RE: New Giant GP Super Sportster!!!!!
RCERIC, I hate to stir the pot more, but check this out: http://jagengines.com/gss31.htm (The pics are shown below, but the site will give you the extra detail. Please note that these pictures are not of my plane but that of one listed on the Jag Site. I do NOT represent them in any way, but I have used this great example as the basis for my SS build.) The Ryobi seems to be a perfect match for this plane. I got mine over the Christmas holiday, and I have my Ryobi almost done and ready to mount up. The install is nice and clean, and this one is yet another example of the fuselage mounted landing gear. If it's not too late, I'd consider this for yours. I have two Ryobi power tools that use this engine. I've owned them no less than 10 years, and I use them every year. At the end of the season I just run them out of fuel and put them away. They start right back up in the spring and have continued to serve me faithfully. This, and the low cost is why I chose to adapt one for my Super Sportster. I bought a used Ryobi 31cc power head from a string trimmer (720r long shaft if I'm not mistaken) for about $25.00 on ebay, and then bought the Jag conversion parts, and the gas fuel tank conversion kit for just a few dollars when I ordered my plane from Tower. The Ryobis are very economical to run, and are very inexpensive to acquire and set up and maintain. Also, like any other gas engine, they will not make a mess all over your plane like a glow engine will. In fact, you could run a tube inside the fuse all the way to the back of the plane for the exhaust, without having to worry too much about tuning power loss, and in this manner not have to worry at all about messing up the finish of your ship. This is what I plan on doing with mine, unless I decide to add a smoker. Then the point is moot, but it's still something to consider if you are not interested in running smoke. All the Ryobi conversion parts, including the nice aluminum muffler from Jag were just under $100.00, and even if you were to buy the whole engine from them all set up and ready to go it's still under $200.00. From what I understand, the electronic ignition really doesn't give enough advantage to make it worth the price, so just run it with the stock flywheel and you'll be fine. Again, this is how I'm setting mine up. No, it won't be a "Barn Burner", but the SS is not a 3D plane either, so I'm not expecting it to perform like one. Let me know what you decide, but for my money I went with the Ryobi Conversion. I haven't gotten around to completing it yet, but based upon what I've seen, I'm very comfortable with my choice and feel it will have been a very wise one, that gives me lots of flying satisfaction and enjoyment.[:D] The other thing I was considering, and I may experiment with it in the future just for the heck of it, is to use a Super Tigre 3250, with a Davis Diesel conversion cylinder head. I'm a Heavy Equipment Diesel training instructor in the real world, so I'm partial to diesels anyway, but if you visit http://www.davisdieseldevelopment.com/ you will see that they have been around for many years, and by converting a glow engine to diesel you get a great power increase, a huge increase in fuel economy, and much like a gas engine, no mess to clean up. I'm starting with a Super Tigre GS40 ringed conversion in a trainer I have, and will see how it performs. I'm sure this will set the hook and convince me to convert all my other engines to diesel as well. One thing's for sure, although electric may have some advantages, for my modeling experience, Internal Combustion is the only way to go for me.[:D][:D] Thanks for listenin'
Posted on: 3/2/2008 10:31 PM by Author "RCFlyerGuy" in the forum "ARF or RTF"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=7168187

RE: New Giant GP Super Sportster!!!!!
BTW, SBRIAN Thanks very much for the beautiful job on the modified Super Stearman gear for the SS. I was planning on doing a fuse mounted gear set, but th ones you chose are not only totally functiuonal, but really classy as well. The beauty of forums like this is the sharing of ideas to everyone's benefit. Thanks for this one. I'll be doing the same to my SS. [:D]
Posted on: 3/2/2008 10:19 PM by Author "RCFlyerGuy" in the forum "ARF or RTF"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=7168344

