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AnimatedApe

My first RC build - Hornet

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Hello,

New member here. Since I'd got the idea to do an RC build from a link to this site, thought that I'd post the result here. 

A Hornet in Cobalt Green. 

Found it very straight forward, although it was the my first time doing an RC anything so the electronics needed a quick troubleshoot. 

I'd like a more complex build next time around, but enjoy the retro aesthetic, so any recommendations would be appreciated. 

IMG_20200508_115711.jpg

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The Dirt Thrasher was just re-released. It’s a 4wd buggy.  That should be a fun build and basher. 

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22 minutes ago, Frog Jumper said:

The Dirt Thrasher was just re-released. It’s a 4wd buggy.  That should be a fun build and basher. 

Really??? Or do you mean the terra scorcher?

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27 minutes ago, taffer said:

Really??? Or do you mean the terra scorcher?

My bad, I meant Terra Scorcher. 

Terry

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Hotshot or Super Hotshot. It’s a right of passage with building Tamiya Kits, and very enjoyable to do

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Welcome to TamiyaClub. Since you're new you probably don't know how it works. If you ask for recommendations you get loads, and then you research and without realising your Hornet has a couple of stablemates, and then you narrow it down to the Boomerang and thats out of stock so you buy the Bigwig but you still want the Boomerang and there is a deal on a Manta ray so you get that. And you still haven't decided what you want. 

Also, whenever you're trying to decide between 2 or 3 you get them all.

For what its worth, the Top Force is a great build and runner and looks amazing. But it really needs to be sat next to a Super Astute on the shelf.

Good luck!

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Nice color. I don't think I've seen a Hornet like that before :y:

Oh, and yeah, welcome to TamiyaClub! :)

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dt-02 or dt-03 are huge upgrades to the old school hornet, grasshopper or frog or basically anything else. there is a performance difference that u need to understand. old school is awesome if u know it. cheap cars are great to get into the scene. but old school chaep cars are fantastic to learn on but wont give u the modern speed or handling. dont get me wrong, i have a hornet, grasshopper and brat in my collection. there is nothing wrong with thr old buggies, lots of fun can be had. but if you want to  challenge yourself and gwt more involve u need to start looking at hopups as well as modern builds( more parts, more involved gearing, more involved suspension.) Now if you really wanna get more serious a build then u need to decide what u are looking to drive and how far you want to go.

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On 5/9/2020 at 2:31 PM, Jonathon Gillham said:

Welcome to TamiyaClub. Since you're new you probably don't know how it works. If you ask for recommendations you get loads, and then you research and without realising your Hornet has a couple of stablemates, and then you narrow it down to the Boomerang and thats out of stock so you buy the Bigwig but you still want the Boomerang and there is a deal on a Manta ray so you get that. And you still haven't decided what you want. 

Also, whenever you're trying to decide between 2 or 3 you get them all.

For what its worth, the Top Force is a great build and runner and looks amazing. But it really needs to be sat next to a Super Astute on the shelf.

Good luck!

After you've got those cars you'll find an article about monster trucks and hello now you have a Konghead too!

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On 5/8/2020 at 6:21 PM, skinned said:

Sand scorcher

Agreed.  Another fun build was the fighting buggy😀

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My son got me the Hornet and I am stuck on getting the hub inside the rear tires. Any hints on how you managed to do it? I'm unable to get the tire to stretch enough to allow me to get them in.  Front wheels were easy...

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I had the same trouble with my hornet rears. Put the wheels in the fridge/freezer to make them contract slightly. Then put the tyres in hot water to make them more flexible. If you still struggle then a little smear of washing up liquid around the rim of the wheels will help. 

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Thanks for the advice everyone! 

I've had a look and I think I see a Hotshot in my future! I can totally appreciate how this could get quite extensive and expensive.

I've got a lot of experience scale modelling for my work (Technical artist), so I've been building/kitbashing Tamiya kits for years. My loft is half full of unbuilt kits, half-filled kit boxes and completed models. I guess I'll clear out the other half for RC kits.

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7 minutes ago, RedHornet said:

I had the same trouble with my hornet rears. Put the wheels in the fridge/freezer to make them contract slightly. Then put the tyres in hot water to make them more flexible. If you still struggle then a little smear of washing up liquid around the rim of the wheels will help. 

I'll try that next time. I found that setting them up as per the instructions and then gradually rolling the hub through the tyre a tiny amount at a time worked, but it did take about 15 minutes per wheel.

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Thanks for the help.  I finally got the wheel hub into the tire and the rest was easy.  I ended up just struggling with it until I got it in by rotating the hub as I stretched the tire.  I hadn’t wanted to over stretch it, so I guess I wasn’t fore full enough the first time.

Next question: What’s the best way to cut the clear plastic body? I’m afraid of using a hobby knife as I don’t want to slip and mark the body up, and scissors don’t work very well. 

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7 hours ago, dlblock said:

Thanks for the help.  I finally got the wheel hub into the tire and the rest was easy.  I ended up just struggling with it until I got it in by rotating the hub as I stretched the tire.  I hadn’t wanted to over stretch it, so I guess I wasn’t fore full enough the first time.

Next question: What’s the best way to cut the clear plastic body? I’m afraid of using a hobby knife as I don’t want to slip and mark the body up, and scissors don’t work very well. 

Get some good quality (Like Tamiya or Mugen Seiki) curved lexan scissors, they make it rather easy. Quality is important though, I've used cheaper ones before that just aren't very good but my Mugen Seiki scissors (in fact all my Mugen Seiki tools) are top qulity. I'm pretty certain the Tamiya ones are exactly the same as my Mugen ones

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3 hours ago, mtbkym01 said:

Get some good quality (Like Tamiya or Mugen Seiki) curved lexan scissors, they make it rather easy. Quality is important though, I've used cheaper ones before that just aren't very good but my Mugen Seiki scissors (in fact all my Mugen Seiki tools) are top qulity. I'm pretty certain the Tamiya ones are exactly the same as my Mugen ones

I used the Tamiya curved scissors, crept up on the edge over a few passes. Some cuts were quite challenging, so needed to be nipped away in sections. I think that approaching the cut line gradually with to create room is the way to go. The Curved scissors can be had for about £10 on Ebay.

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i use a razor knife, and a hobby knife then a dremel to sand the edges, go slow with the razor. easy strokes, take a few or five passes and u can just snap the lexan aart. remember a little slice on the out side isnt a big deal as u will paint the inside and peel the outer film @animatedape

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