Luckily Eric Clutton (“Doctor Diesel” and PAW’s US
representative) was at the field too. He and I examined my PAW .06
thoroughly. We changed needles, looked for compression leaks, and
checked for sticky bearings. Everything seemed normal. Then Eric
removed the air intake tube (this is a nonthrottled engine) and solved
the mystery.
I had never seen this happen before. In approximately 10 years of
use, oxidized castor oil had gradually built up a thick film on the inside
of the PAW’s air intake. Eventually that film’s thickness accumulated
to the point where it almost blocked the air passageway.
Castor oil sticks tenaciously to anything it touches. That’s what
makes it such a good lubricant! But like its “cousin” linseed oil, in
contact with air castor slowly oxidizes into a nearly insoluble coating.
Also like the linseed oil used in so many paints, castor’s film thickness
can build up, layer upon layer. That’s what happened inside my PAW’s
intake.
(This sort of problem is unlikely with glow engines because
methanol has a more powerful solvent action on castor films than the
ether and kerosene used in diesel fuels.)
More About Oxidized Castor Oil: Removing that film from the
outside of model engines can be quite difficult. Once it is baked on, no
common solvent will remove it.
Various products on the market could do it, such as Z-Best and
Sunbeam’s Grill & Fry
Pan Cleaner, but they
are off the market now.
Various safety problems
caused them to be
discontinued. After all,
any chemical that is
powerful enough to
eradicate dark brown,
baked-on deposits from
model engines should
never be allowed to
touch human flesh.
However, one kind
Also included in this column:
• Some help from Dr. Diesel
• Methods of removing bakedon
“crud”
• More about homemade
model engines
• An engine-mounting tip
Joe passes a milestone in his engine-experimenting career
February 2006 97
The Engine Shop Joe Wagner | [email protected]
In 10 years of powering an RC motorglider, this PAW .06’s intake
tube accumulated a heavy film of oxidized oil that cut its power
output more than 50%.
Long abandoned to the weather, the workshop still exists where
Joe began his model-engine experimentation in 1946.
THE YEAR 2006 marks my 60th year of experimenting with model
engines. Yes, I did own a few “gas engines” before World War II, but I
began my improving and customizing work with the postwar products.
The year 1946 was an ideal time to get involved with model
engines! Dozens of new designs came out, among which radical ideas
emerged—such as the Howler .60 which didn’t even have an air intake
or the exquisite Ardens with air throttles instead of needle valves.
Updated models of prewar engines also appeared: front-rotary
conversions of the sideport Ohlssons, ball-bearing Forsters, the new
K&B Torpedo that replaced the earlier Atwood Phantom, etc.
Working (and playing) with this tremendously wide variety of
model power plants—and their accessories, fuels, and propellers—
provided a marvelous scope for my creative engineering efforts. And it
still does!
You might think there would be nothing more to learn after 60
years in this game. Not so! It seems that almost every time I go out to
the flying field I learn something—either with one of my own engines
or that of a flier I’m helping.
For instance, the PAW .06 diesel in the nose of one of my RC
motorgliders had given me reliable service for years. However, at a
recent meet that engine couldn’t develop enough power to haul its
model aloft. Its fuel and propeller were the same; the diesel started
readily enough, but its lack of power baffled me.
98 MODEL AVIATION
Ralph Barnette’s smooth-running “Cox 5” in action. It’s a two-stroke engine, with all five
cylinders working. (Case pressure comes from a vane pump at the rear.)
One of the few methyl chloride paste-type
paint removers still available that can help
remove baked-on “varnish” from model
engines.
The latest edition of Frank Anderson’s
monumental Blue Book lists and identifies
all American-made model engines (except
1/2As) through 2005.
A 1938 Baby Cyclone .36 is one of Walter Craig’s engine restoration projects. It had been
of “coating removal solvent” can still be corroded, with bent fins and missing parts. Now it’s like new.
purchased. Home-improvement centers such
as Lowe’s carry paste-type paint removers
that contain methyl chloride, one of which is
Savogran’s Strypeeze. It takes time to work
and requires meticulous precautions, but it
does a reasonably good job of removing
“engine varnish.”
