Erik,

What would the cost be to switch my Taigen Tiger to infrared?

The metal IR turret is $91.20

http://www.imex-model.com/product/TA...ET.html?cid=90

the plastic turret with plastic upper is $68, but Erik would probably sell just the plastic turret, and you should ask him when the next 20% off sale is coming up (he might even tell you if it's close). I know there's a discount for RCU members, but I don't think it's as high as 20%.

so all you need is the turret to be IR compatible to play IR Battles?

Ha Ha! If only it were that simple. Swapping the turret will make you IR compatible with stock Taigen or Heng Long IR tanks, but to be Tamiya compatible is a whole different story. For that the turret swap is only the start, because that's the fastest way to get barrel recoil, muzzle flash and the base for the apple, even though you'll change that if you use a Tamiya or Impact apple. You'll have to upgrade to an aftermarket board, like an IBU2, Asp or TK22. Who are you going to have IR battles against?

I'm getting ready to make a Taigen Full Metal Tiger One Late into a Tamiya compatible IR battle tank using an Asp and the Turnigy 9XR Pro and I plan to get as much video and as many still photos as I can. I guess I now know at least one guy that will be watching on the edge of his seat? ;)

I was just going to battle with wife or grandkids... not looking like it will be worth doing it... I might actually just sell or take this Tiagen back if they will let me and get a Heng Long to paint up for display and casual use - I know this one is better and all but I just don't foresee myself putting the kind of cash and effort into this hobby it would seem to require as I have other hobbies that have a higher priority for me and it seems at every turn it's more cash and not in small amounts to do much with this... not what I thought I was getting into when I bought the more expensive tank as I figured most of it would be at or near top grade and not need things like gear boxes, sound systems, new boards, new turrents etc etc... to get it where I thought it would be out of the box. I realize one can stop at any point but just to get this tank how I would like it to be is more than I want to spend on the hobby. I thought I knew after talking here but I guess I should have asked more questions - or I should have waited to use on in person rather than just looking at one and picking it up not realizing it was going to cost a ton more.. but oh well, ya live and you learn. Maybe if Erik will swap me for an IR version if I buy a new IR tank from him I could salvage things a bit? if not I doubt the hobby store will take it back as they said basically once the battery is plugged in and everything is unpacked you cannot return it... what would be a fair price to ask for a tank like that used about 10 minutes? I never used the smoke stuff at all.

Its tough starting out new in Tanking. Its hard to know what you really want until you have it. It then seems like you have to something more and that comes with more $$$. I think my Taigen Tiger I Early metal would have been a good fit for you. You could have done your own paint job on it and been done, as its been upgraded to a TK22, HKT6, Tamiya Battle System, Clark servo elevation,barrel recoil, and Tarr smoke kit. I know how you feel, I bought 3 at the same time and ended up upgrading the electronics and IR system almost immediately. Like you said live and learn. Good luck to you, maybe something better will come along for you in the future. Maybe Crius will buy your Tiger, I think he needs a couple more, lol!

Thanks, well you live and learn - I was already going over budget when I decided to get the Taigen and by doing that I thought I would be set as my only knowledge was the little bit here and youtube but now I know... Yours sounds like a nice tank but it also sounds like I would not have spent that much anyways... looking back I think 2 IR Heng Longs would have been the best all around fit for me given what I wanted and my budget. What do you think would be a fair price for my used one of about 10 minutes, never even took anything out of the extra's pack, never used the smoke, shot about 10 pellets from it...

I picked up a Heng Long Airsoft Panzer III for like $80 before Christmas. It has no sound and no smoke but honestly those things do nothing for me. The smoke on my Heng Long Sherman barely makes any wifts of smoke; I don't think if I was outside you could even see it. The sound is cute but mostly I'm interested in seeing what kinds of things I can run over with the tank.

It's easy to get caught up in upgrade frenzy with these things.

Here's the Panzer III I bought:
http://www.amazon.com/German-Panzer-...ong+panzer+III

These tanks don't have many breakable gidgets and gadgets on the outside of them so they might tolerate airsoft bombardment better than the Sherman I got.

