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Old 07-22-2008, 08:16 PM
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hungryandbroke
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Default Cheapest Fuel

Where can you buy the cheapest fuel by the Gallon or Case?
Old 07-22-2008, 08:44 PM
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bigtim
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Default RE: Cheapest Fuel

I get a price break from my LocalHobbyStore when I buy fuel by the case or larger I would talk to the owner and see if he will cut you or your club a break for buying quantity.
one of our club members used to get 15 cases at a time and sell it to other club members at the price break as a favor, but it became too much of a hassle,he was getting older and wanted the room for other things lugging fuel around was a chore.
so I went to the LHS and they gave me a break in fuel cost after chatting with the guy in charge,some will cut you a break some wont.
Old 07-22-2008, 09:03 PM
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NJAIRSTRIKE
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Default RE: Cheapest Fuel

switch from nitro to gas :-)
Old 07-22-2008, 09:15 PM
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DRC1
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Default RE: Cheapest Fuel


ORIGINAL: hungryandbroke

Where can you buy the cheapest fuel by the Gallon or Case?
Local Hobby Store...Unless your competing, best to use what you can get...Recommend contacting you local RC Flying club and ask where the members are getting fuel...

LLD
Old 07-22-2008, 10:08 PM
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Gray Beard
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Default RE: Cheapest Fuel

Every big weekend Hobby People has A big sale and there Power Master is usually on sale for A pretty good price. Over the forth they had Power master 20/20 for 20 bucks and the 15% for 15 bucks. That's not A bad price, when I was buying the 15% through my club by the case it was 14 dollars A gallon and that was two years ago.
I stock up every time there is A sale.
Old 07-22-2008, 10:31 PM
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Default RE: Cheapest Fuel

Switch to electric. Electrons cost $1 per billion! (Just put it in my PayPal account)
Old 07-23-2008, 12:27 AM
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Campgems
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Default RE: Cheapest Fuel

Lets see, I've burnt 1 1/2 cases of nitro fuel at 16.75 a Gallon in the last year, just about the price of one big ole Lipo Pack. The fuel fits any plane I own. I don't have to worry about it catching on fire when I refuel. I don't have to worry about it going permantly dead if I don't drain all the tanks to 1/3 before I put them away for the week end. I don't need a $200 fuel pump and a computer to fuel up. I don't have throttle servo melt downs if I fly agressive, and last but not least, my engines don't whine when I start them. OK, my planes slobber a bit and have to be cleaned up after a fun day at the field. They smell, thats not bad. They tend to mark their teritory when setting for a bit. But they don't need a sound system to sound like a real plane either. So what's the point of electrics again[8D] Balls in your court.

Don
Old 07-23-2008, 06:10 AM
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Default RE: Cheapest Fuel


ORIGINAL: Campgems

Lets see, I've burnt 1 1/2 cases of nitro fuel at 16.75 a Gallon in the last year, just about the price of one big ole Lipo Pack. The fuel fits any plane I own. I don't have to worry about it catching on fire when I refuel. I don't have to worry about it going permantly dead if I don't drain all the tanks to 1/3 before I put them away for the week end. I don't need a $200 fuel pump and a computer to fuel up. I don't have throttle servo melt downs if I fly agressive, and last but not least, my engines don't whine when I start them. OK, my planes slobber a bit and have to be cleaned up after a fun day at the field. They smell, thats not bad. They tend to mark their teritory when setting for a bit. But they don't need a sound system to sound like a real plane either. So what's the point of electrics again[8D] Balls in your court.

Don
Do real planes sound like chainsaws or lawnmowers or like a 16000 rpm two stroke glow engine?

Maybe you should refresh your memory by watching this video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2U00WK20_U
Old 07-23-2008, 09:03 AM
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Default RE: Cheapest Fuel


ORIGINAL: B.L.E.


ORIGINAL: Campgems

Lets see, I've burnt 1 1/2 cases of nitro fuel at 16.75 a Gallon in the last year, just about the price of one big ole Lipo Pack. The fuel fits any plane I own. I don't have to worry about it catching on fire when I refuel. I don't have to worry about it going permantly dead if I don't drain all the tanks to 1/3 before I put them away for the week end. I don't need a $200 fuel pump and a computer to fuel up. I don't have throttle servo melt downs if I fly agressive, and last but not least, my engines don't whine when I start them. OK, my planes slobber a bit and have to be cleaned up after a fun day at the field. They smell, thats not bad. They tend to mark their teritory when setting for a bit. But they don't need a sound system to sound like a real plane either. So what's the point of electrics again[8D] Balls in your court.

Don
Do real planes sound like chainsaws or lawnmowers or like a 16000 rpm two stroke glow engine?

Maybe you should refresh your memory by watching this video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2U00WK20_U
Ahh... but calculate the number of exuast (/m) and youll see glow 2 strokes are pretty damn close...
Old 07-23-2008, 10:26 AM
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Default RE: Cheapest Fuel


ORIGINAL: Flying freak


ORIGINAL: B.L.E.


