Nose Ballast

When I build a 1/48 twin engine that has little room in the nose for weight, I place pennies in the engine nacelles. As long as the weight is forward of the main gear, it works pretty well. If the nose gear is significantly forward of the main gear, adding enough weight to the nacelles can be too much of a load for the gear. In that case, add as much weight to the nose as possible.

I use spl;it shot sinkers from wal mart and clay. I also put two sinkers in every new bottle of paint...they make great agitater ball when you are shaking it up.

i have used shotgun shot, .177 calibre pellets, and just about everything i could find. But one that is really good comes from the tire shop. I asked the guy if he had the kind of "stick on" weights they use for aluminum wheels and if i could buy some. He gave me two strips, and they come in 14gram increments...you just cut off what you need. I just finished an Eduard P-39 kit which had the nose weight molded to the fit .

I think the "shot" butz is referring to is called lead shot. They're the little lead BB's in shotgun shells. you can buy them in bulk for very cheap (for our needs) and in different sizes. They are great as you can fit them into and around the contours of the nose.
We use them in our R/C gliders to adjust the CG. There I put them in a film can with a foam cushion and can achieve just the right balance.
In plastic models, I have been using super glue to hold them in place, but I like the suggestion of using clay.
You can find "shot" at any good gun store, and sometimes even at a hardware store.

Here goes my method
i used any of these:
1. washer...get the right size..and glue them ..u can put as many as u like...i use the one with 1" diameter.
2. I used tin ( the one your car tire mecahnics put on your wheels to balance them)..but they are hard to get...
ok...

For larger scale kits, ie 1/32, I use pennies. Cheap, easy to work with, and who's going to miss them? However, this only works if you have a fairly open fuselage.

I'm also glad to see that many manufacturers are starting to include nose weights in with their kits. It's about time. For example, Tamiya's 1/48 UHU actually has the weight molded into the cockpit tub, and a large ball bearing for their Thunderjet. Chalk one more tally for Tamiya...

demono69

You can also use shot, I think thats what it is called. They are on the order of pellets for BB guns.
What has been mentioned in the previous posts would be the route that I would use.
Then again I dont stop to ask for directions either..[:0]
Flaps up, Mike

in addition to the fishing weights already mentioned I've also used Walthers weights designed for model railroading. They're somewhat too large for most 1/72 applictions but you can usually find a place to put them in 1/48 models. The reason I like them is they come mounted on double face tape. Very handy!

And instead of putty I use blue-tack to hold the fishing weights in place

When you get ten or more posts, then you become Box-Stock. Make one more post and you will get your first star.

100 posts.

and i just use pennys

Thanks for all the input. pretty soon with all of your advice I might consider myself a descent modeler or you'll tire of my questions, hoipefully not the latter.

Another "off the subject" question. when will my rating not be "snap-together" I'm still learning but that still hurts

grsycat -

This may sound strange, but got to your local sporting goods store and buy a box of .22 calibre bullets. NO, NOT THE ENTIRE ROUND or CARTRIDGE, just the heads. A box off 55 grain jacketed heads (usually 100) will last you, well about a 100 models. You can get the cheapest ones they have. I pour a little white glue in the nose cone or fusaluge half drop in the bullet head, and when it's dry, you're done. The bullets are usually the right size and shape too.

Archer out.

Go to Wal-mart or local fishing store and but some lead sinkers. Bullet weights are pointy and fit in tight areas and you can chop them up is you need to, or buy different sizes. Use super glue to fix them inside and you don't have to worry about melting the kit! I also use the flat stick on weights for model trains or for car tire balancing. For bullet weights I bought a bulk bag (cheaper that way) of 1 oz. Carolina Rig weights and if they're too big to fit somewear I use an old pair of end cutters to chop it to fit.

Eric

You can also buy wieghts designed for a specific aircraft. Contact Terry Dean, e-mail: nightiemission@aol.com. Great guy to work with. Very reasonable prices. He is continually expanding his inventory. Do a search on www.google.com for "nose weights" to see some of his weights and read some reviews.

Jim

Put some lead fishing weights in clay and push it into the nose or anywhere you can ahead of the main gear.That usually does the trick.
Many years ago I also learned the hard way -
Squadron Green Putty: good for filling seems and gaps
bad for using as ballast