Geoff S

It's probably better not to charge to 4.2v/cell anyway in the interests of longevity. Set your charger to 4.15v/cell. Was the pack balanced before the charge and what's the internal resistance of the cells (if your charger offers the option of measuring it)? If the cells are over 10 milliohms each, then they're probably past their best, but it depends on how hard you're pushing the output current if that's really an issue. You may have opted for a high voltage pack to keep current low for the power you need.

I find it astonishing how cheap bearings are when you consider how accurately made they are. Years ago, well before the internet existed, I needed four wheel bearings for my motorbike. I bought them from Derby Bearings (in person) and got 75% discount for some reason - so 4 for the price of 1, about a fiver IIRC (which I probably don't 🙂 ).

I've built pedal cycles in the house and used the oven to heat cylinder heads either to fit or remove valve guides but not complete machines. A friend I was visiting took me into his ground floor bedroom and there was a rebuilt vintage Ariel standing alongside the double bed foot! His wife seemed OK with it. You just have to marry the right woman. The only thing mine seriously objects to is very smelly aromas coming from my workshop, which opens off the lounge - so dope and some paint is 'out'.

Not sure about that. Back in 1990 my wife and I were training for a serious Himalayan trek by doing a lot of walking and cycling (ie for a holiday!) Sadly, I got injured and wasn't able to go but my wife went the following year.

Good to hear. I've tried out the one I bought and it seems fine. I don't think any of the 4 sailing clubs I've been in had any polished tables, however 🙂 Though I had to stop sailing in 1990 - perhaps it's different now!

Thanks, Max, I'll give them a try.

Any chance you could open the case and replace the contents? I have the same problem with the V911 indoor helicopters. The 1s LiPos are similar to the ones on (say) the Vapor indoor fixed wing planes but have a different pin spacing.

Works for me.

That's what makes sidecars so much fun - they're very manoeuvrable and steering with throttle just become second nature (like model flying). In fact, I preferred a worn back tyre so I could get it to drift on right-handers. I had a Steib S350 sidecar that ended up on a lot of bikes. My friend's wife, who's probably in her 80s now, has a BMW outfit she uses for shopping/touring and their son is a successful sidecar racer. I never had a bike bigger than a 650cc; I'd love a go with a much more powerful modern outfit. Unfortunately, I just don't have the space for one (or the money probably!). I tried the pushing the handlebars in the opposite direction when riding solo and it certainly works but it wasn't my usual technique.

I wouldn't put Surtees in the same camp as Schumacher as regards F1. He won multiple 500cc motorcycle world championships when he was riding 4 cylinder MVs and his competitors were on (mostly) Manx Nortons etc. and his solitary F1 championship is remarkable mainly because it made him the only person to win worlds on both 2 and 4 wheels. I still think Moss and Clarke were the greatest British drivers, even though Moss never was world champion, because they competed in a variety of races other than F1 (tragically in Clarke's case). Moss's Miglia Mille victory can never be repeated, but I think it was the most outstanding achievement (with Jenkinson's help as navigator). Probably my age writing 🙂

I suppose I've done a lot of 3 wheel travelling. For many years, motorcycles were my only means of both sport (trials) and transport and a sidecar was used in both categories. I had a 1949 ex-works BSA trials sidecar outfit I used as my means of transport back in the 1960s - it was very narrow and it was safer to negotiate right handers by lifting the chair on the approach and leaning like a solo! You can cope with a lifting sidecar but not a lifting back wheel! It was fun but I must have been mad (or perhaps just young). When we took up cycling as a means to get fit for sailing, I eventually bought a racing trike for ice and snow. I built it up in the lounge one evening (warmer). I took it out for a test on the packed snow, then rode it to work the following day! They're harder to ride than you might think. It's amusing to offer a ride to someone who's never ridden one and watch them head for the grass verge 🙂

Modern slavery, perhaps?