How much did you pay for your Tiger? I'd think 90% of new would be fair.

Steve

dear god someone please help
 

For Xmas my son got an aww industries mars strike rc transforming copter. I cannot get it to work. I don't know anything about them but have googled everything I could think of without any success. I can't find a Manuel or even instruction. Its charged, the remote lights up, on the copter no lights come on, I don't know if I need to turn on copter also. I can't find a button or switch on it. I don't know if I have to sync it in some way. I am frustrated to tears and I am thinking of trashing it. My son is so upset that he hasn't been able to play with it. If at all possible someone please please help. I am not knowledgeable about them.

This was your reply to my second text to you and you then went on to ignore my advise and your quoted decision, and have since then bought Tanks and written countless texts and telephoned whoever, And you after all that having spent too much of my and every other respondent's time decide to leave this hobby! Are you sure? Why not keep writing and phoning and wasting everyone's time we don't mind.
shaun.

Well I guess that means I won't have to make the drive up to Milwaukee in this extreme cold today. If you decide in the future that you want to investigate this hobby a little more in depth look me up.

Whoa, Calm down there big fella, I never said leave the hobby - I said now that I have seen both - and am also seeing what it would cost to get a tank where I thought the one I bought would be that I need to re-adjust my take on it. I originally stated I wanted to get 2 tanks to paint display and casually use - I also said I had a budget. After the talks with you guys I clearly did listen and take the advise and instead got the better tank which in my mind and clearly I was wrong meant I would not have to upgrade things and spend a bunch more money on - this is not your guys fault at all - it is mine for not asking more questions or waiting for Dusty to bring his tanks over so I could see them - I got excited when I found a local dealer and pounced on one - For someone who knew more and intended to compete and battle in a group this probably would have been the best call but as far as I know there are no groups near me (Dusty knew of none) and I never had any intent to take it to that level. So please take no offense, I moved to quick and made some mistakes - I should have gotten an IR tank, I should have stuck to my budget and got the best 2 I could for that to get my feet wet in the RC aspect of it.

So to sum it up, I do appreciate all your guys advise and continued advise in fact it's that continued advise that led me to where I am now and my decision to adjust my outlook on the hobby which does not mean leaving the hobby at all as I will still have 2 tanks and still plan on having more down the road - My main thing still is painting, weathering and displaying in my home office, I am just not going to be a hard core into the RC aspect and spend $1,000+ per tank in this hobby, not at this time anyways, over time that may change - who knows.

Hopefully you understand what I am saying and if I offended anyone I apologize.

Happy B-Day Dusty, hope the head feels ok!

As far as you coming - that's up to you Dusty - I would still love to see your tanks whenever you want to do it, even today would have been good. 2nd person who thinks I intend to get out of the hobby - I guess I don't even understand "the hobby" as I clearly intend to purchase and "upgrade" more tanks and right now plan on getting 2 IR ones however my idea of upgrading is painting, weathering more for display at least right now than to buy one tank and turn it mechanically into another if that makes sense.

No offense taken buddy. In the future, hopefully when it is warmer, if you want to look into the rc side of this hobby I'll be around.

That will be great - I have yet to see IR ones. I plan on trying to get 2 IR Heng Longs to get my feet wet in the RC/IR side more - or if I get enough for mine I might wind up with 2 Taigen IR - still waiting for Erik to chime in as I would invest in 1 more new Taigen IR (Going way, way over budget at that point) if I can reasonably turn the one I have into IR (reasonable at this point to me means swap, not spend more $$ on this one to make it IR) so who knows, in any event I am still interested in the RC, battling aspect just not so much all the cost's and tinkering... building to me at this point still means appearance which I can do with acrylic paints, washes and my air brush, not sound cards, motherboards and gears. Maybe I will get hooked once I play with an IR one against someone, who knows.

