Captured leadout guide with lousy picture. :)

OK, a couple of folks asked about the captured leadout guide I described in another thread. Here's a bad drawing. Almost litterally drawn out on a napkin at lunch. Or in this case freehand drawn on a piece of scrap paper at lunch today. It's not to scale or anything, but it will at least give you visual sorts (like me) a reference to what I was trying to describe.

Hi Randy:

This is nearly identical to the ones I've been using--except I use UHMW for the slider instead of aluminum, I thought it might be friendlier to the lead outs.

Nice freehand!

Some of my best design work has been done on napkins at the diner.

lol,
Giffy

Giffy,

Yes, but did you use the edge of a napkin holder for a ruler?

I used aluminum because I pressed a 4-40 steel insert into the thing before machining. In the future, I plan to use something else. Delrin or PC board, maybe CF or something that I don't have to bush for the leadouts.

edit: typos

>Giffy,
>
>Yes, but did you use the edge of a napkin holder for a
>ruler?

Your drawing is awesome. You even have that cool drafter's printing down.

I think in the top view the cutout should be a hidden line?

It looks proper to me Godzilla. Although it has been years since my drafting and engineering days. (or is it daze)?

> It looks proper to me Godzilla. Although it has been
>years since my drafting and engineering days. (or is it
>daze)?
>
> Bigiron

Looks proper to me, too. Locating the views incorrectly is common, as are mistakes with phantom lines. Personally, I feel that CAD drafting has downgraded the accuracy and thoroughness of the information reaching the shop. My theory is that they don't look at it long enough, 'cause it's finished so quickly. I sometimes spend hours a day, trying to get correct info out of our engineering office, from the customer's engineering office. They're always at lunch, too. What's up with that? I'm almost never "at lunch" when I need me. Steve

Sheesh! I drew the thing in about 15 minutes using a napkin holder as a ruler.

I have people ask me for plans every once in awhile (once in a very great while). I always freak out because I draw them so I can build the things but I'm not so sure others will understand my shorthand. Or the fact that I seldom use wood sizes on drawings. I mean, I know what wood I'm going to use for what....

>Sheesh! I drew the thing in about 15 minutes using a napkin
>holder as a ruler.

Don't get me wrong, your drawing skills are incredible. I am a CAD guy, so maybe my drafting skills are lacking. Very Possible, as I taught myself, and the teacher is kind of a boob.

Randy,

You slay me sometimes! So, you just LABEL it a "crappy" view, huh! Hahahah. It's better than a lot of working drawings I've seen.

That said, I'm not sure I agree on the need of it being captive. I use my powerful di-cuts to "damage" the end of the adjustment bolt, so it can't come back out. A little dab of JB Weld might do the same thing, but I do enjoy hurting things.

(Your new digital camera is working pretty well..)

[photo not recovered: 3e69bb3870f12ad5.jpg]

"My doctor told me to watch my drinking. Now I drink in front of a mirror. I drink too much. Way too much. My doctor drew blood. He ran a tab." -Rodney Dangerfield

>Randy,
>
>You slay me sometimes! So, you just LABEL it a "crappy"
>view, huh! Hahahah. It's better than a lot of working
>drawings I've seen.
>
>That said, I'm not sure I agree on the need of it being
>captive. I use my powerful di-cuts to "damage" the end of
>the adjustment bolt, so it can't come back out. A little dab
>of JB Weld might do the same thing, but I do enjoy hurting
>things.

Hi Larry, Randy.
Yeah pretty sorry drawings, huh?
Larry, I'm like you, overkill!
I put a nut on the end of the bolt now, hit it with the dikes to mess up the threads, and JB weld the nut on top of that! It was pretty un-nerving to see the lead outs swing back and forth AFTER the flight. I guess it adds a gram to weight (heaven forbid), but THAT part won't come loose.
Bill <><

P.S. Larry, where is Mark Bowen now? He drove here with a load several years ago, and we had a short flying session together.

Thanks. That is neat. If that is freehand, I would LOVE to see the tool assist and professional versions.
Bigiron

Marvin,

It was actually kind of funny. We were pretty busy at work and I didn't get a chance to use the drawing program I have (I'm pretty slow with it still). I was at lunch with a friend and asked him if he had a pencil. He handed over a mechanical pencil and while we talked, I pulled out a piece of paper and really did use the napkin holder for a straight edge. We sat there and talked while I spent 15 or 20 minutes doing the drawing. You should have seen the look on the waitress’s face every time she walked by. I knew she was dying to ask what the heck I was doing but never did.

