Ron Gray Posted November 21, 2019 Share Posted November 21, 2019 There were plenty there last week but all sold out within a few days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Stainforth Posted November 21, 2019 Share Posted November 21, 2019 Posted by Jon - Laser Engines on 21/11/2019 13:07:34: Posted by John Stainforth on 21/11/2019 12:49:26: Jon, I think there would be a significant demand for an inline 50cc glow engine amongst the scale fraternity. Incidentally, what are the problems of using methylated spirits as a base? (Would the piridine coke the engine up?) Dirt cheap and readily available. Meths is not likely to be very pure. My guess is it wouldnt be a very consistent fuel and im not sure how a gluwplug would take it. Its also more expensive than methanol from what i can see. As a side note, its the oil and nitro which cranks up the price of glow fuel. Go skinny on both and you bring the cost down. And i admit, this is only my opinion, but if you take a warbird like the ones being referenced here is fuel cost really an issue? Minimum 350 for the wood, perhaps the same again for retracts and oleos, another 200 at least for radio gear. An engine could be 300-700 depending on what you get, so call it 500 as a middle ground. Now we are up near £1500 and we could easily spend another 500 on bits, paint, a pilot, spinner, scale details..whatever. So, if we call it an 1800 - 2 grand model, does it really matter than you used 20 quids worth of glow fuel to fly it for a weekend? To me 20 quid for a fun weekend out in the sun (yea right) is cheap. Jon, I totally agree with you re the cost of glow fuel. I think it's a vastly exaggerated issue. Most model flyers I know (including myself) spend far more on ethanol-containing beverages than on glow fuel - without batting an eyelid! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Fry Posted November 21, 2019 Share Posted November 21, 2019 Meths is, about 90 odd percent industrial grade ethanol, 10 percent rough methanol, with a blue dye. If you burn it it stinks, so there is all sorts in there, or it would not stink. When you go to a stockist, it's stored in open tanks, so nobody is worried about it gaining water. That is before anyone starts to worry about quality control between batches. It is expensive. No economic idea why. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Flyer Posted November 21, 2019 Share Posted November 21, 2019 Totally agree with John Stainforth above . It’s almost a joke at our club how some members just have to have petrol due to the cost . The percentage of their modelling budget spent on fuel is absolutely minimal. It’s very hard to justify on cost unless you are making a vast number of flights. The “unavailability” in some countries is also exaggerated. If model fuel became unavailable there is plenty of methanol fuel available from motorsports suppliers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon H Posted November 21, 2019 Author Share Posted November 21, 2019 Its not all bad. I have authorisation for 1 new product at least. Get your name down for the official Laser glowplug spanner coming soon :D I have been wanting to do one for ages as most of the commercial ones dont fit as they are cast out of round. If you then mod them so they do fit they crack eventually and are useless. All i have to do is come up with a design he is happy with. Cant have anything too complicated Bert, probably a topic for another thread but when does it loose cylinders? if you are just cruising at half throttle or so then it should not be dropping them. If it is then is likely out of tune somewhere along the line, or another fuel might help. One thing i found with my ASP radial was thermal management was a real problem as it would overheat at full power and then overcool at low power. I always had to balance the throttle to keep the temperatures up or down depending on what i was doing. My OS flat 4 behaved the same when out in the wind, now its in a cowling the temperature is more constant and it runs better. Edited By Jon - Laser Engines on 21/11/2019 19:55:42 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Flyer Posted November 21, 2019 Share Posted November 21, 2019 Put me down please 😊 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maurice northcott Posted November 21, 2019 Share Posted November 21, 2019 One for me please Jon (Laser Glow Plug Spanner). Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bert baker Posted November 21, 2019 Share Posted November 21, 2019 Jon i have been running on the recomended fuel, First flight of the day would be great loads of power and good throttling, Second flight 1 hour later and issues I would like a spanner for the glow plugs,,,,will they be long short or just right Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Gray Posted November 21, 2019 Share Posted November 21, 2019 Jon, you need to make a Laser multi tool, spark plug spanner and prop nut driver. