Glowgeek

I almost bought a pandemic inspired build last week. A friend built an Ace 90" Taylorcraft Clipped Wing kit last year. It turned out very nice, covered in fabric, all futaba servos with a used but good running DLE 30 up front. He wants $200 for it. Hard to resist.

Jesse Open

The Bill Thomas Cheetah, there was one that ran around Woodward Avenue, about 4 miles from home back in the late 1960s. His had a Booth Aarons built 302 Chevy. Made a lot of horsepower, painted gray for minimal cop appeal.
https://www.motortrend.com/news/detr...ruise-history/

the Wasp

My Feedback: (1)

I remember seeing the Cheetahs in the mid 60s at the slot car track store, my older brother got one that Christmas (red, 2 carbs). a couple years later I saw the full size in a mag. I thought it was the most beautiful car made, and still do.

Jim

Jesse Open

As I recall they were Revell or Cox sidewinder motor slot cars. Yes, I was taken aback at just how sweet looking.

(Edit, memory came around, not Monogram, The Cheetah slot car was a COX made car)
They were a hot package around 1967-1968
By then I had moved in to full size rides but was still re-winding Mabuchi can motors for the locals. The hot setup for the Cox-Mabuchi at our track was 29 turns of #29 Formvar magnet wire. Balanced on a pair of Wilkinson Sword, single edge razor blades. Loads of fun.

the Wasp

My Feedback: (1)

that's how I balanced my props all those years, I had to turn shafts for the different size holes I needed, LOL but my balancer's name is Prather

Jim

Jesse Open

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/k...+5d5af1cf30ea3

Glowgeek

At Summit Racing prices, using a 50/50 blend of Techniplate/Super Techiplate, the oil for a 14% oil content fuel would cost $7.25 / gl. The oil for an 18% oil content fuel would cost $9.25 / gl. That's with no methanol or nitro, just the oil. That's not terribly high by today's standards, depends on what you can get the other components for.

Edited for math error

Jesse Open

I offered the Summit link as it is one of the lowest mail order prices. I can still get it quite a bit cheaper from my friends at the local motorcycle shop. The $2.50 /gallon methanol is in Pennsylvania so I only get that when I happen to ne out that way on a trip. Otherwise, I get it from one of a few local sources. Right now around $30/5 gallons. Nitro is presently about $40/gallon.

Prices vary almost daily and with the newly minted inflation can go just about anywhere from here. Not really a big deal but I try to keep prices down as I mix fuel for a few friends as well.

My personal "stash" is at about forty gallons. I can fly a long time on that

erieqc

One might want to get stocked up because this is only the beginning you not going to want to see what’s in store.

modeltronics

My Feedback: (27)

I was about to buy a gallon from Summit but they want $12 shipping. This brought the Klotz up to the same price as Amazon. What was interesting is this:

• Your order includes a hazardous item or items, your shipping methods and charges may be affected.

Jesse Open

Darn it!
Thought it would have helped but no-go.
There is a Summit racing store near Cleveland Ohio. Maybe if you know someone who goes to that neck of the woods......

The cheap Pennsylvania methanol isn't far from there but, being in Texas you should be able to locate something closer to home(?)

modeltronics

My Feedback: (27)

Methanol is no problem here. I have several sources of it. After the last swap meet, I am very well set on nitro. With only 3% nitro in my fuel, it lasts a long time. I will continue to look for Techniplate Klotz oil. I think running Klotz Super Techniplate has caused me carbon problems on the exhaust valve. It does take a lot of flying to carbon up the exhaust valve, but I do fly a lot since my flying strip is at home.

At one time Rich's Brew fuel sold me synthetic oil. He would not tell me what it was. It is water clear looking. It worked as well as any oil I have tried. I know he will have a rep. at a swap meet in January here in Texas. I'll give him a call to see how much for a gallon of his oil delivered to the swap meet.

My home brew fuel is not totally about price. To buy commercial fuel I would have to drive to Dallas and that would be over two hours away. I hate Dallas traffic and try to avoid it as much as I can.

It's a beautiful fall day in this part of Texas. I will be burning fuel this afternoon

Gary, 15 meters is wide open to Europe this morning.

Jesse Open

Pedro,
Just listened on 15, loads of CW too!

I bought some Motul Micro 2T to try out. Mixed a batch of 10% nitromethane/16% oil. Generally , I increase the oil content when I leave the castor out.

Aside from the Motul having an outrageously foul smell, not seeing much difference here.
Plus, it costs quite a bit more, nearly double Klotz prices.

Glowgeek

Shipping is free from Summit with purchases of $99 or more. Not sure about hazmat fees.

Hyjinx

Hey Gary
I am in new york picking up a great lakes special. Yes I am that crazy. Added a framed but not covered 1/3 BUSA flybaby bipe to the new momobile he had in a corner all ready to final sand.My Buddy Bob will love covering it over the winter. Then we will throw an R3 on it and thrash it around Adrian with no cowl. I happen to be coming through Pennsylvania tomorrow during the day. Is that fuel dump with 2:50 per gal 99% pure open Sundays? And do I need cans?

