G-JIMG Posted June 14, 2018 Share Posted June 14, 2018 I'm designing and building a 1/10th scale King Air 350CER and want to keep all the linkages hidden. For the ailerons I'd like to use RDS. There's no problem making the pockets or bending the metal rod but I've hit a wall when it comes to connecting the rod to the (Futaba) servo. There's plenty of cheap solution available in the US (see image of Kimbrough Coupler set) but I can't find anything in the UK. Does anybody know a UK supplier or have an alternative solution? Jim G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denis Watkins Posted June 15, 2018 Share Posted June 15, 2018 Do you mean pushrod keepers Jim, from SLEC UK Edited By Denis Watkins on 15/06/2018 06:26:48 Edited By Denis Watkins on 15/06/2018 06:27:40 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cymaz Posted June 15, 2018 Share Posted June 15, 2018 Here is a thread at for some reading. Top hat couplers is what I think you were asking for. Someone with a lathe might turn a few up for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Hopkin Posted June 15, 2018 Share Posted June 15, 2018 Do you mean these RDS Adaptors? **LINK** Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-JIMG Posted June 15, 2018 Author Share Posted June 15, 2018 Thanks for the help guys. Dave, that's exactly what I was looking for, but for Futaba S3150 servos. However, your link led me to rewording the Google search, which in turn led me to a robotics company in Somerset that had exactly what I needed, and at a very reasonable price. Result! Thanks again, Jim G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVC Posted June 15, 2018 Share Posted June 15, 2018 Hi G-JIMG, do you mind sharing the link to the company, please? I'm about to start building an Arado AR-96 and I'd like to use RDS controls. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-JIMG Posted June 15, 2018 Author Share Posted June 15, 2018 Hi AVC, Here's the link **LINK** Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plummet Posted June 15, 2018 Share Posted June 15, 2018 It occurs to me that by the application of Murphy's law, the splines on the bought products will always be different to any servos available. How about a two tine fork made of piano wire. The tines should be spaced so as to go through the holes in opposite arms of a standard servo arm. The tips of the tines should be bent at a right angle to lock them into the holes when the shaft of the fork is inline with the servo axis. The rotation of the servo will then rotate the shaft of the fork. Does this make sense? Plummet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-JIMG Posted June 15, 2018 Author Share Posted June 15, 2018 Hi Plummet, That makes perfect sense, but ............................ I'd considered a number of ways to make a coupler, including soldering a wheel collet onto a washer and then drilling a couple of holes in the washer so I could fasten it to a Servo Ring. However, the model's wing is very narrow and there wasn't enough room for anything involving Servo Rings or Arms to rotate. The beauty of this product is that it comes with 5 adaptors, each with a different spline count, so it works with a number of Servo types. Jim G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kc Posted June 15, 2018 Share Posted June 15, 2018 You could always file a flat onto the servo splines so that a collet with set screw will hold. Or use a brass tube with a D shaped insert soldered inside to fit on the flat filed on the servo splines. Some servos used square instead of splines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted June 15, 2018 Share Posted June 15, 2018 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-JIMG Posted June 15, 2018 Author Share Posted June 15, 2018 Hi Percy, It's because I'm trying to make it as scale as possible, even to the point of adding panel lines, rivet heads, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Fenton Posted June 18, 2018 Share Posted June 18, 2018 Jim, there is another way to do the links and that is to use an adaptor to go from the servo disk to the coupler. I made my own but they are easier to make than something with a spline!! Cheers Danny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Fenton Posted June 18, 2018 Share Posted June 18, 2018 Cheers Danny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Fenton Posted June 18, 2018 Share Posted June 18, 2018 You could make somethig similar by soldering a large collet to a brass washer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatMc Posted June 18, 2018 Share Posted June 18, 2018 ,,,or a strip of brass/mild steel soldered to a collet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Fenton Posted June 18, 2018 Share Posted June 18, 2018 I saw Ian Redshaw use a variation of RDS using a pushrod to do the coupling from a regular servo arm. This picture is not of Ian's installation, but does show the idea. Cheers Danny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-JIMG Posted June 18, 2018 Author Share Posted June 18, 2018 Thanks for all the suggestions, especially the homemade solutions. That's normally the way I would go, but in this case the wing is just too thin to accept anything much wider than the servo spline. I'm using S3150 (10mm) Servos and there's not much room for much else. So unfortunately, on this occasion, I've had to open the wallet and buy a couple of rotary drivers. Thanks again, Jim G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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