brokenenglish
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Everything posted by brokenenglish
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Recently, I've tried to make videos of running a few interesting old engines. These are my first two efforts, a 1947 Airstar diesel and a Taplin Twin Mk I. The video technique needs working on, but the engines are great. Hope someone finds them of interest (in fact, I'm "years behind" because we've only recently got a reasonable Internet connection). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3p__kUa1SKE **LINK** Edited By brokenenglish on 02/10/2013 16:55:44 Edited By brokenenglish on 02/10/2013 16:56:31
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I'm pleased to read what looks like a happy end! I didn't chime in earlier, but I've been using Lasers since 1987. I possess four, all "older" models, and I've never experienced anything other than pure perfection. Every quality you could possibly want... they have... and I don't consider myself an "expert", they're just dead easy to set up and operate.
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I shall be 74 this year. I still feel young (and act immature!). One thing I've noticed is that it's only younger people who consider that the older ones are old. I certainly don't feel old. Remember what I always tell my kids: an older person isn't really an older person, it's you, with 50 years more knowledge and experience...
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Balsa and spruce and other questions!
brokenenglish replied to Former Member's topic in General Vintage R/C Chatter
Posted by kc on 20/03/2013 11:20:44: In addition to major shows there is a man with a van load of balsa at most Old Warden model days ( I dont know the traders name) Next one is May. Edited By kc on 20/03/2013 11:31:38 The gentleman with the van and the excellent balsa and various other goodies is John Hook. Google "Flitehook" and you'll find him. He does mail order within the UK and has an excellent reputation. -
Jeff, your post again raises memories. You mention D.J.L.D... When I was young (in the fifties) I used to live near Dickie, and I actually went to school with his daughter. Concerning fuel mixtures, I think the "standard" mix is well-known. The original Micron mix was just 75% ether, 25% good quality automotive engine oil (castor wasn't generally used in model engines until the late forties). This Micron mix was also used (copied) for the Drone and the English Owat. A lot of nonsense exists on the Web concerning fixed compression diesels and their fuels. This isn't the place to go into great detail so, to keep it simple, the standard 75/25 mix is perfect for running a Micron, Drone or Owat in ambient temperatures of between say 20°C and 30°C (i.e. most of the time, in summer). Below 20°C you may not get satisfactory starting/running (better to wait for warmer weather), and above about 30°C you'll need a bit less ether, say a 60/40 mixture, or even 50/30 with 20% kerosene. Using 75% ether, in very hot weather, gives pre-ignition, i.e. combustion occurs before the top of the stroke, and you can't reduce the compression!!! This gives awful rough running with a lot of vibration, and could probably damage the engine (they usually don't run like this for more than a few seconds). BTW, your Drone photos show a very late ball-race engine (superb), but the box is that of an early plain bearing version! (Don't say anything, no-one will know!).
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Simon, In the early days of diesel development, a number of "fixed compression" diesels were made. They work extremely well, providing certain "limitations" are accepted. The first one produced in large numbers was the French Micron 5 (5 cc). The Micron was produced from 1943 until the early sixties, with a later short production run in the seventies. The one in the photo, in the nose of my Simplex, is early fifties production. The Micron "inspired" a few other manufacturers. The most prolific being the American "Drone", by Leon Shulman who, I think, is still with us... You can see the Micron running, in one of the other photos, and here is a Drone, roaring away like a champion, still on fixed compression. PS: Looking up through the posts, I'm particularly pleased to see Peter with us. We both flew and played with engines in the infamous Model Aircraft Club in Aden, in my case, 50 years ago this year, and Peter a couple of years earlier...
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I've been collecting engines for a bit more than 50 years. Unlike most collectors, I do actually run most of my engines, play with them on the bench, and fly as many as I can. It's true that some of the very ancient stuff isn't very practical to run, but most engines, from the late forties onwards, are superb, particularly English diesels. Here are a few examples...
