The Long Journey Back

[Andre Ming]

Hi Dan!

A quick search hasn't turned up a source for VP products in my region yet. I'll start asking around.

I only have about 2/3 pint of this Sig 1/2A fuel (25% nitro 20% castor/sythetic) but I'm sure the nitro/methanol in it isn't as volatile as it used to be. Anyway, I've got to get something pronto. There is a hobby shop near Fort Smith, but they deal primarily in R/C cars/trucks. They carry VP glow fuel... but there's no oil to speak of in them.

I really would NOT mind mixing my own fuel, but I do have concerns about the shelf life of nitro and methanol. Also, I don't know what to use for an igniter. I "think" I recall Fox used something like benzyl peroxide??

Now, Brodak's has 10%, but their castor only content is a whopping 29% castor! Way too oily for what I will be doing.

They also have this:

https://brodak.com/fuel/fuel-qt-10-nitro-11-5-castor-11-5-synthetic.html

I've never been too keen on ANY synthetic in my fuel... so this would be new territory for me and I would have to overcome long-ingrained prejudice against synthetic additives.

The above is why I wouldn't mind mixing my own, but a 5 gal can of 50/50 would take me forever to use up. It would probably go stale on the shelf!

All fer now!

Andre

[john e. holliday]

Maybe you could get one of the guys that already use the stuff to sell you a gollon or two.  I have used fuel that has synthetic with castor blend and have not had any problems.  It was the oure synthetic I had to get some castor to add to it.

[Andre Ming]

Maybe you could get one of the guys that already use the stuff to sell you a gollon or two.  I have used fuel that has synthetic with castor blend and have not had any problems.  It was the oure synthetic I had to get some castor to add to it.

Hi Doc!

Problem is there's ZERO guys that I know within proximity to me.

Hmm. Maybe I could hit the Flightmasters of Fort Smith FB page. Could be they source fuel locally and/or could spare some.



Synthetics:

During my Fox Mfg days (1970-1975), I've seen too many engines on my workbench for repairs that were marred by their use. Duke detested synthetics and I'm sure his stance influenced me until I began to see it for myself. Then it became my own opinion, too.

HOWEVER, it could be that synthetics are a lot better now?

Andre

[Andre Ming]

BY THE WAY...

Way back in 1970, I met a young boy at the flying field in Fort Smith, AR. (He's about 6-7 years younger than I am.) We flew all summer at the same field and became friends.

Then life caught up to me, as it did for him, too. I saw him at times during my Fox Mfg years, but we were never at the field at the same time from 1970 on. (Instead, I would see him at the hobby shop at Fox Mfg.)

I've seen him once since the early/mid seventies... this would have been early 1990s.

ANYWAY...

He has a FB presence and I initiated contact. We've been chatting some for the past couple weeks. He hasn't done C/L since the mid-1970s.

Long story short: We're going to meet up Tuesday at a longtime local Fort Smith hamburger joint: Ed Walker's. It's going to be great to see him and again and start getting caught up on how our lives have gone.

I must admit, I also have a hope that he'll get interested in C/L again. I would love to meet up and fly with him some. However, that would just be a side benefit. The real benefit will be in the reacquainting.

All fer now!

Andre

[John Miller]

Andre, I feel your frustrations. I too am trying to make my way back into activity after an accident, about 12 years ago, left me With some problems in my hands. Where I live, there are few sources of the ingredients to mix my own fuel.

I remember back when I flew a lot of RC. My flying club had me find a good choice of fuel that the club could make available to its members. I used FHS Red Max out of Florida. That's where I went for my present needs, and I'm pleased with the results. They blended exactly what I wanted. I even got oil for my Diesel engines in the same order. As the name suggests, their oil usually has a red tint. I don't care for the slight red color shift, on the bottom of my plane, over time that sometimes occurred for me, so I asked that the coloring be left out, which they were able to do.

you might want to check them out. their phone number is (800) 742-8484. The website is fhsoils.com.

Welcome back and I'm looking forward to your postings about your journey.

John Miller

[Andre Ming]

Thanks John for your well wishing and your input.

I will take a look at Red Max.

At this point I am suspending all attempts to fly again until I can get consistent needle settings on the ground out in the back yard. No more trying to rush this into action. After running out a couple tank fulls on the ground without issues... I'll try again. However, before I can have a hope of that, I will need fresh fuel and a new tank.

