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Showing content with the highest reputation on 08/10/21 in all areas

  1. Almost all hobby related articles have seen substantial price increases recently. Shortages have been evident for some time in respect of kits, engines, batteries, balsa and other materials. I think we need to remember that prices were "high" in the past. We enjoyed lower relative prices for a number of years but I fear those days are gone for good. My first 4 channel radio in kit form (HB) took me a whole summer of holiday work to buy!! And then I could only afford 3 servos. Glow fuel is not that expensive, glow plugs normally last for years and I intend to keep using my IC engines for many years to come. My Enya, Saito, OS and Laser engines are lost-lasting and reliable so I see no reason to not enjoy them for the foreseeable future. Oh yes, and I do have electric models too. But you can't beat the sound of a four stroke engine pulling a scale model around the sky.
    4 points
  2. I have a strong suspicion that the "don't leave it for more than x days fully charged" recommendation is as you say somewhat arbitrary. It was probably put out there as an easy rule of thumb to remember. However, based on Nissan's expereince what seems more important is the overall time a pack spends at elevated SOC (where accelerated degradation occurs due to dendrite growth etc) vs. how long it spends below the "electrochemically stressed" level (normally considered be around 4V/cell). Example - A Sunday afternoon flyer who charges the night before he flies will have the battery at elevated SOC for ~19/168 hours per; that's ~11% of the time. A pilot who flies exactly the same packs in the same model and in the same style but charges on a Sunday evening after flying will have them at elevated SOC for about 162/168 hours per week, or 96% of the time. That is an enormous difference that according to the automotive research must have an effect over time, especially if you are operating in warmer climbs. Couldn't agree more. We know for a fact that there are very limited numbers of factories that actually produce our lipos, so the vast majority are rebadges and the information on those labels (particularly C ratings) is very often highly questionable based on the actual IR measurements. I also have spoken to an industry insider who has state that he knows that many of the barnds choose their providers on a batch by batch basis depending on the availability of the factory to manufacture and the wholesale price, and that different levels of cell matching and quality on the construction are offered. I certainly think that is likely; I've had "identical" packs from the same brand purchased at different times that had very different IR ratings and perfirmance in the air from new. When dissembled it was clear they had different constructions and welding stds. YMMV, but I don't think we should kid ourselves that the high price brands are any more or less likely to be better performing overall.
    4 points
  3. Hi Tony H. Over my last 25 yrs plus with model aircraft I have always preferred the IC route. I have some electric one but these seem to be the faster ones on 2200 3 s l only have 4 IC 46 two stroke models but the pleasure they give me is great Long live IC engines
    3 points
  4. I'm with you too Tony. I'm flying since 1986 and mostly ic engines. Yes in the last ten years I have acquired a few electric planes. But my heart still lies heavily with two and four stroke engines. I hope they never die out. There's nothing to take the place of the sound of a fourstroke with a smoke trail across the sky.
    2 points
  5. Just did some research. 1960 Fish & chips 8p. Pint of beer 8p. Gallon of straight glow fuel £2.00 (only available in pint cans). 1970 " " 25p. " " 15p. " " " £1.00. 2021 " " £7.00. " " £3.80. " " " £13.10. Still think glow fuel is "expensive" ? kevin b Rose tinted dept.
    2 points
  6. I don't have a problem with storing packs at storage voltage if they are going to be stored for weeks, or months on end. That has undoubted benefits in terms of safety -less energy in the packs - and probably in pack longevity. It's what I do too. What I do take issue with is the arbitary >3 days =extended period. Many flyers, with lots of lipos charge them up at the weekend and do not discharge any unused packs on getting back from the field, but they aren't reporting packs puffing up on day five before they get to go flying again. The other piece of advice that I'd take issue with -from direct personal experience - is that old saw that with every thing in life, you only get what you pay for. That did used to be something of a catch phrase for me, but with lipos that has certainly been disproved as far as I can see. The best lipos I've ever had were the Loong Max packs, sold by Giant Cod, which must be over ten years old now -they were inexpensive and worked superbly, for many years and many flights. They came out top in BMFA's test of various lipo packs. In stark contrast the overhyped, overpriced Flight Power packs that I had were fading fast after half a dozen flights and cost more than 3x the Loong Max packs. I know others who had the same experience with them. When the last ones were being sold off I mentioned to an electric flying pal that they were having a half-price Flight Power sale. His reply was "Don't you mean a Half-Power, Flight-Price sale?"
