Grastens
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Posts posted by Grastens
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From TC member wolfdogstinkus:
7 minutes ago, wolfdogstinkus said:Some more pics here,..
https://www.rcjaz.com/tamiya-57409-star-unit-lunch-box-mini-sw01-p-13925.html
https://www.rcjaz.com/tamiya-57409-star-unit-lunch-box-mini-sw01-p-13925.html
apologies if these are posted in the other thread.
They were not
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@netsmithUK apologies! I was unaware of that.
Still, I look forward to the documentary
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Excellent idea! The presentation looks great so far
My curiosity was piqued by the last paragraph in the members' e-mail:
Do you know something that the rest of us don't?
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Great news! I will be checking my local hobby shop
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I am confused - is that not the purpose of:
Or more like an offshoot of that thread that is solely for Tamiya kits, and includes comments on running surface?
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My partner accepts my hobby, and has on occasion commented on the quality of my work.
Simultaneously, it has been understood that at this point in our lives, it is interfering somewhat with our future. It is not that I am somehow less of a candidate because I enjoy this hobby, but the expenses do tend to pile up with new parts, models, finishing supplies, and so on. Once we have enough to establish ourselves, I can return full-time - though the irony is that there will not be much time by then...
The most trying time was when I bought that Bruiser - my partner did not really understand how I could spend that much money on a model, but admitted later that it made sense once the chassis was together. On the opposite end, when I put our names on my Lancia 037 4WD-H project and painted the cockpit figures after ourselves (with full-face helmets, it was really down to eye colour and some minor nose bridge sculpting), I earned some goodwill that day
These days, the hobby has been put on hold. I have enough supplies to finish three in-progress builds and polish off a fourth, but my other hobby in road bicycles is the more prominent pastime. As a bicycle mechanic, I call it professional development
, though more seriously, it is a hobby the two of us have really gotten into, so it is the one I can keep on with.
I figure that the pastime of radio-controlled models is only a factor in anybody's relationship around here because we are that passionate about what we build and run. From my experience, model train hobbyists are much the same way (if not more so, to allude to the original post); it is a bit difficult to be a 'casual' model train enthusiast.
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The bike has been something of a rolling laboratory. That role continued with my introduction to tubeless tires:
A Schwalbe Pro One kit and accessories introduced me to the concept, but the first tires that actually got rolling were a set of Hutchinson Fusion 5s. The carbon-alloy wheels from previously have some rather-pronounced shoulders on the rims, so I went tubeless on these:
Despite never being advertised as tubeless-ready, I found that the shoulder profile and rim bed shape were both friendly to the technology. With the airtight rim tape, special valves, and a good dose of sealant, the tires held air with no weak spots.
The shakedown was on what was incidentally my first-ever group ride. Riding with the other mechanics from the bike shop where I work, I found it a bit ironic that the least-established of us (me) should be the one with the loudest bike:
The leader was more skilled than the rest of us, so in our attempts to follow him as he jumped his bike over curbs, I bent the rear wheel. The brakes did not rub until later, and fortunately it came out with a bit of truing.
Otherwise, it was a grand day out, and the rest of the bike survived:
Having no tubes in the tires did actually make a small difference in speed and comfort: I was the only one riding aero-section wheels, but had less trouble spinning them up to speed to catch my groupmates in sprints. The curb mishap could have also easily led to a pinch flat, but nothing of the sort happened. There is still nothing wrong with inner tubes, but I am glad to have tried tubeless.
And if nothing else, I am now our shop's go-to resource on installing them! I look forward to the next opportunity in 5 years when someone comes in to ask about installation help
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It looks great! Do you suspect this little rig has more power than the 1:1?
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Nice concept for a build! And some tricky driving to be done there in the film
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Now that is some slick packaging! This extra attention to running details is certainly helping this build stand out
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When I got into bicycles, I learned of Tri-Flow brand PTFE oil. It penetrates and lubricates with some of the best, and performs well; I have seen good results with it on performance bikes carrying rather-high drivetrain loads.
Like any light oil, bearings so treated require some upkeep, but Tri-Flow is easy to apply and quite effective.
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There was a time when I built kits that I would keep track of the waste/excess produced once assembled. For an otherwise-simple F103RS, I remember it being disproportionately high...
It certainly makes the case to run and repair our models, and do so responsibly. I like the discussion that Jonathan Gillham had with his son about durable vs. throwaway products.
I also like the idea of cardboard and paper packaging for the models. Though Tamiya started with wood models and not exactly paper, it could still be a nice tie-in to history. And even if good cardboard can take lots of water to process, recycling is easy.
Over the years, I have found that as I become more aware of the environment and the crisis at hand, I have been using my models less (and thus ordering less parts from overseas). As much as I would love to say this is due to my attitudes on the relaxed emissions standards of transportation and freight vehicles, I would be hypocritical as I still use them for other hobbies...
