Hi all. merry christmas to you all.


id just like to know your best methods for balancing your plane without resorting to purchasing from the shop. i know how far back from the LE i should be etc but dont wanna buy on. id prefer to fabricate one.


many thanks

I just use the "Two Finger" method

i could always ask the wife. shes usually sticking 2 fingers up when i ask her for something

that should work out great, if you can get her to stand still long enough for you to check it out

two equal height dowel rods, with pencil erasers on the end will do the trick. Rich

You can even use to wooden pencils and balance the plane on the erasers. Drill two holes in a piece of wood an stick the pencils/dowels into so you can set the plane on them without falling over.

Ken

You mean I spent all that money for a fancy balancer and I could have used pencils with rubber erasers? Jeech...

i never thought of that so simple even i could do it. ill hold em in the old black and decker workmate. i knew id find a use for it. shame i chucked all the kids pencils on the fire [X(]

And you thought they were only good for kindling!!

It's 30 bucks lasts forever, works well, and even has a ruler built in to measure back from the leading edge...and lastly the tips of the verical rod has a larger area than a pencil eraser....
then again there is something to making your own...just a few thoughts

Hey Jetmech. How's your daughter doing? Hope all is well.

Yeah, I like my balancing jig. It's pretty nice, actually. The pads to rest the plane on are nice and large. I used it for the first time on my Goldberg Progege. I was delightfully suprpized to see that it was just about perfectly balanced without having to add any weight.

I'm sure the eraser trick would have worked fine too, but the placement of the erasers may end up on unsupported monocoat.. needs a little forethought before doing this.

Have a Happy, Safe, and Prosperous New Year!

CGr (Dick)

Hi PM me. I'll send you a free spread sheet all set up fpr you. You can use it over and over again.

SoCal, what does the spreadsheet do for you? What sort of information is given?

CGr.

Two fingers for me. Actually, have the Great Planes CG Machine, but never used it.

If you are alone, and use the two-fingers method, you sort of run out of hands to make a measurement.. if you want to make a measurement, that is.

CGr.

I use to use my fingers and still do , at the field . But I like the CG machine for my builds . frees up my hands and I like being able to adjust the CG points so easily .

Or build yourself one of these.....HAPPY NEW YEAR all !!!!

http://webpages.charter.net/rcfu/Con.../BJConstr.html

Here is mine in action. Too simple to build....

Yes, I know the Tiger is supposed to balance upside down, I checked it both ways. The only thing you have to watch for is clearance at the rudder / vertical empennage.

I like the fancy balancer, I think it was well worth the money.

I have a Phoenix 330s extra that I have installed 2 Futaba s3004 servos on the elevators. There seems to be to much slack or movement in these servos with power on and in the nutural position. A-Should I change these servos with digitals or B-what servo would there likly be less movement. THe movement is about 1/16 inch at the tip of the servo arm.

sorry I posted theis wrong!!!NuTs!!!!

I would be interested in getting a copy of the spreadsheets.

EKF

I just love the two pencils. I am going to build me one. Thanks
baylor

This costs money but will work for nearly everything throughout your flying career. http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_6784083/tm.htm