Servo Tray
11-28-2002 | 09:22 AM
#2
Servo Tray
You can just build one if you want to. The usual ways to mount servos are either
-- Run a pair of parallel mounting beams form side to side in the fuselage... they should be something like 1/4" square spruce or 3/8" wide 1/4" plywood (or doubled 1/8" plywood), and you should use triangle stock or mounting plates to reinforce their joints with the fuselage sides... the servos then mount between them with one mounting lug screwed into each beam. The spacing for the beams should be the length of the main body of the servo plus 1/16"... that lets the servo "float" on its grommets without touching the mount to help isolate it from vibration, but it keeps the beams close enough for the mounting screws to have a solid hold on the wood. Don't forget to drill pilot holes for the screws so they won't split the mounting rails when you screw them in.
-- Or make your own tray from a piece of plywood (1/8 lite ply is fine for .40 sized planes and below)... just size the tray to fit the width inside your fuselage with cutouts to fit your servos, double the plwood where the servo screws go in to give the screws something good to hold on to, and mount with reinforcements just like the beams.
Servo trays are pretty easy to buy at swap meets for a dollar or so, but there never seems to be a corner swap meet open in the middle of the night or over a holiday when you really want to work on a plane.
-- Run a pair of parallel mounting beams form side to side in the fuselage... they should be something like 1/4" square spruce or 3/8" wide 1/4" plywood (or doubled 1/8" plywood), and you should use triangle stock or mounting plates to reinforce their joints with the fuselage sides... the servos then mount between them with one mounting lug screwed into each beam. The spacing for the beams should be the length of the main body of the servo plus 1/16"... that lets the servo "float" on its grommets without touching the mount to help isolate it from vibration, but it keeps the beams close enough for the mounting screws to have a solid hold on the wood. Don't forget to drill pilot holes for the screws so they won't split the mounting rails when you screw them in.
-- Or make your own tray from a piece of plywood (1/8 lite ply is fine for .40 sized planes and below)... just size the tray to fit the width inside your fuselage with cutouts to fit your servos, double the plwood where the servo screws go in to give the screws something good to hold on to, and mount with reinforcements just like the beams.
Servo trays are pretty easy to buy at swap meets for a dollar or so, but there never seems to be a corner swap meet open in the middle of the night or over a holiday when you really want to work on a plane.
11-28-2002 | 12:56 PM
#3
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From: Pointe Claire,
QC, CANADA
Servo Tray
Futaba make a servo tray, ready to fit three 'futaba' brand servos. It screws in place with 6 screws. You'll need to construct mounting points in your fuse for the servo tray.
Al's suggestion is the better way to go, in my opinion...
Al's suggestion is the better way to go, in my opinion...
11-28-2002 | 07:43 PM
#5
My Feedback: (2)
Servo Tray
I've got a couple of those Futaba servo trays. They fit the Futaba S148 servo very nicely, but IMHO, don't serve well as a mount for S3003/S3004 servos (though it is included with systems that have the S3003/04 servos).
I mounted my tray by the ends (it's the 3-servo model), and notice that it flexes somewhat. If/when I use these again, I'll make sure that I use all six mounting screws.
I've also built many servo mounts from 1/8" ply (just like Al suggests). It's not hard to do, and you can put servos just where you want them. I put an additional piece of 1/4" x 1" ply to reinforce where the screws mount the servo, just for good measure.
Just passing along my $.02.
Bob
I mounted my tray by the ends (it's the 3-servo model), and notice that it flexes somewhat. If/when I use these again, I'll make sure that I use all six mounting screws.
I've also built many servo mounts from 1/8" ply (just like Al suggests). It's not hard to do, and you can put servos just where you want them. I put an additional piece of 1/4" x 1" ply to reinforce where the screws mount the servo, just for good measure.
Just passing along my $.02.
Bob
