Telemaster Sales UK

One other factor is the abolition of exchange controls which occured about 1979-1980. Prior to that investors were limited in the amount of money which could be invested overseas, consequently factories in the USA and Europe were humming. Once investors, i.e, the rich, could invest worldwide they put their money where they'd get the best return, usually in low wage economies. In the last few years I've bought four pairs of jeans. Three pairs are Wrangler jeans, the other pair are Levis; both American makes. Two pairs were made in Bangla Desh, one pair in Pakistan and the Levis were made in Poland.

donnyman

The cost of china's part isn't the problem. it is the quality. if the Chinese parts held up and or last a appreciable length of time then ok! but they don't the American parts are more expensive because the quality as well as the manufacturing cost is higher when made here. I don't mind the higher cost of better components, because the time and effort of replacing (labor charges) the junk parts make it work out to cost more. You can't buy American when they only sell what is made in a foreign country.

I am very familiar with this problem, I learned of it while designing parts for a major computer company we were beat every time by lower cost of foreign parts, that is until time pasted and the foreign parts deteriorated.

donnyman

Precisely!

Instructor

My Feedback: (16)

In the past four years I had to replace the rotors on my van because of poor quality in the Chinese parts. They need replacing again. This time I am going to the dealer and pay the higher price to get the best quality parts. I should have done this three years ago. Dealer parts last about four times the Chinese part and I can keep the people working in a US job. I know this is off topic, but the reason is the same...

Instructor

donnyman

Sorry to say dealer parts are not always made here I purchased from a dealer and he admitted he bought the parts from the same place I used to. one has to check the labeling and even then................................

acdii

I just get a powerstop kit and be done with it. Best brakes I have ever had on a vehicle, and so far 60K miles on the rotors and pads and still have at least half life left. EBC makes excellent pads too, but they are from England.

Joe Fisher

My Feedback: (4)

I have a 1998 Grand Am with a 2.4. At 200,000 the water pump failed. The water pump runs off the timing chain. It took 3 ,7 to mid nights to get the $39 rebuilt unit installed. It failed in less than 100 miles,I took it back to the auto parts store and they would gladly give me a replacement but they didn't want to give my money back. I went to GM and bought a new one $179. The car now has 260,000 and every thing works fine.

FlyerInOKC

My Feedback: (6)

When you buy brake rotors put a Mic on them it seems like even on some of the domestic dealer parts the rotors are just about at the minimum thickness called for by the factory manual! I asked my mechanic about it and sees a lot of rotors that way.

acdii

To save on weight, manufacturers now have single use rotors. Replace them at every brake job unless they are true and still in spec, do not cut. Just remember, you get what you pay for, cheap rotors are just that, cheap rotors. If you want good ones, you look for Cryo treated rotors, or race proven like Power Stop. They put a lot of time into R&D so that the rotors last, stay true and provide the best braking possible. I have no doubts I can get 110K miles out of the pads and rotors, and maybe even 200K out of the rotors.

Telemaster Sales UK

I have just finished assembling and fitting a set of galvanised steel shelves for the garage. They were bought in France but made in Germany by a company called TKT. They look something like those in the link below but they have steel as opposed to wooden shelves. The instructions were in French, Portuguese and Polish which is not that unusual hereabouts but printed somehow onto one of the shelves was a notice telling me that they were made from steel produced by Tatra.

Tatra are an Indian company which own Jaguar-Landrover.

TKT-Germany.com - Insulated Containers, TKT-Thermobehälter, Contenitori Isotermici, Regale, Shelving, Conteneurs thermique, Etageres, Scaffalature

gmeyers

Ha - I had a Saito 82a that bump starts first try every time - and the funny part is that it started one time when all I did was to connect the battery to the glow plug - it fired up immediately. My Saito 82a is a real treasure - best engine I have ever owned so I bought a 2nd one but have never put fuel to it yet but plan to soon... They both have the original Saito Plug. I had a friend who was having trouble starting and running his Saito 120 after a winter of improper storage. I gave him a Fox Miracle plug and it fired up smoked a bit then smoothed out and ran nicely - he was happy.

gmeyers

Yes I have found the aftermarket rotors to be harder metal than factory originals - probably will last considerably longer.

FlyerInOKC

My Feedback: (6)

Well its official, here is an excerpt from an email I just got:Dear Valued Customer:As you may be aware, Hobby Services' parent company, Hobbico, declared bankruptcy in January 2018 and has initiated a sale process.We are excited to share with you that the RC brands and Hobby Services website that you have come to rely on over the years will continue. The Bankruptcy Court has approved the sale of Hobbico's RC business to Horizon Hobby, LLC. Horizon Hobby has been in business since 1985 and serves customers in the United States and around the World. Horizon Hobby also maintains a strong online presence and warmly welcomes Hobbico customers to its growing family. With this acquisition, Horizon Hobby looks to build upon Hobbico's great reputation for providing quality RC products to customers across the country. More information about Horizon Hobby can be found at https://www.HorizonHobby.com.As part of the sale, Horizon Hobby is purchasing Hobbico's customer databases. The Hobbico Privacy Policy provides that the company will not share any personally identifiable information with any third party without your consent. Under this Privacy Policy, you have the right to opt-out of the sale and the transfer of your personal information to Horizon Hobby, and of receiving future e-mail or mail communications from Horizon Hobby.

acdii

I'm surprised it took this long to be posted, it was approved late Tuesday/early Wednesday. Now, did HH buy the entire company, subsidiaries and all?

