I'm surprised your local hardware store doesn't have 4-40 nylon bolts. Aubuchon, ACE and True Value here all do. Also SIG carries them, so your local hobby store is sure to have them as well.

I usually try to remember to toss extra bolts in any kits I ship to the Metric world (i.e. Europe, South America) because there the bolts are a huge pain to get.

To be clear, the bolt is only expected to fail if you crash. I've never broken one during normal use of a Gambler, only when I've crashed.

Originally Posted by Teezer

Speaking of the nylon bolt, mine broke on a hard landing on Saturday. No other damage, so I figured that I could zip over to the local Ace hardware and pick up another one real quick. Nope. Ace had nylon bolts, but not that small.

So, I flew on Sunday with a metal bolt (a donation from one of the helicopter guys), but I wanted to replace the nylon one for safety. I found a pack of 100 on Amazon for a couple of bucks (and free shipping because I was buying something else that was much more expensive), so now I'll have a supply of nylon bolts that will outlast the Gambler.

That brings me to a suggestion for Allen. Since the nylon bolts are so cheap, yet so inconvenient to buy, why not include a couple of extras in the kit? They are a part that's expected to fail, after all.

Terry

Originally Posted by John255

In one of my spectacular crashes everything went except the screw.

Wow that is spectacular. If you don't make the CF pin so long that it binds in the former, the 4-40 bolt head does fail in a crash and often save the wing. I've had it happen a few times. I actually thought about switching to a 6-32 bolt early in the design of the Gambler, but the 6-32 never failed before the wing did, so I settled on the 4-40 because it can sometimes save a wing.


On a side note, I will be switching to another carbon product once the current batch of Gamblers sells out. I'll be switching back to the non-iron-on 'tacky thread' CF that I used for most of 2008. It's a tiny bit thicker than the preferred product, and you have to use spray glue to tack it in place before saturating it with CA, but it separates easily into 1/4" strips and is easier to work with than the current forumla of the iron-on product. I'm not sure why the manufacturer of the iron-on product keeps changing their manufacturing process, but at $13.00/ft. I need to go with something I KNOW will be manufactured consistently. I HATE making things difficult for my customers. This latest change happened without warning to me, until I received a $1000.00 order of carbon. As always, I'll make it right. Anyone having trouble with the current carbon just needs to contact me and I'll send them additional carbon as needed to get your kit built. I also included an extra 3/8" width in the current kits so people could cut away any of the 'hairy' edges that might occur when you're un-packaging your CF.

John255, I have been looking but not too hard yet for a nylon bolt that has a better head than that stupid slot. My bolt twists and bends so much when trying to screw it in that I'm hoping there is something with a robertson head on it that I can use instead. If successful will let you all know. That pic of your crash was brutal. What happened? ...Ray

"I usually try to remember to toss extra bolts in any kits I ship to the Metric world (i.e. Europe, South America) because there the bolts are a huge pain to get."

Allan, I was going to mentions that .....

I contemplated getting a 3mm T nut, since I have plenty of 3mm nylon bolts already.

However I found someone in the UK apparently stocking the imperial ones;

http://www.modelfixings.co.uk/nylon_...tm#thumbscrews

I had assumed that my customers in England could still get imperial hardware. It's good to know this is true.

Thanks
Allan

Originally Posted by srnet

"I usually try to remember to toss extra bolts in any kits I ship to the Metric world (i.e. Europe, South America) because there the bolts are a huge pain to get."

Allan, I was going to mentions that .....

I contemplated getting a 3mm T nut, since I have plenty of 3mm nylon bolts already.

