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Where have all the builders gone

Old 07-17-2015, 07:54 AM
  #851  
spaceworm
 
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Originally Posted by paladin
Bashed Almost Ready to Fly - BARF

I'm hoping to / fretting the convertion of my IMP Macchi202 from gas to electric (anyone want a ZDZ 40)....
I have a attic full of kits and arf's too.

Joe
I also have more kits than I will ever get around to building, I am keeping them for my Grand Kids. They are flying twin rotor mini copters and quads now. Small park flyers this summer, I hope.

I think I "need" a bigger engine that the 33cc conversion engine I now have in my Liftmeister. I am thinking a 40cc might work. What are the specs and asking price of your ZDZ 40?
Thanks and have a great summer.

Sincerely, Richard
Old 07-17-2015, 08:26 AM
  #852  
paladin
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haha, thanks I forgot about when my daughter moved out I gutted her room and have to sheetrock and mud it.

Joe
Old 07-17-2015, 09:06 AM
  #853  
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ive got 3 going right now and i dont think i'll get to the stang
Old 07-17-2015, 09:22 AM
  #854  
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Hey Tom where did you install the workbench and the beer cooler so you can maximize your deck use?

Sounds like we both have the same problem WhiteRook!

Mike
Old 07-18-2015, 04:53 AM
  #855  
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Originally Posted by FlyerInOKC
Hey Tom where did you install the workbench and the beer cooler so you can maximize your deck use?



Mike
The beer cooler is on the left of tje gas grill.

I have a nice sized table, but I doubt that I'll ever be able to build anything on it. My wife uses it to enjoy adult beverages while doing her crossword puzzles.

My shop has even been invaded by this project. At one point, it was full of the deck lumber. Right now, space is beeing used to assemble a composter.
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Old 07-31-2015, 11:04 AM
  #856  
paladin
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I got to ask this cause I'm quite pissed!!!
for 40 years I've always kept epoxy in the house. sometimes the hardener would start to crystalize, but when I mixed it up the crystals would dissolve and it would still perform its function. always kept 5, 15, 30, 3hr, and a finishing resin on hand. in 2011 I started to run out so I made and order to tower for their 5, 15, 30 in September. in January I need to open one of the new boxes and the hardener had crystalized. I added some heat to loosen it up to no avail. I checked and all three were rock hard. called tower furious, and they replaced them all. fast forward 8months and they are all hard again (only the hardener) they were all open by then so I figured I need to change vendors. I bought from horizon and 11months later all hard again. so I bought devcon from lowes and went to use it two weeks ago and you guessed it.


so I'm figuring at this point epoxy is only made by maybe two companies in the world and they both changed their recipe to cause this. so they already got 40-50 bucks out of me they did not earn ( I tossed 40+ planes worth of epoxy to this point and as made as ...) so I'm going cheap I bought the smallest bottles I could from hobby king 5 minute and that is all I will stock from now on.


anyone else see similar?

I may buy some devcon 30 minute and keep the hardener in the freezer but first this 5 minute has to perform.

how long have you had your epoxy? what brand is it? and how much have you used?

Joe
Old 07-31-2015, 11:54 AM
  #857  
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I have had really good luck with Bob Smith Industries epoxy over an extended time. Its the only brand my LHS will carry anymore. Real nice folks and they are R/C nuts too!

http://www.bsi-inc.com/
Old 07-31-2015, 11:55 AM
  #858  
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I've had the same trouble with epoxy from Tower. I buy my epoxy from the LHS, in the smallest quantity avaiable.