Another alternative is to let an expert do
the work. Longtime Model Engine Collectors
Association (MECA) member Walter Craig
Jr. offers a wide variety of model-engine
cleaning and restoration services. These
include ultrasonic cleaning, freeing stuck
pistons, straightening fins, enameling
cylinders, replacing parts, and more.
Walter has 48 years of experience with
model engines and says “I’ve never had an
unhappy customer.” Contact him at 400 Hoy
Rd., Carlisle PA 17013; Tel.: (717) 243-6534;
E-mail: [email protected].
A couple columns ago I showed a unique
five-cylinder, two-stroke engine that Ralph
Barnette (Coldwater MS) made. It performed
so well that Ralph scaled down his design and
built another five-cylinder radial, using Cox
.049 cylinders.
I saw and handled this engine in October.
It’s extremely smooth-running, turning a 9 x
4 propeller at 9,500 rpm and a 10 x 4
propeller at 8,500 rpm. Its carburetor is from
an Enya .09 engine. (Ralph starts it with each
of its glow plugs connected to a separate Ni-
Cd cell.)
Ralph’s prototype “Cox 5” weighs
approximately 10 ounces, but he says he’s
sure he can trim that by at least an ounce.
Ralph told me he’s planning on making a few
(very few) more examples—and will be
selling them. Contact him at RalphGHM2000
@cs.net.
In the same column I included more about
the growing hobby of home-built model
engines. Ron Chernich of Brisbane, Australia,
E-mailed me with considerable information
about his contributions to helping
repopularize this activity.
For one thing Ron has a new Web site that
covers this field: http://modelenginenews.org.
This is an invaluable resource! It not only
includes all the Roger Schroeder material I
mentioned in my column, but it has Internet
links to such items as Bruce Satra’s
replacement castings for Morton M-5 engines.
Ron wrote:
“The main entry point shown above gives
online access to over 70 articles and almost
7,000 pictures of model engines, model
engine building, collecting, restoring, and
other associated topics. The entire contents of
this site is also available on a CD, for $50
(US), which includes air postage.
“On the first of each month the front
page changes to give news to model engine
enthusiasts. All ‘issues’ back to when I
started this format—June 2002—are
available online. The Web site itself began
in 1997, with information on ‘backyard
anodizing’ for engine restorers. It kinda
grew from there!
“By the way, I’m the author of all the
CAD drawings in the AMA Motor Boys
Model Engine Plan Book, plus a lot of others.
I can supply copies of my CAD engine plans
at a modest cost, except for those appearing in
the Motor Boys book. (People should buy that
book from the AMA because we directed that
all proceeds from its sale go to support the
AMA Juniors program.)”
More Model-Engine Documentation: I’ve
just received the newest edition (4th) of Frank
Anderson’s Anderson’s Blue Book. It is a gold
mine of identification and valuation data—
including photos and drawings—covering all
the US- and Canadian-made model engines
from their beginning in 1911 to 2005. (It
omits the 1/2As; those—there are roughly
300—will be covered in a separate volume,
available later this year.)
This is an amazing compilation.
Besides the identification data, Frank’s
new Blue Book includes the various
engines’ years of manufacture—and two
“price valuations” for each! (One is an
average of asking prices published in the
MECA Bulletin. The other was taken from
recent eBay selling prices.)
Anderson’s Blue Book is a loose-leaf, softcover
publication that just fits in a USPS
Priority Mail envelope. It has almost 120
pages (printed on both sides, although they are
numbered only on one side) and includes
source information for items such as spark
and glow plugs, ball bearings, reproductions
of old-time engines (including miniaturized
versions!), and more.
The 4th Edition of Anderson’s Blue Book is
priced at $43.95 plus $5 shipping for US
buyers, $8 for other North Americans, and $10
for overseas orders. Contact Frank at 753 Hunan
St. NE, Palm Bay FL 32907; Tel.: (321) 984-
0103; E-mail: [email protected];
Web site: www.andersonsbluebook.com.
