Diamond 2500 spar
02-27-2017, 04:29 AM
#1
Diamond 2500 spar
My ART-TECH DIAMOND 2500 sailplane has been sitting around for a couple of years now, decided to get her ready for flight.....can't find the darn wing joiner tube and couldn't find the appropriate size replacement at my local hardware stores, ANY HELP?
02-27-2017, 08:09 AM
#2
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Chilliwack, BC, CANADA
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From what you are saying it sounds like it used an aluminium tube joiner. Is that right? If so I strongly suggest you find the original or use a proper aircraft aluminium tube. The stuff sold at the hardware stores looks nice but it's about as strong and springy as over cooked pasta. Real aircraft tubing of the proper sort and proper heat treatment spec is night and day different.
It is odd for a model glider to use larger diameter aluminium tubing as the joiner. What is the inside diameter of the receiver tubes in the wings? Perhaps there's something else you could use?
It is odd for a model glider to use larger diameter aluminium tubing as the joiner. What is the inside diameter of the receiver tubes in the wings? Perhaps there's something else you could use?
02-27-2017, 04:45 PM
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So that means you likely need 1/2" square solid aluminium rod rather than tubing. Either way I would strongly suggest that you need to find some proper aircraft rod or thicker walled tubing.
Aircraft spruce and specialty has .058" wall 1/2x1/2 in 6061 T6 that given it is fairly thick walled should do the job.
https://www.aircraftspruce.ca/catalo...mtubing-sq.php
Or you could get some 2024T3 which has comparable maximum and yield strengths to the 6061T6. Here's a link to the page that lists 1/2" square bar stock.
https://www.aircraftspruce.ca/catalo...es/alumbar.php
Both options here make the lumber yard aluminium look like junk. I cannot stress enough how poor a choice it would be to use the dress up metals from the lumber yards. I know of two people that went that route and both times it cost them their planes.
The 6061 tubing option only weighs about 1.5 oz. The 2024 solid bar option is more like 4 oz for a foot which is likely what you would need for length.
Aircraft spruce and specialty has .058" wall 1/2x1/2 in 6061 T6 that given it is fairly thick walled should do the job.
https://www.aircraftspruce.ca/catalo...mtubing-sq.php
Or you could get some 2024T3 which has comparable maximum and yield strengths to the 6061T6. Here's a link to the page that lists 1/2" square bar stock.
https://www.aircraftspruce.ca/catalo...es/alumbar.php
Both options here make the lumber yard aluminium look like junk. I cannot stress enough how poor a choice it would be to use the dress up metals from the lumber yards. I know of two people that went that route and both times it cost them their planes.
The 6061 tubing option only weighs about 1.5 oz. The 2024 solid bar option is more like 4 oz for a foot which is likely what you would need for length.
