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planecrazee

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Hi folks, 

 

I wondered if anyone could share their experience of making sure that an aircraft does not become a tail sitter.  What does everyone use as nose weight - especially when space is a premium. Any advice/tips would be greatly appreciated. 

 

Many thanks 

 

Kris

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well, I use fishing weights. They come in different shapes and sizes, so it's easy to make them fit. Sometimes I use a table vice to shape the lead in a suitable form. For example, if I need to weight down a front end of a 1/72 Huey, I press the lead in a thin strip to place beneath the floor, and it fits nicely. To fix it in place, I use Bison 2k epoxy glue, or sometimes PVA wood glue. Also, if I need the lead to stay in place while the glue sets, I use just a really tiny dab of CA glue before applying the epoxy. Never put more CA, because in contact with lead it develops a chemical reaction which can destroy the model.

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Hi Kris

I've bought lead shot for diving bags,you can buy in bulk so it'll last for ages + it's small,so it'll fit in confined spaces.Haven't used it yet,but I imagine the downside is making sure you secure all of it,otherwise it'll come loose & rattle around inside the model. Maybe cover in white glue & block in with blue/white-tack?.......that's what I was planning anyway. As I said,I haven't tried it yet,so it might be useless,hopefully someone will come up with a tried & tested method.

Cheers

Andrew

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  • 2 weeks later...

Just had a though reading this. Could you mix sand with PVA? Pop it in when still semisolid and it could be manipulated into fully filling a nose and other forward cavities??

 

Anyone tried that or can see that it wouldn't work??

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I bought a strip of lead flashing from the local builders merchants about 5 years ago. I just cut a strip off when I need it. It's still going strong and will probably last for several years yet. Just use CA to stick it in where I can, as far forward as possible.

Edited by treker_ed
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1 hour ago, NickR said:

Just had a though reading this. Could you mix sand with PVA? Pop it in when still semisolid and it could be manipulated into fully filling a nose and other forward cavities??

 

Anyone tried that or can see that it wouldn't work??

Can't see why that wouldn't work.

It just might be not heavy enough for its volume

 

I, too, have a bit of a roll of roofing lead which I've been using bits of for years. Also, a friend passed me several Kgs of old lead car wheel weights.

 

Available out there is stuff called Liquid Gravity.

Its very, very small balls of maybe zinc - it says its not lead. Being very small it can be poured into the smallest of places and set with your favourite liquid glue.

Don't forget good ole Blutac can be used too, its quite heavy for its volume.

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At work we had several bags 25 lb bags of #8 lead shot. One of them ripped and they were going to throw it out, so I grabbed it. The shot is small enough that it can fit just about anywhere and I've go more than enough to last a lifetime of modelling. Either CA or PVA will hold it in place

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We sell bottles of nose weights., known  as liquid steel.

 

http://www.modellingtools.co.uk/liquid-steel-200g-12735-p.asp

 

£3 for a 200g bottle,  Thinned down PVA is the normal method for fixing it, but ca can be used yo set them quickly.

 

We used to use lead shot, but the dust that this gives off is not healthy, so moved to a safer steel  product.

 

Paul

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Bought a 300mm x 300mm lead sheet from my local hardware store a few years ago and cut into smaller pieces that can be epoxied into the frontal area's of kits. Also bought a container of number 9 birdshot that is roughly one litre in volume that has 10kg of lead shot that's perfect for gluing into tight area's on a model. A 45ml bottle ( 3 tablespoons ) holds about 320 grams ( 11.3 oz. ) of the 2mm diameter lead shot.

Edited by Mick4350
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  • 1 year later...

I've been experimenting of late with tungsten putty. Think of it as really dense Blu-Tack, very good for squeezing into assorted nooks, crannies, and small spaces without needing to add glue.

The stuff is supposedly for weighting fishing lines - carp fishing being an example use - but of course can be used for other purposes. I will have to keep an eye open as time passes to see if there are any adverse reactions (like the lead/superglue horrors you read of in these forums on occasion), but so far, so good.

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Hi all,

if your a driver, youll need to change tyres on occasion.

Have a word with the fitter, as all (?) companies use self adhesive weights

to balance alloy wheels, the individual weights are 2 -3mm thick, I found they work, give 'em a go.

 

Paul

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Ive been using lead weights and C/A since the early 90’s. None of my builds has ever split or deformed from the combo ? I still have a few of those early builds. I see them quite regularly when looking at my stored builds to choose what i will display in my office. 

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Plenty of lead weights at your old replacement tyre bays.. They tend to rebalance wheels so take off and throw away lead weights..........see if they have any to give away next time your in there.................cut them down with pliers, hack saws or what-ever..........imbed them in silcon...........stay away from Blu-tack or plasticine as these are oil based and tends to leech over time

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6 hours ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

Ive been using lead weights and C/A since the early 90’s. None of my builds has ever split or deformed from the combo ? I still have a few of those early builds. I see them quite regularly when looking at my stored builds to choose what i will display in my office. 

Very glad to hear that - I know that PVA is a problem 

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Poly Vinyl Acetate, yes.  Railway modellers have suffered split locomotive smokeboxes as a result of the acetate reacting with the metallic lead, forming Lead Acetate (or Ethanoate, for any chemists waiting to pounce!) which takes up significantly more space.  I have heard of modellers in Australia experiencing corroded rails where the PVA they used for fixing ballast to trackwork has liberated Acetic Acid fumes in the hot climate.  I've always used sheet lead and Epoxy Resin.

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