Gary Binnie Posted May 3, 2012 Share Posted May 3, 2012 Hi guys, I'm trying to identify the company that produces (or produced!) the twin elevator drive in the photos and if it is still available. Came out of an Xtra Wot but not sure if that's standard with the kit. The bellcranks are ballraced and have 'MK' or '4MK' embossed on them. Cheers Gary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Binnie Posted May 3, 2012 Author Share Posted May 3, 2012 Through a bit of lateral 'googling' I've discovered that MK stands for M. Kato of the Kato Model Aircraft Co Ltd. They don't seem to be in business. Shame as it's good quality stuff. Back to the drawing board!! Cheers GB Edited By Gary Binnie on 03/05/2012 18:00:24 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Fenton Posted May 3, 2012 Share Posted May 3, 2012 I saw your post Gary, and remember seeing MK on some of my older bits and pieces. But I had no info for you I am afraid. The picture you showed seemed to indicate that it was good quality. Shame they are not around any more. Cheers Danny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Cotsford Posted May 3, 2012 Share Posted May 3, 2012 if your pocket is deep or from the UK I've got an all alloy one in the spares box, brand new, but I can't remember where I got it from. I'll try to get a snap of it later. Edited By Bob Cotsford on 03/05/2012 18:51:07 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Bott - Moderator Posted May 3, 2012 Share Posted May 3, 2012 There are a few sizes here of something similar. Not ballraced but the same sort of idea . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Binnie Posted May 3, 2012 Author Share Posted May 3, 2012 Cheers guys, that Probuild one is exactly what I was after!! Seem to come in two widths and I needed the wider one (fuselage is 50 mm). Perhaps Kato are still going? I'm building a Goldberg Ultimate, the original design is a single wooden pushrod and 'Y' threaded rods but it doesn't look up to the job to me. A little bit of extra weight at the tail shouldn't hurt as I'm fitting a fairly large motor (ancient OS Max FSR90). Whats £30? Don't tell the missus!!! Here's the Ultimate, eBay special and cheap as chips, a few bits missing from the kit (declared) but nothing important. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Binnie Posted May 3, 2012 Author Share Posted May 3, 2012 Cheers Chris, never thought of checking the 'Big Fish'!! Think I need quality fittings for this, don't want anything coming adrift at an inopportune moment! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Cotsford Posted May 3, 2012 Share Posted May 3, 2012 Gary, this is the one I've got: Ball races in the mounting plates, I really wish I could remember where I bought it from. I had intended using it imn the Altair but went with twin snakes instead. PM me if you want it for -- oooh, £10? That's a lot less than I paid but it's not doing me any good sitting in the spares box, and it can go towards some midi size aileron servos for the Skybolt I'm building. Edit - I've just found the email from the order, Vanderbuilt Models and it was only £13 + p&p, so make it £7. Edited By Bob Cotsford on 03/05/2012 21:18:18 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Binnie Posted May 4, 2012 Author Share Posted May 4, 2012 Thanks Bob, sorry I didn't reply earlier. How do the bellcranks secure on that? Grub screws? Vanderbuilt looks an interesting shop, not heard of them before. Looking at Probuild they are listing 100+ MK accessories so they are probably still going, just a fairly specialised customer base I s'pose and the stuff has to come from Japan. Thanks for the offer, I'll hold for the moment as I'm not sure if this linkage would be overkill for this model and is the way to go. I'm scratching my head with other mini-problems/choices with the Ultimate but plodding on with things that definitely need building. Can't even decide how to cover and finish it!! Cheers Gary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Cotsford Posted May 4, 2012 Share Posted May 4, 2012 Yes, the arms are secured with 3mm or so grub screws. The GP Super Skybolt I'm building uses a method I've not seen before, 2mm-ish wires soldered to form the conventional Y shape, with the long single run supported in SLEC type snake outer with short bushes of snake inner spaced along it's length. Not a chance it sounds like an invitation to slop and flex to me, so I'll be using my usual twin Sullivan Gold-n-Rod snakes coupled at the servo end. I keep looking at that alloy coupler thinking that I could build in a hatch to access the coupler for maintenance but it just seems easier to go for twin snakes with less potential wear points and which I know from experience to be fit and forget. MK accessories look to be popular with US modellers, especially classic aerobatic fans. I first saw that MK coupler being used in an RCU build thread and a search turned up the Vanderbuilt alloy version. Edited By Bob Cotsford on 04/05/2012 16:43:59 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Cotsford Posted May 4, 2012 Share Posted May 4, 2012 ps - that Ultimate looks nice, a lot less 'substantial' construction than the porky Skybolt, so it should go well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin watson Posted May 4, 2012 Share Posted May 4, 2012 looks like pete tindal stuff to me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Binnie Posted May 4, 2012 Author Share Posted May 4, 2012 Ta and thanks Colin. The Ultimate is supposed to be about 8 lbs finished, we shall see! Not a bad build, it was an early kit with die-crunched ply, later ones were laser cut but with part shape errors! No idea why they stopped kitting them, very popular and a great flyer apparently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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