Installing torque rod help: Ultimate 40 kit build
 

My first kit build and everything was going smoothly UNTIL.... (i'm sure you've heard this one before!)
Trying to install the torque rod for my elevators...
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The problem seems to be the 3/32 drill bit hole is too large for what little balsa I have to work with. Trying to get it drilled into the soft balsa looks impossible without a drill press (of which I do not have).
What happens is the balsa splits and it seems impossible to drill the hole at a perpendicular angle to get the torque rod to have the correct angle.
There's got to be another way of doing this without a drill bit. I already cheated by putting tri-stock on my leading edge which worked great.
Looking for a tip/trick.
Thanks

RE: Installing torque rod help: Ultimate 40 kit build
 

Go ahead and drill as much slop as you need to get the rod inbedded. Once you have the halves trial fitted you can use epoxy slathered on the torque rod ends and some epoxy drizzled into the holes. After the epoxy sets, I like to make pin holes in the area surrounding the torque rod stubs and saturate the wood with thin CA....this really toughens up the wood. Use either epoxy or medium CA to apply some 2 oz cloth to encase the torque rod stubs in there good. I use a latex glove finger to smear the CA into the cloth. It sometimes helps to first mist the cloth with 3M77 if you are wrapping the cloth around an edge, but just barely mist the cloth or the glue wont penetrate the fibers and bond them to the wood well.
On medium to small sized models I use aluminum welding rod for joiners, select a bendable alloy. Use as thick a wire as you can stuff in there, just be sure to fiberglass it in.

RE: Installing torque rod help: Ultimate 40 kit build
 

Are you using an electric drill for the hole? I generally do these by hand. I start with a small bit then slowly work my way up to the size I need. It takes a few minutes but I just rotate the bit by hand hogging out a little at a time. This makes it easier to keep the hole aligned and straight. If it ends up a little sloppy, no problem. Just fill the voids up with plenty of epoxy. Hardening the surrounding area with thin CA and/or glass cloth like was mentioned is good insurance too.

RE: Installing torque rod help: Ultimate 40 kit build
 

Also, if your holes aren't perfect and the two elevator halves aren't exactly in the same plane, just tweak the joiner wire until everything is good before gluing it in.

RE: Installing torque rod help: Ultimate 40 kit build
 

I've tried several things and no success. I guess the build is on hold until I can figure out from an experienced builder what to do. I think a big part of the problem is the size (diameter) of the threadrod. It's simply too big to effectively drill the size hole you need without it going through the side of the wood. Maybe I'll brainstorm and come up with something smaller like carbon fiber but I'm sure I'll think of something...

RE: Installing torque rod help: Ultimate 40 kit build
 

You've already been given good advice. Do not worry about going through the side of the wood. That can be patched up and leveled out with balsa saw dust and thin CA glue. Any imperfections beyond that can be leveled with light weight spackle or epoxy mixed with micro balloons to form a paste.

Most of the time I don't bother drilling for the joiner, just ditch out a channel in the elevator halves, stuff the joiner in there and backfill with sawdust and thin CA.

RE: Installing torque rod help: Ultimate 40 kit build
 

Here are some pictures that will help. Before I drill the hole I perforate the wood where the joiner wire will be installed as the other guys have stated and saturate the area with thin Ca then I take two pieces of 1/64" ply rough sand and laminate the pieces to the top and bottom of both elevator half's using 30 minute epoxy let dry (set up)
Then drill your hole. As ChuckW said start with a smaller guide whole first, If you are worried about what you have already done, it is easily repaired, just sand a 1/4 square piece for balsa down to the same size or a bit larger than the whole you have already made than with a little white glue on the balsa dowel you just made push it in and let it dry. Then sand off and re drill the whole. I would laminate the light ply as in the pics first. before re drilling I have used this method on Full kit built and arf planes. I hope this will help.
jerrysu29 Call Sign Wild Man

RE: Installing torque rod help: Ultimate 40 kit build
 

fixed. piano wire, easy to bend strong much smaller in diameter than the torque rod that came with the kit.
I knew I'd figure out something....

RE: Installing torque rod help: Ultimate 40 kit build
 

Have fun! Make sure to test it real good on the first flight with some hard outside loops....[8D].

RE: Installing torque rod help: Ultimate 40 kit build
 

combatpigg,
Thanks for your advice and words of encouragement. I'm sure I'll be pounding on everyone for the next issue!