Making a Carbon Fiber Push Rod

What you need:

• carbon fiber rod, 2mm, cut to length
• 2 pieces music wire, .032i inch (.81mm), 2 inches each
• screw thing:                1.5mm 
• 5 minute epoxy

Make the push rods:

• measure length required
• cut CF rod, length = measured length - 1 inch (wire will make up remaining length) using dremel cutoff wheel.
• cut 2 pieces of wire, 2 inches each
• put a tiny irregularity (bend) in one end of each wire.  this will go into the CF tube, and provides something for the epoxy to hold against.
• clean wire
• mix 5-minute epoxy
• epoxy wire into CF rod, 1 inch.  don't forget to put the tiny bend into the hole.
• after the epoxy has dried, tug on the two wires to make sure they don't slide out of the hole.  If they do, you didn't do a good job on the epoxy.

Install the push rod:
measure length required

• Z-Bend one wire.
• attach z-bend to servo. (then you don't have to drill out hole in servo arm).
• drill horn to fit 1.5mm screw thing
• attach screw thing to horn
• put straight wire into screw thing.  you can get clearance by pushing servo arm away from the control surface, and pushing the control surface away from the servo arm. this will give you just enough clearance for the wire to go into the screw thing hole.  if there's not enough clearance, your wire is too long and you should trim it down to the proper length where it just fits in.
• turn on servos so they are centered
• align control surface to neutral position
• screw down screw things

Hint: if you know you're going to be needing several sets of push rods, make all of them at the same time, factory style.  You'll save lots of time.

Connector Mania: T Connectors, aka Deans Ultra

T Plugs: generic Deans Ultra Connectors

• popular 'Battery to ESC' connector
• male plug is soldered to the ESC
• get the polarity right
• sometimes tight fit, lube with graphite
• put shrink tube on before soldering
• plug M/F together before soldering
• polarity: while flat on table: vertical bar is positive, horizontal bar is negative

Connector-related youtubage: 

•  nice pictoral essay
• disconnecting the easy way
• all about deans connectors
• how to solder a deans connector

Connector Mania: Bullet Plugs

• soldering bullet connectors

3.5mm bullet connectors soldering tip:

• Drill three 3/16 inch holes about 1/4 inch deep and 1/2 inch apart in a small board.
• Insert a 3.5mm connector in each hole, with the end to be soldered upright.
• Heat a connector with a soldering iron and melt a little solder into it, then insert the wire into the melted solder.
• Move the soldering iron away from the connector and hold the wire in place until the solder solidifies. Works like a charm, and you don't need three hands!