start finishing a
model with iron-on
covering. The balsawood
test specimen
has both a solid
surface and an open
surface, as you
would have in a wing
consisting of ribs and
spars.
Check how well
the covering sticks to
the wood. On the
solid surface, look
for total contact and
adhesion to the balsa.
On the open surface, look for the amount
of shrinkage when the heat is applied. If the
covering refuses to pull tight and smooth out,
it will never look right on your model. The
last thing to look for is the ability of the
covering to stick to itself, such as when you
wrap it around the LE and TE of a wing.
If the problem is the adhesive, you could
add an “external” coating such as Coverite
Balsarite. There are several such products on
the market. But my experience has shown that
when the adhesive no longer works, the
shrinkage is no longer any good.
The other nice part about using a test
structure is that it gives you the opportunity to
set the temperature of an iron for the
particular covering you are using.
Throughout the years I have successfully
used a large amount of old covering material.
Using old iron-on covering
Bob Aberle | baberle@? Frequently Asked Questions optonline.net
September 2010 63
Also included in this column:
• Thermal Scout
• Measuring wire sizes
• Lahti 2 Cell Booster
Before attempting to use old iron-on covering, Bob suggests
employing a simple test structure to check it. This involves
examining the material’s adhesive and ability to shrink.
It’s equally important to check adhesion of
the covering to itself, such as when going
around a wing LE and TE. Sealed edges
won’t lift and allow dirt in.
The test structure is covered with leftover iron-on covering. In
this case adhesion and shrinkage were normal; it’s okay to apply
this material to the aircraft.
PLEASE WRITE IN with your questions,
since that is the only way we can keep this
column format going. When referring to
published Qs and As (for follow-ups), provide
the number as a reference.
References to addresses and Web sites are
placed in a group, separate from the text, at
the end of this column under “Sources.”
A new feature, “Tips,” will be provided in
addition to questions and answers. These
helpful hints will also be numbered.
Q461: “I have a large inventory of leftover
rolls of iron-on covering. Some of these rolls
date back ten to fifteen years. In many cases
there is sufficient material left to cover a full
aircraft.
“My question to you concerns the shelf
life of these products. How long will the builtin
adhesive still work?”
A461: This is an excellent question and
obtaining the answer, as you will learn,
involves good, old-fashioned common sense.
I’ve had rolls of covering with built-in
adhesive for more than 15 years, on which the
glue still worked fine and the shrinkage still
allowed for a tight and smooth covering job.
On the other hand, I’ve had a couple of
unopened rolls (not that old!), still in the
original wrapper, on which the adhesive no
longer worked and the material wouldn’t
shrink properly.
The trick is to test before applying any
covering, new or old, to your aircraft. In every
case, I build a simple test structure before I
09sig2x_00MSTRPG.QXD 7/22/10 10:21 AM Page 63
It was not good in
every case, but in
most cases.
Q462: “Years ago I
remember seeing a
thermal sensing
device for RC gliders
that telemetered
information back to
the pilot on the
ground. I haven’t
seen reference to this
product in years and
was wondering if the
system might still be
available.”
A462: In the 1970s
Walter Good, Don
Clark, and Ben
Givens (then of the
District of Columbia
Radio Control Club)
developed a device
they called the “Thermic Sniffler.” It was later marketed by ACE R/C.
This piece of equipment involved a thermal sensor that was
installed inside the model along with a 49 MHz transmitter. This
transmitter sent a signal back to the ground, where the pilot could
“listen” to the thermal activity via a set of headphones.
As I recall, when the pitch of the tone sent to the ground increased,
the aircraft was rising in a thermal. When the tone changed to a lower
note, the airplane was descending, or had fallen out of the thermal.
The equipment that went into the aircraft was large and weighed
approximately 2 ounces. The full system cost $150. I found a PDF of
the original ACE R/C instructions and have included the Web site
address where you can find them in the “Sources.”
I doubt if any of the ACE systems are still around, but you could
look on an Internet model site, a forum, or even eBay. The good news
is that Dave West of Winged Shadow Systems (which makes the
onboard How-High altimeter and How Fast airspeed indicator) has
released the Thermal Scout: an onboard device that can help you detect
thermal activity while flying an RC sailplane.
