Frank Marshall

Hi Frank, I am glad you got it sorted. Turning if off and back on is a tried and trusted step in solving many IT problems, that is why most helpdesks ask you to do it as well as other daft questions like "it is plugged in".......... So am I WF and that's why I'm so very grateful for all of your inputs. I've been into the Internet since bulletin board days and have built my PCs for many years and yet I got caught out by this. I had narrowed it down to not being my PCs, so at least that's something! Talking about the IT help desks, I even tried pressing the 'Any key'! Turning of and resetting the modem will be high on my mind the next time I have a similar problem....but whether I'll remember this, depends on my race against dementia!! Cheerio, Frank   Edited By Frank Marshall on 18/07/2013 09:41:27

Hi John, I'm probably the ONLY person in the UK who had a problem....everyone else was able to access the website so it's not a Giant Shark issue. Cheers, Frank

GREAT NEWS! Thank you all so much, especially WF who came up with the winning suggestion! It must have been connected (excuse the pun) with the modem. I can't thank you enough...amazing contributions chaps. I can now die happily....I would really have missed not being able to get back to the GS website! Cheerio, Frank

Thanks a lot for the suggestion WF. Stupidly, perhaps, but I don't think I would have thought of that. The Diagnose Connections list are as follows: (we've all seen these a number of times I'm sure) Internet connectivity has been lost. The website is temporarily unavailable. The Domain Name Server (DNS) is not reachable. The Domain Name Server (DNS) does not have a listing for the website's domain. There might be a typing error in the address. If this is an HTTPS (secure) address, click Tools, click Internet Options, click Advanced, and check to be sure the SSL and TLS protocols are enabled under the security section. Before your suggestion I was thinking no. 4. Again, it's very kind of you chaps trying to help....especially as it's not exactly modelling. I'm going to turn the modem off whilst I'm having lunch. Cheers, Frank

Thanks so much Allan. I only just saw your helpful post and it's a time since I used the CMD.EXE...usually on the advice of someone knowledgeable like yourself! I just carried out your suggestion and there were four instances of 'Request timed out'. That was followed by: Ping statistics for 74.86.118.192: Packets: Sent + 4, Received = 0 Lost = 4 (100% loss) Could this be my ISP Sky.com? Thank you also Malcolm. I'm retired too and making the most of the weather. I bought the GT Power xdrive 6 'four at a time' charger charger. VERY pleased by the quality of product and service....couldn't have been faster. Thanks again everyone, Frank

Thanks a lot for trying to help. I use the compatibility mode frequently (I'm using WinXP) but it's only designed to improve the appearance of a site and to help with table positioning etc. not with accessing websites. Thank you also, WF, and I will try that at some point but I don't understand why all other websites work except this one. Very strange. Actually I constantly delete browser histories and never use add-ons. It's really great that you're trying to help but I would think that those Microsoft suggestions are for when you can't get onto any website, and, as I say I have no problem with any other sites. Logically, it looks as if the problem is at their end BUT I'm baffled why I can't get through whilst you folk can. In fact, I had a brainwave and tried it on my wife's Win7 laptop!! Doesn't work either. Could it be Sky.com, my Internet provider? What a waste of time these issues are. I just phoned a friend and it does work on his PC. So there must be something strange happening at my end or at Sky's end. Apologies for wasting your time....and THANKS again. Cheerio, Frank

That's amazing Darryl! I've just tried again, for the umpteenth time with no luck. I usually just put 'Giant Shark' into Google and go from one of the links. I also entered the url (www.giantshark.co.uk) directly into the address bar and still no luck. So, I don't know how you're managing it. Perhaps you'd be good enough to reply with the link that you're successfully using; that would be appreciated. Before anyone says it, my system is working perfectly with all other websites....but I'd better check that it's not blocked somehow on my system. I don't think so as Google just comes up with Internet Explorer cannot display the webpage Cheers Frank

I have tried to get onto the GS website several times in the last few days but they're not connecting. I phoned a number which appeared under one of the, GS related, links and I recognised the voice of Hobbystore's Nichole, who I had dealt with regarding the purchase of a plan, but she said that she didn't know why the site was down or how long it might take to relaunch. I bought a FAAT (four at a time) Lipo Charger from GS, over a week ago, and received the famous quick delivery and couldn't fault the service . However, I had a question re the charger, now self-resolved, but I'm somewhat concerned about the future of support, warranties etc .....impossible if you can't get in touch. Frank

