DaveFri

My Feedback: (7)

What is a low cost way to run servo wires in large wings..80"...some sort of tubing ...so you don't have to go fishing in the event of a problem..Any ideas on this?

thx,Dave

JohnShe

Estes rocket tubes BT-5 or Bt-20 work real well.

www.estesrockets.com/rockets/accessories/tubes-couplers-lugs

You can also roll up a sheet of paper. I recommend something heavier that standard printer paper, maybe heavy photo paper about 13x19. But you will find the Estes tubes to be much cheaper.

ByLoudDesign

The 1/4" poly water line from Lowel's works also!

DaveFri

My Feedback: (7)

are these tubes heavy?? the poly and rocket tubes?

rafeeki

My Feedback: (11)

How about using the cardboard tube heat shrink covering is wraped over.

ByLoudDesign

Not really, plus you can route them right to the servo, where cardboard needs to be straight!

Lone Star Charles

I just fish a couple of #10 washers tied to sewing thread through the wing and then tie the thread to the servo connector wire.  I only have to do it once or twice over the lifetime of a plane and it really does save a little weight. 

DaveFri

My Feedback: (7)

the string and washer idea is simple enough!!.....and cheap!!

doswings

Just roll up a piece of paper add a little tape and make a tube.

scale only 4 me

My Feedback: (158)

It's the way I've done it for years also

tande

My Feedback: (48)

A pile of sewing thread in the servo/pocket & a vacuum sweeper suction hose where you want it to exit......Done!....

Charlie P.

What he said. Wrap a dowel in waxed paper, wrap it in paper smeared with Titebond and let it dry, then slide out the dowel.

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Use a 1/2" copper pipe sharpened at one end to cut the holes (if you decided to do this AFTERthe ribs are glued in place).




Or go to a hardware store and get six feet of pull-chain for ceiling lights. Push it in the servo opening, jiggle the wing until the loose end drips out the center of the wing, then us masking tape to hold the extension plug and pull it back up through the servo opening. Works great.

Truckracer

My Feedback: (19)

T&T Landing Gear provides some very nice 36" long tubes and the price is not excessive. Go here .....

http://www.tntlandinggear.com/store/...ccessories.htm

I use to do the rolled up paper thing until I discovered these T&T tubes. Much easier than making your own.

Campgems

Iaquired a large vintage pattern plane a few years back. Sure wish the guy that built it (Unknown and scratch built) had read this thread. He drilled holes in the ribs just slightly bigger than the servo wire, wrapped the wire with masking tape at each rib and then use a generous amount of glue to hold the masking tape to the rib. Of course, I had to replace the aileron servos. I've got four plugged holes in the balsa covering.and new covering on the bottom of the wing. And guess what, I used the washer and string got get the new wires in place. There was a set of holes in the ribs he could have used.

Don

rgburrill

Roll up the plans and use them - that way you will have them when you crash and have to rebuid your wing

mike31

My Feedback: (67)

I roll up writing paper and with a few drops of CA the tube is done. Very little cost and easy to make.

mike31

My Feedback: (67)

Not sure if a servo lead connector will pass thru a 1/4" tube.

DaveFri

My Feedback: (7)

yeah,i'll prob go the paper route.Holes are already in the wing.It seems the easiest solution.
thanks for all the replys,Dave

JeffinTD

Torch welding rod comes in a light weight clear plastic tube.

I attach it with some clear rtv silicone.

Looks good in a plane with transparent covering.

If you don't weld, a local metal shop might save them for you.

dignlivn

Junk mail flyer adds rolled up.

Bob

tomfiorentino

That looks nice and light Charlie....clean building surface and very organized. Says a lot about your approach to the hobby by the way...very nice!

The dowel and paper gives you a nice straight and light passage (although the washer tied to a string has been my method for years in the wing. I usually only have to swear three or four times).

Servo wire chaffing is a big problem for me and the tubes are functional in that regard. On my 50cc Extra in the fuselage in particular the elevator servo wires are chaffing in spots where they keep hitting the formers. For that I like the flexible water line idea although they strike me as being comparatively very heavy, and I agree that probably 1/4 inch is too small to fit the connector.

Anybody using tubes in the fuse for wire chaffing? I can get rubber grommets in a couple of the formers but I can only reach so far back towards the tail.

Tom

Campgems

It seems that most servos in any plane over a 60" span need and extention. I've often though of hard wiring the fuselage and wings. and the cutting the servo lead to about 2", so the extention plug was right at the servo.. A change of a servo would be no more dificult than removing it or the hatch over it and unpluggin it right at the servo. You are going to have at least one extention anyway, so you wouldn't have any extra connections to worry about..

Don

tande

My Feedback: (48)

I run mine inside a length of foam water/pipe insulation....weighs next to nothing.....flexible....inexpensive....FWIW

Campgems

I ran across this last nigh when I was looking for some small square tubes to hold my taps. http://www.mcmaster.com/#shipping-tubes/=iago5h

Look down the page a bit at the cut to length tubes. They have the light weight polyethylene tubes 48" long in sizes from 1/4" up to 2 2/12" D. The price isn't bad either.

Don

OldScaleGuy

My Feedback: (2)

I am sure this is not the best option for a lot of guys but what i do is use the tubes only where the wing is sheeted. Otherwise i just cut small rectangular holes in each rib to pass the connectors through. Cover the bottom of the wing first, install the servo's and leads, then cover the top. If repair is required then cutting the covering on the bottom of the wing is a must. However, i do not recall ever having to replace an aileron servo or any other servo for that matter aside from a crash. Using good quality equipment and testing prior to covering helps. http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10945363