Chris King 3 Posted July 14, 2020 Share Posted July 14, 2020 I'm re-commisioning an old Lazy Bee I've had in the loft for donkey's years but I can't find any wing bands longer than 8" which are too short. The entire path of the band would be around 22" so I reckon on needing something like a 10" band at the very least. I've trawled this forum for any suppliers that might help but it seems no-one does anything bigger than 8". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cymaz Posted July 14, 2020 Share Posted July 14, 2020 You could loop two together? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris King 3 Posted July 14, 2020 Author Share Posted July 14, 2020 True but it does leave a big bump on the top of the wing which doesnt look great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt Kremen Posted July 14, 2020 Share Posted July 14, 2020 Try 'First Steps Rubber Bands' they do a range of good quality bands. (Much cheaper and better value than model shops and high street stationers too!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted July 14, 2020 Share Posted July 14, 2020 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris King 3 Posted July 14, 2020 Author Share Posted July 14, 2020 Even First Steps only go up to 8" or 200mm! Not sure what size inner tube I'd need tbh. Don't have them around these days as everything is tubeless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveyP Posted July 14, 2020 Share Posted July 14, 2020 Quick question, is there a rule of thumb for the size of band to use on a wing ? If a wing has a chord of, say, 8" would you buy a 4" band, 5" band or 6" band ?? Edited By DaveyP on 14/07/2020 18:58:56 Edited By DaveyP on 14/07/2020 18:59:55 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Miller Posted July 14, 2020 Share Posted July 14, 2020 Go on Amazon I bought a huge back of black rubber bands for my Super Scorpion andthey were really long Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Fisher Posted July 14, 2020 Share Posted July 14, 2020 For one of my models, I cut long enough strips from inner tubes - single strips not bands and used a hole punch at each end to fit over the dowels. Worked well for me and they lasted longer of I made the ends wider where the holes had to be punched. Malcolm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff S Posted July 14, 2020 Share Posted July 14, 2020 I've cut wing bands to make them thinner and they stretch further without being too fierce. Just to make sure I always use 6 bands. IIRC I found thinned down 8" bands were OK with my Lazy Bee (standard size) but it's not been flown for years. Inner tubes are rare these days. We used to use radially cut ones to make bands to hold competition numbers on our trials motor cycles in the 1960s but they'd be much too short (4" ). You could perhaps use small wheel pedal cycle inner tubes cut circumferentially? Geoff Edited By Geoff S on 14/07/2020 20:01:01 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeffrey Cottrell 2 Posted July 14, 2020 Share Posted July 14, 2020 Hi Chris When you say 22" do you mean the total length around the band, or the length of the band laid flat? If you mean the total length that would mean a chord around the 11" area. Rubber bands are measured folded flat, and unstretched.. I have some bands I use on my Limbo Dancer. These are just over 7" unstretched, but will happily stretch to over 11" in use. Other than that, Amazon do list some 200mm ( 8" ) here. Personally, I think 8" would do you fine. Jeff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris King 3 Posted July 14, 2020 Author Share Posted July 14, 2020 Posted by Jeffrey Cottrell 2 on 14/07/2020 20:16:30: Hi Chris When you say 22" do you mean the total length around the band, or the length of the band laid flat? If you mean the total length that would mean a chord around the 11" area. Rubber bands are measured folded flat, and unstretched.. I have some bands I use on my Limbo Dancer. These are just over 7" unstretched, but will happily stretch to over 11" in use. Other than that, Amazon do list some 200mm ( 8" ) here. Personally, I think 8" would do you fine. Jeff The chord is about 15". The 22" inch I quoted was the length of the band layed flat. e.g. the length from each dowel diagonally across the wing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris King 3 Posted July 14, 2020 Author Share Posted July 14, 2020 Posted by Malcolm Fisher on 14/07/2020 19:57:34: For one of my models, I cut long enough strips from inner tubes - single strips not bands and used a hole punch at each end to fit over the dowels. Worked well for me and they lasted longer of I made the ends wider where the holes had to be punched. Malcolm Hmm, that gave me an idea. I took an old