I used a hand pump for both glow and petrol. I didn't mount either. I just held it in my hand and wound the winder as they appear deigned to do. They occasionally don't self prime and it's necessary to hold the pump below the fuel level for a start, then wind away. Much less hassle than the various electric pumps I had in my early days (20 years ago) As an electric flyer, I guess you have a supply of 3S 2200 LiPos to hand. Connect an XT60 to your starter and use one of the less than perfect LiPos simply taped to it. I haven't checked, but I bet the current draw is little different from a model - perhaps lower. Or you could just have the battery on the ground nearby. I preferred to hand start engines when I could and used a 'chicken stick', in my case a short length of 30mm dowel I happened to have around. A chicken stick amplifies your wrist/hand movement so you turn the engine faster.

I set out with good intentions this morning. At home, the sun shone and the wind was light, but 15 miles west in Ashbourne I was met with a heavy overcast and a 12/14 mph westerly and 7 deg. I was on my own and I sat in the car listening to the radio for 3/4 of an hour and headed back 😒 I really must be getting old because I just couldn't face unloading and standing in the cold, on my own and flying. The annoying thing is that when I got back it was still sunny with almost zero wind!

I would be more inclined to suspect poor connections somewhere that only became a factor as you manipulated the wires during the installation. After all, the motor wouldn't 'know' there was a prop fitted before it started to turn and there would be minimal load at just a few rpm. I feel the timing is a red herring.

No. I'm not a golfer but I think a caddy is a human being who carries your bag and offers advice.

That's right. My Frank Castle 'Logarithmic and other tables for schools' is about 2' from me as I type. I can see its spine. My slide rules are just as close in my desk drawer.

They're the ones I remember from nearly 80 years ago! I still think handlebars to be more appropriate than a steering wheel 🙂 My father attempted to teach my mother's grandfather how to drive back in the 1930s (no test). He owned and drove steam traction engines to haul timber from trees he felled. He refused to change gear in motion because it 'would damage the gearbox' but selected a suitable gear before setting off. Fortunately, it was an ex army big Humber with lots of torque and in the flattish Nottinghamshire lanes could actually set off in top. His steering method was terrifying - he tried to spin the wheel as you would on a big engine until taught otherwise.

The last time I flew a liquid fuel powered model was my Maher's Thunderbird with a Zenoah 26, magneto sparked petrol engine and the 2200 3s LiPo coped easily. I always turn an engine back on compression, much like bump starting a single cylinder motorcycle engine (as used to be the case for racing).

I've used a 3S 2200 mAH LiPo to power my electric starter with no problems. They're designed for 12v lead acid batteries so that's more or less a 3S LiPo.

I still use my 4 Figure Tables and occasionally my slide rule. I still use trig to work out motor offset on the fire wall to get the prop in the centre of the cowl. It's not, as they say, rocket science. Logs and indices are very elegant concepts and I never aspired to university (very few did in 1956) so all my post grammar school education was part-time (night school and day release). I've heard of Taylor Swift, but I have no idea what she looks like or any of her music. Most of the music I like was written in 19th century 🙂

Back in the 1940s I remember 3 wheelers (vans mostly I think) which had motorcycle girder forks sticking out the front. As a young child, I was convinced there was a whole motorcycle inside, fuel tank, engine, saddle and all! Would they have been early examples of Reliants? Brough Superior had a motorcycle with 2 closely couple rear wheels with a shaft drive between them with an Austin 7 engine. They were intended for sidecar use. I don't think they went into mass-production - even in BS terms!

I thought that what cycle clips were for - to keep it from running out.

I just use a spirit level on the tailplane and my Robart Incidence meter on the wing. A smartphone with a suitable application will do the job just as easily and quickly. It's even easier now that I have my adjustable model stand, and using magazines as packing is no longer needed.

Back in the 1980s I edited a national cycle club magazine (Tandem Club) until a serious incident with a cat put a stop to hard cycling and started me on the path to aeromodelling. The magazine came out every other month and was posted to the 2000 members. It was hard work, but much eased by the positive feedback I received. Without that feedback, I don't think I would have bothered.