Hey Guys, I was wanting to know where I can find a used turbine 15 to 20 lbs, and what would be a reasonable price.

Keep an eye out in the classifieds for a RAM 750. One comes up for sale now and then.
Should run anywhere from $1300-1600$

There is one RAM 750F (22 lbs of thrust) on auction at RCCanada in the engines for sale. Currnerly the price is at 1350 Canadian dollars (about 1050 US)!

http://www.rccanada.ca/bb/viewtopic.php?t=18072

Be careful buying used turbines! If you don't know the person well, even if they're honest and straight up, you could still find yourself in a lose-lose situation. $1050 sounds cheap for an engine, but not if you only get a few minutes of run time out of it before you have to send it in to an aftermarket repair facility that may charge some arbitrary price to fix an out-of-production engine. If you buy an engne (and especially if you're on a budget), get something current! Somehow, this statement seems to offend some Ram owners, but it's not meant to. It applies to any engine whose manufacturer/warrantor and service department has ceased to be. Get the seller to agree to a buyback if it's found to have issues when/if you send it in somewhere, at least.

I don't know the quality, and I'm still researching, but check www.jetjoe.com . Comments about the company / product are most welcome.

I've got a Jetcat P-80 available for 2100.00 US. Runs fantastic. Currently on my ROO

thats what I like about Jetcat..... I just bought another turbine, this time it was a p-120. I called and spoke with justin, gave him the serial number of that turbine and he gave me the history of that turbine before i bought it. then i shipped the money to the seller and he sent me the turbine.

before you buy a used turbine. check the work history on it.

mark

really go for the wasp. 20lb thrust small size and good on fuel . nothing comes close to this really for the price and quality

Check the RCU classifieds - e.g. http://www.rcuniverse.com/market/item.cfm?itemId=131166 - almost brand new AMT 180 for just $1500. Woj also has one for sale, though his does not seem to inlude a gsu, based on the photos in the ad (?). These engines require air-start though, so factor in the cost of a scuba tank and regulator when comparing these engines to any of the electric start variety.

Gordon

Hi
I have a JJ1400 only 12lbs thrust, has many many flights and much more running time and runs perfect. Many people have bad things to say about jetjoe but these are people who dont own one. All of the owners of jetjoe turbines say they run very good at least I never read anything bad from a jj owner.
Tim.

be careful it doesn't blow up in your face. no REALLY . it does happen quite a lot

How many is "many, many flights" ? I recently saw someone boasting about having loads of flights on a JJ, when he had only flown it about 20 times [X(]... to many of us, 20 flights is a weekend's flying, and nothing close to indicating reliability. Tell me about your 200+ flawless flights with a JJ, without it having to be repaired (with the exxception of FOD / crash damage), and I'll consider it reliable.

BTW, the quote in your sig line, that you attribute to Chuck Yeager, is in fact generally attributed to W.W. Windstaff.

Gordon

Thanks Gordon-saved me having to do it. Scott

You people are something else. It used to be that r/cers where helpful frendly, you people are just plain well I wont say it. The jj I have has lots of use LOTS if thats not good enough for you then I feel sorry for you. High dollar turbines have gone to your head in fact the so call anme brand turbines have there problems as well. I have never had a turbine blow up ever. Once I did see a turbine wheel come apart and then it was only because the rpms had exceeded the design limits this was a homemade wheel pieces came out the back and it was back to the drawing board no harm done. JJs are a good low dollar turbine...
And as for my sig thank you for pointing that out I will change my sig. Do you supose that Mr. Yeager could have spoke that quote hmmmm.

Well, can't speak for the rest of us, but as far as I'm concerned, I'm STILL trying to be helpful. I want anyone who is thinking about buying their first turbine, and needing to do it on a relatively tight budget, to have as much info as possible about the quality and reliability of anything they intend buying.

I'd hate to see someone who is short of cash and trying to get into turbines as economically as possible scrimp by to save up the money for a turbine only to end up having something that lets him down ... and now, since he was short of cash to begin with, he's even shorter of cash for attempting to buy a replacement engine. Better that he have an idea what the reliability is like before he plonks down his hard-earned cash - and you know what - if his choice then is JJ, then power to him -- but let that be an educated choice based on the long-term viability of the engine.

Gordon

That's the SECOND time you have said that.
Tell me about ONE instance of a Jetjoe blowing up.

