Jon H Posted November 17, 2021 Share Posted November 17, 2021 As most of you will know Model Technics have closed and Optifuel are taking on production of many of their fuels. Naturally there is some disruption in supply during this change and i am receiving increasing numbers of calls from concerned customers regarding the availability of Laser 5 and 5 pro fuel as stocks are a little low. I just got off the phone with Optifuel and they are gearing up for production on Laser 5, 5 pro and other MT favourite fuels like contest 10 and bekra. Its taking a little while to update their systems with the new sku's, finding production time in their factory, sorting out labelling, warehouse space etc. They also suffered delays due to difficulties getting some stuff they needed from Europe. On the Laser fuel specifically the standard stuff will have the same formulation and should look the same. For various reasons (one being my request), the 5 pro may look different or be a different colour. This may be true of the other fuels as well as the change in manufacturing process may alter the colour of the fuel slightly, but dont panic. its just a dye so it makes no difference to the performance. The long story short is that supply should be restored by the end of the year so if you do find some fuel in stock please dont buy it up and hoard it all to yourself. Just buy what you need so everyone gets a chance as supply will be back up to speed in fairly short order. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuban8 Posted November 17, 2021 Share Posted November 17, 2021 Good news Jon. Hopefully they'll be no toilet roll type panic from modellers - as you say just carry on as normal and all will be well. I'm down to my last half gallon of Laser 5 but with the winter and far fewer visits to the field at this time of year I won't be needing any fuel for a while. Personally, I think Optifuel will do OK now that MT have gone and possibily some other suppliers will fade away over the coming few years. Where we'll be in say in another ten years time when the effects of the age demographic on fuel sales really starts to take hold is difficult to judge. Oldies who have been flying for years do tend to like IC whereas youngsters and most newbies of any age seem to go for electric if what turns up at my two clubs is anything to go by. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Flyer Posted November 17, 2021 Share Posted November 17, 2021 Wow didn’t realise that about model technics.. sorry to hear. Luckily I have some fuel in reserve as I tend to buy in bulk, although being totally a “glow” modeller I do tend to go through it fairly fast. I’m sure the Opfifuel will be just as good. Whatever happens in future we will be able to get bulk ingredients as the drag racing community use similar fuel components. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Colbourne Posted November 17, 2021 Share Posted November 17, 2021 On the TV last night, they were saying in an item about the Liverpool hospital bomb, how materials used to make homemade explosives have been made more difficult to obtain. Life is likely to have been made much more difficult for legitimate users, so it may be that Model Technics and Southern Modelcraft both decided that incoming restrictions just weren't worth the extra aggravation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon H Posted November 17, 2021 Author Share Posted November 17, 2021 2 hours ago, Robin Colbourne said: On the TV last night, they were saying in an item about the Liverpool hospital bomb, how materials used to make homemade explosives have been made more difficult to obtain. Life is likely to have been made much more difficult for legitimate users, so it may be that Model Technics and Southern Modelcraft both decided that incoming restrictions just weren't worth the extra aggravation. I am sure those with a mind to will always find a way. Its not something i care to focus on myself and something quite beyond the scope of this thread. I know what you are trying to say, and its fair enough, but its not what we are here for. My understanding from the chap's at MT regarding their closure was that there were a number of factors involved and there were two options in the end. One was a risk, one was not. They decided it was better not to take the risk as it was in the best interest of their employees. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Harris - Moderator Posted November 17, 2021 Share Posted November 17, 2021 3 hours ago, Tim Flyer said: Wow didn’t realise that about model technics.. sorry to hear. Luckily I have some fuel in reserve as I tend to buy in bulk, although being totally a “glow” modeller I do tend to go through it fairly fast. I’m sure the Opfifuel will be just as good. Whatever happens in future we will be able to get bulk ingredients as the drag racing community use similar fuel components. Methanol won't be a problem but buying nitromethane even in small quantities isn't a viable proposition for the average modeller due to the cost of the necessary licence. Funnily enough, one of the current main players in model fuel distribution used to be the track manager at Santa Pod. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Flyer Posted November 17, 2021 Share Posted November 17, 2021 Interesting to hear . I must say I really enjoy my trips to Santa Pod . The drag racing community are a very friendly bunch and love talking about their engines and explaining their latest projects ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon H Posted December 1, 2021 Author Share Posted December 1, 2021 Just a bit of an update on this. I had a visit from Optifuel last week to go over a few of the details on the Laser 5 fuel and drop off a new formulation for testing. The first batch of Laser 5 is in production now and should be available soon. As mentioned before, its going to look slightly different in colour but its the same as it always was. In the background i will be working on testing new formulations of both Laser 5 and 5 pro with Opti's standard Klotz oil in place of ML70 as the realities of production are that the material supplies inherited from MT will not last forever and it is easier/more cost effective to make if all your fuels use the same oil. I do not expect any problems with the change in oil and my first test run of the fuel today backed up that view. No changes are yet set in stone, currently i am just testing, but its likely the oil will change some time in the future. 