    2 points
  7. I may have missed an earlier comment William, but why so keen on a petrol engine. I have a Laser 180 in my Stampe and it is a perfect match. 25 years ago My first Stampe had a Laser 150. That model was 2 lbs lighter and the match was equally as good. People at our patch love the quiet scale like sound. Look at the second hand values of Chinese petrol engines and compare it to a British made Laser. If you are worried about glow fuel goop on your model it doesn’t happen with the new Laser Pro fuel. One wipe with a cloth after flying and it’s clean as.
    2 points
  8. Tim, you may find it easier to cut the slot if you drill a very fine hole at each end first. It also reduces the risk of splitting the wood.
    2 points
  9. This would be typical of a battery well out of balance - it can take many hours. As one cell has reached 4.2v the charger will continue to float a charge voltage across the pack to charge the other cells while continuously terminating the charge and loading the high cell to keep it from exceeding its safe voltage. This is a very slow process… You do need to consider that the battery is probably faulty though - it shouldn’t have ever got this far out unless you have habitually charged without using a balance charge facility.
    2 points
  10. When I wor a lad, I wore hand me downs and with 3 older Sisters life was tough, don't talk to me about the "Good old days". ?
    1 point
  11. Good afternoon* everybody, from a sunny but cool Vancouver! Chris has already said it (thanks Chris!) but I'll say it again; Don't forget your predictions! So it seems that Hamilton has topped both P1 and P2, but will have a 10-place grid penalty for using too many engine parts.. Leclerc was second in P2, whilst Verstappen was second in P1. Qualifying is at 5am (PDT) for me, that's 1pm UK time, the race on Sunday is at the same time. I'm off to Whistler in a few hours for the (Canadian) Thanksgiving weekend. I very much doubt I'll see either qualifying or the race, I'll try and post the results on Sunday - but it might be late! If Chris, or anybody else, wants to post them (after Channel 4's coverage has finished!) then please do so! * Other times of day are available in other parts of the world! ?
    1 point
  12. I still like a glow engine. And there’s that slight sense of achievement when you actually manage to get one going.
    1 point
  13. The cost of glow fuel argument always makes me scratch my head. This is because its usually aimed at large engines like say a 50cc 4 stroke twin. The argument is they are very thirsty and use a bunch of fuel. Long story short, i can have day's flying on one of these said 50cc 4 stroke twins and use less than half a gallon of fuel. Even if i used a full gallon in a weekend (20quids worth) its hardly a great cost when you consider the cost of a model of that size. Also, as a treat, i buy myself bloomin great steak for dinner each sunday. I am very sure i spend more on sunday dinner than a day at the field. Anyone here love a latte? few trips to costa or starbucks will easily cost more than a gallon of glow fuel. And besides, you cant buy petrol at the moment anyway ?
    1 point
  14. Congratulations! I have got into the habit now of using ailerons and rudder together on the sticks and not in a radio mix. Just my personal preference
    1 point
  15. all i am going to say is that model diesel engines have been 'obsolete' for nearly 50 years and yet people still use them and will continue to use them. The only thing that will kill glow engines is when glowplugs run out (wooo lets panic buy :D) as you can mix fuel yourself provided you can do some rudimentary maths. Noise is a problem, but it can usually be guarded against with proper exhaust and prop selection. My unsilenced saito 45 is quieter than a number of electrics at my club. As for the environment, methanol is friendlier than petrol i would think. If we can coax our engines into running on bio ethanol (not hard) we would be winning anyway. We are far more likely to be grounded by boris and co selling the airspace to Amazon and google than anything else.
    1 point
  16. Flew my Stampe for the first time today, boy it is a great flyer, so scale like in the air on coupled rudder, the electric conversion is spot on, 2 x 3700mah packs in parallel on a 20x12 Turnigy wood prop. First flight i set the timer at 5 min, actually flew it for 5 1/2, battery capacity check showed 26% used. Second flight set the timer for 6 min, on landing i still had 46% left. So three 6 min flights from the one paralleled pack would still leave plenty to spare. I already had the motor/esc and batteries so in the end it was a no brainer for me, With a full recharge time of 1 hour if parallel charged that is 6 flights, i always take more than one plane so whilst charging i can have three flights on something else...........a good days flying, second picture shows the battery hatch on the underside of the cowling.
