I quess you are right about attracting the winney people....it attracted you!

Hi,

As a child who was a teenager in the late 1960's, the ww2 generation (our parents) has all of the above complaints about us and frequently shared it with us. Now we have similar complaints about the generations that follow. It seems to follow "The older I am, the better I was!!!" Among college students who I employ every summer, I find the same level of work ethic in 2008 as 1986 when I hired on at Cornell Univ. I think our perspective changes as we age and we really cannot view the previous time in our lives with true objectivity.

just my 2 cents

Elson

Could be.

CJ - always adding something worthwhile and enlightening to the conversation That's more the pot calling the kettle

Ralph, If you have been looking for a reason to quit I can understand. Having been a small business owner I can understand where you are coming from. All I can say your input to the hobby will be missed. As far as your RC engine business, that will leave a hole. I don't know how many times, in my small world, I have heard " having trouble with the engine, send it to Ralph". You fix things, the "old school way" as apposed to throwing parts on it till it works again. You have fix my RC engines, as a matter of fact you have one now, and I will continue to sent them to you as long as you are willing to have them. You have a lot of support in the RC industry, and when Ralph speaks, people listen.

Hi Ralph,

Sorry to hear about you leaving the engine business. Been there done that. It can be a real pain when a customer won't own up to their own mistakes.

I havent been doing much R/C myself lately. Mostly just flying my Experimental Light Sport planes, (Really just legalized ultralights!) Most of the Unlimited R/C stuff seems to be too far away now to participate. Might try again if Kent Mckennna and Company decide to have another go at it in California sometime.

Dont let a few numbskulls wreck the hobby and business for for you. There are plenty of good people out there who recognize and appreciate a talent such as yourself.

Best Regards

Carlos Grageda

Thanks for that shot, Pat.

You disagree what I've observed at my own club? Never saw you around these parts checking us out......

Here at RCU.

We both know that I haven't been to your club.

Now, do we carry this futher, and if so, here, or via PM? We've got at least two people noted as moderators participating in this thread so I figure I've got no place to go in continued open conversation without being "moderated".

The problem is that some companies do!! I have heard more than once Horizon or GP replacing airframe, engine, radio components.

-


And then we wonder why some modelers feel that they deserve this kind of treatment!

I admit that it is a nice sentiment on the part of the suppliers, but it sets a bad precedent. However, the world is not interested in this old man's opinion, so I'll just drop it after saying that at least the suppliers erred on the good side of the situation.


Ed Cregger

I just found out from a friend that you all were trashing me on this forum. Thats right i'm the "dumb ass" that you all are talking about. In the first place I bought the engine for a good price from Ralph because it was returned due to dead sticks from another customer. I have heard nothing but good about Ralph and when he said it was good to go and the other guy was an idiot I bought the engine. It was installed initially on a Funtana 90 that was flown many times prior to the engine being installed. The flying weight was just over 10 pounds. I fly with a dual battery setup on my receiver because of hi torque digital servos. I fly with a 2000 mAh ignition battery and I don't go to the field without completing a full charge on all of my batteries. I own two ZDZ 80cc engines, one BME 50cc and a DA 50cc. I have not had issues with these engines. I know how to tune an engine. But just in case I don't I have many people behind me that have many more years than I check everything out before I leave the ground. The Funtana had a few deadsticks prior to the crash and we continued to tune to what should have been dead nut. The plane deadsticked approximately six to eight feet off the ground with a fence right there. I'm sorry i'm not God guys as some of you sound like you are but there was no getting out of it. Maybe you can levitate a plane, I cannot. The engine was sent to RC for diagnosis and repair if necessary with no hard feelings or so I thought. The second plane was a brand new Yak 1.20. The engine was installed and tuned following Ralphs own recommendations here in these forums. I had three flights and the engine seemed okay other than an occasional miss. Fine tuned and went up again to have it dead stick downwind in approximately 15 to 20MPH winds. The fact of the matter is she just couldn't make it back to the runway. Once again maybe some of you holier than thou folks out there could have just coerced another 20 or 30 yards out a her and cleared the end of the runway. I'd like to see it. Now lets move on to the rest of the story. I didn't ask for Ralph to pay for my planes. I am really impressed how all of you took it upon yourself to decide how big of an ass I am and how I forced Ralph to quit his business. Take a good look in the mirror folks you might be suprised by who you see looking back at you. For the record the engine has been sent back to Ralph and there has been no $885.00 check show up at my house. If I can figure out how to do it I am going to post our corespondence here so you can all look at the train wreck and get your jollies. Trash me all you want but as you will see I didn't do a damn thing wrong. I didn't even ask for my initial purchase money back, I just told him that the engine had problems and I wouldn't put it on one of my planes and that it was an $885.00 boat anchor. All of which is true. All I got for the deal was a man I respected cussing me which didn't show up here because it was sensored and a bunch of yahoos thinking they new something they didn't. I thought our hobby was full of better people than this. There was also a couple of other lines in the original e-mail that had to do with a $45.00 financial matter but I don't guess thats any of your business. Just want to make sure i'm being 100% forthcoming here so you don't blast me again if someone tries to say i'm dishonest.


