Norvel; where's the new stuff
10-12-2003, 07:20 AM
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Norvel; where's the new stuff
Hey Y'all, I just spent 11 days in Guantanimo Bay Cuba. Nice to be home.
Originally Norvel was releasing new product at a pretty good clip. If I remember right, the 074 was their last release, and before that it was the .25. These engines are some of their best stuff, and they seemed to be getting better as they went along. Once Sig took over N.A. distribution, all that seemed to come to a grinding halt! Nothing, nadda, Zip. Even the .40 that was promised before Sig took over has not shown up! What gives do you think? IF they keep working, we should be in store for other great small engines. Has anyone heard anything?
Randy (Digger) Birt
Originally Norvel was releasing new product at a pretty good clip. If I remember right, the 074 was their last release, and before that it was the .25. These engines are some of their best stuff, and they seemed to be getting better as they went along. Once Sig took over N.A. distribution, all that seemed to come to a grinding halt! Nothing, nadda, Zip. Even the .40 that was promised before Sig took over has not shown up! What gives do you think? IF they keep working, we should be in store for other great small engines. Has anyone heard anything?
Randy (Digger) Birt
10-13-2003, 01:36 PM
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RE: Norvel; where's the new stuff
Hi Randy,
While I don't own any N*rvel engines myself ( I have remained pure of heart ) I doubt that we will see any new engines from N*rvel for a couple of reasons. The reason that I don't think they will make an engine smaller than their .049 is that with their current manufacturing process it would be more like an aluminum brick with a prop on it than a useful engine. Just look at an .020 TD and imagine it as sandcast engine. I doubt if you can cast aluminum that small efficiently. I wonder how the Cox .049's compare to the N*rvel's in terms of power to weight ratio's?
From all accounts I have read the N*rvel .074 kicks butt for it's size, even making some .10's look like slugs. Ah temptation, but I resist. I wish I knew what their sales of .25 size engines was, I would almost bet that it's not all that great, and for them to try to compete in the .40 market would really be a tough row to hoe. It will be interesting to watch, but I suspect that N*rvel will keep it's corporate aim on the profiltable little niche market it currently has rather than go out and bang heads with the big boy's. After all, how tough is it to compete with a company like Este's who can't even produce a reasonably priced glow head for engines that have been in production for years.
Bill Sindel
While I don't own any N*rvel engines myself ( I have remained pure of heart ) I doubt that we will see any new engines from N*rvel for a couple of reasons. The reason that I don't think they will make an engine smaller than their .049 is that with their current manufacturing process it would be more like an aluminum brick with a prop on it than a useful engine. Just look at an .020 TD and imagine it as sandcast engine. I doubt if you can cast aluminum that small efficiently. I wonder how the Cox .049's compare to the N*rvel's in terms of power to weight ratio's?
From all accounts I have read the N*rvel .074 kicks butt for it's size, even making some .10's look like slugs. Ah temptation, but I resist. I wish I knew what their sales of .25 size engines was, I would almost bet that it's not all that great, and for them to try to compete in the .40 market would really be a tough row to hoe. It will be interesting to watch, but I suspect that N*rvel will keep it's corporate aim on the profiltable little niche market it currently has rather than go out and bang heads with the big boy's. After all, how tough is it to compete with a company like Este's who can't even produce a reasonably priced glow head for engines that have been in production for years.
Bill Sindel
10-13-2003, 08:50 PM
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RE: Norvel; where's the new stuff
I agree it has been a while since I saw a really new product from Norvel. Conside how long K&B built their .40 and .61 without any real innovations. OS keeps their models the same for several years at a time. Webra still is marketing basically the same engine for years. Fox has had little main line equipment new in years. Enya makes the same engines in a little different displacements but that does'nt matter they last forever anyway. Norvel has already come thru with so much new for their short existance who are we to complain?
10-13-2003, 11:15 PM
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RE: Norvel; where's the new stuff
I heard from Ed at Norvel in August. The .40s were behind schedule but are coming out "pretty quickly". There are .60s in stock in Russia waiting on new packaging.
