wing tip balancing

[2robinhood]

Not forward and back CG balancing, but left to right balancing.
I see some planes with weight added to the wing tips to counter balance a heavy side / wing tip.
How would you go at balancing a plane in this manner ?

[extra330ss]

have someone hold the tail, and you hold on to the spinner.... If one side dips down prodominantly, there's probably a balance problem.... just test it several times, so you can be sure, that it's unbalanced.
Then, add a little weight on top of the wind tip to balance it out, ad or take away weight as you need to.... then get some stick-on weights of the same weight, and stick em' to the end of the wing tip.... That's the basic way to do it... Sometimes, the manuals for indevidual planes tell you to do it differently, but that's what works for me....


-Extra

[FENWAYFLYER]

If you can not accomplish a lateral balance by shifting a few things around in the fuse you can just stick some sticky weights on the wings tips. If you do not like the looks of the weights on the wings remove some covering and sheeting and put the weight on the inside.

To test for a lateral balance problem do a down line and pull to a level flight..........wings are not level.......add weight to high wing

[Fly-guy]

You mean lateral balancing


There is the ghetto rudder->spinner fingertip way.

Most accurate way would be a Vanessa rig modded a little to support the fuse more.

Hard to see in this pic, but you essentially find the centre point and mark on the fuse, as well as your fore-aft CG for most accuracy, and the plum bob will give you an indication.



This pic shows it a bit better,

If you can visualise a plum bob off the T and doing it laterally instead of fore-aft you're good to go :P

[22Kart22]

try to put the weight in the wings if possible to reduce the amt of pb you need to stick in. Use torque to your advantage!

[aramsdell]

I have sucessfully added weight to the inside of the wing tips by dropping the weight down inside through the wing then drizzling Gorilla glue over the weights. Leave standing on the wing tip for a few hrs/overnight for the glue to set up.

[bob_nj]

To expound on what fenwaflyer said, here is a short excerpt from a trimming article that Peter Goldsmith put out a few years ago. You can find the whole article if you search for, "Peter Goldsmith Trimming Procedure. I find this the easiest way to laterally balance.

	Quote:
	Procedure: Put the model into a vertical dive with the throttle back minimum of three to four seconds and pull a hard corner at the bottom. No matter where the wings are in roll, when you pull to level the wings must be level. It really doesn’t matter where our model’s wings are. As you pull to horizontal flight, the wings must be level. If you go from Vertical to horizontal, not only will the engine thrust have no effect, but your wings can be anywhere as you’re on vertical downline. If you notice that one wing consistently drops then add some weight to the opposite wingtip.

[Superrmario]

I use 20-25lb test fishing line.

Run it around the crank behind the spinner and hang from the ceiling or something to support it.

Do the same on a rudder hinge. If the hinge breaks, it wasnt in good enough Make sure the airframe is as level as you can get when you hang it.

Old timer told me to do it with a single line and an eye from a hook and eye kit.
Find the exact and "correct" CG point, temp glue a peice of ply at that point. Drill and then insert eye into the exact center of the plane on the exact center of the CG, then hang it, and see where it goes. You can lateral balance as well as standard CG balace.

I have never tried the old timer way.. Too much hassle and not enough hands to balance, stick weight and move things at the same time.

[jamesrxx951]

	Quote: Originally Posted by Fade2Black
	I use 20-25lb test fishing line. Run it around the crank behind the spinner and hang from the ceiling or something to support it.

doesn't the right thrust play a bad part in hanging it off the crank. the crank i thought was moved over a few degree's

[Superrmario]

	Quote: Originally Posted by jamesrxx951
	doesn't the right thrust play a bad part in hanging it off the crank. the crank i thought was moved over a few degree's

You know.. You probabaly are right. I do have to say, I have balanced two airframes like this with sucess. Maybe they are not perfect, but it works for me i guess

[Full Throttle]

	Quote: Originally Posted by jamesrxx951
	doesn't the right thrust play a bad part in hanging it off the crank. the crank i thought was moved over a few degree's

but arent the motors ofset to the left so the crank is back center, or the spinner would be off center of cowling?

[husker]

	Quote: Originally Posted by Full Throttle
	but arent the motors ofset to the left so the crank is back center, or the spinner would be off center of cowling?

Nope...cowling usually has the thrust angle built in its shape.

[Full Throttle]

	Quote: Originally Posted by husker
	Nope...cowling usually has the thrust angle built in its shape.

Not trying to start an argument but I am sure it's comming but I disagree, I have 1 plane nearby that the thrust is in the fire wall, and cowl is square to the plane not offset with the thrust line, that would look like hell to have the cowl off to the right.

[Superrmario]

	Quote: Originally Posted by Full Throttle
	but arent the motors ofset to the left so the crank is back center, or the spinner would be off center of cowling?

My DA50 is offset on the firewall, so this could be why it balanced out so well.

[Superrmario]

	Quote: Originally Posted by Full Throttle
	Not trying to start an argument but I am sure it's comming but I disagree, I have 1 plane nearby that the thrust is in the fire wall, and cowl is square to the plane not offset with the thrust line, that would look like hell to have the cowl off to the right.

I agree with you. but, not all airframes are like that. Sometimes I have had to move the left portion of the cowling forward to match the right thrust I either put in, or added.