Plastics are improving all the time, but with metal being easier to recycle, could this make the case for more old-school RC cars like the Rough Rider, Sand Scorcher, or Bruiser?!
Anyway, it is a good topic to discuss, especially since the problem will not be going away any time soon - not without drastic changes to the way we live...
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Well done! I thought the use of the hole-punch was particularly clever.
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The Lancia 037 light pod might be worth an attempt:
It would require the Lancia 037 J parts (0983049 or 0005170), K parts (1911472), and M parts (19115121), but would allow for a contemporary appearance.
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6 hours ago, ThunderDragonCy said:
... If the avante is more towards understeer you might ok.
It is most certainly not - snap oversteer was (and sometimes still is) a complaint of Avante owners/drivers (since I never raced mine, it was less of a problem). The issue was somewhat settled with staggered wheel widths, but the relatively-short wheelbase still makes it twitchy.
I am excited to see what this Vanquish will turn into, but am also enjoying the journey through CAD. I was much the same way when picking up Inkscape, and was immensely proud of my first efforts - until they were promptly overshadowed by all my subsequent work!
You are building up one special car, graemevw
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It turned out nicely! Great idea on the battery protector, too.
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On 4/30/2019 at 2:29 AM, Blista said:
Are they m-chassis Beetle wheels with racing truck tyres? C'mon Tamiya. Even just a new set of wheels can't be too much to ask.
Personally, I like their inclusion - it drives home the point of just how small this thing is. The tire tread will probably be more useful for the running these kits will likely experience, unless I am totally incorrect and an off-road series forms around it!
I understand the gripes about non-bespoke wheels, though.
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MCI Racing has actually played a few parts in the ongoing saga of my bicycle. After the first rebuild, a few kit decals ended up on the aftermarket components I used. I even commissioned them to print original decals for a set of blank carbon-alloy wheels I had.
Today, said wheels received an update in some proper white-fill wheel stickers:
And with that, I think my bike ended up looking even tackier (in a good way?):
But flashy stickers had captured my imagination when it came to high-end wheels, and so I took the opportunity to get some printed out, to dress up what were otherwise rather ordinary rims.
The design is certainly busier than most proper wheel rim schemes, even like that on the Fulcrum Racing Quattro that inspired me:
The end result has me thinking more like some of the no-name offerings from overseas:
But once up to speed, they look the part! Nonetheless, a lesson learned in graphic design...
I have resumed shift work at my local bike shop, as they are quite busy this season. I am now training to be a dedicated mechanic, so I get to spend a lot of time around some neat bikes these days
The subsequently-healthy pay has allowed me to invest in good cycling clothes, which I hope will make a positive difference, especially in the cold and the rain.
It is looking like a nice summer for cycling, as I have already booked a half-dozen events from June to September! The Schwinn is my training bike; I have the carbon-frame ride for the actual events. The carbon-alloy wheels on the Schwinn are actually there on shakedown - once properly stressed and adjusted, I intend to put them on the event bike for the flat-road rides.
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So, Senna really was the best, then:
Although the story over on rctoymemories.com is that he broke this Hotshot, too!
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On 4/22/2019 at 3:53 AM, Fenix Master said:
About the 70's bodies.
We're having a deal with Classic Team Lotus to reproduce all the F1 handled by CTL. It's a big task and will take some year to be accomplished fully.
Meanwhile plan is to get in touch with car owner/right owners to reproduce the F1 the most of us love.
Does this mean we will see a Lotus 72 in a few years? I can hardly wait for that!
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@Jason1145 we regret to inform you that there is one less Striker you will be getting
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Way better than cutting down an existing Tamiya March 782 shell - nice work on this one!
It is great to see more options for 1970s F1 shells, especially where custom paint schemes are concerned. A period-inspired livery would evoke memories of the numerous privateers who competed in that era, and March certainly had a lot of customer teams!
Again, great work
Perhaps @speedy_w_beans may agree
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This is going to be so great! I am humbled that one of my builds should inspire yours - I will be following this one closely!
And while I did struggle somewhat with reworking the step-side bed, I have no doubt your expertise with plastic will come through when you modify yours. The prospect of that has me further excited for this build
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I do like these, though never had the opportunity to pick one up when I was most interested. You may recall TC member IBIFTKH's version on a stretched WR-02:
Looking back, I guess by the time I could get the re-release, I was no longer keen on the chassis specs. I still think they are neat little cars, though - as such, I look forward to following along with your rebuild/restoration!
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, though more seriously, it is a hobby the two of us have really gotten into, so it is the one I can keep on with.
58673 Comical Frog
in General discussions
Posted
I really hope we see a race series full of Comical Tamiya buggies - and I don't mean the DT Fighter Cup, purists
The pseudo-dampers on the side are a fun touch.