We have early voting here in Texas at limited locations, that is not at all polling locations. Ours was the county courthouse and they had about 25 or so voting machines in operation. The voting procedure is the same as it one is voting on the basic election day, show your registration card, a proper ID and sign the register. Then you are given an "approval slip" and you go over to the clerk who issues you a number.
The number has to be entered in the voting machine and allows you to cast your ballot. You can vote strait ticket or individuals. In my case I chose individuals and the machine led me through the extensive ballot. The clerks, sheriff, constable, judges as well as our famous national candidates. I did it that way because I purposely did not vote for one candidate. So I had to go through the whole enchilada. My wife, on the other hand, voted the strait ticket. Even so I finished before her because she had to figure out what was going first.
What impressed me was there was a very long line of voters. I had never seen that many before and the last 13 years of voting here. And the clerk handing out the control numbers commented she had not seen that number either before. In simple terms there must have been 40 or 50 voters in the line waiting their turn to vote. On our way out, we noted the basic length of line had not changed, so more and more folks were pouring to vote.
This was not the first day of voting, it was the second day. We could tell things were booming because is was virtually impossible to get a car parking slot outside the building. We had to wait for one and when we left there was someone waiting for our slot. The people were exercising the right to vote!
I do not know it that is good omen or a bad omen. I do know we are in the middle of the bible belt and the county is largely Republican. There are not a lot of Democrats left and the ballot had very few Democrats listed for local elected positions. In the national area all four national candidates were listed and one was able to select the one of his or her choice.
My sense of things is that Trump was getting most of the votes here. I do know in national elections, the candidates do get their fair share so to speak. While being heavily Republican, the voters often deviate from the party of their choice. So it could go either way but not likely a win for the Democratic party.
People were very sober in the line, little chit chat going on, they were intent to vote. Again I do not know how to sense that as good or bad. But they were packing them in.
Thursday, October 27, 2016
Monday, October 24, 2016
Back Surgery . . .
Judie has endured through back surgery. The Neurosurgeon said in his pre op visit is that she has the worst back he has seen and he could not guarantee any great success but felt he could relieve some pain.
The operation went off and we had a terrible day. Late to start the surgery but that was understandable as the Neurosurgeon had a brain operation before her. After the surgery he said it was tough, he could see the nerves react as he remove bone to east the stenosis. Stenosis is the narrowing space inside the spine. This is caused by age, shrinking discs, etc. She has lost two inches in height and that literally compresses the spinal cord in a fixed area.
So he opened the area up, and there in started the problems. She now had tremendous pain and we learned that hematoma (blood clot) had formed inside the spinal area and was putting pressure on her nerves, more specifically the Sciatica nerves. She was in terrible pain.
So they had to go back in the next day and removed the hematoma and cleaned out the area. They put in a drain and that prevent a return of the hematoma. She was out the hospital after a day and half stay. Got her home and the next day she was moving around all over the place.
And then the pain struck, again. So bad we had to go to the Emergency Room and she got a Morphine shot. And then was give a prescription for 120 Hydrocodone 5/325 tablets. It means 5 milligrams of Hydrocodone and 325 milligrams of Tylenol. She said that stuff did not work.
We went to an Urgent Care Clinic the doctor gave her Hydromorphone, 8 milligrams. That literally knocked her out for hours at a time. We got rid of that stuff as being to powerful and it too did not relieve her pain.
The Neurosurgeon was out of town, and his on call fellow handed her off the pain doctor. Saw him and prescribed Cymbalta and Percocet, yet another opiate. The Cymbalta takes three weeks to begin to effect the nerves, so that is yet to happen if it happens. She is also take Lyrica that is supposed to do the same thing.
We had yet another MRI after seeing the Neurosurgeon last Friday. He said he was mystified, he did not understand what was going on. Her cousin's husband is a retired surgeon and opined it could be Piriformis Syndrome. I'll leave that to you to look up on Google but it is possibly an explanation to the pain. Neither of the doctors has mentioned it though I mentioned it to the pain doctor and he blew it off. I personally think he is worthless, just pumps more and more opiates out as a solution.
Her Neurosurgeon is at least interested and is trying to arrive at something. We will learn today what he thinks. If he continues with the unknowing position, I will think it is indeed Piriformis Syndrome. There are exercises to take care of that and we will peruse it.