Another “Helpful Handy Hint for Model
Motor Mavens”: I use molded plastic “radial
mounts” for my RC engines. I prefer drilling
and tapping those for the engine-mounting
screws.
However, none of the “usual methods” for
locating the hole positions has proven to be
accurate enough for me to always get all four
holes positioned just right. Too often I need to
enlarge one engine lug hole to allow its screw
to thread into the mount.
I know a way that works! Clean off the
bottom surfaces of your engine case lugs, and
then apply a generous coating of white Liquid
Paper to both. While that dries, file flat the
mating surfaces of your molded plastic radial
mount. (You may be surprised by how much
filing is needed. Some molded mounts are far
from flat because of mold shrinkage.)
Hold the engine firmly against its mount
in the position you want it, and apply (with a
small brush) a good, wet dab of acetone or
lacquer thinner to the front and back of each
lug, where it meets the mount. This will seep
into the junction and reliquify the white
Liquid Paper.
Hold the engine firmly in its mount for a
few minutes, to let the Liquid Paper dry again.
When you separate the engine from the
mount, you’ll see an accurate imprint of the
mounting-hole locations.
“Dimple” the center of each of those
imprinted holes with a sharp steel scriber.
From then on use the typical drill-press
procedures to complete
Edition: Model Aviation - 2006/02
Page Numbers: 97,98,100
Edition: Model Aviation - 2006/02
Page Numbers: 97,98,100
Luckily Eric Clutton (“Doctor Diesel” and PAW’s US
representative) was at the field too. He and I examined my PAW .06
thoroughly. We changed needles, looked for compression leaks, and
checked for sticky bearings. Everything seemed normal. Then Eric
removed the air intake tube (this is a nonthrottled engine) and solved
the mystery.
I had never seen this happen before. In approximately 10 years of
use, oxidized castor oil had gradually built up a thick film on the inside
of the PAW’s air intake. Eventually that film’s thickness accumulated
to the point where it almost blocked the air passageway.
Castor oil sticks tenaciously to anything it touches. That’s what
makes it such a good lubricant! But like its “cousin” linseed oil, in
contact with air castor slowly oxidizes into a nearly insoluble coating.
Also like the linseed oil used in so many paints, castor’s film thickness
can build up, layer upon layer. That’s what happened inside my PAW’s
intake.
(This sort of problem is unlikely with glow engines because
methanol has a more powerful solvent action on castor films than the
ether and kerosene used in diesel fuels.)
More About Oxidized Castor Oil: Removing that film from the
outside of model engines can be quite difficult. Once it is baked on, no
common solvent will remove it.
Various products on the market could do it, such as Z-Best and
Sunbeam’s Grill & Fry
Pan Cleaner, but they
are off the market now.
Various safety problems
caused them to be
discontinued. After all,
any chemical that is
powerful enough to
eradicate dark brown,
baked-on deposits from
model engines should
never be allowed to
touch human flesh.
However, one kind
Also included in this column:
• Some help from Dr. Diesel
• Methods of removing bakedon
“crud”
• More about homemade
model engines
• An engine-mounting tip
Joe passes a milestone in his engine-experimenting career
February 2006 97
The Engine Shop Joe Wagner | [email protected]
In 10 years of powering an RC motorglider, this PAW .06’s intake
tube accumulated a heavy film of oxidized oil that cut its power
output more than 50%.
Long abandoned to the weather, the workshop still exists where
Joe began his model-engine experimentation in 1946.
THE YEAR 2006 marks my 60th year of experimenting with model
engines. Yes, I did own a few “gas engines” before World War II, but I
began my improving and customizing work with the postwar products.
The year 1946 was an ideal time to get involved with model
engines! Dozens of new designs came out, among which radical ideas
emerged—such as the Howler .60 which didn’t even have an air intake
or the exquisite Ardens with air throttles instead of needle valves.
Updated models of prewar engines also appeared: front-rotary
conversions of the sideport Ohlssons, ball-bearing Forsters, the new
K&B Torpedo that replaced the earlier Atwood Phantom, etc.
