Back In The Fold?

[Andre Ming]

SO, my history with C/L has been: On/off. Been this way for decades.

That is, I would be active followed by inactivity (up to several years long), rinse and repeat.

I thought the last time I went inactive was essentially it for me and C/L. In fact, I even tossed some stuff. (Building board and such.)

The above so, I'm more surprised than anybody that the niggling desire to reactivate has been tugging at me over the past week or more. However, the last I was active was 2016, and I'm sure things have changed.

My on/off pattern isn't going to change. Best I can hope for is that I have short periods of activity over the course of a year so that I don't go years without activity.



AS for the future of the hobby as I see it:

Fortunately, my net surfing romps indicate that there is still a decent supply of needed items to sustain the hobby (as I do it) for a while longer.

The good news is that I have a potential solution for the age-old bugaboo about me and C/L flying: A way to go fly combat wings solo so I don't have to involve the wife (she hates the "goo" of the exhaust) or find someone locally that would share similar interests in C/L. Neither of these two options are solutions, and the latter option is like finding unicorn. Anyway, I may have discovered a way to fly combat wings solo, and if that is so, that is a huge hurdle. Being a lone wolf type personality, I can most certainly enjoy this hobby solo most of the time.


HOWEVER...

From this point, it's going to be baby steps as I have to resurrect my stuff and get it in a condition to fly. It's amazing how things deteriorate just sitting: Batteries go dead, engines glue themselves solid, balsa stick and glue airplanes get brittle, on and on.

Along the way, I will need to ask questions from those of you that are stalwarts of the hobby. I will need some guidance if this "return" is to gain traction. That so...


FIRST QUESTION:

HOW do you store your airplanes? I'm out of space within the house. The most available area to create some space for airplane storage would be the non-temp controlled garage. However, the summer temp can get well into the 110+ range and down into the single digits in the winter. I don't think that's a good thing for models?

Am I safe in assuming that I truly need the models within a temp-controlled environment?

Any input y'all can share would be much appreciated.

Thanks.

Andre Ming

[944_Jim]

Mr. Andre,
I "moved all hobby operations" into the 5.5 ftx 22 ft closet affixed to the side of my garage. The hot water heater lives against the shared wall with kitchen, deep in the closet. I installed a through wall 6k btu A/C unit to keep the closet and contents relatively cool and dry. This to to protect tissue covering and "thing"-kote on the planes as well as my balsa, kit stash, fuel and field box (and my N-scale railroad, but that is another subject).

I did observe early on that the hot water tank would often be heating water, even when no call for water. Then it would stop heating water and then the A/C would kick in. Back and forth...back and forth. I finally realized the HW tank was heating the closet, which then triggered the A/C, which cooled the closet (which cooled the HW tank, back and forth...). After a week of observing this, I finally constructed a false wall with full size door to isolate the HW tank from the rest of the closet. Vent holes were cut between the HW Tank "compartment" and the garage, which meets code here. Now the two units don't duel it out anymore. The A/C is small as is the room, so there is little impact to my electric bill.

My smaller planes hang on hooks screwed into the bottom of overhead-on-the-wall shelves. Their lead-outs are hooked on the suspended hooks. The hooks may need to be turned a smidge so the planes' lines of thrust/wing incidence lines are parallel to each other, with enough room for tail group and landing gear in between each airframe, and noses to the wall. This keeps the hooks pretty close to the wall and a diaper under the planes after flights.

My couple of larger planes hang by their landing gear nose upon the face of my wire rack shelves. True I need to move a plane to getting to building supplies, but I have maximum storage within, and still have a small build bench.

I hope that gives you ideas.

[Andre Ming]

Hi Jim.

Thanks for sharing your experiences.

So is it your conclusion that I should NOT store airplanes in the non-temp controlled garage?

Andre

[Andre Ming]

I detest ni-cad type glow plug batteries. Though the linear discharge rate of ni-cad/lithium/etc is nice, the sudden drop at the end of discharge isn't. I don't want to have to remember to charge the glow plug battery.