Larry,

Just shows you what experience will do. Having a problem with something is a wonderful driver for paranoia. This is the paranoid's version of adjustable leadouts. Not much work and this sucker is never coming apart. The thing I like is, I don't have to put the bolt in until the plane is done. Makes painting the area easier and that's always been a (very) minor gripe of mine.

That reminded me of an experience I had several years ago. (Before I retired in 1988) I was setting at a Denny's resteurant in Joplin MO and had just come from the Eagle-Picher battery mfg plant near there where an engineer had drawn up a crude sketch for a two volt charger for my booster batteries. I was sitting there redrawing it into a better format etc and failed to notice that one of the waitresses had took an extra amount of interest. There had been some mild threats of sabotage at some of the Government contractors in the area and she called the locals. First thing I knew or realized, the local chief of police was sitting down across the table from me and two deputies or patrolmen were behind me. It didn't take long for them to get down to brass tacks. It didn't turn nasty though as I had good identification that I was a Government employee and that the sketch was harmless. Now days with the current terrorist environment, it could get really sticky.

Be cautious of what you say and draw when out in public.

Marvin,

While I can sort of use CAD programs and drawing programs (I'm learning slowly), I'm killer with a drafting table. This has been discussed before on this board, I guess. I do much better when I can stand back and see the whole thing.

But for this sort of stuff, I'll be glad when I get better at using a CAD program. Just need to noddle around with one some more.

> That reminded me of an experience I had several years ago.
>(Before I retired in 1988) I was setting at a Denny's
>resteurant in Joplin MO and had just come from the
>Eagle-Picher battery mfg plant near there where an engineer
>had drawn up a crude sketch for a two volt charger for my
>booster batteries.

Eating at "your own" restaurant, huh? (Yes, I know the chain was one of Harold Butler's creations . . .) - Best,

Yeah, I have used that fact to good advantage more than once. When I first moved to KS, If I wanted to go home for lunch, I would tell the boss that I was going to the "Denny's North" to eat. (I lived on the north side of town) It was four or five years before he rinally got wise and checked to see if Denny's HAD a north restaurant. (they didn't. only east and west).
I have a lot of stories about getting special treatment, and free meals. Life for me has been a blast.

Marvin Denny (no kin to the restaurant chain) aka Bigiron

I thought I might as well add my two cents worth since I invented the thing in 1965. The first photo shows the first published sliding block adjustable leadout from my Bearcat article in American aircraft modeler, March 1970 issue. In that article I also reversed the bellcrank to make the front leadout the up lead and explained why this might be helpful. Airplanes may have had front up leadouts before, but not specificly to partially offset the effects of gyroscopic precession on a maneuvering stunt ship.

[photo not recovered: 41ad59b3216f8a80.jpg]

First, for what its worth, I don't think that trapping the slider is necessary. I have always used a plywood slot in the wing tip and a slider of various materials held in position with a screw into a blind mounting nut. I still do it the same way and in five thousand flights, or so, have never had one loosen. Now, I use Tom Morris bellcrank/leadout Assemblies and sliders. They are pretty much the way I would make them. Why make them when I can buy them reasonably priced? I did put in a series of flights once, with the slider completely loose when I forgot to tighten them on a new airplane. The airplane behaved a bit odd but patterns were accomplished on all flights.

[photo not recovered: 41ad5e1a3a289cfe.jpg]

This photo shows how my leadouts and slider are organized before the installation of the wing tip. I glue the tip on, finish the paint job, and fish the leadouts from the wingtip through the slot with a piece of bent wire. After fishing the leadouts out, I shake the slider down the leadouts to the slot. Sometimes I have to turn the slider over to untwist the leadouts, but with a flashlight and my bent wire, its no problem. With the slider in place, I insert and tighten the screw. Hey, the slider is on the leadouts. If the slider can fall down into the wing, with a bit of encouragement, it can be made to fall back to the tip. I can't imagine having to cut the wing to find it. If I shake the airplane until the pilots eyes cross, the slider invariably shows up.

[photo not recovered: 41ad59f421d402d6.jpg]

The final photo shows a wingtip with finished leadouts. I tie them up, stuff them inside and begin to paint. I worry about getting them out later, but it has never been a problem.

Anyway this is how I do it.

BLACK HAWK

Al,
That is a pretty interesting, I am having a Rube Goldberg contest in another month, you might consider entering it (see Up coming Events). JUST KIDDING, It does look good though.
Larry