Micro tubing for control wires ?

[Feodosia Flyer]

I thought I'd post here because the scale plane guys are true builders

A friend of mine's plane has for it's control system some music wire that runs through a long skinny tube of some plastic material.I will be scratch building a few scale planes this winter and thought such a wire control system would be nice to have on a scale plane.

Any idea where to get bulk tubing of this sort or even what it's called or what non-modelling application it is used for ? Ha, Im sure that it's used for something else and a smart modeller once procurred some for his plane and the idea was adopted by other model plane builders. I would do an internet search but really have no idea what words to even put in a search engine

[planeman]

This pushrod wire and tubing can be purchased at your local hobby shop as a kit or system. Its made by DuBro and some others. You can also just use music wire and the insulation from electrical wire. Just pull the wire out of the insulation and you have a great small tube available in almost any size.

Planeman

[Viper Pilot]

Speaking of DuBro, I've been using these

http://www.shopatron.com/product.pht...847&mfg_id=101

Lately, and seem to be ok for most small planes.

I've also been using CF rods a bit, and I think that's the way to go for strength and lightness.

VP

[GliderGuider]

Perhaps what your friend had used is a Bowden cable. Not reaaly a cable but rather solid wire in a plastic (possibly poly-sytrene plastic) tube. Bowden cable is a term more common to Europe and some kits of overseas origin have these included in the kit. I like them and they generally work well but I will be darned if I can find someplace in North America to buy them; the Dubro and Sullivan brands being far more common. Northeast Sailplanes may sell them as they sell lots of product of European origin.

Another idea is to check out Mark Drela's Allegro Light and Bubble dance designs. He uses a small diameter teflon tube that he stretches to reduce its diameter and weight and then uses the stretched with either a small carbon fibre rod or steel wire. I believe CST sales has the teflon tube but similar product can be found elsewhere as it is commonly used in electrical and electronic manufacturing. Do a search for Allegro Light or Bubble dance and you find the Charles River Radio Controlellers web site. I can't think of what the URL is at the moment otherwise I would post here.

You might also want to consider a Pull-Pull system. Very light weight, easy to install and positive control. I use Pull-Pull on most of my indoor flying machines and almost all of my sailplanes have the rudder set up this way.

cheers, Graham in Ottawa Canada

[JRuggiero]

GliderGuider,

Hobby Lobby sells a thin cable in a plastic sheath that sounds like the Bowden cable you describe. IIRC, it comes in a 50" length and has a clevis on one end.

[vintage1]

Originally posted by planeman
This pushrod wire and tubing can be purchased at your local hobby shop as a kit or system. Its made by DuBro and some others. You can also just use music wire and the insulation from electrical wire. Just pull the wire out of the insulation and you have a great small tube available in almost any size.

Planeman

Normal wire insulation is PVC, whichj is not particularly friction free, nor wear resistant.

PTFE insulated wire is available, but its been so long I can't remember why they used PTFE...wear maybe? AH. I repmeber. We used it for wire wrapping and prototyping, because it didn't melt at soldering temperatures.

Check with decent electronics supplier for details.

BTW guitar strings are a great source of various grades of nickel plated high tensile steel wires for control wires or rigging wires.