i12fly

The best way to light the fire is place two logs side by side placing them so you get a sort of flat surface at the top face, then form a criss-cross lattice tower of kindling say 8 rows of two sticks about 4 or 5 inches apart and place one or two firelighters inbetween the lattice at the bottom and light them (if you don't have firelighters use a few paper fire sticks around the lattice tower). All air supplies are open at this stage. The kindling will take light very quickly giving a good pull up the chimney then burn down into the logs to give a low smoke lighting. When nicely lit regulate the air to give a cosy burn inside the stove, not in the chimney -as too much heat would be lost up and out the chimney. The top down principle is that as the wood burns, vaporising the complex hyrocarbons in the wood, they burn (no smoke). Lighting from the bottom of the log, the hydrocarbons vaporise but there is insufficient heat to burn them as they pass up the side of the relatively cool log, so they pass up into the chimney as smoke (and soot). When refuelling, wait until there is just a nice bed of hot glowing embers (give it a rake with the poker to excite them) then place the fresh log on top, open the air supply. Everything is very hot so the log takes fire very quickly and burns up the side quickly to minimise smoke. I worked in the industry for over ten years, ask three people and you will get three opinions of how to light a fire, but the above is the best method for the stove and the environment (oh and the neighbours too).

Anyone buying a log burner should buy one that is undersized rather than oversized (i.e. the opposite to a gas boiler). That way it operates at maximum efficiency the majority of the time, burns the 'smoke' and so getting the most out of the fuel. it is particularly important in a smoke control area where a smoke control stove is a legal requirement. It is essential to burn seasoned wood to achieve a correct burn as green wood is typically 60%+ moisture, seasoned wood 20% or less. That excess moisture takes energy to evaporate and results in lower output from the fuel/ stove and generates smoke, but more importantly condenses in the flue with tar which is difficult to remove, and sticky sooty deposits inside the stove. It is also important to get the stove up to temperature quickly when lighting, which means following lighting instruction. To burn wood efficiently it burns downwards, not upwards so kindling is lit above a couple of logs not the other way round. Some years ago a study found that a room heated using convective heat needs to operate 2 deg C higher than a room with radiant heating to give the same comfort level. Its not far from the truth in my experience.

Heat pump? do the sums.... My gas is 6.1p per kWh and condensing boiler about 90% efficient in real terms. Heat pump gives about 3kWh for every 1kWh supplied from the grid. But my electric is 23.8p per kWh nearly 4x the gas cost. So I'd lose. Never mind the capital outlay. Also radiators would need to be twice the size of current and would feel cool to the touch. Also domestic hot water temperature would need to be boosted by electric to give a comfortable bath or shower..... What about solar panels? These lose about 2% efficiency (or more depending on how recent the model) per year, so after 20yrs really need replacing. Oh and the damaged roof tiles probably mean you will need a new roof... Spray roof insulation - heard a Radio 4 report saying that most mortgage providers will not provide one if you've got this so difficult to sell, and they wont give equity release either.... Save money, the planet? I think you call it sophistry.

....and here in the E. Midlands we have Sara Blizzard. You couldn't make it up!

Id like to give a shout out for RC Bearings.co.uk Excellent quick service last week for my electric motors and low cost/ postage. (They do IC too.)

Oh, so sad. I've built 3 of his RC designs, all perfect flyers. 2 are my go to models, particularly Grumpy Tiger Cub -my favourite flyer. Fly high Peter, condolences to family and friends. He will be sorely missed by the modelling community.

...and I use hair band from Poundland/ chemists etc.

Sorry bit off topic, but I have an SC 70FS where the valve inserts leak in the head. Only happens when it is hot but enough to cause the engine to stop. Is there any cure other than a new head?

