wire

[BigO]

wear can i get wire for push rods and landing gear
what kind do i want and what size do i want for a med size plane with
5g to 9g servos

thanks for any help

[mclarkson]

I generally buy piano wire (sometimes, "music wire") which I've found at my local hobby shop, craft stores like Michael's and the hardware store.

For pushrods, I generally use 0.028" or 0.032". That may be a bit on the heavy side, depending on the model, but I hate it when my push rods flex.

For landing gear I go a bit heavier, of course.

[BigO]

Thank you
I looked at the ace in town all thay had was baling wire I live a mile and a half past the boondocks so i haft to get almost everythang online
Im going to order .032 x 36" for push rods

[stuart]

dubro makes a nice selection of pushrods from light to heavy weight. and they won't break the bank either. tower hobbies carries them as well as many usa online rc stores.

[kyleservicetech]

Originally Posted by BigO

wear can i get wire for push rods and landing gear
what kind do i want and what size do i want for a med size plane with
5g to 9g servos

thanks for any help

Or, real small ID diameter carbon fiber tubing. That stuff is very light, and very stiff.

[mclarkson]

It's really hard to get a z-bend in, though!

[Bill G]

If you do much building in the park size model range, you will probably want an assortment of music wire including the approximate sizes:
.015"
.020
.025
.032
.047
.060
.070
.080

I find them all useful for various apps. For micro planes, the .015"-.025" are useful for saving weight as pushrods, since .032" is not really necessary. Some servos such as the Spektrum micro linear have holes for various sizes. You can still downsize holes with an app or so of thin CA. The heavier sized are useful for landing gear, where again it's preferable to not use any heavier than needed, to save weight. Eventually I find a need for all of the listed sizes, and end up feeling limited whenever I am out of one and have to substitute another.

Z-bends are interesting creatures. I've managed to develop techniques where I use a pair of pliers and tweezers. Describing the tricks to bring the first bend back to 90 degrees after completing the second bend are beyond words. Just one of those things that you experiment with and figure out after some time. The only occasional problem I run into is over working the first bend and breaking it, in attempts to set it back to 90 degrees after making the second bend. If you feel that it's been weakened to the point where it's on the nary edge, then better off scrapping it and trying again. Wouldn't want it to break off in flight.

[kyleservicetech]

Originally Posted by mclarkson

It's really hard to get a z-bend in, though!

LOL
What I've done is find a piece of carbon fiber tube with the same ID as the pushrod wire for the control horns. Rough up the pushrod wire at the end for the carbon tube. Clean everything with alcohol, put a dab of epoxy inside the tube, and on the pushrod, insert and let it cure.

Yeah, it is a lot of work, but they don't bend.

[kyleservicetech]

Originally Posted by Bill G

The only occasional problem I run into is over working the first bend and breaking it, in attempts to set it back to 90 degrees after making the second bend. If you feel that it's been weakened to the point where it's on the nary edge, then better off scrapping it and trying again. Wouldn't want it to break off in flight.

Yeah, I've had some music wire show stress cracks, or actually break off when doing a Z bend with a Z bend tool. Just had a threaded pushrod yesterday that was made from hard steel. Any bending at all, and it snapped in two.

[solentlife]

Bicycle spokes for control rods ... in my opinion for most models and particularly with regard to OP's up to 9gr servos ... you don't need music / piano wire ... yes it's preferred - but bike spokes work fine ... z bends can be made more easy, you can enven cut a thread if you want.

You can get them in various lengths and diameters ............


For landing gear on small to mod size - I use the 2mm control rods sold by Hobby King in packs of 10. The are really stiff but can be bent to suit. For joints I use carpet thread and CA ... I used to do all with fuse wire and solder after cleaning up the wire. But an old hand years ago showed me the thread and epoxy alternative ... which I've now adapted to CA.

Nigel

[robschonk]

Some folks have used the wire from surveyor stakes with the little flags like they use for marking utilities with good success.

[BigO]

Thanks everybody Going to look in to the cf rod and after I have searched piano wire
and found a assortment of wire or a roll of one size

thanks everyone

[Bill G]

Originally Posted by BigO

Thanks everybody Going to look in to the cf rod and after I have searched piano wire
and found a assortment of wire or a roll of one size

thanks everyone

If you have a hobby shop nearby, the decent ones carry the K&S assortment packs of music wire.

[Murman]

Originally Posted by BigO

Thanks everybody Going to look in to the cf rod and after I have searched piano wire
and found a assortment of wire or a roll of one size

thanks everyone

You won't find piano wire in rolls. I comes in straight lengths.
Another option is to find the little flags landscapers place in yards to mark objects. They can be found at Lowes or Home Depot.
Here's a video showing the method I use to make z-bends...

How to make a Zbend

[BigO]

hay Bill no the closest decent hobby shop is 80 miles one way

I found the rolls of piano wire on ebay http://www.ebay.com/itm/170989664405...84.m1497.l2649

3 meters from Budapest, Hungary

I found some Music Wire from Hobbylinc and ordered the assortment

thanks for the help

[solentlife]

Until recently I've been like many people fiddling with needle pliers, small pliers etc to make Z bends ......... then I decided to invest in a prope Z bend plier - similar to what I had years ago and gave away !!

No mess single step Z bends .... for a few $ - the pliers are worth every penny ..... I paid $14 + $5 shipping of Ebay ... They are a reputable brand - sorry but thrown the box away now ...
Will create in Piano wire up to 1.8mm ... and bicycle spokes to 2mm ... softer wire up to jaws max ... estimate 3mm. Perfect for parkflyers and mid range gear .........

Here's a few photos to illustrate :

Z bend pilers and Z bend in Bike Spoke ..



New control rods (2mm bicycle spokes) ..



Cutting M2 thread on bicycle spoke offcut ...



Nigel