Club Auction Report

   CD Dick Stewart reports that the Auction was very successful and well attended. Modelers from NY,NJ, PA, MD, and VA found their way to our Auction to join the normal crowd of members from local Clubs. Several have requested tables for next year. Also in attendance were several former Club members who want to get back in the hobby. It was nice to see them again! Let’s do it again next year and even better.

   On behalf of the Club, Dick thanks the many Club-member volunteers who helped set up and clean up the room in record time. He also wishes to thank the auction staff: Information – Diane Hudak; Registration – Pat Bolduc and Phyllis Crain; Auction Sales and Set-Up – Scotty Moyer, Ed Kris, Doug Bond, Joe Zappo, Nick Zappo, Ryan Jamison; PA System – Bill Bass; Auctioneer – Tony Albence; Auction Sales – Paul Bryk, Dary Reisinger.

   Drawing winners were all Club members: 50/50 – Gary Reisinger, $94.00; Raffle – Paul Bryk, Engine; Mike Hudak, GP Ryan M; Ernie Bradley, 12V Battery Power Supply.

   Mary Ellen Patterson has sent this message: “Many, many thanks to all the wonderful helpers who made the hot dog sale such a success: Dolores Falcone, Dollie Gustafson, Anita Moyer, and Georgia Schlapfer. You were all simply wonderful and appreciated. Happy Holidays to all of you!”

   The Delaware R/C Club also extends its thanks to all of these fine ladies and also to Mary Ellen and Joe Patterson for providing food and drink for the hungry auction crowd. The Club is also most grateful for the $50 donation this group contributed to the Club.

   Thank you, Dick, for another great auction!

 

 

Around the Pattern

Membership

   At the September Club meeting, a membership dues adjustment was approved. Through timely renewal and electronic receipt of the newsletter, most members will see no dues change. Various age brackets have been re-defined to align with AMA and State Park brackets. Each current member should have already received a membership renewal form. Contact Dick Stewart if yours has not arrived. Please complete all information and renew early – mail it in or bring it to a Club meeting. As of this printing, 61 members have already renewed. In the November newsletter, it was inaccurately reported that: “Renewals will be considered “early” until the February club meeting.  All the early renewals will be entered into a raffle; three people will win prizes as an expression of thanks for renewing early.” This should have read: “Renewals will be considered “early” until January 15^th. All the early renewals will be entered into a raffle; three people will win prizes as an expression of thanks for renewing early.”

 

WRAM Show Club Bus Trip Signups Under Way

   The annual Delaware R/C Club bus trip to the 2004 WRAM Show in White Plains NY will be on Saturday, February 21, 2004. Diane Hudak has taken over the responsibility for organizing the trip from Jay Greene. You can sign up for the trip at the Club Meeting on December 2, or contact Diane personally (phone: 302-366-0246 or e-mail: av8orsangel@delaware.net) to make your reservations. All those who have participated in past trips can relate stories about the fun that was experienced by all. The cost of the trip is $36 per person, which includes the cost of the bus, admission to the show, and light refreshments on the bus.

 

Field Maintenance Report

A big “Thank You!” to James Cistola for repairing the roof on the Pavilion and to Dan Weick for disposing of the damaged shingles. James reports that the roof will need major repair next year.

 

Help Keep Us Keep You Up To Date

   In order to keep all our members informed of all Club news, it is crucial that the Club remain informed of all changes to our members’ contact information. Please send all changes of address and phone number to our Treasurer, Dick Stewart (302-368-2911 or BALTICPLY@aol.com). E-mail address changes should be sent to John Kirchstein (jakirchstein@comcast.net) and Carl Hauger (cewhauger@yahoo.com).

 

 

Classifieds

NEWS FLASH!!!!!!!!!!!                                                                                                                                                    FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We want to welcome everyone to the Holiday opening of Sky Blue Hobbies . . . soon to be your favorite place for all your R/C equipment. A pre-Christmas sale starts on the day after Thanksgiving but you can call anytime: 302-293-1563. See you all here, at 1809 Zebley Road in North Wilmington.

Joe Patterson

 

GREAT ENGINE!