I used to fly with two eyes, now I have to fly with one. As a post above states, binocular vision is only effective over a short distance -I reckon less than 10 feet. So, distance is judged by perspective, size and movement. It is necessary to stand in a position that is at an angle to the direction of the landing approach, so stand at the side of the runway and aim to touch down fairly near to where you are standing, at an angle of about 30 to 60 degrees to you on the approach. if you land directly across from you -again distance is difficult to judge. Ask me how I know 🙄

If it eventually comes down to keeping your batteries 'warm'..... in my cold damp garage, I use a couple of biscuit tins with a 12W CFL bulb in each, then place my lipo bags in a couple of tin boxes on top. Keeps Jack Frost at bay -doesn't drop below about 8deg. in winter overnight or above 18deg. on a warm spring day. Must be reasonable as I'm still using some lipos bought in 2016, and 2019 and....

Don't think this helps but..... I have a twin aileron model with New Power servos, model stood for some time (2 yr?). On powering up one servo drooped about 20 degrees as if the centring was haywire. Servo worked up and down from this 'new' centre. George at 4max suggested it was the pot at fault, something he'd heard of on New Power after a lay up. I didn't feel like risking a cure so I scrapped the NP servos...

I've played with Hobbycraft foam board.... but... How did you manage to get those lovely smooth curves on the fuselage?

Really nice! Handy size.... Any chance this could become an RCM&E plan?

I've only made three, Harlequin, Ballerina and Grumpy Tiger Cub. All are brilliant aerobatic flyers with no nasty habits and don't bite! They wont be the last. I also look forward to the Miles Magister, my father learnt to fly in one and passed his PPL. Thank you Peter.

Has no-one had New Power servos? I'm not sure whether to use them or not. I've done a short cycling soak test and they seem OK, but I'll give them a longer soak test then decide.......

Best wishes Matty, I can appreciate how you feel but you will gain confidence as each day passes until it becomes a distant memory. Take care.

Geoff, I've got a bare Wot 4 balsa fuselage, it is one from a kit build model and looks heavier than the ARTF version. It fits the wing profile of the ARTF version. It came with an item I got on ebay so if you want it you can have it (free....). I'm only a couple of miles from you.

I have some unused but several years old New Power XL-37HB servos. Does anyone have any experience/ opinion as to reliability of these? The reason I ask is that I had a model fitted with a different larger version of New Power servos, they operated for about 1 hour then one of them suddenly decided to shift the mid point quite significantly. Fortunately spotted it before flying, I've scrapped it and replaced the others as a precaution as it is a valuable model (to me!)

Hi, have you managed to find the info you need? If not, if it helps I've got the artf version. The top wing separates at the middle so I could draw round it, scan it and email this to you with dimensions. The tip is more tricky as it is angled but I could measure all the relevant dimensions. If this helps pm me with an email and I'll send the info.

Nice bit in tonight's episode with Summer Fisher and her helicopter. They didn't try to belittle her like they normally do with their 'customers'

In the latest CAA survey on RID /etc I argued basically against requirement but added that if it was to introduced then all costs should be carried by those who were going to profit from the system (supposedly millions££), and not carried by hobbyists, who gain nothing at all 🤬

The baby socks selling in the shops seem to have a lot of nylon in them -do they still work ok or do they melt onto the iron. I haven't dared try one as removing burnt on nylon from the iron would remove the remains of the non-stick surface.

My tests a few years back showed Ronseal water based polyurethane was quickly attacked by neat 10% nitro fuel, but the high VOC solvent based was ok when neat 10% nitro fuel was left on for half an hour. The only 'problem' now is that after about 5 years the whole plane has turned a slightly brown colour.... 🙄

Well, just to be awkward, I charge indoors at < 1C but watch over them like a mother hen. I've got aquarium thermometers on each so I can see if the temp is rising. I store at 4.0 volts per cell or thereabouts and yes it might lose a bit of life but some of mine are from 2016 and 2020 and still going strong. It means that I can charge up the night before flying in about 20mins per two on my 2 channel charger. During winter and I'm not flying for a couple of months I store them nearer to 3.8 volt per cell. They are stored in a brick garage, when the weather is freezing, like now I've got a couple of light boxes to keep them warm. These are two metal biscuit tins with 13W bulbs in them, the lipos sit in metal boxes on top and keep the temperature about 6 to 15 degC depending on outside temp.

....and Richard Pearce and Percy Pilcher....