She has sort of turned the corner this weekend. The pain is grow less, perhaps the nerves are beginning to settle down. It was rare for her to have two days in a row that were good, and we have had that now.
We shall press on.
The operation went off and we had a terrible day. Late to start the surgery but that was understandable as the Neurosurgeon had a brain operation before her. After the surgery he said it was tough, he could see the nerves react as he remove bone to east the stenosis. Stenosis is the narrowing space inside the spine. This is caused by age, shrinking discs, etc. She has lost two inches in height and that literally compresses the spinal cord in a fixed area.
So he opened the area up, and there in started the problems. She now had tremendous pain and we learned that hematoma (blood clot) had formed inside the spinal area and was putting pressure on her nerves, more specifically the Sciatica nerves. She was in terrible pain.
So they had to go back in the next day and removed the hematoma and cleaned out the area. They put in a drain and that prevent a return of the hematoma. She was out the hospital after a day and half stay. Got her home and the next day she was moving around all over the place.
And then the pain struck, again. So bad we had to go to the Emergency Room and she got a Morphine shot. And then was give a prescription for 120 Hydrocodone 5/325 tablets. It means 5 milligrams of Hydrocodone and 325 milligrams of Tylenol. She said that stuff did not work.
We went to an Urgent Care Clinic the doctor gave her Hydromorphone, 8 milligrams. That literally knocked her out for hours at a time. We got rid of that stuff as being to powerful and it too did not relieve her pain.
The Neurosurgeon was out of town, and his on call fellow handed her off the pain doctor. Saw him and prescribed Cymbalta and Percocet, yet another opiate. The Cymbalta takes three weeks to begin to effect the nerves, so that is yet to happen if it happens. She is also take Lyrica that is supposed to do the same thing.
We had yet another MRI after seeing the Neurosurgeon last Friday. He said he was mystified, he did not understand what was going on. Her cousin's husband is a retired surgeon and opined it could be Piriformis Syndrome. I'll leave that to you to look up on Google but it is possibly an explanation to the pain. Neither of the doctors has mentioned it though I mentioned it to the pain doctor and he blew it off. I personally think he is worthless, just pumps more and more opiates out as a solution.
Her Neurosurgeon is at least interested and is trying to arrive at something. We will learn today what he thinks. If he continues with the unknowing position, I will think it is indeed Piriformis Syndrome. There are exercises to take care of that and we will peruse it.
She has sort of turned the corner this weekend. The pain is grow less, perhaps the nerves are beginning to settle down. It was rare for her to have two days in a row that were good, and we have had that now.
We shall press on.
Tuesday, September 13, 2016
A New Era . . .
We are entering a new era. My wife, Judie, has had all the recent medical issues and now has another one, Sjogren's Syndrome. It is a disease that causes dryness, in her case it is dealing with the eyes. Her eyes are not producing the necessary oils to prevent dryness. This disease is always diagnosed by Ophthalmologist or Optometrist but the treating physician is a Rheumatoid Arthritis doctor that deals with Rheumatoid Arthritis. It attacks the glands that secret fluids in the body.
In Judie's case it is dry eyes. So dry she has lost some of her vision because of it. Recent treatment by a Sjogren's Optometrist have helped. More treatment to come.
She will also have to see the Rheumatoid Arthritis physician for further examination. One ominous fact is that this disease can lead to Lupus.
Could some of heart previous heart issues be related, yes. Could her Thyroid Gland problems be related, yes. So it seems it has been around in her system for sometime raising havoc. Maybe we can get this under control. It is a very subtle disease and gets worse with time. And like almost all similar ills it is an Auto-immune disease, meaning it probably is not curable, only controllable like Diabetes Type II. Once you got it, you got it for the rest of your life.
Diagnosis was by blood test, the only way to really confirm the disease. A simple test but someone has got to recognize it and do something about it. Our eye specialists have done that for us. Other doctors have asked if she has Sjogren's but that is about as far as they went.
It is hell getting old, ain't it!
In Judie's case it is dry eyes. So dry she has lost some of her vision because of it. Recent treatment by a Sjogren's Optometrist have helped. More treatment to come.
