Laser Engines - Technical questions

[Ron Gray]

@DavidD - if you look at a business plan for a new company producing (mainly) I/C engines for the model ‘plane market it doesn’t make for good reading! There would have to be major diversification into other, related markets and therein lays the problem.

[Manish Chandrayan]

I can own up to influencing at least one engine sale to a fellow flyer. A 100 was recently bought by a friend on my urging and bidding and allowing him to fondle my new in box 155 .

[David Davis]

Posted by Ron Gray on 20/11/2019 10:56:12:

@DavidD - if you look at a business plan for a new company producing (mainly) I/C engines for the model ‘plane market it doesn’t make for good reading! There would have to be major diversification into other, related markets and therein lays the problem.

I know. Those of us with the ability to appreciate a fine piece of engineering and with the money to pay for the finished product, are all dying off!

[Ron Gray]

Not forgetting the impact that leccy motors is having, it’s a dwindling market. Get’m, use’m, love’m whilst you can.

[Martin McIntosh]

Jon, I have a pair of Eurokits air units, 90 degrees and ex Lanc. if you are interested. Same as the ones in my 1:5 Hurricane.

[Jon H]

Posted by Martin McIntosh on 20/11/2019 15:28:30:

Jon, I have a pair of Eurokits air units, 90 degrees and ex Lanc. if you are interested. Same as the ones in my 1:5 Hurricane.

Thanks Martin

I found some robart jobs 2nd hand in the end but its a shame we lost people like eurokit as they did some nice stuff at decent prices

[Bob Cotsford]

Jon, did you ever try any of the Lado electric units? Very well made substantial units in sizes to suit anything over 5kg with larger sizes to suit 50cc machines. Unfortunately they seem to have disappeared, maybe not enough people actually prepared to pay for quality in the face of cheap units from HK?

[Jon H]

never tried them but as you say, lado are gonners

[bert baker]

Off topic,?

I do like Laser engines but

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

Posted by Jon - Laser Engines on 20/11/2019 16:16:57:

I found some robart jobs 2nd hand in the end but its a shame we lost people like eurokit as they did some nice stuff at decent prices

Lost - or just not being distributed?

Edited By Martin Harris on 20/11/2019 23:21:41

[Martin McIntosh]

Nice to know that they could still be around.

[Ron Gray]

Their air retracts look to be good value as well.

[Jon H]

Not that i am opposed to the chat but we should probably bring this back to technical things. We could start another thread to cover the search for retracts if we like

One quick question i would like feedback on.

A new multi cylinder engine of about 50cc and intended to fit 80-90 inch span WWII fighters with inline engines (Spitfire Mustang etc) without hanging out of the cowl. It would be glow but 5% nitro and with a low oil requirement. I estimate 8-10 flights of 10 minutes per gallon on glow fuel from a fuel consumption point of view.

Would you buy one or would it have to be petrol at that capacity even if making it petrol made it significantly more expensive?

Place your votes please.

[Dirk Witvrouwen 1]

I would not buy 50cc methanol. I'd prefer you to spend research resources in workable petrol design.  As side note, ever considered E100 engines? 

Edited By Dirk Witvrouwen 1 on 21/11/2019 11:48:44

[Steve Dunne]

I'd definitely go for glow, petrol is not an acceptable option to SWMBO.

Lack of larger glow engines and the size of the trapdoor into my loft workshop are the two factors that have limited me to around 80" warbirds and other models.

Steve.

[Jon H]

Dirk - Why would you use ethanol but not methanol? Both cost more or less the same and the engine would use them in similar quantities so there would be no fuel cost advantage. I dont believe you can use a glow plug with ethanol so you would need an ignition unit and this would make the engine more expensive than a glow to begin with. Ethanol is more difficult to get as well, at least it seems to be here in the uk.

Also, what would put you off the engine on normal methanol fuel in the first place? Im a little confused!

