Laser engines how do they compare

[Vic8]

I have an OS 4 stroke glow engine bought new some years ago and about to buy a new 70 size four stroke. I have just compared OS prices to Laser prices and was surprised to find that a Laser engine is much cheaper.

 

Laser engines used to be considered to be the equal of OS, Saito and Enya however, do they still deserve a good reputation. I have spoken to Laser and found them to be most helpful and it appears that help and advice is only a phone call away.

Thanks

 

[martyn sharp]

When i was flying 10 or so years ago and useing IC i only had laser engine ranngeing from the old 45 up to a 120 V and never had any problems with them and must admit for me they were the best IMHO .

Martyn

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

They still appear to be the engine of choice for serious scale modellers whose investment in time and money is immense.

 

I haven't flown one regularly (the only one I own was allowed to corrode badly in storage and I bought it out of curiosity - cleaned it up and I've test run it OK but as a very early one some parts are unavailable) but I've test flown quite a few models with them in and never known one miss a beat.

 

Several fellow members operate Lasers with apparent complete reliability and you will get extremely good service and advice if you approach Neil Tidey.

Edited By Martin Harris on 04/01/2012 17:21:45

[Ultymate]

Never owned one but the reputation is one of reliability among scale flyers but lack in power compared to other brands and don't usually find favor among aerobatic pilots. From observation they are beautifully engineered.

[Vecchio Austriaco]

A very quiet engine, if you find time to go to the Nats next year you will see (and hear) that many of the scale pilots are using engines from this manufacturer. In case I make a semiscale model I will go for one of these.

As the only good engine ever produced in my home country is no longer available (HP) it's the second best choice

Cheers

Vecchio Austriaco

[Alan Cantwell]

sorry, but i think Lasers are very very bad engines, they are no fun, set the needles, no twiddling is needed, they dont even need nitro fuel, they last forever, never wear out, they just sit there, and work, they are very unsociable, and do not co-operate with the needle stripping down fiddling folk that we are, put one in the floor, does it cry? NO, you just dust it off, flick it, and fly again!!! no stripping down to fit new parts, no molycoddling needed, i would not touch one with a barge pole, i would have no FUN!!

 

And i just happen to have a low hours 90 for sale, latest spec, Why? its BORING!! it runs like a swiss watch, but its seldom used, so as part of the fleet that is not being used, it has to go

Edited By Alan 4 on 04/01/2012 18:41:35

[Steven Butler]

I think laser engines are fantastic, I am currently running a laser 70 in a flair pup and a laser 80 in a RV8 which flies on 1/2 throttle beautifully. They are very hard to wear out, the metallurgy is brilliant and they even look great with fantastic machining. They are very good for in cowl installations as the exhaust is mounter behind the engine. Just make sure the dimensions will be ok as the configuration of carb/exhaust is different to most 4 strokes. Get one they are great and laser are fully British and have excellent customer service.

[fly boy3]

I will endorse all the the above regarding Laser engines, one thing has not been mentioned, the sound of a Laser, once heard never forgotten, wonderfull. Sad I know, but what a sound LoL Cheers.  ps, wonder if they still put buyers initials on engine when buying new. ?

Edited By fly boy3 on 04/01/2012 20:13:16

[Myron Beaumont]

Alan4

Much as I'm put off by your description of your 90 ,I think maybe it would fit nicely in my TF Spit when built .If you're serious about selling it please PM me with details .I'll look up the spec on the web to see if it's as boring as you say

Myron

[Myron Beaumont]

Alan4

Is it the one on Ebay that you've discovered is a 100 & not a 90?

[Alan Cantwell]

no, it was supposed to be a 150, it was offered to me, and i bought it in good faith, only 1 month later, when i just happened to stand it next to my existing stove pipe laser 150, did i notice the height differance, it turned out to be a 90, the guy is an old, ill man, it was not worth pursuing, it is a lovely engine though, with very little running, i just dont need another 90!!

[Mowerman]

If I could afford the V twin I would put it in a glass case and just drool over it

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

Laser engines are an interesting mix of characteristics. In some ways they are quite "agricultural" compared to say OS. Now that's not meant as an insult - there's absolutely nowt wrong with keeping it simple. But if its techno-flash you're after they are not for you.

