Plane Stands
 

Show us your Plane Stands
I would like to build one out of pvc. :confused: Was just wondering what others had and maybe get a better idea :confused: .
Thanks in advance
AzRcPilot

Plane Stands
 

Stand for 25 size combat airplanes.
About $5 of materials to build.

Plane Stands
 

I am interested as well.
I need to build a couple of stands and possible carriers.

Plane Stands
 

PVC is a great material for stands! Spend the extra bucks and get a good ratcheting PVC-cutter. Worth every bit of the $18 for no more PVC-dust. Makes cutting it a joy instead of a task.

I've built several PVC stands. Let's see... here's a pic with three stands in my truck (held in with either PVC caps or plugs screwed into the plywood):

(Click image for bigger version)
http://astro.umsystem.edu/andy/rc/tr...2002_1_320.jpg

Here's a pic of my Diamond Dust's stand in its engine-starting position (shown in its transport position in the picture above):

(Click image for bigger version)
http://astro.umsystem.edu/andy/rc/dd...stand2_320.jpg

Got a big plane and need a stand for working on it? Try this one we saw (and borrowed) at a local fly-in (Taylor,MO):

(Click image for bigger version)
http://www.mmrca.org/Taylor2001/Stand_side_T.jpg

Here's my latest project, for a Pacific Aeromodels Gee Bee Y. The aluminum rod is the model's wing-tube and doubles as a handle and retainer during transport. This one was first built for just the fuse, but was then modified to hold the wing-halves too:

(Click images for bigger versions)
http://astro.umsystem.edu/andy/rc/gb...eady18_320.jpg http://astro.umsystem.edu/andy/rc/gb...irst01_320.jpg http://astro.umsystem.edu/andy/rc/gb...eady14_320.jpg

Buy more PVC pipe than you think you will need. That G.B.Y. stand is only 29" long, but took about 16 feet of PVC pipe to build. There are a few more pics on my website below, and our club's site at http://www.mmrca.org/ in the photo gallery section.

Plane Stands
 

I went to the photo section and didn't see any stands!
You must be the PVC king!

Plane Stands
 

Sorry about the goose chase! Let me make it easier. The only stand-pictures on the club's website are here:

http://www.mmrca.org/Taylor2001/club.html

There is another picture of a Diamond Dust stand, from a different angle, and more pictures (and bigger pictures) of the large-plane stand.

Great, just what I need... a new title... "PVC King". :rolleyes:

Plane Stands
 

I made this little beauty out of an old discarded wire spool. It's sturdy as a rock! Just roll it off the roof of the honda, and roll it out to the pit area!

(yes, I'm joking)

Mo' PVC
 

I have been using PVC for all my stands for years. Here's one for my TF 182.
The rear wheels allow it to roll all the way into the SUV easily. The pulling handle is easily removed. The wing on this plane is 81" and all the way up between the front seats. The stand was made so that the wing would clear the center armrest. The rubber feet on the front legs prevent it from moving around. This stand is especially nice when you can't park close to the pits and have to lug some distance. You just insert the handle, lift the front end off the ground and pull it along...although pushing it seems to work better.

The fact that the plane is up and floating allows stuff to be packed under it safely on the floor of the vehicle.

and Mo'
 

From side w/ handle removed

One Mo'
 

From the rear.

Plane Stands
 

Take a look at my gallery on the first pic you will see the stand I constructed out of 1" PVC, $7 in material.

Plane Stands
 

Wheels... COOL! :cool: Thanks for the great idea!

Plane Stands
 

I bought a keyboard stand for 5$ at a garage sale. I use it to this day.

Plane Stands
 

Crashmaster,
That is a nice looking stand!
How do you come up with the concept of what you want it to look like?

Plane Stands
 

I know , there not PVC

Plane Stands
 

How do you come up with the concept of what you want it to look like?

You simply figure out what you want the stand to do. Is it for transport and field usage. Will you have the plane on a table at the field? When not flying, how much space should it take up in the garage?.
One thing I try to do is to have the stands' footprint smaller than the model.
Four tall legs just doesn't work for me, as it doesn't usually allow for more than one plane to be put into a space like an SUV. I build them so that they are diferent heights so that the planes can be positioned very close together with overlapping horz. stabs or nose to tail, Definately get the PVC cutters.
Do a rough sketch of what you want simply for a parts list of elbows, T's, caps, etc.
They're cheap, so buy a few extra of each. The pipe insulation foam works great. Small zip ties hold them on securely.
Then you just start eyeballin' and cutting. Put all the puzzle pieces together and wahlah! For the wheels, I bought some utility wheels ($6 ea. I believe) from home depot, a steel rod for the axle, and some cap nuts.
The great thing is that it is so cheap that a few mistakes here and there won't make any difference...just cut a new section. Don't PVC weld until it is assembled the way you want it. On some joints, you may want to leave them unwelded for dissasembly. To avoid frustration, start with much more material than you think you will need. Again, it's so innexpensive.

