Break-In Model Holder

After searching in vain for a model hold-down that would keep my model off the ground while I broke in my new engine in clean air, I decided to build my own. I drilled a couple of 1-inch holes centered 10.5 inches from either end of a 28-inch-long 2×6. I drilled the holes at approximately a 10-degree angle from vertical and cut two 15-inch lengths of dowel and epoxied them into the holes. Next, I cut two equal lengths of foam pipe insulation; I glued this foam around the dowels and then trimmed it to fit. Finally, I glued two PVC caps on top of the dowels and pipe insulation for a neat finished look. The 2×6 is 28 inches long because that’s the width of my picnic table. I clamp it to both sides of the table and can tune and break in my new engines without having to kneel.

Submitted by Kevin Schreiner, Johnstown, CO

Illustrations by David Baker davidb@flyrc.com