The Thermal Scout is smaller than a postage stamp and weighs only
1/8 ounce. It costs $49.
Unlike the Thermic Sniffler, the Thermal Scout is not a telemetry
device. I’m not sure how the sensor works, but when a thermal is
sensed near your model, it will wag the rudder or rock the ailerons to
indicate lift.
The Thermal Scout installs between the rudder (or aileron) servo
and RC receiver. So when your sailplane rises in a thermal, you will
get a warning from the rudder wagging or ailerons rocking the wing.
Winged Shadow Systems claims that an exclusive Flight Filter
removes false lift signals. The Thermal Scout advertisement asserts that
it is a “Lift Finder for RC Gliders” and that you can “visualize”
thermals using it.
It is suggested that you plug the Thermal Scout into an unused
channel port on your RC receiver. The retract channel function might
be a good choice. This will allow you to turn the thermal sensor on or
off from the ground during the flight.
This product sounds fun and I expect to try one soon. Winged
Shadow Systems’ contact information is listed in the “Sources.”
Q463: “I have acquired over the years many sizes of piano or music
wire ranging from something like .015 inch diameter up to at least 5/32
or 3/16 inch diameter. I also have a variety of carbon rods that are
usually identified with metric dimensioning.
“My problem is that I never marked the left over lengths and now I
have trouble identifying the various sizes. I tried using template type
wire gauges and many do not go down to the very small sizes. I also
tried using a micrometer, but they can be difficult to use and interpret.
“Have you ever faced this kind of problem?”
A463: Yes I have, and the solution is to use a digital caliper. Many tool
64 MODEL AVIATION
This 4-inch Digital Caliper, from
Harbor Freight, is measuring a
short length of .078- inchdiameter
wire. This tool can read
in SAE or metric. Cost with
shipping and tax was roughly $26.
At the top are wire-measuring gauges and a typical micrometer.
A much easier and more accurate way to measure the diameter
of wire and carbon rods is to use a digital-readout caliper.
Abbott Lahti developed and
produces this 2 Cell Booster
that will enable the ParkZone
AR6400 RC brick to work
with two or three Li-Poly
battery cells. The brick usually
operates on a single cell.
The Thermal Scout, from Winged Shadow
Systems, will sense when a model is in a
thermal and then let the pilot know by
wagging the rudder or rocking the
ailerons. This device weighs 1/8 ounce and
costs $49.
09sig2x_00MSTRPG.QXD 7/22/10 10:22 AM Page 64
suppliers across the country sell them.
I like dealing with Harbor Freight Tools; it
offers good prices. But on small items such as
this caliper, the shipping charges can equal the
cost of the product.
I ordered one of the inexpensive digital
calipers and was disappointed when I received
it, because it read down to only .01 inch.
When I went to measure a length of .078-inchdiameter
wire, the reading I obtained on the
caliper was .08. I should have ordered a
slightly more expensive model that read to
.001 inch.
The caliper I then purchased from Harbor
Freight was catalog number 47256. It cost
$15.99, but the total, with shipping and tax,
came to $26.36.
The 4-inch Digital Caliper can measure in
SAE and metric. It is accurate to 0.001 inch
and has a resolution of 0.0005 inch. This tool
comes with two 1.5-volt button-cell batteries
(one of which is a spare).
The caliper shuts down automatically after
a few minutes to save battery power. One
thing I quickly did was measure all of my
various lengths of wire and carbon rods and
place masking-tape labels on each piece for
future identification. By doing so, I will
probably not have to purchase more wire or
rods for years.
I’ve found many more uses for this
caliper than measuring wire sizes. It is a
quality item and worth every penny of what
I paid for it.
Q464: “I have a couple of the new Parkzone
AR6400 RC bricks, like the type used in their
P-51 and Sukhoi. I also have a small collection
of the original GWS geared/brushed motors.
I’d like to use these motors with my AR6400
brick.
“Only problem is my GWS motors run on
two cells, while the brick operates from only
one Li-Poly cell. Does anyone sell some sort
of adapter that can cope with this situation?”
A464: Abbott Lahti, a noted electronics
expert, has come up with what he calls a “2
Cell Booster,” for use with the ParkZone
AR6400 RC brick. BSD Micro RC is
marketing this product, and it costs only
$12.50 plus shipping.
