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MTA Hobbies . Model Rectifier Corp . ReadyHeli

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Engines Plugs Mufflers Fuel > Align starter and 90 size helis
 
 
jackheli
Elite Veteran
Location: Vancouver - Canada

My Posts This: Topic  Forum

Quote 

No, not even close. You are paying for an ergonomic compact design that you can toss in a cargo pocket. The ability to run out and quickly start the helicopter that died on the pad instead of doing the walk of shame and just pocket the starter and get flying is worth the price. Not having an oversized cumbersome beast to wrangle or carry is worth the price.


You can get exactly the same portability and compactness for $45. Check my previous posts. The starter I pictured is exactly the same size and power as the Align.

Quote 

A 12.00 dollar starter and a couple old 3 cell lipo packs are all you need . Unless you're one of those guys that need the latest and greatest . Spend your money on a "good" starter and batt pack , i'll spend my dough on parts to keep my birds in the air .


EXACTLY MY POINT!



Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new
Albert Einstein
11-03-2009 07:13 AM
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pkfrizzlefry
Senior Heliman
Location: Newington, CT (Central Connecticut)

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MONEY!

Hey after all IT'S ONLY MONEY...WE WORK TO SPEND IT...
CANT TAKE IT WITH YOU WHEN YOU DIE!!
If your mortgage is current (or paid off), then GO FOR IT buy TWO just in case one dies!!

Quote 
Not having an oversized cumbersome beast to wrangle or carry is worth the price
GOOD ONE... LOL My previous torque master was a BEAST...

It's a starter and i think it's maybe a bit overpriced by maybe $20 bucks... it should be $120 WITH BATTERY... but hey MANY MANY things are OVERPRICED... Jeez my LHS has 2 small 10MM berings for $12 dollars or a small plastic fuel shutoff like 1 for $5.00...Thats like 50,000 YEN for a small plastic shutoff that should litterally be a dime a dozen...And we buy them anyway..

Iam not into NEW but i LOVE things that WORK!

I bought one cuz i started mooching starters from everyone at my field...

Either way... $120 dollars is equal to 2 Dinners at Red Lobster!!

Really its just money so go out and:

Fly, Fly then Fly some more!!
11-03-2009 02:53 PM
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bigbadflyer
Senior Heliman
Location: Middle Earth New Zealand

My Posts This: Topic  Forum
Thanks guys.

You have been more than helpful.
Great wraps on the Align starter and I personally dont think its expensive. Will order one :-)

Cheye

The main reason Santa is so jolly is because he knows where all the bad girls live!
11-05-2009 07:56 AM
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pkfrizzlefry
Senior Heliman
Location: Newington, CT (Central Connecticut)

My Posts This: Topic  Forum
jeez

Ok so the ALIGN Starter ain't so HOT after all...
my last start shaft is 10yrs+ old without a scratch on it...

The align shaft however is STRIPPED AFTER 2 WEEKS.... WTF???


They better get me another shaft or i will feel shafted!!



Fly, Fly then Fly some more!!
11-09-2009 02:20 PM
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haq0901
Senior Heliman
Location: Miami, FL USA

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Supposedly there was a bad batch of shafts(only those that completely round out) and align is replacing them free of charge....
11-09-2009 02:28 PM
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Asid
Senior Heliman
Location: uk

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Where you hear about the bad shafts?

I have one.

Regards

If it ain't broke then break it.
11-09-2009 06:59 PM
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haq0901
Senior Heliman
Location: Miami, FL USA

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Only shafts being replaced are those that are stripping the tips round...
11-09-2009 07:16 PM
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Asid
Senior Heliman
Location: uk

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Mines is stripping round.


My starter also has a bad switch. It stays on.

Where did you get the info?

Is it on the net?

Link?

Thanks

If it ain't broke then break it.
11-09-2009 07:37 PM
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haq0901
Senior Heliman
Location: Miami, FL USA

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Local hobby shop was in contact with align in regards to 2 people who had issues with stripped tips and they replaced them for free....
11-09-2009 07:56 PM
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pkfrizzlefry
Senior Heliman
Location: Newington, CT (Central Connecticut)

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Well

i called this morning the place i got it from 2 weeks ago as mine is completely round and the shop said this
"ALIGN DOESN'T TAKE BACK ANYTHING" however she was aware of the issue and they will replace the shaft at no charge on their dime...

Pretty lame tho to not even last 2 Weeks (BTW 2 weeks...i only fly on SUNDAYS so that's only 2 days of use!!)


a new shaft is about $27 bucks...EHHHHH

Pete


Fly, Fly then Fly some more!!
11-09-2009 08:30 PM
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UPSguy
Heliman
Location: Toledo, OH USA

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The Robbe one way start shaft I already have will work with this starter won't it?

the man on top of the mountain didn't fall there
11-09-2009 08:41 PM
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ErichF
Elite Veteran
Location: Odessa, FL 33556 (Tampa Area)

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I'm so glad I didn't pull the trigger on one of these things...

It's definately one of the nicest looking turds on the market, though.

