ZimboRaider

Hey all,

Now I know there are tonnes of posts abou what you need for your field box but is this all I'd need?? Any small additions and subtractions would be welcomed:
OS #8 glow plug
Prop Balancer
10x7, 11x6 prop
GP Prop Reamer
3ft fuel tubing
5ft recoil fuel tubing
Tower Hobbies Hand Crank fuel pump
2oz after run oil
Panel Ready Torquemaster 90 starter
Panel ready glow igniter
Hobbico Micropanel

And the big box to put it all in.......
Thanks

jboy381-RCU

i don't take half that stuff...all i take is glow plugs,props,starter and battery,glow lighter and battreies,small screw drivers,and fuel can with six shooter fuel pump...


keep it simple and fun...

john

SwampFlier-RCU

Straighten your list:


OS #8 glow plug [sm=thumbup.gif]
Prop Balancer [sm=thumbdown.gif]
10x7, 11x6 prop [sm=thumbup.gif]
GP Prop Reamer [sm=thumbdown.gif]
3ft fuel tubing [sm=thumbdown.gif]
5ft recoil fuel tubing [sm=thumbdown.gif]
Tower Hobbies Hand Crank fuel pump [sm=thumbup.gif]
2oz after run oil
Panel Ready Torquemaster 90 starter [sm=thumbup.gif]
Panel ready glow igniter [sm=thumbup.gif]
Hobbico Micropanel [sm=thumbup.gif]

Happy Flyng

CP140

I'd be tempted to drop the "panel ready glow igniter" and get one that has it's own battery(Du-bro makes some...so do a bunch of others) as it's one less set of wires to get in the way...

Yub, yub, cmdr!

To kinda reiterate SwampFlier:

Glow Plug: Yes
Prop balancer: No
10x7, 11x6 prop Yes, Get APC, not MAS
GP Prop Reamer No need
3ft fuel tubing yea -or-
5ft recoil fuel tubing this
Tower Hobbies Hand Crank fuel pump yepp
2oz after run oil -Nope too expensive. Get what is recommended in the Engine Forum.
Panel Ready Torquemaster 90 starter - Get this and get the Hobbico Battery attachment thingy
Panel ready glow igniter yea.. if u get Hobbico Nicropanel and a 12v batt and charger, or get the Hobbico Battery attachment thing, a regular portable Glow Igniter.
Hobbico Micropanel Maybe.

ZimboRaider

Thanks all,

Yub yub, what is recomended in the engine forum??
Does anyone have a design for a homemade prop balancer?? Minnflyer??
Oh, and thanks for the tip about the igniter

DBCherry

My Feedback: (4)

I don't use a power panel at all. Buy the self contained glow igniter as was mentioned, then get a manual fuel pump, and a starter with an attached 12 volt battery. That way you skip the power panel and you don't have any wires hanging around the prop when starting the engine.
Dennis-

All Thumbs

If you're trying to work up a list to place an order, I'd add on a glow plug wrench. Kind of handy to have in the box.

Chuck

CP140

One more thing... a wrench( a real combination wrench) to fit your prop nut...

CafeenMan

Yes - do not use a 4-way wrench on your prop - use a real wrench. I use a cresent. I use a 5/16 socket with a straight driver for the glow-plug. I haven't used a 4-way in years because I only used one side of it.

The prop balancer isn't accurate outdoors due to wind.

I like a power panel better than a separate glow driver - one less thing to charge since I have to charge the 12v anyway.

ZimboRaider

In regards to the prop wrench and glow plug wrench I plan to use a spanner and wrench set I have already, just one less thing to spend on.

whstlngdeath

My Feedback: (15)

If you are going to use a power panel, don't forget the 12v battery and charger for it. I've gone away from using a single source of power. My glow plug lighter is self-powered, my fuel pump is manual and I start all of my engines with a chicken stick. That makes my box so much lighter. You will eventually need a loaded, or expanded scale voltmeter to monitor the receiver battery pack. That also means a set of charge leads to hook it up to the plane.

Jesse

ZimboRaider

Just talked to Dad and he said a guy at work could try to make me a prop balancer at work on the lathe. There is a guy there who flies pylon racing so he could show the lathe guy one to copy.