Jesse Open

Wow, when you're hot, you are really HOT!
Good scores! I think they have jugs, at a price.
Better to bring your own. I have a friend do the pickup, then I get it from him.
Not sure about hours, seriously doubt Sunday. The link has their phone number. Call for the current price as it varies almost daily.

https://crystalviewwasherfluid.com/racing-fuel/

modeltronics

My Feedback: (27)

Yesterday I called Rich's Brew fuel here in Texas. He said he would sell me his synthetic oil delivered to the swap meet in January for $40 a gallon. He also told me is was Ucon oil. I used a gallon of it once before with no problems. I'm thinking about getting 4 gallons of it. Anyone have any experiance with Ucon oil?

Jesse Open

Ucon is basically refrigerator compressor oil.
Probably one of the most used oils by commercial fuel suppliers using synthetic oils.
I was getting refer oil free for many years from a friend who built large commercial systems. Got pretty much all could use!
Always suspected it was Ucon or some copycat generic of Ucon. Never did find out. Added a bit of castor. The engines ran, did't blow up, cheap fuel= life is good!
.
Also used Ucon in methanol fueled racing karts. Nothing to complain about.

I wouldn't be surprised to find out Ucon stock being a compnent of Klotz. Just a suspicion, not an inside scoop.

There are many grades of Ucon and I believe it is hard to find in less than 30 gallon or so drums.

modeltronics

My Feedback: (27)

Gary
I think I am going to buy some Ucon oil from Rich's Brew fuel if he will deliver it to the swap meet in January. Some of the swap meets around here have been getting canceled because of Covid. I still have plenty of Klotz Super Techniplate and I have a couple of quarts of regular Techniplate. That should get me more than through this flying season.

Now I think I'm going to go out and burn some more fuel

the Wasp

My Feedback: (1)

Guys, I can't believe I am telling this crazy story !!!!!
well, you guys know how life, and good and bad and funny and sad can go around close together. well. when my daughter left home 5.7 years ago to live with her boyfriend and have my first granddaughter. she left her cat here. he was a big 20 pound yellow tiger. he was an outside cat for the first 5 years of his life, then one day he came in and never went out again. he turned 13 this year and he NEVER scratch any one. and never clawed the woodwork. after my daughter left he come to bond with me. I didn't understand that cause he never once came to me before that. well. in the last 8 months he has lost some 9 pounds, he became so thin you could see his rib forms. I think he knew cause he cried all the time and he wanted to out. so we let him out at 7 or 8am and he stayed out all day and didn't come in until 12 midnight or 1am. he was very sick. he didn't eat much at all. we took him to the Vet again on Wednesday and it was time to set him free. he had everything against him and the Vet said so. I didn't want him under some bush for 2 days too weak to get home, or have a dog or wild cat hurt him or worse. you see he lost so much muscle mass he could not jump well. so the Vet put him down and we brought him home. boy I tell you I feel like I betrayed him !!!

now here's the crazy part of my story. so at the Vet's Wednesday I told the Vet that our other cat "has not used the cat litter for 5 days and I can not find where he is going", told the Vet I looked and looked so we have to bring that cat in too and the Vet told me he has to be going some were because a cat can not hold pee for 5 days. well, I have looked and looked and looked and looked and no pee or poop anywhere. and there has been NO smell, non !!!!
Saturday night/8 days no pee no poop no smell, 12 midnight, my wife is in bed sleeping. I go in the bathroom. close the door but I did not latch it. I hear the other cat jump off the bed and run and the bathroom door flies open and the cat jump's up on the bathroom counter and get's in the sink. his tail goes up and he squats and pees in the sink. now before you say "what about the sink's pop up stopper" I removed it years ago because he would pull it up and chew on it. so this cat is now peeing and pooping in the bathroom sink.
how do I fix this problem ?? LOL

any one want a cat? he's a indoor cat and you don't even need to buy cat litter LOL

BTW, this other cat is a Blue Tip. the tips of his ears are dark Navy Blue. the Vet told me because he has NO papers he is only worth $1000. he was a wild kitten when we got him. he came waking out of an old barn at the metal scrap yard.

Jim

Hyjinx

Thanks Gary. Missed the fuel but got the planes. Lol. Have to make it a week day next time. I'll take some empty VP 1 cans.
​​

rajul

My Feedback: (58)

Hi guys, I have a Saito 125 which have been in storage for several years. I made sure I oil it every now and then. No sign of bearing corrosion, valve gaps still good. I would like to know which are the important o-rings that need replacement. I will replace the o-rings for the intake manifold, but any other critical ones? I hope to get the engine up and running as soon as possible. Thanks in advance!

Glowgeek

There are 5 orings, they are all important. Chances are you won't have to replace any of them. I would run it to see. The carb gasket set is Saito p.n. sai125A91. It includes orings for the spraybar, lsn, hsn and intake tube (upper and lower). Also includes the metal washer for the upper intake tube.

The most likely to get hard and fail to seal correctly is the upper intake tube oring due to heat.

1200SportsterRider

The O-ring that goes in the head has a little tag on it that says VITON.

Glowgeek

When did they start doing that Dave?