WORTH A CLOSER LOOK
Bob Hunt; E-mail: [email protected]
Right Angle Attachment
English muffins have nooks and crannies, and so do most model airplanes. Getting into the hard-to-reach places to cut, grind, or polish with a normal rotary hand tool can be frustrating, and that's where the new Dremel® Right Angle Attachment can save the day.
This attachment features a quick-connect system that makes it easy to install in place of the housing cap on one of several Dremel® MultiPro® rotary tools. No special tools are required for installation, and you have a choice of 12 mounting positions. This attachment features ball bearings and spiral bevel gears for smooth and cool operation. The multiple-mounting-position feature allows the tool to be configured to suit the specific application for which it is needed.
In use, the Right Angle Attachment is practical for everyday model building and maintenance. It can get up inside structures to allow precise cutting and grinding of parts that would normally be inaccessible.
The fact that you can easily go from a normal rotary-tool configuration to the right-angle type means you will be more inclined to incorporate it in your routine building regimen. It's a worthy and useful addition to your modeling-tool arsenal!
The Right Angle Attachment is compatible with the model #275 Single-Speed MultiPro®, the #2850-01 Two-Speed MultiPro®, the #395 Variable-Speed MultiPro®, and the #398 Digital Rotary Tool. Dremel®, 49 S. 21st St., Racine WI 53406; Tel.: (800) 437-3635; Web site: www.dremel.com
Safety Lock Kwik-Links
Du-Bro has a new addition to its Kwik-Link line of clevises. This new Safety Lock Kwik-Link features a unique, brass-plated steel safety lock. This lock is held captive in its sliding track and will lock in place around the clevis's brass-plated steel pin.
The link itself is molded from very strong plastic but is lighter than a traditional steel clevis. Its square shape makes for quick, easy adjustments, and the link is self-tapping, which eliminates slop on the threads.
The Safety Lock Kwik-Link is available in three sizes: 2mm, 2-56, and 4-40, in packages of two or 12. Du-Bro: Box 815, Wauconda IL 60084; Tel.: (800) 848-9411; Fax: (847) 526-1604; Web site: www.dubro.com
Aero Jet Gliders
If you are ready for a change of pace from the average model, Aero Craft has a series of hand-launched gliders that are styled after popular military jets.
There are three models—the F-14 Tomcat (19-inch wingspan), the F-15 Eagle (15-inch wingspan), and the F-16 Falcon (12-inch wingspan)—and Aero Craft is adding more all the time.
The kits include a few sheets of die-cut balsa, clay (for balancing), and an illustrated assembly and flight-instruction sheet.
The die-cutting is very good; the parts almost fall out of their sheets. Very little sanding is necessary.
The F-14 glider was assembled in approximately 15 minutes, using CA (cyanoacrylate) glue, a few T-pins, a pencil, a straightedge, and tape. It consisted of less than 20 individual parts and flew straight and true from the start (attributed in no small part to its built-in dihedral).
Canopy and panel markings were added after assembly, using a thin, permanent, black marker.
Aero Jet Gliders are simple, fun-to-build kits that can be built by modelers of any age and flown almost anywhere. Take them to the park, on picnics, or fly them in your back yard. Aero Craft: 432 Hallet Ave., Riverhead NY 11901; Tel.: (631) 369-9319; Web site: www.aerocraftcorps.com
MAX™ Cyanoacrylate Adhesives
Dave Patrick Models has introduced a new line of MAX™ cyanoacrylate glues (CyAs). They come in thin, medium, thick, odorless, and the unique flexible formulations. They are great for canopies or attaching any molded plastic parts.
If you've used CyA, you know that keeping the bottle's tip clear is a problem. MAX™ CyA bottles incorporate an exclusive cap, which provides an airtight seal to ensure freshness.
The cap also protects against clogging with the use of an integrated pin. Push the pin down on the bottle to open it. After every use, the pin extends deep into the bottle to keep the tip from being blocked.
