The End of the Wobbly Noseblock!
|
by Chris A. Boehm
(May 10, 2004)
|
I’ve
been flying free-flight rubber for about eight
years now. Yes, I’m still a newbie compared
to some of the Detroit Cloudbusters that I fly
with in Flint, MI. Most of them can put me to
shame when it comes to duration. But on a few
occasions I've been able to beat them, especially
during the mass launch events. That got me to
thinking... how does a superior pilot, with a
superior plane,
wind up with a lousy flight that lets me win?
My conclusion was that he messed with one of the
most important adjustments on EVERY flight - the
NOSE BLOCK - and sometimes didn't
get it seated back the way it originally was.
(This may not be the only cause, ha, ha). Just
think, a very minor adjustment in the nose block
and you have a major adjustment in the flight.
My solution: fix the nose block so it goes back
in at the same place every time and, even better,
it does not wear out after only a few flights.
|
|
The concept is simple, and it came to me in a bolt
of inspiration (I've been told that my mind is like
a bolt of lightning, one brilliant flash and it’s
all over with!) while eating chicken from a deli.
The little plastic container that held the chicken
had a lid that closed and some little “buttons”
that snapped into the main box.--Basically like
a snap fastener. Here is how to make a snap fastener
for your nose block by using vacuum forming techniques.
First make the hole in former F1 as big as possible.
Second, make the nose block the way that you normally
would, with one exception: the “plug”
needs to be a little longer than normal, and it
has to fit very loose in the F1 former.
|
|
It should be loose enough to fit two thicknesses
of the plastic that you are going to use on
all sides. Also, while making the “plug”
be sure to carve it into the shape of “A”
in drawing #1.
Photo 1 shows noseblock carvings with a taller
"plug" section than shown in drawing
#1. However, the concept is the same, and
the lip and undercut are clearly visible. |
 |
|
| |
| Next,
carve out the center of the nose plug, and
drill small holes from the undercut to this
hollowed out area. See photo 2. Make sure
you drill holes on all sides of the nose block.
This is done to allow the vacuum to pull the
plastic into the undercut. |
|
|
|
Then vacuum form the plastic over the nose plug.
(See photos 3 and 4.)
|
| |
|
|
|
After you have vacuum formed this, cut the extra
plastic from the plug. You may leave a flange on
this, or not, it is your preference. In any case,
redrill the small
holes from the undercut, through the plastic, to
the hollowed out section again. Coat the plastic
with talcum powder, (Baby powder makes a great releasing
agent for vacuum formed pieces.) and vacuum form
another piece of plastic over the first one. This
second vacuum formed piece must be left with a flange.
(See drawing number 1.)
|
|
|
Cut the back out of the second vacuumed formed part.
This will be your hole in the front of the plane,
through which the rubber motor will pass. Epoxy
the second vacuum formed part to the hole in the
F1 former. Glue the first vacuum formed part to
the nose plug, and glue the nose plug to the nose
block itself. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
