Tow Loop....fork?

[BryanB]

Has anyone come up with a good tool or way to insert a tow loop into a tight towhook setup?

I thought about it the other day and went to town on a 1/4" bolt and made a sort of tweezer/fork as the hole on the new H9 ASH31 is a bit tight. I did end up drilling it out to 5/16 and tried out my "fork" but it was still too narrow to leave inserted and have the pin engage so after shoving it in the hole and withdrawing the fork it left the loop in the right position to engage. I guess I can either grind away some more of the fork tongs and make them thinner or drill out the towhook hole some more.

Anyway, wondering if anyone else has better ideas.

Here's my gadget so far...

[gunny11]

In the past on my smaller gliders using the 1/4" diameter releases I just use a steel fishing leader. 100 to 150 # test. It has crimped looped ends on both ends and is easy to install without the use of any tool because its rigid.

[Swiss1]

Brian, I think you will find that all you have to do on the ASH is file out the opening to an oval shape! We had the same issue with Michael's, when looking up in the opening the loop would be pushed to one side every time the release was activated, once I filed and relieved the opposite side it loads every time with no issues.
Just my 2 Swiss cents

Jeremy
SCCAAA TT TN

[BryanB]

I routed out some of the area but didn't go very deep. May have to just open the sides up more like you said.

[Tom]

Jeremy is correct.......just open the sides of the hole up and a loop will insert without a problem.....
The problem with using “special” loops......is that you have to use “special” loops.......unless you pre-make a bunch and keep them in your pocket you will find that it becomes a PITA to keep track of your “special” loops.
Much easier to open the hole to be able to use normal loops.

[edfmaniac]

Try rubbing some white Elmer's into a test loop, hang it over a wire to dry, and see how that works for you. I like it

[BryanB]

Try rubbing some white Elmer's into a test loop, hang it over a wire to dry, and see how that works for you. I like it

That's a good idea. Maybe a flexible glue so it doesn't create any stress spots.

[edfmaniac]

The Elmer's stays quite flexible when massaged into the braided line. I imagine you can stiffen it up little by little by dipping the whole end of the loop in the glue and letting it drip dry. I just massaged in the first coat and it was stiff enough for my needs.

[DanR]

Following the advice from Xroadie, I've been using braided, waxed Dacron fishing line from Cabelas on my ASW-20. It comes in a number of different LB test. I've been using 50 LB test on the ASW-20. Since it's waxed it holds some shape as you insert it into the release hole.

The description doesn't say it's waxed but it is.

[ARUP]

The only down side of 'special tow loops' is chasing after them! You have to remember to get the line guy or the flier behind you to also remember to save your special loop. It can be a pain. Ask me how I know!

[Tom]

Exactly.......used “special” loops 25 years ago when I first started flying scale.......never again.

[BryanB]

Good points. Standardization is a good thing...

[Tango Juliet]

I think Al Clark does pretty well. He uses a tow loop that most flyers would consider to be too light-weight/thin. But if that's supposed to be the weak link, then most flyers tow loops are too robust. The only drawback to his that I see is that they get horribly twisted up on the end of the tow line after release.

[LRFitch]

My good friend Gene Cope makes similar "forks", but from pieces of wooden dowel. His seem to work very well. Contact Gene for details.