There was also a throttled .03 in the works, but I haven't heard an update for some time.
There was also a throttled .03 in the works, but I haven't heard an update for some time.
10-14-2003, 11:15 AM
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RE: Norvel; where's the new stuff
There was also a throttled .03 in the works, but I haven't heard an update for some time.
10-15-2003, 12:53 PM
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RE: Norvel; where's the new stuff
I may be wrong but i thought I had already seen the .40 out there in a magazine ad,sig or shopatron......Rog
Bipe, I was unclear before, but the PAW 55 I was referring to is the .033. The Progress Aero Works guys call it by its metric nomenclature in their info. It seems like a nice compromise to spin a bigger prop and all on a small model, but for now I'll just stick with the bigmig .049 I've got. (especially is the PAW isn't any lighter)
10-15-2003, 02:58 PM
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RE: Norvel; where's the new stuff
I don't mean to start another needless debate, here, but just a few observations: I recently put the first flight on a new Global AT-6 ARF (yeah, I know, but I won the plane in my club's monthly raffle). I first intended to put my new O.S. Max .25 on, like the pylon racers do, but thought better of it after remembering that I haven't ever flown a 100 m.p.h. guided missile! Instead, after reading this forum for several months, I bought a Norvel .15. I did not follow the "grind-it-over-without-fuel-100-turns-to-break-it-in" instructions that came in the box. I heated the head with my heat gun (I read that in one of these forums), started it on the second flip, and then ran 40 min. worth of fuel through it alternating betwwen mostly sloppy rich with occasional moments of leaned out. It idles down to nothing, but boy does it haul that AT-6 around the sky. (I'll post a pic of the plane when I get home later today.) I was amazed at the speed and pulling power on an APC 8x4 gray scimitar prop and NFX 15% fuel. If my new in box Norvel .074 performs similarly, I will be more than happy.
On the other hand, I don't know how anyone could improve on the Cox TeeDee .020, especially given my recent experience (See "Return to R/C" on a recent forum.) It is very powerful and light in weight. If only Cox (Estes) would market this engine with the cylinder-sleeve throttle at a reasonable price, I know they would have a winner. I do not believe the lack of a muffler is really that important: Some of the electric fuel pumps used to fill the .60- and 1/4-scale size 3D planes at my club field are louder than my .020. At idle, the Tee Dee is almost silent.
Regards
On the other hand, I don't know how anyone could improve on the Cox TeeDee .020, especially given my recent experience (See "Return to R/C" on a recent forum.) It is very powerful and light in weight. If only Cox (Estes) would market this engine with the cylinder-sleeve throttle at a reasonable price, I know they would have a winner. I do not believe the lack of a muffler is really that important: Some of the electric fuel pumps used to fill the .60- and 1/4-scale size 3D planes at my club field are louder than my .020. At idle, the Tee Dee is almost silent.
Regards
10-22-2003, 08:35 AM
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RE: Norvel; where's the new stuff
Thanks for all the great replies guys.
The idea of an 03 norvel is very exciting.
Only time will tell if we ever see such an engine.
As for the post about the .25 norvels, I think they have sold a bunch. they are extreemly strong, and have become popular engines with the combat guys. I personally think that norvels are not a "Niche" engine. Maybe they are right now, but with increased development (other engine sizes), I think they will become the engine of choice. I believe they are that good. Anyway, Dont resist buying one or more norvels, It's not temptation calling you, it's common sense.
The idea of an 03 norvel is very exciting.
Only time will tell if we ever see such an engine.
As for the post about the .25 norvels, I think they have sold a bunch. they are extreemly strong, and have become popular engines with the combat guys. I personally think that norvels are not a "Niche" engine. Maybe they are right now, but with increased development (other engine sizes), I think they will become the engine of choice. I believe they are that good. Anyway, Dont resist buying one or more norvels, It's not temptation calling you, it's common sense.