Sincerely, fabmaster911

Gettin' Lower!



Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 21
Re: G26



Quote: Originally Posted by rcign
Quote: Originally Posted by fabmaster911
Quote: Originally Posted by rcign
Quote: Originally Posted by fabmaster911
Ralph, I don't know if you got my e-mail about the engine I got from you or not but I wanted to see if you want it back. It's no good to me and i'll never put it in another one of my planes. I can't afford to. Maybe it's just cursed. Greg MacKenzie

Didn't get it, send the engine back with how much you paid, I will refund 100%

Ralph,

When I came back from Florida my engine was here but I didn't open it up. I just finished building my new Aeroworks 1.20 Yak. Now the rest of the story. You did give me a good deal on the engine initially due to the fact that it was a return because of dead sticks. As of today this engine has cost me the initial purchase price as well as a $250.00 Funtana, dead stick. And now my new YAK. It went in on the fourth flight due to you guessed it, dead stick. I just paid four hundred bucks for that plane. If I didn't know how to tune an engine I would understand. In fact I have followed all of your recommendations in the forums. I had some of the guys that fly the BIG ones check everything out as extra sets of eyes. I am extremely particular about my planes and I had everything set up correctly. I don't really know what I hope to accomplish by letting you know about this but I figured I should tell you what happened. I guess I am now the proud owner of a $885.00 boat anchor. Bent crankshaft.

Wrong, $885 will be in the mail tomorrow...I wish you luck with your new Chinese engine, this is the best deal you will ever get,,,






Ralph,
in the first place I won't buy a chinese engine and in the second place I never said you tried to screw me but there is a problem with this engine. I'm sorry you feel like i'm trying to screw you but i'm not. We're all in this hobby together and I realize it's a business for you. You would be upset if you were in my shoes too. If I thought there was a chance I screwed up I would own it but thats why I sent the engine back to be checked out after the first plane crashed. It's got to be some kind of intermitent ignition problem is all I can figure. You are a professional at this and I hold your opinion in high regard. I wish you hadn't felt it necessary to call me names though.

Maybe the first post should be READ, this would all be unnecessary...The check WAS sent, the person who recieved it has sent me a PM and will be destroying it..
NO ONE had any idea who you were, your name was NEVER used on this or any other forum...
If one of my ignitions fails it is guaranteed, it WILL be replaced..In your case I don't know why it continues to quit...It was replaced with a new one after the first dead stick...
C&H and I both use these ignitions with close to 100% reliability...The ignition in the mounts are the exact same circuit without the plastic box and cap and wire...
Send the 26 back, a check will be in the mail...I don't remember the $45, I can add that to it....
Thanks to the rest of you guys, chill out, it's OVER...
I have been doing ignition conversions for about 22 years and it's getting old...Like it said in the very first post, time to slow down...If I can't rely on the ignitions I don't want to make any more, just like when my own ignitions had a problem and I started using the C&H circuit...

Ralph, I respect the fact that you did not use my name but i'm not going to sit back and let these guys hammer me when they know nothing about me or my knowledge of gas engines. They all assumed I demanded that you pay for my airplanes and thats not the case. Regarding the check it was not sent to me but i'm glad you have been able to straighten it out. The engine should be at your door in the morning.

Anyone that actually READ the first post (and #39) KNOWS there was no demand....They just ASSumed....Happens all the time...[]
Maybe your "friend" needs to learn reading comprehension....

Ok heres the deal...I have flown both airplanes with this notorious G-26 installed....Every single time I flew this engine, there was something wrong... It did not deadstick every time however it did have a nasty hiccup that could not be duplicated during ground runs... Everyone one who saw and heard the planes fly had no clue what was happening. We changed gas, plugs, oil mix and the ignition after he sent it back following the Funtana90 crash of 08. The 3 flights we got on the Yak/g-26 combo still had the hiccup. I dont have all the answers when it comes to tuning motors, but the ones I have seem to be running pretty dang good.

I was the pilot of the Yak crash and when the motor quit I was about 150 ft up with plenty or room to bring it down. I have successfully landed plenty of deadsticks which is why Fab wanted me to fly his plane. I brought the plane around just like I am supposed to but as soon as it headed into the wind, a gust hit it and I set it down as gentile as possible.

