Where are you getting your C/L Stunt Supplies?

[Mark Weiss]

I announced a couple of weeks ago that we (PAMPA) would be constructing a list of suppliers who have products we need. This list is being populated by people just like you and me. I have found that most of us have a source for items that not many others folks are unaware of. In a time of disappearing hobby shops and rising and rising balsa prices, we need to combine our resources so we can all survive and enjoy this great hobby.

I sent out some emails to folks who participate with me on the Monday evening and Friday evening Stunt Hangar Forums as well as some friends, This email listed a lot of categories and items we use or have used. I now have multiple sources for many items but we need much more input. I listed all the places I shop but so many of you have greater knowledge of suppliers than I.

I am asking you to take a few minutes and supply the name of each supplier you use or have used as well as the items provided, and their website or other contact info.
This is an important time to share your knowledge so others can also benefit. As PAMPA continues to grow, sources are everything to folks new to our hobby.

You do not need to supply information for every category listed, but the more the better. A very good friend of mine suggested that this list be shared only with those who helped build it. We are not ready to do that but his point is well taken. All I am asking is to share information you already have.

Here are the categories:

Airplane kits, ARF's, ARC's and plans

Second hand airplanes, proven flyers

Balsa: contest and other
Hardwoods

Covering materials: Silkspan, Polyspan, Monokote, Ultracote, carbon veil, others

Carbon fiber tubes, rods, sheets

Control Handles, lines, connectors, safety things, reels

Airplane control systems: bellcranks, lead out cables, ball lings, other links, control rods, flap and elevator horns, hinges, tip weight boxes and weights

Glow Engines: new, used, spare parts, glow plugs, fuel tanks fuel tubing, glow fuel, filters, propellers, spinners, ignitors

Electric power systems: motors, parts, batteries, battery chargers, ESC's, accelerometers, timers, propellers, spinners

Paint: dope, automotive, other finishes, filler, clear coats,

Vinyl lettering, paint masks, letters and numbers

Adhesives: epoxies, laminating epoxy, thinners, alphatic glues like Titebond

CL oriented websites

CL websites, chatrooms

       If you notice there are items or categories I have missed, PLEASE add them to you reply. PLEASE SEND BACK YOUR LIST OF SOURCES TO ME via PRIVATE MESSAGE.

PLEASE DON'T JUST READ THIS AND MOVE ON TO THE NEXT TOPIC. I PROMISE YOU WILL GET MORE THAN YOU GIVE...

Thank you guys/gals...

Mark Weiss

[Doug Moon]

I use SIG for balsa
I use SIG for dope and thinner
I use rattle can primer from the automotive store,,,be careful it's heavy!
I use automotive paint and clear from local store English Color or Ellis Color supply depending on which house brand of clear I want to go with. Both shops are local.

I use HobbyTown for glue, CA and Epoxy. Yes they are expensive there but it is local to me.

Last time I bought covering was through Tom Morris. I bought alot! I am not sure how that works now.

I like to buy fuel from SIG but they are out often. I mix my own as well. I buy nitro from a local flyer, Klots online at their website, and alcohol from a local dirt track shop.

I usually get my glo plugs through Randy or online through EBAY or an RC shop. Whatever shows up on a google search.

[john e. holliday]

Depends on what I need at the time.  For most right now it is MBS Model Suppies.  As far as balsa as my local hobby shop doesn't have what I need I go to Hobby Lobby.  RTL Fasteners for most of the screws/bolts I use.

[Brett Buck]

Control lines - MBS Model Supply
Raw metal and plastic materials (graded aluminum and steel sheet, drill rod_) McMaster-Carr
Hardware (screws, nuts, etc) - McMaster-Carr
Hand tools - eBay (get vintage hand tools from estate sales)
Precision tools  - eBay
Drill bits - Drill Hog
Taps/dies - Greenfield (usually via Grainger)
Composites and epoxy - Aerospace Composites

Propellors - Brian Eather, Igor Burger, Chris Cox

McRosco Snaps (scissor-type line clips) - LureParts online

Small plastic hardware (hinges, etc), DuBro - RC Country Hobbies (Sacramento), Klett- eBay

   Electrical parts-Mouser

   I will think of more, of course.

