Red20RC - New Australian website for building, flying and crashing!

[RedTwenty]

G'day

I couldn't think of anywhere else in the forum to put this so I put it here (as it is sort of a service - albeit a free one).
We've just launched a new website for building, flying and crashing FT style models and other electrics and gliders. We're interested in sharing stories, wins, fails, plans, videos, pictures anything related to this fantastic genre of the sport.

It all came about after FT re-ignited a passion for designing and building in our group. We don't want to be FT (don't have the time, money or video editing skills!), but we do want to be a useful community for flyers down-under.

The site is now open to registrations. Registered users are able to post articles much the same as the FT site.

If you get chance, come and take a look. New content is going online all the time and we might even hold our first design competition soon!

www.red20rc.org



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PS. I just realised I probably should have put this in the "Show Sponsors" forum so if any Mods want to move it feel free!

 

[eagle4]

Great looking site mate. Good to see more Aussie stuff out there. Have you thought about buying some foam board in bulk and selling it through Australia? I reckon there'd be a need for it, especially in the hobby community. I know if I was back in Aus I'd be going through a lot

 

[RedTwenty]

Thanks for the feedback!
I'm in two minds about the foam board idea...

1, I have actually today been putting some feelers out to the manufacturers of foam board to see if I can get some samples/prices for import to Australia. I guess it all depends on the weight issue of Chinese manufactured board.

2, I'm not sure I want to go importing FB because then I won't be able to go into my local art & craft store to buy it and see the girl behind the till who is achingly beautiful . I've been considering buying only one sheet at a time just so I can go in there every other day (just don't tell my wife)...

 

[RedTwenty]

Just a quick update. I think I have just found a manufacturer of foam board who can supply the equivalent of Adams FB to me in Australia! Fingers crossed the price is right...

 

[Longbow]

Hi, I fairly recently came across FT and as I live near Perth WA I have been looking for somewhere to purchase FB at a reasonable price to make a Kraken and begin my FPV experience (when I find the money).
Did you in the end find somewhere to purchase them?

Thanks,

Doug.

 

[vk2dxn]

Subscribed

I have been putting off scratch building with foam board because of the cost,
Here in NSW the cost of scratch building with FB is comparable with ordering a ready built ARF.

 

[RedTwenty]

Hello

Sadly the imported stuff was good but the MOQ was so high I had no way of importing (or storing) a whole shipping container of the stuff!

In the end I bought my foam board from www.foamboards.com.au. I can't remember the exact price but it was around $175 for 25 sheets (with another $30 for shipping).
When it arrived it was actually 30 sheets of A0 foam board. The quality was excellent and, whilst a little heavier than the dollar tree equivalent it is certainly light enough for building and flying the FT designs. I did the maths when I got it and the cost was $4 for an equivalent to the dollar tree board (roughly A1 size - $8 per sheet in the box). I didn't think this was too bad - you just have to accept that to get this you are going to have to bulk buy!

I definitely understand the argument that some ARF's are going to be just as cheap (especially when you factor in the hardware, glue, time etc.). I could certainly go to HobbyKing and buy a Tek Sumo if I just wanted a cheap FPV wing. The problem is I like designing and custom building airframes, it's not just a cost thing. So if you look at the price of balsa and depron these days then foam board is definitely the cheaper option!

In the meantime, I've been putting a fair amount of time and money into developing Red20RC. I've just bought a new CNC machine and have just started limited production runs on some small items that may be of use to foam board builders (control horns, firewalls, motor mounts etc.) Keep an eye on www.red20rc.org as I'll hopefully have a new online store running in the next couple of weeks.

Cheers,
Mike

 

[Longbow]

I agree that half the fun is building it RedTwenty. What size did you order in thickness? 3mm or 5mm?
Looking at the price, it would be about $100 worth of FB (3mm or 5mm same price) delivered to build a Kraken if ordered in A0 size.
That's not too bad really...

 

[RedTwenty]

It was the 5mm that I bought - this one here > http://www.foamboards.com.au/store/store_foamboards/5mm-white-foam-board-full-box-25

My box did have 30 sheets in it when it arrived though. I've just noticed though that it wasn't the A0 size, it was just the normal FB sheets. They are marginally smaller but considerably cheaper. I think a Kraken uses about 4 sheets at this size so if you ordered the box it would work out around $34 for the material ($215 for the total order).
Ordering single sheets would be a bit more as you have to buy a minimum of 5 sheets and the shipping is still the same - so around $75 in total.

It isn't great but I worked it out that the Adams ReadiBoard that FT uses is 20" x 30" and the FB from foamboards is 40" x 32". I got 30 sheets, so that's 60 sheets in FT size. $215/60 is $3.58 a sheet. It's a big outlay but foam board doesn't go off (I hope! Not that quickly anyway), and as long as I store it flat in its shipping box it should last me for a long time and a lot of models.

Cheers,
Mike

 

[Longbow]

Awesome. Thanks for the help Mike.
Now I just need the money...

 

[RedTwenty]

To true. At some point I really need to stop spending the money and start earning some of it...