She will also have to see the Rheumatoid Arthritis physician for further examination. One ominous fact is that this disease can lead to Lupus.
Could some of heart previous heart issues be related, yes. Could her Thyroid Gland problems be related, yes. So it seems it has been around in her system for sometime raising havoc. Maybe we can get this under control. It is a very subtle disease and gets worse with time. And like almost all similar ills it is an Auto-immune disease, meaning it probably is not curable, only controllable like Diabetes Type II. Once you got it, you got it for the rest of your life.
Diagnosis was by blood test, the only way to really confirm the disease. A simple test but someone has got to recognize it and do something about it. Our eye specialists have done that for us. Other doctors have asked if she has Sjogren's but that is about as far as they went.
It is hell getting old, ain't it!
Thursday, August 25, 2016
False River -the Lake . . .
False River, an ox-bow lake along the Mississippi River is located in Pointe Coupee Parish and the county seat, New Roads, resides on its banks. The lake was formed when the Mississippi closed the loop and cut through a new channel cutting the lake. This cut off was discovered around 1700 when Bienville was exploring the Mississippi River. The name "Pointe Coupee" literally means cut off. A quick Internet search on Pointe Coupee will reveal the location and lots of information on the locality.
The lake today is several miles from the Mississippi River and is a stand alone body of water. It is about 20 miles long and while its width varies is about a mile wide. The lake is part and parcel of the parish drainage system and so when it rains the water generally flows into the lake. Around 1904 Bayou Cirie was cleared and the lake drain excess water off via that tributary. Today there is drainage canal with a weir and it flows into Bayou Grosse Tete.
The lake is kept generally at an elevation just below 16 feet sea level. The weir sets the level and there are flood gates that can lower the lake further if needed. A weir is a low level dam of sorts, so it allows excess water to overflow out, keeping the lake around 15.9 feet above sea level or as the locals say above the Gulf of Mexico. The lake is located about 200 miles from the Gulf of Mexico as the crow flies and gives you an idea of how low and flat Louisiana really is.
The recent deluge rains as result of a tropical disturbance, once a hurricane, flooded the region. True East Baton Rouge Parish, across the river and east and slightly south of Pointe Coupee Parish. got the brunt of the rains but Pointe Coupe got perhaps 15 or 16 inches of rain.
With hours False River began to rise and went to roughly 22 feet about sea level. That is a six foot rise of a large body of water that mostly occurred over night. The entire region is flooded and the run off is occurring all over the place. Water may have even flowed back into the lake from Bayou Grosse Tete. So one has to wait for the bayou to drain off, and the drain off goes into the Great Atchafalaya Swamp south of the region. So it takes while as Bayou Grosse Tete, small river of sorts drains a large area, has a lot of water to move. And False River is at the top of that elevation, almost the source of Bayou Grosse Tete today. That makes False River the last place to drain off.
The family owns a camp, a nice three bedroom manufactured home on the lake. It is on about an acre of land with a frontage that is a little over three hundred feet across. Today it is one of the larger plots on the whole lake, most all the other areas have been subdivided and subdivided again to narrow 60 foot or so lots. We all use the camp and the family share the expenses on upkeep. So we are very protective of the place at all times.
Fortunately we have flood insurance and while the camp came with in inches of flooding, water did get underneath the structure and there is some damage but nothing like many others have suffered. There are literally thousands of folks that are worse off than we are so we are sort of low priority but we will make sure the place is restored back to its normal self. So I expect it will take a while before we can use it again. And when we return we will all have our work cut out for us.
So we, as a family, were on the edge of the cusp but not totally in it. Our furniture, appliances, etc. survived with no damage. But we will have to fight mold and mildew and gradually watch the water receded to the normal elevation. And it will smell to high heaven for a while as there is a ton of new rotting detritus all over the place.
I did not mention it, the lake was about to be lowered for ecological repairs. Farm run off has silted up the lake and parts of it are to be dredged. The project has already gone though one stage with a new island man made at the south end of the lake. So more work was going to be done to reduce the inflow of silt and the changing of the water levels every so many years is good for the fish population. So now the lake has to go from 22 feet down to 13 or so feet instead of the normal 15.9 feet, that will take a while to do. That is 9 feet or so of water, that is many thousands of acre feet of water that has to be removed from the lake via normal drainage routes. Those routes are inundated and will be for more than a month, it will take a while.
