When using threaded control rods, obviously a clevis goes on the threaded end but after you cut the rod down to size what do you connect to the other end? Im trying to avoid using ugly z-bends. Thanks in advance.

Kyle

Another clevis.

Usually there is nylon tube involved. You can thread one metalic rod into one end, and other into the other. Attach a clevis to each end and you're in business.

If you are working on a parklyer or something where weight is a big issue, you can use screw down type appliances. I do not know the name, however, it is basically an insert that goes down through a hole on a servo arm. Then it has a horizontal hole through it that you would pass the rod, then you'd get a tiny screw and tighten it down to hold the rod into place. I am unsure the name of these....anybody?

There are tons of ways to do what you want.

You can solder on a threaded coupler, then thread on your connector of choice.

You can solder on a solder clevis directly.

You can Z bend (I know, you said you didn't like it)

You can do a single bend and use a snap keeper.

You can use an EZ connecter style thing (what I think the above poster was getting at).

btw, I was assuming basically a solid metal rod from servo to surface. There are tons of other types of pushrods or linkages that don't have the "other end" problem.

"Old fasion" (but very effective) wood pushrods with metal rods attached to each end. You can have a threaded section at each end easily.

Plastic flex rods, you can thread in to the plastic. If the rod gets close enough to your surface or servo, you can actually use all-thread, and have no exposed rod, just a clevis directly touching the flex rod. Or you can do the "rod inside" trick, but sliding the non-threaded part inside the nylon until the threads grab.

Pull-pull arrangements usually result in a clevis or ball link at both ends.

I'm sure I'm forgetting more than I'm including.

Yeah i was referring to regular wire 4-40 pusrods. I knew the "solder" thing would come up. I think im soldering deficient. I tried once and just made a mess. Of course all i had was a propane torch (the big ones) so maybe thats why. Should I invest in a small butane torch or just a big soldering iron?? What up with the soldering paste too, no idea what to do with that...

Kyle

I actually do all my pushrods with a bog-standard propane torch from the hardware store.

I also use rosen core flux paste and rosen core solder. In a perfect world, this is the "wrong" solder to use, but I've had pushrods bent in to pretezles in mid-airs, brass couplers broken in half, servos, cleveses, and control horns broken, but never a solder joint failure. So the solder joint is obviously stronger than anything else in my control linkages.

Basically, put a little paste on the metal rod, put it in the coupler, and gently apply heat. The paste will melt and fizzle. Then pull the torch off, and touch the solder to the metal. The solder should flow in and make a nice smooth, shiny joint, a nice smooth fillet. If it balls up, one of the parts wasn't hot enough. Try applying more heat.

If you see black gunk appear, you're burning the flux, and have the torch too close, too much heat.

It does take some practice. But once you get good at it, it goes quickly. When I'm mass-building combat planes, I can make a dozen identical rods faster than it takes me to type this message. (well, ok, maybe not that fast. But still, very quick)

If you get this tool, your Z-bends won't be ugly, they'll be quite neat, and perfectly placed...
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXXC81&P=ML

These work well, you just need an L bend and one of these clips...
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXAZC3&P=7

And these are nice if you are going to fiddle with the link length after installation, or if you have two links on one servo arm (like rudder and nose wheel) and need to be able to adjust on w.r.t. the other...
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXD925&P=7

Personally, I think the Z-bend done with the tool listed is the neatest and most professional looking of these three methods...

He said 4-40 rod, can't bend that in the pliers to my knowledge.

The pliers say they'll do 1/16 wire which is .0625
The wire for 2-56 pushrods is .072 and for 4-40 it is .095

This one says it will bend wire and rods up to 1/8 (.125)
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXSU78&P=0

I just bent this wire with my Great Planes Z-Bend pliers... it's 0.11 in diameter... should do 4-40 just fine, since it's only .095, that's a piece of 2-56 on top in the first picture for scale...

Those pliers are made of pretty hard tool steel, so the wire isn't going to do anything to them, and the handles are quite long, so you've go lot's of leverage for the thick stuff...

zbends are the one most solid connection you could ever use,i would trust those over any solder or threaded connection any day.plus they are free and easy to make

Re: "they are free and easy to make" < ya, after you buy the tool....[8D]

Soldering Basics:

http://www.rcuniverse.com/magazine/a...article_id=172

Right up to the point where metal fatege stress cracks, made worse by vibration.....

Actually, I agree that Z bens work very well. You don't want to bend hardend wire, obviously, but other than that, it's fine. Oh, and on some servo horns, I'd worry about how much material is still around the "hole" after it's enlarged to take a 4-40 sized rod. I'm sure there you can find plenty of arms that are more than strong enough though.

I just personally don't like using Z bends, so I don't. To each his own. [8D]

Hi!
Soldering is soooo easy once you have the right tools.
You should get a "weller" type soldering iron with iron plated tips and Great Planes sweet solder (much stronger than any other sweet solder on the market and the acid is just soo good. I have used this stuff for 30 years and belive me there is no better.
A propane torch is not what I would recommend for modelbuilding ..the temperature when soldering gets too high unless you want to hard solder anything using brass or silver rods. Using a propan torch on pianowire will make it soft and should be avoided at all costs!
I always sweet solder my linkages and has done so for 30 years on both my pylonracing airplanes as well as large aerobatic airplanes with no problem!
Regards!
Jan K
Sweden

I use EZ connectors with some loctite on the set screw. Works perfect and easy to setup. Good luck.

I vote with cruzomatic. IMHO Used them for 20+ years w/o problems. Other methods fine too, I just like these.

lots of people will recommend STRONGLY against those. I personally won't use ez connectors on any flight surface that I would mind having come disconnected during flight. (which means they are still ok for throttle and rudder on smaller models) ez connectors have one problem for high torque stuff though, they offset the thrust line of the servo/pushrod, which can cause twisting on the servo and just causes unneccesary stress on the parts. a clevis on the end is perfectly inline with the arm, and Z-bends are close enough to be basically inline.

even with threadlock, temperature changes can change the metal, and if you are constantly tightening them the threadlock is broken anyway.