Better looking stock antenna’s
Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2018 12:36 pm
The stock aerials Heng Long puts in their boxes look, frankly, way too “toy” for me.
To make them more like real radio anntenna’s, there’s a simple solution that keeps their flex, ànd gets it the right colour: Shrink. Tube.
Get Yourself some 0.8mm and 5mm Shrink-tube at HobbyKing, for the giant sum of about 1 quid for 2 x 1m. ( While You’re at it, order many more sizes. Shrink-tube is a godsend with all manner of electric ‘toys’ ) Snip-off the eyelet at the top. Shove a correct length of 0.8mm on the aerial, about 2mm more than needed (to cover the sharp tip) and shrink it simply with a lighter. Put a drop of superglue in the tip, also to cover the sharp end, just to be sure.
Now, cut about 2 cm, or enough to cover the spring-bit, of the 5mm shrink, shove over the spring-bit. Voilà. ‘Rubber covered aerials’ the material can be painted with any acrylics to cover the brand-name that’s usually printed allover the tubing. My advise would be ‘Tamiya Rubber Black XF-85’
If You feel like it, You can go “deluxe” and also buy some 1mm or 1.2mm, cut 1cm and shrink that somewhere half-way on the antenna, simulating a connecting sleeve.
(Pictures are coming)
To make them more like real radio anntenna’s, there’s a simple solution that keeps their flex, ànd gets it the right colour: Shrink. Tube.
Get Yourself some 0.8mm and 5mm Shrink-tube at HobbyKing, for the giant sum of about 1 quid for 2 x 1m. ( While You’re at it, order many more sizes. Shrink-tube is a godsend with all manner of electric ‘toys’ ) Snip-off the eyelet at the top. Shove a correct length of 0.8mm on the aerial, about 2mm more than needed (to cover the sharp tip) and shrink it simply with a lighter. Put a drop of superglue in the tip, also to cover the sharp end, just to be sure.
Now, cut about 2 cm, or enough to cover the spring-bit, of the 5mm shrink, shove over the spring-bit. Voilà. ‘Rubber covered aerials’ the material can be painted with any acrylics to cover the brand-name that’s usually printed allover the tubing. My advise would be ‘Tamiya Rubber Black XF-85’
If You feel like it, You can go “deluxe” and also buy some 1mm or 1.2mm, cut 1cm and shrink that somewhere half-way on the antenna, simulating a connecting sleeve.
(Pictures are coming)
