RC Car - Electric Power or Nitro Fuel Power?

So which will it be...rc nitro cars or electric rc cars?
It's more a matter of you being adequately informed so that you can select the type of rc car that best matches your interest in this hobby -- and the level of effort you're willing to put into it.

Electric RC Cars

• Use battery packs and electric motors for powering the vehicle.
• Are quieter and easier to use than rc nitro cars, but don’t quite have the power or speed to match.
• Off road electric rc cars can achieve speeds of 15 to 30 mph, while on road versions will reach speeds between 20 to 40 mph.
• Have to be recharged about every 10 to 15 minutes. And it takes about 30 minutes to recharge them. So you'll have to decide if you want to purchase extra battery packs that you can charge beforehand and take with you.
• Because of their ease of use, these cars are recommended for beginners who may be trying to get an initial feel for this hobby. But if your heart is set on getting maximum speed, then by all means consider an rc nitro car.
There has been many technology changes to batteries in the last few years. These changes are a big advantage to us. Being able to greatly increase our run times and speed using all the different kinds of electric motors and better batteries. The RC car battery packs usually consist of a combination of batteries up to 6 individual cells.
You can purchase these packs preassembled or assemble them yourself. There are many different types of batteries that you can use for example NiCd (Nickel-Cadmium), NiMH (Nickel-Metal-Hydride), Li-ion (Lithium-Ion) or Li-Poly (Lithium-Polymer).
Each one of these batteries has it's own unique characteristics. The NiMH batteries are by far the most widely used battery in RC car battery packs.

NiCd
1. They contain cadmium, that can make them hard to dispose of.
2. They suffer from memory effects, which over time makes them lose their ability to hold a complete charge.
3. Can be rejuvenated easily with the correct charging system.
4. They are fairly easy to detect peak charge.

NiMH
1. They have a higher capacity (milliamps) compared to a NiCD battery.
2. They are not as susceptible to memory problems.
3. They do require a more sensitive peak detection method.
4. They are more environmentally friendly, making them easier to dispose of.
5. They are easy to damage if overcharged than NiCd's
6. They are easily damaged when charging unmatched cells.

Li-PO / Li-Ion
1. They are light weight and can be made in almost any shape and size.
2. They have large capacities, meaning they hold lots of power in a small package.
3. They have high discharge rates to provide high energy storage to weight ratios in an endless variety of shapes and sizes.
4. They are expensive compared to NiCad and NiMH.
5. They don’t last that long, perhaps only 300-400 charge cycles (much less if not cared for properly).
6. They can catch fire or explode.
7. They require unique and proper care if they are going to last for any length of time more so than any other battery technology. Charging, discharging, and storage all affect the lifespan.

RC Nitro Cars
• Run on specially formulated nitro fuel. It's not as combustible as gasoline, but it's still quite flammable. And you'll also smell the exhaust vapors produced by these powerful machines.
• RC nitro cars can run about 15 minutes on a full tank of fuel. But as long as you keep the nitro gas coming, they can run virtually forever.
• On road and off road rc nitro cars can reach speeds between 20 to 60 mph -- perhaps even higher as your knowledge and skill level increases.
• Require more tuning and maintenance than electric rc cars.
• Are recommended for serious or experienced hobbyists.
Rc Nitro Fuel is the combination of three components: Nitromethane, Methanol and Oil.

1- Nitromethane - commonly called "Nitro". Nitromethane is derived from propane. By it's self nitromethane is not extremely flammable. The most important factor of nitromethane is that it carries oxygen with each molecule. This helps to get more oxygen into the combustion chamber. This enables the rc nitro engine to burn more rc nitro fuel and produce more power. Nitromethane is kind of like a chemical supercharger. The percent of nitromethane in rc nitro fuel is how manufacturers rate the fuel. This can be any where from 5 to 60 percent nitro blend, but for rc truck and car applications it is between 10 to 40 percent. Do follow your engine manufacturer'recommendations on what percent nitro to use.

2 - Methanol. Methanol was originally derived from distilled wood products, but today it is commonly derived from natural gas. Methanol is the primary component of rc nitro fuel and also the most dominant. Methanol has a natural cooling ability that cools the air/fuel mixture entering the engine. With the air/fuel mixture being cooler causes the air to be denser, thus more oxygen. This adds more power potential to your rc nitro fuel. With methanol having a high evaporation rate it helps lower rc nitro engine operating temperatures. Methanol is the primary energy source of rc nitro fuel.

