Are you playin' checkers or chess? by John Beech | Wednesday, December 30, 2020 | . . . or how not to get screwed on your next servo purchase! Selecting servos can be confusing and most guys get snookered by expensive advertising campaigns and sponsored pilots who say what they're told to. How can you figure it out for yourself? We show you how! no categories. Read More
How to use an HV-servo with a 6V-radio by John Beech | Thursday, November 5, 2020 | How-to use an HV-servo with 6V-radio systems A low-buck approach for how to use a HV servo with a 6V-radio system. Best part? It applies to an X-MAXX, TRX4 or pretty much 'any' vehicle (of any brand) relying on a 6V BEC-circuit to operate the steering servo! no categories. Read More
When's the next super special sale? by John Beech | Monday, October 26, 2020 | Wanna really get screwed? Buying into the marketing-driven idea of special pricing, as if costs change based on certain magical days, is a good start! Instead of cat and mouse games, we make you our best offer from the very beginning. talkRADIO. Read More
Servo choice affects your experience by John Beech | Saturday, October 24, 2020 | Servos affect your fun, choose wisely! Interested in trying your hand at 3D? Confused by conflicting advice regarding servos? We help guide you through specs like torque, speed, current, and voltage - and why they matter. Plus what's better for you; a BEC or battery - and why! talkRADIO. Read More
About RC servo motors by John Beech | Saturday, September 12, 2020 | Ever wondered about the difference between DC, coreless, and brushless servo-motors? This askJOHN article addresses it in a largely brand neutral way. and is generically useful because all servos - regardless of brand - use one of these three types of motors (share the link freely). talkRADIO. Read More
Maxxing a servo's performance requires 8.4V, right? by ProModeler | Thursday, May 21, 2020 | Maximizing your servos power and speed! The best performance comes by feeding the servo the highest voltage for which they're rated, 8.4V but getting there can be tricky. We look at several ways of skinning this cat. no categories. Read More
On Clarence Lee by ProModeler | Tuesday, May 5, 2020 | Get one while you still can! Clarence Lee is 97 years old and while still in good health, if you ever wanted one of his great running K&B .61 Customs, do it while you can! aboutENGINES. Read More
How to determine flight time for a 2S1000 LiPo? by John Beech | Wednesday, December 18, 2019 | Is your avionics battery pack safe for three-flights? How about five? How can you figure out if it's safe to fly a sixth time before recharging the battery pack powering the radio system? The answer determines if you drive home happy at the end of the day, or not! no categories. Read More
Let's gore an RF-ox! by ProModeler | Tuesday, December 3, 2019 | Q. I'm curious what receivers and other electrical components you use, and maybe how you linked them together. In other words, what you find works well with your servos.A. Radio system selection... no categories. Read More
On why some servos squeal like a stuck pig! by ProModeler | Sunday, December 1, 2019 | Q. Why do some brands of digital servos hum and squeal while others don't? And are the ones making so much noise also pulling more current?A. By the time they get to us, most modelers have... no categories. Read More
Silk and dope – demystifying modeling's classic finish! by John Beech | Wednesday, August 28, 2019 | Silk-and-dope the classsic model airplane finish What's the connection between servo selection, and a brief how-to regarding the classic silk-and-dope model airplane finish? As occasionally happens, we detour through the unexpected coincidences of life before reaching an answer. no categories. Read More
Gasser throttle servo? by John Beech | Monday, July 15, 2019 | Which throttle servo would you recommend for a gasser? Many criticize using mini-servos in this application, can your mini servos take it? And because it's quite fast, what are your thoughts on using a tail rotor servo? no categories. Read More
Bypassing the BEC by John Beech | Sunday, June 9, 2019 | Since the BEC included with the ESC is usually limited to 5A of current and modern high performance servos can exceed this, bypassing the BEC and using a 2S LiPo is an easy solution - and inexpensive too. no categories. Read More
Are ProModeler servos programmable? by ProModeler | Tuesday, May 21, 2019 | Programming at the transmitter is easier A standalone servo programmer is something of a kludge because each servo must be removed from the airframe to access the lead, to disconnect it from the wiring harness and plug into the programmer. Rinse repeat for any adjustment - what a pain!. no categories. Read More
Fear of loss, or how to stack the odds in your favor! by John Beech | Wednesday, April 3, 2019 | or why otherwise sensible modelers use two batteries! Marketing types push your buttons by using words like 'safety' to get you to ignore common sense and outfit your model with two battery packs. We explain why this is just BS designed to get rubes off their wallets. no categories. Read More
On modeling's different chemistries by John Beech | Monday, March 4, 2019 | 0 comment(s) NiCd, LiPo, LiIon, NiMH, LiFePO4 and more! With so many different kinds of batteries available, which chemistry is right for you? no categories. Read More
Servo connectors & extensions by John Beech | Thursday, February 28, 2019 | Why getting what you pay for can be tricky! I occasionally field questions regarding servo connectors and extensions (especially for giant scale models). Let's briefly delve into some mechanical and electrical considerations because basically, we (all brands) play by similar rules. no categories. Read More
About pots vs Hall Effect sensors by John Beech | Thursday, November 1, 2018 | Going to pot is never good! The best potentiometers are rated at a million cycles while electronic Hall Effect sensors have a theoretical unlimited lifespan. This means pots are wear items. Does this make magnetic sensor technology a no-brainer? Not so quick! talkRADIO. Read More
Goldilocks and the 25T spline by John Beech | Tuesday, April 17, 2018 | We field a lot of questions regarding the splines on our servos. Below are examples and their answers. And if you're too busy to read this, then we'll cut to the chase with a TLDR; ProModeler servos... talkRADIO, knowHOW. servo setupPDRS102 Read More
Servo installation done right! by John Beech | Friday, December 1, 2017 | ProModeler servos are supplied with anti-vibration mounts designed to isolate and protect the delicate internal components. Consisting of custom-molded rubber grommets, along with brass eyelets plus... workBENCH, knowHOW. Read More
The care and feeding of LiPo packs by John Beech | Monday, March 6, 2017 | Or how to stop farting away real money! Learn how a simple chart for measuring the at rest voltage of a LiPo battery pack helps determine the state of charge, or remaining capacity. The best part? It's both easy and free! aboutENGINES, workBENCH, talkRADIO, ROT8, knowHOW, flightLINE. Read More
The case against synthetic voltage by John Beech | Sunday, September 25, 2016 | Background: ProModeler servos are rated at 7.4V (nominal voltage for a 2S LiPo pack under load), However, it's widely known that fresh off a charge, the output of a 2S LiPo may approach 8.4V. Thus,... talkRADIO. Read More
Worse than wasted motion? by John Beech | Monday, August 29, 2016 | Eliminating wasted motion At last, an easy way to eliminate wasted servo control-motion because of flight loads rocking the servo on the rubber vibration mounts. caseSTUDY. Read More
Ubiquitous in the workshop by John Beech | Sunday, August 28, 2016 | A great fuselage stand An essential workshop component, a common design defect comes from depending on foam weatherstrip to protect the fuselage surface - oops! workBENCH. Read More