RE: Brushless motors
Check out the Turnigy motors at Hobby City. They typically tell you which Axi motor they are comparable to, and they are about 1/4 the price. I have been flying one for two years and it works great. http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbycity/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=2140&Product_Name=TR_35-36B_1300kv_Brushless_Outrunner_(Eq:2814)
Posted on: 11/20/2009 8:03 AM by Author "mclina" in the forum "Questions and Answers"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9267110

RE: Beginner plane kits
You'll get better responses in the Beginner forum, and there is a sticky topic up there that deals with this exact thing. RC Ken has listed a bunch of beginner planes. Unfortunately, 'realistic', and 'beginner' planes do not go well together. The more scale a plane is, the harder it is to fly. The traditional RC trainer design, which is made by lots of companies, is the proven way to learn to fly RC. Hangar 9 does have their PTS Mustang, which has been used successfully as a trainer, but I've read mixed reviews. If you are going with glow power, then the best deals are in the RTF packages, like the Tower Trainer or the Tiger Trainer. You can usually get the plane, engine, radio all ready to go for about $250. Buying a kit or an ARF will always cost more in the long run. On top of that, they'll need about $100 worth of field gear to really get flying. There are also some good beginner electric setups, but I don't have personal experience with them. Good luck Edit: I'm not sure if the Tiger Trainer RTF's are still around. Here is the Tower Trainer: http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXCXF4**&P=0
Posted on: 11/20/2009 6:23 AM by Author "mclina" in the forum "Questions and Answers"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9267005

RE: rebuild of a 4*40 kit???
Looking good. That Four Star must have originally been an ARF, it looks a little bit different than the kit.
Posted on: 11/19/2009 3:10 PM by Author "mclina" in the forum "Kit Building"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9265505

RE: Four Star Sixty on Floats Finished
Nice looking plane. Now, where is your wife going to sleep?
Posted on: 11/18/2009 5:09 PM by Author "mclina" in the forum "Kit Building"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9263467

RE: Kit Building Cool Tools
This is the only power tool I have bought from Harbor Freight: http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=93981 I got it on sale, and with a coupon, for about $57. Always use coupons when shopping at Harbor Freight[:D] When I got this thing home, I had to tighten EVERY bolt on the machine. After that, it seemed pretty solid. I used it for shaping a stack of ribs for a scratch build, but it doesn't get any use on kits. The Zona saw, GP sanding bar, a set of little squares, and tons of clamps are the most common tools I use, along with 100 packs of single edge razor blades. I do use my 10" power miter saw and my drill press for cutting servo trays, firewalls, etc... Good luck
Posted on: 11/18/2009 2:33 PM by Author "mclina" in the forum "Kit Building"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9263070

RE: GMS 47 = garbage
I also have a GMS 47 and love it. I have a bunch of OS engines and love them, too. I even have two Super Tigres that I am quite fond of, and an Evolution that has never let me down. My first Magnum (.91 Four Stroke) is on order from HP, and I hope to love that one just as much. I know I love the $139 sale price.
Posted on: 11/18/2009 1:53 PM by Author "mclina" in the forum "Beginners"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9262992

RE: Tower Hobbies Uproar 40 build
Looking good. That is quite a production line you have going there. The lightening holes were a good idea, but with the engines you are planning on using, you're probably going to need all the weight you can get back there.
Posted on: 11/17/2009 8:01 AM by Author "mclina" in the forum "Kit Building"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9259772

RE: rebuild of a 4*40 kit???
My canopy was just a generic bubble canopy from my LHS. I think there's a picture of the packaging in my thread, but I think it was a 12" or 13" Sig Bubble Canopy. The plane became much more responsive after the rebuild. Partly because the ailerons are bigger, but also because I get a lot more throw out of them by going with dual servos in the wing. The bigger rudder makes it possible to hold a knife edge. I would actually like it a little bigger if I were to do it again. I used Robart hinges for the rebuild, but I ended up with a fairly large gap on the ailerons. I wasn't happy with the roll rate, so I cut the Robarts out and replaced them with CA hinges, and then sealed the gap with covering. It made a big difference. I originally flew the plane with an OS .46LA, which made it fly really nicely, with limited vertical ability. The .55AX made it into a monster. It would fly vertical at about 1/4 throttle. I ended up swiping the .55AX for another plane, and replaced it with a GMS47. I have to say, the GMS47 is plenty of engine. I really could not see a big performance loss after the downgrade. I would not know how to go about adding landing gear to the wings. The wings are built very lightly, and I would be afraid of tearing them up on a hard landing. I know that others have done it, and have even installed retracts, but that's a mod that I would not attempt. Good luck.
Posted on: 11/16/2009 1:51 PM by Author "mclina" in the forum "Kit Building"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9257928

