Highlander Shopping List -- What you need to get started
Here is a copy of my shopping list, including updates I made later when I realized I did not have everything I needed. Keep two things in mind: First, I was starting from scratch. Second, you may not want to get the same things I got. For example, I chose a Hitec Flash 5G System X, but you may want a different radio.
If you find better prices or sources, please let me know so I can update this info for the next person. The prices below are as of December 1999, so keep that in mind.
As for Northeast Sailplane Products, I have mixed reactions to my experience in dealing with them. For details, click My experience with buying from NSP. Cermark and Kite Studio were great to deal with.
You might want to check out T&G Hobbies -- they claim to provide any item from NSP, MAD Aircraft, Hitec, FMA Direct, and others, but at 10-50% discount. I gave them a try on a recent order of several items from various vendors and was quite pleased with their service and prices. See note at bottom of page for a source for servos and receivers.
| MAD Highlander 2 meter (order a couple
of extra 3" wing bolts for $0.50 each if you buy from MAD -- not sure
if others sell them or not) |
$74.99
plus $7.00 shipping at http://www.madaircraft.com/highlander.html $74.95
plus ? at NSP http://www.nesail.com/highlander.html
(and get savings on Pinnacle M) (802) 658-9482 $69.99 plus $7.00 shipping at Hobby Shack http://www.hobbypeople.net/gallery/884100.htm |
|
Hitec
Flash 5G System X (comes with: *3
HS-81 Micro Servos *RCD
Micro "555" 5 Channel Dual Conversion/ Narrow Band Receiver
* All Mounting Hardware, Frequency Flags, 600 Mah
Transmitter & 270 Mah Receiver Nicads * 110 volt Wall Charger) |
$193.99
at http://www.hobbyhorse.com/
NSP
$199.95, not on web site (unlike Hobby Horse, they do not mix and match) Cermark
$198.99, (800)704-6229 Major
Hobby 195.50, http://www.majorhobby.com/ This is the radio that was most recommended to me as a beginner. I am recommending it on that basis alone -- I have no experience with any other radios. See Choosing Your First Radio. |
|
4-cell
500-600mah nicad square pack (Highlander
needs nose weight, might as well use a longer-lasting battery.
I saved 350
mah for use on a later plane.) |
light
narrow "AE" cell battery pack like the Cermark 4KR-600AE square
pack ($11.60 + $2.00 for Hitec connector)
(800)704-6229. Square pack fits better than flat pack on the
Highlander (can fit farther forward). 600mah
AE Battery Pack 2.6 oz. size: 2 ¼" x 1 3/8" x 3/4"
$15.95 + $3.00 Hitec connect
NSP |
|
Peak
charger (this is optional -- allows you to recharge batteries at the field
if you fly long enough to run them down) |
I got a used peak charger from a friend. |
|
Carbon fiber tape cfi012 3/8”x48”. |
pg.
67 Hobby Lobby (615)373-1444 Cermark AAC721 Carbon
fiber iron-on (4 ft) $6.75 (800)704-6229 Not needed for Highlander!! Using this to reinforce/repair other planes, just ordered then to save shipping later. |
|
CA
glue |
Insta-Cure + 2 oz. $6.75 NSP Insta-Set
2 oz. $4.50 NSP Not needed for Highlander!! Got one thin and one thick, plus one Insta-set. |
|
Expoxy
glue (Get
both mid- and quik-cure. Use
mid for construction, quik for repairs.
Mid=12-15 min, quik=5 min.) |
Hardware store, Hobby shop, or most any online vendor Epoxy
(Structural) Quik-Cure
9 oz. $8.50 NSP Epoxy (Structural)
Mid-Cure
9 oz. $8.50 NSP |
|
3m
super 77 spray adhesive |
Hardware store or hobby shop. One can. |
|
Household
Goop by Eclectic Products – one tube is enough, don’t use too much or
it gets heavy, and a little is very strong from what I found – put it on
then spread it thin (I used a popsicle stick to spread it). No cap for the long spout – I used masking tape. |
Hardware
store, Target, K-Mart, or Walmart |
|
Scotch
3M Super Strength Strapping Tape, 2" – two rolls |
Target,
K-Mart, Walmart all carry this, but you have to look hard.
