A Simple Altitude Stick

**von Fustercluck** · 03-19-2014 13:37

I've been considering various options for representing higher altitudes, and yesterday I hit on one that seems pretty effective (and cheap). I took a coffee stirrer, then stuck a toothpick in the bottom. I snipped off the bottom of the toothpick so it fits in the flight stand (a bit too loosely, but that could be fixed with some sticky tack). The peg on the bottom of the plane fit pretty much perfectly into the top of the coffee stirrer. The stirrers are 7 inches long, so that would cover an altitude of up to 9 (if each step of altitude is represented by a 3/4" peg). Here's what it looks like:

Name: altitude.jpg
Views: 151
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Name: altitude.jpg
Views: 151
Size: 138.8 KB

**fast.git** · 03-19-2014 14:06

Seems a mite "bendy." How sturdy is it? How much wiggle?

**von Fustercluck** · 03-19-2014 16:13

Not too much, really. It's at an angle because there's too much wiggle room in the base, but, as I say, a little sticky tack should take care of that.

**HTRAINo** · 03-19-2014 17:02

You can get clear acrylic rods off ebay. I would go 6 - 8mm diameter.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CLEAR-ACRY...item2a1651f57d

If you apply this adaptation to those, I am pretty certain you will achieve what you set out to do. You may want to consider a gimbal mount?

As a concept, it's pretty good.

**BobP** · 03-20-2014 13:19

Another choice could be bamboo sticks which I have not thought of until this. I have to check these out next time I go to the Thai market I take my wife to.

**von Fustercluck** · 03-21-2014 07:14

In theory these seem great. However, my method has two benefits: 1) it's ridiculously cheap, using only plastic coffee stirrers, toothpicks, and probably some sticky tack; 2) it requires no special tools other than a pair of scissors.