Frequently Asked Questions

January 2011 73
Fuel for old ignition engines
Bob Aberle | baberle@? Frequently Asked Questions optonline.net
Also included in this column:
• Mi c ro RC s y stem cha nnel
con trol functio ns
• Three-view drawing book
• Checkerboard model
d ecora tions
Bob’s Orwick .64 old-timer ignition engine that he used in SAM
competitions in the early 1990s. Today the Orwick is a prize among
old-timer engines. They are expensive and difficult to locate. Fuel
recommendations are discussed in the column.
If you use a ParkZone AR6400 brick for
only rudder and elevator control, the
rudder will operate from the left
transmitter control stick. If you turn the
aileron/rudder mix function on and set it at
100%, the rudder will operate from the
right-side control stick.
Shown is all the equipment necessary to operate a micro brushless motor from a
ParkZone AR6400 brick. Besides the motor, you will need an externally connected
brushless ESC and a special interconnecting cable from BSD Micro RC.
Please write in with your questions; that is the only way we
can keep this column format going. When referring to published Qs
and As (for follow-ups), provide the number as a reference.
References to addresses and Web sites are placed in a group,
separate from the text, at the end of this column under “Sources.” A
new feature, “Tips,” is provided in addition to questions and
answers. These hints are numbered in the same sequence as the Qs
and As.
Q479: “I recently obtained a practically new Orwick .64 antique
ignition engine. I have every intention of using this engine, which
cost me a lot of money.
“My concern right now is obtaining the correct fuel for this
engine so that it provides me with many more years of service. I
received no instructions with this engine so I’m at a loss as to what
to use. Can you make any suggestions?”
a479: The Orwick .64 is one of the classic old-time (or antique)
ignition engines. In its day it was a top-of-the-line power plant. As a
result, today it brings a high price as a collector’s item.
I owned a replica Orwick .64 in the 1988-1995 time frame. I won
many first places in Society of Antique Modelers (SAM) Class C
LER (limited engine run) ignition events with it. I’ve included a
photo of my engine.
Having been involved with electric power exclusively since 1995, I
sought expert advice to answer this question. My choice was fellow
AMA Model Aviation Hall of Famer and many-time SAM Champion
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74 MODEL AVIATION
Larry Davidson. His recommendations kind
of caught me by surprise, so I’m glad I
asked before writing this.
According to Larry, most fliers who use
old-time ignition engines (for fun or for
SAM events) use a methanol-based fuel. It is
generally referred to as “glow fuel,” but in
this case it is used in ignition engines. The
methanol is mixed with castor oil in a ratio
of 75% fuel to 25% oil.
Larry went on to say that modelers
generally purchase this fuel from FHS
Supply & Manufacturing (Red Max brand)
rather than mix it on their own. He indicated
that this combination runs cooler than a
gasoline-based fuel and that the engines are
easy to start and operate.
Another reason for using methanol
instead of gasoline is the fact that today
many additives are placed in gasoline sold
across the country. Methanol is methanol;
there’s no question about it! I provided the
FHS Supply & Manufacturing contact
information under “Sources.”
Larry went on to say that there is one
exception to the
methanol fuel/oil
mix. The SAM fuelallotment
event
(known as Texaco)
is limited to a
metered amount of
fuel. You run the
engine until it is out
of fuel. That being
the case, you want
to get the longest
possible run time on
your fuel allotment.
For this event,
SAM fliers use a
special fuel/oil mix.
It consists of 75%
Coleman lantern
fuel and 25% Klotz
KL-100 oil. You can usually find the
Coleman fuel at stores such as The Home
Depot and Klotz oil at motorcycle shops.
With this mixture you can get close to twice
the engine time than by using the methanol/
oil mix.
I need to add one more point before I
receive a load of e-mails. I just passed on
fuel recommendations specifically for oldtime
ignition engines. Modern chain sawtype
power plants, such as those used in 1/4-
and 1/3-scale aircraft, use a more traditional
gasoline/oil mix.
Since the latter are newer, they come
with detailed instructions that include
specific fuel recommendations. Take the
manufacturers’ advice for those large
engines.
Bob’s 1.6-ounce Scratch Foamy was featured in
the May 2010 MA. It uses the AR6400 brick and
add-on brushless ESC. Employing the components
shown in the previous photo, rudder control now
operates from the right transmitter stick.
Above: Casey Brandsema shows how he
slices checkerboard-type squares from
colored adhesive-backed tape. For this
work he uses an X-Acto kni fe and a
smooth piece of glass.
Jim Newman, a noted model aircraft
illustrator, has a new book that contains 96
excellent three-view drawings, which
should inspire many Scale modelers.
Left: Once cut to shape, Casey applied
the orange squares to the aircraft’s
lower wing surface. It is easy to do and
takes little time.