Paul

Plane Stands
 

Crashmaster,

You just gave me some great ideas for my 4X8 closed trailer.

The trailer

I am going to try configure a PVC wheeled rack system in hopes that I can get at least four planes along with the wings as well. I want it to be completely removable so that I can still access the rear of the trailer. This will take the place of the current wall rack system I am using.

As far as the PVC welding goes there is no need to weld them just use a 3/32 drill bit drill a hole or two, one on each side if want then use a black flat head 1/2" roofing screw to secure both the pipe and fittings together, That way you have no worries of them coming apart and you can always adjust them as desired. If you notice in the trailer I use the screws to secure the pipe to the wood with.

Randy

Plane Stands
 

Nice job on the trailer Blackie.

Plane Stands
 

If you have a Home Depot close by they sell bags of 10 tee's, 90's, etc. at a good savings over the individual pieces.
Ed M.

Plane Stands
 

Thanks :)

Combination PVC Rack?
 

I built a nifty PVC rack for my fuselage of my lt-40. I have another plane that I would I like to build one for, but this time I would like to have a place to put the wings in too. I have noticed some of your PVC airplane racks, such as Andysteere's Gee Bee rack, and SDCrashmaster's PVC artwork and how you have added some PVC to form a wing rack. Just wondering whats the best way to go about building a fuse/wing PVC rack ... I will be hauling my CG Skytiger in a flatbed pickup, which is pretty wide, <<< I think I'll have enough room for 2 planes :)

I made up a wing/fuse PVC Rack design with AutoCad... any suggestions? (See the attache photo)

Thanks!

-Brian

Yeah
 

Yours will definately work.
Heres the rear leg of mine.

Plane Stands
 

someone11

Is you horizental attached? Will that work??

Plane Stands
 

Make sure the wing supports are high enough for the wing to clear the stab!

Plane Stands
 

LOL..... your right... i forgot abour the stab... hmm

What modifications too make... Any ideas???

-Brian

So far...
 

I just made a few modifications to it... but now the size has incresed in height. It will be in a flatbed truck, with another plane, so i need to save space.

Should I just make a separate rack for the wing... or can a wing+fuse rack work???

Thanks for yoru help!

-Brian

The stack method
 

Here is another method I've used. This keeps the width down.
Fuse sits in lower cradle shaped cross members with tail end lower...top wing holder plugs onto top of four legs...wing rests on top held on with bungies or rubber bands.

Plane Stands
 

Crashmaster,
That is what I have been looking for for a while. I built it the day I saw it. I took some pics, but waiting for them to get developed. It turned out great (at least for me). I made a few mods so it will fit in my Nissan to get to the field. It only took about 30 minutes to come up with and at $10.00 in parts, it is going to work out very well thank you!

How Did You Do That (Andy Steere)
 

Get more than one image in the same post I mean :confused:

more than one image
 

RC Universe makes it so easy to attach photos that a lot of people don't realize you can in-line them as well. The catch (I think) is that you have to have a server for the pictures. But assuming you have a web site where you can put the pictures, you can include them in your post inside "img" tags (click "IMG" in the "vBCode" section of "Post Reply".

Note: If you do this, please be kind and resize your photos so they aren't any wider than, say, 600 pixels.

Yeahhh, That's The Ticket
 

I see now where they are on a site! Thanks for the poop ;)

Shop stands and jigs
 

Wow! Nice work everybody. And Paul... You da man!

How about stands or jigs any of you use to support stuff in alignment, in the shop? There are lots of times when something should be rigidly aligned, to be precise with wing incidence, engine thrust lines, etc..

I custom-make mine to hold sub-assemblies, so major pieces of a project can be moved around the shop without disturbing their alignment. I make these "jigs" so that the part is always in alignment with the board it's on, so I just place a level anywhere on it, and it matches the aircraft centerline marks. Here are three photos...

The first one is the parts I typically use to hold something like a fuselage in alignment, up off the building table.

The second one is that stand in use.

The third one is the more typical "el cheapo" foam cradle type.

Another
 

The jig assembled and in use

Last one
 

These aren't as precise of course, but they're cheap and disposable!

some cool Ideas ...
 

but most of them look taylor made to one aircraft ...

I would like to have something that could be used for more than one plane ... humm ... light bulb is glowing as I type ...

My attempt and stand fame and fortune!
 

Guys,

I read through this thread and was charged up to build my own stand. I wanted to build something that could be used on several planes.

What do you think????

http://www.flyaways.org/photos/Generic/dscf0147_s.jpg
http://www.flyaways.org/photos/Generic/dscf0148_s.jpg
http://www.flyaways.org/photos/Generic/dscf0149_s.jpg
http://www.flyaways.org/photos/Generic/dscf0150_s.jpg

Yep!
 

Nice!

What kit is that?

Kit
 

It's the VMAR T6-A Texan II...

Plane Stands
 

Wow, it really looks great! It's really neat to see something on paper turn into something that is productive. Great Job!

-brian

Plane Stands
 

Good job on the PVC stands Guys. And Mike James...you KNOW that you da man!