As the reader pointed out, an AR6400
brick is normally powered by a single Li-Poly
battery cell. The Booster can accept an input
voltage of up to 13 (such as from a two- or
three-cell Li-Poly battery pack).
The BEC output voltage to the AR6400
brick is reduced and regulated to 4.2 volts.
You insert the Booster between the brick and
the brushed motor and battery pack.
The brushed-motor ESC, which is built
into the brick, is usually limited to a 2-amp
motor current. But a much larger motor FET
on the Lahti Booster allows for motor currents
up to 7 amps. That should be enough to handle
most GWS brushed/geared motors.
Many converted rubber-powered Scale
models (such as those by Dare Designs,
Dumas Products, Guillow’s, etc.) can easily be
flown with these more powerful motors and
more Li-Poly battery cells. The added
advantage is that the brick operates on 2.4
GHz and weighs only 3.5 grams, including
two linear-output, fully proportional servos.
Keeping all of that in mind, this Booster
might be employed for many new micro/
indoor RC applications. MA
Sources:
ACE R/C Thermic Sniffler:
http://bit.ly/dceNNs
Winged Shadow Systems
(630) 837-6553
www.wingedshadow.com
Harbor Freight Tools
(800) 444-3353
www.harborfreight.com
BSD Micro RC
(417) 358-9521
www.bsdmicrorc.com
Edition: Model Aviation - 2010/09
Page Numbers: 63,64,65
Edition: Model Aviation - 2010/09
Page Numbers: 63,64,65
start finishing a
model with iron-on
covering. The balsawood
test specimen
has both a solid
surface and an open
surface, as you
would have in a wing
consisting of ribs and
spars.
Check how well
the covering sticks to
the wood. On the
solid surface, look
for total contact and
adhesion to the balsa.
On the open surface, look for the amount
of shrinkage when the heat is applied. If the
covering refuses to pull tight and smooth out,
it will never look right on your model. The
last thing to look for is the ability of the
covering to stick to itself, such as when you
wrap it around the LE and TE of a wing.
If the problem is the adhesive, you could
add an “external” coating such as Coverite
Balsarite. There are several such products on
the market. But my experience has shown that
when the adhesive no longer works, the
shrinkage is no longer any good.
The other nice part about using a test
structure is that it gives you the opportunity to
set the temperature of an iron for the
particular covering you are using.
Throughout the years I have successfully
used a large amount of old covering material.
Using old iron-on covering
Bob Aberle | baberle@? Frequently Asked Questions optonline.net
September 2010 63
Also included in this column:
• Thermal Scout
• Measuring wire sizes
• Lahti 2 Cell Booster
Before attempting to use old iron-on covering, Bob suggests
employing a simple test structure to check it. This involves
examining the material’s adhesive and ability to shrink.
It’s equally important to check adhesion of
the covering to itself, such as when going
around a wing LE and TE. Sealed edges
won’t lift and allow dirt in.
The test structure is covered with leftover iron-on covering. In
this case adhesion and shrinkage were normal; it’s okay to apply
this material to the aircraft.
PLEASE WRITE IN with your questions,
since that is the only way we can keep this
column format going. When referring to
published Qs and As (for follow-ups), provide
the number as a reference.
References to addresses and Web sites are
placed in a group, separate from the text, at
the end of this column under “Sources.”
A new feature, “Tips,” will be provided in
addition to questions and answers. These
helpful hints will also be numbered.
Q461: “I have a large inventory of leftover
rolls of iron-on covering. Some of these rolls
date back ten to fifteen years. In many cases
there is sufficient material left to cover a full
aircraft.
“My question to you concerns the shelf
life of these products. How long will the builtin
adhesive still work?”
A461: This is an excellent question and
obtaining the answer, as you will learn,
involves good, old-fashioned common sense.
I’ve had rolls of covering with built-in
adhesive for more than 15 years, on which the
glue still worked fine and the shrinkage still
allowed for a tight and smooth covering job.
On the other hand, I’ve had a couple of
unopened rolls (not that old!), still in the
original wrapper, on which the adhesive no
longer worked and the material wouldn’t
shrink properly.
The trick is to test before applying any
covering, new or old, to your aircraft. In every
case, I build a simple test structure before I
09sig2x_00MSTRPG.QXD 7/22/10 10:21 AM Page 63
It was not good in
every case, but in
most cases.
