So been a while, checking in. I've slacked off my ec1500. Bad boy but things happen and other task distracted me but will get it done. Weather spring here, lots of rain and windy but had a nice Monday so tossed the umx tt around some. Wife let me get a few more toys with stimulus, a night vapor on way for backyard and a Arrows Marlin 64mm EDF jet. Marlin will be unpainted seeing the default blue is hard to see for me. Going to paint some red as usual for me along with adding a set of umx tt led lights. Should be a fun first jet from what I've read and seen. I got a nice rx for it and it flys on my current lipo packs vs needed some more new ones. The vapor at 99$ and 4 batts at 20$ plenty. That one will be perfect for calm evenings in my back yard. Hope your well, more when they arrive, ordered today 3/18. Laters!

Not heard from you in some time. Flew my night vapor recently. Should be quite relaxing in backyard on peaceful evenings. Ruined my EC-1500 wheels trying to get rid of noise. Got new DuBro super lights to fix and update with. Finished pretty much with my first EDF jet, Marlin. Got it blank white and made it up to mimic a Navy t45. It's close enough. Yet to maiden it and needs a clear coat sealer. Few pics, say hi pretty soon k?

Hey buddy, im doing great! I hadn't heard from you in a while so i stopped checking back. Im glad everything is going good with you. I like your new jet it looks fantastic. You create the best paint jobs on your planes. So im thinking of getting rid of the rx and esc out of my nite timber would you be interested in them? The rx is the stock bnf one i forget the name 637ta maybe. Horizon finally got the balls to unlock it. The esc is thier 60amp smart esc, so you will have pack voltage, rpm, amps, millamps consumption i think too. I have the same set up just frsky products, that i used in the stratosufer but when i put the flight controller in it i got a new 40amp esc and a different rx since i didnt need stabilization in the rx.

Hey, your ok still! I'm good, broke my tail rudder on little night vapor and fixed it. Better than new kinda, added a bit of hobby wire as extra guides for the long rods that control tail and rudder. Fun little deal for right at my house but has to be like no wind.

Yes on rx and esc. I would find a use easily. Painting fun btw, decals harder. (Notice another red/black/white plane, I'm so predictable) I wanted the black background but when I cut the vinyls used wrong setting and about ruined my paint job (did on tail and had to redo paint). Switched to sticky label paper, ink jet print then cut. Better but stuck with white background so not quite the result I wanted, oh well.

On the Marlin jet I added leds too. Used a umx tt led kit seeing very light, good for the scale and low profile surface mount keeps drag down. On wing tips the red/white and green/white, tail top red pulse, underside center behind wing red pulse and the white landing lights up front at nose gear. Worked well I think.

Yet to maiden jet or ec1500. The replacement wheels for the EC1500 had different axel diameter so took a bit of thinking to mount. Ended up with using the stock rods but sleeved carbon fiber tube over, made a great fit then added bushings. So so quite when rolled now. Every video you watch the landing gear just so noisy, not this bird. Led lights on rear done, nose wheel done just over main landing gears wheels needs them but still not sure on how I want them mounted or routing of wire. Did get some real nice thin trace wire, stranded with silicon coating so perfect for the job. Once we get a good weekend AND I can hook up with my better at this than me peers will maiden both, tweak troubleshoot if need.

Let me know what you want for the rx and esc. I saw they have update for the bnf receivers but wasn't sure if it had all the features of the aftermarket version. Know esc solid tho odd combo. Smart esc usually sends battery info when connected to smart battery without need of 637 series and without smart then the 637 I have uses an external battery connection lead to send voltage to rx. Did that esc support reverse mode too if you had open channel? Either way let me know pm or here just fine. I check in pretty regular like.

The wheels you got for your ec1500, are they the inflatable ones? Are they rubber?

So the esc and rx I will get them to you sometime in the future. Right now I have been working as much as possible before the real heat sets in and it's hot 24/7. So I don't know the time table but if I had to guess sometime in the next 1 to 3 months probably closer to the later but you never know sometimes I get a wild hair and just do things. When I change it out I will give you a price, it won't be any where close to retail, I will give you family and friends discount.

It has been windy as heck around here the past couple of weeks. Just the other day we had wind 40+ mph. So with my work schedule and being exhausted afterwards and the wind I havent had the opportunities to fly . Whe I've gone for it, the wind has been just too much to get one flight battery though the planes.