So we watch and we wait.
The lake today is several miles from the Mississippi River and is a stand alone body of water. It is about 20 miles long and while its width varies is about a mile wide. The lake is part and parcel of the parish drainage system and so when it rains the water generally flows into the lake. Around 1904 Bayou Cirie was cleared and the lake drain excess water off via that tributary. Today there is drainage canal with a weir and it flows into Bayou Grosse Tete.
The lake is kept generally at an elevation just below 16 feet sea level. The weir sets the level and there are flood gates that can lower the lake further if needed. A weir is a low level dam of sorts, so it allows excess water to overflow out, keeping the lake around 15.9 feet above sea level or as the locals say above the Gulf of Mexico. The lake is located about 200 miles from the Gulf of Mexico as the crow flies and gives you an idea of how low and flat Louisiana really is.
The recent deluge rains as result of a tropical disturbance, once a hurricane, flooded the region. True East Baton Rouge Parish, across the river and east and slightly south of Pointe Coupee Parish. got the brunt of the rains but Pointe Coupe got perhaps 15 or 16 inches of rain.
With hours False River began to rise and went to roughly 22 feet about sea level. That is a six foot rise of a large body of water that mostly occurred over night. The entire region is flooded and the run off is occurring all over the place. Water may have even flowed back into the lake from Bayou Grosse Tete. So one has to wait for the bayou to drain off, and the drain off goes into the Great Atchafalaya Swamp south of the region. So it takes while as Bayou Grosse Tete, small river of sorts drains a large area, has a lot of water to move. And False River is at the top of that elevation, almost the source of Bayou Grosse Tete today. That makes False River the last place to drain off.
The family owns a camp, a nice three bedroom manufactured home on the lake. It is on about an acre of land with a frontage that is a little over three hundred feet across. Today it is one of the larger plots on the whole lake, most all the other areas have been subdivided and subdivided again to narrow 60 foot or so lots. We all use the camp and the family share the expenses on upkeep. So we are very protective of the place at all times.
Fortunately we have flood insurance and while the camp came with in inches of flooding, water did get underneath the structure and there is some damage but nothing like many others have suffered. There are literally thousands of folks that are worse off than we are so we are sort of low priority but we will make sure the place is restored back to its normal self. So I expect it will take a while before we can use it again. And when we return we will all have our work cut out for us.
So we, as a family, were on the edge of the cusp but not totally in it. Our furniture, appliances, etc. survived with no damage. But we will have to fight mold and mildew and gradually watch the water receded to the normal elevation. And it will smell to high heaven for a while as there is a ton of new rotting detritus all over the place.
I did not mention it, the lake was about to be lowered for ecological repairs. Farm run off has silted up the lake and parts of it are to be dredged. The project has already gone though one stage with a new island man made at the south end of the lake. So more work was going to be done to reduce the inflow of silt and the changing of the water levels every so many years is good for the fish population. So now the lake has to go from 22 feet down to 13 or so feet instead of the normal 15.9 feet, that will take a while to do. That is 9 feet or so of water, that is many thousands of acre feet of water that has to be removed from the lake via normal drainage routes. Those routes are inundated and will be for more than a month, it will take a while.
So we watch and we wait.
Friday, August 12, 2016
I Got The Tool . . .
I got the tool, a special screw driver used to adjust modern 2 cycle carburetors used in weed eaters, blowers, etc. The typical carb has two adjustments, one for the high speed jet and one for idle. I do not mean the idle setting which is a throttle adjustment, I mean the jet on the carb itself.
The carbs come factory set at as lean a position as they can get the engine to run. They put the unusual screw heads on to keep the layman from adjusting the needles and the over all performance of the engine. It is an EPA thing and a scheme to sell ever increasing numbers of weed eater power heads.
The new, normal engine runs fast okay but does not accelerate and sometimes will not idle very well. The high speed is most noticeable in that the engine tends to stall when accelerated from the idle position to full throttle. That kills the engine and results in a cranking situation. This is hard on the starting mechanism, the pull cord and wears it our prematurely. And it is very frustrating when you keep trying to keep the engine running.
