Forum

Graupner Closing

Hi Colin, The Koreans bought the original Graupner several years ago and rescued it then!😉 Then they became Graupner/JR. At the last 'rescue' Graupner/SJ. Now just Graupner Co. Ltd in Korea. I don't expect to see (m)any more new models after this announcement, but electronic gizmos and development and sales should continue according to the statement😊 I hope so, I still have a working Graupner MC-10 40MHz set!! And two of their Premium Line ships; Graf Spee and Belfast. Cheers, Doug 😎

3 months ago by RNinMunich

Forum

MFA 919D series geared electric motors

MFA aren't what they used to be. They just seem to sell a few motors and batteries and a few other bits and pieces. Gears ans belts. I still have an old catalogue of theirs from years ago. When they used to sell model boats and a whole assortment of model parts as well as model planes. Shame they have gone that way. Even model shops are few and far between and most of them do not sell much in the way of model boat stuff. TJD models are just over a mile or so from me and they are mainly planes and cars and plastic models. They have about 9 or 10 model boats and hardly ant small .

3 months ago by BOATSHED

Response

Re: SEAPLANE TENDER, WATER COOLING SYSTEM ADDITION

Hi Mike, pump is an oscillating silicone diaphragm pump (continuous flow) 6-12V from Banggood eg- https://www.banggood.com/DC6-12V-R385-Aquarium-Fish-Tank-Round-Water-Air-DC-Diaphragm-Pump-p-1037303.html?rmmds=search&cur_warehouse=CN I have one in my HSL as well and they seem to be very reliable (and are cheap). There are various sizes and brands of these and I have another which is a bit smaller I bought for an experiment. The 3 way tap I bought about 12 yrs ago, either EBay, Ali Express or Banggood (can't remember which,) and past orders have been deleted on these sites after 10 yrs (Hobby king is the same) Just had a look through all the sites I've used ( including Great Planes, and other aircraft sites and can't find a single R/C fuel tap! Plane and boat hobbies have been slowly dying round the world, and the dwindling number of available (especially in the IC area) is sad to see. A number of the largest US model companies have closed in the past 10 yrs or been absorbed by others. I have 7 planes from US (1 UK) model kit companies which are no longer in business. I had a number of Graupner models in the 70s and 80s (boats and planes) and now they really don't exist as they did any more. Also looked on Made In China.com - look here if you want to see where all Chinese made anything comes from (manufacturers wholesalers etc, - prices samples anything. Very Interesting! JB

5 months ago by jbkiwi

Forum

Fast attack craft

"...I charge them up occasionally and as luck would have it we recently had a power cut so I was able to power up a couple of car headlights so That we could see...." A very clever idea! You can get car like immersion coils for boiling water, which may also be useful in the future. I have a number of old Uninterruptible Power Supplies sitting around with dead batteries - these will run off 12v car batteries very nicely and give me 240v if I need it - though at the cost of some efficiency. The last power cut we had here was 2 days ago, and if we keep running our energy strategy in the way we are currently doing, I expect they will become a regular feature of life. Luckily it wasn't long, so the web servers stayed up on their UPSs.....

5 months ago by DodgyGeezer

Forum

Workshop

Just checked Hobby city, (main hobby shop in Auckland) AAAAARGH, some prices- mill drill $450, 24108 miller $2103, 24350 miller, $5398, 27110 micro miller $720, CNC ready miller $7802 ! and these are bare machines which need the ' to be able to do anything with them. A bit beyond my meager finances methinks, could almost buy a Triumph 2000 lathe for that much second hand . (had a quick look and found a Bridgeport power feed mill for $7200. Try- Hobby city.NZ -should get you there. Bet they don't have them in stock and you have to wait 3 months (if you are lucky) Pics of Hobby city owners plane before and after. Decided he'd had enough and turned it into a submarine at high speed. SA guy, previously represented NZ in world precision flying comps (second) shame, very clever guy and nice with it. You never know!

7 months ago by jbkiwi

Response

Re: 40'' Seaplane Tender, new build S

Ta Doug, still have to tidy up the waterline with a black 'boot topping' but we're getting somewhere. Just have to blow the grease out of the shaft tube ends (was to stop the acrylic paint getting in the bearings) and I can bung the shafts props and rudders in. Might make a few deck fittings today, although the bad case of Ebola I have is slowing me down at the moment. Need to get over to the model shop to get some brass rod to make the 'T' cleats. My grab rail stanchions haven't turned up from CMB yet but I only ordered them on the 20th, and they are coming by Royal Snail, so probably a few weeks yet. Most things take a month to get here and a week to come from the airport to me (only 62km or 1hr 20mins away across Auckland!)- changes couriers 2 or 3 times in the process. Re chicks with ',' you'd have to be careful on holiday in T land, imagine the surprise of finding out she's carrying more than a handbag!😮 John B

7 months ago by jbkiwi

Forum

Batteries in a DX5e

Don't know if you like scratch building at all but OuterZone have hundreds of reproduced downloadable plans from dozens of manufacturers, including Graupner. I recently reproduced a 70s Graupner PA 180 Super cub and Terry which I made for electric. I kept the plans from the kits I built in the 70s and built both planes from them. The only problem was having to make up a built up wing as the originals were foam core. Graupner made lovely kits and in the 70s , shame they had to change .

8 months ago by jbkiwi

Response

Re: The Battery Box & Power Switch

Hi jbkiwi. I've standardised on XT60 connectors on all my models, batteries and chargers for maximum flexibility and interchangability, also there's a wide range of mounting options and for them from HobbyKing. The MT60 & MT30 motor connectors are great and there's also the XT30 and XT90 range for smaller and larger current demands too. The batteries are a snug but not tight fit in the battery box and I've not experienced any LiPo battery swelling problems (yet)😀🤞

8 months ago by robbob

Forum

Aerokits pt boat plan

Taycol site: This used to have a working full KK Marine catalogue to look through. Then Flash went out of fashion. I am currently trying to learn JavaScript so that I can replace the Flash page-turning code with Turn.JS - but It's a slow business. In the meantime, I'm looking for any Taycol history, and data on like motor covers...

10 months ago by DodgyGeezer

Response

Re: The Radio Aerial

Hi Peter. Thanks for your kind words, the Black & Decker horizontal drill stand is no longer made as it only fits the old style of B&D drills that used a 'yoke and stud' means of fixing to their range of . Most current current drills have a collar that is used for attaching to and they are utterly useless 😝. But if you have an old style drill you can still get the attachments on eBay https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-Black-Decker-Horizontal-Drill-Stand/264280430020?hash=item3d885755c4:g:1O0AAOSw68ZcsKPF. You can also find the vertical stands there, and old style drills too! B&D also made a wood turning lathe attachment. A very rare item. I have considered a small engineering lathe but I don't have room in the workshop for one and with a couple of exceptions (thanks bro) I've been able to get by without one. 😁

11 months ago by robbob

Response

Re: Painting the hull – Part 2. The hull colour

That looks really good now Robbob. I hope you are bringing it to the model boat show at Warwick, as its probably to only chance I'll get to see the model in the flesh. All it needs now is a few and some "detail" or weathering. I've loved following this blog, as it brings such memories back to me. Best wishes, Dave W👍

12 months ago by rolfman2000