Q462: “Years ago I
remember seeing a
thermal sensing
device for RC gliders
that telemetered
information back to
the pilot on the
ground. I haven’t
seen reference to this
product in years and
was wondering if the
system might still be
available.”
A462: In the 1970s
Walter Good, Don
Clark, and Ben
Givens (then of the
District of Columbia
Radio Control Club)
developed a device
they called the “Thermic Sniffler.” It was later marketed by ACE R/C.
This piece of equipment involved a thermal sensor that was
installed inside the model along with a 49 MHz transmitter. This
transmitter sent a signal back to the ground, where the pilot could
“listen” to the thermal activity via a set of headphones.
As I recall, when the pitch of the tone sent to the ground increased,
the aircraft was rising in a thermal. When the tone changed to a lower
note, the airplane was descending, or had fallen out of the thermal.
The equipment that went into the aircraft was large and weighed
approximately 2 ounces. The full system cost $150. I found a PDF of
the original ACE R/C instructions and have included the Web site
address where you can find them in the “Sources.”
I doubt if any of the ACE systems are still around, but you could
look on an Internet model site, a forum, or even eBay. The good news
is that Dave West of Winged Shadow Systems (which makes the
onboard How-High altimeter and How Fast airspeed indicator) has
released the Thermal Scout: an onboard device that can help you detect
thermal activity while flying an RC sailplane.
The Thermal Scout is smaller than a postage stamp and weighs only
1/8 ounce. It costs $49.
Unlike the Thermic Sniffler, the Thermal Scout is not a telemetry
device. I’m not sure how the sensor works, but when a thermal is
sensed near your model, it will wag the rudder or rock the ailerons to
indicate lift.
The Thermal Scout installs between the rudder (or aileron) servo
and RC receiver. So when your sailplane rises in a thermal, you will
get a warning from the rudder wagging or ailerons rocking the wing.
Winged Shadow Systems claims that an exclusive Flight Filter
removes false lift signals. The Thermal Scout advertisement asserts that
it is a “Lift Finder for RC Gliders” and that you can “visualize”
thermals using it.
It is suggested that you plug the Thermal Scout into an unused
channel port on your RC receiver. The retract channel function might
be a good choice. This will allow you to turn the thermal sensor on or
off from the ground during the flight.
This product sounds fun and I expect to try one soon. Winged
Shadow Systems’ contact information is listed in the “Sources.”
Q463: “I have acquired over the years many sizes of piano or music
wire ranging from something like .015 inch diameter up to at least 5/32
or 3/16 inch diameter. I also have a variety of carbon rods that are
usually identified with metric dimensioning.
“My problem is that I never marked the left over lengths and now I
have trouble identifying the various sizes. I tried using template type
wire gauges and many do not go down to the very small sizes. I also
tried using a micrometer, but they can be difficult to use and interpret.
“Have you ever faced this kind of problem?”
A463: Yes I have, and the solution is to use a digital caliper. Many tool
64 MODEL AVIATION
This 4-inch Digital Caliper, from
Harbor Freight, is measuring a
short length of .078- inchdiameter
wire. This tool can read
in SAE or metric. Cost with
shipping and tax was roughly $26.
At the top are wire-measuring gauges and a typical micrometer.
A much easier and more accurate way to measure the diameter
of wire and carbon rods is to use a digital-readout caliper.
Abbott Lahti developed and
produces this 2 Cell Booster
that will enable the ParkZone
AR6400 RC brick to work
with two or three Li-Poly
battery cells. The brick usually
operates on a single cell.
The Thermal Scout, from Winged Shadow
Systems, will sense when a model is in a
thermal and then let the pilot know by
wagging the rudder or rocking the
ailerons. This device weighs 1/8 ounce and
costs $49.
09sig2x_00MSTRPG.QXD 7/22/10 10:22 AM Page 64
suppliers across the country sell them.
I like dealing with Harbor Freight Tools; it
offers good prices. But on small items such as
this caliper, the shipping charges can equal the
cost of the product.
I ordered one of the inexpensive digital
calipers and was disappointed when I received
it, because it read down to only .01 inch.