So I broke down and ordered the screwdrivers on Amazon. There were maybe four or five ads for them in various prices ranging from about $4.5 to as much as $12 for a set of four. I got the set of four for about $6 and since I had some credits on Amazon, I actually got them free. The set of four are for four different end caps on the adjustment needles.
I received them in just a couple of days and promptly began adjusting the high speed needle on the carb. It took about three days of adjusting but now it runs like a top. Yes, it does consume more fuel but runs dead reliable now. No stalling on acceleration, none of that crap at all.
I also took the time to properly set the spark plug gap and that also made a difference too in starting operation. So now the weed eater starts much easier and runs better.
I am sure the special end caps were designed to prevent the novice from screwing around with the carb settings and to make the user go to a shop to get the engine properly adjusted. Both are set up to make us either discard the weed eaters prematurely or to result in paying a mechanic to do a good engine set up for you.
Was a time when you could readily get parts, have a user's manuals that really said something on how to take care of the weed eater, etc. It is all designed now to make you, the user, go to another level to get things repaired and fixed. They even make it hard to find parts breakdown illustrations to be able to order parts. The dealers at the local level delight in the additional business but the smart etail guy provides the information and the "how to" to get parts.
Anyway the weed eater is running much better now that it is properly adjusted. We use it to edge, to blow as well as a string trimmer. I even have a tiller head that I can use. There used to be a tree saw but I never got that tool. Over the years I have gone through perhaps six power heads. I have noticed that they have gotten cheaper in construction and more common amongst all the different brand names. Gotten to the point it is no longer feasible to repair an old one, just go buy a new one, it is cheaper than getting a repair shop to fix the old one. And the manufacturers do not seem to care, especially since they are making more and more of them as replacements.
The carbs come factory set at as lean a position as they can get the engine to run. They put the unusual screw heads on to keep the layman from adjusting the needles and the over all performance of the engine. It is an EPA thing and a scheme to sell ever increasing numbers of weed eater power heads.
The new, normal engine runs fast okay but does not accelerate and sometimes will not idle very well. The high speed is most noticeable in that the engine tends to stall when accelerated from the idle position to full throttle. That kills the engine and results in a cranking situation. This is hard on the starting mechanism, the pull cord and wears it our prematurely. And it is very frustrating when you keep trying to keep the engine running.
So I broke down and ordered the screwdrivers on Amazon. There were maybe four or five ads for them in various prices ranging from about $4.5 to as much as $12 for a set of four. I got the set of four for about $6 and since I had some credits on Amazon, I actually got them free. The set of four are for four different end caps on the adjustment needles.
I received them in just a couple of days and promptly began adjusting the high speed needle on the carb. It took about three days of adjusting but now it runs like a top. Yes, it does consume more fuel but runs dead reliable now. No stalling on acceleration, none of that crap at all.
I also took the time to properly set the spark plug gap and that also made a difference too in starting operation. So now the weed eater starts much easier and runs better.
I am sure the special end caps were designed to prevent the novice from screwing around with the carb settings and to make the user go to a shop to get the engine properly adjusted. Both are set up to make us either discard the weed eaters prematurely or to result in paying a mechanic to do a good engine set up for you.
Was a time when you could readily get parts, have a user's manuals that really said something on how to take care of the weed eater, etc. It is all designed now to make you, the user, go to another level to get things repaired and fixed. They even make it hard to find parts breakdown illustrations to be able to order parts. The dealers at the local level delight in the additional business but the smart etail guy provides the information and the "how to" to get parts.
Anyway the weed eater is running much better now that it is properly adjusted. We use it to edge, to blow as well as a string trimmer. I even have a tiller head that I can use. There used to be a tree saw but I never got that tool. Over the years I have gone through perhaps six power heads. I have noticed that they have gotten cheaper in construction and more common amongst all the different brand names. Gotten to the point it is no longer feasible to repair an old one, just go buy a new one, it is cheaper than getting a repair shop to fix the old one. And the manufacturers do not seem to care, especially since they are making more and more of them as replacements.
Sunday, August 7, 2016
Denton Swap Meet . . .
There are normally three swap meets I go to. They all deal with radio control, almost all airplane stuff. The swap meet is a time that enthusiasts get rid of stuff usually a deep discounts. So it is a good place to shop around. There was one at Denton this weekend.