That's rotten luck Timbo...unfortunately that's the way it seems to works these days....to keep making money out of us by constantly having to upgrade....   As you say, that's still a decent PC.  I downloaded it last year on my non-superdooper Pentium 4 PC and it was fine....I guess they've revised it.  I'll, now, be in trouble as well...I expect.   FrankEdited By Frank Marshall on 06/04/2010 13:33:54

Thanks Fred,   In relation to your offer I just want to make sure that people are aware of SolidEdge 2D....and it's FREE!!  Just fill in the requirements top left of the linked page...they don't hassle you at all, and you'll have one of the VERY best professional 2D CAD programmes available.  link   This is the 2D part of the very well known SolidEdge 3D CAD software used, amongst many others, at Boscombe Down/Qiniteq (was the Royal Aircraft Establishment).  So you're in good company!   In fact they used to sell a sub-set of it many years ago when it was called Imagineer (now Intergraph SmartSketch) and I coughed up £200+ for it then!!  This is the full package and it doesn't really get better in 2D.  Prior to their marketing policy (to sell the full SolidEdge) you wouldn't have got change out of £2k for this.  Forget Turbocad and the likes...this is years ahead AND it's FREE....did I say that ?   If you want a 3D programme (with 2D as well) the £100 Alibre Design is probably the best,  most affordable, legit package you'll get.   As with any software you, unfortunately, have to face up to a learning curve .  The good news is that this can be fun too....and very satisfying.   FrankEdited By David Ashby - RCME Administrator on 14/08/2010 16:32:02

Posted by Frederick Burman on 31/03/2010 23:00:11: Frank Don't worry about the carby being on the side- just think of it as a motorcycle engine then it looks right.    Hi Fred, please don't get me wrong...I was just making a bit of playful mischief....having a bit of fun!   As I’ve, already, said I still think it's a brilliant little design and totally understand its design rationale! It'll be good for you to get that attachment put to good use.  Sherline lathes and Mills are quality machines, by all accounts.  Chinesewise, people like Amadeal have a good lathe for £360, CJ18-4" chuck 7"x14" (ArcEuroTrade and SPGtools are competitive too).  I was going to get one of those until I got lucky on eBay.  Even though the exchange rate has gone against us, by 25% in the last couple of years, the Chinese lathes are still amazing value.  For comparison a new, basic, Myford ML7 is ~£10k and they haven't even updated the design from the 1940s as far as I can see.  I don’t know of any other business (except Morgan Cars) where you could have got away with selling a ‘Morris 8’ for half a century without so much as a restyle!  Also, in this day and age, do we really want to change speed by changing belts when there are electronic alternatives? They are good, no doubt, and consequently, do have a loyal, historic, following!! I feel very fortunate that we live in the age we do, in many ways. These machine tools, and tools in general are so very much cheaper now than when I was a lad.  No more do we have to put up with old black 50plus year old equipment and searching for rough old accessories and tools.  All the accessories are pretty affordable as Alex Whittaker's excellent presentation on the C1 lathe testifies: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DerfWX0y-kk  In the following video, showing his Firefly46, his joy and excitement are tangible. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUk63Uxy76I Apologies for the digression from the main topic. Frank  

Hi Frederick,   I guess nostalgia has to be an age thing.....it's not what it used to be etc!  You can't really be that nostalgic when you're young!   I am also a beginner but haven't forgotten all of my basic workshop training undertaken at the Bristol Aeroplane Technical College in 1961 !!  Of course, I've always enjoyed keeping abreast of what's going on   You're ahead of me in the engine game by having made one engine already.  If I make the Midge it will be in the Autumn.  At the moment I'm collecting the necessary gear.  I bought a S/H 9x30 lathe Chinese (really wanted a 9x20...but you've got to get what's going) and am now looking for a little mill....like this http://spgtools.com/view_tool.php?pid=22 or this http://www.amadeal.co.uk/acatalog/XJ12-300.html.    A friend of mine bought the SPG one and it arrived last week....I helped him hump it onto his  bench.  He bought an R8 spindle version having hammered his previous MT2 150W MicroMill to death!  We were very impressed by the finish, generally, and the running was surprisingly quiet.... they must be improving all the time.   Mark's Midge is a smashing little design but I do have a problem with it in that I'm ingrained with certain expectations.  No matter what I do, it just doesn't end up right.  If I arrange it in the aircraft with the tank in the right place, then the propeller is on the side of the aircraft.....and if I get the propeller in the right place then the tank sticks out to the side!!   Just jesting Mark....I understand the reasoning and it just makes it more interesting and charming anyway.   Cheers all.   Frank