    1 point
  17. As John probably is super enjoying his time in Canada, the only thing I would like to add is... Don't forget your predictions for the Turkish GP. Good luck to all Chris
    1 point
  18. Facebook page is to be found by going to BMFA Facebook then search for Ashbourne scale day i ? think
    1 point
  19. Hi all Many apologies on lack of contact but I took myself and the good lady off grid for a week on Anglesey for peace quiet and no tecc so back now try to answer some questions , yes there is a Facebook page Ian set it up I will have a looksee and find it in a mo long range weather is suggesting good so fingers crossed, goats sacrificed or whatever we should be good to go for those of you new to our little do a decision will be made last thing Friday before (15th) as to if event is a go or not so please monitor here and or Facebook, in the event of postponing it will be rescheduled on a later weekend, we don’t panic we have held them in November before now, chris
    1 point
  20. He keeps popping up! Latest email from Sarik. Twin prop pusher in wood, I have only seen the foam versions. There is a video of a four engine EDF as well.
    1 point
  21. Fortunately, PatMc I have a dedicated programming card for the Overlander ESC which I know works and has a reverse rotation setting. Therefore I shouldn't need to get to the wires again soon. So yes I will have to check the rotation. Belt and braces for me as I have some M3 shake proof washers, but I take your point.
    1 point
  22. Hi E.D the n/v came today thanks
    1 point
  23. Thanks, Cuban. I'll probably watch Mike Hawthorn documentary but, at the time, I was always more of a Stirling Moss fan. The Surtees programme was excellent but it failed in some respects in not pointing out that when he was riding the MV 4s most of his competitors were on single cylinder Manx Nortons or 7R AJS with much less power and often as privateers. Bob McIntyre first lapped the Island at 100mph but on a Gilera and then spent much of his career before his untimely death (at Oulton Park) on British singles. We used to make the annual pilgrimage to the Island for the TT or MGP but it was mostly social with the Vintage Motor Cycle Club. I rode my 1932 Scott and my wife her 250cc 1928 Raleigh. Geoff
    1 point
  24. A lot of good stuff on UKTV Player. All free and easy to access. https://uktvplay.uktv.co.uk/genre/documentaries Geoff S. If you enjoyed the John Surtees programme, which I thought was excellent, you might enjoy this https://uktvplay.uktv.co.uk/shows/mike-hawthorn-on-the-limit/watch-online
    1 point
  25. I'm with EB on this one - probably also an age thing! Its a simple matter of routine after an electric flying session to put all four LiPos on the quad charger and let the machine bring them all down (or up if need be!) to storage voltage. I can then forget about them, whether for a day or a year. I'm less persnickety with the single cell 700mAh LiPos I use for my very lightweight thermal soarers, but I'm still not comfortable leaving them on full charge for more than a few days - can't imagine that would be any good for the cell at an electro-chemical level.
    1 point
  26. Mostly good advice, but I disagree with the advice to always return packs to storage charge if they won't be used in the next three days. That simply is not borne out in practice and >3 days is not an extended period, by any stretch of the imagination.
    1 point
  27. From this I assume that balance charge has never been used and that it has been charged multiple times, judging by the apparent age of the charger in the photo. An important lesson, always balance charge. This not only prolongs the life of the battery but also reduces the risks associated with lipos. Another lesson I learned was always return to storage charge after flying, including those that were charged and not used. Good advice from George at 4-Max. Advice from Josh Bixler at Flite Test 'look after your batteries and they will look after you'. George and Josh are two people who know what they are talking about so I follow their advice.
    1 point
  28. I like to thank Capt Kremen for starting this thread and John Lee for the link that put me onto the UKTV channel. I've watched 3 great documentaries on the History channel I'd have missed otherwise - Marie Celeste, Brooklands (though spoiled by the music IMO) and, lastly, one on the great John Surtees. I'll certainly be watching the Hornby one on Monday. Geoff
    1 point
  29. Basil, 1st - welcome back to the sport 2nd - I can see no reason why laminating film will warp open structures more than any other heat shrink film. I have found laminating film more tolerant to varying heat, easier to get creases out, sticks better to itself with heat and does not stick to itself without heat like some other films. Paint wise I have so far only tried Humbrol enamels which seem to stick very well to the film which I did not prepare much. I too have not seen any slacking with UV or heat and currently the broken off tail is currently under going a weathering test.
    1 point
  30. Not new, but new to me. I bought this Pace Spirit off a fellow club member who retired from the sport. The plans were drawn by Mike Trew and the 'plane is ¼ scale with a wingspan of 74 ¾". I'm still refining the trim (despite warped elevators!). I replaced the ASP engine with a Laser (of course!!!) 120 and need to play around with different props, at the moment I'm running a 15x6 APC but think that a 15x8 would be more suited. Still, it flies quite well and will make a nice winter hack.
    1 point
  31. You mean like the promise of flying cars for everyone and electricity too cheap to meter? Evolution and innovation are great and I say bring 'em on, providing one doesn't wind up with evolutionary dead ends that one can find scattered all through past history going back to to the Dinosaurs. It's all been tried before (Wernher von Braun and the early German rocket engineers envisaged postal delivery rockets) and although in very limited cases it can be made to work, their research money would be better spent elsewhere IMHO.