With the on set of electric motors, fueled engines are on the decline. Manufacturers have generally moved away for glow fueled engines though several of the big name manufactures continue albeit with fewer engines offered for sale. So the swap meet was replete with lots of used airplanes and engines primarily designed for methanol fuel engines. Yes, there was a lot of new electric stuff floating around but I was selective and did not pay much attention to them.
The swap meets also provide an outlet for dealers to sell. Several are known to be and it is always fun to greet them and see what is hot in the market so to speak. The dealers are also selling on a cash basis and most discount their stock and there is not such thing as sales taxes though I am sure the dealers end up paying the tax to the state anyway. So there is that little 8.25% discount and the opportunity to bargain a little bit. I managed to spend $5 on a Y connector that I needed.
So one always needs something and that is the place to get it. In my case I was looking for a flyable airplane and found one. Yes, it was quite old but in great condition. The servos were ancient and the engine has been out of production for probably 20 years, in fact I am sure it is rather old technology but quite functional. There was no battery or receiver. One usually puts his own receiver in as there are now so many different conventions on frequency hopping 2.4 Gigahertz systems one has to match his own transmitter. Batteries on the other hand, die with age and are sometimes moved forward to new applications. So one gets the airframe, engine, servos which are all somewhat generic. And of course, the owners labor that went in to assemble the airplane, perhaps even build the airframe.
So I had to scrap up a battery of which I have several floating around. I charge it up see if if will hold a charge, etc. And I have to install a receiver. Then I have to check the weight an balance of the airplane, my battery may be heavier and so one has to check those things. And once powered up one has to check to see if those old servos are working and that there are no obvious defects.
In this case, I had to use a heat gun to tighten up the covering. The covering is heat sensitive and generally relaxes over time. The covering adds some strength to the wings and there was a couple of small dents. So the heat retightens thing up and takes some of the hangar rash out (storage dings etc.)
I have to run the engine to make sure things are okay. It is a K&B, an old name though still made by an independent fellow out in California. He buys brand names, the rights, the drawings, old parts and so on so he keeps the engines alive and going. This model engine is still available new from him.
I suspect the engine is a old lapped port engine, not a modern ABC engine. ABC is simpler and more powerful. However, the power is sufficient for this size airplane, so I do not need a new or more powerful engine to fly it. I may in time swap out the engine but not for now as I enjoy getting them to run again. I have some engines that have never been run sitting in boxes ready to be used.
So by Wednesday I will have her ready to go. It should be fun to fly.
Oh, yes one final thing. I got the airplane for $60. I probably save several hundred dollars and many hours of assembly work. One man's junk is another man's treasure!
With the on set of electric motors, fueled engines are on the decline. Manufacturers have generally moved away for glow fueled engines though several of the big name manufactures continue albeit with fewer engines offered for sale. So the swap meet was replete with lots of used airplanes and engines primarily designed for methanol fuel engines. Yes, there was a lot of new electric stuff floating around but I was selective and did not pay much attention to them.
The swap meets also provide an outlet for dealers to sell. Several are known to be and it is always fun to greet them and see what is hot in the market so to speak. The dealers are also selling on a cash basis and most discount their stock and there is not such thing as sales taxes though I am sure the dealers end up paying the tax to the state anyway. So there is that little 8.25% discount and the opportunity to bargain a little bit. I managed to spend $5 on a Y connector that I needed.
So one always needs something and that is the place to get it. In my case I was looking for a flyable airplane and found one. Yes, it was quite old but in great condition. The servos were ancient and the engine has been out of production for probably 20 years, in fact I am sure it is rather old technology but quite functional. There was no battery or receiver. One usually puts his own receiver in as there are now so many different conventions on frequency hopping 2.4 Gigahertz systems one has to match his own transmitter. Batteries on the other hand, die with age and are sometimes moved forward to new applications. So one gets the airframe, engine, servos which are all somewhat generic. And of course, the owners labor that went in to assemble the airplane, perhaps even build the airframe.
So I had to scrap up a battery of which I have several floating around. I charge it up see if if will hold a charge, etc. And I have to install a receiver. Then I have to check the weight an balance of the airplane, my battery may be heavier and so one has to check those things. And once powered up one has to check to see if those old servos are working and that there are no obvious defects.