    Brett

[Tim Wescott]

• 'Lectric motors from Innov8tive designs.
• ESCs from JETI
• Nuts & screws & things from RTL Fasteners, MSC Direct, or McMaster
• Metal from Online Metals or McMaster
• Phenolic sheets came from McMaster, but Aircraft Spruce has a much better price
• I currently have a lifetime supply of balsa; if I need more I'll ask here or go to National Balsa
• Various hobby shop sundries from A-Main (good people -- we want them to keep alive!)
• Dope has been from Sig, if they really do dry up as a source, Certified from Wicks or Aircraft Spruce
• I will die before I run out of silkspan, polyspan, and Doctor Paper

[Mark Weiss]

THANK YOU DOUG, JOHN, BRETT, TIM, AND MIKE !! I TRULY APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU TAKING THE TIME TO SHARE YOUR SOURCES WITH OTHERS. ALL THE RESPONSES TO DATE HAVE PRODUCED A VERY NICE SPREAD SHEET! LOTS OF PLACES TO CONTACT! AS I AM NOT AN EXCEL EXPERT, IT IS TAKING ME SOME TIME TO TRY AND PRODUCE LIVE LINKS REQUIRING JUST A TAP ON THEM..

THANKS SO MUCH. IF YOU KNOW OTHERD WHO ARE WILLING TO SHARE, PLEASE ASK THEM TO CHECK THIS POST.

REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR HELP......

MARK

[Brent Williams]

Fancher Handles and line clip sets from...Me!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Lithium Ion Battery Cells: www.liionwholesale.com  www.18650batterystore.com
Molicel P28A and P42A, Molicel P28B and P45B

Balance lead connectors.   
https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256803467066441.html?spm=a2g0o.order_detail.order_detail_item.4.38abf19cdnB7NA&gatewayAdapt=glo2usa&_randl_shipto=US

Fish paper 18650 insulator rings:
https://www.amazon.com/Insulator-Self-Adhesive-Insulators-Electrical-Insulating/dp/B07H6TF58L/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=18650+insulator+rings&refinements=p_85%3A2470955011&rnid=2470954011&rps=1&sr=8-4

Fish paper roll  (aka dielectric insulation paper, fibroid paper for shielding/insulating the ends of the battery from accidental shorting)
https://www.amazon.com/CG100325FT-Electrical-Insulating-Paper-Light/dp/B01LWNTDE2/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=fish+paper+roll&sr=8-4

PVC shrink wrap:  https://www.amazon.com/MECCANIXITY-Battery-Shrink-Tubing-Insulation/dp/B097ZQFDWK

14 gauge Silicone Wire: (12g if necessary)  https://www.amazon.com/BNTECHGO-Silicone-Flexible-Strands-Stranded/dp/B01AO7586O?ref_=ast_sto_dp&th=1&psc=1

Pure Nickel Strip:  Ebay/Amazon/18650BatteryStore/Liionwholesale

[Mark Weiss]

Brent,
I already put you on the listing.
Could you let us know where you purchase your lithium ion cells and the other sources you have??
We would all appreciate that.
Thanks
Mark

[Sean McEntee]

     While my focus has been more on free flight, the bill of materials is usually similar.

     For the beginner who just needs basic building supplies (CA, exacto knives, ect), Hobby Lobby's are just about everywhere and carry such items.  They also carry balsa up to 1/4", some of which is decently light if the time is taken to sort through it.  Hobbytown's are out there too but the one here seems to be carrying less and less, which isnt a suprise.

[Dan McEntee]

