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Website improvements, EPP sheet foam, and Google

Improving our site

Today we made some website improvements giving the site a new fresh look.  Let me know what you think.  The top header changed to a light blue and we added our new logo to the top.  The right column was removed and a new column on the left side was added with a menu list of our categories and products for easier product searching.  We hope our website improvements are more aesthetically pleasing and give a better user experience.

Some products are missing photographs.  We are planning to fix this soon. 

We are limited a bit by using a free theme for WooCommerce and WordPress.  In time as business improves, we hope to invest in a better looking theme to give our customers a better shopping experience.

EPP sheet foam

This Fall and Winter we will be adding more choices for EPP foam. Our foam slicer is capable of cutting custom thicknesses up to one inch in both #1.3 and #1.9 EPP foam. Wind Catcher RC will carry a full selection from 3mm up to 1″ of #1.3 and #1.9 in both white and black EPP foam. We can also wire cut EPP foam up to 6″ in thickness.

Help with Google

I don’t know why, but our website in the last few months fell several pages behind on the Google searches. I’m hoping these new changes will help us recover in the search engine optimization. If you know of anything obvious we missed or could improve on, please let us know.

Please help us out by spreading the word about Wind Catcher RC. We really appreciate it.

Facebook

Please join us in our new group, WCRC Airforce.

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Celebrating 1 year in business

1st year anniversary of being in business

See below for our Give Away.

We started selling EPP foam officially on 1 June of 2018. Thank you to everyone who supported us and a huge thank you to all of our customers who helped us get where we are today. Nearly all of our net profits are reinvested back into the business to help us grow.

In the beginning we started selling a few different thicknesses of only #1.3 EPP. Today we offer both #1.3 and #1.9 in white and black. Wind Catcher RC now imports quality carbon fiber rods, tubes, strips, and square tube. We recently released our first kit, an FPVWRA race wing we call the WC Spec Wing kit. In the past year we have done several custom wings from both EPP and EPS. And to top it all off, our very own slicer is being delivered next week.

A huge thank you to everyone who helped us get where we are today. We couldn’t have done it without you!

Thickness Slicer

In less than a week we will receive our very own slicer! We are excited to be able to keep close tolerances and increase our quality in controlling thickness of every slice. The slicing capability of the machine will be from 3mm up to 6″ thick. If you require a custom thickness, let us know.

Custom Wing Cores

In the past year we cut several custom wing cores for people. Tolerances of +/- 0.03″ in both EPP and EPS are achieved using our high tech hot wire CNC. A form for customers to fill out is being developed to help streamline the custom wing core request process. A link for this will be added to the website once the form is ready for use. Our turn around time for custom work is about 3 weeks.

Enter for a chance to win a Wind Catcher RC Spec Wing kit and 50% off an FXT Black Knight VTX!

Join us in celebrating our 1st year in business by entering for a chance to win a free WC Spec Wing and 50% off an FXT Black Knight VTX.

Wind Catcher RC 1st Anniversary Giveaway!!!

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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.