Ironically, IF I felt I could handle a restricted Fox 36X on bladder pressure at 80-90 MPH, and if I had fresh fuel, I would have already been flying two weeks ago. However, I think trying trying to fly such a plane at this point would be lunacy. Plus, I really want a nice running, nice flying, sport profile to play with.

Andre

[john e. holliday]

Think about a really low pitch prop on that beast.   

[Andre Ming]

FOLLOW UP...

So yesterday I met with an old flying bud from way back in 1970: David Jamell. (He was 14, I was 18.) A brief encounter in the early 1990s aside, this was our first face to face meeting since 1970!

We had a great visit and super enjoyed starting the process of getting caught up on where our journey through life has taken us.

We exchanged phone numbers and intend to stay in touch and have lunch together every now and then.

I DID tell him that I sure hoped he would get re-interested in C/L flying... but I assured him I wasn't going to push him.

He's still working (self employed) and enjoys what he does, so retirement isn't "imminent" for him.

I think he has some pictures from way back in the day that I'm hoping to view and possibly get scans thereof.

It was an excellent time.

Andre

[Andre Ming]

Yaaayyy!

(See pic.)

Now for the weather to break so I can get out and test run a tank installation.


Andre

[Steve Helmick]

I seem to recall a program to fiddle with non-stunt fuel to attain our goals for oil and/or nitromethane percentages. Hoped to find it in the "Downloads Forum" (bottom of index), to help Andre with his fuel supply problems. Anybody?

My Algebra has probably gone downhill in the last decade, but I can figure out how to get one or the other correct, and then the percentage of the second. Really need Calculus. Who knew it'd be useful?

The R/C boat bods seem to use a lot of Vitamin N, and the R/C car bods seem to use very little Vitamin O (it'll be all synthetic), but either is a fair starting point. Starting with YS20/20 would be an easy way to start with very little Algebra needed. Maybe 1 one part YS20/20 to 2 parts 5/29 or something of the sort.  Steve

[Paul Smith]

Our local fuel supplier was a high-income businessman who was very serious about winning RC boat races.  He advocated high nitro and a low percentage of synthetic oil.  Boat hulls last forever so the only maintenance issue was replacing engines like we change props and glow plugs.

At his insistence I tried some of his boat fuel in an FAI Combat plane.  The speed was increased by 5 MPH and the fuel consumption to do the four minutes was reduced by a full ounce.  But the engine only lasted four runs.  An engine expert who analyzed the remains conclude that the failure was not caused by under lubrication, but by excess power and over-revving.

Note: boats and cars only run full throttle part of the time, not all the time like most CL models.

[944_Jim]

Mr. Steve/Mr. Andre (and anyone interested),

I'm fond of the Andy Batts fuel mix spreadsheet. It used to be parked on a university server, but alas, no longer. However, I DO have the old spreadsheet saved on my laptop.

I prefer Mr. Batts' spreadsheet as it is for blending two fuels with respect to Vitamin N, Vitamin O. For blending for oil and nitro content only, one supplies the same variables to each of the "original fuels." Then one adds a set value for additional castor. The total new value is produced.

I use it to adjust high Vitamin N fuels (regardless of oil content) and  straight methanol with a measured shot of castor oil to get low nitro fuel for my Fox, and medium nitro with enough castor for my 1/2A stuff.

Since I fly smalls, I edited a spare copy for eight ounces total. The original is for quarts.

I seem to remember providing a copy to Joe Ed Peterson (the quart one if I remember correctly).

There are other single fuel calculators on the internet, but none that I'm aware of do two-fuel blends.

PM if you want a copy. I think it would be swell to park it in a files section...I bet.Mr..Batts would be tickled pink to know it is still being used. He has visited CEF and has an account there.

I never knew there was a files section here on SH. I need to visit it.

[Colin McRae]

This is the spreadsheet I use for blending 2 fuels or adding castor to one fuel.

[944_Jim]

Yep! Mr. Dan nailed it...the Andy Batts calculator. I love this thing. And yes, some will say do it by weight, not volume. I'm sticking with volume as I don't want to measure specific gravity vs temps. My Cox.and Norvel engines (even the AP .061s) are just fine with it. I'll know about the Fox and Testors engines over time.

I didn't know we could attach spreadsheets.