Clevis, Thead, Crimp, Glue or Solder

[Christopher Morris 2]

Hi, had to make up some 2mmX800mm control rods & have had a devil of a time threading one end for a clevis. Do you guys find threading crimp, glue or solder the best & strongest way. I was only looking at a thread for a bit of fine adjustment at one end & easy replacement if needed..

Edited By Christopher Morris 2 on 29/03/2020 08:38:47

[Peter Miller]

If you are trying to cut a thread in piano wire...forget it!!

Buy 2mm solder extenders from SLEC (Or elsewhere) and solder them on.

 

Edited By Peter Miller on 29/03/2020 09:36:35

[Ron Gray]

I use these SLEC

 

(Peter beat me to it!)

Edited By Ron Gray on 29/03/2020 09:37:37

[Christopher Morris 2]

Thank guys, do you find a soldering iron ok or a small gas torch a bit better? Was just wondering if the heat will travel on a steel rod with an iron.

 

 

Edited By Christopher Morris 2 on 29/03/2020 10:22:43

Edited By Christopher Morris 2 on 29/03/2020 10:23:15

[DaveyP]

I've always just used a soldering iron, on small 2mm stuff

[Solly]

Heat the rod to a moderate red and allow to air cool. This will soften the metal enough to cut a thread. I've done this many times over the years and it works fine.

[Christopher Morris 2]

Thanks, all ordered & wait to try them out

[Stephen Jones]

I find bicycle spokes useful and easy to get they come in different lengths .

I find the stainless steel one good, Put a clevis on one end and a zed bend on the other.

as you can see here.

And,

 

Steve

Edited By Stephen Jones on 29/03/2020 11:47:41

[Peter Miller]

I have never seen an 800 mm bicycle spoke.

A solderon iron is fine for soldering.I use a 40 watt Weller iron.

Heating the wire to red heat will work but it can cause a brittel section that will snap like a rotton carrot.

[Redex]

I have used 30 min epoxy several times with rod/extenders and seems to work OK, just make sure surfaces are clean before applying epoxy

[gangster]

Bear in mind that the 2mm threaded rods that you buy from the model shop vary in diameter. Sure they all/ most fit a 2mm crevice or nut but the rod diameter varies. Not all threads are cut I’m the way you or I might do. I needed some threaded both ends for interplane struts and aeleron coupling. Had a good rummage round the odds box to find some that I could thread

[kc]

The front wheels on Penny Farthings probably used 800mm spokes!

Threads on rods are often rolled not cut with a die, so the rod may well be less diameter than the thread that is formed on it.( somehow the rod is squeezed out to form thread rather than cut into the rod)

Edited By kc on 29/03/2020 12:21:21

[gangster]

Also be careful of anything American eg Sullivan or great planes. They use imperial threads

[Christopher Morris 2]

Be nice if there was an inexpensive thread rolling machine like they make most bolts & studding from. Something along the style of a pencil sharpener.
But, i will go down the solder route.

[Bruce Collinson]

What’s wrong with purpose made pushrod, with thread on one end, Z bend on the other? Fairly inexpensive from all the usual UK suppliers, M2, 2.5 and 3 freely available, as are locknuts for additional security. If one end of the rod is fixed, e.g. Z bend, it can’t rotate anyway.

Agree with Gangster re variable thread sizes. My preference is for relatively long clevises, Kavan e.g., aiming to have the entire clevises thread filled by the rod thread and if they get too short I make up another one. Then it’s threadlocked and has fuel tube over the clevises arms pushed close to the control horn to prevent springing off.

The only failure I’ve had was clevises from an ARTF Yak where the pins were weak, luckily failing prior to maddening, so I threw them all out.

BTC

[cymaz]

For 2mm rods the solder extenders are great. If you can't or are not good at doing Z bends try using a simple U shape for the other end

Edited By cymaz on 29/03/2020 13:28:13

[Christopher Morris 2]

Posted by Bruce Collinson on 29/03/2020 13:16:27:

 

What’s wrong with purpose made pushrod, with thread on one end, Z bend on the other? Fairly inexpensive from all the usual UK suppliers, M2, 2.5 and 3 freely available, as are locknuts for additional security. If one end of the rod is fixed, e.g. Z bend, it can’t rotate anyway.

Agree with Gangster re variable thread sizes. My preference is for relatively long clevises, Kavan e.g., aiming to have the entire clevises thread filled by the rod thread and if they get too short I make up another one. Then it’s threadlocked and has fuel tube over the clevises arms pushed close to the control horn to prevent springing off.