Buying epoxy from the Big Box stores may be futile. Who knows how long it's been sitting there. The LHS has a better shot at moving product, keeping it fresher.
Old 07-31-2015, 01:15 PM
  #859  
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I've left BSI, and Devcon on the pegboard for a couple of years during a slack building period and no issues, building more now so I go threw it pretty quick. Have had a problem with unopened Gorilla Glue going bad on me so I only buy small quantities as I need it. Good to know about the Tower stuff, I stock it for our build club and don't refrigerate it, think I'll put it in the reefer nnext to the CA.
Old 07-31-2015, 01:34 PM
  #860  
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Same here on TH glue, and use only BSI stuff for all adhesives. Have never had an issue with any of it, Epoxy, CA, thread locker, etc.
Old 07-31-2015, 02:46 PM
  #861  
Steve S. Helland
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I've had every brand of epoxy that I know of, Anchor, devcon, tower, GP, BSI, HK, you name it...never had an issue in those short time spans you have described. Always over at least a year! I wonder, what temperature(s) are you storing these adhesives? I know you said in the house, but that's it. I just ordered a 9 ounce set of tower 6 minute and 30 minute epoxies from Tower, so, for all I know maybe they have changed the formula, in which case I will be upset as well...
Old 07-31-2015, 03:36 PM
  #862  
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I usually use BSI but I just went out to look and see what I have on hand in the shop at the moment, I have a bottle of Pacer 560 canopy glue still fresh and it's 8 years old, a little dab of Pacer hinge glue still flowing and it's 8 years old. The surprise was that I had half bottles of Z Poxy finishing resin and there epoxy that are several years old still good. About 1/2 inch of BSI epoxy still good. I have heat and air in my shop but almost never use it so the temps run from about 115 down to 20.
I did have to toss out what should have been good epoxy from Tower in just a couple months but from old posts here on RCU I knew Tower had a problem for some reason??
I have posted a lot about buying my CA from Wood workers supply stores just so I know it is fresh then storing it in the freezer until needed. I never have glues go bad, maybe just lucky?? Of course there isn't much moisture in the air here so humidity may be the big factor??
Old 07-31-2015, 03:46 PM
  #863  
essyou35
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Not sure if this counts as building, put I am doing a yellow aircraft f-18 single (turbine). Feel free to follow and give pointers.
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2464153
Old 07-31-2015, 03:57 PM
  #864  
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I've built a few balsa/ply kits and a few foamies from scratch. I just don't care to make a build thread most of the time because it takes forever documenting everything. I did it for my first couple of builds cause it was a new thing for me.
Old 07-31-2015, 04:39 PM
  #865  
mike31
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Building either from a kit or scratch is a big part of the satisfaction one will get when it takes of and flies.. Just about anyone can assemble an arf.
Old 07-31-2015, 04:42 PM
  #866  
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I got some from Tower many years ago and it was old when I got it and was nothing but issues. Tower did take it all back, no questions asked. I have been using Bob Smith epoxy and I have never looked back. I have some stuff that is over 5 years old and no signs of getting old at all. Good Luck, Dave
Old 07-31-2015, 06:08 PM
  #867  
rick hamel
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I also received epoxy from tower that was hard--old stock?
Old 07-31-2015, 06:21 PM
  #868  
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I have some 8 YO Z-poxy, just checked it out, still good.
Old 07-31-2015, 06:40 PM
  #869  
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This thread brings up an interesting question. There are builders out there, but not as prevalent as they used to be it seems. I'm a builder and love building. My dad (Larry Wolfe of Jet Hangar Hobbies) taught me so much and I'm so thankful to share his passion. I can only hope that there are more out there so we can inspire a younger generation to build.

In an attempt to try and inspire builders (both new and experienced) I setup an RC Blog called thercgeek.com. I've been chronicling my builds there and using them to write how to articles. I'm starting also to get into how-to videos on my youtube channel as well (https://www.youtube.com/channel/the rc geek). It's all a work in progress, but it's a start. I can only hope folks find it helpful.
Old 07-31-2015, 06:46 PM
  #870  
rick hamel
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I have anchor bond from 18 years--still good
Old 07-31-2015, 08:19 PM
  #871  
Gray Beard
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Originally Posted by Jet20
This thread brings up an interesting question. There are builders out there, but not as prevalent as they used to be it seems. I'm a builder and love building. My dad (Larry Wolfe of Jet Hangar Hobbies) taught me so much and I'm so thankful to share his passion. I can only hope that there are more out there so we can inspire a younger generation to build.

In an attempt to try and inspire builders (both new and experienced) I setup an RC Blog called thercgeek.com. I've been chronicling my builds there and using them to write how to articles. I'm starting also to get into how-to videos on my youtube channel as well (https://www.youtube.com/channel/the rc geek). It's all a work in progress, but it's a start. I can only hope folks find it helpful.
Good luck with this. I have given lessons here in my shop to anyone that wanted to learn how to build and students could use my equipment. My last two students were a while ago, one was 12 and one was several years older then myself. They each built one kit and then went right back to ARFs. That's OK but then when the ARF got broken they tried to bring them to me for repair. I'm all for ARFs if someone just wants to fly but it would be fun to at least teach covering so people could strip and recover there ARFs if wanted or needed.
When one club tried to get the people into building they came up with a racing class using the SIG Kavalier. They only came in kits. I ended up building a lot of those planes and they kept me in modeling money for a long time.
Old 08-01-2015, 04:39 AM
  #872  
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After being in the hobby for more than half a century I still enjoy building best of all. Back in the day if you wanted to fly you had to be able build, it was as simple as that. Most folk who claim they don't have the time to build are either just lazy or don't really enjoy building. What greater joy can one get than from seeing his or her creation either kit or scratch built model take to the skies. Just my .02 cents.
Old 08-01-2015, 10:05 AM
  #873  
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Still a builder, but I will assemble an occasional ARF for the sake of expediency. After a day of mental masturbation in the corporate trenches, working with my hands on a model is great therapy. We are empty nesters and I have the basement all to myself with 3-4x8 workbenches and a 3x8 workbench backed with pegboard. One of those benches is about 50% allocated to the job of reloading ammunition, but the rest is pure creative space. Life is good! Especially having a wife that encourages my hobby.
Old 08-01-2015, 11:11 AM
  #874  
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GOOD for you!!! Enjoy...
Old 08-01-2015, 12:50 PM
  #875  
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I had the same issue with some 30 min. epoxy from Tower. I have some West System epoxy that is probably 10 yrs old, and still works great. Its a bit pricey, but it's worth it in the long run.

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