Frame stiffener installation

[SoftwareDrone]

I showed my heli to a mechanical engineer here (at a huge medical device facility where I work) and we discussed the installation of the Align CF frame stiffening pieces. He said that it would be a bad thing if the pieces were fastened to the frame using the bolts only. The shearing forces (during a rough landing) would concentrate at the bolt areas where the system is at its weakest. Using epoxy or CA to adhere the stiffeners to the frames would make for a much more solid structure at those stress points. Just thought I'd pass it along.
:thumbup:

[brgsstm]

I see your point but if something works why fix it? I have seen examples of these stiffeners saving frames and no CA or Epoxy was used. That would mean that if you were to break the frames along the top you would also have to buy new stiffeners aswel as new frames.

Tom

[creightoncarr]

The frame reinforcement pieces are cheap. If you break the frame you've got bigger things to worry about than the couple of extra dollars for the reinforcement pieces. Everyone I know using them has epoxyed them to the frames. It doesn't seem to me that they would offer much more protection if they weren't adhered to the frames.

[brgsstm]

It doesn't seem to me that they would offer much more protection if they weren't adhered to the frames.

Huh, I never said they would add more protection unglued?? I just dont see the point glueing them when they work fine without it. Personally I think if they are glued then there would be a tendence for the frames to crack above the stiffeners as the force of the impact would be transferred rather than contained in that area.

Tom

[invertmast]

not glued here and i've dorked it in pretty good a few times so far and still doing fine. *knock on wood*