Mode Zero

Hi Everyone,

Well this will be a labour of love and a tribute to Idris, I hope he likes what I'm about to embark on...........

Firstly, its with a massive thank you to Stuart and Mike for their help in answering all my demanding questions references to measurements and everything else I've bugged them for so far ! , so thanks Stuart M and Mike K

I've been after a set for years ,well before I came across Mode1, they are now Hens teeth to get hold of, so I've decided to make my own from scratch, I have a small engineering workshop in my shed and this serves my purpose well for construction of project.

So far I've made a prototype open gimble joystick purely from photographs, the finished pair of stick units will be very similar to Idris's commercially made ones, but this one is to get it working as it should so excuse the rough construction you will see..

The case I have made from brass sheet, it should have been aluminium but I don't really know of a alloy welder where I live, so brass and silver solder it shall be , (I also make live steam 16mm garden locos as well as flying mainly powered slope soarers).....

I shall update hopefully on a weekly basis, negative and positive comments always welcome, I suppose one question in everyone's mind is , Why ! ,the reason is quite simple, I want a set, I cant get a set for love or money, so I'll make one to satisfy my urges , plus its good fun !

Fantastic work so far, Robert!

This is just incredible! Fab work so far - I just love the ingenuity of guys in sheds - bloody marvellous

Fabulous metalwork Robert

With it's live steam heritage, it would surely have to be rated for at least 1400kPa @ 2.4Gig

As an aside, I remember seeing pictures of a steam powered s/c model, about 60" span, in Aeromodeler many moons back, probably circa 1972ish. It was flown at an Old Warden Rally. All my mags are packed away so I can't look myself, but does anybody else remember it?

Wayne_H wrote: 22 Nov 2020, 02:53 .... a steam powered s/c model, about 60" span, in Aeromodeler many moons back, probably circa 1972ish.

It got the better of me, so I went surfing:
https://www.flysteam.co.uk
https://youtu.be/8fGUnNf3OiQ
I think David Parker, credited at the end of the vid, was the chap in the original Aeromodeler article.

Update on the case fabrication, silver soldered top and bottom edges on all four corners, all trimmed and orbital sanded, next job is punching out the square apertures and slots, although I think for a few weeks this will slow down on progress as we've just not long had a litter of 8 Standard Poodles, they're now a lot more active in between meals, so my hobby time will be limited, any of you interested in a pup pm me ,full registered parents

Looks like something in Bristow Works Hounslow in the early 70s Rob! Brilliant craftsmanship!
Respect!
Are you going to get it stove enamelled or powder coated? Colour choice is simple at least!

Hi Stuart

Many thanks , I’ve googled stove enamel for my area, and it comes up powder coating every time , so I guess I’m going to have to go with that !, I presume Stuart it’s a satin black ? Or is it’s gloss , difficult to tell from pictures ..

Very deep gloss night black

Thank you Stuart