ORIGINAL: Campgems

Lets see, I've burnt 1 1/2 cases of nitro fuel at 16.75 a Gallon in the last year, just about the price of one big ole Lipo Pack. The fuel fits any plane I own. I don't have to worry about it catching on fire when I refuel. I don't have to worry about it going permantly dead if I don't drain all the tanks to 1/3 before I put them away for the week end. I don't need a $200 fuel pump and a computer to fuel up. I don't have throttle servo melt downs if I fly agressive, and last but not least, my engines don't whine when I start them. OK, my planes slobber a bit and have to be cleaned up after a fun day at the field. They smell, thats not bad. They tend to mark their teritory when setting for a bit. But they don't need a sound system to sound like a real plane either. So what's the point of electrics again[8D] Balls in your court.

Don
Do real planes sound like chainsaws or lawnmowers or like a 16000 rpm two stroke glow engine?

Maybe you should refresh your memory by watching this video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2U00WK20_U
Ahh... but calculate the number of exuast (/m) and youll see glow 2 strokes are pretty damn close...
Alot closer than the bzzzzzzz or whirrrrrrrrrrr of electrics. Now turbines have it made, can't tell the difference when in the air.
Old 07-23-2008, 10:42 AM
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Default RE: Cheapest Fuel


ORIGINAL: Campgems

Lets see, I've burnt 1 1/2 cases of nitro fuel at 16.75 a Gallon in the last year, just about the price of one big ole Lipo Pack. The fuel fits any plane I own. I don't have to worry about it catching on fire when I refuel. I don't have to worry about it going permantly dead if I don't drain all the tanks to 1/3 before I put them away for the week end. I don't need a $200 fuel pump and a computer to fuel up. I don't have throttle servo melt downs if I fly agressive, and last but not least, my engines don't whine when I start them. OK, my planes slobber a bit and have to be cleaned up after a fun day at the field. They smell, thats not bad. They tend to mark their teritory when setting for a bit. But they don't need a sound system to sound like a real plane either. So what's the point of electrics again[8D] Balls in your court.

Don
Here, here!

Add to that;

One gallon versus an ammo container full of battery packs for a day at the field.
No waiting to fly again.
Fuel doesn't sag and produce less power later in the run.
I like the sound of my four strokers.

( now I DO like electrics, but they are not less problematic and/or less expensive than glow engined planes... ).


Old 07-23-2008, 10:53 AM
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Missileman
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Default RE: Cheapest Fuel

I have figured on average glow fuel vs electric to be very near the same cost, batteries have a mortality rate that puts the per flight cost very near the same as glow.
If batteries lasted longer then they would be cheaper but they don't.
Back to the original question, the best price I have found is through the annual club purchase.
Old 07-23-2008, 11:05 AM
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Default RE: Cheapest Fuel


ORIGINAL: Missileman

batteries have a mortality rate that puts the per flight cost very near the same as glow.
If batteries lasted longer then they would be cheaper but they don't.
Yup, as I've found out the hard way.

It's far easier for me to purchase eight gallons of glow fuel and tell the "significant other" that it will last the rest of the season...

... than it is for me to explain the credit card charge for yet two more 18volt 4800mAh LiPo packs... Ouch!



Old 07-23-2008, 11:55 AM
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RCKen
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Default RE: Cheapest Fuel

Ok guys, let's try to get the discussion back to the topic of the thread. Which is what the cheapest fuel is. There are plenty of Glow vs. Electric discussions out there, so we don't need to discuss it here.

Thanks for your cooperation.

Ken
Old 07-23-2008, 12:36 PM
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Default RE: Cheapest Fuel

Wildcat for $13.99/gal. is the cheapest I can get.
Old 07-23-2008, 12:56 PM
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Default RE: Cheapest Fuel


ORIGINAL: hungryandbroke

Where can you buy the cheapest fuel by the Gallon or Case?
As mentioned above, contact local clubs and see where the members buy their fuel, you may at least find a LHS that gives club members a discount.

The other thing you could do, which would get the price down even more, is get several club members together and do a large fuel buy once a year. If you tell your LHS you want to order 10-20 cases of fuel, they might give you a much larger discount. If you live near a fuel manufacturer, contact them about buying it by the drum (55 gallons each). We are fortunate enough to be located near S&W Hobby, a fuel manufacturer, so my club typically buy 2-3 drums of 15% airplane fuel from them per year. Members bring their own containers and we distribute it on set days at the field. This year the club purchased the fuel for about $9 a gallon, and members paid $11 a gallon for it.
Old 07-23-2008, 01:05 PM
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Default RE: Cheapest Fuel

Some clubs will buy fuel in large quantities from a distributor and pass the discount on to the members. My club did this and it saved several dollars per gallon and it was stored at the field so no LHS trip was needed. No car gas to burn and no taxes either.
Old 07-23-2008, 02:27 PM
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Default RE: Cheapest Fuel

