Hi All - the 4*60 is done. All that is left is the final CG.

I bought a 6oz pack of the self adhesive lead weights, each little bar is 1/4 oz. Yea, you know the ones........

I am going to place these right under the nose of the engine on the bottom of fuselage. I have applied about 3 coats of balsarite to this whole area.

Is the stickum enough to keep the weights in place or should I help them out a little by adding some thick CA or epoxy around the edges of the weights??

As always, appreciate your feedback.......

Drill a hole through them and secure with nut and bolt. If you can put them inside the nose, such as next to the tank or in the compartment under the tank you can secure them with epoxy. Don't rely on the stickum. In my experience, it won't hold.

There’s usually some vibration involved that could loosen the adhesive you use and why risk it. You can use epoxy, but why bother. Use Jim’s method, or make a cavity from a balsa block and put the weight inside, then glue it to the fire wall or inside next to the tank. Remember to make the cavity as snug as possible.

Remember, whatever method you use, test balance the bird first before you glue or screw. Both of these methods will add some minor weight to the overall balance and will require some (if any) placement adjustments.

Sig weights come drilled for secure mounting.

Dave Segal

What size engine are you using? I just finishing mine last week and I had to place the battery pack under the fuel take to balance it out. I have a Magnum 91 FS with a 14x6 prop. I have three flights on it and it flys GREAT!!!

Much better to move anything you can foreward, instead of adding extra weight. If all else fails check LHS for replacement spinner. The make them out of chrome covered brass, and thread over the prop nut. Good Luck
(We can fly about 330 days a year here, But then again we have Grey Davis)

I've got a Saito 91 installed upfront.

It has a TruTurn spinner on it with the solid base for more weight.

The battery is so far forward under the tank it thinks it's in the engine compartment (have it up against the firewall) in foam, with a piece of 2" foam block behind that for a separator and the transmitter under the fuel tank right behind the 2" block. I also have the transmitter tray as far forward as I could locate it.

Before the covering was on, it was going to take about 3.1 oz's with the weight on a line with the firewall. I suppose it will take a bit more now since there is so much more MonoKote behind the CG point. Well, I'll find out this weekend when I put it on the CG machine.

I think I will go with the suggestion to build a small flat box to hold it in and mount that in the engine compartment.

Thanks again everyone..................

The small box up front is a good way to go. With the stick on weights, when you first put them on, they stick great, and you think they will never come off. They WILL, however, come unstuck at the most inopportune time while you are in the air! Not cool!! I always drill mine and attach with a small nut and bolt.

I put a cross-member under the engine and attached the weights to it. I used zip ties to hold them in place.

Bill

I have used the ones from the tire store for alum. rims. they work very well (so far...)

I ended up needing 9.5 ounces of weight. I about fell off my chair as I just kept adding more and more weight before the tail finally started to rise off it's rest.

Reminds me of pictures of the gold bars stacked at Fort Knox

After much discussion with some of the guys and my brother they all assured me it would still fly easily with the Saito 91 in it. It just won't be very snappy now. I guess the good thing is I may have taken some of the float out of it during landing

I ended up building a box (two sticks of balsa w/ a ply wood top attached with servo screw and CA'd) and then covered it. Installed the weights in the box, added some adhesive foam to make it tight.

I then mounted the box under the engine by screwing in 3 servo screws to each balsa rail of the box, and then more screws on the end of each rail. I don't think it's going to go anywhere......

I did try a 2oz prop washer, but I can't get it to work with my TruTurn spinner. If I can find something that will work I can then remove lead as needed.

So, what do the rest of ya think, is it going to fly, or become a very fast lead sled??

My 4*60 was significantly tail heavy also and with a Saito 80 I just kept adding and adding lead. It flew fine but obviously lighter is better. I added two 1/2" square formers behind the engine amount as spacers pushing the engine mount that far out and changed to an OS91. I was able to remove about half the weight so now I think it's lighter even though the engine is a little heavier. I have warned a couple of friends building this plane to monitor very carefully the glue in the fuselage to try and keep the tail light. If I was to build another I might even try some tricks such as putting holes in the tail surfaces etc. Your's should fly fine, the wing is plenty big and even with the extra weight you should have no problems.