Tag: EPP

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World Record Attempts and other information

We are nearly finished moving into our new workshop space.  We are unpacking and organizing our inventory onto new storage shelves so packing your orders will be faster than before.  We will also have more space to increase our inventory.  After I get back from Denver, I’ll process more EPP foam and replenish our stock and keep our inventory up so you don’t need to wait so long for our next batch.  I apologize for the inconvenience and delays in getting our EPP back up on the website.

Thank you to everyone who came out to our Fun Fly August 5th.  Overall it was a great success with quite a few people who showed up to fly in our community of RC aircraft.  Thank you to those who demonstrated with their special aircraft like the turbine powered Pilatus, sail plane, large helicopters, and others.  Congratulations to all of our raffle winners.  And hope you enjoyed the taco bar for dinner.

This year Wind Catcher RC sponsored several activities and aircraft.  Another sponsored build we did was Ben Harber’s A-26.  Wind Catcher RC cut out the entire plane for Ben.  He designed it and built it.  We also provided the batteries, carbon fiber, and some other parts.  Ben is hoping to maiden the plane very soon.  Good luck Ben!!
Follow Ben Harber on YouTube by clicking HERE.

We have also been working closely in secrecy with Joshua Finn from J&H Aerospace for over 9 months on a project.  We are attempting multiple world record attempts through several organizations with an aircraft.  The aircraft is already built and test flown a few times for trimming.  It’s truly amazing!  More information on this after our event and we can report on real numbers and what this all means.  Until then, we’ll allow you to speculate based on the 3 (2) view found below.  Wish us luck in Denver!!
Check out J&H Aerospace (Josh and Hope Finn) by clicking HERE.

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UPDATE 6 Dec 2021

Hello Everyone,
It’s been a while since our last update. I apologize for the delay. A lot has happened since the last post. We have been quite busy which has kept us from posting new updates. It’s time to get some new information out to everyone.

We are coming to the end of 2021. Thank you to everyone who helped us get where we are today. Wind Catcher RC is growing thanks to all of our customers, friends, and family who support us. We appreciate each and everyone one of you.

The Bad News

We have good news and bad news. I will get the bad news out of the way first. Due to inflation, the price we pay for the products went up significantly, especially the EPP foam and the carbon fiber. We did not raise our prices on EPP since we started 3 ½ years ago, however we have to raise them for the first time starting 1 January 2022. Carbon fiber prices have slowly increased over the past few years, but usually only by a little bit. This past year we had a huge increase in both shipping and material costs. The retail costs will go up slightly, however we are changing our wholesale prices for those companies who are purchasing for R&D, manufacturing, and reselling. We will continue to provide affordable carbon fiber for our retail and wholesale customers.

The Good News

We Moved

Now that the bad news is out of the way, let’s share the good news. Some of you know we moved over a year ago. Luckily for us the move was only a few miles away from our old house. We moved from a home and garage in town to a 10 acre farm outside of town with two pole barns, a dedicated office, and a larger home. We are in the process of converting the pole barns for the business. A furnace is being installed in the foam shop so we can work all winter with comfortable heat and keep the inside above freezing. I’ll explain later. The dedicated office is a separate building that is about 1000 sq/ft where we are currently doing our shipping and receiving. Shipping and receiving will move out to one of the barns in 2022 after we get the room built and insulated. The office will be used for R&D, administration, and some logistics. Comparing what we have now to what we had at the old home, we more than quadrupled our work and office space for the business. We are looking forward to the improvements to our buildings for the business in 2022.

New Products Available

If you haven’t checked out our website recently, take a look at all the new products we are offering at www.windcatcherrc.com. Please let us know what you would like to see in our stores. Is there a specific type of motor from Emax? APC prop size? Or a size of carbon fiber we don’t carry yet? Here are a few name brands we are now selling: STARBOND CA ADHESIVES, EMAX, APC PROPS, DU-BRO, and TATTU GENS ACE BATTERIES.

Kits and R&D Progress

The Gladiator kits are now available. We finished development of this tough plane and have several kits available and more will be produced in the near future.

Spec Wing kits are available. The current version is called the ReSPECt. I’m doing some R&D on part of the build techniques to make it a bit easier for the builder to make the build process more accurate, faster, and more reliable. Once I get through this R&D, I’ll make up more kits for sale.

A 48” wing is in development too. Check out the renderings below which were done on Fusion 360. We don’t have a name for it yet. Do you have a suggestion? It is expected to fly with a 2212 motor at 2200kv on a 4s battery. I have some local friends who requested the plane and will help with the R&D and build. When we are done with the R&D I will make the kits available.

A 3D plane is also at the beginning stages of development. I am calling it the Wind Dancer. I’m working with a customer who does excellent work building planes. He has hundreds of builds under his belt. This plane might take a bit longer to develop because we want to get the precision along with ease of building. Some compromises will need to be made. I’m thinking we might do a normal version and a PRO version. The PRO will require more work and attention to detail to build, however it will be a lighter plane.

