Actually, we agree on the CG. I tried to get across that the Chinese arf's recommended CGs are apt to be unreliable. And about as valuable info as their recommended throws.

And that CG's have a range within which any specific locations is as safe as any other, just as throws have a range.

And I agree with your second deal. For sure, if the CG is bad, then elevator throw can certainly be deadly.
But neither CG location nor throw amounts predict perfectly. Noone can predict ahead of time the location of the perfect CG, nor can they predict that actual effect of a 5/8" throw on a mass produced product. And neither CG nor throws usually have a deadly consequence when placed where a consientious designer places them, after perfecting the design through use.

But I don't see the danger of getting close with a ruler. Nor any compelling need for accuracy beyond tenths.

And agree wholeheartedly that $10 is no savings if you want the sucker and will use it. And you nailed it with the sentence I just highlighted. Spot on.

You're right, Sumerwind. The key is not to have TO MUCH throw or to little throw.. to follow what the manufacturer states as a starting point, then adjust from there. To much throw can make it a tad bit difficult to handle, and to little makes it unflyable, or unable to do basic things, such as take off, land, or turn appropriately.

Good point.

CGr.

well then again i have to look at it from another standpoint as in the ART of the trade...............most of us old timers (yeah i'm 52 now) were taught how to do things without fancy tools, and certainly didn't have radios with end point adjustments.............we did everything mechanically. doing things with a ruler is easy enough if you've done the setup this way over and over, but the meter does make things easier.............it just doesn't teach a newbie anything. with all the new ARF's and interest from new fliers has come the development of gadgets to get them in the air, but doesn't really convey any of the secrets.
i'm finding a lot of things have changed these days.........ask most newbie carpenters what 3-4-5 means.................they'll look at you with dazed and confused eyes.
gadgets are here to stay............may as well own em

52, eh? Well, I started out in this hobby at 52.. [] wish I started earlier.. 9 years later, I'm still learning.

CGr

I have a related question:
The stabilizer on my Nexstar is a flat-bottom design, while the elevator is tapered on the bottom and on the top. Is the proper way to set up the neutral position of the elevator with the bottom edge on the same plane as the bottom of the stabilizer, or with the rear edge of the elevator centered between the top and bottom edges of the stabilizer?

Thanks.

yes if the stab is a symetrical airfoil, then the trailing edge of the elevator would be centered.

I just looked at the stabilizer - it actually has no shape/taper, it is simply a 'rectangle' shape, and the elevator is a 'triangle' shape. So I assume you would call this a 'symmetrical' airfoil?

it's a flat airfoil technically, so since the elevator is tapered, treat it as if it was a symetrical.

thanks.

This may seem too simple but right now I'm in the process of making up some extra throw meters for some friends. The hardest part of this is waiting for the epoxy to dry. The cost? Some scrap wood.