Engine Power Measurement/Dyno?
Hi, I wondering if anyone out there has a fairly scientific way of measuring a gas or glow engine's power output, other than relying on what any particular manufacturer claims their engine will produce. Short of having an expensive dyno setup, I've thought about fabricating an engine test stand where the engine mounts on rails that slide in a track, so that the amount of thrust produced could be measured as the engine pulled against let's say a strain gauge. It could even be something as crude as a common fish-scale to start off with, but I think that's a no-nonsense way of evaluating what an engine can actually produce. Any thoughts?[sm=spinnyeyes.gif]
Posted on: 12/28/2007 5:14 PM by Author "RCFlyerGuy" in the forum "Gas Engines"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=6817471

RE: New Giant GP Super Sportster!!!!!
Harry, Thanks! BTW, how much experience do you have with Ryobis? I was thinking about eventually fabricating an expansion chamber style exhaust header for it to see if I can pick up some additional power. I want to get it all set up with the Jag Muffler first so I can establish a baseline. I figured I'd run the engine on a stand I fabricate myself, so that I can measure the thrust with a fish type spring scale, and then see if whatever modifications I might make have any overall positive effect on the amount of power produced. I know it's not the most scientific way to do it, but it should tell me something quantitative anyway. Wadda ya think?[sm=biggrin.gif]
Posted on: 12/28/2007 5:01 PM by Author "RCFlyerGuy" in the forum "ARF or RTF"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=6817402

RE: New Giant GP Super Sportster!!!!!
Okay Guys, I'm on a tight budget [:@], so the SS I just ordered yesterday will get a converted Ryobi 31cc, the same as pictured on the Jag site here: http://jagengines.com/gss31.htm [:D] I really like what Dan has done with this model, the Ryobi, and the revised landing gear. I read earlier how another flyer did something similar. Having the fuselage mounted landing gear just makes a lot more sense. Besides, this would eliminate the issue, also mentioned earlier in this thread, about landing gear mounting block breakage. I've really been agonizing over which model to build, the Sig 4*, the Giant SS, or a Sr. Telemaster (all with the intent of being Ryobi powered) and after lots of emails and so on, and especially after "talking" with Dan Egelhoff (who has quite an impressive flight background) I'm convinced that this plane/engine combination will be a very wise choice. No, the Ryobi is not a super powerhouse, but it's almost perfect for this plane. The big advantages are that the Ryobi is very econimical to obtain and convert, and with the ultra reliability inherent to the Ryobi you can't lose. ( I have two of then - one in a weed whacker, and one in a leaf blower, both of which I've had for at least 10 - 15 years, and they are still both going strong and I've NEVER had to do anything to them except run them out of fuel at the end of each season before putting them away for the winter![:)]) I found a couple of Ryobi weed whacker head units on ebay for under $20.00 shipped, and with the conversion parts from Jag for just under $100.00, including the very nice muffler they offer, you can't go wrong! Parts are very inexpensive too, when and if they become necessary to obtain. With all this advantage, I just can't justify wasting money on any other engine, and if at some point in the future I feel that for some reason I need more power, I can always upgrade, although from what I've been able to gather, on this model it won't be necessary. I can't wait to get my new bird, all the Jag parts for my engine, and get busy getting it all together. The Ryobi and the GP Giant SS are a great combination! [sm=tongue_smile.gif]
Posted on: 12/27/2007 2:05 AM by Author "RCFlyerGuy" in the forum "ARF or RTF"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=6809849

Senior Telemaster w/Ryobi 31cc
I know there are many "Telemaster" posts, but I have just ordered a Sr. Telemaster ARF and want to power it with a Ryobi 31cc engine. I have searched the forum high and low and have found only spatterings on the subject, but would really appreciate whatever information on completing this project is available. I'm sorry if I missed anything, but ........ Can anyone out there help? Thanks, and Merry Christmas! [:D]
Posted on: 12/24/2007 4:32 PM by Author "RCFlyerGuy" in the forum "Kit Building"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=6799871

RE: G3.5 Expansion Pack Wishlist
I'd love to see KE add the old Midwest Super Hots (60 sized) model to their lineup. [:D]Just my 2 pennies!
Posted on: 8/17/2007 10:59 PM by Author "RCFlyerGuy" in the forum "RC Flight Simulator Software"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=6252539