RE: rebuild of a 4*40 kit???
This will be a great project. The Four Star is really forgiving, and you'll end up with a nice flying plane. I rebuilt mine about a year ago, and did a build thread on it: http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_8232906/anchors_8232906/mpage_1/key_/anchor/tm.htm#8232906 If you are having trouble re-hinging the rudder, might I suggest just replacing the whole stab. That's what I ended up doing, it only takes a couple of minutes to cut out a stab from a flat sheet of balsa. If I were to do it again, I would probably even stick build the tail surfaces. I had some fuel-soaked wood in the center of my wing. I just cut it all out and glued in some solid wood. I also increased the size of my control surfaces, sheeted the turtle deck, added rounded wingtips, and changed the canopy. Good luck, and get us some photos along the way.
Posted on: 11/16/2009 8:06 AM by Author "mclina" in the forum "Kit Building"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9257239

RE: Motivation
I know this isn't for everybody, but I was kind of in a rut like that and I went and built myself a Mojo 40 and am teaching myself 3D. I hadn't been too interested in that aspect of the hobby, but now I am back to flying every chance I get. I have burned more fuel in the past 3 weeks than I did all summer. Maybe you just need a new project, or to try something new with one of your planes. Maybe hang around the field with some new pilots and let their enthusiasm spread to you. Or you could try helicopters, but I wouldn't recommend it [:'(] Good luck
Posted on: 11/13/2009 6:03 PM by Author "mclina" in the forum "Questions and Answers"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9251719

RE: Building servo tray, Ultimate 40 Kit
[quote]ORIGINAL: KW_Counter McLina, I am very intrigued by the wing in your pictures. Currently I fly ARFs but have a kit ready to start. I have never seen a wing that was doweled like that one. What plane is the wing for? What is the purpose of the doweling? You appear to have a spar tying the halves together. Thanks for the info, KW_Counter [/quote] The wing with the dowels in the middle
Posted on: 11/13/2009 12:26 PM by Author "mclina" in the forum "Beginners"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9251030

RE: Building servo tray, Ultimate 40 Kit
I've done my last couple of builds like this. I just cut a tray out of 3/32" plywood and glue it between the ribs, with some tri stock behind it. It's not as nice as the method which only exposes the servo arm, but it is fast and easy. Good luck
Posted on: 11/13/2009 8:35 AM by Author "mclina" in the forum "Beginners"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9250550

RE: 12 Volt Hobby Battery
http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXL353&P=M I just use one of these, but I think mine might be the Hangar 9 version. I probably plug it in 2-3 times per year, max.
Posted on: 11/13/2009 6:12 AM by Author "mclina" in the forum "Beginners"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9250385

RE: Hitec Micro 05S in a nitro plane?
http://www.hitecrcd.com/receivers/show?name=Micro+05S Hitec does list this as a 'Full Range' RX, but all they talk about in the product listing is 'small electric'. I don't think I would risk it.
Posted on: 11/4/2009 12:43 PM by Author "mclina" in the forum "Questions and Answers"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9227737

RE: Hitec Micro 05S in a nitro plane?
I have succesfully used a lot of Berg 4L RX's in glow planes, which are just as small, but are advertised as full range RX's. I would not put this one in a glow plane unless the manufacturer specifically said it was OK. http://www.advantagehobby.com/product.php?productid=43006
Posted on: 11/4/2009 12:14 PM by Author "mclina" in the forum "Questions and Answers"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9227688

