Top Flite TOPA0500 - Manual (Page 27)

❏ 3. Drill a 1/16" hole through the end of the brass tube
where shown on the plan. From now on this portion of
the tail gear wire will be referred to as the
steering arm .
❏ 4. Secure a 0-80 threaded ball link ball to the
steering arm with a drop of thread locking compound
and a 0-80 nut.
❏ 5. Drill 1/16" holes through the two punch marks in the
front of the die-cut 1/8" plywood tail gear plate and a
1/8" hole through the aft punch mark. Glue a piece of
leftover 1/8" plywood to the top of the tail gear plate over
the 1/16" holes (remember: the
top is the side that faces
the top of the fuse even if the fuse is upside down during
this step). Re-drill the 1/16" holes through the ply plate
you just added.
❏ 6. Mount the tail gear bracket to the tail gear plate
with two #2 x 3/8" screws. Set the tail gear plate aside
for now.
Use this photo for the next four steps. Disregard
former F11AD until you build the bottom hatch.
❏ 7. If you built the scale rudder and used part of one of
the 3/16" x 36" pushrod guide tubes for the guide
tubes in the rudder, cut the remainder of that tube to a
length of 26". If you’ve built the non scale fin and rudder,
cut one of the 3/16" x 36" pushrod guide tubes to a
length of 26". Sand the outside of the guide tube with
coarse sandpaper so glue will stick. Slide the tube
through the holes in the formers for the rudder guide
tube as shown on the plan.
❏ 8. Cut a .074" x 36" wire pushrod to a length of 30".
This will be the tail gear/rudder pushrod. Clean
residual oil from the pushrod wire with a cloth dampened
with alcohol or other solvent. Cut six 3/8" spacers from
the white inner pushrod tube, then slide them, evenly
spaced, onto the wire. Make sure you position the
bushings at the ends of the wire so they will not protrude
from the guide tube, or the controls could become
jammed during flight. If the spacers slide easily onto the
wire, secure them with a drop of thin CA (make sure the
CA sets before you slide the pushrod into the guide
tube!). If the spacers are difficult to slide on, cut them to
a shorter length so they will be a little easier to slide onto
the wire. Set the wire aside.
❏ 9. Cut the .074" x 12" wire pushrod to a length of 4-1/2".
Silver solder a brass threaded coupler onto this wire.
Screw a nylon clevis about 12 turns onto the wire pushrod.
Join the threaded coupler to the pushrod you prepared in
the previous step with a nylon dual ended ball link. Screw
both wires into the ball link about 12 turns. Slide the pushrod
through the hole in former 11 and into the guide tube.
Temporarily connect the clevis to the rudder torque rod.
❏ 10. Move the pushrod back and forth and make sure
the rudder can move freely. Enlarge the hole in F12 or
shave part of the left stab saddle if necessary.
❏ 11. Position the tail gear plate on the fuse and snap the
ball stud onto the ball link. Adjust the nylon clevis so the
rudder is centered when the tail gear wire is centered.
❏ 12. Cut another 3/16" x 36" pushrod guide tube to a
length of 31". Sand the outside so glue will stick. Slide
the tube through the other holes in the formers as shown
on the plan for the elevator guide tube.
❏ 13. Make the elevator pushrod with the other .074" x 36"
threaded one end pushrod and eight spacers. Thread a
nylon clevis onto the rod about 12 turns. Slide the pushrod
into the guide tube and connect the clevis to the outer hole
A. Thoroughly clean the parts to be soldered with
alcohol or other solvent.
B. Roughen the areas to be soldered with fine
sandpaper. Clean again.
C. Apply soldering flux or soldering acid to both parts.
D.
Tin the joining areas of both parts (heat the part
and coat it with a thin coat of solder). Apply more
soldering flux.
E. Join the parts as you apply heat. Apply more
solder and make sure it flows into the joint.
F. Do not move the parts until the solder has
solidified.
G. Test the joint by pulling hard.
H. Remove excess flux with alcohol or other solvent.
Inspect the joint. A secure solder joint has a shiny
appearance. If the solder is rough appearing or not
shiny, reheat and allow to cool.
I. Coat the parts with a thin film of oil.
SILVER SOLDERING
Use this process when soldering.
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