forum.ww1aircraftmodels.com

WW1 Aircraft Modeling => Hints and Tips/Questions about modeling => Topic started by: ALBATROS1234 on January 09, 2013, 01:54:29 PM

Title: flimsy tail skids
Post by: ALBATROS1234 on January 09, 2013, 01:54:29 PM
dont you hate when you complete a nice biplane and put it on the shelf only to find out next time you pick it up for a look the tail skid has snapped off. once this happens you can repair it but it is never strong again(not that it was ever strong) and will keep breaking. i found a solution that i thought i would share. plastruct makes something they call "buty. coated wire" it is a steel wire sheathed with white plastic. it comes in 2 sizes 1.6mm(1/16") or 1.2mm(3/64") i recently replaced my broken skid on the mirage halberstadt cl.ii. i simply used a sanding stick to shape the outer plastic shell to  the right shape. then i used a wire stripper to strip back a few mm exposing the steel core. this was ca glued into the place where it belonged. i even added a small flat plate shaped with a sanding stick to sim the metal ground plate and made the bracket which boxes in the mid shaft out of scrap pe fret adding rivet detail with 2 small pe rivets. after painting it looks exactly like the kit part except it will never ever break.from now on i will fabricate the tail skids on my builds from this material i also plan on trying this product out for possible strut replacement in the future if needed.just thought you guys might like this idea.

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXDM27
Title: Re: flimsy tail skids
Post by: Modelnut on January 12, 2013, 02:20:53 PM
Most of my builds are 1/72, so I deal with really tiny fragile tailskids. On most that I replace, I find small brass rod or a paperclip. I go out to the garage and flatten it on my vice's anvil. I then bend to shape , file, and cut to length. Works great. I read this tip here somewhere. I wish I could remember who to give credit to.
Title: Re: flimsy tail skids
Post by: ALBATROS1234 on January 12, 2013, 06:25:18 PM
yeah this is the same concept except the plastic sheath is easier to shape than metal but yet has the strength because of the steel core.but i did it in 1/48 i dont mess w 1/72. i had previously made a skid for a eduard dvii from brass and it worked fine, just took a few minutes longer to shape the brass rod.
Title: Re: flimsy tail skids
Post by: drdave on January 12, 2013, 06:58:29 PM
Flimsytailskid was Rumplestiltskin's cousin.

 ;D
Title: Re: flimsy tail skids
Post by: rowan broadbent on January 12, 2013, 11:16:10 PM


If I remember well, they used to dance the Cabane Strut together.... :D
Title: Re: flimsy tail skids
Post by: WarrenD on January 13, 2013, 04:41:30 AM


If I remember well, they used to dance the Cabane Strut together.... :D

Yes, their specialty on the dance floor, if memory serves, was the "interplane strut". :o

Sorry, couldn't help myself. It was out there, someone had to grab it and run with it.

Warren
Title: Re: flimsy tail skids
Post by: ALBATROS1234 on January 13, 2013, 07:36:38 AM
nice guys. love it.dont know if you knoe but those 2 guys grandpa is monsieur carpet monster.
Title: Re: flimsy tail skids
Post by: drdave on January 13, 2013, 10:22:19 AM
They lived in Wicklerumpf.