band and cut it so it was one run and punched a hole in both ends and its pretty strong. A 4" band nearly goes the distance I need. That might work. It's just judging how strong the end with the hole is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris King 3 Posted July 14, 2020 Author Share Posted July 14, 2020 Posted by Geoff S on 14/07/2020 20:00:25: I've cut wing bands to make them thinner and they stretch further without being too fierce. Just to make sure I always use 6 bands. IIRC I found thinned down 8" bands were OK with my Lazy Bee (standard size) but it's not been flown for years. Inner tubes are rare these days. We used to use radially cut ones to make bands to hold competition numbers on our trials motor cycles in the 1960s but they'd be much too short (4" ). You could perhaps use small wheel pedal cycle inner tubes cut circumferentially? Geoff Edited By Geoff S on 14/07/2020 20:01:01 Did you chop them in half to get two bands from one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris King 3 Posted July 14, 2020 Author Share Posted July 14, 2020 Thanks for the suggestions everyone. I'm sure there's something here that will work. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Curry Posted July 14, 2020 Share Posted July 14, 2020 This company appear to supply bands up to 300mm if you really need long bands. They're not cheap though. Link Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Cotsford Posted July 14, 2020 Share Posted July 14, 2020 You could buy some flat rubber strip, the type used by freeflight modellers, and tie your own bands to get them tensioned as you want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff S Posted July 14, 2020 Share Posted July 14, 2020 Posted by Chris King 3 on 14/07/2020 20:44:54: Posted by Geoff S on 14/07/2020 20:00:25: I've cut wing bands to make them thinner and they stretch further without being too fierce. Just to make sure I always use 6 bands. IIRC I found thinned down 8" bands were OK with my Lazy Bee (standard size) but it's not been flown for years. Inner tubes are rare these days. We used to use radially cut ones to make bands to hold competition numbers on our trials motor cycles in the 1960s but they'd be much too short (4" ). You could perhaps use small wheel pedal cycle inner tubes cut circumferentially? Geoff Edited By Geoff S on 14/07/2020 20:01:01 Did you chop them in half to get two bands from one? Yes. I just cut round the circumference with a pair of scissors, making 2 thinner bands out of one wide one and the same size. Never had one fail except perishing like they all do but I just checked them before use. Geoff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 15, 2020 Share Posted July 15, 2020 I have seen piano wire - S shaped - joining pairs of bands together to get the chord width. no unsightly bump in the middle - it looks a more elegant " engineered" solution john Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doctor Chinnery Posted July 15, 2020 Share Posted July 15, 2020 Back in the day, we needed l-o-n-g rubber strips, literally hundreds, we used tractor back-tyre inner tubes. Lots of stretch in those and the rubber will knot satisfactorily - if cut transversely you can make huge rubber bands but I guess those might be too big unless you're talking about the Big Lazy Bee ( but mine sported twin plastic bolts on the trailing edge and twin 3/8" dowels in front). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fly boy3 Posted July 15, 2020 Share Posted July 15, 2020 I had the same problem with my Super Scorpion. From dowel to dowel stretched diagonally, I needed well over 21inches.joining two band together solved the problem with a large unsightly bulge at the join. Cured this by joining them together with the smallest nylon tie could find. Solved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevin b Posted July 15, 2020 Share Posted July 15, 2020 Do you anybody who works at the postal sorting office. They seem to get long rubber bands and might know where to source them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevin b Posted July 15, 2020 Share Posted July 15, 2020 Try here. **LINK** Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manish Chandrayan Posted July 15, 2020 Share Posted July 15, 2020 Bicycle valve tubes come packaged in long lengths. A suitable length cut and knotted (if you don't mind getting knotty) serve the purpose Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Berriman Posted July 15, 2020 Share Posted July 15, 2020 I read somewhere the red post office rubber bands are bio degradeable in the sun in case the get dropped on route and dont cause to much litter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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