I dont want to step on toes or pi^s people of. You said it education. If someone wants to get into turbines no matter for what reason, that person needs to be educated in the design and use of these wonderful toys. I will say that if a person has the money to buy a good top dollar turbine then by all means do it. There are some very fine motors being manufactured. I would also say the person on a tight budget who wants to get into jets can for a very small amount of cash if you build your own turbine. I've seen ugly high wing jet trainers people have build for under $200.00 home built motor under $300.00 if you have tools not a problem. I guess I think a little different than some having built several in years past. Its safe to say that most of what comes out of China in the way of machinery is considered to be a kit by all who have purchased these things from China. By that I mean you have to take it apart clean it tweek it, then you have a nice machine most of the time. I have a lathe and mill made in China and I will tell you after cleaning, tweaking the perform as good or better than anything made here USA in fact I have made turbine parts with them and many many other precision parts. The JJs are doing better than the machines from China, but thay run and fly and I beleave there reasonalbly safe. Anyone who wants to get into jets cant be on too tight a budget or they will not get into this aspect of r/c.
So to anyone who wants to buy a cheap turbine, you will need a deep pocket or build or own turbine from scratch or parts and get educated.
Sorry for rambling.
Tim.

Just some thought about the cheap turbine in question.

As far as I can tell that turbine is a blatant ripoff of the Wren MW54.

Wren is a wonderful company which has given this field some really neat innovations. It really pisses me off that some guy over in China is copying this design and reselling it. The real crux is that you can't do anything about it except not buy it.

I'm a student and a father to newborn twins. Money I don't have. Still, I'd rather save up a little more and buy Wren. Don't forget that the price does not end with the turbine alone. You still need an airplane, radio, servos etc... All in all you might save $500 in a $5000 airplane. Resonably safe? Your call.

Just my two cents



p.s. Buying the other turbine you also forgo the Wren service which is about the best there is.

The JJ 1200 is a copy for sure, the 1400 maybe. But then all turbines except for the Phoenix are copies to some degree. And yes Wren and others have done some research to design a better running turbine its more a matter of tweaking than inovative design. There have been companies are still are who buy parts from Wren and sell the turbines. Hmm are these copies too?

i would tell you about a jet joe blowing up but all witness`s are dead. not really its just what i have heard all i have seen is a jetjoe running ok but with lots of vibration meaning life will be short. i only have experiance flying with a few types and i can very much recommend behotec and wren engines seem to be good apart from slight problems with ecu failures. as i said also the heward wasp is a good buy

Im not sturing anything up but good greif the JJ Turbine wheel is not designed the same as the Wren.... Everyone says the JJ was copied for a Mk2 kit....3 weeks ago a goof friend of mine brought a Mk2 to the field and we sit them side be side and the was a clear difference in the pitch of the jj compared to the wren, although we did not count them, it seemed the jj had a few more blades aswell.

So...that was a lie?

Wasn't that long before it turned nasty Lasted quite well really before someon mentioned JJ.

Let's look at it another way.

Define cheap. Give it a budget. Then examine what is available at that price, look at new and used.

If it's new, check the supply chain, whats the presumed reliability, what is being said, is that view presented by someone qualified to present it, what's the evidence about it.

If it's second user or more, what are the parts status, run time, condition, evidence of others, access to the manufacturer and local availability of expertise etc etc. Indeed many of the checks for new would be as valid as the checks for cheap.

Do your homework, as if your looking for it to be cheap, it will be lower costs for reasons, make sure you understand and can qualify such reasons.

But make sure your budget has some reserve whether you buy new or 2nd user.

At the end of hte day pay your money and take your choice.

Like I say define cheap, and it is not a word oft associated with jets.............

Gazzer

Was that OK ET?

Sounds good to me.
The problem is it is very difficult to get accurate info on the Jetjoe because people keep making up lies about it.
That makes it very hard to make the informed decision you are suggesting.
I mean, people talking about them exploding? Saying lots of them are exploding? Then it turns out to be a complete lie.

Wren is the one saying that JJ copied there MW54 MK2 maybe he did, Wren only publishes the drawings for the MK2 I have a set of the MK2 drawings but I dont have a JJ1200. I dont think it would be useful to compair the 1400 with Wrens drawings. I would say that the JJ motors at least the 1200 and 1400 are more for the home builder type. The person who has tools and can tweak turbines. Much of this uncerteny I'm sure comes from JJ who ever he is not coming forth and speaking out for his motors. JET JOE SPEAK OUT. Maybe low cost is better than saying cheap. The JJs are low cost but not cheap. The parts are well manufactured tolerances seem to be good, at $700.00 a motor thats not cheap.