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cymaz Posted November 21, 2019 Share Posted November 21, 2019 Posted by Ron Gray on 21/11/2019 22:03:20: Jon, you need to make a Laser multi tool, spark plug spanner and prop nut driver. And a pull out tappet feeler gauge from the handle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bert baker Posted November 22, 2019 Share Posted November 22, 2019 You’ll be wanting it left handed next Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cymaz Posted November 22, 2019 Share Posted November 22, 2019 Posted by bert baker on 22/11/2019 00:15:43: You’ll be wanting it left handed next No....just ambidextrous Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Walby Posted November 22, 2019 Share Posted November 22, 2019 That's the problem with VOC, ask five people and get six answers. If I need a plug spanner then I have the time and skill to make/adapt one, if I want a glow engine then I look to a manufacturer for the same reasons. There seems to be sufficient demand for glow engines (singles and vee's) as demonstrated in the speed that the recent ones sold. Might not be very exciting for Jon to produce more engines, but if the demand is there then why not meet it and go back to the boss for more resource to manufacture more. If inline or larger glow versions can come along based on existing designs then so be it. As for the petrol if its impacting glow sales then follow the market, if not its a lot of effort for little gain. I'll just shut up and go an bash some balsa in the garage as at this rate the model will be finished before the engines are available. Edited By Chris Walby on 22/11/2019 07:40:25 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manish Chandrayan Posted November 22, 2019 Share Posted November 22, 2019 Posted by bert baker on 22/11/2019 00:15:43: You’ll be wanting it left handed next Now that's an idea! How about a Laser single (155/180) rotating clockwise? Is that a possibility? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul james 8 Posted November 22, 2019 Share Posted November 22, 2019 Looks like the information overload has sent the poor lad running for the hills! 😊😂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin McIntosh Posted November 22, 2019 Share Posted November 22, 2019 I remember asking Jon about the possibility of a 50 ish motor to replace the very noisy 2st petrol in my Hurri. a few years ago. It would have to turn a 23x8 at at least 6000rpm though. The idea of a very narrow angle in line V appeals to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon H Posted November 22, 2019 Author Share Posted November 22, 2019 No im still here, just about hanging on to my sanity. Ron, this is what i want to make. Boss says its too complicated. Pretty much sums up the whole story here. Why do something awesome when the bare minimum will do? Anyway, im working on it and i will offer left handed versions of the spanners Reverse engines are a pain and not worth the hassle but reverse spanners seem reasonable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bert baker Posted November 22, 2019 Share Posted November 22, 2019 Oh well,, I’m off for now, Good luck and see you in the summer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Gray Posted November 22, 2019 Share Posted November 22, 2019 @Jon - what, one flat bar with a couple of hex cut outs in the centre and an end that fits a glow plug complicated, I would swear but not allowed to on this forum! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David P Williams Posted November 22, 2019 Share Posted November 22, 2019 Bert - if you want to sell the 7-77 I have a Flair Stearman kit waiting for it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bert baker Posted November 22, 2019 Share Posted November 22, 2019 Posted by David P Williams on 22/11/2019 11:40:19: Bert - if you want to sell the 7-77 I have a Flair Stearman kit waiting for it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bert baker Posted November 22, 2019 Share Posted November 22, 2019 It’s on the front of a Zorroli Stearman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeremy Scott-hake Posted November 22, 2019 Share Posted November 22, 2019 Please can I have a plug spanner . Thank you Jon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin McIntosh Posted November 22, 2019 Share Posted November 22, 2019 Best plug spanners in the world came with MDS engines would you believe! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul james 8 Posted December 17, 2019 Share Posted December 17, 2019 Posted by Jon - Laser Engines on 19/11/2019 08:26:07: Paul your short 90 is actually an 80, or perhaps a very late 75 like your other example. The 80 was just a bored out 75 and the 100 was a bored 90. A simple check is to see if the piston from the 90 fits, if so its a 75, if not its an 80 I was trying to see if there was anything stamped on the mounting lugs that would give a date of mfr and help pin down the size but the photos dont show it. Hi Jon, Just clearing up my office and found the piece of paper I wrote down the engine sizes on while I was rebuilding them (for some odd reason quite a few didn't seem to have the capacity marked on them?) The taller one was Bore: 26.5mm Stroke: 27mm The shorter one was Bore: 28.7mm Stroke: 22.9mm I still make them both around 0.9 cu inch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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