The wheels I used are the DuBro 2.5" ultra lights. Foam, have straight line tread pattern. These are the only ones other than stock that would fit. Slot is rather narrow and not deep enough to increase circumference. If I went smaller diameter loose ground clearance. Really a picky spot to work with and I knew stock would put me back at square one. Will have to post a pic or two later of it.

Typical spring here, think last cold snap finally gone. Yesterday so calm but cool and sunny flew several batteries in my night vapor again. Handy being able to do it right at house so abusing the little bugger worse than my umx tt.

Looking at boats now. My old traxxas villain iv long in tooth and really not worth dumping upgrades into it like brushless or such. With my vision figure bigger better so searching says 30". Pro boat sonic wake over priced, the Volantex sr 80 has my eye. There's a pro version with more metal parts but only in stock overseas, regular version here. Thinking regular and can upgrade as I feel or need too. Boat will double as rescue for my float flying. Anyway it's on my radar.

Always something. Having problem with a bind on 636a receiver in my jet. Switched to a 630 but forward programming a pain without the analog controls on tx to set gains. Also lacking voltage on battery which would like on this being EDF. Might shelve this till we do transaction on the rx and esc you mentioned.

Weather cold but mild, guys want to fly at Paducah seeing our field closed Sundays. Don't think I'm ready plus while storms are gone it rained all day yesterday, over 1" worth. Grass field going to be soggy damp mess. Might just burn a few on my local real paved runway here at home.

Birthday Tuesday, ordered the boat I mentioned. Should be here a day late but still will be nice at lake. Supposed to be fast, 45mph (not km) out of box fast.

Just a quick check in. Flew a bit other day on Cherokee. Yep still my favorite so far. Pal came over with his Bush Mule. He very very good but that said I think his cg on that plane way off. It's so centered (tripod gear) tip to tail, stays on ground, tip to nose, nose wheel stays touching ok seems fine maybe but in air even with gyro it's a handful. He says that, looks it flying. I thought better tad nose heavy than so centered it acts like on balancing board. He also has to fly it much faster than expected for such a plane. Oh well his problem not mine.

Ran boat, dang fast. Same buddy ran it and crashed. Lucky it ended upright cause he knocked the top cover clean off. Big deal to rescue that and you don't want to know details but all ok in end.

Next more rain storms, enough rain already. Hard to get a long enough dry spell to mow. Today bit windy but died down near sunset so ran quick 4 packs thru little night vapor in front yard. So calm finally got mechanical trims perfect so zero radio trim. (Yea). Supposed to be cooler than norm for next 7-10 days with more rains mixed in. Yuck, might as well be March other than trees a green hardly different.

Still struggling with the forward programming. Going to start over yet again. Shouldn't be this hard but never reacts as I want it. Till later.

Hey buddy, i will try to get with it on the rx and esc, i got your personal message and when its ready i will call you.

How has life been lately? Is it getting back to normal with the covid thing?

Had things changed where you lived?

During the peak of it all, people were acting crazy and at walmart there was always lines to get into the place and there would be no toilet paper and canned food. But now things have chilled out around here. I think the heard mentally really effects larger groups of people.

You know honestly around here things never seemed much different. Place like Walmart hardy had lines to get in, seen it, been in it but was like 8-10 people deep and that situation didn't last long. Shortages wise again saw stuff or lack of on shelves but usually we found a decent substitute even if cost was bit more. Top it off the online order and just get time slot to pickup at car very popular here.

Wife works at Hospital and even there Covid cases never really out of control. They had a floor dedicated to it and most the time might have had 5-8 people on it. Brief surge after Christmas/New years and they added space on another floor. As of late the "census" so low she ends up going home early.

Overall it's population. Not a big metro area here and in fact I'd say 1/2 is seasonal vacation properties. Majority is older crowd, the young don't care for this life style as much and with that less issue. Like any where have some bad apples but mostly zero trouble. Still use a mask indoors in say Walmart or such otherwise no need. Saying here in lakes area, we naturally distant just by the way it is.

Still not taken shot nor wife. Offered but we both are extremely distrustful of the "emergency use ok" nature of them yet the push for everyone to take it with no long term data to verify its overall saftey. Then oddly as example, bother got shot on birthday Apr 26 then week later has Covid and locked down. Live virus, he was testing prior to having a colonoscopy done so go figure, shot Monday but test positive Friday. Not saying it gave him Covid nor prevents that just saying all this time living in Columbus Ohio area and now he gets it. Personally I think he had it just prior to getting shot like over weekend but didn't know it at the time.