I like the slower discharge of a dry cell. Unfortunately, the Hobbico 1.5 hobby battery that I used to use is no more.

SO, I have just purchased these:

https://www.amazon.com/LEIFIDE-Battery-Parallel-Physical-Container/dp/B0BQ6R9TP8/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=2QYW05QKBIO2E&keywords=D+cell+battery+holders&qid=1696349687&sprefix=d+cell+battery+holders%2Caps%2C115&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1

I will use the above to gang together (in parallel) about 5-6 D cells. Doing so I anticipate that I will be good to go on glow plug starts for several months, or as in the past, all season. Plus, D cells are readily available and can be purchased at any Walmart or hardware store.

Andre

[944_Jim]

Correct...don't store in a non-climate controlled room. Just as important, don't expect airplanes to sit around for years waiting to be used. I have pictures of hanger-rash that would make you cry. They are what I used to swing She Who Must Be Obeyed towards agreeing with my extreme closet take-over.

PS...I think you would be fine with single-wheel landing gear on the front of your combat ships. Unless you plan on revisiting an angry circle, the single wheel will only move GC forward and any aeronautical "distortions" won't keep you from flying for sport. Or cut the tails and booms freel and retrofit profile fuselages into place. That way, a longer tail moment will offset new landing gear.

[Andre Ming]

Hi again, Jim!

I wuz a'feared that I wuz kee-rect on the "planes in the garage" thang.

SO, that question is answered.

It will be more challenging to find storage within the house, but I may be able to eek out some space for combat wings. Finding room for a Ringmaster will be taxing, though.

My "thing" is replicating vintage combat planes. That's where the huge bulk of my C/L giggles are found. That so, I'm a bit of a "purist", and the thought of a single wheel landing gear being mounted is nigh blasphemy! 

However, along with my vintage combat plane love... I think I could enjoy a profile sport plane. Thinking a Ringmaster repli-kit, but we shall see.

Well, limited finished airplane storage will be an effective way to limit just how many airplanes I can have! 

Andre

[Dan McEntee]

  I have a rather large fleet and most are stored out in my attached garage, which is neither heated or cooled. If working out there in the winter, I sometimes run a space heater and can get the temp up to almost 60 degrees. It never gets below 40 degrees I don't think. I know it doesn't get to freezing because nothing ever freezes out there! I store stock piles or soda and such out there also and none of that ever freezes. In summer, it never gets above 90 in there. I've toyed with the idea of a small window type air conditioner but haven't executed the idea because I have a work bench and shelf right in front of that window. The sun shines on the main door in front for the first half of the day, and I just don't open the door and let that heat in. The door is pretty well insulated. The back side window and door window have old curtains stuck up on them to keep the sunshine out. I have a few fans to circulate air if I really have to do something out there, but usually wait until at least 8 o'clock or until after the sun goes down. Those temp ranges haven't seemed to bother anything I have. If you can easily and cheaply heat and cool things, that's obviously the best, but if you can keep temps between 40 and 90 degrees and can keep the sun out or let it in as needed, that will do. I keep all my vintage bikes out in my big shed. The shed is raised up off the ground about 8 inches, and has two skylights that face the south. It's shaded in the summer and in winter the daily sun hits the roof and sky lights pretty square and the building is well vented. I have never tracked it, but I think this technique keeps temps in the same range. I have never seen anything freeze out there. i think having the floor that far above ground, which is covered with patio tiles set edge to edge on a sand base, helps keep excess moisture at bay also. I have mostly stunt models, and made racks from large metal shelf brackets that I added long 1 by 2's on to the top surface and two of these can let 4 or 5 large stunt models hang by the stab. I have foam on the 1 by 2s. Any variation of that will let you store combat models and smaller sport planes. I see guys run a long cable across a basement ceiling, and then hang combat models on hooks by the lead outs. I'll bet 20 combat models wouldn't take up ten feet hung like that!! just study your space after reading these suggestions and you'll figure it out!! If you have some wall space, you can use that to display your favorites of special models. Once you get started on the project it will just roll along!
    Type at you later,
    Dan McEntee

[John Carrodus]

I learned to store models upside down to keep workshop grim off the upper surfaces. Also store with regard to keeping clunk tanks on the correct angle so they will keep clunking ! I suggest a wine storage room if you can afford both interests at once- alas.......

