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The April 1960 issue of
American Modeler magazine provided this octet of handy tricks and tips
for model airplane building in its monthly Sketchbook feature. Readers write in
with ideas they came up with to solve commonly encountered issues with hardware,
framework construction and covering, painting, trimming out a model for good
flight characteristics, engine operation, and others. Many might seem obvious,
but such is often the case after you see a solution, kind of like in school when
working a math or physics problem and looking at the answer in the back of the
book. A couple of the suggestions here are things I have done, such as running a
nut up on a bolt prior to cutting the bolt so that it can then clean up the
threads as it is removed. I also used to put a piece of fuel tubing between the
fuel/air nipples on the fuel tanks of Cox Babe Bees to facilitate flying
inverted. The homemade long drill bit trick was made in order to make holes
through lamps I turned on my lathe. They were made of relatively soft woof
(pine) so the process was simple.
Sketchbook
 When bolts are cut, threads are usually
burred at edge. Roger Rasor, Wadsworth, Ohio, simply runs nut above point where
cut is to be made, later unscrews it to remove burrs.
 Hollow fiberglass fishing rod blanks (factory
discards) are ideal fuselage booms, reports Ray Adkins, Sepulveda, Calif. Tapered
tubes are notched to accept pylons, mounts, etc.
 Flush hub disc enhances model appearance.
Roy Traylor, Austin, Texas, solders retaining washer close to hub, cements rubber
ring spacer to wheel hub, adds aluminum disc for neat installation.
 Aaron Thornton, Waterloo, Iowa, found simple
addition of loop of neoprene made his Cox engine suitable for inverted running.
Tubing has vent in bottom; engine runs upright or inverted without loss of fuel.
 Unusual liquid adhesive for covering purposes
is gum arabic and water, reports Charles Wolff, New Hyde Park, N.Y. Inexpensive
and non-flammable, available at most drug stores.
 Nylon props slip on shafts in Pakistan just
as they sometimes do in the U.S.A. Mohd Farooque, E. Pakistan, cuts washer of thin
cork, places it between back washer and prop as cure.
 Indoor covering patch technique used with
microfilm is adapted to silk by Art Christensen, Elk Grove, Ill. Layers of newspaper
makes trimming, handling of wet silk easy.
 Special jobs require special tools. For
drilling leadout wire holes in completed wing, Jim Cipolla, Long Hill, Conn., made
long drill of steel wire for use in speed drill.
Got a new idea for construction, adjustment or operation of model planes, boats
or R/C? "AM" pays $10 flor each "hint & kink" used. Send rough sketch and description
to Sketchbook, c/o American Modeler, 575 Madison Ave., New York 22, N. Y. Please
note that because of the very large number of submissions, none can be returned
to the sender.
Posted May 8, 2022
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