IDEAS FROM BEYOND THE MODEL-MAKERS DUST SHEET




Low cost engine isolation mounts

These are actually Rawl Plug fixings for hollow cavity walls and doors. However, with a little imagination they can be made to effectively isolate the engine from the rest of the model. The engine in my Mystic is mounted in just this way, and it does help. However, it may not solve the problem of a noisy model on its own.

Consider all parts And make sure that

  1. The wheels don’t rattle
  2. The push rods cannot rattle in the fuselage, and that the connection to the horns is not loose
  3. The cowl has some form of padding on it to stop it acting like a drum
  4. The wings sit on wing-seating tape or some thing similar, especially if they are built-up.
  5. Your propeller is balanced.
  6. Nothing else on the plane rattles.

Glue mixing pallets

Take an old plastic gallon fuel container and cut large pieces out of the sides. These make excellent mixing trays for epoxy, and when you have used the whole area and the remaining glue is dry, bend the plastic and the residual glue will peel off. You can use the trays for years.


Glue sticks

Sticks from ice creams make excellent mixing sticks for any two part glues, and they are free (well relatively). If you have children then ice creams, ice lollies, toffie apples, and candy floss will be a treat that can be turned to your advantage. Keep the sticks and save making them from scraps of wood or buying the commercially available mixing sticks.


Old Toothbrushes
Excellent little brushes for cleaning engines, and difficult to reach areas of your model. The fibres are long enough to clean in-between the fins of most engines, after you have soaked it in biological washing powder, or paint stripper. However, don’t use toothbrushes after soaking your engine in paint stripper, as the paint stripper will eat the brush as well as the baked castor oil goo. I t will also eat the paint on engines such as the OS La's or the new Irvines.


Spray mount (or Photo Mount)
Do you ever have trouble with wing bandages moving after you have started applying the epoxy. Well go out and buy a tin of spray mount or photo mount from your local art shop. Cut the bandage to size and trial fit to the wing. Lay the bandage on some old newspaper, apply a light coating of spray mount and then stick it to the wing. It sticks firmly and makes applying the epoxy so much easier. It will also stick to compound curves. If you are careful spray mount will allow you to reapply the bandage if you are reasonably quick.

I have even used the same principle for applying the glass cloth used to skin wings, floats, etc.

Make sure that you use the spray mount in an open, well ventilated area, and don’t inhale the spray.


The Depot (or B&Q)
An Aladdin’s cave of bits and pieces, and they stock in the larger stores a selection of small bolts, screws, blind nuts, bits of metal, and all manner of useful things for the modeller. It’s not place to rush into and ask for something specific, because the stocks are so vast, but if you have ten minutes to wander round when the shop is not brimming with weekend DIYers, the prices alone make it worth the effort.

OK, OK you can call me Stan, (from Dinner Ladies)!!??


YOUR TIP HERE?
If you feel like sharing your ideas with others send me your tips and I will add the good ones to this page.

If you can send a photo, this will help considerably, (JPEG format, medium compression, scanned at 70 dpi,).

Send your ideas


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