MAX™ CyA glues are available in 20- and 50-gram bottles. An accelerator is available. Dave Patrick Models: 183 E. 400 N. Rd., Milford IL 60953; Tel.: (815) 457-3128; Fax: (815) 457-2938; Web site: www.davepatrickmodels.com
Worth A Closer Look
Glue Caddy
This is a neat little shop item. The Fourmost Glue Caddy is designed to hold four bottles of glue and a bottle of accelerator. It is a molded plastic piece that measures 4¼ inches square and is ¾-inch tall.
Because of the size of the oval-shaped pockets, nothing bigger than a two-ounce bottle will fit. Depending on the glue bottle's shape, it may require a bit of a push to insert it firmly into the pocket.
Fourmost's Glue Caddy is a nice addition to any workbench. It keeps all of your glue in one place, and, more importantly, it keeps all of your glue upright! Fourmost Products: 4404 24th Ave., Forest Grove OR 97116; Tel.: (888) 857-9449; Fax: (503) 357-2732; Web site: www.fourmost.com
4 1/4-Inch Ultimate Spinner
Tru-Turn is manufacturing a 4¼-inch spinner in an "Ultimate" profile, which duplicates the longer spinner style that many of today's full-scale aerobatics airplanes use.
This new spinner is available in several configurations: with standard slotting for most popular propellers, with slots to fit European propellers (such as Merz and Meizlik), and custom-cut by Tru-Turn for three- and four-blade propellers.
A sample spinner weighed 7 ounces and was 5¼ inches long. It was highly polished and included a 3/8-inch-long hex-head bolt that attaches to a Tru-Turn adapter nut (sold separately).
After fitting several sizes of propellers, it was learned that the spinner would easily accommodate up to an 18 x 10 APC with no modifications. Tru-Turn: 100 W. 1st St., Deer Park TX 77536; Tel.: (281) 479-9600; Web site: www.tru-turn.com
GrandStand
Hughes RC's GrandStand is a folding model stand constructed from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) tubing.
It comes in ready-to-assemble form and includes precut one-inch tubing of various lengths, several 45° and "T" fittings, four pieces of foam padding, two lengths of nylon rope, 12 tie wraps, and an instruction manual.
In preparing the instruction manual, it was learned that all pieces were included and precut to the correct length. It was recommended that all steps be assembled "dry" (no adhesive). That would prove to be a good idea in later steps.
Construction begins by assembling the upper cradle assemblies. Each of the four legs are assembled then used to make the cradle's left and right leg assemblies.
Only one step in the assembly required careful study. As shown in a photo, two sets of 45° couplers come bolted together. If all the pieces hadn't been dry-fitted, these would have been assembled backward—resulting in a major problem!
After all the pieces are assembled, you can carefully remove each piece and glue it back in place with PVC glue (not included).
The last part of construction is attaching the foam padding to each of the four cradle pieces and securing them with the tie wraps.
The instruction manual was adequate to assemble the stand, but the photos referred to in each step were very low in detail (they appear to have been run off on a copier). This was not a big deal; just pay close attention, and all will be fine.
When finished, the GrandStand weighed 8½ pounds. When in use, it was 29 inches wide, 24 inches deep, and 39 inches tall. The cradles can easily take 10-inch-wide fuselages.
The GrandStand worked as advertised at the field. Its light weight makes it easy to carry and quick to set up. Because of the slightly flexible nature of PVC, it was not as rock-solid as stands made from wood or metal, but it was still quite sturdy.
Please do not use the GrandStand (or any type of model stand) in place of a helper when starting engines. It might not seem dangerous, but it could be possible for the propeller's thrust to tip the stand forward during higher throttle settings. Respect the power of your engine, and use good sense at all times.
Hughes RC: 1733 Campus Plaza Ct., Suite 117, Bowling Green KY 42101; Tel.: (800) 786-0802; Fax: (270) 782-5468; Web site: www.hughesrc.com
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