Steve, good to know. The engines i have in mind are (somewhat selfishly) designed in part around my own needs for engines to fit DB Hurricane/Spitfire, 1/5 scale P40 and Spitfire etc. The concept of one of the designs however could shrink down to a 160-200 size though for models like your YT spit and Hurricane. 

This is all hypothetical right now, but a glow version would be much easier to produce if i got the chance. 

 

 

 

 

Edited By Jon - Laser Engines on 21/11/2019 12:08:55

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

I'm not in the market for one at this time so my viewpoint may not be relevant but my preference would be glow. If we look at it no more than £2 a flight for fuel then the additional cost for a petrol version would go a long way to subsidising the additional fuel costs.

I would want to keep my model indoors and petrol is a no-no for that.

[bert baker]

I have a 7-70 radial on glow,,,, I have a complete petrol conversion kit ready to fit to it

its not the fuel consumption that I have issues with it’s the reliability.

trying to keep seven glow plugs happy is a pain,,

Even with onboard glow it can’t overcome a oiled up plug during flight.

the more significant thing is internal corrosion,,,

I am hoping spark ignition will keep all the cylinders alive..

if only Jon’s management would support his dreams

[SR 71]

For me it would have to be petrol, cleaner and has been pointed out keeping the plugs alight on a glow is not easy on the ones iv seen

Tony

[Dirk Witvrouwen 1]

Posted by Jon - Laser Engines on 21/11/2019 12:05:04:

Dirk - Why would you use ethanol but not methanol? Both cost more or less the same and the engine would use them in similar quantities so there would be no fuel cost advantage. I dont believe you can use a glow plug with ethanol so you would need an ignition unit and this would make the engine more expensive than a glow to begin with. Ethanol is more difficult to get as well, at least it seems to be here in the uk.

Also, what would put you off the engine on normal methanol fuel in the first place? Im a little confused!

Steve, good to know. The engines i have in mind are (somewhat selfishly) designed in part around my own needs for engines to fit DB Hurricane/Spitfire, 1/5 scale P40 and Spitfire etc. The concept of one of the designs however could shrink down to a 160-200 size though for models like your YT spit and Hurricane.

This is all hypothetical right now, but a glow version would be much easier to produce if i got the chance.

Edited By Jon - Laser Engines on 21/11/2019 12:08:55

In Belgium Methanol can't be sold over the counter anymore, thus, almost impossible to mix your own fuel and local hobby shops are getting extinct and/or do not carry nitro-less fuel etc...

k">

I would have no objection against having to use an ignition system on a larger Laser. It is an extra point of failure though.... and so far I've been an electrics only guy so all of this may not make much sence.

Ethanol is less toxic as methanol (far from an expert on that matter), and since I encountered an online shop selling E100....I simply raised the question coming in with a blanc sheet.

 

My position still stands that I would not buy a 50cc methnol for reason of fuel accessibilty and fuel cost difference with petrol

[SR 71]

And i have the plane ready and waiting for it

[Richard Wills 2]

A 50 ish cc inline glow I would really like, even more so if it ended up 60cc ish. Been looking for a long time for something like that suitable for a 1/5 Mustang.

[maurice northcott]

Yes please Jon, nice new large Glow Engine. Oh and can we please have a few of the out-of-manufacture vee's please?

[Alan Hilton]

Hi Jon

Yes please for a 50 cc engine ,I wouldn’t buy a petrol ,I prefer the simplicity of glow any day

Alan

[David P Williams]

Yes please Jon. I have an unbuilt Top Flite Giant Scale 1/5 Mustang kit in the loft waiting for exactly this engine.

Glow for me - the smell of petrol in the car and workshop makes me feel sick, so I would have to run a petrol engine on Aspen which would negate any fuel cost savings. I don't fly that much anyway, more of a builder than flyer, so fuel costs don't bother me. Never have a problem with any of my glow engines, including the cheap ones, as they're all tuned correctly. Can't remember the last time I had a deadstick, including the twins.