When I went to measure a length of .078-inchdiameter
wire, the reading I obtained on the
caliper was .08. I should have ordered a
slightly more expensive model that read to
.001 inch.
The caliper I then purchased from Harbor
Freight was catalog number 47256. It cost
$15.99, but the total, with shipping and tax,
came to $26.36.
The 4-inch Digital Caliper can measure in
SAE and metric. It is accurate to 0.001 inch
and has a resolution of 0.0005 inch. This tool
comes with two 1.5-volt button-cell batteries
(one of which is a spare).
The caliper shuts down automatically after
a few minutes to save battery power. One
thing I quickly did was measure all of my
various lengths of wire and carbon rods and
place masking-tape labels on each piece for
future identification. By doing so, I will
probably not have to purchase more wire or
rods for years.
I’ve found many more uses for this
caliper than measuring wire sizes. It is a
quality item and worth every penny of what
I paid for it.
Q464: “I have a couple of the new Parkzone
AR6400 RC bricks, like the type used in their
P-51 and Sukhoi. I also have a small collection
of the original GWS geared/brushed motors.
I’d like to use these motors with my AR6400
brick.
“Only problem is my GWS motors run on
two cells, while the brick operates from only
one Li-Poly cell. Does anyone sell some sort
of adapter that can cope with this situation?”
A464: Abbott Lahti, a noted electronics
expert, has come up with what he calls a “2
Cell Booster,” for use with the ParkZone
AR6400 RC brick. BSD Micro RC is
marketing this product, and it costs only
$12.50 plus shipping.
As the reader pointed out, an AR6400
brick is normally powered by a single Li-Poly
battery cell. The Booster can accept an input
voltage of up to 13 (such as from a two- or
three-cell Li-Poly battery pack).
The BEC output voltage to the AR6400
brick is reduced and regulated to 4.2 volts.
You insert the Booster between the brick and
the brushed motor and battery pack.
The brushed-motor ESC, which is built
into the brick, is usually limited to a 2-amp
motor current. But a much larger motor FET
on the Lahti Booster allows for motor currents
up to 7 amps. That should be enough to handle
most GWS brushed/geared motors.
Many converted rubber-powered Scale
models (such as those by Dare Designs,
Dumas Products, Guillow’s, etc.) can easily be
flown with these more powerful motors and
more Li-Poly battery cells. The added
advantage is that the brick operates on 2.4
GHz and weighs only 3.5 grams, including
two linear-output, fully proportional servos.
Keeping all of that in mind, this Booster
might be employed for many new micro/
indoor RC applications. MA
Sources:
ACE R/C Thermic Sniffler:
http://bit.ly/dceNNs
Winged Shadow Systems
(630) 837-6553
www.wingedshadow.com
Harbor Freight Tools
(800) 444-3353
www.harborfreight.com
BSD Micro RC
(417) 358-9521
www.bsdmicrorc.com
Edition: Model Aviation - 2010/09
Page Numbers: 63,64,65
start finishing a
model with iron-on
covering. The balsawood
test specimen
has both a solid
surface and an open
surface, as you
would have in a wing
consisting of ribs and
spars.
Check how well
the covering sticks to
the wood. On the
solid surface, look
for total contact and
adhesion to the balsa.
On the open surface, look for the amount
of shrinkage when the heat is applied. If the
covering refuses to pull tight and smooth out,
it will never look right on your model. The
last thing to look for is the ability of the
covering to stick to itself, such as when you
wrap it around the LE and TE of a wing.
If the problem is the adhesive, you could
add an “external” coating such as Coverite
Balsarite. There are several such products on
the market. But my experience has shown that
when the adhesive no longer works, the
shrinkage is no longer any good.
The other nice part about using a test
structure is that it gives you the opportunity to
set the temperature of an iron for the
particular covering you are using.
Throughout the years I have successfully
used a large amount of old covering material.
Using old iron-on covering
Bob Aberle | baberle@? Frequently Asked Questions optonline.net
September 2010 63
Also included in this column:
• Thermal Scout
• Measuring wire sizes
• Lahti 2 Cell Booster
Before attempting to use old iron-on covering, Bob suggests
employing a simple test structure to check it. This involves
examining the material’s adhesive and ability to shrink.