4 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Harris - Moderator Posted December 1, 2021 Share Posted December 1, 2021 That's odd. I always assumed the old Laser fuel used something other than ML70 as it has a very distinctive (unpleasant to many) odour which has certainly put me off using it. Assuming Dave's info is correct, my normal fuel of choice - Southern Modelcraft 10% - uses ML70 and smells fine. Could it be that the whiff of added castor (shock, horror!) in their formula masks the stench? Or did MT add a "fragrance"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Cripps Posted December 1, 2021 Share Posted December 1, 2021 There's no castor in Laser 5, Martin, according to the MT website. Could the odour be due to the SICAL ignition additive? Jon, have you heard anything about pricing? I would think that Klotz-based fuel will be more expensive than ML70. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon H Posted December 1, 2021 Author Share Posted December 1, 2021 Laser 5 has no castor but the SICAL additive was what made it smell a bit unusual. I have heard some complaints over the smell over the years but i am either totally nose blind or i just dont find it a problem. Certainly its not like petrol, one whiff makes me sick ? That said, i really noticed the ribena smell from the klotz when testing the new fuel earlier. Nick, my understanding is prices are going to be about the same but you get 5L and not 4.55L for current spec laser fuel supplied by opti. No idea on prices for the klotz blend as they only knocked up a small batch for me to test. If i had to guess, it will be around 20 quid for 5L of 15% oil as the 18% oil fuel seems to retail around £23 and the oil is one of the most expensive ingredients. 7% oil fuel would be cheaper still. Its not going to be bank breaking stuff in any event. It would nice if the uk distributors of OS and Saito would agree to support engines on 15% oil as opti could cut the oil on their entire range and make life simple for everyone. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Harris - Moderator Posted December 1, 2021 Share Posted December 1, 2021 Sorry if my post was slightly ambiguous - I know very well that Jon wouldn't countenance even a whiff of castor in his fuel recipe! I was referring to the 2% in the SM brew... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Minchell Posted January 13, 2022 Share Posted January 13, 2022 I have some 8 or 10 year old Model Technics Laser fuel, probably 4 litres left in a 4.55litre container, but has been tightly sealed for that time. Will it still be ok to use? John M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Harris - Moderator Posted January 13, 2022 Share Posted January 13, 2022 According to Dave at SM, sealed glow fuel will last almost indefinitely so I would use it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Fry Posted January 14, 2022 Share Posted January 14, 2022 Can’t say I entirely agree. Sealed from the manufacturer, use it, no hesitation. Part used, I don’t think I would bother. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul De Tourtoulon Posted January 14, 2022 Share Posted January 14, 2022 I will have it, my brother had some 20years plus caster mix and some opened 1/2 synthetic stuff probably as old, other than being really oily I mixed it with some 10% nitro French stuff and all of my engines ran well on it, 2 and 4 strokes,, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon H Posted January 14, 2022 Author Share Posted January 14, 2022 The big question is to ask what this ancient fuel is. If its some old 20% castor slop then i wouldnt recommend using it no matter its age. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Minchell Posted January 14, 2022 Share Posted January 14, 2022 Jon it is fuel specifically for Laser engines, or so I was told at the shop where I bought it. No castor oil and no nitro - Model Technics Dynaglow straight it is called. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon H Posted January 14, 2022 Author Share Posted January 14, 2022 Well whoever sold you that lied through their teeth twice as it has 6% castor in it and has never been recommended for Laser engines. I would use it for weed killer and cleaning up old engines. Dont run it through a modern engine. Grab some new fuel. 5% nitro and 15% oil laser 5 if you want one fuel for all engines or the 5% nitro 7% oil laser 5 pro if you want a fuel only for your Laser engines. Model shop leeds are showing the laser 5 in stock as do elite models so it seems generally available. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul De Tourtoulon Posted January 14, 2022 Share Posted January 14, 2022 1 hour ago, Jon - Laser Engines said: The big question is to ask what this ancient fuel is. If its some old 20% castor slop then i wouldnt recommend using it no matter its age. I used up all that 'slop' two years ago and in your Laser Jon, just goes to show what good engines they are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Stephenson Posted January 14, 2022 Share Posted January 14, 2022 In the mid 80s Neil told us to use nothing but castor in his engines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Arnold 1 Posted January 14, 2022 Share Posted January 14, 2022 Hi Have been using MT Dynaglow 5% in all my Saito and OS four strokes for about 15 years and they run a treat. Dynaglow is 8% EDL and 2% castor oil... Total oil 10%. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon H Posted January 14, 2022 Author Share Posted January 14, 2022 52 minutes ago, Andy Stephenson said: In the mid 80s Neil told us to use nothing but castor in his engines. Its not the mid 80's any more ? 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon H Posted January 14, 2022 Author Share Posted January 14, 2022 17 minutes ago, Martin Arnold 1 said: Hi Have been using MT Dynaglow 5% in all my Saito and OS four strokes for about 15 years and they run a treat. Dynaglow is 8% EDL and 2% castor oil... Total oil 10%. Yep, got my dyna and duraglo mixed up. Dont recommend either though so its a wash really Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuban8 Posted January 14, 2022 Share Posted January 14, 2022 (edited) 1 hour ago, Jon - Laser Engines said: Well whoever sold you that lied through their teeth twice as it has 6% castor in it and has never been recommended for Laser engines. I would use it for weed killer and cleaning up old engines. Dont run it through a modern engine. Grab some new fuel. 5% nitro and 15% oil laser 5 if you want one fuel for all engines or the 5% nitro 7% oil laser 5 pro if you want a fuel only for your Laser engines. Model shop leeds are showing the laser 5 in stock as do elite models so it seems generally available. I took Jon's advice to use Laser 5 as a one for all fuel in my fourstroke engine collection quite a few years ago - ASPs and OSs (next glow engine I buy will be a Laser) and they all run cleaner and without trouble. I can't think of a reason not to go with it unless it's not easy to get, which I'd think will be unlikely given the number of on-line suppliers offering next day couriered delivery if your local shop doesn't keep it, or in my case I rarely go to model shows to buy stuff these days. Edited January 14, 2022 by Cuban8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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