Working (and playing) with this tremendously wide variety of
model power plants—and their accessories, fuels, and propellers—
provided a marvelous scope for my creative engineering efforts. And it
still does!
You might think there would be nothing more to learn after 60
years in this game. Not so! It seems that almost every time I go out to
the flying field I learn something—either with one of my own engines
or that of a flier I’m helping.
For instance, the PAW .06 diesel in the nose of one of my RC
motorgliders had given me reliable service for years. However, at a
recent meet that engine couldn’t develop enough power to haul its
model aloft. Its fuel and propeller were the same; the diesel started
readily enough, but its lack of power baffled me.
98 MODEL AVIATION
Ralph Barnette’s smooth-running “Cox 5” in action. It’s a two-stroke engine, with all five
cylinders working. (Case pressure comes from a vane pump at the rear.)
One of the few methyl chloride paste-type
paint removers still available that can help
remove baked-on “varnish” from model
engines.
The latest edition of Frank Anderson’s
monumental Blue Book lists and identifies
all American-made model engines (except
1/2As) through 2005.
A 1938 Baby Cyclone .36 is one of Walter Craig’s engine restoration projects. It had been
of “coating removal solvent” can still be corroded, with bent fins and missing parts. Now it’s like new.
purchased. Home-improvement centers such
as Lowe’s carry paste-type paint removers
that contain methyl chloride, one of which is
Savogran’s Strypeeze. It takes time to work
and requires meticulous precautions, but it
does a reasonably good job of removing
“engine varnish.”
Another alternative is to let an expert do
the work. Longtime Model Engine Collectors
Association (MECA) member Walter Craig
Jr. offers a wide variety of model-engine
cleaning and restoration services. These
include ultrasonic cleaning, freeing stuck
pistons, straightening fins, enameling
cylinders, replacing parts, and more.
Walter has 48 years of experience with
model engines and says “I’ve never had an
unhappy customer.” Contact him at 400 Hoy
Rd., Carlisle PA 17013; Tel.: (717) 243-6534;
E-mail: [email protected].
A couple columns ago I showed a unique
five-cylinder, two-stroke engine that Ralph
Barnette (Coldwater MS) made. It performed
so well that Ralph scaled down his design and
built another five-cylinder radial, using Cox
.049 cylinders.
I saw and handled this engine in October.
It’s extremely smooth-running, turning a 9 x
4 propeller at 9,500 rpm and a 10 x 4
propeller at 8,500 rpm. Its carburetor is from
an Enya .09 engine. (Ralph starts it with each
of its glow plugs connected to a separate Ni-
Cd cell.)
Ralph’s prototype “Cox 5” weighs
approximately 10 ounces, but he says he’s
sure he can trim that by at least an ounce.
Ralph told me he’s planning on making a few
(very few) more examples—and will be
selling them. Contact him at RalphGHM2000
@cs.net.
In the same column I included more about
the growing hobby of home-built model
engines. Ron Chernich of Brisbane, Australia,
E-mailed me with considerable information
about his contributions to helping
repopularize this activity.
For one thing Ron has a new Web site that
covers this field: http://modelenginenews.org.
This is an invaluable resource! It not only
includes all the Roger Schroeder material I
mentioned in my column, but it has Internet
links to such items as Bruce Satra’s
replacement castings for Morton M-5 engines.
Ron wrote:
“The main entry point shown above gives
online access to over 70 articles and almost
7,000 pictures of model engines, model
engine building, collecting, restoring, and
other associated topics. The entire contents of
this site is also available on a CD, for $50
(US), which includes air postage.
“On the first of each month the front
page changes to give news to model engine
enthusiasts. All ‘issues’ back to when I
started this format—June 2002—are
available online. The Web site itself began
in 1997, with information on ‘backyard
anodizing’ for engine restorers. It kinda
grew from there!
“By the way, I’m the author of all the
CAD drawings in the AMA Motor Boys
Model Engine Plan Book, plus a lot of others.
