Custom wire u/c fabrication services?

[Matt Carlton]

Hello chaps,

In the absence of a decent wire bender and the recent demise of my building bench, I wonder if anyone knows of a company offering a service to make a custom bent wire undercarriage?

I imagine such a thing might be rather pricey if it's possible, but it might be more practical option, especially where u/c gauge gets larger than the 8swg limit that most benders seem to have.

Anyone know of such a service?

Cheers

Matt

[Cuban8]

Can't help with a lead for a wire bending service that's offered on a professional basis, but perhaps you might be able to garner some help from your club mates, or if you're a lone flyer, maybe a local model engineering society might be able to assist?

How heavy is the wire that you need to bend? Even with little or no workshop facilities, but just basic hand tools, clamps and home made jigs, it's surprising what can be achieved with a bit of ingenuity especially for a one-off job - even on the kitchen worktop!

Edited By Cuban8 on 28/12/2020 12:46:01

[Matt Carlton]

That's not a bad call, I don't think I'd ask anyone in the club, as in my experience, it can be a bit awkward if things don't go so well!

The initial job is to bend some 10swg wire, which, as you say, should be possible with a bit of wrangling, but I think that it might be more difficult with anything thicker.

Ultimately, I suspect a hefty vice and investment in a better tool is the best solution.

[Bob Cotsford]

As a yoof I made wire undercarriages using Dad's lump hammer, large pair of pliers and vice. It helps if you make some soft faces (angle iron dropped over the vice jaws with the sharp edge filed down to a radius) to protect the wire from the jaw knurling. A bit of a radius on the soft faces gives the wire an easier time and reduces the tendency to crack.

Places like RCWorld can supply various stock wire U/C units or there are may be something close available as an ARTF spare part. Google helps a lot there!

[Matt Carlton]

Ditto with the lump hammer, and I also made up various gadgets and jigs but I have tried working on heavier material with, shall we say, some frustrating results.

So, I bought a cheap vice today, and I have some alloy angle which is radiused about right. Will see how that goes.

[kc]

Bending 8SWG piano wire is all about leverage using a wire bender- you don't need a vice just attach to a chunk of wood about 2 foot long. ( or attach to a chunk of wood to hold in a vice)

If you use a vice and hammer then the vice needs to be affixed to a stout bench or something, so you really need more of a workshop than with a wire bender!

The torque rod type of u/c can be changed between models so you perhaps dont need a new u/c for a new model if the slots in the fuselage are raked instead of the u/c ( that is not 'handed' but flat in one plane ) The old model can be stored easier without u/c and it's only a 5 minute job to screw it back on if you want to fly that model.

[Peter Miller]

My wire bender handles 8 SWG with ease.

I have even bent 6 SWG wire but that did snap three of the small "stop" screrws, luckily I had repalcements

Once you have one of these wire bending will be no problem

Edited By Peter Miller on 28/12/2020 19:09:16

[Doctor Chinnery]

I have used the 8G ready made u/c from RCWorld shown - excellent piece of kit. Highly recommended.                     , If you want to take the sting out of the odd heavy landing just add some decent diameter air wheels.

Edited By Doctor Chinnery on 28/12/2020 19:22:17

[Steve Balaam]

A number of years ago SLEC made something up for me. May be worth a call.

[Matt Carlton]

Thanks everyone.

I think ultimately that a bender us the way to go. Peter, did you make yours yourself? 6swg would be more then I can imagine needing to bend.

Anything more and I'd have to chat with the local blacksmith!

I found this one from a chap near me;

NCSL Bender

Looks a bit pricey but probably worth it in terms of longevity. The only thing that concerns me is that the radius of the forming pin might be a bit big for smaller wire, but that can be bent other ways I suppose.

[Capt Kremen]

Can vouch for the quality and durability of the NCSL wire bender.

Well worth the money, will last years and serve you well for every wire bending task.

[Nigel R]

I concur with everything kc and peter m have said. Torque rod style gear is arguably the best for sport models. Quick, simple, does not rip the bottom of the fuselage off in an arrival, like a dural or carbon gear might.

That NCSL tool will last forever and have itself paid for within two or three sets of U/C.

A pair (or triple) of 8g legs will do for anything up to 6lb or so. 10g will do up to 3lb. A torque rod U/C only needs two bends per leg and they are in line with each other so very easy to do. I find I can knock out a new pair of torque rod style legs in an hour or so including cutting, bending and dressing (washer soldered on, flat filed for collet).

I use a drill press vice to hang on to the bender, but only because I had it already. Otherwise a lump of 2x4 would be perfect.