There are many other planes in the R&D process. Here are a few in various stages: Cub, Citabria, Bi-plane with unique swept wing design, Cessna, B-17, the Cyber Plane (inspired by the Tesla cybertruck), the Ugly Wonder (inspired by the FT Bloody Wonder), and many other unnamed planes in various stages of R&D.

CO2 LASER!!!

We are acquiring a new piece of equipment for the foam shop. I am scratch building a CO2 laser. The expected work area will be 1400mm x 900mm (55.12” x 25.43”). I’ll be putting a 100w CO2 laser tube inside the machine, however the way we are building this, it will be easy to upgrade as needed in the future. The laser tube requires a water chiller to operate. This is the reason we are installing a furnace in the work shop area. We live in Michigan where the winters can get fairly cold. If the water freezes, it breaks an expensive laser tube. We have to keep the room above freezing at all times. Besides that, it’ll make working out there in the winter that much more comfortable while processing foam with our other equipment.

If you need any laser work done, please contact us for a quote. I’ll start accepting work after we get the laser tuned and I have some practice using the new machine. I’m hoping to start accepting laser work by spring of 2022.

TOLEDO SWAP 2022

We will be at the Toledo Swap Meet again in April 2022. Let us know what you need. I’ll reserve your products so it will be available for you when you come to pick it up. Check out their website HERE.

THANK YOU

We are growing and excited to continue providing a service to this hobby. Thank you to everyone who has helped us get where we are today. You are all awesome!

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Operating as Normal

Wind Catcher RC operating as normal.

Starting tonight at midnight, our governor of Michigan issued a stay at home order. Luckily, I run Wind Catcher RC out of our house and work shop behind the house.
 
Last week in anticipation of something like this happening, I picked up another large order of EPP foam from my supplier. I have #1.3 in white and black, #1.9 in white and black, and #2.8 in black (experimental right now). In the next week or two I will process the foam and have more sheets available in the foam section of Wind Catcher RC (click here).
 
If you would like custom thickness sheets of EPP, please let me know so I can cut it for you.
 
We are expecting our latest shipment of Carbon Fiber to be here soon. When the CF arrives, I will update the quantities in the carbon fiber section (click here).

Shipping

UPS stated on their website today that they will continue to pick up and deliver. Here is their statement: “UPS operations are considered to be critical infrastructure by the Department of Homeland Security and will continue to pickup and deliver, even in restricted areas.”
 
As of the moment I wrote this, USPS did not have any notice about service disruptions in Michigan. Please see USPS for up to date information about deliveries in your area.

Still Concerned?

Before the pandemic, I worked out of my house and workshop staying at home 95% of the time. My exposure to the public has always been limited, so for me, this is business as usual at home. If you are concerned about the transmission of COVID-19 when receiving things being shipped to you, please see the CDC’s recommendations. You can also research how long the virus stays alive on surfaces.
 
Shipping your items out might be delayed by a few days due to unforeseen circumstances here at our house, workshop, and in Michigan. I will do my best to get orders out as soon as possible.
 
Stay safe, wash your hands, stay hygienic, and we’ll all get through this eventually.
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More updates to the site and business. EPS, Carbon Fiber, The Toledo Show, and more.

I have a lot of updates for you. The business was quite busy this last month. Keep reading for more information about the Toledo Show, Carbon Fiber, and more.

Looking for EPP foam and Carbon Fiber?
CLICK HERE to go shopping.

The Toledo Show

I will be attending the Toledo Show.  You will find me on the second floor in the swap meet area.  I am not sure the exact location until Thursday afternoon.   It is my understanding that the tables are first come first serve.  I plan to get there early to get two tables that are side by side.  I am planning to bring a variety of carbon fiber, EPP foam, 24″ – EPS 2412 wings of various chord, and Spec Wing kits.

If you have specific foam sizes and quantities you would like me to save for you, please let me know before the show so I can set it aside for you.  If there are any other special requests, please let me know ahead of time and I’ll do my best to help you out.

Carbon Fiber additions

I am expecting my latest shipment of carbon fiber to arrive on Friday.  I am expanding the varieties that I carry.  All carbon fiber is 1000mm long.  The website will be updated soon with the following sizes:
Rod:  1mm, 2mm, 3mm, 4mm, 5mm, and 6mm
Tube:  3mm x 1.5mm, 4mm x 2mm, 5mm x 3mm, and 6mm x 4mm
Strips:  3mm x 0.6mm, 4mm x 0.6mm, 5mm x 0.6mm, 6mm x 1mm, 7mm x 1.2mm, and 10mm x 1mm

If there is a size you would like me to carry, please contact me.  I cannot guarantee I will get it, but I can see if my supplier has the tools to make it and possibly add it to my next order. 