The only failure I’ve had was clevises from an ARTF Yak where the pins were weak, luckily failing prior to maddening, so I threw them all out. But 2mm plain rods are no problem. Maybe i'm not looking in the right places.

BTC

 

The main problem was finding a UK shop that sold 800mm & longer 2mm rods with a thread. But plain 2mm rods are no problem. Might be unlucky in where i am looking.

Edited By Christopher Morris 2 on 29/03/2020 14:05:19

Edited By Christopher Morris 2 on 29/03/2020 14:07:23

[brokenenglish]

I've more or less stopped using clevises. Unless absolutely impossible, I use a Z bend at the control horn end and a smaller sliding clamp (stopper) in the servo arm, which has the added advantage of reducing weight at the rear of the fus.

[Tim Ballinger]

Just been fitting rods to the end of snake inners and ball clevis’s using the aforementioned 2 mm threaded rods. These are soft and threads cut easily if required. I find the rods just the right diameter for screwing into the inner but of course a 2mm die is too large. Being old and grey I still have some BA dies and an 8BA cuts just enough thread to make a good screw fit into the inner. The rolled 2mm threaded end screws into the 2mm ball clevis as is.

I suppose I could buy a smaller metric die but in this case ‘old’ money works just as well.

Tim

[Mark H75]

Posted by Christopher Morris 2 on 29/03/2020 14:03:54:

Posted by Bruce Collinson on 29/03/2020 13:16:27:

What’s wrong with purpose made pushrod, with thread on one end, Z bend on the other? Fairly inexpensive from all the usual UK suppliers, M2, 2.5 and 3 freely available, as are locknuts for additional security. If one end of the rod is fixed, e.g. Z bend, it can’t rotate anyway.

Agree with Gangster re variable thread sizes. My preference is for relatively long clevises, Kavan e.g., aiming to have the entire clevises thread filled by the rod thread and if they get too short I make up another one. Then it’s threadlocked and has fuel tube over the clevises arms pushed close to the control horn to prevent springing off.

The only failure I’ve had was clevises from an ARTF Yak where the pins were weak, luckily failing prior to maddening, so I threw them all out. But 2mm plain rods are no problem. Maybe i'm not looking in the right places.

BTC

The main problem was finding a UK shop that sold 800mm & longer 2mm rods with a thread. But plain 2mm rods are no problem. Might be unlucky in where i am looking.

Edited By Christopher Morris 2 on 29/03/2020 14:05:19

Edited By Christopher Morris 2 on 29/03/2020 14:07:23

I've used these guys before to get 1 metre lengths **LINK** so I can make custom lengths and cut a thread at both ends.

[bert baker]

Another thing to consider is a lot of the threaded rods have the thread rolled into them and not cut,

This means that the nominal size of the rod pre thread is smaller,

[Peter Miller]

Posted by cymaz on 29/03/2020 13:27:54:

For 2mm rods the solder extenders are great. If you can't or are not good at doing Z bends try using a simple U shape for the other end

Edited By cymaz on 29/03/2020 13:28:13

You caan buy Z bend pliers very easily. One quick squeeze and you have a Z bend just where you want it.

There are like end cutting pincers with a zig zag in the teeth.

I use a special pair given to me by and American many years ago but I don'tknoiw where you would find them over here, If anyone knows I would like to know as mine have a chip out of them which can be a a problem.

[Solly]

Posted by Peter Miller on 29/03/2020 12:10:03:

I have never seen an 800 mm bicycle spoke.

A solderon iron is fine for soldering.I use a 40 watt Weller iron.

Heating the wire to red heat will work but it can cause a brittel section that will snap like a rotton carrot.

The brittle effect will only happen if the metal is cooled too quickly. For instance if quenched in water or oil or even if left to cool on a metal surface. If it is carefully air cooled it will be OK.

[Solly]

Posted by Peter Miller on 29/03/2020 18:18:36:

Posted by cymaz on 29/03/2020 13:27:54:

For 2mm rods the solder extenders are great. If you can't or are not good at doing Z bends try using a simple U shape for the other end

Edited By cymaz on 29/03/2020 13:28:13

You caan buy Z bend pliers very easily. One quick squeeze and you have a Z bend just where you want it.

There are like end cutting pincers with a zig zag in the teeth.

I use a special pair given to me by and American many years ago but I don'tknoiw where you would find them over here, If anyone knows I would like to know as mine have a chip out of them which can be a a problem.

Wheelspin Models have them in stock.

[Peter Miller]

Not this type as far as I can see. I have the other type as well