I can supply copies of my CAD engine plans
at a modest cost, except for those appearing in
the Motor Boys book. (People should buy that
book from the AMA because we directed that
all proceeds from its sale go to support the
AMA Juniors program.)”
More Model-Engine Documentation: I’ve
just received the newest edition (4th) of Frank
Anderson’s Anderson’s Blue Book. It is a gold
mine of identification and valuation data—
including photos and drawings—covering all
the US- and Canadian-made model engines
from their beginning in 1911 to 2005. (It
omits the 1/2As; those—there are roughly
300—will be covered in a separate volume,
available later this year.)
This is an amazing compilation.
Besides the identification data, Frank’s
new Blue Book includes the various
engines’ years of manufacture—and two
“price valuations” for each! (One is an
average of asking prices published in the
MECA Bulletin. The other was taken from
recent eBay selling prices.)
Anderson’s Blue Book is a loose-leaf, softcover
publication that just fits in a USPS
Priority Mail envelope. It has almost 120
pages (printed on both sides, although they are
numbered only on one side) and includes
source information for items such as spark
and glow plugs, ball bearings, reproductions
of old-time engines (including miniaturized
versions!), and more.
The 4th Edition of Anderson’s Blue Book is
priced at $43.95 plus $5 shipping for US
buyers, $8 for other North Americans, and $10
for overseas orders. Contact Frank at 753 Hunan
St. NE, Palm Bay FL 32907; Tel.: (321) 984-
0103; E-mail: [email protected];
Web site: www.andersonsbluebook.com.
Another “Helpful Handy Hint for Model
Motor Mavens”: I use molded plastic “radial
mounts” for my RC engines. I prefer drilling
and tapping those for the engine-mounting
screws.
However, none of the “usual methods” for
locating the hole positions has proven to be
accurate enough for me to always get all four
holes positioned just right. Too often I need to
enlarge one engine lug hole to allow its screw
to thread into the mount.
I know a way that works! Clean off the
bottom surfaces of your engine case lugs, and
then apply a generous coating of white Liquid
Paper to both. While that dries, file flat the
mating surfaces of your molded plastic radial
mount. (You may be surprised by how much
filing is needed. Some molded mounts are far
from flat because of mold shrinkage.)
Hold the engine firmly against its mount
in the position you want it, and apply (with a
small brush) a good, wet dab of acetone or
lacquer thinner to the front and back of each
lug, where it meets the mount. This will seep
into the junction and reliquify the white
Liquid Paper.
Hold the engine firmly in its mount for a
few minutes, to let the Liquid Paper dry again.
When you separate the engine from the
mount, you’ll see an accurate imprint of the
mounting-hole locations.
“Dimple” the center of each of those
imprinted holes with a sharp steel scriber.
From then on use the typical drill-press
procedures to complete
Edition: Model Aviation - 2006/02
Page Numbers: 97,98,100
Luckily Eric Clutton (“Doctor Diesel” and PAW’s US
representative) was at the field too. He and I examined my PAW .06
thoroughly. We changed needles, looked for compression leaks, and
checked for sticky bearings. Everything seemed normal. Then Eric
removed the air intake tube (this is a nonthrottled engine) and solved
the mystery.
I had never seen this happen before. In approximately 10 years of
use, oxidized castor oil had gradually built up a thick film on the inside
of the PAW’s air intake. Eventually that film’s thickness accumulated
to the point where it almost blocked the air passageway.
Castor oil sticks tenaciously to anything it touches. That’s what
makes it such a good lubricant! But like its “cousin” linseed oil, in
contact with air castor slowly oxidizes into a nearly insoluble coating.
Also like the linseed oil used in so many paints, castor’s film thickness
can build up, layer upon layer. That’s what happened inside my PAW’s
intake.
(This sort of problem is unlikely with glow engines because
methanol has a more powerful solvent action on castor films than the
ether and kerosene used in diesel fuels.)
More About Oxidized Castor Oil: Removing that film from the
outside of model engines can be quite difficult. Once it is baked on, no
common solvent will remove it.
Various products on the market could do it, such as Z-Best and
Sunbeam’s Grill & Fry
Pan Cleaner, but they
are off the market now.