01sig3.QXD_00MSTRPG.QXD 11/22/10 8:05 AM Page 74
Q480: “I removed the RC system brick
(AR6400) from a ParkZone Sukhoi RTF
model and placed it in a design of my own. I
needed that particular brick because it will
permit me to use a micro brushless motor. But
I only needed rudder and elevator control.
“When I went out to fly my plane I found
that my rudder operated from the left side
transmitter control stick. I wanted and
expected that both the rudder and elevator
would be on the right stick.
“Is there a way I can use my brushless
motor with the 6400 brick and also have the
two controls on the right stick?”
A480: Yes, and it is much easier than you
might think. I wrote about this in the
construction article for my Scratch Foamy
micro-flyer that was published in the May
2010 MA. Unfortunately there was so much
information in that article that your answer
was lost in the process. I’ve received this
same question from several other readers, so
I’ll repeat it.
The brick that comes with the ParkZone
Vapor RTF will give you rudder and
elevator control on the right-side transmitter
stick. But as you point out, you can’t hook
up an external brushless ESC and operate a
brushless motor with this arrangement.
To get both of these functions to work,
you do need the ParkZone AR6400 brick
that comes with the Sukhoi or P-51 (and
soon in other four-channel micro RTFs). If
you did nothing else, the rudder would
operate only from the left-side transmitter
stick.
So program in coupled aileron and
rudder at your transmitter. Once that
function is on, turn up the mix to 100%.
After doing that, the rudder will operate
from the right-side transmitter control stick,
along with the elevator.
I used the Spektrum DSM2 DX7
transmitter. I believe that the same thing can
be done with the DX6i as well, although you
might need to use the program mixing
function. So if you want to use a brushed
motor, you might as well use the Vapor
brick. For brushless-motor operation, you
need the AR6400 brick and to follow my
rudder scheme.
I used an AP03 micro brushless motor in
my Scratch Foamy. To operate it, you need
an externally mounted micro ESC. I used an
LCD 1-gram, 3-amp unit.
You also need an adapter cable that
connects this ESC to both the battery cell
and the AR6400 brick. You can purchase
that cable from Bob Selman at BSD Micro
RC. I’ve included a photo showing the full
micro brushless power system.
When you switch from brushed to
brushless operation on your 6400 brick, you
will need to do a slight amount of
reprogramming; it is detailed in the
instruction booklet. You use transmitter
control-stick inputs (in a certain sequence),
and it takes only a minute or two.
T481: I have been designing models for a
number of years, and I get many of my
scale-aircraft inspirations from three-view
drawings that I accumulate from a variety of
sources. Today we have Internet search
engines to help us, but I still like books
containing three-view drawings.
Jim Newman, a longtime model-airplane
illustrator, has come out with a new book
titled A View From Here, which is available
from the Carstens Book Store. The book
contains 96 pages and is printed in an 81/2 x
11-inch soft-cover format. A total of 96
three-view drawings is included, and a brief
story accompanies each one. It sells for just
$14.95. I’m sure that the AMA store will
carry it in the future.
Q482: “I have several E3D type electric
aircraft that were purchased as either ARF
or RTF. The color schemes are kind of on
the bland side, so I wanted to dress them up.
“I’ve noticed aircraft with a
checkerboard trim pattern on the top and/or
bottom of the wing. Can you buy this kind
of material or can you make it yourself?”
A482: I believe that you can buy
checkerboard trim sheets from some of the
iron-on-covering suppliers. Try a Google
search and see what comes up.
Casey Brandsema, a fellow SEFLI
(Silent Electric Flyers of Long Island) club
member, makes his own checkerboard trim.
When I was attempting to answer this
question, he showed me a simple setup that
allows him to cut squares from tape
material.
Casey lays down a small sheet of glass,
or even an old mirror, and places tape along
the surface. Using a square and an X-Acto
knife, he goes down the line cutting squares
of tape.
The width of the tape dictates the size of
the square. If your tape is 2 inches wide, the
square will be 2 x 2 inches.
Then he peels off the squares and
attaches them to the surface of the model.
The squares go on individually so you must
align them to a degree, but it takes little time
to do an entire wing.
Give this method a try! Finding good
tape material might require you to visit
several craft stores. MA
Sources:
FHS Supply & Manufacturing
(800) 742-8484
www.fhsoils.com
ParkZone
(800) 338-4639
www.parkzone.com
Spektrum
(800) 338-4639
www.spektrumrc.com
BSD Micro RC
(417) 358-9521
www.bsdmicrorc.com
Carstens Book Store
(888) 526-5365
www.carstensbookstore.com
January 2011 75
See page 175 for details.
Our Full-Size
Plans List
has hundreds
of models from
which to choose.
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