I'm sorry if this topic has been covered before but I did a search but couldn't find anything.
What I was wondering is what's the best thing to use for weighing down the nose area of a tail heavy plane?
I have only just got into aircraft models I normally do armour so I haven't come across this problem before.
I'm building a Roden 1/48 Grumman OV-1C Mohawk and I had to chop up a couple of old lead fishing weights so that I could jam the bits down below the cockpit area and in the nose and with every space filled it only just sits on the front wheel!
What would you recommend I use in the future?
Cheers
David

I use bird-shot for reloading shotgun shells, I mix it with 30 minute epoxy, and pour the mixture in each half, and let cure before joining the halves together. Just don't over fill, you can make little walls or damns to hold the mixture in place and still be able to add wheel wells, cockpit tubs etc. Works great if you need to fill nosecones, and nacelles also. I forget what number shot it is, I bought a 25lb bag more years ago than I can remember, and still have 2 "RubberMaid" containers full of it.

Here in the States there is a Cub Scouting activity called "pinewood derby". It involves carving races cars out of a block of wood and racing them down a wood track. In the days when I was a scout it was very primitive, however, these days an entire range of aftermarket items is sold at craft stores and hobby shops to accessorize these cars. One can buy lead weights that are designed to be cut into sections to add ballast to the cars.

For $4 I bought enough lead weights to build a couple of dozen multi engine birds with tale sitting issues.

Cheers,
Fred

Fishing weights are usually fine. If you can get the smallest ones, they're as easy to use as shot, and you get less in the way of funny looks as you take them home.

For narrow areas, another handy material is real lead. Dentists use tiny patches of lead foil when they take X-rays and they have to dispose of them after one use. If you can sweet-talk your dentist into letting you have a week's worth, it should set you up nicely for years. They'll often be happy to let them go, so long as you promise not to throw them in the household rubbish.

Thnaks for the ideas guys, I will look for some smaller fishing weights, I think this will be the easiest thing for me to get hold of.
Cheers
David

I've got some lead sheet from a house extension done years ago, the guys doing the extension let me have the offcuts. I have used fishing weights in epoxy but I don't think they are lead nowadays because the swans eat them. My recent Connie used lumps of roofing lead

David, I don't know how hard lead is it get hold of in the UK. It's not easy here in the US, but I have found 'plumber's lead' that seems heavy enough and can be pressed into nooks and cranies. It might be denser than bird shot or fishing weights since you can pack it in. I think the "pinecar' weights are actually zinc, heavy, but not as dense a lead.

Oh, and don't use plastic cement to hold the weights in place.... Try CA or epoxy.

Once again thanks for the ideas guys,
I'm sure I've got some offcuts of roofing lead tucked away in the garage somewhere I would never have thought of that!
Cheers
David

I just used Dave's technique and it works great! I built a "box" on each side of the fusalage and filled it with CA and birdshot. It is a trick I'll definately use again!

Thanks, Hellbent

Another source for lead weights are your local tire stores. When they put new tires on a wheel, the old ones are usually yanked off and tossed in a bin. I have asked my guys where I do business if I could grab some and they let me scoop a few handfuls out for my personal use. They can be beat with a hammer to flatten them out, then cut with metal snips to fit where you need them. Ones for aircraft wheels are already flat and are marked in 1/4 oz. and 1/2oz increments. Simple matter of snipping them down to size, then adding them where I need them. Just some food for thought. "Q"

Matt, the tire weights are a great idea. You can often find them just lying about on the roadside from time to time also.

Matthew,
That's a great idea as well thanks for sharing
Cheers
David