After a discussion about wing dowels and CG I thought I'd give the wire hook idea a try...WOW!!! No more broke wing dowels in a combat meet...suddenly any wing will work with any plane...and even better, the CG can be tweeked however you want it for performance! This is one of Sassy's NATS FNS combat planes. You'll also notice the tank on top...another way to make things even simpler.

So many new ideas... Sooooo little time!

There are these ones as well. Made from thin metal strapping and welding wire.



Ross

Ross,
What are you calling welding wire? Are you taking the flux off welding rod? If so what diameter are you using?

Tattoo,
What size wire are you using? I fly .40 size planes. Is there a chance the wire might bend and let the rubberbands come off or, like usual, am I worried about nothing.


Thanks (from a worry wart)
Mike

I bought some 3/32" wire for the first few, but have been using coat hanger ever since. Don't use the whimpy plastic coated ones though! I've never had one slip or bend!

Just regular welding wire (3/32, I think). Had a piece of stainless that wasn't being used. No flux coating.

I just tried a new method for attaching the wing. Instead of a dowel in the front of the fuse, which gets in the way of the fuel tank, I use a couple 1"x#8 pan head bolts, nuts, and washers. I put the bolt head and a washer inside the fuse and another washer and a nut outside it. This way you can attach the elastics to hold the wing on , but you still have room for a fuel tank inside the fuse.

I'm guessing that the welding wire you are referring to is for TIG welding. It can be had at any local welding supply house and usually comes in a one pound box with each wire being 36" long.
Shouldn't be much more than $10.00+/- and it would be enough for a thousand SPADS If you're getting steel rod, then get 70 series (70,000psi tensile strength when used for welding)
I'm going to build my first spad real soon to further enhance my fleet and to turn a few heads at the field. Great Forum

Tattoo, Ross, taildraggerdave

Thanks for the info!!!

Hope to see you all at SPADfest,
Mike

I've been using the insulation hold down supports. The 16" ones are just a bit bigger than a 2-56 pushrod, and the 24" ones are just a smidge smaller than a 4-40 pushrod. They have a temper, though, like music wire. I think they are about 6 or 7.00 a hundred at lowes or home depot.