When I built the first FT Simple Scout with the balsa diagonals, I didn’t make slots for the pushrods. The foam board fuse has slots but I thought that I could somehow maneuver the pushrods through all the open spaces between the balsa sticks. I couldn’t find a way to do it. So instead i decided to mount the servos on the outside of the fuselage and use carbon fiber tubes as pushrods.
Make some short Z-bends for each end of the carbon fiber pushrods. Make sure the piano wire is a snug fit in the tubes. Then I used thick CA to fix the Z-bends into the tubes.
If you use a Dremel tool or power saw to cut the tubes you are liable to put some cf dust in the air. You don’t want to inhale that so I use a miter box and hand saw for minimum dust.
The cardboard packing in the servos from FT can be used as a template for cutting the hole in the fuselage. Just extend the opening on each end so that the entire servo with end tabs fits through.
This model is being built as a 3 channel. If you are building the 4 channel version you need to make sure that the servo has room with full aileron down deflection.
The way that the Scout is constructed there is a second layer of foam, the doubler, that you will need to cut through.
The servo arm is in the up position. This makes the line from the servo to the control surface close to parallel to the top of the fuse.
I put the hot glue inside through the bottom of the fuselage. Little bit of a tight fit to get the glue gun nozzle in, but it is doable.
That really is clever, Bill. I’m deciding if I’m going to go the CF Sleeve route externally, or keep the Servos internal, and using 5/64″ I.D. Nylon Tube, snaking through the Fuse….
Your method DOES afford more positive and linear Control.
BTW, I stumbled across a great idea for painting FT Foam Board with minimal damage. I could send Pictures, but here’s the straightforward spoiler…
Also being a Model Railroader, I’ve got a stock of Vallejo and cheap Acrylic Paint.
Being completely non reactive to Foam, I brushed on Acrylic Primer to all exposed Foam, in a relatively heavy, non thinned coat…
Give that a Day to completely cure, then you can safely spray on any Rattle Can color you choose! 😉
It’s funny how occasionally a problem makes you do some thinking to come up with a good solution. I believe that I like the external servo solution better than the internal one. Another option is to use cables from the servo to the control surfaces. DuBro has a few different pull pull cable solutions for model airplanes. More thinking. The elevator servo would be mounted on the side of the fuselage and the rudder servo on top just behind the cockpit. That would really give the Scout a vintage vibe.
I have been having some good luck using Rustoleum spray paint. I rough up the surface of the FT foam board. It’s not a really strong bond but enough to get by. If I were to put tape on top of the Rustoleum to mask it, the paint would come off with the tape. Been reading your posts on the Flite Test forum.
I also use Rustoleum Paint. A Friend on the FT Forum gave me another great idea💡!
Using Isopropyl Alcohol to remove most of the waxiness of FT “Maker Foam”.
I also give the Paint nearly a WEEK to cure. (You obviously can’t BAKE Enamel on Foam Core Board Aircraft!!) Rustoleum Enamel takes a WHILE to cure…
The problem with most FT Builders is; they’re in such an all fired hurry to build, crash, repeat… That even if they paint them, they won’t make the time to do it properly.
NOT saying it’s right or wrong, just different, and prone to problems.
It’s obvious to me that you’re more like me in the patience department… 😉
At any rate, I’ve found that pre painting the exposed Foam with Acrylic Paint, provides a safe barrier, that the Spray Paint won’t penetrate! 😊