    After doing this for almost all my life, and collecting a buying when opportunity presents itself, I just go to my basement of attic!  But there are still two decent hobby shops in the St. Louis area; Mark twain Hobby in St. Charles, MO, ( and I worked there part time for over 35 years,) and Schaefer's Hobby Shop in south county on Gravois near Lindbergh. There are also several Hobby Lobby stores here. In this day and age, most of the smaller manufacturers have stopped dealing through distributors after Tower Hobbies/Great Planes went bankrupt and that isn't helping the hobby shops or the hobby in general. Sonic-Tronics has stopped making glow plugs for now due to material shortages and they only deal direct now on everything else, , and Dave Brown Products is more or less the same. I prefer getting supplies and such in person but with supply chain issues and material shortages, that is getting difficult across the board. Props can be a real issue if you fly I/C and sometimes you have to deal direct in that area also. Right now, Master Airscrew (Windsor Propeller) and APC are the dominant manufacturers, with Brodak still producing BY&O props. Engines are pretty much nonexistent. Mark Twain Hobby hasn't carried any engines in stock for years, simply because no one was buying them. O.S. doesn't offer any entry level or bottom end type engines like the LA any longer. Enya is available in limited supply and is basically direct now also. Four stroke engines were always such a small and niche market in the first place that I don't think they even are in the picture now. I use as many cottage industry vendors as much as possible, such as Jim Lee's "Lee's Machine Shop" for engine hardware. The biggest items that can hold some one back, and they have all become "big ticket items," are balsa, dope, kits, engines and fuel, if you are looking at this from the stand point of where to send some one looking to get started from scratch. One area that could be explored is the used equipment and supplies market. I think there are still mountains of stuff hiding in basements, attic and garages that the families of the participant have no idea of how to distribute the items, and we have all heard horror stories of whole collections of stuff ending up in the trash dumpster. The idea of trying to establish a clearing house or a "Goodwill" of the model aviation community is difficult at best, but I have seen it done on a small scale in the vintage dirt bike community. Model Airplanes of any type has become kind of regional in where the most activity is due to people retiring and relocating, people passing away, and no new blood coming into the hobby. This has helped the demise of the local hobby shop and when added to the trend of everyone buying supplies on line, the results are predictable. Some would see the savior of a lot of this to be the electric model, but even that is suffering from a lot of the same symptoms. Almost everything has to be obtained by mail order, and component manufacturers seem to come and go, and are all offshore (read that as China), and the trends there are pretty fluid and changing, so no real 'establishment " companies. This is one reason why I didn't "go electric."  Good luck with the effort on pulling all this together, and it will be interesting to see what changes there are a year from now.
   Type at you later,
   Dan McEntee

[Peter in Fairfax, VA]

There's a pretty good list at "Control Line Flying," copied here:

Brodak.com
sigmfg.com
https://www.rsmdistribution.com
http://mbsmodelsupply.com
Melvin Schuette, all the hard to find supplies you need.
http://pdkllc.com
Pat King's site. Excellent laser cut kits and plans.
controllineparts.com
Ruslan Kurenkov's store.
http://aerohobby.ca/store/
Yaroslav Melnikov, primo combat supply (I'm biased. Lol)
https://vintageperformancemodelairplanes.com/
Stan Fronabarger. High quality kits, arf and rtf for CL
http://www.controllineplans.com
Bob Mears took over for Barry Baxter.
http://www.flying-models.com/index.php
Back issues of flying models, plans from the magazine
http://www.aeroproduct.net
Randy Smith, world class CL stunt products.
https://f2abcd-store.ru
Andrey's store. Combat, racing and stunt
http://www.leemachineshop.com
Jim Lee, custom machining and cool tools.
http://www.dubjett.com
The place to get your Ro-Jett engines!
https://okieair.com/
Okie model products. Replaced SH hobby shop.
http://www.exmodelengines.com/
Matt runs a tight ship. US based Cox engines, parts and service. Offers other brands, including the fox 1/2a stuff.
https://coxengines.ca/
New and NOS stock of Cox parts and complete engines. New parts added regularly. Check out the new 3d printed peewee .020 backplate to replace a tank.
http://www.mecoa.com/
Mecoa is a staple in the model aircraft engine world. Too many brands to list here, but do yourself a favor and visit the site again. Many new additions.
https://www.facebook.com/Southridge-CNC-1690338564370043/
Greg Rodney 's FB space. His little crop duster is what turned me on to him. Amazing kit quality.
http://eliminatorprops.com/store/
Carbon fiber props. Stunt, speed, racing and some combat props.
The Balsa Dust Factory  Jon Fromm 's hobby shop. Check his inventory, some really good stuff and fuel for sale.
https://www.facebook.com/The-Balsa-Dust-Factory-110028884013356/

[Chuck Matheny]

I recently tried MOTION RC with very good results.
You wont find everything [most things?] in the way of building supplies here but this place might be able to fill in the gaps
Their web site is well organized for quick shopping and purchase.
Free shipping at $100
Fast delivery
Lots of DuBro hardware at  good prices.

[Matt Colan]

Randolph paint: aircraftspruce.com
Various bolts: McMaster Carr
Carbon veil: aerospace composites (last I saw the minimum order was far larger than what i could afford)
Wood: okie air
Props: brian Eather
Glow plugs: eBay
Thinner sandpaper and masking tape: Home Depot
Fuel: I mix my own, nitro from a local guy in Dallas. Methanol from a racing shop nearby. Klotz from Amazon or the Klotz website
Various glue and small hardware (ex hinges): the local hobby shop, hobbytown
Wood: okie air

[Dave_Trible]

My list is a lot like Matt's but I'll add a bit:

Super Fil: Aircraft Spruce
Balsa:  Okie,  You can get lucky with a few good pieces if you canvas your local Hobby Lobby stores regularly.  Other occasional odd sources.
Dubro: Local hobby shop or Dubro on-line.
Fuel: Mix my own or FHS/Red Max.  LHS carries a little VP now $$$
Plugs:  Sonic Tronics and Ebay
Props, tanks, control hardware:  Make my own
Engine:  Competition ; Dub Jett,  Classic/old time, trainers etc.; Ebay
Wheels and spinners:  China via Ebay
Lines, reels, clips: MBS
Carbon veil: CST the composite store on line.
Prop making carbon supplies:  Fiberglast
Mold making glass and resin:  Home Depot or an auto parts store.
Things getting pretty hard to come by:  Building cement (Sigment),  motor mount stock, plugs, decent covering material ie, silkspan (NOT Dr. paper junk)

[Steve Dwyer]

Lotsa good information here. I'm wondering if anyone knows of a supplier for carbon fiber tubes used for pushrods other than Central Hobbies. Their shipping costs have jumped considerably for over 24" packages.

If you have a source and a part number for a comparable grade size tube I'd appreciate it.  Looking for the 3/16"  OD size to fit the machined connectors CH offers. I get lost when I try to decipher on-line the many carbon fiber products there are out there.

BTY, I have been using 4-40 threaded rod slightly flattened and inserted with 30 min epoxy for the connector ends with good results, it will not pull apart.

Steve
 

[mike londke]

 1 gallon jugs of Nitomethane can be purchased at Hyper Fuels.  5 gallon containers of Nitromethane can be purchased at DL Performance.

[Doug Moisuk]

If you go to the home page and scan down you will get to the Venders Corner.

[Dave_Trible]

Lotsa good information here. I'm wondering if anyone knows of a supplier for carbon fiber tubes used for pushrods other than Central Hobbies. Their shipping costs have jumped considerably for over 24" packages.

If you have a source and a part number for a comparable grade size tube I'd appreciate it.  Looking for the 3/16"  OD size to fit the machined connectors CH offers. I get lost when I try to decipher on-line the many carbon fiber products there are out there.

BTY, I have been using 4-40 threaded rod slightly flattened and inserted with 30 min epoxy for the connector ends with good results, it will not pull apart.

Steve

I get carbon tube material from McMaster-Carr..or CST.

[Dennis Nunes]

Lotsa good information here. I'm wondering if anyone knows of a supplier for carbon fiber tubes used for pushrods other than Central Hobbies. Their shipping costs have jumped considerably for over 24" packages.

If you have a source and a part number for a comparable grade size tube I'd appreciate it.  Looking for the 3/16"  OD size to fit the machined connectors CH offers. I get lost when I try to decipher on-line the many carbon fiber products there are out there.

BTY, I have been using 4-40 threaded rod slightly flattened and inserted with 30 min epoxy for the connector ends with good results, it will not pull apart.

Steve

I order from ACP Composites. Prices are reasonable. https://store.acpcomposites.com/carbon-fiber-pultruded-tubing?quantity=1&dimensions=38&length=3&resin=4. Shipping not too bad.

Dennis

Edit: Oops! It appears this item is now out of stock. Not sure when they will or if they will have it again.  Bummer.

[Steve Dwyer]

Dennis, This looks like the place to go but even the .196" OD X .121" ID is out out of stock as well. Seems most of their small diameter tubes are unavailable. Think I'll give them a call to find what's up.

Thanks much,

Steve

[Warren Wagner]

For an all round good hobby shop, check out

          Graves R/C Hobbies
       
     4814 N Orange Blossom Trail, Orlando, FL 32810

     (407) 294-5699

They have given me fast service, and actually had the SIG dope that I wanted IN STOCK.

I just got off the phone with Bob Smith Industries, and they tell me that Graves is in the TOP
FIVE distributors of their adhesive products.  I especially like their cyanoacrylates.

So chances are that BSI CAs will be in stock, and probably very fresh when you consider their
turn around rate.

Aircraft Spruce gives good service on Randolph Dopes.

Brodaks is probably the largest, one-stop place to shop for most of our controline needs.  I try
to support Brodaks with as much business as possible.  I consider doing business with Brodaks
an investment in my hobby future.

Cheers,

Warren Wagner
Bradenton, FL

[Robert Whitley]

I’ve been using the 2P-10 CA products for about ten years. This is the stuff Sparky’s been using lately.
Most woodworking supply stores carry this but if you know someone in the woodworking industry see if they can get it wholesale for you from Richelieu Hardware. (They only sell to wholesale account holders.)