 

Also, as Alan says, if you like a engine that challenges you - they're not for you. They just work...reliably, very reliably! OS engines are similiarly reliable - but use a lot much technology - in terms of sophistication of design - to get there.

 

They are quiet and run very cool so take being cowled in well. And Neil & Co are very helpful in supporting their product very well.

 

The only negative points are the aforementioned slight "agricultural" appearance and the fact that they are a bit lower on specific power - ie horsepower per cc. - than a lot of the opposition. That's not to say they are terribly underpowered or anything like that - just they don't pack quite the same "punch" that's all.

 

Recently I was talking with Phil Kent (scale modelling guru) and he was telling me that Lasers now have approaching 100% of the high end scale market - the "Lords of Scale" as AW would term them. I think that says a lot for their reliability, cool running and general "fusslessness".

 

So, provided you are not planning to "rip up the sky" with this model I think a Laser would be a good investment!

 

BEB

[Myron Beaumont]

BEB

Thanks for the comments and have PM'd Alan4 with a view to purchasing it .Sounds like just what would solve my quandry about what to get for the Spit.At the moment ,I've stopped building it since making the tail surfaces (see my album) and need a psychological boost to get me constructing again.I have three part -built simpler models at the moment on the go,three goats I'm training to make some flying areas (soon to be four!) along with a herd of sheep .An advantage ,if you can call it that ,is that the engine is heavy .Having read as much info I can gleen,this particular model ends up incredibly tail heavy which in some ways has put me off carrying on with it .A nice new engine I can fiddle with might spur me on to continue the build .

Does this happen to anybody else I wonder .I suspect it does .

Myron YO13 in a rut dept

[Bob Cotsford]

How do Lasers compare with OS and clones regarding size? They all look relatively bulky, but do they have wider than normal mountings or do they use 'standard' case sizes, eg, 60, 90?

[Myron Beaumont]

Bob

I too have lots of questions to ask but can't find the info on websites I've found .Any suggestions ?

[Bob Cotsford]

Myron - Google found this site, click on teh images and they show dimensions

[Ultymate]

If you want cutting edge in the four stroke market then Y.S. is the way to go they are super powerful, expensive and sadly have very expensive tastes in fuel and use lots of it (to get more power you have to burn more fuel). They need special plumbing but when done right they are a joy to use if you can run to the costs, personally I went the large petrol route a long time ago.

[Myron Beaumont]

Bob

Thanks -but no mention of the 90 !?

Ultimate

Now you've got me re thinking again . Not being funny but the cost is not a prohibative issue luckily enough for once .So I might do some research on the YS now

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

Ring or email Laser - they really are very helpful regarding info on their engines.

 

No they do not use "standard" casings - as far as I am aware everything in the engine is made by them.

 

BEB

[Myron Beaumont]

BEB

Have done an email -Thanks .

[Tom F]

How do they compare in terms of weight? They look to be a good 20-40% heavier than an equivalent Saito or OS - is that because the Japanese ones are weighed without exhaust/carb whereas the Laser has these installed?

 

Or are they just mega overengineered?

 

I suspect it's the latter - but I'm just asking out of curiousity.

 

One of the twins would be my dream engine for a scale warbird. Or anything really - but probably not a good match for my unfinished Uno Wot 

Edited By Tom F on 05/01/2012 19:55:42

[Alan Cantwell]

OS, and their clones are machined from castings, impact them, and they will shatter, lasers are machined from bar stock, no castings involved, yes, they are heavier, but lets face it, they are in the right place arnt they???

[Alan Cantwell]

MYRON, just checked the dimensions of mine against the link earlier, mine would appear to equate to the 80, sorry, re the YS, dont go there, 30quid a gallon, more an aerobatic motor than a scale motor, and they can be VERY finicky to set up, and keep set up, we regulary change OS type F plugs, what with the tossing around with them, and the running costs, we sold our 4 off a while ago, they have a place, but not in a TF Spitfire!!

[Myron Beaumont]

Alan

Thanks for that ,Funnily enough ,I was about to ask you to weigh it .It seems they made a 90 until 1992 /3 .Point noted about the YS ! Will do a bit more research later today .

Cheers Myron