Futurase

My Feedback: (10)

I am looking for somethign to keep my 28% Edge from having to set on its gear all the ime and this looks like a nice solution. Just wondered if anyone had one and could comment on it. I have no need for it to hold a wing, but looks nice to hold a fuse. Take a look at it: http://www.jlproducts.net/ProductSkyPort.html

Norman Ross Jr.

the-plumber

Don't have one, and given the amount of PVC fittings, solvent, pipe, and tubular foam insulation you can make off with for forty bucks, I doubt I'd ever buy one of those.

Forty bucks for a cradle ?

Yeah, right . . .

Futurase

My Feedback: (10)

Yeah,
I thought of using PVC as well, except take a closer look at it. The spinner sets in a ring to hold it up off the ground. No way to make one of those except with metal that I know of. At least not strong enough to hold a 18 lb model. No PVC going to do that I know of.

Norman Ross Jr.

the-plumber

You're thinking inside the box . . . never had to stick a round peg in a square hole and get it to work, maybe.

Couple of ways to achieve the same end, that is, capture the spinner so it doesn't pop out easily, and supporting the weight of the model.

One way to have a spinner 'mount' would be to build a small square loop using a "T", four elbows, and four short lengths of pipe. Another way would be to use reducing fittings to step the pipe size up to say, 2" or 2 1/2", and just put a "T" on the end cross-ways - let the spinner seat in cross tube of the "T".

As for strength, a 1' length of 3/4" schedule 40 PVC is pretty rigid. Try bending one sometime. If you really need extra support, run a tube across the "U" structure that serves as a base, and let the spinner 'mount' attach to that cross-tube with another "T".

Another way to deal with the weight would be to add another "U" structure at the top, and let the tail feathers carry some of the weight.

Or add an upside-down "J" structure to the top, and use a short piece of rope attached to the tail wheel.

Lotsa ways to build that cat, so to speak. Just takes practice fingering out what the cradle has to look like to do the job.

After all, a model airplane cradle doesn't have be pretty to work, and it sure doesn't have to fly, so who cares if it weighs an few extra ounces and looks like it gave Rube a migraine ?