    1 point
  32. Rather sadly. when I was about 9 or 10 I found a boxed Meccano set at the back of a cupboard and my Dad told me that it was his from his childhood and he had been saving it for me when I was a little older. I say sadly as he gave it to me and I don't know what became of it - I do know that in later years he appropriated my general Meccano collection to use at work (research scientist) and I suspect that it may have gone with it. This was no ordinary set though. It was dedicated to early aircraft with many special parts - possibly this set but it's probably 50 years since I last saw it. I've often regretted that I didn't come across it later in life so that it could have been preserved but I did enjoy it immensely when I had it.
    1 point
  33. I use cheap baby socks from the supermarket. £ pairs for a couple of pounds. They can be used then turned inside out, washed or disposed of in recycling bin. Works for me
    1 point
  34. Expressed my interest via FB but wont hurt to put it here ? I will be there ? Cheers Danny
    1 point
  35. For all first timers here’s how it’s worked in past years gates open from about 8am, tea and coffee available from 8 30 ish breakfast shortly thereafter, trad staffs oatcakes, bacon rolls etc flying starts 10 am prompt no stress flying from then until it’s to dark to see, hot food and drink is usually available as long as supplies last, all sold at cost, courtesy of our very own world famous Cheffy John, All types of scale models welcome foamys to scale masters and everything in between we only ask for sense and consideration and try to fly like types together in groups of up to 6 at once with a large tarmac and grass strips and acres of sky it’s a great place to spend a day with toy planes and mates chris
    1 point
  36. i would like to attend i have a few warbirds that would appreciate the airing
    1 point
  37. Can't really get my head around what happened, just completing a lovely flight and was making final turn onto finals and model spun in. Now I know that the immediate reaction is 'tip stall' but I know a tip stall when it happens and this wasn't one. Having checked the telemetry it makes for an interesting read and I welcome any thoughts. I should add that I've not shown the readouts for RSSI and battery both of which were fine. This all happened in the space of 3 seconds! Fortunately the LA-7 landed in a field where the soil was quite soft so the damage is not as bad as it could have been so it will be back in the air in a couple of weeks, just very annoying.
    0 points
  38. Hi Matty, Thanks for your reply and apologies for the intermittent reply time. I’m sorry that you think my theories and ideas don’t hold any water and have no basis in truth etc. but until I’ve thought up some better ones I’ll just stick with what I’ve got. I have not the slightest desire at all to get involved in this sort of debate?, that was completely unintentional, but it’s definite and beyond any question at all that I’m not going to accept any of the comments that seem to continually come my way. So if you would please care to highlight all the areas of unproven guesswork that I’m alleged to have posted then I’ll do my very best to explain them further. The reason I write as as I do is simply because I’m not a suitably qualified person to give instructions or directions on the forum so I’m trying to make it crystal clear that no one has to take any notice at all of anything I write. In my first post I did say ‘in my view’ and I meant exactly that, it’s only my view and I’m not suggesting anyone else should necessarily pay any attention to it at all. With the greatest respect to you if we are going to speak bluntly then may I take a passing glance at a couple of your quoted forumites? As you say, this is all well established electrical theory so this may well be a case of fools rushing in where angels fear to tread…. So also with the utmost respect to EarlyBird and Mike Blandford for starters can I say that I have a couple of queries about their posts on 6th Oct at 08.22 and 9th Sept. I’d most certainly like to ask them first if it’s ok to discuss this on the open forum though. I have no problems with this but if they have any reservations at all then I’ll completely respect and understand that. In my opinion I think Denis W has got it all just about spot on; in my book 100% right. Main Man with a Top Post indeed. I really wouldn’t want to put it any differently; a flyer who undoubtably much prefers to fly his models as opposed to winding up his wattmeter. He may well own one even, I’ve no idea; but as he takes the direction he takes I’m sure it’s only gathering dust…… If I might just add one small point though, I first noticed the ancient adage - For Success, Add Lightness a very long time ago and that has remained a bright inspiration for me ever since; but nowadays for the modern electric flyer it might well be seen as - For Success, Add Lightness…..And Less Propeller To Boot! As I said before there's an ongoing chance I may not be around for an unknown time so a possible further delay in replying but I will post something about the motor’s rotary action soon which might help. By all means feel free to tear it to shreds if you so wish, that’s fine by me, but please back that up at the same time with some hard facts and figures and explanations as to why it is all unproven guesswork etc. Cheers for now. PB
    0 points
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