Hi Dick,

Your views on one-piece cranks are well known to some of us, and you make strong arguements, but I think the bulk of the designs of engines being non-cantilever speaks volumes. It seems that a lot of engine designers don't share all your views.

BTW, I don't really agree with your label for double-bearing cranks at chainsaw cranks. The majority of engines from all 2-stroke applications(motorcycles, karts, etc) use this type of design in one way or another. It has nothing at all to do with chainsaws.

>>n single cyl model engines the cantilever style crank is the accepted current setup for all of the high performance designs I have seen.
If you take note of any of the most modern European -or Japanese model two strokes - again the same setup

I assume you're talking about small glow motors, which I don't agree is an accurate comparison. I think karts and motorcycles are much closer related to our gas motors than model glow motors.

>>the "downspout" exhausts are fading fast

How do you mean? This is certainly not true in any significant numbers. Only contest flyers are typically concerned about this at this time(and this trend just started) and they make up a very small percentage of the R/C population. I don't know one person at my field that is using anything but "downspout" exhausts. Virtually no one has tuned pipes or cans that I know of at any field I've been at. I would guess that less than 1/2 of 1 percent(I certainly pulled that out of of my...the air), but I know they aren't fading fast.

It's a matter of cost, difficulting in installation, and most people wouldn't even know where to look for a tuned pipe, let alone which one to buy. Dick, you're just about the only one on the Web that I have seen that knows anything about tuned pipes. I know that is different in Europe, but we are talking about the US aren't we.

I want to make it clear that I'm not arguing against this movement, I love the sound(or lack of) of having tuned pipes and cans being readily available at reasonable costs. I'd love to use one. I'd love to see it happen, but I think it will be many years before it takes over, maybe never.

BTW Dick, if either DA's new 50 or BME's new 50 come out with cantilever cranks I'll seriously reconsider my position.


Bill