WhistlingDeath, could I modify an ordinary meter to act as a expanded voltmeter?? All these do is measure the batteries under load dont they??
How big are your biggest engines?? Is the chicken stick effective and easy to use if you prime properly??
Sorry for all the questions

whstlngdeath

My Feedback: (15)

On the meter, while you could modify the internal circuitry to provide the load, you would also have to change the faceplate of the meter to show the correct range of voltage under test. A expanded scale voltmeter zeros in on a specific range of voltage that you are testing. A regular meter's scale usually starts at 0 volts on the left side of the meter's faceplate, a meter made for our hobby would usually start at 4 or so volts for the receiver and about 9 volts for the transmitter readings. You're just better off buying one that's already calibrated for the range we normally check for our receiver and transmitter packs. Tower Hobbies online lists some good ones from Hobbico as well as their own brand.
I have started a Saito 1.80 fourstroke with a chicken stick with no problem. As long as the engine is well broken-in and tuned correctly, you should be able to crank it up with a chicken stick or other suitable item. A fellow modeler at our field made a hand starter for his large glow and gas engines out of a golf club handle! The padded grip on the handle won't damage the prop and the extra length gives him more leverage on those big, high-compression engines.
Please don't apologize for the questions, that's what this forum is all about!

Jesse

ZimboRaider

Thanks alot whistling death,

Somewhere I read that by putting a resistor accross the terminals can create an expanded voltmeter. Oh well, maybe a bit later we'll have to look into it

3DFanatic

My Feedback: (5)

Here's what I take to the field with me:
Airplane
Radio
fuel
Startermotor
battery
6v fuel pump
glow driver
1 screwdriver (sized to my low-end needle)
voltmeter

no extra props and junk to lug around and weigh me down. I finally figured out that it was never me using my tools, it was other people so I stopped bringing those too.

00000000000000

I bring a good bit of stuff, but no meter. I put a little $11 VoltWatch thing on the side of my trainer. When my instructor asked me the first time "Is it charged?" He was giving me a funny look, and I could tell he'd had bad experiences in the past with students RX batteries. I just said "there's a VoltWatch on the side, you tell me!". He was all over it, and I think it eased his mind a lot. Was worth the $11. It eases my mind also... - Joe

whstlngdeath

My Feedback: (15)

The voltwatch device is a neat little thing, but when you own about 11 planes, it could get pricey having one on each! [X(]

Jesse

ZimboRaider

Hey all,

Today I went up to the nearest hobby shop and had a look see with my parents. Theres a NZ company that produces gliders. I was kinda thinking that I might get one that I can launch in the local park and use when I cant go flying(I have to travel 45 mins down the road and I am reliant on my parents for transport[&o]) and while I am waiting for the Eagle 2, engine and radio that I am being given.
Thoughts...??
Oh yeah I finalised all the field equip. list thanks to all you great guys! Thanks again

raptor5900

My Feedback: (4)

here's what i bring to practice small box, glo ignighter ,starter, 12v batt, fuel pump, glo plugs, wrench, fuel. here's what i take to contest: all of the above, alot of parts and tools and all the extra fuel and handy things that you dont/might need......and so i take all that in a big tool box.

SaviCatses

You know, you don't really need a 12 volt battery, power panel, and electric starter for your plane. I started flying this last summer and I've relied on a simple chicken stick. It works plenty fine - only once I really couldn't get it started after aout 50 flips, and a club member helped me with his starter. Turns out that the carburator was unseated and was leaking air (due to a crash), which was te problem in the first place, I went back to normal starting with the stick after the fix.

Anyway, think about it - I spent about 75$ less by going with the stick and I'm pretty happy!

As for the rest, start small and you'll see what you need as the season goes on, this way you save a lot of money on otherwise little used equipment.

Montague

I agree that you should start small and go from there, saves you money, and you can learn what you like and get only that.

In your list, you had some fuel tubing. I don't bring spare tubing to the field, but you do need tubing to connect the pump to your airplane and the fuel jug

Yes, you can wire up a resister to some leads to make a perfectly functional meter. If you use a digital meter, the whole "expanded scale" thing is not as important as it is when using an analog meter. I've been doing this for years.

The reamer and balancer are tools you should have, but don't need to bring to the field. Instead, ream out and balance your props at home.

On props, buy a few different sizes and brands and see what you like, then you just need to bring that one size in the future. But always have a spare or two with you.

I use after run oil in many of my engines, but I usually add it at home when I'm putting the planes away and doing post-flight inspection and notes.

A lot of guys bring screwdriver and hex driver sets to the field, I know I do (actually, I bring a few selected ones that actually go to screws on my planes). But if you pre-flight well at home, you may not need them much. In general, the more care you take at home, the less you need at the field.

There are guys at my field who come with a jug of fuel, a syringe or fuel bulb, a nistarter, and a chicken stick, and the're good to go for a day at the field. And there are guys who bring the whole shop with them, and always seem to need it.

(I acutally have two boxes, one that I always bring to the field, one that I bring sometimes. The second box has a lot of spare parts, like fuel tubing and other misc stuff. It's not necessary, but it's handy. I also bring redundant things to the field. I have two nistarters, since I am forever forgetting to charge one of them, and I hate it when they go flat. I also have a fast field charger that gets a lot of use.)