RE: field stand?
 

There is no design that cannot be improved!

I've seen a lot of variations of the original design with the most frequent being the thickness of the lumber. They all worked

Mine is built pretty much as the AMA published plans except for a small wheel chock strip I added and the rest I like just fine and never thought about changing anything else about it. The strip keeps the plane from rolling backwards if the engine starts backwards.

I've been involved with making a couple dozen of them. They are at every club flying field around here and at the fields I've flown at in another part of the country.

For Those of you who are computer challenged here is the Meroke article from a British Modeling Mag.
http://image2-0.rcuniverse.com/e1/fo...88/Us54020.jpg
http://image2-0.rcuniverse.com/e1/fo...88/Kf13090.jpg
http://image2-0.rcuniverse.com/e1/fo...88/Va71410.jpg
http://image2-2.rcuniverse.com/e1/fo...88/Cw63502.jpg

RE: field stand?
 

I'm getting ready to build your stand for our club, Villa. I bought all the parts tonight and hope to do the build tomorrow. I'll try to post useful tips if I discover any during the build...and of course pictures. Villa, if you have any build tips, feel free to pass them along.

Grand total..$67 @ Home Depot. Would have been $75, but I already had a bunch of 3" deck screws. You can save $10 if you buy cheaper wheels at Harbor Freight. They were sold out today and I like the ones I bought better anyway because they have a spinning axle instead of just a hole. If you get the kind without the internal axle, you might need additional bracing or more hardware.

One step that might be challenging is cutting the "M" pieces from the 2x6 nice and straight without a table saw. Anyone have ideas on that one other than a steady hand?

2x6 - Qty 4 @ 4.97 - $14.91
2x4 - Qty 5 @ 2.57 - $12.85 (got an extra because they all had more knots than I'd have liked)
1 box 2" deck screws - $7.89
8x1.75" Steel Wheel - Qty 2 @ 9.98 - $19.96
1/2"x4" Galvanized Bolt - Qty 2 @ 1.66 - $3.32
1/2" Galvanized Washer - Qyt 6 @ 0.33 - $1.98
1/2" Galvanized Nut - Qty 4 @ 0.36 - $1.44


Mike

RE: field stand?
 

Hi muidaq
You are doing the right thing. Those safety stands provide a tremendous amount of "automatic" safety. Many modelers will tell you that is all a wasted use of good money because they are always careful. Well, life is not that simple. Going ahead and building a stand, using a plan you have studied and decided met your needs, is the best way to get your club to use them and make more. About six months after I made mine and donated it to the club, another member did the same thing. A few months later three more members each donated money for one stand, and one of the three built the three stands. Every day that I use my stand I enjoy it. I looked at the "M" detail you mentioned. All I used is my 10" Sears electric rotary saw to rip that piece. I believe I put the cut side down and just screwed it down. It does not matter that the cut is a little crooked. What does matter is to use the correct size lumber (not thinner), that all of the lumber be "pressure treated" so it lasts a long time, and that the suggested screws be used. All of our stands now have two used wheels from junked lawnmowers for moving the stands when mowing the grass. As you have stated, please post your build comments here, with photos, in order to convince others to do the same and help keep this great hobby safe. Plans for the stand you are building can be downloaded at:
http://www.wilsonrc.org/download.php?list.18

RE: field stand?
 

Well, we're pretty much all done. It took my friend and I just about four hours. All that's left are the tail guide pieces and attaching the carpet. This stand seems a ton stronger than the others at our field, which appear to be based off the original design.

I have very few build tips to offer because Villa did such great work on the plans. I'm not sure if we did the tail supports per the plans, but it seems quite strong. Pic attached. The only tip I have is you can just cut the "L" pieces to fit instead of trying to cut the angles in the plan.

Villa,
Thanks for the plans. This will make a great addition to our field.

More pix to follow.

RE: field stand?
 

Here's another photo. Looks great and I love the larger wing area for holding starter and transmitter.

RE: field stand?
 

Hi muidaq
Looks to me that you have a winner. I have seen more than a few radios fall off the Meroke stands because the shelf is much smaller. A stronger, larger shelf is one of the features of the stand I recommend. I added a piece of the Indoor/Outdoor carpet to the left/right side of the shelf to pad the surface where the radio may sit to further reduce the chance of the radio slipping off. If you convince others to build these Engine Starting Safety Stands, encourage them to post their work here so we get the word out to more people.

RE: field stand?
 

look at post 72 to see how i keep my radio from falling off

RE: field stand?
 

Villa

I would like to offer one piece of criticism because of something that happened to me today. First I'll explain the type of starting table/stand we are using at our club. Our tables have two vertical restraining posts which are about ten inches apart, and are near one end of the table. We place the plane on the table so the stabilizer leading edge is up against the posts. This gives room on the long part of the table for the forward part of the airplane. Here's what happened to me today. I proceeded to start my 55 AX, (with an electric starter, by the way) and it started fine, then kicked backwards and continued to run pushing the plane backwards until the ailerons hit the restraining posts. I never use a chicken stick on any of my AX's because they are prone to run backwards. I thought I was safe using the electric starter, in that it would prevent a backwards start. I have never seen this happen before. Oh, and incidentally, the starter was not plugged in backwards. My plane could only move about two feet, because the restraining posts were between the stab and the main wing. If this incident had happened on your starting stand the plane would have backed right off the stand, and onto the ground. I don't mean to be too critical of your stand, as I actually think it is fairly nice. I was just trying to
think of a way to prevent backwards movement, should anyone have the same experience I had today.

