HELP DIRECTORY - 9-N
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 NOTE : THE HELP TOPICS
The help topics consist of links and Help Topics accumulated over the years.
Many of them were from RCM Model magazine that is now defunct. 
Please review these help topics.
If we have a topic or LINK listed and you are the author and do not want this published in this E-book,
Just notify us and it will be promptly removed.
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  • TOPIC LISTINGS :
    Safe needle valve adjustments :  To keep fingers away from the prop or aide in access to needle valves on cowled engines. You can cut the head off an 8-32 socket head screw and attach it to the end of the needle valve with JB Weld or silver solder. Be sure to rough up both mating surfaces with sand paper before attaching the socket head. I have also seen some guys use a nut and then use a socket to make adjustments. With the 8-32 cap head screw, you will use a 9/64" ball driver to make carb adjustments.

    Transmitter Neck Straps  If you use a neck strap on your transmitter, beware of getting it caught in a rotating propeller! Some people leave the strap around their neck and detach the transmitter while starting engines. This is a perfect way for it to get caught in the prop, especially if you start your planes on the ground rather than a stand or table. Also, having the transmitter nearby while starting an engine is potentially a hazard. When you pick up the transmitter make sure the strap doesn't swing into the prop.

    NICADS

    How's your Nicads?
    The Nicad batteries that we use in our Transmitters and Aircraft wear out with time. If you have a battery pack that is more than 3 years old you should be keeping a close check on it by cycling every month. If it is 5 years old or older you should replace it and be sure to properly dispose of the old cells. So - how do we tell the age of our batteries? Most Futaba battery packs and individual Sanyo battery cells (which most OEM radio manufactures use) have a 2 letter date code stamped somewhere on the pack or cell. The first letter of the code is the year of manufacture and the second letter is the month of manufacture. 1996 = "A", 1997 = "B", 1998 = "C", 1999 = "D", 2000 = "E", etc….. January = "A", February = "B", March = "C", etc…… So - if you have a battery or pack with a date code of "CB" it was manufactured in February of 1998 - probably still OK but keep a close check on it. The pack in my 8UAF transmitter was "ZF" or June of 1995 so I replaced it. I found one pack with a date code of "WC" which translates to 1992 - replace that one without question.
    Happy flying
    Ted Brindle

     Engine Mount / Nosegear  If you have a small plane with a very tight engine installation (usually resulting from a very streamlined cowl),  often there's no room for a nose gear assembly. Try drilling holes through the engine mount to accept the nose gear wire, and hold it in place with wheel collars. The steering arm can be placed below the engine, even on the outside of the plane. This will work with most engine mounts, even the two-piece ones as long as the engine is rotated 90 degrees.

    Nose Weights

    How to Cast Lead Nose Weight

    Here's a simple method of casting lead to fit inside the nose of your model. It could also be used to for casting shaped ballast slabs to fit in the fuselage. 

    The method is suited for glass fibre fuselages where access to the nose is restricted. I don't pretend it's the only way, but it works for me - I don't pour molten lead directly into the nose cavity, as some folks do!
    What you will need

    • Plaster of Paris
    • Non-setting modelling clay (e.g. Plasticene)
    • Cling film
    • Plastic cup
    • Lead
    • Weighing Scales

    Photo at right shows plastic cup with plaster of paris and the modelling clay (red). Note: I've since found the wire and balsa are not necessary to support the Plasticene.

    The Steps

    1. Take a lump of modelling clay a little larger than the volume of the nose. Wrap in clingfilm.
    2. Push the clay and clingfilm as far down the nose as possible, so the clay takes on the internal shape of the nose volume, then remove and unwrap the clingfilm. We now have a clay plug the exact shape of the inside of the nose.
    3. Mix up some plaster of paris in the plastic beaker, about twice as deep as the plug.
    4. Gently place the plug in the wet plaster, support if necessary to prevent it sinking (it shouldn't sink since it's about the same density as the plaster mixture). Put aside till the plaster sets. See picture above.
    5. When plaster has set, ease out the clay. The clay shouldn't stick to the plaster, so this step is easy. We now have a mould for casting the lead.
    6. When the plaster is completely dry, tap out from the beaker. 
    7. Place the plaster mould in the oven at 100 degrees Celcius for a couple of hours to drive out the last of the moisture, then wait for the mould to cool to room temperature. This step is important - if the mould is wet, you'll end up wearing a lead suit after you pour in the lead - you have been warned!
    8. Melt the required weight of lead, and decant into the mould. Wait to cool then invert mould and tap gently till lead casting drops out. And that's it!
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      Nuts & Bolts
       ( Nuts & Bolts ) Buy "T" nuts, small screws and such at hardware stores by the gross, If they don't stock them they can order them for you.