Scottrik

Posted by Beth Ashby Moderator on 18/01/2021 14:53:49: Steven - I've been told by our distributors last week that flights between Canada and the UK were suspended in December which has been causing all manner of delays and the magazines just don't seem to be getting through because of the backlog and them being sent under standard priority mail. If you'd like to email me with your subs number or address, I can look into your account and get some replacements out to you. [email protected] Nigel - I've just replied to your email. Beth, I just received a message from your customer service folks at My Time that pretty clearly stated I was out of luck re: my missing September issue, that there are none on hand to satisfy requests. I found my dealing with them MOST unsatisfactory...the clear message was they really can't be bothered. Mind you I sent my message that I'd not received my September issue until my October issue arrived mid-December. It took them one day short of a month to respond. My November issue, which I'd been concerned about, did just arrive over this past weekend so HOPEFULLY things are easing up. Our issues have always been slow to arrive in the US, but that's fine...as long as they arrive. Scott

Check your inbox re: Roto-Duo and Springfield Bulldog

Posted by Fun Flyer on 19/09/2016 22:29:17: Posted by Beth Ashby Moderator on 19/09/2016 11:06:31: FunFlyer, As your subscription is to ROI, it can take a few extra days in the post to get to you. Subscriptions department have advised that in the worst case it can take up to 14 days. If after then it hasn't arrived, we can arrange for another one to be sent out. Beth Thank you for the reply Beth. However its not terribly satisfactory because as I said this seems to be a problem unique to RCM&E and it makes me wonder why I should bother with a subscription at all.   Dude...really? Do you "hear" yourself? It's a magazine subscription, not the cure for cancer. If it takes a couple days it takes a couple days. Honestly, what is the difference if it arrives this week or next? "Perspective"...look it up. Edited By Scottrik on 20/09/2016 01:11:46

Follow-up. I received a very nice phone call (actually a message...I do not have phone access during the day) and an e-mail from Debbie Plummer apologizing for my inconvenience and confirming that if I wish to proceed that the promotion I had tried to take advantage of would be honored. Not entirely out of the woods yet, I received another message seven minutes later from another person that said my payment had been processed, but for only a single year. That said, with Ms. Plummer's assistance I'm sure we'll be set right. Thank you for your input/assistance Beth! Scott Smith

Thanks for your effort Beth...hopefully something can be arranged. Around the time your message was posted here I received a reply to my last e-mail to the subscriptions people which said pretty much what I said here, that if they couldn't do better than what they've represented that the subscription would be allowed to lapse. The note is headed "subscription cancellation" and that a cancellation "per my request" had been entered and my last issue would be the September 2016 issue. Not at all the action I'd requested, and interestingly enough this was the only e-mail response I've received from them that was not signed with someone's name. Seems someone may be going rogue. I'm guessing (hoping...) that subscription matters are farmed to an outside agency, but you need to know that agency does not seem to be acting in your best interest. I'll be interested what your request may bring. Thanks again, Scott Smith

Time for a rant. I received a letter in the mail a couple weeks ago offering a special rate if I extend my subscription early. The next day I started attempting to take advantage of this offer. It may just be me, but extending an existing subscription SHOULD be about the easiest thing on the planet to accomplish. Not so. The letter offered a one year and two year rate, I was keen to take advantage of the two year rate...as much as anything to avoid the yearly hassle this has become. One of my options given was to go to a web site, the address for which was given. This re-directed me to another web page that indicated the offer had expired. The letter clearly said I had something like 18 days from receipt. I sent an e-mail query which was answered in due time by Grace Hawes who apologized for the bother and suggested I call. Well, turns out that since I don't do long distance from home I don't have a long distance carrier, so am unable to call from home. I could not figure out how to make an international call from my cellular phone (that's, of course, on me). She had been insistent that I shouldn't send my CC number via e-mail, but at this point I asked if I couldn't just send it and get the matter taken care of. This process probably consisted of four or so notes back and forth, all answered by Ms. Hawes. She agreed that if I sent the CC number she could get the extension processed. All along there was never a hint of doubt that she would be able to get me taken care of on the special offer. When I sent the CC number i received a note back, this time from Nicola Reigate, informing me that I would NOT be able to take advantage of the offer, offering instead to extend my subscription at the full (and not insubstantial to the US) rate. Since the e-mails were all "together" as they went back and forth I asked that she refer to Ms. Hawe's messages attached or to, by all means, forward this to Ms. Hawes for attention. She messaged back stating flatly that the offer would not be honored. Not only is this FAR more effort than one should have to go through to extend a subscription, it smacks of "bait and switch", where I'm lured in with a nice offer but at the last minute am told I'll be paying substantially more. If someone in your organization can make this work for me I would be happy to provide my CC number content in the knowledge it will be two years before I have to go through this again. Otherwise, this has become far more hassle than it is worth. I like the magazine very much, please don't misunderstand, but it's marginal utility to me has been overshadowed by the run-around and frustration. Much as I don't want to, I'll let the subscription lapse. There are other magazines available that are much more easy to deal with. Scott Smith Edited By Scottrik on 26/05/2016 02:27:24

Many thanks, Peter, for explaining. Guess I wasn't daft after all. You are right re: SO many threads. I'm thinking I may give this a go with the mass build (albeit from afar in Frosty E. Montana). The Ballerina is SO similar to my beloved Space Walker but will be infinitely better 'cause I built it! (positive affirmations...building myself up for the challenge).

