I must be insane

As it is, I don't have enough time or money to keep up with my current hobbies - flashlights (goes without saying), 4 wheeling & camping, and shooting. I've currently got so many hobby related projects in the fire that I couldn't finish all of them in a year.

I recently contracted another affliction. Yesterday, the affliction got the better of my good judgement, and I dipped my toes into the RC pool - hardware is on order.

Can anyone tell me if there is a treatment for this madness - short of pulling the plug, that is.

You're doomed...

I was a R/C guy BIG TIME (mainly electric off road, and some dabbling into on road).

At my peak racing days, I was running three cars: a heavily modded Associated RC-10, stock Team Losi JRX-2, and a Yokomo Dog Fighter 4WD. Before retiring, I was running a Losi JRX-Pro and a Losi-XX4. I was good, winning a ton of trophies and a near sponsorship with one of the Big Three, but couldn't keep up on the $$$ side of it all...Running a competitive car would be a $1000+ investment. Back then, money talked, and the hobby outran the little guy, and nearly died in the process.

I remember the days when a "stock" motor, at 30 bucks a pop, only lasted a weekend of racing, when battery packs would melt as they were pushed too hard (hi-tech was a 1700MAH Sanyo SC-E or SC-H cell). Ten turn modified motors, etc etc. Then add in tires, bodies, etc etc.

Currently, the technology has settled down, somewhat (except for the current battery wars) and it's not as expensive, especially with the RTR kits and Nitro cars.

I've always wanted to fly an R/C helicopter...

--dan

choose philosophy as a hobby

Jim, send the guns and Jeep to me for safe keeping and you will have more time and money for you RC cars....

I have the same dilema right now since I'm balancing shooting and lights at the same time as my bikes. On top of that work, on top of that college. I love shooting 45ACP but even if I load, at the volume I'm shooting I won't have any dough left for lights. 22s just don't cut it...

I think the whole "sending me your projectile and photon launchers" thing would really help calming you down though...

I know how you feel Jim !

I have a very bad habbit of starting way too many projects at once, and I end up getting none of them completely finished.
not to mention the $$$$$ that is poured into each one.
One rule of thumb I have found true,
lets say you want to get into a new hobby, say, RC.
The car cost $400 lets say, well, imediately double that cost,
since you will have at least that much in all the accessories and things to go along with it.

~John

Send your white ZJ to me, mine needs a friend.

Seriously, I have the same problem you do. Too many hobbies. Hard to just drop them, but also hard to keep things going.

RC is scary!

I raced mostly on road cars in what must have been the same time frame as dano.

My hot pack Sanyo SCR 1700's were as much as $65 a pack and usually survived a weekends racing before becoming practice packs and then giveaways as I helped younger guys get started.

I raced an on road RC-10 and an off-road RC-10 in street guise for the rougher paved tracks and had some success, though none close to dano.

In those days, I bet I had $3000 tied up in cars and parts, as well as chargers. 15-18 years ago, that was a CHUNK!

Good luck, and stay away from that Modamag guy, he has the same sickness!!!

Bill

what a coincidence (or waas it??) that I met one of the guys who were flying rc helicopters near my house at the market yesterday.
guess what he does for a living? he flies helicopters!

the 2 rc helicopters he flew were over a $K each, but he also flew a very graceful sort of wng with an electric motor -- much cheaper and nearly as thrilling -- of couse the wing couldn't decapitate you in a moment like the carbon-bladed copters, but it was quiet and flew quite well, picking up thermals..he used nicads, I told him to move up to lithions..he said they coud blow up, I said they got safety cells now that prevent that (I got that right,right?) --

anywho point is I think it would be neat to have a remote ground unit, and a flyer maybe too so I'm on the lookout to purchase the BEST (not necessarily the most expensive) units available. meaning durable and well designed.

so rc folx -- what should I / we get?

I raced rc quite a bit about 5 years ago. I haven't had time to do it sonce I moved a few years ago. I have 4 cars and a truck and tons of assorted gear sitting in my garage.

I had tons of fun racing. The local hobby shop was not ROAR affiliated, so it was more of a gentlemans race. Lots of good memories.

oOOO say bye bye to your money. I started with onroad 1/12 scale cars as a kid on to buggies then trucks. Then, electric airplanes, gas airplanes, helicopters, and now I'm back to airplanes.

If you have a tendancy to become a fanatic with your hobbies, I suggest you don't buy entry level radio gear because you'll end up replacing it in a month anyway. Once you start reading the magazines and browsing through the latest and greatest, your alloted monthly fun-money will be gone on the 1st!

so whattcha got on order? Gas or electric? Lemme know if you need any help. I guess I got a new reason to get my stuff all tuned up again. My latest aquisition was the XRAY NT18, an 18th scale nitro powered road car. Still breaking that one in, but I can already tell it is way too fast for its size...just the way I like them. The faster the vehicle the more spectacular the crash...

JimH said:

Can anyone tell me if there is a treatment for this madness - short of pulling the plug, that is.

Click to expand...

There is a cure! Find a better job! ha ha ha, I have a Traxxas Revo, good luck, the good thing is that the chargers for both hobbies are compatible.

AlexGT

Maybe it's the season. I'm up to my armpits in about a half dozen time sensitive projects. It's taking quite a bite out of my normally calmer existance.

270winchester said:

Jim, send the guns and Jeep to me for safe keeping and you will have more time and money for you RC cars....

Click to expand...

I'll take your lights, that way you can devote all your energy and money to RC. :devil:

forgot to mention - here's what I ordered. Like I said - just dipping my toes into this new (for me) arena.

Hi Jim, :wave: I was into RC 10 about ten years ago to the tune of having an exercise track in my back yard, for the dog/car.

The only advise I would have is enjoy it as you do it, and prepare to lose your shorts when you grow tired of it and sell off your acquired mass.

I am fighting the craving at this very moment, the nitro engine cars are sweeeeeeet.

All better now.

I'm right there with ya too. My hobbies get kinda 'spensive as well (especially now that my buddy got me into cowboy action shooting...whew startup costs on that are HUGE).

My entire R/C phase centered around boats, and mostly sailboats at that.

That looks like a cool Heli. You have just inspired me to drag out my Century Hummingbird electric heli and order the parts I need to get it flying again.

This thread is making me want to dust off my old, old RC-10 and get it back into fighting shape.

Uh Jim, you could always buy a scaled-up version, and deck it out appropriately. :green:


Larry