Carbon rods and tubes

[Happy Days]

Last year, or maybe the year before that, :?:  someone on this forum was talking about the differing types of carbon rod and tube that’s available for use as wing joiners.

Some of the cheaper rods and tubing tends to be rather rough and can give you splinters. Where can I get the better quality carbon rod /tubing from??? Anyone any ideas?

Keith

[gerryb]

hi keith,
recently i bought 8mm carbon rod from nexus modelling supplies in england. i needed a good fitting carbon tube for the rod which they did not have in stock but the supplier went through his stock of brass tubing until he found the perfect match for me. turns out 11/32nd brass tube is a perfect fit for 8mm rod. unfortunately, i can't remember the guy's name, but his no. is           0044 1249 716 113.    they also have a web site under nexus modelling supplies.  check for carbon rod under aircraft parts.

i found the rod/tube combo to be exactly what i needed.

hope this helps,  gb

[Happy Days]

Brilliant Ger! :clap:  I’ll give them a call. Thank you ol’ fruit.
(I take back all the horrid things I’ve been thinking about you! :wink: )

Keith

[gerryb]

hi keith,

you, thinking bad thoughts about me...............? i don't believe it!!!

[gerryb]

hi keith,
 
just wondered how you got on with your quest for rods and tubes?

[Happy Days]

Er,….todate? :shock:  nothing I’m afraid. :oops:  Haven’t forgotten, just been a bit tied up with other matters and the building of a ‘Riser’. (Polyhedral floater) So that I can challenge you  on those calm weather glide ins!

I’m trying to build it with less weight in the tail so that there’s less weight  needed to be added to the nose to balance it. The idea is to get the AUW to well below the manufactures min.
I’m gonna use pull/pull wires for rudder and elevator instead of snake control rods. I’ve drilled holes in solid tapered balsa elevator. Going to position the servos further forward than shown in plans to better act as counter weights. (To the tail) Intend to use 2S lipo and Ubec instead of Metal Hydride battery. And a carbon rod wing joiner instead of the  steel one supplied.
 SIG recon it should come in at AUW of 45ozs. I’m hoping to get it down to 40 ozs. That would produce a wing loading of around 5.75oz/sq ft.
 
Armed with that I recon I should be able to catch up with you :twisted:  in those thermals!

Keith

[gerryb]

hi keith,

have you considered the covering material?  might i suggest 'fiba' film? it's a film from the same company that make 'solarfilm'.  it's a polyester film, very light, very strong - much stronger than solarfilm and comes in a variety of colours.  as there is no adhesive on the film, you have to brush a coat of 'balsaloc' onto the surface you wish to iron the film to.  this means you only have glue where you want it, saving more weight.

i have used this film several times (have a look at my blue and yellow 'bird of time'.  the blue is fiba film) and i'm delighted with it.

regards,  gb

[Happy Days]

Well Gerry, "Sods Law" dictates that………………..by the time I had read you last post, I’d already covered the tail feathers in Orafilm. :roll:  I wish I’d known about fiba film and balsa loc before! Dam  

Well thanks for your info anyway.
I still recon this little girl will beat any of your’s when climbing in a thermal though! :twisted:  we shall see next summer. (That statement pre-supposes that we get a next ‘summer.’ :roll: )

K.

[gerryb]

doesn't matter what you cover it with, keith.  the magic is in the fingers!!!!!

[Happy Days]

Re Carbon wing joiners………Finaly got the sizes I need from SMC. (Didn’t know they did them. :shock: )

The weight of the carbon tubes and rod to join the wings of this plane work out at just 10% of the supplied steel rod and copper tubes.

Of course, the trade off is in price. But but who cares :wink: ,…..I’m feeling extravagant!

K.

[Happy Days]

Just started covering some of the fuse using your Fibafilm Ger. You didn’t tell me it is semi-transparent!! :shock:  It’s allowing all my ‘less than perfect’ construction and “bodge-ups” to be seen! :oops:

Oh well, I guess I’ll just have to fly this plane when there’s no one else around. :roll:

K.