Various safety problems
caused them to be
discontinued. After all,
any chemical that is
powerful enough to
eradicate dark brown,
baked-on deposits from
model engines should
never be allowed to
touch human flesh.
However, one kind
Also included in this column:
• Some help from Dr. Diesel
• Methods of removing bakedon
“crud”
• More about homemade
model engines
• An engine-mounting tip
Joe passes a milestone in his engine-experimenting career
February 2006 97
The Engine Shop Joe Wagner | [email protected]
In 10 years of powering an RC motorglider, this PAW .06’s intake
tube accumulated a heavy film of oxidized oil that cut its power
output more than 50%.
Long abandoned to the weather, the workshop still exists where
Joe began his model-engine experimentation in 1946.
THE YEAR 2006 marks my 60th year of experimenting with model
engines. Yes, I did own a few “gas engines” before World War II, but I
began my improving and customizing work with the postwar products.
The year 1946 was an ideal time to get involved with model
engines! Dozens of new designs came out, among which radical ideas
emerged—such as the Howler .60 which didn’t even have an air intake
or the exquisite Ardens with air throttles instead of needle valves.
Updated models of prewar engines also appeared: front-rotary
conversions of the sideport Ohlssons, ball-bearing Forsters, the new
K&B Torpedo that replaced the earlier Atwood Phantom, etc.
Working (and playing) with this tremendously wide variety of
model power plants—and their accessories, fuels, and propellers—
provided a marvelous scope for my creative engineering efforts. And it
still does!
You might think there would be nothing more to learn after 60
years in this game. Not so! It seems that almost every time I go out to
the flying field I learn something—either with one of my own engines
or that of a flier I’m helping.
For instance, the PAW .06 diesel in the nose of one of my RC
motorgliders had given me reliable service for years. However, at a
recent meet that engine couldn’t develop enough power to haul its
model aloft. Its fuel and propeller were the same; the diesel started
readily enough, but its lack of power baffled me.
98 MODEL AVIATION
Ralph Barnette’s smooth-running “Cox 5” in action. It’s a two-stroke engine, with all five
cylinders working. (Case pressure comes from a vane pump at the rear.)
One of the few methyl chloride paste-type
paint removers still available that can help
remove baked-on “varnish” from model
engines.
The latest edition of Frank Anderson’s
monumental Blue Book lists and identifies
all American-made model engines (except
1/2As) through 2005.
A 1938 Baby Cyclone .36 is one of Walter Craig’s engine restoration projects. It had been
of “coating removal solvent” can still be corroded, with bent fins and missing parts. Now it’s like new.
purchased. Home-improvement centers such
as Lowe’s carry paste-type paint removers
that contain methyl chloride, one of which is
Savogran’s Strypeeze. It takes time to work
and requires meticulous precautions, but it
does a reasonably good job of removing
“engine varnish.”
Another alternative is to let an expert do
the work. Longtime Model Engine Collectors
Association (MECA) member Walter Craig
Jr. offers a wide variety of model-engine
cleaning and restoration services. These
include ultrasonic cleaning, freeing stuck
pistons, straightening fins, enameling
cylinders, replacing parts, and more.
Walter has 48 years of experience with
model engines and says “I’ve never had an
unhappy customer.” Contact him at 400 Hoy
Rd., Carlisle PA 17013; Tel.: (717) 243-6534;
E-mail: [email protected].
A couple columns ago I showed a unique
five-cylinder, two-stroke engine that Ralph
Barnette (Coldwater MS) made. It performed
so well that Ralph scaled down his design and
built another five-cylinder radial, using Cox
.049 cylinders.
I saw and handled this engine in October.
It’s extremely smooth-running, turning a 9 x
4 propeller at 9,500 rpm and a 10 x 4
propeller at 8,500 rpm. Its carburetor is from
an Enya .09 engine. (Ralph starts it with each
of its glow plugs connected to a separate Ni-
Cd cell.)
Ralph’s prototype “Cox 5” weighs
approximately 10 ounces, but he says he’s
sure he can trim that by at least an ounce.
