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Rubber motor lubrication


Geoff S
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I've been looking into my kit stock for something quicker to build and found a Replikit Keil Kraft Nieuport free-flight rubber powered tissue-covered model. It's laser cut and I recall buying this and another (FW 190) when Replikit were selling off their stock years ago.

On reading the instructions I see the included rubber is supposed to be lubricated with castor oil, which apparently was a common stock item when KK supplied the original kits. It isn't now, for me, but I have loads of olive oil (I eat a lot of olives). Will that work?

Geoff

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Geoff, you won't get any more than the usual theorising.

Traditionally, everyone used either castor oil, or the soft soap / glycerine mixture. Nowadays, I think silicone lubricant is available, but I don't think anyone has ever tried anything else.

Surely, rather than mess about with the "unknown", it would be better to invest in a very small bottle of castor oil.

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Geoff, If you research the web you will find a whole host of suggestions but I have read that the advantage of using silicone based lube is that you do not get splatters inside your fuselage that messes up your tissue covering.

I have used a silicone based one from Free Flight supplies if I remember correctly. Does the trick (as far as my very limited experience of rubber power goes that is) and no splatters.

While you are at it, you will need a rubber winder! Oh, and make a stooge. Also start reading up on blast tubes and dethermaliser types; you will not need them yet but it will be only a matter of timedevil!!!

Beware! The building and flying of these models is very addictive. I started with one (just to pass a bit of lockdown time) and now have four!

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It's well over 60 years since I built anything with a rubber motor (after 15 everything took second place to motor bikes in the hobby field for a number of years ) so I'm somewhat out of touch to say the least. I just wondered about olive oil as it's readily available.

Thanks for the suggestions.

Geoff

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Posted by Richard Clark 2 on 08/07/2020 15:15:51:
Posted by Lima Hotel Foxtrot on 08/07/2020 14:59:47:

Addlestone Models have some specific silicone based lube for rubber power.

Silicones may be 'inert' but they aren't notably good lubricants for anything.

So why do Deluxe Materials make a specific silicone based lubricant for rubber motors? Hmmm? I'm pretty sure the chemists there know what they're doing.

https://deluxematerials.co.uk/products/eze-wind

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Posted by Lima Hotel Foxtrot on 08/07/2020 16:18:43:
Posted by Richard Clark 2 on 08/07/2020 15:15:51:
Posted by Lima Hotel Foxtrot on 08/07/2020 14:59:47:

Addlestone Models have some specific silicone based lube for rubber power.

Silicones may be 'inert' but they aren't notably good lubricants for anything.

So why do Deluxe Materials make a specific silicone based lubricant for rubber motors? Hmmm? I'm pretty sure the chemists there know what they're doing.

https://deluxematerials.co.uk/products/eze-wind

It's just an advert.

Do they have any chemists? Do they actually make anything, or just repackage stuff purchased in large quantities and sold at much higher prices per 'quantity'?

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Geoff, See what I meant about theorising...

Just get a small quantity of something that's known to work. For me, that would be castor oil.

Respectfully, all the opinions expressed above may be right or wrong. Do you really want to start debating and experimenting when you have a sure solution available?...

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I didn't think making a rubber band easier to wind/unwind would be so controversial! I should have known better surprise

Pity I didn't think earlier, George. You could have tossed me a small sample yesterday when we surveyed our possible new site.

Thanks again everyone.

Geoff

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Posted by Richard Clark 2 on 08/07/2020 17:14:34:
Do they have any chemists? Do they actually make anything, or just repackage stuff purchased in large quantities and sold at much higher prices per 'quantity'?

IIRC from an interview in RCM&E a couple of years back, the company was founded and is still run by a husband & wife who were both industrial chemists. That's not to say that everything they sell is made 'in-house' but I recall a lot of their core products (mainly adhesives) are...

You can get small (<200ml) bottles of Castor Oil BP from your local chemist for a quid or so.

PS - Knot the rubber first...

Edited By Mike T on 08/07/2020 19:34:23

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Posted by Mike T on 08/07/2020 19:22:34:
Posted by Richard Clark 2 on 08/07/2020 17:14:34:
Do they have any chemists? Do they actually make anything, or just repackage stuff purchased in large quantities and sold at much higher prices per 'quantity'?

IIRC from an interview in RCM&E a couple of years back, the company was founded and is still run by a husband & wife who were both industrial chemists. That's not to say that everything they sell is made 'in-house' but I recall a lot of their core products (mainly adhesives) are...

Edited By Mike T on 08/07/2020 19:34:23

You do recall correctly. Actually, you beat me to it!

**LINK**

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Posted by David perry 1 on 09/07/2020 00:03:30:

Funnily enough ive found myself watxhing a lot of ff rubber powered videos in yoochoob recently and ive begun to get an itch. I converted my ff rubber sapphire to micro electric and rc and its tremwndous fun. But rubber ff seems so pure...

They are really cute. And if you get to modern Wakefields (F1B) the sophistication of the technology you have to make and deal with outdoes any mere RC plane where you just go out and buy stuff, often including the plane itself.

But you have to chase them . And I'm getting a bit past running any great distance and while our field has a large chunk of WW2 concrete runway where we fly RC the rest of it is heavy scrub, gorse bushes, and bog. Though we do have an active free flight section.

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Posted by Geoff S on 08/07/2020 17:54:57:

I didn't think making a rubber band easier to wind/unwind would be so controversial! I should have known better surprise

Pity I didn't think earlier, George. You could have tossed me a small sample yesterday when we surveyed our possible new site.

Thanks again everyone.

Geoff

Yes, that would have been an idea. If the weather etc. ever improves I may see you up the flying field this year yet!

I remember building a KeilKraft SE5A when I was thirteen. It had ribs etc printed onto a piece of sheet which was the same as the control liners I had been building but was on a more miniature scale. Great fun, I am sure you will enjoy it. The Dope was a costly addition but as the model store owner remarked I would have enough for several planes. My next couple of own design control line stunters were in PC10/Olive Drab!

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