I'm sure this is just inexperience on my part, but in examining the plan I've come up with a question. The 3/32" side plus the 1/32" ply doubler gives me (nominally) a 1/8" thickness overall. This matches up very nicely with the 1/8" stringers aft of the cockpit. What I am finding problematic is the three formers F7 through F9 where there is no doubler...I can see how the former width could be designed 1/16" wider to take up the slack from the missing doubler and keep the fuselage taper neat, but nothing I can imagine makes this match up with the stringers? It seems there would need to be a step in the former, or adding a 1/32" cap strip to each side of the mentioned former from base up to the bottom edge of the first stringer to shim the sides out but this is not shown in the plan. This mis-match also appears to extend to the front. Again, our nominal built-up thickness of the sides is 1/8" but the plan shows the turtledeck being formed from 3/32" sheet. Again, this seems to "miss". Here I can imagine sanding things flush since it extends the entire length of the turtledeck, but at the rear such sanding would make a quite noticeably concave appearance. I'm sure there are quite simple explanations, but I'm coming up stumped. Edited By Scottrik on 26/12/2015 17:37:38

Holiday spirit/hope had me go to the web store to see about purchasing a wood pack and, perhaps, an accessory pack for the Ballerina. What the heck, man, a discount, the fun of building along, etc. Let's see, woodpack...54.99GBP...check. Accessory kit...24.99GBP...check. Shipping to the USA...104.99GBP...WHAT???!!! I'd be ok with the kit riding in the cargo section of the plane on it's way over, no need to purchase a seat for it to sit in. Has anyone considered working with an established kit-cutter here in the US to make these kits MUCH more reasonably priced to ship? Manzano, for example, has a long history of working with design owners to do exactly this. As it is, while I'm happy to pay the price for the wood parts kit (and probably even the accessory kit...I HATE bending gear) there's no way I'm going to enrich the postal services to the tune of $150+ to have it brought over. Absent such a sop to your overseas readers I am left having to decide whether to cut my own parts or not if I wish to participate. I have the equipment to do so, I just don't get the charge out of doing so that others do. To me it is re-inventing the wheel if I'm cutting out parts that I could easily purchase. Hoping there's some sort of arrangement that can be made...the Ballerina is by NO means the only parts pack I'd be purchasing (I'd sure like a go at that Panther, among others) were they to be made more accessible to we colonists. Scott

Hi Rob--I believed you, I just hadn't been able to tell from your initial pictures, hence the query. These new pictures sure show off what an excellent job you've done! Another great build Chris--that Cliffwhacker looks the business! Didn't change much

When I said "flat" I was meaning "without dihedral" rather than "without under-camber", Chris said both could be done, no dihedral and/or no under-camber. Chris, I'd very much like to see the front of your Cliffwhacker with the power system, etc., in-situ. My Cliffwhacker will be powered as well. Did you do flaps or no? Scott

Understood Chris, just hadn't seen anyone (yet) take the bait to do so. Couldn't tell from Rob's pictures, it almost looked flat. Might be tempted to try both "side-by-side", we'll see. Alex Whitaker's Cliffwhacker has slid ahead in the queue, but the Whizkid is a great size to leave rigged up in the car for grabbing quick flight opportunities as they present themselves. Scott

Rob, looks like you left the wing "flat", is that the case? Had this plan out again and started cutting the patterns out the other day. Scott

What's more than a little sad is that this thread, intended to celebrate a wonderful model and encourage others to "have a a go" has become an Economics Whinging Log. I have found out that Mr. Caso is from the US and that he is a successful (even prolific) designer/kitter of model airplanes. He is able to provide the kit to folks on this side of the pond, and guess what. Taking into account the current exchange rate, dollars to pounds, it is almost exactly the same price other than I am able to save a hundred-ish dollars on shipping. Where MHS, perhaps, falls short is that they really don't provide a good description of what is included in the kit. From Mr. Caso's kit description it becomes quite clear why the kit costs what it does. Firstly, "approximately 300 laser-cut parts". That's a BUNCH. Secondly, it describes slotted longerons (to truly "eggcrate" the structure together it would seem) and many fixtures, etc., that don't become part of the permanent structure but DO enhance the building experience. I am placing my order this week and expect to have this box of wonderful in my hands within a couple weeks. I'm only saddened that I won't get to it right away or even particularly soon, too many "priority" projects right now. I've learned through sad experience that if you see a kit you want it's best to "jump" while they are available, so "jump" I shall. As far as structure optimization, cut time optimization, etc...it is what it is. I only offer that to pay someone to feed wood to a laser cutter for three hours, and to tie up the equipment on ONE piece of merchandise for that amount of time costs money. And the minute YOUR place of employment charges exactly what you are paid for your time and the tied-up equipment (and the power, and insurance, and facility...) that they will be out of business and you looking for a job. It just doesn't seem to me that the kit price is THAT out of line, if at all, given what is included. If it's too rich for your blood or you just choose to prioritize spending otherwise, so be it. Move on. The opportunity exists to "roll your own" via the wonderful (and FREE) plans set you have been provided in the magazine. Have at it. Scott

The people I know who do laser cutting definitely charge by the minute of laser time. That's why you see numbers left off parts from most suppliers...it measurably adds to the time and, hence, cost of the kit. The notable exception to this WAS the Aerodrome kits, and they were generally more expensive (though I'm sure there are more than just this to explain). Now that the Aerodrome kits are cut by Manzano I'm not sure if the part numbers are still on or not. Then if you have intricate formers with lots of cutouts for longerons, it all adds time. The laser can only work across a piece so fast, and my understanding is that the thicker the part the slower it has to pass, though it can't dally or it chars more. Slower = more time = yet more cost. And so on. Would pay the asking price in a minute if it were available at shops here thus reasonable shipping.