FlyerInOKC

My Feedback: (6)

I would really like to know. Here is what the news reports but it does mention Top Flite specifically. The sale will be completed tomorrow.Horizon and Hobbico have served many of the same retailers and customers for years," Horizon CEO Joe Ambrose said when his company announced it would try to buy Hobbico's RC units.Horizon is buying Hobbico's Great Planes and Tower Hobbies divisions, along with its Axial and Arrma brands.Also on Monday, a bankruptcy judge approved a separate $7 million sale of Hobbico's Colorado-based model-rocket subsidiary, Estes, to an organization called The Langford Group.

donnyman

They say times are changing, well we are watching change take place at a fantastic pace. one has to really pay attention or be left in the dark as to what the current situation really is.

In the past we here in the U.S. were the top of the heap in almost all areas of science and such but that isn't true anymore, we have fallen so far behind in so many fields it is alarming. the economy here has really fluctuated drastically in the past twenty years, we went from a surplus to indebtedness so severe our great grandchildren will be in a bind. what gets me is our congress for several years now seems incapable of doing what is right and needed, they are like deer staring into headlights.

It seems the only advancement made is in the private sector, space travel seems to be in the hands of private the private companies, and so far they are doing a bang up job. but were are they going to get the future engineers and mathematicians from? our kids don't seem to be interested.

The future is a exciting place but I wonder if the U.S. will be involved in it. I saw a program on TV this morning where the various military departments are introducing young children toward engineering and science and mathematics, maybe all hope isn't lost, I hope for the best.

acdii

Well, I just returned from Toledo and let me say, our hobby as a whole is in dire straights. It used to be that the flying "cage" took a small corner of the floor, now it stretches the entire width and takes up 4 vendor rows. That is how few the vendors have become. In fact SIG was not present, which screams bye bye hobbyist. If it doesn't come already built, good luck finding a kit. Other than Balsa USA, National Balsa, and a kit cutter who has recently been purchased and under a new name, everything else is either those stupid quad's, or foam.

Horzon's buyout of TH was just approved this week, but must have been in the works for quite some time and as a for sure thing because all the stuff that would have been in a Hobbico booth was no Horizon, including Futaba and OS. What to become of Top Flight and Great Planes kits is still an unknown, but knowing tha HH deals strictly with ARF and mainly foam, it is a pretty good bet you will not be seeing very much of the kits anymore, if ever. I can see them going the way of Byron, Pica, and a few others.

The swap meet is getting pretty thin too. Friday was the big day, but those who usually have a ton of stuff had about half as much, and what was on the tables was either very old, and stuff you see every year that just doesn't sell, or just too expensive. There were plenty of Saito engines, planes with Saito, but not a single 115 to be had. Kits are very thin, those that were there were either very old ones that hold no interest to most builders, or too expensive. There were some SIG kits that were going for more than full retail and none of any interest to me, but one did catch my eye, a SIG Mini Smith bipe, only because it said designed by Mike Gretz, which made me choke up a bit, still can't believe he is gone. He was such a great guy.

Donny, I hear you and my son who is 11 now wants to be an aircraft engineer, so I told him the best way to get ahead of the rest in that field is to serve in the Air Force, and earn college tuition while serving. He can gain so much knowledge while in, and if he keeps his grades up, he may also become an Officer which can propel him even further, so he is keeping that in mind and agrees that it is a good idea. Hope he doesn't change his mind. Who knows, he may even become a real pilot too.

Telemaster Sales UK

As a non-American I find it sad that the United States spends so much on defence. According to Wikapaedia the budget has doubled since the Millenium and in 2013 the USA spent as much on defence as the rest of the world combined, or looked at in another way, as much on defence as thirty-four other nations combined, thirty-two of which are allies. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:T..._2013.jpg.jpeg

I am aware of the saying "Si vis pacem, para bellum," "If you want peace prepare for war" but I've also read that empires start when there is a percieved need to invade other countries to benefit from their economic resources. As empires expand there is an increasing need to expand the military in order to secure those assets. Eventually the cost of military expenditure becomes too much for the home economy, committments are reduced and the empire collapses. The history of the Roman, British and Soviet Empires are good examples of this process. The United States of America does not have an empire in the same way as the Romans and the British but it does have spheres of influence and the perceived necessity to show the flag. If this applies to the American situation, at what stage on the bell curve has the USA reached today?