It’s equally important to check adhesion of
the covering to itself, such as when going
around a wing LE and TE. Sealed edges
won’t lift and allow dirt in.
The test structure is covered with leftover iron-on covering. In
this case adhesion and shrinkage were normal; it’s okay to apply
this material to the aircraft.
PLEASE WRITE IN with your questions,
since that is the only way we can keep this
column format going. When referring to
published Qs and As (for follow-ups), provide
the number as a reference.
References to addresses and Web sites are
placed in a group, separate from the text, at
the end of this column under “Sources.”
A new feature, “Tips,” will be provided in
addition to questions and answers. These
helpful hints will also be numbered.
Q461: “I have a large inventory of leftover
rolls of iron-on covering. Some of these rolls
date back ten to fifteen years. In many cases
there is sufficient material left to cover a full
aircraft.
“My question to you concerns the shelf
life of these products. How long will the builtin
adhesive still work?”
A461: This is an excellent question and
obtaining the answer, as you will learn,
involves good, old-fashioned common sense.
I’ve had rolls of covering with built-in
adhesive for more than 15 years, on which the
glue still worked fine and the shrinkage still
allowed for a tight and smooth covering job.
On the other hand, I’ve had a couple of
unopened rolls (not that old!), still in the
original wrapper, on which the adhesive no
longer worked and the material wouldn’t
shrink properly.
The trick is to test before applying any
covering, new or old, to your aircraft. In every
case, I build a simple test structure before I
09sig2x_00MSTRPG.QXD 7/22/10 10:21 AM Page 63
It was not good in
every case, but in
most cases.
Q462: “Years ago I
remember seeing a
thermal sensing
device for RC gliders
that telemetered
information back to
the pilot on the
ground. I haven’t
seen reference to this
product in years and
was wondering if the
system might still be
available.”
A462: In the 1970s
Walter Good, Don
Clark, and Ben
Givens (then of the
District of Columbia
Radio Control Club)
developed a device
they called the “Thermic Sniffler.” It was later marketed by ACE R/C.
This piece of equipment involved a thermal sensor that was
installed inside the model along with a 49 MHz transmitter. This
transmitter sent a signal back to the ground, where the pilot could
“listen” to the thermal activity via a set of headphones.
As I recall, when the pitch of the tone sent to the ground increased,
the aircraft was rising in a thermal. When the tone changed to a lower
note, the airplane was descending, or had fallen out of the thermal.
The equipment that went into the aircraft was large and weighed
approximately 2 ounces. The full system cost $150. I found a PDF of
the original ACE R/C instructions and have included the Web site
address where you can find them in the “Sources.”
I doubt if any of the ACE systems are still around, but you could
look on an Internet model site, a forum, or even eBay. The good news
is that Dave West of Winged Shadow Systems (which makes the
onboard How-High altimeter and How Fast airspeed indicator) has
released the Thermal Scout: an onboard device that can help you detect
thermal activity while flying an RC sailplane.
The Thermal Scout is smaller than a postage stamp and weighs only
1/8 ounce. It costs $49.
Unlike the Thermic Sniffler, the Thermal Scout is not a telemetry
device. I’m not sure how the sensor works, but when a thermal is
sensed near your model, it will wag the rudder or rock the ailerons to
indicate lift.
The Thermal Scout installs between the rudder (or aileron) servo
and RC receiver. So when your sailplane rises in a thermal, you will
get a warning from the rudder wagging or ailerons rocking the wing.
Winged Shadow Systems claims that an exclusive Flight Filter
removes false lift signals. The Thermal Scout advertisement asserts that
it is a “Lift Finder for RC Gliders” and that you can “visualize”
thermals using it.
It is suggested that you plug the Thermal Scout into an unused
channel port on your RC receiver. The retract channel function might
be a good choice. This will allow you to turn the thermal sensor on or
off from the ground during the flight.
This product sounds fun and I expect to try one soon. Winged
Shadow Systems’ contact information is listed in the “Sources.”
Q463: “I have acquired over the years many sizes of piano or music
wire ranging from something like .015 inch diameter up to at least 5/32
or 3/16 inch diameter. I also have a variety of carbon rods that are
usually identified with metric dimensioning.
“My problem is that I never marked the left over lengths and now I
have trouble identifying the various sizes. I tried using template type
wire gauges and many do not go down to the very small sizes. I also
tried using a micrometer, but they can be difficult to use and interpret.
