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Malakite

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Posts posted by Malakite

    Receivers

    in General discussions

    Posted

    Hi giys,

    I just wondered if anyone can help. I am after getting hold of a couple of old receivers and also some crystals for an old Acoms controller plus a receiver. I have learnt that if you have a different make controller to a receiver that doesn't really matter so long as they have the same 'am' or 'fm' and mhz frequency is that correct? I have acquired a couple of old vintage cars and would like the set up as original as possible hence why I am after an old style receiver - can they still be purhcased new? For some reason a couple of conrollers I purchased had the servos in but not the receivers....

    Finally am I right in thinking that every ESC can adapt to whatever controller on whatever frequency you are transmitting n so long as you pair them up? So for example so long as you don't have them on all at once, theoretically you could have as many RC cars as you like with ELC's all tuned to the once controller on its one frequency?

    Many thanks and I look forward to your responses!

    The Best And Worst Rc Car You Ever Had ?

    in General discussions

    Posted

    Best and worst all rolled into one has to be the Marui Ninja. I loved it so much even though the thing spent more time being repaired than running, mainly due to the plastic being so soft and the gear shredding!!

    Other best: Without a doubt the Tamiya Monster Beetle..what a fantastic car..PLEASE PLEASE RE-RE it Tamiya! :)

    Worst in history has to be the Kyosho RS2000! No-one on here seems to have ever had one, but I have to say pony! The engine was a joke and I rebuilt it with every part possible yet it would always overheat and the rip pull on it used to slip all on the time ;)

    Monster Beetle Re-release

    in Vintage Tamiya Discussion

    Posted

    Well, what's holding you back of making your own monster beetle re-re?? ;)

    You'll need a Grasshopper chassis as a base and a blitzer beetle body. You won't end up with an exact replica unless you buy some of the ye-old MB parts, but a nice runner/replica version should be possible with ease :)

    Not quite the same as a new full on Monster Beetle though, plus of course I would imagine a lot more expenise that a new rere kit? Still like you say it's the only way to do it at the moment!!

    Monster Beetle Re-release

    in Vintage Tamiya Discussion

    Posted

    I would recommend searching for the parts too. It's like a treasure hunt - lots of fun. :)

    Walking into a shop and buying a re-release, or buying one for $80 online, might be great for many people. But I must admit I'm over it, and am selling off the re-releases I bought, and concentrating on the originals :(

    The original cars were what I always wanted. The re-releases seem like cheap remakes. It's a little hard to explain, but so much of this hobby is about the way people feel about things - it's not all down to pure logic, and dollars and cents. It's a very personal, emotional thing.

    For me, the downsides to a MB re-release would be things like...

    - Cheap prices can dampen the desirability of the model (for me). I'm sure people will disagree (feel free, just don't shoot me!). I just think it's a reality in our world of consumer goods that pricing affects people's impression of things. If Mercedes Benz dropped the prices of all their cars by 30%, suddenly their mystique as a desirable brand would begin to evaporate - they just wouldn't be as desirable anymore. Many companies intentionally set their prices to limit their products to certain levels of the market.

    Yes, it's a crazy world, and isn't really fair. Cheap prices are great because they give everyone a chance at owning stuff.

    But maybe there is something to be said for pricing, when it comes to the sense of appreciation or achievement you feel. Maybe the Tamiya kit you saved 6 months for when you were a kid was enjoyed more than the re-released one you might one day buy for a quarter of the price. Maybe the original Monster Beetle wouldn't be so revered today, if were cheap back in the 80s (say, $50). We all want things to be cheap, but I do think cheapness can have an impact on how things are perceived and admired. Looking at the endless NIB Grasshoppers on ebay going for $60-$70 each, I can't help but think that a once desirable model now kinda seems like so much cheap cannon fodder.

    IMHO! Don't shoot :)

    And all the usual reasons...

    - Not the same as the original (minor revisions - perhaps for the better - but it just isn't the same as having the warts-and-all buggy from your youth, which is what I really prefer)

    - Dodgy stickers (fake brands). Ditto the box art.

    - No blister packing and great kit presentation, just plain boxes.

    - Parts will no longer say "RCC Monster Beetle" on them, just number stamps.

    Little things, but can be important when you're nuts about it :P

    And to put my money where my mouth is - I did buy a NIB Monster Beetle back in the day. Saved 6 months for it, selling all my other toys at a local market. I still have the 20 pages or so of hand-written notes detailing every item I'd sold, and every dollar I'd saved, until I got the kit.

    And when I finally collected it, the feeling of achievement and excitement was more than worth all the effort ;)

    I was so enthralled, I barely drove it (and it's still mint-built to this day, with nothing more than a few runs inside the house to it's credit).

    cheers,

    H.

    Good post and yes I do know what you mean, but at the same time, the re-res for me mean that I can at last own some models that I never could as a kid (Lunchbox and Hornet etc). Some old NIB kits are sooo much money its not funny, like my NIB Ninja that I have ordered, silly money but it will be great to own a piece of history that's for sure :)

    Now where is that Re-Re beetle?!! :)

    Marui Galaxy!

    in Marui

    Posted

    Hi guys n gals,

    I have just received a beaten up Marui Galaxy off ebay that is need of restoration. The trouble is i'm not sure what parts are missing etc. Can anyone help with what I may or may not need? Some parts are broken etc but it will be a great project. Does anyone actually own one? Are they fast / good to drive etc?