Mokie 1.35 – “New In Box” - $210.00

Contact Tony Albence at

 

I’m selling everything!:

-          Tower Kaos 60 w/ engine

-          Custum made Simitar flying wing w/ .60 engine (was going to fit it out as bomber)

-          Super Kaos 40 w/o engine

-          Super Stick (?) .40 size w/o engine

-          A couple of .25 engines

-          R/C boat with .60 engine

-          Airtronics 6 channel radio w/ buddy radio (Installed in flying wing)

-          Futaba T6XA radio (Installed in Kaos 60)

-          Futaba Conquest FP-T4NL (AM...narrow)

-          Old Futaba 2Ch ground radio (Installed in boat)

-          Batteries (some new, some old)

-          Custom flightline box w/ separate battery/starter box

-          Covering iron

-          Hobbico Accu-Cycle (new last season)

-          A bunch of misc building tools

-          A bunch of misc parts

-          Great Planes Real Flight Simulator G2

-          GP RF G2 Addons volumes 1, 2, and 3

-          GP RF G2 Futaba interface (I used my T6XA)

-          Probably some more misc stuff

Best suggested offer can come see everything before making final decision.  Great for someone starting out.

Questions welcome.

Thanks.

Jon 302-598-9857     Email Address: jon@malenfant.com

 

 

 

Engine Troubleshooting

[Editor’s Note: this information was contributed by Rick Scott and was obtained through an Internet search. The source is unknown. Additional segments may appear in future issues of Glitch Busters]

FUEL.

Glow fuel is made up of methanol alcohol ideally 98% pure, castor and or synthetic oil and usually nitromethane. The exact mixture is up to the manufacturer of the fuel and is almost never on the bottle. Usually you will be told the percent nitro to alcohol and the percent of oil and if the oil is synthetic or not. What is actually in the bottle is anyone's guess. Some fuel also contains corrosion inhibitors, this is desirable in four cycle engines where the exhaust is more acidic.

If your engine changes its operation when you change fuel….. well dah….. However even if you use the same fuel, the manufacturer may change it do to mixing errors or maybe to rip you off or it just might be old..

Methanol is poisonous, keep all fuel out of reach of children, even older children who may not understand the difference between drinking alcohol and flying alcohol. Take this seriously, when I was in the Navy some sailors who were old enough to know better, drank some methanol and a couple of them died...

Problems with fuel.

1. The amount of nitromethane

Low amounts will cause low power and hard starting.

Too much will cause the engine to over heat and over rev.

2. Light

Nitromethane is light sensitive, light destroys nitromethane with a photochemical reaction.

Keep fuel in a light proof bottle. Plastic bottles like this are sold for use in photo labs or use a tin can (for safety reasons don't use glass). Keep just the amount you are likely to use in your flight box bottle and keep the rest in the cool dark.

3. Age

Alcohol evaporates, the warmer the fuel is the faster it evaporates.

The older the fuel is the more likely it is that you have lost alcohol. When you remove alcohol you change the percent of oil and nitro which will affect the way your engine runs.

Again keep only the minimum amount of fuel in your flight box bottle.

Keep in mind when you buy your fuel in the spring you are probably buying fuel that has been sitting on the shelf from last year! So the idea of buying "fresh" fuel for the new flying season, although a good idea may not do you any good….

It would be nice to have "born on dates" like some other alcohol products!

4. Temperature

The warmer the fuel the easier it will change into vapor inside your engine. Only vapor will burn, liquid fuel will not burn. (When you see liquid burn you are really seeing the vapor burn on the surface.) Your engine will work differently (not necessarily better) when the fuel has been sitting in the hot sun all day. A warm or hot engine can cause the same effect. That is why you warm up the engine before you fly. Fuel should be stored between 32 and 80 degrees F.

5. Contamination

The ports in your carburetor are very small even the smallest particle of dirt can clog the ports. If your glow plug is dry when you take it out this may be what has happened. The port size is critical, even a tiny change will make the carburetor unusable. For this reason do not try to clean dirt out with a wire or other tool.

Make sure you have a filter on your fuel bottle outlet not just on the clunk in the bottom of the bottle. Some people put filters on board the airplane in the hose going to the input of the carburetor. This is probably a good idea, but only if it is mounted in such a way that when you fill the tank you put fuel in through the output of the filter so that it is "back flushed" and cleaned. Remember that if the filter is clogged you have the same problem: No fuel reaching the engine.

Oil is in the alcohol for one reason to lubricate the engine. If you have contaminates in the fuel oil mixture you are grinding down the engine parts not lubricating them.