RE: LHS Have no stock
Whenever I read one of these threads, I am so thankful that I have my LHS. They are purely devoted to RC, with most of their stuff being for glow airplanes. They also have a lot of heli stuff, electric stuff, cars and rockets. This shop sits right in the middle of the few sites that I work at, so I can literally drop in every day if I need stuff. Today I stopped by for a gallon of fuel, some glow plugs, and a prop. They are always competetive with the online shops. The kit selection has decreased over the past year, but they still carry a lot of kits. We have a few other shops in the local area, but they do not come close to this place in terms of selection or pricing. http://www.rcbuyers.com/virtual_store/virtual_store.html
Posted on: 11/4/2009 12:07 PM by Author "mclina" in the forum "Questions and Answers"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9227671

RE: servo tubes
Tubes make it a lot easier to thread the servo leads through. I've done it with just a line of holes, but it's pretty tedious. I just roll up a sheet of computer paper and tack it in place with CA.
Posted on: 10/26/2009 1:07 PM by Author "mclina" in the forum "Scratch Building, Aircraft Design, 3D/CAD"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9203283

RE: Low Wing, Tail Draggin S.P.A.D Debonair
I ended up with this one after removing the top wing from a lousy attempt at a biplane. The low-wing plane flew really well. I still have the parts somewhere, but the gear has probably been used on three planes since this one.
Posted on: 10/26/2009 6:58 AM by Author "mclina" in the forum "S.P.A.D. Aircraft - Coroplast design"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9202574

RE: looking for advice on a kaos 40
The engine is worth $50. The two rolls of covering are worth ~$30. The plane is worth at least a hundred. Yeah, I would do it. Good find.
Posted on: 10/23/2009 1:43 PM by Author "mclina" in the forum "Beginners"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9196243

RE: Beware of Horizon Hobby
I have always had great service from Horizon. I once bought a radio system at my LHS, tested it before installing it in a plane, and after installing it, I could not get the RX to work. I didn't want to tear it all out of the plane to return it, so I called Horizon. Before I even finished explaining the problem, the guy just asked for the RX model and put a new one in the mail. No questions asked, and he didn't want me to send in the defective RX. I am also a big fan of Hobby City. There is no beating their prices on LiPo's and motors, and I am now starting to look at their glow engines. I have saved a ton of money with them, and they have never screwed up an order. That being said, I would never expect any kind of warranty service from them. If I get a dud, I will chalk it up to all of the money I saved with them in the past. So far, I haven't gotten a dud.
Posted on: 10/21/2009 9:10 AM by Author "mclina" in the forum "The Clubhouse"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9190453

RE: First Kit 4*40
[quote]ORIGINAL: ScienceisCool I didn't hinge before covering, but now that I think about it I probably should have. Oh well, live and learn. I'm using Ultracote as that was recommended over Monocote. [/quote] I think that Ultra is easier to work with. I think your color scheme is going to look cool. I covered my first kit (4*) in all solid red and it was really tough to tell up from down on a cloudy day. I don't think that covering before hinging is that big of a deal. Half the time I can't find my slots and I am cutting new ones with my exacto as I am looking for the pre-cut ones. Great job.
Posted on: 10/20/2009 2:00 PM by Author "mclina" in the forum "Kit Building"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9188369

RE: First Kit 4*40
I have always cut/drilled and dry fit the hinges before covering. Then I take everything apart, cover, and glue the hinges at the end. I think it's easier to cover this way, but I aways end up with some CA drips on my covering. I mostly use Robarts now, and I'm not sure you can cover over them.
Posted on: 10/20/2009 1:41 PM by Author "mclina" in the forum "Kit Building"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9188314

RE: Silly Engine! Bolts should be tight!
[quote]ORIGINAL: CGRetired Jester: Your post was the first time I saw a reference to ''torque'' in any of the above replies. I would think that there is more than just tightening the head bolts, I would think that applying the right amount of torque to the head bolts is necessary. Is that so? Hmmm.. the right amount of torqueage... sounds like a line from ''My Cousin Vinnie'' [:D] CGr [/quote] I used a Crafstman, laboratory grade, signature series, torque wrench. The kind used by Cal-Tech high energy physicists and Nasa engineers. And a split second before I applied the wrench, it was calibrated by federal and state employees from the Department of Weights and Measures. And I routinely twist to maximum allowable torqueage. One of my favorite movies.
Posted on: 10/15/2009 1:38 PM by Author "mclina" in the forum "Beginners"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9175531