For wire I buy drill rod from a local industrial bolt supply store. I also get 4-40 allen head screws from them.(typically in boxes of 100)

Go through the dollar store and you may be surprised by what you might find useful there. (X-Acto knife copies, sheets of bristol board, vinyl paper and transfer tape for masking etc.

A cheap source for good maple is the Habitat For Humanity Restores. Buy maple cabinet doors typically for one or two dollars each and rip the framing to size for motor mounts or whatever.

Search local plastics or other sheet good suppliers for phenolic sheets.

Check out metal suppliers for aluminum and tin for fuel tanks. I go to a company called Metal Supermarket and get decent size offcuts quite cheaply.

[Mark Weiss]

 I want to thank Steve, Peter, Matt, Dave, Steve Dwyer, Mike, Doug, Dennis (again), Warren, and my buddy Robert from Canada for all your assistance on sources for various items. Getting the names of cooperative hobby shops is also very helpful!

I understand any packages over 24" in length re now being assessed an additional $ 15.00 by the USPS!

I hope to publish my master listing in about a week. It is getting a lot of sources from a lot of folks and that is the whole idea.

I am also getting requests from some pilots who have hobby businesses. I am glad to add your names but it would be nice if you shared your sources as well. The depth and accuracy of this listing is only as good as those who have been kind enough to share their knowledge with us.

It has also been an interesting exercise in trying to figure out how many SH visitors are active CL pilots. As I press these keys on my computer, there have been 776 visitors to my post and a grand total of 30 who have shared their sources. This shows a 3.8% response. What does this mean? my best guesses would suggest the number of those who read my post are not active pilots; some believe that their sources are covered by others who have responded; and my least favorite would be those who are active, read the post and decided not to help out. This may be the same group who never volunteer to judge or assist at contests. Who knows...

All I can do is thank those who have responded here and to me personally from the SH Forum gang!
Thank you all who have helped thus far!!!

[Angelo Smyth]

Light weight fiberglass: https://www.thayercraft.com/0.56-oz-104-volan.html#

Variety of carbon fiber products (fabrics, tow, etc.): https://sollercompositesllc.com/

New parts for OS Engines: https://www.rcjapan.net/index.php?main_page=index

[Steve Dwyer]

Mark thanks much for your effort here, I think we'll all look forward to seeing a consolidated listing of sources once you have completed it. I'll be sure to print out a copy and post it in the workshop.

Another source I found for Randolph paints is Wicks Aircraft Parts and Supplies. I found their prices were a bit more favorable than Aircraft Spruce and they carried the full selection of Randolph colors while A-S was more limited.

Thanks,

Steve

[Steve Dwyer]

Light weight fiberglass: https://www.thayercraft.com/0.56-oz-104-volan.html#

Variety of carbon fiber products (fabrics, tow, etc.): https://sollercompositesllc.com/

New parts for OS Engines: https://www.rcjapan.net/index.php?main_page=index

Angelo,   How is RC Japan to work with, any experience?  Shipping time and shipping costs?

Steve

[Dave Harmon]

Angelo,   How is RC Japan to work with, any experience?  Shipping time and shipping costs?

Steve

I have bought a lot of stuff from RCJ over the years....mostly RC and their customer service and communication has been great!
Usually it takes 5 to 7 days to get here and their tracking through the different countries is unique but sufficient.
Someone there can read and write English very well and is prompt in answering....24 hrs or less due to the time difference.
Shipping is quoted before you place the order.
They send an email detailing everything you ordered then once you look it over and accept their quote....they ship promptly.
Read their description of how this process works.

One time they had a misrepresentation of a product that I ordered and received.
I sent them an email detailing what I was seeing and within a couple of hours they had corrected their website and had the correct item on the way out the door.

Another time I had ordered and received a Futaba ESC which was defective....I contacted them and then returned it.
They hand carried it to Futaba and I received the replacement in about 2 weeks.
RCJ is great....Highly recommended!!

[mike londke]

One more Mark. Almost every area across the US has a local Speed Shop or Car/Truck Performance Shop. Most carry and will sell methanol to the public. Bring your own jug and they will fill it. Currently I pay $6 a gallon for methanol....

[Dan McEntee]

Angelo,   How is RC Japan to work with, any experience?  Shipping time and shipping costs?