    If anyone knows of a manual I could get my hands on i'm sure that would help!

    Marui models were great and I am also in the process of restoring a Ninja (my first childhood car!).

    Many thanks in advance everyone ;)

    Mauri Ninja!

    in Vintage Tamiya Discussion

    Posted

    Ebay and Tamiyaclub (or similar online communities) would be good start. There are some NIB here on Tamiyaclub and it doesn't hurt to make the owners an offer. On eBay I would say keep an eye on Jason's store and Tamiya-rc. Jsourbeck also seems to have a lot of Marui parts.

    It also helps to spell it Marui :) I sometimes look for a Marui Samurai on ebay and I always spell it wrong.

    Hi there, many thanks, I WAS spelling it totally wrong, now I actually get items come up on ebay when I search! :)

    Hornet Gearbox Problem

    in Re-Release Discussions

    Posted

    Certainly something missing or in the wrong place. One close check of the manual should tell you whats wrong.

    The gears in that gearbox can take serious abuse, my brushless midnight pumpkin, which uses the same gears, has had no gear problems with a motor that does over 45000 rpm :)

    Hi guys, thanks for all of your help. You were all correct, it was ME!! It ended up being the spacer that I had forgotten to put in! It seems to have passed its vigarous test drive since being put back togther, so all is well :)

    So can you upgrade the motors in the Hornet/Lunchbox then without damaging the cars/gearboxes? :)

    I think the Hornet would flip over instantly if I upgraded the motor hehe

    Teu-101bk Electronic Speed Controller

    in General discussions

    Posted

    no, i think the teu-101 is just fine for a marui. they are good solid units and there really isn't anything wrong with them. i think what people are saying is that mtronics and lrp make very good units as well with slightly different advantages, like waterproofing, lower turn limits, or smaller.

    i buy teu-101bk units dirt cheap from fleabay all the time and i've NEVER smoked one yet. i can think of only 2 disadvantages and neither bother me: [1] they are not waterproof from the box, but can be made so with very little effort, and [2] the 23 turn motor limit, which is ok by me too. i usually stick to pretty mild motors because i like the run time and am too lazy to rebuild the higher dollar motors.

    the esc would be a HUGE improvement over the mechanical speed control included with some kits and you would not regret spending the money on even an inexpensive esc. really. :)

    Brilliant. You are spot on for sure, the ESCs are fantastic! Do you know what the turn on a standard 540 motor is? That's what I have in my newly built kits and think i'll stick to them as apparently if you modify old cars (I have a Hornet and a Lunchbox), the faster motors shred the gears etc very quickly?

    Hornet Gearbox Problem

    in Re-Release Discussions

    Posted

    Hi guys, I have just finished building my new Hornet! The one problem though is that it keeps throwing the small diff gears from the main diff gear cog (the cog that has the 3 smaller diff gears in!). Can anyone tell me if this is a problem or quite what I have done wrong and how I can fix the problem?

    Many thanks :)

    Teu-101bk Electronic Speed Controller

    in General discussions

    Posted

    Generally it's to save the ESC as well from being overloaded. Depending on the design the ESC will either wait for the car to stop moving forwards to select reverse, or like the Tamiya one you 'double pump' the throttle to get it to engage. The double pump style has the advantage that you don't have to actually stop before reverse is selected.

    There are literally dozens of ESCs available from a wide range of manufacturers. For non Tamiya I would recommend Mtroniks and LRP, both have very good after sales service if (when?) you blow them up.

    So is the TEU101BK no good for an old Mauri then? If not, why are some ok for old vintage cars and others not, any ideas? :)

    Teu-101bk Electronic Speed Controller

    in General discussions

    Posted

    Hi guys, I have a question regarding electronic speed controllers:-

    I have just finished my first two new kits (in about 20 years!), and both have come with an electronic speed controller. These are ace seeing as you no longer require the 4XA battery packs to run the servos and only require the one servo for the steering now!

    Firstly I notice it has to go to 'stop' before you can then stick it into reverse - is this to save gearboxes?

    Also I wondered if these can be purchased separately as I am going to build and old NIB (once I get it!) and am thinking of just sticking the ESC straight into it instead of the old manual speed controller. I presume this is possible, and if so should I go for the aforementioned or perhaps a different ESC that someone could recommend?

    Answers on a postcard please :)

    Batteries And Chargers

    in General discussions

    Posted

    Well, an RC car is an effective battery discharger B)

    So no, it's not essential to have one. You can build one yourself fairly cheaply if you have the tools using auto globes, if you're keen.

    Tower Hobbies has them for $125, but I am sure you could find one for a bit cheaper if you shop around. I have seen them for about $120. The problem is you'll also need a desktop 12V power supply that can supply enough current, at least 12A, which could run another $100 or so.

    ESC vs MSC = no comparison. ESCs are far more efficient, give better control, can handle hotter motors and are far less prone to glitches/problems than the mechanical MSC equivalent.

    - James

    OK, so do the new Re-res come with ESCs as standard? Thanks :P

    Paints With New Kits!

    in General discussions

    Posted

    no i don't think the kits come with paints, also the difference between the 3000 and the 4200 is the 42 has a longer run time

    Brilliant thanks!

    Also just a thought, do you need paint for the lunchbox or does that come with the shell already coloured?

    Thanks

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