If you big boys that love to talk all this madness about "how people cant fly", "blaming the wind", blaming "faulty equipment", I invite you to fly at our altitude and constant wind speed with an airplane that you dont pick up from a trash can or swap meet, and see how your hard earned time and money doesnt end up in a wal-mart bag every once in a while.
I dont care who you are everybody crashes....that part of our little hobby here, but if you have the audacity to bad mouth someone who has the trust to buy a piece of equipment that he knows has caused crashes and put it on a brand new plane, then you are the ones destroying this hobby...

We were speaking of a hypothetical situation until you brought your name into the thread. That was unnecessary and will accomplish nothing positive.

My point was that the pilots of R/C models are like the pilots of a full scale aircraft in that it is their duty to be situationally aware of their surroundings and circumstances, not to mention be aware of the fact that the engine can quit at any time. Had you been situationally aware, neither of your models would have crashed. So, the fault of the crashes lies with you. Not an engine that quit.

Having been a model flight instructor since the Sixties, this is one of the things that I teach all of my students. Fly in a manner that is conducive to making it back to the runway at all times. If you lose a plane because of a deadstick - IT IS YOUR FAULT. Not that of the engine, kit or even the radio manufacturer. Yes, even the radio manufacturer. Why? Because you had the oportunity to choose a different brand R/C system. Just like the Captain of a ship, it all falls upon your/our shoulders.

In my mind, Ralph's responsibility is to provide you with an engine that runs well and reliably. If it doesn't, it is his responsibility to fix the engine. But that is the end of his obligation. Nowhere did I call anyone an *******. I might have implied that they were incompetent having lost a model to a deadstick. I stand behind that statement, if made. I've been an ******* myself several times, but I didn't blame the engine manufacturer.

I'm not defending Ralph. Nor am I blaming you for doing something that most modelers do regularly. But that is how I see the situation.

Good luck with your future models.


Ed Cregger

Okay, lets wrap this up. Thank you all for your words of encouragement and your blessings in my future flights and especially my landings. I believe that Ralph and I are fine and consider this matter settled. I too hope he will continue to provide us all with his very valuable service. All right now on to the serious stuff. Please send your donations to Fabmaster911@.............
May the Karma God shine on you all. Thank you and good night. We're here all week

Never fly any model airplane that you are not willing to lose.

Bill, AMA 4720
Waco Brotherhood #1

Hey Fabmaster, Thanks for the otherside of the story.


and Ralph, My new ignition in my G-26 runs GREAT!!! Thanks.

Kelly

This thread is as good a time as any for me to say this: First, Fabmaster sounds like a pretty decent guy to me and there were obviously some misplaced assumptions about his part in this.

A couple years ago, Ralph and I had a little tiff on this forum and bad things were said. Our disagreement was primarily the result of my impatience with Ralph not returning calls and slow response in general. I am by nature a very impatient person and I take full responsibility for our disagreement. I will add, however, that Ralph and I are the same age and it might be an old man thing, but Ralph is no diplomat himself. At our age, we tend to be more direct (blunt) in our dealings with others.

My sole purpose in posting this is to publicly express my regrets for what went on between Ralph and me as I've always felt bad about it and to publicly apologize to him and/or anyone else I offended. I have never doubted that Ralph is a decent man and I have never said otherwise.

The nature of this thread seemed a good time for me to clear the air regarding Ralph and Larry.

No doubt patience seems to be harder to come by as we get older. I'm not the oldest guy here but certainly on of the guilty ones when it comes to tolerence. I need to do better. BTW. My rascal took a hard hit Sunday at our Fun Fly when the engine quit shortly after takeoff while making a hard climb out. I figure I was about 20 feet off the ground when she died and it stopped in it's tracks and fell like a rock. I was able to get enough air speed to get her nose level before she hit but she was still decending pretty fast. I had just added the B&B landing gear reinforcement kit w/ 3/16 inch music wire and I think that is what saved her. Only damage was the landing gear. Cause: dead ignition battery.. Root cause: I'm an idiot.

Great.....just great. [:@]

Am I to understand that my patience will thin out as I get older? Heck, I am 34 and I ALREADY have no patience! [8D]

Yes significantly. Tolerence is hard to come by. I am hoping that some day I will just get too tired to let my mouth overload my arse.

Ralph,

You could raise your prices till your business volume slows to the point that you can handle it comfortably, you make more per engine but have less work, has to be a point in there that would work for you, I sure would not want to see you quit you are a very valuable resource for us r/c guys, thanks for all the help you have provided much of it free.

Bill

Fabmaster911, That sounds fine...except why should you expect any donations? Capt,n