Gemplemorums all,

Warmest thanks for all your kind words of encouragement – I can but try my cunningest plannest, eh wot wot …

Apologies, too, for slowness of reply – I've been pretty busy these last two days with setting up a new computer.

Dave M.,

I'm afraid I've learned the hard way not to combine these two pastimes, as my patience (already in short supply under the best of circs) tends to go out where the Ardbeg goes in. Just as these days I prefer not to drink (very much) beer during a gig, as opposed to what was often the case in my well-spent youth …

Paul T.,

Hmm … Boom, Boom?!

Ray,

I never really went away, but I will admit to mainly lurking for a goodish while, now.

And I, too, very much love 'Allo, 'Allo, not least because the original BBC drama series of which it was a spoof, Secret Army, was a huge hit on Swedish television where it was broadcast during the summers of 1981–1983, i.e. when I was in my teens, and I still have very vivid memories of the whole family gathering of an evening to catch the latest episode. The original was not set in France, though, but in Brussels and Belgium, but I dare say that the comedy makers' box of cliches was rather more well filled when it came to poking fun at the French than at the Belgians … ?!

That said, my "cunning plan" refrence was rather intended to call up Baldrick of Blackadder fame …

Ashley,

No, no – those are jigs for making hot air balloons, dontcherknow!

Gareth,

That is a beautiful clock! A very impressive build, and the plaque is a really nice touch!

Mine is more of a family heirloom, although not at all in the "valuable antique" sense of the term. It is one of those mass-produced eight day clocks from around the turn of the previous century, in Sweden often called America Clocks, because (a) many were made over there, and (b) they were not uncommonly sent as gifts to remaining family by sufficiently successful Swedish immigrants to the US. They are very common, and in monetary terms more or less worthless.

However, when it comes to sentimental value, it is a different story.

In rough numbers, about a million Swedes emigrated to the US between 1850 and 1920, at a time when the country had a population of between three and four millions. My paternal grandfather, whio was a Master Blacksmith, was one of those emigrants (as was his sister), and he spent the years circa 1895–1905 in Chicago. He then came back to Sweden to help take care of things at the death of his father, and, what with one thing and another, never went back. However, it was only in 1927, two years after my uncle was born, that he finally disposed of the plot of land he'd up until then had had in Chicago and where he'd intended to build a house. He died in 1954, so alas, I never knew him.

In any case, whether it came with him from America, or was acquired some other way, the clock initially belonged to my great grandmother. After her death, it came to my paternal grand parents, where it remained until my grandmother died in 1968. It then went to to my father, but as in 1968 he already had two young children, one of whom was I, with two more arriving in the next few years, my parents wisely decided not to hang it in the house. Instead it sat, unwound, on the wall in what, when the apartment block was built, was intended to be the maid's bedroom, but which my father used as a sort of box room to store his paintings and painting paraphernalia.

Then, around the time that the above photo of me was taken, i.e. around 1986 or 1987, I asked myfather if he wouyld min if I were to hang the clock in my room, and set it going again? He of course said "no worries", so I put up a hook, and hung it on the wall of my room (I was still living with my parents at the time), roughly three feet from where I'd put my head on the pillow of a night! For the first three weeks, I had to hang a dressing gown over it at night, to stop the chimes from waking me up, but after that I'd gotten used to the sound of the ticking and the chimes, and to this day, I hardly ever hear it. In any case, I have kept it running ever since, and so far it has just kept ticking along. I dare say I should have it cleaned and serviced one of these days, but as long as it keeps going, I'm sort of disinclined to bother it with too much TLC. It slows down a bit towards the end of the week (I usually wind it on Sundays), and then speeds ahead when newly wound, so while not accurate to anything within 10 minutes or, it is more or less right on average, and good enough for an o'clockish approximation of the time …

To be continued …

Mattias

At this stage of my pre-build collection of bits and bobs, I would very much like to ask for a spot of advice on a couple of LiPo-related matters, before I send an order off to Component-Shop.

As already mentioned, I picked up a motor (Leopard LC2826 1150 Kv) and corresponding ESC (Leopard Marine V3 30A) back in the autumn of 2017, specifically with this build in mind.

Based on Dave Milbourns article in MB (January and february 2016), I am now planning to add the following:

• Giant Power 11.1V (3S) 2600mAh 35C/70C LiPo (**LINK**);
• In-line low voltage alarm w. Deans connectors (**LINK**);
• LiPo Battery Fireproof Bag (Large) (**LINK**);
• ACTion P106 In-Line Power Switch (**LINK**) and a small toggle switch;
• Leopard Program Card for RC Boats Brushless Speeed Controller (**LINK**)
• Some lengths of black and red silicon wire in various AWG (for use on this project but also to stock up).

My first question is thus if anyone has any comments on or suggestions for improving on this list?

As this is my very first brush (ha!) with brushless and even more the first time I even consider using a LiPo battery, I will admit to being slightly apprehensive, given all the dire warnings surrounding said LiPo:s. It is not so much that I fear being unable to understand how to handle them, but more that it seems that they are more likely to suffer from neglect, and should be charged/discharged/balanced about once a month?!

Now, I know from my experience with Pb and NiMh batteries that I'm not all that great when it comes to remembering to give them their TLC sessions, but with those chemistries at least the worst that'll happen is that they become tired enough of life that I lose my investment, and have to buy a new one.

The thing is that what with all my other hobbies and interests and work and life in general, I don't tend to get to the pond all that often, even during the season, so am unlikely to be reminded about cycling batteries through frequency of actual use.

My second question is thus how sensitive you have found LiPo:s to be to neglect? Will they just cease working properly if I forget to cycle them every month or so? Or will they become dangerous, either to continue to store or (even more so) to use again?

Finally, as far as I can figure out, my current charger (a SkyRC e6650) should be fully capable of handling all the necessary charging/discharging/balancing of the kind of LiPo pack mentioned above.

My third question is thus whether I'm right in thinking that I don't need to get another charger?

Warmest thanks in advance

Mattias

Hi Ray,

Thank you, too, for those reassuring words

Kind regards,

Mattias

Dave,

Yes indeed – that, together with the postings from Tim and Ray, very much answers my questions!

As for the P106, I note, now, that it is indeed out of stock at the Component-Shop, and of course your suggestion of not bothering with a switch but just plugging in and unplugging at the pond side will work just as well. In other words, many kind thanks for you offer to look through the toy-box, but there's really no need.

So! A-shopping I will go!

Cheers,

Mattias