Ralph told me he’s planning on making a few
(very few) more examples—and will be
selling them. Contact him at RalphGHM2000
@cs.net.
In the same column I included more about
the growing hobby of home-built model
engines. Ron Chernich of Brisbane, Australia,
E-mailed me with considerable information
about his contributions to helping
repopularize this activity.
For one thing Ron has a new Web site that
covers this field: http://modelenginenews.org.
This is an invaluable resource! It not only
includes all the Roger Schroeder material I
mentioned in my column, but it has Internet
links to such items as Bruce Satra’s
replacement castings for Morton M-5 engines.
Ron wrote:
“The main entry point shown above gives
online access to over 70 articles and almost
7,000 pictures of model engines, model
engine building, collecting, restoring, and
other associated topics. The entire contents of
this site is also available on a CD, for $50
(US), which includes air postage.
“On the first of each month the front
page changes to give news to model engine
enthusiasts. All ‘issues’ back to when I
started this format—June 2002—are
available online. The Web site itself began
in 1997, with information on ‘backyard
anodizing’ for engine restorers. It kinda
grew from there!
“By the way, I’m the author of all the
CAD drawings in the AMA Motor Boys
Model Engine Plan Book, plus a lot of others.
I can supply copies of my CAD engine plans
at a modest cost, except for those appearing in
the Motor Boys book. (People should buy that
book from the AMA because we directed that
all proceeds from its sale go to support the
AMA Juniors program.)”
More Model-Engine Documentation: I’ve
just received the newest edition (4th) of Frank
Anderson’s Anderson’s Blue Book. It is a gold
mine of identification and valuation data—
including photos and drawings—covering all
the US- and Canadian-made model engines
from their beginning in 1911 to 2005. (It
omits the 1/2As; those—there are roughly
300—will be covered in a separate volume,
available later this year.)
This is an amazing compilation.
Besides the identification data, Frank’s
new Blue Book includes the various
engines’ years of manufacture—and two
“price valuations” for each! (One is an
average of asking prices published in the
MECA Bulletin. The other was taken from
recent eBay selling prices.)
Anderson’s Blue Book is a loose-leaf, softcover
publication that just fits in a USPS
Priority Mail envelope. It has almost 120
pages (printed on both sides, although they are
numbered only on one side) and includes
source information for items such as spark
and glow plugs, ball bearings, reproductions
of old-time engines (including miniaturized
versions!), and more.
The 4th Edition of Anderson’s Blue Book is
priced at $43.95 plus $5 shipping for US
buyers, $8 for other North Americans, and $10
for overseas orders. Contact Frank at 753 Hunan
St. NE, Palm Bay FL 32907; Tel.: (321) 984-
0103; E-mail: [email protected];
Web site: www.andersonsbluebook.com.
Another “Helpful Handy Hint for Model
Motor Mavens”: I use molded plastic “radial
mounts” for my RC engines. I prefer drilling
and tapping those for the engine-mounting
screws.
However, none of the “usual methods” for
locating the hole positions has proven to be
accurate enough for me to always get all four
holes positioned just right. Too often I need to
enlarge one engine lug hole to allow its screw
to thread into the mount.
I know a way that works! Clean off the
bottom surfaces of your engine case lugs, and
then apply a generous coating of white Liquid
Paper to both. While that dries, file flat the
mating surfaces of your molded plastic radial
mount. (You may be surprised by how much
filing is needed. Some molded mounts are far
from flat because of mold shrinkage.)
Hold the engine firmly against its mount
in the position you want it, and apply (with a
small brush) a good, wet dab of acetone or
lacquer thinner to the front and back of each
lug, where it meets the mount. This will seep
into the junction and reliquify the white
Liquid Paper.
Hold the engine firmly in its mount for a
few minutes, to let the Liquid Paper dry again.
When you separate the engine from the
mount, you’ll see an accurate imprint of the
mounting-hole locations.
“Dimple” the center of each of those
imprinted holes with a sharp steel scriber.
From then on use the typical drill-press
procedures to complete