Steve

  I bought some parts from RCJapan also with good results.  Prices were attractive but shipping is pricey, so I bought enough to make it worth it. At the time I was looking for LA.46 cases and they had the. plus whatever parts I could find to build up some from Garner ABC piston and liners. It was all pretty much as Dave described. They are a clearing house for obsolete parts, so if you see something you need, buy it because it might not be there when you go back.
  Type at you later,
   Dan McEntee

[Robert Whitley]

Hobby shops that I’ve had good service from are The Balsa Dust Factory in Lacombe,Alberta, Canada as well as Great Hobbies in Edmonton,Alberta.
Another one that is good for general model hardware and whatnots is Wholesale Hobbies also in Edmonton.

[Angelo Smyth]

Angelo,   How is RC Japan to work with, any experience?  Shipping time and shipping costs?

Steve

These guys have never done me wrong. 10 days-ish on the shipping. Parts prices are reasonable,  but shipping adds significantly to your cost. Sometimes you just need that new part, right? Otherwise, I've found myself stuck having to buy somebody else's junk and paying the same anyways. Hope this helps.

[Howard Rush]

I remembered these when I was hassling Tim on a different thread.

Mask material and tape to put over the masks to hold them together when you peel the bottom parting layer from the stickum: MacTac 8448 Grey Translucent Spray Mask and Pro-Tape Standard Application Tape from Ordway, http://www.SignSupply.com .

[Howard Rush]

I'm wondering if anyone knows of a supplier for carbon fiber tubes used for pushrods other than Central Hobbies.

There used to be a cool kite shop in Seattle, but it seems to be extinct.  While looking for it I found:

https://www.kiteguys.ca/carbon-spars/
https://intothewind.com/kitemaking/carbon-tubing.html

[Fred Cronenwett]

Airplane kits, ARF's, ARC's and plans
: Outerzone for plans
: I convert RC kits over to CL for scale applications, so no one source

Balsa: contest and other
: National Balsa

Hardwoods
: National Balsa

Covering materials: Silkspan, Polyspan, Monokote, Ultracote, carbon veil, others
: For Fiberglass not sure-haven’t purchased a large amount lately, CST sales comes to mind among others

Carbon fiber tubes, rods, sheets
: TNTlandinggear for aluminum gear and wing tubes

Control Handles, lines, connectors, safety things, reels
: MBS model supply
: Lure parts online for the Roscoe Snaps (get the large one!) - www.lurepartsonline.com

Airplane control systems: bellcranks, lead out cables, ball lings, other links, control rods, flap and elevator horns, hinges, tip weight boxes and weights
: Brodak for bellcranks
: Tower for Clevis links and pushrods
: Specialty bolts (metric and others) BoltDepot.com

Glow Engines: new, used, spare parts, glow plugs, fuel tanks fuel tubing, glow fuel, filters, propellers, spinners, ignitors
: glow plugs – Mike goes flying
: RC style tanks for CL scale, Tower Hobbies
: Metal tanks – Brodak

Electric power systems: motors, parts, batteries, battery chargers, ESC's, accelerometers, timers, propellers, spinners
: Motion RC for ESC’s
: E-flite
: Cobra motors

Paint: dope, automotive, other finishes, filler, clear coats,
: Klass Kote
: I get my latex and other paint locally then put Klass Kote clear over latex and other paints

Vinyl lettering, paint masks, letters and numbers
: I cut my own if I have the artwork (get a Cricut machine....)
: Callie-graphics.com

Adhesives: epoxies, laminating epoxy, thinners, alphatic glues like Titebond
: Tower Hobbies or the hobby shop
: Lowes or Home Depot for Titebond or Gorilla glue

[Kafin Noe’man]

Hi Mark,

I’m not sure if my list will be any help to you guys, but here I am sharing my list of C/L suppliers around Indonesia or South East Asia

Airplane kits, ARF's, ARC's and plans
- SIG (US)
- Brodak (US)
- Powers International (Japan)
- NTC Engineering Hobbies (Singapore)

Balsa and Hardwoods
- Cakra Dinamika (Indonesia)

Covering materials: Silkspan, Polyspan, Monokote, Ultracote, carbon veil, others
- Cakra Dinamika (Indonesia)
- NTC Hobby (Indonesia)

Carbon fiber tubes, rods, sheets
- Brodak (US)
- Cakra Dinamika (Indonesia)
- NTC Hobby (Indonesia)

Control Handles, lines, connectors, safety things, reels
- Brodak (US)
- Powers International (Japan)
- NTC Engineering Hobbies (Singapore)
- NTC Hobby (Indonesia)

