Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length.

[essex2visuvesi]

Hi guys
The Lindberg Chris Craft Constellation kit comes with "White metal" (tho I believe this to be Zamac judging by the hardness) rudders which they suggest are suitable for R/C operation.
My question is this:-
Should I use them or make/buy some brass ones?

[derekwarner]

e2v.....not sure where you found a comparison between white metal & Zamac  ....but the following should keep you reading for 5 slices of toast & a few cups of tea   
Look a rather impressive metal   .......not just sure? why they produced so many ranges of metals with such miniscule variance's %  of composition..... Derek

http://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CB4QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FZamak&ei=Hh86VeG8E6HmmAX9tYGQAg&usg=AFQjCNG-7eZed9Xd7sVHeL-smvBocf8MqQ&bvm=bv.91427555,d.dGY

[essex2visuvesi]

Thanks for that Derek


It was an uneducated guess on the Zamac.... More over that it is quite a bit harder than the usual white metal fittings I'm used to

[derekwarner]

e2v........I think the inverse of the melting point as ~~380++ degrees C says it all.....most low cost/poor quality die cast white metal alloys seem to be totally stable to ~~200 C, then fall over very quickly and without warning in a heap of unrecognisable and unusable sh*t. ............ and usually with a large % of dross formation from the atmosphere...........................Derek


Zamac........ 'Solidification range (melting range) 379—390 °C 714—734 °F'

[radiojoe]

These day I make my own by laminating styrene sheet over the stock and bonding with epoxy and then sanding to profile, but I have used white metal rudders on a couple of my earlier ships and I've had no problems with them. 

[NFMike]

Why would a whitemetal (or zamac) rudder not be suitable for r/c?

[essex2visuvesi]

Having not used white metal rudders before I just wanted to check if anyone had issues previously. I know some kits do come with some questionable running gear

[rickles23]

Hi,

Nothing better than brass. My Bugsier is now in its 30+ years old and still has the original brass rudder.

I run my boats in salt water and have had no problems.

Usual after sailing care should always be a priority.

Regards

[barriew]

e2v


Nothing wrong with white metal, but sometimes the post is not very well anchored to the white metal blade and in time the blade turns without the post. 


Barrie

[Colin Bishop]

Generally I find them too heavy and use them as a pattern for a brass blade tanged into the rudder tube with any detailing added in very thin plywood.

I can understand why kit manufacturers use them and they are serviceable but I prefer to make the improvement.

Colin