: )

What tank(s) do you have again? I'm all about tanking on the cheap. The problem with Heng Long is they stopped making IR tanks and it's hard to find them. For Taigen IR battling, you can just buy an IR turret and the IR receiver to convert a non IR tank.

I have the Taigen Tiger 1 airsoft and a Heng Long Panther airsoft.

The whiskey was flowing and the head feels fine! Not upset with you, -25 F wind chill is just a bit too cold. Takes forever for a diesel to warm up in this weather and I'm not sure how the plastic or the batteries in the tanks would hold up. Like I said I'll still be around when the temperature gets above 0.

No problem - my place is all tore up, tore apart my home office to fit in all my painting stuff in this cold weather so I can get back into modeling... I understand - it's finally deciding to be winter here. I did save your number in my cell phone and once I sort all this out I will be in touch - like I said I have interest in the hobby even the RC aspect so time will tell...

You'd need this for the tiger.

http://www.imex-model.com/product/TA...LL.html?cid=90

And this is the receiver you'll need to make your tiger ready for IR

http://www.imex-model.com/product/TA...ER.html?cid=90

Thanks Robo - who knows - not spending more on it right away. I plan to call Erik sometime this week unless the Tiger sells to see if he can do anything to set me up, I will understand if he cannot - I also plan on calling the Hobby shop where I bought this, if I can exchange this one for an IR I will buy another Taigen IR tank but it does me no good to upgrade the Tiger right now as I would only have one and I would need to do that along with purchasing another IR tank for it to be worth doing and that adds almost another $100 on top of a second tank (way, way over budget)... not doing that anytime soon, but now at least I know what the cost would be and I appreciate you letting me know.

OK, Tom, where did you get this $100? You can make your current tiger IR for about $45, plus maybe $8.99 for shipping.

I don't think you'll be getting any more advice from jarndice, which is a shame as he's a talented and knowledgeable individual, but I can see where you listened to the advice you got, you just keep changing course on the fly. I asked you a couple times if you wanted airsoft or IR and you kinda had a hard time making up your mind on that one. That's cool, though, and i understand and it was useful info for me as it helps shape the advice I'll give. If we can settle on the fact that you want IR you can still do this on your budget, and this is the place to get the info you need, just no more going off half cocked and buying a tank you want to return a few days later, OK, Buddy?

With all that said, my advice, should you choose to heed it, is to get an IR turret for your tiger and that will give you all the modeling fun of painting and detailing it to match the existing lower hull. I really think that will be cheaper than returning your current tank and then paying yet more shipping on another, which won't be as good as the quality you now have.

Then for the second IR tank, for once take my advice and get one of these

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Henglong-Hen...item339e9527fb

That's $175 including the shipping and maybe $50 to convert the tiger, so you need an additional $225 and you'll then have two tanks that can battle each other and plenty of modeling work to do.

That's the best I can offer you, Tom, and if the budget can't stand a fix of this magnitude then you just may be right that this is not the hobby for you. You can get away cheap, but you have to compromise, and there's a limit to just how cheap you can go. Just look at what a static 1/16 model kit costs. The new Panzer IV kits are at least two hundred bones without paint or supplies. For what it would cost you to buy and build a static trumpeter kit you could have two functional IR battle tanks.

One more thing, Tom, and I know this is kind of nosy but the most useful info you could give us at this point is - Just EXACTLY what is the budget to get from where you are now to where you want to be (two IR tanks that can battle each other)?

Tell me exactly how much money you have to work with and I won't give you advice that's beyond your means.

I'll tell you what, Tom - I'm so confident in the advice I'm giving you that if you follow it, fix the current tiger and get the IR Stug, I'll send you a complete 2.4 GHz Taigen system for the new Stug (a $90 value) completely free of charge. You won't even pay shipping. It will be a complete plug and play swap to remove the RX-18 from the Stug and install the Taigen MFU and it will be a perfect match to battle your Taigen Tiger One with it's new IR turret. That's how confident I am that the advice I'm giving you is sound. So now the only question is, Can your budget stand $225 to follow the course of action that I've laid out?