It is on a red plastic dispenser and is usually just one slot in
the midst of tons of mailing tape. $1.99
per roll (I only had 6” left over on my second roll, so get three rolls
so you will have one for repairs or if you use slightly more than I did). |
|
Mini
servo savers |
Not
needed if you use metal gear servos |
|
3/16th
(.187" dia.) carbon tube for reinforcing/stiffening the rear
fuselage. Lots of people
suggested this, and I was really happy with the result. |
Kite
Studio (phone: 1-800-KITE-991) (email: kbiferrl@fast.net).
I used Avia Linear Graphite Longs Part No. 1880 (Kite Studio order No.
RLG1880L) and these cost around $2.80 each. http://www.planes-wings-things.com
or call (818) 545-7567 has carbon
tubes |
|
Exacto
blades Also
breakaway knife blades or Stanley 2” razor knife |
Hardware store |
|
Dave
Thornburg’s Old Buzzard’s Soaring Book – great stuff!! |
$16.95
NSP $16.95 postpaid from author "David Thornburg, 5
Monticello, Albuquerque, NM 87123". |
|
Covering – Regular Ultracote or
Ultracote Lite (transparent yellow, transparent red, etc.) Transparent colors weigh
less (thus lite), but do not look as good on a foamie.
Choice between weight and appearance. |
$10.95
NSP (get
two
rolls per plane) (available
at most hobby stores or online vendors) (For best visibility, use dark color on fuselage and bottom of wing, use light color
on top of wing. Or make it as pretty as you can if you prefer.) Note that Oracover and Ultracote are exactly the same thing, even made in the same factory. |
|
Pinnacle
M High Start |
$64.95.....With Highlander purchase $59.95 at http://www.nesail.com/highlander.html |
| Wax
paper |
Grocery store |
|
Covering
iron |
Hobby
shop (I used a regular iron and a heat gun) |
|
80-100
grit sandpaper |
Hardware store |
|
Hinge Tape
Only needed for aileron version OR if you decide to build polyhedral version with balsa tail rather than the coroplast tail provided. |
You can use
thicker clear plastic mailing tape or 3m plastic tape (like electrical
tape but not black) or you can buy "hinge tape" at:
local hobby store or http://www.planes-wings-things.com or call (818) 545-7567. (1.0" x 10 ft $5.00) Hinge Tape (10 feet) $4.95 http://www.nesail.com/gapseal.html Knob Hill Enterprises Bonk Tape $19.95 http://www.nesail.com/bonktape.html |
Other notes, text from my reply to a question someone asked me by email:
> Did you get the 5X or the 5GX? If you got the 5GX how well
> did the Highlander balance with the small servos and small battery?
Get the Hitec 5GX so you get the 555 receiver. I got the 5GX from NSP, and
now have three unused HS81 servos I am not using (I will soon be putting them in
a Spirit ARF I bought). I got a 600mah battery pack also, and used the smaller
350 mah battery that came with the 5GX in my DAW 1-26 HLG I built for slope flying. Order your
5GX from Hobby Horse and substitute two HS85MG metal gear servos if your budget
is not too tight to do so. Don't know if they have other batteries or if
they will substitute them. I had four or five different people say that without
metal gear servos you keep stripping the nylon gears if you crash, which take
time to replace and cost money you would have been better off spending on MG
servos. Unlike most places, Hobby Horse will allow you to substitute
different servos and just charge you the difference in price. Besides,
they are cheaper than anyone else I found on the 5GX radio.
http://www.hobbyhorse.com/
(800)604-6229
I am very happy with my Pinnacle Hi-start. Since it is rather
expensive, you might want to check out this note I received. I've heard
Dynaflite Hi-starts are good, too.
> I ordered a Dynaflite standard Hi-Start from Ehobbies.com
on the internet,
> saved a few bucks ordering from them. They have free shipping and the
> Hi-Start was $44.95, $10 less than Tower hobby gets for the same
> Hi-Start on page 71 of their catalog.
There is a whole section titled "Hi-start and tubing links" on my Sailplane Links
page, and other information on my Winch, Hi-Start, Up-Start, Zip-Start, Bungee, Zoom??
page.
A note about servos and receivers: For additional purchases of servos and receivers for your next plane, see note at bottom of Choosing Your First Radio page for some cheap places to buy them.