Airplane control systems: bellcranks, lead out cables, ball links, other links, control rods, flap and elevator horns, hinges, tip weight boxes and weights
- Brodak (US)
- Powers International (Japan)
- NTC Engineering Hobbies (Singapore)
- Cakra Dinamika (Indonesia)
- NTC Hobby (Indonesia)

Glow Engines: new, used, spare parts, glow plugs, fuel tanks fuel tubing, glow fuel, filters, propellers, spinners, ignitors
- NTC Engineering Hobbies (Singapore)
- Cakra Dinamika (Indonesia)
- NTC Hobby (Indonesia)
- RC Japan (Japan)


Best,
Kafin

[Craig Gunder]

AeroGraphics in CO for paint masks, decals and vinyl graphics if you use them, model and full scale, free catalog and a great web site. We did a Cub pedal plane project for our grandkids, and they scaled down a couple of full scale Sensenich propeller decals to fit a 22" prop. Great folks to do business with.

Torco for nitro in addition to Hyperfuels.

Klotz for lubricants, there is some other really good stuff out there if you do your homework, look towards the 2 stroke racers (bikes, outboard boats, karts, etc.

Alky: VP, Sunoco, Stinger and Hyperfuels, be aware that a lot of the methanol that is sold at the speed shops has a lubricant and other additive mixed in it for the injectors and other tricky reasons. An example would be VP, there M-1 is pure (almost) methanol and their M-3 has the oil and other goodies. Stinger's no oil alky is S-1.

[Ken Culbertson]

I just checked the prices for National Balsa "contest grade" and practically ran down the street with my hair on fire.  $9.34 for 1 sheet of 1/16 x 3 x 36.  Their regular balsa was $2.06 for the same sheet.

Has anybody ordered from them recently that can tell me what they consider contest grade?  I can live with 5-6lb wood if their regular is in that range, in fact I prefer it.  That is why Mr. Sand invented sandpaper.  Somehow, I suspect they consider that "contest" and their regular is in the 8lb range.  I don't like to build too light.  With today's power a 13oz wing loading is just fine.  My current ride is 14 and flies better that anything I have ever built.  I can easily build to 13 or less with 4-5lb straight grain wood and put less strain on the motor.

Any help appreciated or another source?

Ken

[Reptoid]

1 gallon jugs of Nitomethane can be purchased at Hyper Fuels.  5 gallon containers of Nitromethane can be purchased at DL Performance.

Both pretty expensive. You can buy 50/50 (50% Nitro/50% Methanol) in a sealed 5 gallon drum from any VP Racing fuels outlet.
 Unless you're making fuel with more than 40% nitro this will work for any fuel mix. Just simple math

[afml]

Looking for a source for "Hello Kitty" Line Clips.
Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.
Many thanks in advance & "Tight Lines!"
Wes
P.S.: Randy can no longer get them.

[Mike Griffin]

I am sure there is going to be some repetition in my list but here goes:

 Bud Nosen - Balsa – Contest and AAA – (Have to buy $200.00 minimum but that is not hard to do at today’s prices)
 McMaster-Carr - Fastners, threaded rod, connectors and most hardware we use.
Goodwinds – fiberglass and carbon fiber tubes (still in business?)
Amazon – Adhesives, Exacto blades, scalpel and blades,
Aircraft Spruce – Dacron for cloth hinges, Super Fil, dope

I really wish someone (and maybe there is) could come up with a readily available adjustable lead out guide that did not cost $18.00. 
Mike

[Phil Hawkins]

I actually have picked up alot of very nice stuff on Craigslist! I seach : airplane, plane, RC, CL, control line, nitro, airplane lot... I have bought four complete airplanes, A Ringmaster with an L&J Fox ($30) a Goldberg Shoestring with a McCoy 35 ($25) Cosmic Wind with an Enya 35 ($40) a Sterling YAK 9 with an OS MAX S 35 combat ($20) plus more! Now that I am thinking about it, I have several other complete planes. Plus all kinds of supplies, tools, etc... all super cheap!
I am constantly searching Estate sales, garage sales, etc. I am signed up to receive notifications for Estate Sales in my area.

[John Rist]

Does anyone have word on RSM?

[Mike Griffin]

My biggest frustration is covering.  I have used plastic shrink covering but do not like it.  I have a few rolls of Polyspan left that i bought from Tom Morris a few years ago.  I tried Doctor Paper that was supposed to be the GOOD stuff and did not like it.  The stuff Brodak sells sucks (have no idea what that stuff is).  Real silkspan like we had years ago seems non existent on the market.  What are good alternatives?