[944_Jim]

Well, limited finished airplane storage will be an effective way to limit just how many airplanes I can have! 

Andre

Nah...stash kits, not planes.
It just means you don't go out of your way to keep a bunch of completed ones.

Have fun! Fly with abandon. Build frequently. You'll always build better!
I had a couple I will someday revisit with updates.

[Andre Ming]

Hi Dan!

Yeah, I'll get it figured out. In the morning I'm going to start gathering up junk out of the garage and closets (empty boxes, other nonsense) and head off to the recycle center to alleviate myself of it. Hoping to create some usable room in the process.



John:

Hoping to avoid the garage at almost any cost. However, I think a wine cellar is off the table. 



Jim:

You have a point: Kits stash much better than completed airplanes!



All:

I think I've found a closet for the sport plane that's in the thought process. I think I can cut a coat hanger and bend it so I can hang it by its lead outs.

As for the combat wings: I may be able to add brackets up top in the hobby closet and stack wings up there.



Still many issues to solve, but inch by inch it's a cinch?


Andre

[john e. holliday]

Hang the combat wings by the leadouts also.  Takes up less space.

[Andre Ming]

Hang the combat wings by the leadouts also.  Takes up less space.

True, but they take vertical height that way. I don't have much of that to spare. I was thinking maybe racks up above in the closet so they can be stacked into the racks like layers.

We shall see!

First order of business is deciding which engine and getting it ready for use along with deciding on a sport airplane and getting it into the air.

Gonna' be a while before I can actually try to fly.

Andre

[john e. holliday]

Why don't you save all that energy and worry and come by my place an pick up airplane with engine ready to fly.

[Andre Ming]

Wow, what a kind offer, John!

Darn! Sept 26-27 the wife and I were just in KCMO to see a Brian Culbertson concert and to visit some of my relatives!

It could be by the time I invest the gas/eats to get to/from Shawnee, select/pay for a plane, etc, that I may be money ahead to just bite the bullet and go forward with building my own. However, YOUR way would get me into the air a WHOLE lot faster.

Hmmm.

I'll PM 'ya to get some details!

EDIT: PM sent!

Andre

[john e. holliday]

Hope these work

Well it would be much easier to describe in person, but here some pictures.  That is a 15 size combat plane.

If your computer is like mine you can click on the link below the picture and enlarge it for more detail.  I don't have the spring on it right now to help pull the arms forward to let the plane fly.   

[Andre Ming]

ALL:

I'm BACK!

Through the generosity of John "Doc" Holliday I will be making a whirlwind trip to KC next Tuesday and when we get finished chewin' the fat and talkin' planes, I'll be headed back to Okieland with two Streaks!

SO...

This not only brings me back into the fold, but also my daughter wants back in. (She's been pressuring me for years to get back into it.)

BUT...

That's not all folks! Also in the deal is the fact that her boyfriend has seen C/L videos (daughter showed him) and he wants to learn how to fly badly!

By virtue of one generous act (thanks again John!), TWO of us are coming back to C/L and ONE is wanting to learn.

Can't beat that with a stick, can ya'?


John: Hopefully, when I arrive at your doorstep next Tuesday, you can show me that launcher so I can look it over and figure it out!

Andre

[john e. holliday]

I look forward to it.

[Ara Dedekian]

     Andre,

         My wife built a 25' x 36' two story garage as a bribe to get me to move to Maine. It's uninsulated and unheated. All my C/L and RC models, fuel, supplies, covering, engines, plans, kits etc. live out there year round. Temps range from below freezing to about 90 degrees F. and all survive the extremes in temperature. When I pull them out at the start of the flying season, they fly just like they did the previous spring. The only things I keep in the basement are stick and tissue models.

         Ara