Biggest mistake in scale modeling :(
 

As I struggle for the last several week trying to reassemble and re-rig my 1/6th scale CD ScaleDesigns Sopwith Pup, as part of its reconstruction after its last bad flight about 5 years back... I ask myself "what is the biggest screw up" I have ever made in scale modeling.
There is NO DOUBT, the selection of the wrong hardware for the model - in this case I made extensive use of these tiny (#80) buttonhead machine screws. E V I L things for sure.
At the time, the best source for dinky screws was micro-fasteners, and in this size the buttonhead was all they had. These look great but, after a while, you CANNOT take them apart... the little hex allen head tool spins uselessly in the fastener and one has to find a really precise needlenose pliers to try to bully the stupid thing out.
This is accompanied by much begging/swearing/prayers even.
Now I have found that McMaster-Carr has socket head 80-1/8" stainless machine bolts. The socket head has a much bigger hex driver at this size and, in the worst case, you actually can get a pair of pliers onto the thing if you need to.
I can not be alone but I suspect that there are many other massive screw ups in scale modeling, that I have only approached...

Allan, I've had that problem in the past too. Use the thinnest Dremel cut off wheel you can find and carefully cut a slot across the top of the screw for a flat head screw driver.

I just got a shipment from MicroFasteners, with about $16 worth of buttonhead/80 bolts. They IMMEDIATELY went into the trash. I truly hate these f###### things. I HOPE the socketheads from Mcmasters-Carr will prove better.

Allan, sometimes the wrench is the culprit and the end has to be ground back to find fresh "meat" to turn the screw. If you've already done this please disregard lol
Doc

Sounds like a good idea. I'll try it. If it just brings up the percentage of bolts I can remove without the pliers, it will be great. Obviously, going forward, I still plan to avoid buttonheads in the smaller sizes since socket heads always take a larger allen wrench for a given screw size.

Allan,

I've never used the particular button head screws that you describe, but another possibility is that the socket is some odd size and your wrench isn't that size. I have been bitten on that detail a couple of times. Evidently there are some odd metric sizes for the tiny socket head fasteners and the available wrenches don't necessarily fit. I have some wheel collars for which I don't have the proper wrench, and my choice is to either force a slightly oversize wrench into the socket or bugger the heads with a wrench that's too small. Third choice is to throw the collars away and get something that works better.

Dick

Alan
I agree that the button head screws are a pita to work with and as well I cant find that they resemble many of the fasteners I need to replicate on Scale models. I don't build many sport models these days and so most of the fasteners I use are countersunk or button head slot or hex head. I have acquired several sets of drivers for hex head screws that work on sizes down to 00-90 and the tiny nuts that go with them though my old eyes and numb fingers have a bit of trouble with them at times, a good magnifying head set helps a lot, a lighted one, lol Wiha make the nicest drivers.
Doc

I find that does the trick 99% of the time. But yeah, those little screws can be a PIA.

I wish it were good 99% of the time. I am finding that it helps, in my case, maybe 30% at best. Which leaves me with my original contention. I am fortunate to have found the socket head variations from McMasters-Carr which are essentially as good on a "scale" basis, and much more reliable.
One possible factor with my button head problems is the needing to use a thread blocker (this is a WW-I vibration machine). Even though my fasteners are all stainless, and the little clevises are brass, they tend to get rather stuck over time with the thread blocker.

Here is the plane, with my good friend Jerry (composited in Photoshop). http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2179418

Great Photo, the prop is the only immediate giveaway to it not being a 1-1 pik
Doc

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXKTH7&P=7

get rid of the ball drivers, and buy one of these

At the risk of appearing a bit defensive, ANY experienced scale modeler would know that ball drivers are sloppy compared to standard allen wrenches. OF COURSE I was not relying on a ball driver. I had the same type of tool you linked to except for brand name. I am sure that you weren't being condescending but frankly, it could be taken that way.
Jezzzz.

I must agree that buttonhead fasteners are Satan's gift to mankind, and I now only buy hex head or Phillip's head screws.
However, in their defense, I must say that Micro Fasteners is my go to source for small fasteners. Good prices, prompt shipping, great service.
Off the soapbox now.

If you have a button head screw.. or any allen head for that matter and its hole gets "widened", tap on the head with a hammer. That will close the hole enough such that the allen wrench fits better to get the screw out.

Great tip Bob!
Doc

A bit touchy, aren't we?

Careful you guys ! ;)

Us WW1 guys HAVE to stick together ! hahaha These boards are so full of holes and falling apart its mainly the WW1 guys building their own unique birds now. I won't have anywhere to go for fun small talk about the classic planes if we get mad at each other..... I admit I am not getting much flying done, but the fire still burns for the kites of the sky.

I wasn't aware of this. I always thought of the ball-headed hex wrenches as being a "step above" the flat ended ones. And, of course, sometimes the ball heads are necessary to access screws at an angle. As for "buttonhead fasteners" I had to google that to find out what you were talking about. No I don't use those.

All ball end drivers are not created equally, my favorite brand being Wiha which are quite hard and last really well, though one has to consider that the contact area is less than a straight hex tool and wear can/will occur in the socket of any type of fastener that they are used in. Wiha also make straight hex tools as well as hex(socket) drivers and all their tools are superior to common allen wrenches or hex drivers from say Du Bro or Bondhaus etc...
Doc

Funny how everyone has a solution to any modeling problem so i'll just go back to subject matter here...model screw ups. My screw up came early on and cannot be fixed. I built the wrong scale model period. Not that it does not fly well on the contrary it fly's great because most big scale planes fly better and everything works until you try to land it on a paved runway. Fokker triplanes suck and it just gets worse. So I suggest he who spends years building what they always wanted to build pay attention to where they fly and if you plane is not suitable to that environment move on to something else. Some people have no problem selling a plane they put years of work in and new it was a screw up...I can't do that. Well then just move to another field...I can't do that. Make it a hanger queen...I can't do that with a plane that weighs over 40 lbs and as big as it is. So I call it the closets queen. Takes up two closets one for the wings the other for the fuse. Have a nice day modelers.

....and the angles of the shadows.

Have you tried a Gyro on the tail of that Big Fokker? Just wondering.. I'm guessing it would help?

Snap on tailwheel.

I was thinking the same thing. Of course, a DrI is always going to be a handful to land even on a perfect grass field.

My biggest mistake in scale modeling. Well, there are so many to choose from! :p But perhaps the biggest scale mistake that most of us make is being fooled into believing that kit plans have scale outlines. That is very rarely the case.