Erich
11-09-2009 09:23 PM
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kazager
Senior Heliman
Location: Waldorf, MD - USA

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Quote 
I'm so glad I didn't pull the trigger on one of these things...

It's definately one of the nicest looking turds on the market, though.

Erich
I didn't read that in this thread at all. In this day and age everything is specialized. As long as you need it for what it's made for it works great. Once you go outside of that, you're on your own. Mine works great, I get the occasional hammering on bigger engines, but not always. If you think $120 is a lot, let me ask if you've ever bought an extra canopy, that's a lot of money to just look at something...it's worth what you're willing to pay for it, nothing more, nothing less. If you don't need it or want it, doesn't mean you should dump on those that do.
11-10-2009 04:38 AM
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ErichF
Elite Veteran
Location: Odessa, FL 33556 (Tampa Area)

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Quote 
As long as you need it for what it's made for it works great. Once you go outside of that, you're on your own.

What on earth did you think I was going to get one for?

Quote 
Mine works great, I get the occasional hammering on bigger engines, but not always.

ANY hammering is unacceptable for my engines, period. As those gears wear down, and the hex end rounds off, the hammering will get worse.

Quote 
If you think $120 is a lot, let me ask if you've ever bought an extra canopy...

I have at least that much in my TorqueMaster 180 with Firestorm 18V battery pack and KSJ extension. And, it doesn't beat on my engine and starter coupler like a hammer drill. What gave you the impression that I thought it was a lot in my simple two line post? I didn't back off buying one because the price. I wanted to wait and see one in action. I have not been impressed by many geared starters before.

Quote 
If you don't need it or want it, doesn't mean you should dump on those that do.

I'm not the one dumping on it. I had high hopes for the thing, I almost bought one. After reading repeated comments about it's characteristics, I'm not so warm and fuzzy about the thing anymore.

Erich
11-10-2009 05:28 AM
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UPSguy
Heliman
Location: Toledo, OH USA

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what exactly are we talking about when we say "hammering" the engine?

the man on top of the mountain didn't fall there
11-10-2009 11:56 AM
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ErichF
Elite Veteran
Location: Odessa, FL 33556 (Tampa Area)

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Have you ever seen someone start a heli with a cordless drill?

Here's what happens. These geared starters are reduced in shaft RPM in order to have enough torque to turn larger engines. This slower RPM is not fast enough to "outrun" the tendency for the engine to "spring" from TDC compression. So, this unloads the starter for a portion of each revolution. This in turn allows the gears in the starter to unload. Any lash in the gears opens up. As the revolution continues, the engine comes on compression again and reloads the starter gears. This is the "hammer" effect and is transmitted to the starter coupler and conrod in the engine.

If the gearing in the starter is tight with no lash, then the system will work smoothly. Over a short time, though, wear on the gears opens the lash and hammering gets worse.

Erich
11-10-2009 12:40 PM
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Rymps
Veteran
Location: Indianapolis

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Quote 
I have at least that much in my TorqueMaster 180 with Firestorm 18V battery pack and KSJ extension. And, it doesn't beat on my engine and starter coupler like a hammer drill. What gave you the impression that I thought it was a lot in my simple two line post? I didn't back off buying one because the price. I wanted to wait and see one in action. I have not been impressed by many geared starters before.


I run some thing close. I have a TM180 with two 11.1 lipos in series. Thats 22.2 volts. a K&S start wand. no problems.

Quote 
Have you ever seen someone start a heli with a cordless drill?


Yup i did that for a little while, but the drill stripped. It was a 18v Dewalt and i went through hex adaptors.

I am waiting in the Align Starter SE version. Is any one else?
11-10-2009 04:56 PM
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UPSguy
Heliman
Location: Toledo, OH USA

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Thanks Erich, that discription is exactly wht I thought. Seem to remember way back when someone marketed one of these with the same results.

the man on top of the mountain didn't fall there
11-10-2009 09:04 PM
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Mike Fortin
Key Veteran
Location: Orlando, Florida

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I just wanted to jump in real quick as I along with a few others at my local field have been using the Align starter since the day it was released and for the exception of a few very minor non-issues the starter has worked perfectly.

It seems a few people have had their issues with the shaft ball rounding out, however the only time I have ever seen this happen is when someone doesn't seat the shaft into the coupler and attempts to spin it OR if you have a worn out coupler.

I have had the ball on the end of the shaft get stuck in a few couplers, this was because their previous starter shafts had worn away the the inside of the coupler and caused the ball to spin just a bit in the coupler causing it to stick.

I have seen a few of the starters that have stuck in the ON position when pressing the button, the simple fix for this is to take the starter apart and dremel the lower corner of the button, in the molding process there was a little bit of extra plastic on the button causing it to stick.

5 minutes with a screwdriver and a dremel and the issue resolved.

www.Mike-3D.com
11-10-2009 11:24 PM
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2 pages [ <<    <     1     ( 2 )    >    >> ]1302 viewsPOST REPLY
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Engines Plugs Mufflers Fuel > Align starter and 90 size helis
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