Lm

RE: field stand?
 

Hi lordmerren
Good point. I only use an electric starter and would not have expected it to start backward. I imagine if you kept the starter engaged a little longer that it would reduce the backward tendency. I'll keep your idea in mind. Thanks.

RE: field stand?
 

I say tune your engine..Sounds too lean.. 1.. Why was it running so fast at start up? 2. I guess we could chain our planes to the ground for starting....Running backwards means too lean at startup..
P.S. great looking stand..

RE: field stand?
 

I don't know why my 55 AX started backwards, but it wasn't because it was lean. Actually it was going for it's fifth flight, so I am still running it rich, as I do not consider it broken in yet. I have been running model engines for over twenty years so trust me ,I know when it is rich or lean. I think it is just the nature of these AX's to run backwards easily. As far as your statement jdkxtreme, about
starting the engine "so fast" , the manual for that engine tells you to "open the throttle approx. one-quarter" for the starting instructions. I didn't even have the throttle open that far when I attempted to start it.

Lm

RE: field stand?
 

Villa; sorry it took so long, but i finaly built two stands using your plans, sort of, hope you don't mind I took a few liberties
any mistakes seen in the carpentery were done on purpose to let evil spirits outhttp://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/js/f...ssed_smile.gif

RE: field stand?
 

It gets the job done

RE: field stand?
 

my club just has rebar pounded into the ground with foam wrapped around em. Seems to work just fine. There is one heavy duty stand like the safty stand pictured afew posts above but thats for the precise engine tuning so none of the members are hunched over for 10 minutes

RE: field stand?
 

Hi rgm762
Looks good.

RE: field stand?
 

To prevent backwards movement, the stands at our field each have a 2x4 wheel stop that goes behind the main gear. It has 2 dowels that slip into a set of holes in the platform. There are several sets of holes to accomadate various size planes.

RE: field stand?
 

We finally got my stand out to the field and wow is it way sturdier than the original ones. Granted they're several years old, but this one seems much better designed. Thanks again for updating the design, Villa. You sure your first name isn't Bob? ;-)

RE: field stand?
 

his last name is not Villa

RE: field stand?
 

Hi muidaq and w8ye
muidaq, thanks for your generouse comments. I have struggled with the morality of taking an existing design and improving it, and now calling it my design. I offered the improvements to the Merkon club in NYS but there was no interest there, which I can understand. Changing the design on the word of a stranger may not be a good idea. It appears others believe that what I did was wrong and thus refuse to support my design. I'm open to suggestions on how to handle this "problem". I'm a retired Mechanical Engineer. When I analysed the excisting design and saw some seriouse engineering flaws in it (the stresses were not being correctly directed to the ground), I decided that I wanted a second opinion. I have the advantage of having made hundreds of mistakes in my time so I am careful not to jump to conclusions. Through RCUniverse I found another RC hobbiest who was an Engineer and had valued carpentry experience, which I did not have. I asked him to analyse the original design and give me his input and suggestions if any. He supported all of my conclusions and offered the same recommendations. Then I made my own drawings and posted them on my club website, shown above. I have seen and read of some tragic accidents in our wonderful hobby. Safety seems to be deeply ingrained in me;I push it whenever I can. The younger people, as expected, see no need for an Engine Starting Safety Stand, as I like to refere to it. But many of us do see a need for it. Your help in getting the word out and keeping our hobby safe is appreciated.

RE: field stand?
 

I try to bring this subject to the top when ever I can. I have previously admitted that I have accidentally started engines at full throttle. Oviously that can be devestating if the plane is not being properly restrained, such as when using the Engine Starting Safety Stands. Some people do not see a danger here because they know that only a stupid person starts the engine with the throttle wide open, and they are not stupid. Yesterday I read of an incident that could have been extremly tragic. It involved a giant scale R/C plane. A plane that size generally is not started on the Engine Starting Safety Stands that is the subject of this discussion, because it is too difficult and dangerous to lift it on/off the stand. This plane was being restrained by an assistant, while on the ground, which is an excellent practice. The engine was around 120cc and the prop was around 28" diameter. The engine was accidentally started at full throttle. The person holding the plane was visible straining to keep the person in front of the plane from being hit by the prop. All went well. There was no accident.

RE: field stand?
 

<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-size: 10pt">See the link below and look at post #10 to find another design for a starting bench. Click on the &ldquo;attachment.pdf&rdquo; link to see the plans and instructions for the bench.</span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-size: 10pt">There are also some photos of a &ldquo;portable stand&rdquo; on post #20.</span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-size: 10pt">Let me know if you have any comments, questions or problems.</span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-size: 10pt"><span style="line-height: 115%; color: green; font-size: 9pt">http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9609099</span></span></div>