nose weights

[jrallman]

Hey all, just a quick tip, which im guessing alot of you know already. If youa re doing a plane with a tricycle landing gear and need to add nose weight, instead of trying to glue or blu-tac in some nuts and bolts, i found some better stuff at a local hobby shop. this place has a very extensive train section, and back in the train department i found lead weights, scored into 7oz pieces, with very sticky 2 sided tape already on the back. the kind of 2 sided tape that is thick and kinda padded. you just break off what you need, peel the backing and stick it in, and boy does that stuff stick! used it on my p-38 and that thing will never tip back.

[TexasBlues]

i used a combination of BBs and fishing weights... all from wally world... i got 1500 BBs for $5 USD i think...

some fun tack (yellow blu-tak) and some CA...

but thanks for the info!

[David Walker]

Yeah, fishing weights are the best as they come in all different sizes.

[The Keeper]

#7 1/2 shot and white glue. Fits in the most difficult locations.

Cheers,

[volzj]

I go the lead shot method as well, as the weights you mention (I'm familiar with them) are just too big for 72nd scale jet noses.

[MattCar]

I use this stuff;

http://www.wickfordangling.co.uk/kryston/s...ist_putties.htm

Really heavy, moulds with your fingers into any shape, especially good for cramming into a nose cone, weighs more than nuts and bolts.

Cheers

Matt

[jrallman]

I used to use the lead shot method but at some point a few would always come loose and go rattling around inside the plane. The nice thing about these weights is that they are pretty soft. I was able to cut them to shape with sprue cutters. Now, that heavy metal putty stuff looks pretty sweet. Maybe I'll take a gander at that next, once I use up this stuff.

[Boywillie]

Another method is to visit your local builders' merchants and buy a roll of "Lead" roof flashing (the stuff that goes around the base of chimney stacks or window bays etc to seal any joints). It ain't too expensive, is often backed with bitumen so its reasonably self adhesive and can be cut, shaped and beaten very heavily so it can be squeezed into all sorts of odd places. A friend even constructed the basic cockpit "tub" from it on one of his models.

The other source is to get friendly with a builder. They often have pretty sizeable lumps of the stuff left over and will give you it.

Of course, you could also try "swiping" the stuff from your local church roof but for some reason the "plods" get upset about this.

Regards, as always

Willie

[MattCar]

I use lead flashing for balance weight in RC models, I get small rolls of it without bitumen from a local builders merchants. Quite pricey, but would keep you going for an age.

One thing I have done, though I don't know how well it would translate into styrene sizes, is to grind the lead sheet down on a surform, making a sort of 'lead filings' which I can mix with epoxy resin or even plastacine.

Cheers

Matt

[jrallman]

mmmm, lead dust in the air, sounds yummy!