#1.9 White EPP

You asked for it, I got it.   #1.9 EPP is now in stock.  Some of you already found it.  Thanks for your business.  I plan to carry #1.9 EPP from this point forward.  I currently only have 2″ thickness in stock, however this Summer I’ll be able to cut it any thickness up to 2″.  More on that further down.

Spec Wing

I am doing my best to release the Spec Wing kits.  It is my intention to have several kits ready by the Toledo Show.  FPVWRA also ordered ten kits for their online website.  These kits will be certified by FPVWRA to be within spec.  I am planning to have several kits at the table in Toledo for sale if all goes well.  My newest design for the carbon fiber spars is working out better than expected.  I have to redesign the 3D printed motor mount.  I have two prototypes being printed as I write this article.  I am also planning to make the winglets a bit smaller and lighter.

I am way behind on R&D due to an illness in our family.  More on that further down.

Slicer

I am purchasing my own slicer.  It will be capable of slicing any thickness between 3mm up to 2″.  I am expecting delivery of the slicer sometime in June.  This means more accurate cuts and I’ll be able to better keep up with demand with any thickness.  The slicer will only be able to cut up to 24″ wide EPP of any length.

EPS

I have a supplier for EPS foam and plan to offer custom cut wings in EPS.  EPS is Expanded Polystyrene or as most people know it, Styrofoam.  It is not as durable as EPP, however the benefits are that it cost less, more rigid, and is lighter compared to EPP.

We are currently negotiating a price. I hope to have this in the store within the month.

Custom Cut Wings

In the next few weeks I will have a form available on the website to help with custom quotes for wings.  Lately I’ve received a lot of messages from people looking for custom cut wings and fuselages.  I find myself answering the same questions often.  I’m hoping this form will help answer the basic stuff and get all the needed information for me to write up a quote in a timely manner.  This should help make it faster for both myself and my customers as well as get the information to my customers as soon as possible. 

As an FYI, I’m currently able to accurately cut airfoil thicknesses within +/- 0.03″ in #1.3 EPP foam.

R&D and Family

R&D is behind on several models.  One of the several reasons is due to my granddaughter, now 8 months old, having cancer.  She is currently receiving chemotherapy and after over 45 days in the hospital was allowed to finally go home last week.  She has ten more months of chemotherapy, if it is working.  I am spending more time with family in support and visitation when I am able which limits the amount of free time available for research and development of the various models I am working on.   Thank you to everyone for your donations, understanding, thoughts, and prayers for our family.  We really appreciate the support from all who are able to give. 

To give you an idea of what I’m working on, here is a list of various kits I hope one day to have available.  This list is in no particular order:
WC Spec Wing (almost finished) – Designed for FPVWRA racing.
Das Krieger – 36″ Wing designed for full contact combat and FPV flight.
Citabria – Slow flying and designed for general aerobatics and FPV flight.
iWonder – My own designed inspired by the FT Bloody Wonder.  Currently 6 prototypes out of XPS have flown great and are a blast to fly.  I need to convert it to EPP and test.
Cub – One prototype cut out of XPS, but has not been assembled yet
Lofty 48 – Very light weight 48″ wingspan designed for indoor/outdoor flying.  Current prototype out of XPS and partially assembled.
Dragonfly – Biplane of own design.  Currently only on paper.  Unique design.
Sky Dancer – 3D plane currently only a thought, but I intend to make an EPP 3D plane eventually.

Wind Catcher RC priorities

Wind Catcher RC is currently a sole proprietor.  I am currently doing everything on my own.  Shipping out products, ordering, and R&D all have specific priorities.  I am getting product shipped out as soon as possible which is usually the next business day.  Ordering new product, answering customer questions and quotes, and sorting product all take priority over new RC plane kits which is another reason I am behind on R&D.  I am working towards being more organized so my time can be used more efficiently.  I recently rented a local storage unit and built one set of shelves.  This is used to keep some of the extra EPP foam, but will also hold other equipment and materials to free up space in my workshop so I can better focus on this business over anything else.

Your Pictures

I am looking for pictures to place on my website of projects you do not mind sharing.  I would like to post what other people are doing with the EPP, carbon fiber, and RC plane kits. 

Website Pictures

I have several new items on the webpage that need pictures.  I expect to get to these sometime in April.  For now, you will see blank pictures for these new items and menus.  Thank you for your understanding.

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FPVWRA Spec Wing cores with balsa elevons.

We finally have the FPVWRA Spec Wings ready for sale. To get started, we are selling the #1.3 EPP wing cores with elevons only. This is not a complete kit. We are working out the details for the complete kit which should be finished very soon. Our first kit put up for sale for the 2018 year… just hours before 2019. 🙂

To check out what is FPVWRA, click HERE.

To go shopping and buy the first several Spec Wing cores, click HERE.

FPVWRA Spec Wing
Spec Wing