RE: First Kit 4*40
[quote]ORIGINAL: ScienceisCool I'm sorry, we had a baby and was sidelined for a while. I just got the covering in the mail and plan to start up again in the next couple days. Sorry for taking so long! [/quote] Congratulations!
Posted on: 10/14/2009 7:17 PM by Author "mclina" in the forum "Kit Building"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9173632

RE: First Kit 4*40
I originally flew my Four Star with an OS .46LA. It was a nice, easy flier with limited vertical ability and good fuel economy. I rebuilt it, with about double size control surfaces, a few other mods, and an OS .55AX. It is a very fast, very maneuverable plane, which flies vertical at half throttle but still floats in for landings. I recently needed to break in a new GMS .47 for another build. I bolted it right onto the Four Star (the .55AX really is a bolt-in replacement for a .46). After break-in, I flew the plane three times with the GMS .47 and I can honestly not tell the difference in performance between this engine and the .55AX [u]on this plane[/u]. I know that a plane that really needs the extra HP would see an improvement with the .55AX, but I am amazed at how well the $69 GMS flies this plane.
Posted on: 10/14/2009 8:39 AM by Author "mclina" in the forum "Kit Building"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9172170

RE: Winter Project .60 Plane?
I haven't built an Ultrasport yet, but I have never heard a bad thing about them. I have built and rebuilt a Four Star, and there are plenty of modifications you can make to keep them interesting. For the basic, stock build, you could build a Four Star in a long weekend. There are dozens of Four Star build threads on RCU. You said that you were looking for a sport or 3D plane. I am currently building a Mojo from Swany's House. It's a profile 3-D plane, that is very easy to build and is supposed to be extremely tough. There are a lot of build pictures at his website if you want to see how one goes together. www.swanyshouse.com I think the Sig Somethin' Extra is a great idea as well, if you can step back from the .60 size requirement. What about a Hog bipe? Another easy to build Sig kit, and it's a 60 size. Good luck
Posted on: 10/14/2009 8:06 AM by Author "mclina" in the forum "Kit Building"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9172119

RE: Flat Spinnnnnnnnnnnnnn
[quote]ORIGINAL: Ernie Misner Cool little scale there on your bench with a hook on it. Is that for fishing origionally? Ernie [/quote] Yeah, it's a cheap fish scale. I think I picked it up at Sports Authority. I've only used it to get rough plane weights.
Posted on: 10/12/2009 9:31 PM by Author "mclina" in the forum "Profile and Fun Flying Planes"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9168108

RE: First Kit 4*40
[quote]ORIGINAL: GaryHarris [quote]ORIGINAL: markcobb On your 4th picture what is the triangle stock for. You are doing a good job it looks good. [/quote] Thanks. The tri stock is to strenghen the fuse near the trailing edge of the wing. I have read that it's a weak spot there. [/quote] I did have my fuse break back there once, but it happened horizontally, about 1/2" above where you put the tri-stock. I'll try to dig up a photo that shows where the break happened. Edit: Here's a picture at the beginning of my last rebuild. You can see the crack in the fuse behind the wing saddle. When it happened, I just epoxied some popsicle stick on the inside.
Posted on: 10/12/2009 3:10 PM by Author "mclina" in the forum "Kit Building"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9167026

RE: Magic owners thread
It looks like Hobby People has them on back order, and they are listed for $120. I have one of these that I won in a club raffle a couple of years ago. I set it up with a $25 Turnigy motor from Hobby City, a 60A esc, and 2200 mAh lipo's. It is under 3 pounds and it is a blast to fly. I can't do a lot of full-throttle flying with it, or the battery will get hot. It really needs a bigger pack, but I don't fly it all that much. It's a perfect setup for fun-fly events, though. Short flights, wild aerobatics, and it's always ready to go with no tuning.
Posted on: 10/12/2009 1:11 PM by Author "mclina" in the forum "Profile and Fun Flying Planes"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9166749

RE: I broke my engine!
I don't know about bushings. I see that the piston and cylinder liner are replaceable, as is the crankshaft. If the engine runs, I wouldn't spend any more money than necessary. I have been running one of my .46LA's for three years now, gotta be hundreds of flights, and it still runs great. I have to think that it will eventually wear out.
Posted on: 10/12/2009 11:05 AM by Author "mclina" in the forum "Beginners"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9166414