Lest any American reading this is offended let me say that as a British National I fully appreciate the role which the USA played in defeating German militarism in two world wars, and that I am grateful for her sacrifices. I feel however, that the world would be a better place if some of the money spent on defence was spent on civilian projects. You want an example?

I have held a motorcycle licence for over fifty years. I regularly look up bike tests on YouTube. I have been shocked at the state of some of the American roads which feature in those videos. If some of the money spent on defence were spent on improving the roads, the American economy would benefit, unemployment would fall and there would be a need for greater skills-training.

Finally, I am not a pacifist. I was once a sergeant in the Territorial Army, the equivalent of the US National Guard.

PS. On a lighter note, the Shepherdess called round briefly yesterday to say that everything between us was "alright" in her words. About as alright as the situation between the British and German troops in the trenches of the Great War. We are talking to one another from behind our fortifications!

acdii

That Military spending is wasteful spending. It falls into a huge black hole never to be seen again. A vast majority of that money is spent on expensive drone hardware and equipment, and not on the actual troops or their care after they are out. OTOH a vast majority of money is spent on illegals, and welfare, and would be better spent putting welfare recipients on a work program to get them off welfare and off their fat youknowwhats. Put them to work cleaning up the cities and roadways, and rebuilding the infrastructure, then they can be proud of something they did. Look back to when the Hoover Dam was built, thats how they did it back then, so why not do it again today?

I hate to say it, but the bulb has grown dim for our childrens futures here, and it is only a matter of time before it all collapses. Way over dependence on technology, and not enough basic life skills in the classrooms. No home ec classes, no penmanship, and they aren't even allowed to think to do math but use tablets and calculators instead. Thankfully I taught my kids how to do math in their heads, and to be independent from technology. I don't want them to be that person who cries in a corner when the SHTF after some terrorist drops an EMP and takes down the power grids.

Not an alarmist, a realist.

donnyman

acdii
it seems you and your son have a plan that may work just tell him no matter what, he must at least try, most failures is the result of the fear of failure, but failure is just a learning tool that when properly utilized leads to success. Something I learned too late in life. R.O.T.C. is another way.

Telemaster
"I have held a motorcycle license for over fifty years. I regularly look up bike tests on You Tube. I have been shocked at the state of some of the American roads which feature in those videos. If some of the money spent on defense were spent on improving the roads, the American economy would benefit, unemployment would fall and there would be a need for greater skills-training."

you don't live here yet you can see the truth! our LEADERS? are blinded by the quest of acquisition ... the lust of money. Our country has fallen into the hands of our military manufacturers because they cannot make trillions of dollars if they can't sell their war machines! So they payoff the powers that be to keep their cash cow, thus our military grows but we can't use our roads and bridges because the money is spent on bombs.

If, and I do mean IF we the people don't get off our asses and vote these idiots out of office we will go the way of Rome. George Bush and his daddy proved that, our economy failed when each held office, but people here have failed to notice. Bush JR. took office with a budget surplus but put us in debt in less than three months.

donnyman

I could not have said it better! my thoughts exactly!

Telemaster Sales UK

I saw a BBC report from its Moscow correspondent years ago, when the Soviet Government was reaching the end of the road. One middle-aged Moscovite who was interviewed in the street said, " The only thing that works well in this country is the army, and what does that acheive? All the money that goes into the army goes up in smoke!"

I could not have said it better myself.

Telemaster Sales UK

My new wing for the model I intend to compete with in La Coupe Des Barons is taking shape. It's perfectly standard apart from the use of a shaped trailing edge and gussets. The kit wing uses balsa strip which you have to plane down to a trailing edge profile. I'm not allowed to have a wing with ailerons in La Coupe, hence the need to build another wing.

My only other problem will be which pilot to chose to fly the aircraft. Trenchard is very experienced but perhaps too old for an event like this. Pilot Bear is keen but has lost his goggles. Bader is rather tired. Bleriot is the favourite!

I am also finishing off another Baron as a Reserve Model. I have built the tail surfaces and the basic fuselage is complete but as it had been built by a novice, it's slightly bananad and the top longeron is curved downwards instead of being straight. I will have to see what can be done. I will have to build yet another wing for the Reserve Model.


I may simplify the structure. This is permitted within the rules as long as you use a Clark Y aerofoil section and the wing is the same plan form as the original +/- 10%.

flyboy2610

My Feedback: (1)

I vote for the bear!

donnyman

Telemaster
without full knowledge of the event you will enter, I must say that wing is strong enough to be used as a battering ram. It must be very heavy! Please do not think I wish to criticize, or ridicule.
But permit me my humble opinion I think that wing is over built/designed.

If I were to modify that wing I would reduce the size of the leading edge stringers by half or use only one small one between the leading edge and main spar then sheet with 1/32" or 1/20" from the leading edge to the first main spar giving you a smoother leading edge and tie all the components together for a lighter stronger structure next I would reduce the size of the rear former triangle braces to zero or at least by two thirds, then cut oval holes in all the ribs behind the main spar.

Now I will take my opinion and go sit in the corner. I only want to help!