In this case, I had to use a heat gun to tighten up the covering. The covering is heat sensitive and generally relaxes over time. The covering adds some strength to the wings and there was a couple of small dents. So the heat retightens thing up and takes some of the hangar rash out (storage dings etc.)
I have to run the engine to make sure things are okay. It is a K&B, an old name though still made by an independent fellow out in California. He buys brand names, the rights, the drawings, old parts and so on so he keeps the engines alive and going. This model engine is still available new from him.
I suspect the engine is a old lapped port engine, not a modern ABC engine. ABC is simpler and more powerful. However, the power is sufficient for this size airplane, so I do not need a new or more powerful engine to fly it. I may in time swap out the engine but not for now as I enjoy getting them to run again. I have some engines that have never been run sitting in boxes ready to be used.
So by Wednesday I will have her ready to go. It should be fun to fly.
Oh, yes one final thing. I got the airplane for $60. I probably save several hundred dollars and many hours of assembly work. One man's junk is another man's treasure!
Sunday, July 31, 2016
Bashed My Stik . . .
A Stik is a model airplane designed by the late great Phil Kraft. Allegedly it was built to test various engines that he was working on. Today it is probably the most common radio control airplane in use. There are many variations, some are decidedly better designed and built than others. I prefer the Great Plaines Almost Ready to Fly or ARFs as they are substantially better built than all the others that I have owned.
In this case I inadvertently move the control stick and of course the airplane went where it was told to go. In this case strait in vertically and full speed. Did a bit of damage to the engine, so that is pretty hard crash. It tore the muffler manifold right out of the head, pulled out some of the threads with it. Fortunately, I have another such engine that I can use the parts from to fix up the engine again.
And I have ordered a new Stik from Tower Hobbies. I got free shipping on the deal and that alone is worth about $20. Then I found a coupon that gave me another $30 off and entered that in the appropriate slot on the order blank and reaped that saving too. I had to get some stiffer control rods and hardware so that soaked up much of the savings. Got a new propeller for the engine too.
So I have work ahead restoring the engine and putting the new Stik together. I make it a tail dragger vice the original tricycle designed landing gear. That entails moving the main landing gear forward and of course adding a tail wheel assembly. I also reinforce the rear of the fuselage, a weak point now that it is a tail dragger. I have to add weight and do that internally and I move the rudder and elevator servos aft (cut new holes for the servos and reinforce the area to take the loads imposed by the servos).
So I have quite a bit of work ahead but I am getting good at it.
I like the plane design and it flies really well. I see no reason to change as that is what I like to fly. Others fly all kinds of airplanes, some electrics and some with gasoline engines. I am still with four cycle glow engines and my Stiks. It is what I like to do. And frankly, I like to assemble them the way I want. That alone is plenty of entertainment for me.
In this case I inadvertently move the control stick and of course the airplane went where it was told to go. In this case strait in vertically and full speed. Did a bit of damage to the engine, so that is pretty hard crash. It tore the muffler manifold right out of the head, pulled out some of the threads with it. Fortunately, I have another such engine that I can use the parts from to fix up the engine again.
And I have ordered a new Stik from Tower Hobbies. I got free shipping on the deal and that alone is worth about $20. Then I found a coupon that gave me another $30 off and entered that in the appropriate slot on the order blank and reaped that saving too. I had to get some stiffer control rods and hardware so that soaked up much of the savings. Got a new propeller for the engine too.
So I have work ahead restoring the engine and putting the new Stik together. I make it a tail dragger vice the original tricycle designed landing gear. That entails moving the main landing gear forward and of course adding a tail wheel assembly. I also reinforce the rear of the fuselage, a weak point now that it is a tail dragger. I have to add weight and do that internally and I move the rudder and elevator servos aft (cut new holes for the servos and reinforce the area to take the loads imposed by the servos).
So I have quite a bit of work ahead but I am getting good at it.
I like the plane design and it flies really well. I see no reason to change as that is what I like to fly. Others fly all kinds of airplanes, some electrics and some with gasoline engines. I am still with four cycle glow engines and my Stiks. It is what I like to do. And frankly, I like to assemble them the way I want. That alone is plenty of entertainment for me.
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