“Have you ever faced this kind of problem?”
A463: Yes I have, and the solution is to use a digital caliper. Many tool
64 MODEL AVIATION
This 4-inch Digital Caliper, from
Harbor Freight, is measuring a
short length of .078- inchdiameter
wire. This tool can read
in SAE or metric. Cost with
shipping and tax was roughly $26.
At the top are wire-measuring gauges and a typical micrometer.
A much easier and more accurate way to measure the diameter
of wire and carbon rods is to use a digital-readout caliper.
Abbott Lahti developed and
produces this 2 Cell Booster
that will enable the ParkZone
AR6400 RC brick to work
with two or three Li-Poly
battery cells. The brick usually
operates on a single cell.
The Thermal Scout, from Winged Shadow
Systems, will sense when a model is in a
thermal and then let the pilot know by
wagging the rudder or rocking the
ailerons. This device weighs 1/8 ounce and
costs $49.
09sig2x_00MSTRPG.QXD 7/22/10 10:22 AM Page 64
suppliers across the country sell them.
I like dealing with Harbor Freight Tools; it
offers good prices. But on small items such as
this caliper, the shipping charges can equal the
cost of the product.
I ordered one of the inexpensive digital
calipers and was disappointed when I received
it, because it read down to only .01 inch.
When I went to measure a length of .078-inchdiameter
wire, the reading I obtained on the
caliper was .08. I should have ordered a
slightly more expensive model that read to
.001 inch.
The caliper I then purchased from Harbor
Freight was catalog number 47256. It cost
$15.99, but the total, with shipping and tax,
came to $26.36.
The 4-inch Digital Caliper can measure in
SAE and metric. It is accurate to 0.001 inch
and has a resolution of 0.0005 inch. This tool
comes with two 1.5-volt button-cell batteries
(one of which is a spare).
The caliper shuts down automatically after
a few minutes to save battery power. One
thing I quickly did was measure all of my
various lengths of wire and carbon rods and
place masking-tape labels on each piece for
future identification. By doing so, I will
probably not have to purchase more wire or
rods for years.
I’ve found many more uses for this
caliper than measuring wire sizes. It is a
quality item and worth every penny of what
I paid for it.
Q464: “I have a couple of the new Parkzone
AR6400 RC bricks, like the type used in their
P-51 and Sukhoi. I also have a small collection
of the original GWS geared/brushed motors.
I’d like to use these motors with my AR6400
brick.
“Only problem is my GWS motors run on
two cells, while the brick operates from only
one Li-Poly cell. Does anyone sell some sort
of adapter that can cope with this situation?”
A464: Abbott Lahti, a noted electronics
expert, has come up with what he calls a “2
Cell Booster,” for use with the ParkZone
AR6400 RC brick. BSD Micro RC is
marketing this product, and it costs only
$12.50 plus shipping.
As the reader pointed out, an AR6400
brick is normally powered by a single Li-Poly
battery cell. The Booster can accept an input
voltage of up to 13 (such as from a two- or
three-cell Li-Poly battery pack).
The BEC output voltage to the AR6400
brick is reduced and regulated to 4.2 volts.
You insert the Booster between the brick and
the brushed motor and battery pack.
The brushed-motor ESC, which is built
into the brick, is usually limited to a 2-amp
motor current. But a much larger motor FET
on the Lahti Booster allows for motor currents
up to 7 amps. That should be enough to handle
most GWS brushed/geared motors.
Many converted rubber-powered Scale
models (such as those by Dare Designs,
Dumas Products, Guillow’s, etc.) can easily be
flown with these more powerful motors and
more Li-Poly battery cells. The added
advantage is that the brick operates on 2.4
GHz and weighs only 3.5 grams, including
two linear-output, fully proportional servos.
Keeping all of that in mind, this Booster
might be employed for many new micro/
indoor RC applications. MA
Sources:
ACE R/C Thermic Sniffler:
http://bit.ly/dceNNs
Winged Shadow Systems
(630) 837-6553
www.wingedshadow.com
Harbor Freight Tools
(800) 444-3353
www.harborfreight.com
BSD Micro RC
(417) 358-9521
www.bsdmicrorc.com
