Screw Eye Threads TIP

A recent forum post showed a builder pre-drilling a balsa shoulder for a screw eye attachment.
The eye was recessed farther into the shoulder with epoxy on the sides.
He wrote about not wanting the screw eye to pull out from a strong ejection.

While that is a concern I've rarely had a screw eye pull out.
I just follow the instructions:
1. Screw it in and unscrew it.
2. Squirt some glue in the hole then screw it back in again - DONE!


Some recent kits have included screw eyes that should be replaced.

On the left is a screw eye from the Estes Fusion X-25 kit. The threads are very small and not very deep.

I'll probably replace it with a screw eye like the one on the right with wider and deeper threads.
The replacement screw eye is almost the same length and width, just a stronger thread attachment.
You can get a box of screw eyes cheaply at a home improvement store.

The strongest attachment is on the Balsa Machining Service (BMS) nose cones.
(Illustration is from the BMS School Rocket instructions HERE)
A larger hole is already drilled in the back of the nose cone.
The screw eye is turned into a small pilot in a ridged, hardwood dowel.
The dowel is glued into the shoulder hole.
This screw eye attachment isn't going anywhere!

Another hardwood reinforcement, you could do this HERE