shafts and linkages - ideas

[murraywl]

Anybody have any ideas or recommendations for plane and rudder linkage seals. I'm planning to use 1/16 wire for both. Seems like all I have seen available are for 1/8 wire or rod. Any noticeable advantage using 1/8?
End use is for scratch built 1/72 LA class. Any homemade shaft and linkage seal ideas?

[lundberg]

Hi,

first I tried to scratch

Hi,

first I tried to scratch build linkage seals from brass pipe but I never managed to get them 100% water tight, quite often the linkages jammed in the seal as well.

Now I use only rubber bellows and it works great.

When it comes to shaft seals I use brass pipes filled with marine grease.

/Bjorn

[bob the builder]

From my research on the

From my research on the message boards here, I found out that people recommended to just bite the bullet and buy the linkage seals from a reputable vendor.

They're not that expensive, and they've been tried and tested. I'm pretty sure that Subtech, Thor, and Subconcepts carries ready-to-use seals.

I'm no expert, but I think that running 1/8" rod over 1/16 would allow for better seals, and Skip's units use a nice high-sealing, low friction product.

I was toying with the idea of building my own seals at the beginning of my project as well, but a real small amount of cash and a little time for delivery let me concentrate on the fun part of scratch-building the hull nicely.

Just my two cents worth.

[murraywl]

Thanks for the input. I'll

Thanks for the input. I'll probably go ahead and get off a few bucks and order some. Sometimes I get obsessed with just trying to come up with a unique idea and make it work.
bill from jaxville

[david h]

For pushrod seals you could

For pushrod seals you could use a Nylex plastic nozzle like the ones they use for tiny garden sprinkler systems.Pass a 3/ 32 brass rod through and push some nitro fuel tube over the nozzle. Put a small "O" ring over the end. Glue into a hole in the end cap. Works beaut for me.

regards,

dave h
Sydney, australia