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Mini Super Build
brokenenglish replied to John Stephenson 2's topic in Building from Traditional Kits and Plans
Very nice, and coincides with my own interests, so I shall be watching. Yippee, a real engine and fuel tank! Thanks for posting! -
Thanks a lot gentlemen. Looks like the answers I wanted. I've reported my triplicate posts, so I hope that some kind moderator will delete the surplus ones! Sorry and Thanks again! Brian
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Simon Thanks a lot. Your description sounds exactly like what I'm getting. Apologies to all for the duplicate postings. I'm out in the sticks with a very poor and intermittent Internet. Sometimes it's difficult to know whether the "send" has actually worked or not. I'll do my best to delete. Sorry! Brian
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Gentlemen, I've had great advice here before, so I hope some of you may come up with the answers again... I've just graduated from a PZ Radian to the Radian Pro, and just completed my first successful "aileron" session (3 flights). I'm using the ESC supplied with the Radian Pro and a PZ battery, with a Spektrum AR500 Rx. When I plug in the battery, either the Rx or the ESC is emitting a whistle, which continues all through the flights, until I unplug the battery. This probably should mean something. I know the battery isn't low, and I know the Rx is properly bound (I've had 3 longish flights going pretty high). So why is the Rx or ESC whistling, while performance seems normal? Second question: my PZ battery is labelled to be charged through the white "balancing" plug, but I'm using a Ripmax charger that charges through the power leads, with the white plug plugged into a balancing board. Is this of any importance? Finally, as the plane was very slightly tail heavy, I'm using a 3S 1800 mAh battery instead of the specified 1300 mAh. Can this have any unforeseen consequence for the ignorant git that I am? Happy New Year! Brian
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The Indian Mills I've owned were all OK, and a Tomboy nosing into a grass field obviously shouldn't break an engine. Are you using modern "composite" propellers? I only use old engines (except for four-strokes) and I'd never use a carbon or GF prop, it's just asking for trouble. Hard on the fingers as well.
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Hi all, This is just to close this thread, with a big Thank You to all the gentlemen who helped me. The purpose of this model was to learn to fly with ailerons, on my own. I now have a couple of successful aileron flights completed with no great drama and I'm very pleased. The flights were a couple of weeks ago, but then the poor weather took over. Anyway, its now just a case of practice and flying hours, with the hope of being reasonably competent by the time the better weather comes... I have other planes lined up to practice on as well, so I'm optimistic. The forecast is better for tomorrow, so I'm hoping for a bit more progress. Thank you all, Brian
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Being a LiPo beginner, I have what I'm sure will be a very simple question for you gentlemen. I think I understand the various types of connector and charging principles, etc, and I've found commercially available adapter leads for any compatibility problems... However, my ultimate objective is to use 2S LiPos with a voltage regulator, as a lightweight power source in small diesel powered models... I see that some of the smaller 2S LiPos (around 200 mAh) only have one JST connector, for direct plugging into an Rx or switch harness. How are these batteries charged (with only one JST connector)? Should the JST connector plug into my balancing board?
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Good evening, Success! Thanks a lot! But I still have another couple of questions (please): My DX5e / AR500 set (Mode 2) was purchased new from an excellent UK model store. However, it was being sold "without box" which, I suppose, means that it was probably intended for an RTF, but never got installed. Thanks to your combined efforts, everything now works perfectly, EXCEPT that I've had to reverse the elevator and throttle plugs in the Rx. The throttle is plugged into the slot marked "elev", and the elevator is plugged into the slot marked "thro". Everything then works absolutely perfectly so, obviously, I've left it like that and I shall fly like that... Has anyone ever seen this kind of nonsense before? Now, one final question (then you can all drift off to the pub!). My only previous electric plane is my RTF Radian. On the Radian, the folding prop is blocked in its forward travel, i.e. it won't fold forward, which seems logical to me. However, the prop on the Phase 3 Phoenix II pivots freely on its hinge, from fully folded to both blades pointing fully forward, which surprises me... Is it normal that the prop blades should also fold forwards? Thanks again for all this. The next hour or two of good weather and I'll be flying. Brian
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Gentlemen, Thanks so much for your help. I've just proceeded as you all advised, and the problem is almost solved. First of all, all the plugs in the receiver were "wrong way round". I removed them. Then I connected a separate battery pack (no ESC), which revealed that the RC system wasn't bound (probably because of the plugging error). I then reconnected the LiPo/ESC combination properly (Thanks Pete for definite wire colour data) and bound the RC system. This worked OK. The system is now bound. Then I did a "final check", with just the throttle and rudder servos connected, to make sure the system was actually working... SURPRISE! Initially nothing worked (Oh dear!). Then, I just twiddled the sticks a bit, and discovered that the elevator plug position on the Rx is operating the throttle (just as if it were mode 1, which it ain't...). At this point, my wife would like to express her most sincere gratitude to the gentlemen who told me to remove the propeller! So that's the present state of play. Later today, I'm going to mess around with the plug positions and see if I can sort the problem out, but that won't get the throttle onto the LH stick with the ratchet I'd like your ideas again (please). At the moment, I have my Spektrum mode 2 Tx, with two servos (throttle and rudder) plugged into the Rx. The rudder is operating properly (L/R movement on the LH stick), but the throttle is being operated by the elevator function (up/down movement on the RH stick). Finally, Thanks again, your help so far has been Great and has worked 100%! Brian
