the Luftwaffe also used the J-3 Cub in Denmark. [8D] I might repaint my Cub in Luftwaffe Colors in a few years. It will be a great conversation starter, and it won't be just another Cub.

So I guess I can say I actually flew a Warbird lol.

I also bought the PNP Pulse so I can get the low wing practice until Great Planes, Goldberg or Hanger 9 starts making some German WWII or WW1 Planes.


I just Voted today... thank God that's over with. I'm tired of the negitive political phone calls! [:@]


Peter Dowling aka Luftwaffe Oberst
AMA District II #865404
Aero Modelers Club
Pulaski, NY

RE: easy balancing method
 

Hi Guys
I saw the above post for the Vanessa CG Machine and since my plane needed a little repair work and re-balancing I thought I'd make one.
I had most of the bits laying about in the workshop and in no time it was ready for use. Now there was nothing wrong with the balance of the plane before the repairs but having added some weight forward of the CG I expected my new balance device to tell me it was a little nose heavy! So I was very surprised when it told me it was tail heavy?
I added some weight to the nose and - PERFECT!! Although the old balance on the tips of your fingers now said it was nose heavy!!
Anyway I thought this new state of the art device must be more accurate than the tips of my fingers - right!!
All I can say is my first flight today was INTERESTING!! Not only did I have to take all the weight of the front but I had to add some to the tail to get it back to where it was before the repairs.
It's such a simple device to build. Its almost immposible to get it wrong, anyone got any idea's ??