However I found someone in the UK apparently stocking the imperial ones;

http://www.modelfixings.co.uk/nylon_...tm#thumbscrews

Originally Posted by Allan Wright

On a side note, I will be switching to another carbon product once the current batch of Gamblers sells out. I'll be switching back to the non-iron-on 'tacky thread' CF that I used for most of 2008. It's a tiny bit thicker than the preferred product, and you have to use spray glue to tack it in place before saturating it with CA, but it separates easily into 1/4" strips and is easier to work with than the current forumla of the iron-on product. I'm not sure why the manufacturer of the iron-on product keeps changing their manufacturing process, but at $13.00/ft. I need to go with something I KNOW will be manufactured consistently. I HATE making things difficult for my customers. This latest change happened without warning to me, until I received a $1000.00 order of carbon. As always, I'll make it right. Anyone having trouble with the current carbon just needs to contact me and I'll send them additional carbon as needed to get your kit built. I also included an extra 3/8" width in the current kits so people could cut away any of the 'hairy' edges that might occur when you're un-packaging your CF.

Allan-

Would you mind posting brief instructions for using the iron-on variety? It's probably old hat to most builders, but I'm a newb and want to be sure I have it right!

To be sure that we're on the same page, I have the carbon that's a little over an inch wide and looks to have a layer of cellophane or some othe clear material attached to one side.

Thanks-

Rick

Originally Posted by 2400RDR

Allan-

Would you mind posting brief instructions for using the iron-on variety? It's probably old hat to most builders, but I'm a newb and want to be sure I have it right!

To be sure that we're on the same page, I have the carbon that's a little over an inch wide and looks to have a layer of cellophane or some othe clear material attached to one side.

Thanks-

Rick

you have the new-formula iron-on product. I gave my suggestions on how to best work with this product on page 177 of this thread in a few posts. Let me know if you can't find the posts.

Originally Posted by Allan Wright

you have the new-formula iron-on product. I gave my suggestions on how to best work with this product on page 177 of this thread in a few posts. Let me know if you can't find the posts.

That would be post 2653. I had actually seen that one, but hadn't made the connection between "thermal adhesive" and "iron-on" what with me being new to this and all.

It looks like you are suggesting not using the iron-on capability but rather the spray adhesive. Just for my information, which side of the carbon ribbon has the thermal adhesive?

Thanks-

Rick

Today was a good day.. Post man delivered a perfect little box. Pics coming soon.

Thank you

A

Originally Posted by Allan Wright

I'm surprised your local hardware store doesn't have 4-40 nylon bolts. Aubuchon, ACE and True Value here all do. Also SIG carries them, so your local hobby store is sure to have them as well.

One of the disadvantages of living out in the boonies. My "local" hobby shop is 100 miles away, and the hardware stores don't stock a lot of stuff, so Amazon is one of my major suppliers. But I'd rather have the inconvenience of the Colorado Rockies than the high-density rat race of a major city, so it's something I'm used to.

Thanks for the reply.

Terry

Originally Posted by 2400RDR

Just for my information, which side of the carbon ribbon has the thermal adhesive?

Both sides do. It's the white spider-web looking substance on the surface. The problem is the manufacturer has been using less and less of it recently, so it's not all that easy to use as an 'iron-on' adhesive as it used to be. You'll have much better luck with a dusting of spray adhesive. Once tacked in place, saturating with CA will both permanently affix it to the spar and create a rigid composite for structure. There was nothing special about ironing it on other than convenience.

Originally Posted by Allan Wright

Both sides do. It's the white spider-web looking substance on the surface. The problem is the manufacturer has been using less and less of it recently, so it's not all that easy to use as an 'iron-on' adhesive as it used to be. You'll have much better luck with a dusting of spray adhesive. Once tacked in place, saturating with CA will both permanently affix it to the spar and create a rigid composite for structure. There was nothing special about ironing it on other than convenience.

Got it- thanks!

Rick

I am on the finishing touches now. Just got my ultracote lite covering yesterday afternoon finally. My question is does this covering have a peel off layer or not? I can't seem to find any but it feels fairly thick for a lite covering...Ray

never mind I answered it myself. The fingers tell me more than my eyes nowadays...Ray

I usually use 2 pieces of masking tape to remove the backing. One piece on the covering, one on the backing, placed at a corner. Pull apart then remove the tape from the covering. It's easier than fiddling with the corner and a fingernail.