I'd say currently feels fairly normal. Somethings have changed permanently it seems like hours of say Walmart. No more 24 hours as example. Restaurants more by reservation now to limit cramming too many inside. Recreational "toys" like boats, rv's and such way more costly and hard to find. Sums it up pretty much.

Meanwhile still working on my Marlin EDF jet. Trying to do the impossible? I want the nose gear steering servo on its own channel (easy) linked to rudder (easy) but not have dual rates, gains, safe or mode effect the nose gear range of movement (seeming impossible). Tired of losing decent taxi control from the rudder dialed back for decent flying but not enough control of nose gear on taxi. Cant do it via linkage, will post photo and you will understand. Real pain in butt and...worse I really want it selectable to be on rudder for buddy's but on aileron for me (years of ground Rc, steer on right, throttle left).

Photo...metal rod swings left or right turning nose wheel. It slides in that servo arm slot. Neat, works smooth but no way to increase or decrease throw and space too narrow for normal side arm linkage thus I get the setup.

Progress! Ok, nose wheel on 6th port on aux2. Paired to ailerons. Next added a mix aileron to aux2. Set max travel on aux2. Up mix rate. Now nose wheel travels much father than ailerons regardless of rates, ie: low/med/high nose gear always hits max travel. Yea. Now if I can set a switch to toggle from aileron to rudder as source....

Finally got that Arrows Marlin ready to maiden. Broke a flap servo, always fun. Plenty spares seeing I generally swap for metal gear ones. Radio configured to my goal. Put flaps on 6. Gear ch5 now nose wheel. Next mix aileron to gear nose wheel, 125% on switch G in 0 position. Then a mix rudder to gear nose wheel, 125% switch G in 2 position. Result, G in position 1 it's locked straight ahead, in 0 moves with aileron but with the 125% it moves more than the toned down rates on ailerons themselves, same with rudder. Thus I can use right stick on taxi but my pals can use on left rudder like they used too. All throws set to manual specs. Using a low/mid/high rates setup with low on the recommended low movement, mid is the books high setting and high is full range for my pals to dial in from. They like full range and adjust down so made it so they can do just that. I'm not doing maiden, they are.

My vision makes this a need because I loose orientation of plane too easy. Goal is to set up on safe but open envelope so it's like no safe. Basically it should self level if I let go of sticks and also setting a panic button for instant snap level regardless stick position. So 3 cheers and a hurray!

Ran my boat again this late afternoon, wife attended and recorded video with my phone. OMG was funny. Wish I could post videos but can't and I don't YouTube or such. She had pandora playing on her phone in pocket and music was so spot on for the driving I was doing....till I wiped out and the self righting feature failed. Boat was drifting out to middle of lake and it's a very big lake. Had to get my real tracker fishing boat out from house to rescue it! Fun times? She thought so, me..kinda funny but not. Anyway nothing broken, no real water egress just Velcro let loose so batteries shifted inside preventing self righting from working. Guess need to up my game on the battery securement but expected, 31" boat and it was going well over 40mph on water..skipped chop often and airborne some too. That's the update. Later- Tig

Update...or dateline today 5/12. Finally cleared up garage and moved my bench table for a good work surface. With that starting on finish up of ec1500 led add on project. Few photos of tail now and you will see the effect I'm going for.

Yea, full almost commercial lighting. Tail spar illuminated, check. Next is 3 per side at wheel flare to light up nose, aft and under wing. Top wing just not needed nor practical. Once done thus should be easy to fly at dusk especially on the lake with good moon light.

Can see wiring with resistors, added to adjust voltage to right range. Left and right views. Surprised myself on how even they came out just eyeballing it. Personally very happy with result.

*added nose landing gear leds photos now. Ohh, Ahh, impressive. Sorry, grey carpet table top as noted in first nose gear photo so kinda looked black and white on flood view.

that's gorgeous truk, nice work!

Originally Posted by bisco

that's gorgeous truk, nice work!

Aim to please, at least myself that is Added the nose landing gear lights. Going to have to add a secondary bec to power this beast. Came with a 3amp/5amp peak already but my math says I'm pushing it with all the extra lights. 11 in total, specs say 25mah nominal, 100mah peak so if avg 50 per, added then 550 avg load. Yea at .5 amp avg and say 1.1amps peak thats pushing it, plane already had 6 leds and 7 metal gear servos and dual engines with the ar636b. Cant separate the wing led lights but pulling the underside rear and mid top will lighten load on installed bec and will join it to the leds I added on another bec. Should be ok as long as rf noise isn't too much.