Thanks a lot Mark I got them Ok....very generous of you and much appreciated .    BTW I got in touch with Joe Wagner to say that his 1987 article came up!!  He's still well and going strong!!   Cheers   Frank

Oh, and another thing....   I just remembered that I have a 1960's OS15.    Now... that engine has a cunningly, slightly larger diameter than normal, aluminium prop driver which is hollowed out eccentrially at the back to provide an out of balance force.  This scheme can, theoretically, balance out the primary couple perfectly.    Some, finely balanced, souls attempt to achieve the same result by cutting off one propeller tip.   Significantly, I would say, the great OS company saw fit to never bother with this feature again....so there's another example of Practice triumphing over Feery.  I could post a photo of the driver if anyone's interested....or even if they're not interested...   FrankEdited By Frank Marshall on 30/03/2010 12:50:34

It's a funny old world....it really is!  Frederick, thank you very much indeed for taking the time to dig out that article from your files and to scan and share.  Very generous.  As Tony says it hits the spot in many ways.  Now the funny thing is this.  When I was 15/16 my Auntie in Vancouver was kind enough to send me a McCoy35 Redhead, after much nagging. I’d spotted how affordable it was in one of the US model mags which I treated myself to very occasionally. It was a very cheap engine relative to similar size engines of those days; especially here.....which were generally quite out of reach for the likes of me.  Yes, it was rip-off Britain even then! .  A '35' was a BIG engine then. But I was desperate to build the, Ray Brown designed, Coy Lady.  It turned out that I ended up only affording/making the rib set which just ate 1/16 balsa....ending up selling them to a school friend!   The McCoy was a beautiful sight with its polished aluminium crankcase, black fins and red painted head all set off in a purpose moulded blue case with a clear hinged plastic lid. These days engines are often chucked into a cardboard box with foam in a bag!! Testors knew about presentation and marketing. Some would say that the box was better made than the engine...by all accounts....but we’ll see.  Some say it was a race to get it run in before it wore out! Having retired, a year ago, I was in the grip of nostalgia and I found myself eBaying for engines which I had as a boy and also those I had  lusted for in those days. Some of those engines were the, very expensive, Mills .75...I had to make do with an ED Pep at the time which was very affordable and mine was a super little engine...maybe I was lucky?  Also the wonderful Oliver Tiger....my substitute for this missing experience was to purchase a Rustler copy.  So, I was looking for a McCoy 35 last year on the UK and US eBay....and I was very lucky to spot a McCoy Redhead R/C on the US one....yes R/C!!!  I didn't even know this model existed, as I’m no collector, but I suspect it’s pretty rare.  Being R/C was a practical bonus (although I have again dabbled in CL over the last few years.  I was lucky enough to win it and the only disappointment was that the flexible needle valve drive broke off on installation into the carb.....a weakness in the design....it had  been hanging on to one of the four wound wires! I finally found a replacement last week; having wasted money previously with Mecoa as I hadn't noticed that their McCoy 35 needles were for the later '21 series' which I didn't even know about! I even bought two just as a backup....anyone want to buy one??  Anyway, FINALLY, getting to the point, I ended up having an enjoyable email exchange with the seller who was.....yes, you guessed it, Joe Wagner.   Look who wrote the article which Frederick shared!!  Joe had several careers and one of them was as the 'engine man' in Model Airplane News for a number of years.  Indeed, the name had been vaguely familiar to me because, as I said, I did buy a copy of MAN, perhaps once a year, when funds permitted....and would have seen his name there....and how cheap the McCoy was!  Joe is a bit of a Polymath whereas, by contrast, I’m a bit of a Polymug and he is quite a remarkable man overcoming poor eyesight etc to accomplish a hell of a lot in a lifetime. If you Google his name you will see his tribute on the AMA site. The Americans are much more into this than us aren’t they?  It's a funny old world....apologies for the lengthy digression....ModelFlying will just have to buy a new hard disk!  Frank   Edited By Frank Marshall on 30/03/2010 11:15:48