drube

Hi guys,
When taking my wing of my Hellcat, What would be the best method of stopping the wing bolts from falling out and into the belly pan? Is there a way to keep the bolts in the wing permanently so the don't fall out?

Thanks

ARUP

Allen head wing bolts? Put a guide tube in belly pan for the bolts to loosely fit then put a cap on the tube to retain them. Drill a hole in the cap large enough for the Allen wrench to fit.

drube

Yes Allen Head bolts. What should the guide tubes be made of?

Charlie P.

I recently used a razor-sawed length of Opus X cigar tube (plastic - attached with Duco cement) for Nylon wing bolts through a belly pan. HAS to be good luck.

scale only 4 me

My Feedback: (158)

My technique,
Roll up plain paper or card stock the correct size, soak it with thin CA, glue in place, trim and paint.

easy squeezey

SeamusG

Ibuilt an Extra 300S some time back. I"think"that it uses a similar approach to attach the wing to the fuse. I've added various build pics showing the guts. Yea, Icovered it in chrome Ultracote. I have not yet detailed the plane. I plan to use high gloss silver and a q-tip applicator to paint the inside of the yellow paper tubes.

HTH

drube

Thanks guys, and Seamus thanks for the pics! I like the idea of using a cigar tube and then capping it like Charlie and ARUP said. Um, how much does cigars cost? lol

tacx

My Feedback: (1)

I keep all my wing bolts in the wing by pushing "O" rings onto the threads on the inside of the wing. I can unscrew the bolts and they don't fall out because the "O" ring keeps the bolt from falling out.

JohnBuckner

My Feedback: (1)

Another possibility are three inch nylon bolts. They will sometimes solve that problem depending on the reach and assuming nothing in the way that could interfere. I order most of my nylon 1/4-20's in three inch and I beleve the last time from micro fasteners.

John

drube

Hmm, Now that sounds like a great idea! That with guide tubes would be perfect! Thanks!

John, in order for me to use nylon bolts i'd have to drill and tap new holes. I would like to stay with the Allen Head Bolts.

Thanks

SeamusG

The standard slot-head 1/4-20 nylon bolt head is too big for these holes. I have been using hex head 1/4-20 nylon bolts that fit nicely down the tubes.

RBACONS

My Feedback: (3)

If your belly pan is not too deep, and you're not terribly weight concious, the caps off of ZAP CA make good guide tubes. Just drill a hole in the top of the cap to pass your bolt through and install upside down.

sticktickler

Just exactly when is a good time to NOT be weight concious when building something ment to fly?

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

I'm not a weight watcher myself. I don't go out of my way to add weight but I'm not going to over stress if I add something to a build. Only time I start watching the ounces and grams is when I'm building a race plane.
This super calorie counting started with ARFs, they over sold the light weight idea because they didn't use very much wood in a plane compared to a kit built plane. People bought into the thinking. 3-D pilots have made it a religion. I fly pattern and IMAC type of planes, scratch built. I do have the one ultra light ARF 3-D electric but it can't put up with any abuse at all! How many grams will two little glue caps add to the over all weight of a plane? Who really cares?

Charlie P.

I understand your point.  But weight is cummulative and it has to be an almost fanatical drive to keep a model light.  It's not new from ARF influx.  "Lighter Fles Better" goes back to rubber powered stick and tissue and control line.

I like ARFs because I do tend to overbuild kits.  They are rugged and durable when I'm done; but you can feel it when they fly.

In a Hellcat?  Not so much.  Your knife edge probably won't be any less angled or hold longer whether you add copier paper bolt guides or use copper pipe.  But if you always stop and challenge yourself with "which suitable choice is lighter" it will pay off in flight performance.

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

The term is, lighter flys better, up to a point. There is a point of diminishing return when you can get too light with some types of planes. One of my pattern planes, a class C from 1966, the Daddy Rabbit was designed at the top of it's weight limit. The designer stated he competed all over the country in all types or weather. By going heavy his pattern plane wasn't effected by the wind as much as a lighter plane. It must have worked, he won a couple of nationals with the design. The design dose not lend itself to removing weight either if you build it to the plans. I was talked into building it as close to stock as I could. It is heavy but it's so stable I call it my high wind plane. It's even stable on the ground in a cross wind.
Bigger flys better too but all I noticed was bigger flys smoother and slower. I guess that's better?

rgburrill

There are readliy available star type washers that thread down the bolt and stay on.  I would put them inside the wing.

drube

Where can you get them?

scale only 4 me

My Feedback: (158)

a small piece of fuel tubing will do the same thing

tacx

My Feedback: (1)

I have even used the nylon washers you get with toilet hold down bolt kits. They have a hole smaller than the 1/4 x 20 threads, and there are slits that allow you to push the washer over the threads.

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

Just a thick piece of paper with an X cut into it will keep the bolts in the wing. Also keeps the incidence from changing too much when you tighten down the wing.

drube

Thanks guys for the idea's!

ARUP

X2 for the paper/ card stock retainers, Gray Beard! Great idea!

Hareman

My Feedback: (1)

An alternative to the "O" rings that TACX uses, I have always used small rubber bands around the threads of my wing bolts They're cheaper, more adjustable, and more available.

carrellh

My first instructor made 'washers' from CA hinge material and cut an X in the middle to slide onto the bolts.