Mike

[Phil Hawkins]

My biggest frustration is covering.  I have used plastic shrink covering but do not like it.  I have a few rolls of Polyspan left that i bought from Tom Morris a few years ago.  I tried Doctor Paper that was supposed to be the GOOD stuff and did not like it.  The stuff Brodak sells sucks (have no idea what that stuff is).  Real silkspan like we had years ago seems non existent on the market.  What are good alternatives?

Mike

I agree! I am.looking for red & white 1" squares (or close to 1") and a matching roll of white to hopefully aquire a product with similar shrink rates. I can find Hanger 9 rolls for about $32 each, or two rolls on ebay, shipped from China, free shipping for about $45.
I never thought it would take this much time and money to get what I think I need!

[Phil Hawkins]

My biggest frustration is covering.  I have used plastic
shrink covering but do not like it.  I have a few rolls of Polyspan left that i bought from Tom Morris a few years ago.  I tried Doctor Paper that was supposed to be the GOOD stuff and did not like it.  The stuff Brodak sells sucks (have no idea what that stuff is).  Real silkspan like we had years ago seems non existent on the market.  What are good alternatives?

Mike

Mike, I bought this exact product a couple years ago to use as patch material. Unfortunately the plane was far more brittle than needing a few patches. I need to pull off all the covering and do the whole thing.  But I was very pleased with the weight, the workability and look. The black is very deep and it has had no fade in the two years it has been hanging in the hanger! It's a pricey, when I bought it in September of 21, it was $18. But I plan on buying a few different colors, including enough black to recover the Stuka Stunter I was patching.

[Phil Hawkins]

Mike, I bought this exact product a couple years ago to use as patch material. Unfortunately the plane was far more brittle than needing a few patches. I need to pull off all the covering and do the whole thing.  But I was very pleased with the weight, the workability and look. The black is very deep and it has had no fade in the two years it has been hanging in the hanger! It's a pricey, when I bought it in September of 21, it was $18. But I plan on buying a few different colors, including enough black to recover the Stuka Stunter I was patching.

Oops... the product:

[Paul Wescott]

Oops... the product:

Hi Phil.  The listing you provided says the thickness of the fabric is 11 momme (1 momme = 4.34 grams / square meter).

If you buy “Habotai” silk from Thai Silks or Dharma Trading it comes in weights of 5 momme or 8 momme.  It is typically white, but can be dyed before use, although they do sell some solid colors.

I would be interested in seeing / feeling the difference between 8 momme and 11 momme which would appear to be 38% heavier.

[Phil Hawkins]

Hi Phil.  The listing you provided says the thickness of the fabric is 11 momme (1 momme = 4.34 grams / square meter).

If you buy “Habotai” silk from Thai Silks or Dharma Trading it comes in weights of 5 momme or 8 momme.  It is typically white, but can be dyed before use, although they do sell some solid colors.

I would be interested in seeing / feeling the difference between 8 momme and 11 momme which would appear to be 38% heavier.

It would be interesting to aquire the lighter material to compare the weave. The Taffeta seems to have a tight weave. It did not take much clear dope to fill in. It would be worth it to buy a couple yards of the lighter stuff to give it a try. To be continued...

[George Grossardt]

Now that RSM is closed, and Okie Air may as well be closed, where are folks getting Tom Morris type control systems (bellcrank, control horns, ball links, etc.)?  Looks like Brodaks is the only answer.

[doug coursey]

It would be interesting to aquire the lighter material to compare the weave. The Taffeta seems to have a tight weave. It did not take much clear dope to fill in. It would be worth it to buy a couple yards of the lighter stuff to give it a try. To be continued...

I HAVE USED BOTH LIGHTER AND HEAVIER SILK FROM DARMA,,THE HEAVIER IS TWICE AS THICK AS THE LIGHTER ONE I MEASURED   BOTH.. I COVERED MY NOBLER WITH THE LIGHTER VERSION AND ITS PRETTY MUCH JUST LIKE MEDIUM SIG SILKSPAN AND NEEDS ABOUT THE SAME AMOUT OF DOPE TO FILL THE WEAVE MABY 1 MORE COAT AND ITS MUCH STRONGER. THE HEAVIER SILK TAKES A LOT MORE DOPE TO FILL THE WEAVE IF YOU WANT IT CLEAR AND NOT PAINTED...I DID HAVE TO USE 3 COATS OF SIG SUPERCOAT CLEAR TO TIGHTEN THE SILK BUT IT STAYED TIGHT EVEN WITH NONTAUTING CLEAR APPLIED AFTER THE SIG