EverypartyneedsApooperthat'swhyweinvitedKen!!party pooperpartypooper
When I was in Calif. we had two club members that would buy pallets of glow fuel. I don't know what they were paying but if I bought A 6 gallon {or 8??} case from either of them then my fuel was $13.00. A gallon. Then gas prices went up, this was A few years ago so not this newest gas hike, anyway, then it went up to $14.00 A jug. I don't have A clue as to weather or not they are still doing this so I don't know what there prices are.
I figure if I can still get Powermaster {same fuel as the club} for $15.00 when on sale then I'm still doing pretty good and I stock up.
When I was still into sand rails and some of the guys were running alcohol then FAI was really cheap for me. Not bad fuel either but you do have to make changes.
Just look for those deals, they are out there waiting!!
And because Ken is getting A case of the butt about E vs G I can't even tell you my E story from this morning.
Old 07-23-2008, 04:45 PM
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Default RE: Cheapest Fuel

My local Hobbytown USA stocks Wildcat 10% nitro 80/20 synth/castor fuel for $10.99 per gallon with the Patriot R/C brand name on the jug. It's awfully tough to beat that.

You could mix your own FAI fuel five gallons at a time for less. One gallon of castor oil is $19.99 from Sig, just mix it with four gallons of methanol from the local go cart/racing shop and you should be good to go for about $7 to $8 per gallon.

I wouldn't recommend that particular mix in a Saito or YS 4-stroke, but it should run most sport engines just fine.
Old 07-23-2008, 06:35 PM
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Default RE: Cheapest Fuel

I'm going on A road trip {all the way to the other side of the strip} this weekend and will be going into my local Hobbytown so I will see what they have in stock and how much they get for it. For 11 bucks A jug I don't care if my engines like it or not, I will force feed them!!!
I once tried FAI in A couple of two strokes. Once tuned for it they ran OK. I never did try it in A four stroke but I don't like to fool around with them very often just for fun, they run just fine as they are.
FAI is cheap to brew up though and works quite well. If prices do go up too high I can see A lot of guys brewing there own again.
Old 07-23-2008, 10:07 PM
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Default RE: Cheapest Fuel

I burn five to six gallons a year and I just can't see mixing my own to save $20 a year. I may change my mind on this though. My last case of Omega 15% cost me $16.75 a gallon at the local hobby shop. I've only got a gallon left so it's time to start looking again. Like you Grey Beard, I fly four strokes and It is so nice to just make a click or two of adjustment between the end of one jug to the start of the next.

A while back, one of our club members left a couple unopened jugs of Cool Power 30% at our field. I grabbed one, but I'm not a cool power fan. I've heard that the nitro goes bad after a while, even if it is unopened. So If I lost half of the nitro goodness, Think this stuff would still be good after four or five years? I bought out a guys entire hobby a couple years back and there was a case of Towers's version of Omega 15% that was at least seven years old. It burned very well until the last tank of a jug. I was flying more then and a jug didn't last so long. So, how about mixing old and new fuel? A jug of iffy 15% and a new jug of 30%. Just a thought, looking at about five gallons I'm not sure I can use.

Don
Old 07-24-2008, 08:52 AM
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Default RE: Cheapest Fuel


ORIGINAL: Campgems

I burn five to six gallons a year and I just can't see mixing my own to save $20 a year. I may change my mind on this though. My last case of Omega 15% cost me $16.75 a gallon at the local hobby shop. I've only got a gallon left so it's time to start looking again. Like you Grey Beard, I fly four strokes and It is so nice to just make a click or two of adjustment between the end of one jug to the start of the next.

A while back, one of our club members left a couple unopened jugs of Cool Power 30% at our field. I grabbed one, but I'm not a cool power fan. I've heard that the nitro goes bad after a while, even if it is unopened. So If I lost half of the nitro goodness, Think this stuff would still be good after four or five years? I bought out a guys entire hobby a couple years back and there was a case of Towers's version of Omega 15% that was at least seven years old. It burned very well until the last tank of a jug. I was flying more then and a jug didn't last so long. So, how about mixing old and new fuel? A jug of iffy 15% and a new jug of 30%. Just a thought, looking at about five gallons I'm not sure I can use.

Don

If the old fuel was kept sealed out of day light and cool it will stay good for a VERY long time (some guys have used 25 year old fuel)

Steven
Old 07-24-2008, 09:15 AM
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Default RE: Cheapest Fuel

We just went down to LHS and bought Wildcat 15% helimix at $100.00 a case it used to be around $60 a case they said this wont be the end of the price increses either so most of the guys at our club are gettin out the gassers or checking into buying into gassers. Gasoline may be high but at around $4.00 a gallon its alot cheaper then $25.00 a gallon This increase is going to put the hurts on glow engines for everyone consumers and engine manufacters.
Maddog
Old 07-24-2008, 09:25 AM
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Default RE: Cheapest Fuel

Hopefully prices and availability will return after the Olympics. Heard the other day that they are expecting the athletes and others to come home with a variety of respiratory problems.
Old 07-24-2008, 10:42 AM
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Default RE: Cheapest Fuel

I've got enough nitro fuel stocked for the next 1.5 to 2 years, so hopefully prices will be more reasonable then, or I just may convert to BL/LiPo powered electrics by then!


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