3 - Oil. To me the most interesting and confusing thing about rc nitro fuel is the oil blend. The oil blend can be made up of all castor oil, all synthetic oil or a combination of castor and synthetic. Some rc nitro fuel manufacturers think that their oil blend is a highly regarded secret, while others state it right on the bottle. Oil content can be easily checked through evaporation. Manufacturers today of rc nitro fuel most often use a combination of castor and synthetic oil. The reasons for using a combination of oils are: Castor oil at higher temperatures starts to break down. Normally this is a bad thing, but not with castor oil, it's properties change. When it starts to break down its lubricating properties increase forming a lubricating film at high temperature. This film actually protects the engine better. The downside to this film is that it can gum up your rc nitro engine. Synthetic oil's role in all this is that it lubricates very good at lower temperatures and high RPMs. As temps rise synthetic oil starts to burn off leaving little or no protection for your rc nitro engine. The oil blend in rc nitro fuel for trucks and cars will vary from 10 to 18 percent. Luckily for us the chemists with the fuel makers and the engineers of rc nitro engines have this all figured out for us.

Along with these three major components of rc nitro fuel there are some other additives in small amounts. These additives will be unique to each brand of rc nitro fuel. Some of these additives could be anti-foaming agents, anti-corrosion agents or a degumming agent. These additives are one of the areas the differentiates each brand of rc nitro fuel.

A few things to keep in mind about the rc nitro fuel you choose.

1. Increasing the percent of nitromethane you run will not assure you will get better or higher performance.
2. You should always breakin your rc nitro engine on the same nitromethane percentage you plan on running after breakin.
3. Too high a percentage of nitromethane can cause predetonation. If you are experiencing predetonation you may have to shim your head button.
4. If you run high percent nitro, you should remove your head button and check for pitting.


The electric RC relies on batteries or battery packs whereas the nitro RC uses nitro fuel. With electric RCs the runtime is dependent both on how long the battery lasts and how long it takes to recharge the battery pack. With nitro RCs the runtime is dependent on how much fuel the tank holds and how long it takes to refuel.

An Hour of Electric RC Runtime
Even with a high end battery (probably a good lipo) you still can't beat the runtime of a nitro because when the battery runs out of steam you have to charge it. With a fancy quick charger you still will have to wait at least 45 minutes to an hour for it to charge up that depleted battery. You could have two or more batteries charged already but with only 10-15 minutes of runtime per battery that means you would have to have at least 4-5 batteries already charged and ready to go before you start racing in order to get an hour or so of continuous use out of your electric RC.

An Hour of Nitro RC Runtime
On a nitro RC a tank full of fuel will typically get you 20-25 minutes of runtime depending on driving style and size of the tank. After the tank runs down all you have to do is refill the tank (which takes all of about 30-45 seconds) and you are off and running again. For an hour of use you'll need to fill up only 2 or 3 times.

The Cost of Batteries vs. Nitro Fuel
The last time lipo battery packs are about 20-40 dollars and a gallon of nitro fuel is about 20-30 dollars. You can get about 50-60 tanks out of 1 gallon of nitro fuel if you have a 2 to 2.5 oz. tank.

How to improve Myopia Naturally

Myopia is defined as short-sighted vision. This means you can focus better on near objects such as when reading than on distants objects.

The conventional treatment is to prescribe glasses that tend to become stronger every one to two years. Below are some of home exercises designed to help reduce the progression of myopia.

Warmup

Importance of good breathing is essential to getting the most out of your exercises. Breathing regularly will bring more oxygen to your eyes and reduce stress on your vision.

Blinking will help you from staring and working too hard as you do your exercises, which will also soothe, and moisturize the eyes.

Palming is done without any glasses or contact lenses, this exercises is to reduce stress around the eyes, by placing your palms around your eyes, you are stimulating very powerful acupuncture points which help to calm the mind, relax the muscles around the eyes and bring healing energy to the eyes.

Now, how to warmup?

Take a deep breaths, find a flat table to sit at, lean forward, place your elbows on the table, and close your eyes gently.
Now, place the palm of your left hand over your left eye, your fingers on your forehead, and the hollow of your palm directly over the eye, but not touching your eyes.
There is still room to blink. The heel of your hand rests on the cheekbones.
Then place the other hand over the other eye with the fingers crossing over the fingers from the other hand. The palm should be over the eye and the heel of the hand resting on the cheekbones.
Make sure your elbows are low enough so that your face and the weight of your head is resting in your palms so that there is no stress on the neck.
Palming gives you opportunity not to try to see, but to just focus on relaxing your mind and eyes simultaneously. Palming can be done for as little or as much as you like throughout the day as a way to relax your eyes and calm down from the tensions of daily life.

Figure Eights
What is this? This exercise increases the flexibility of your eye muscles in a relax way.

How to do?
Take two deep breaths, either stand or sit with your feet shoulder width apart with your hands at your sides. DO NOT cross your hands. Let your knees bend slightly and imagine a figure Eight 8 approximately ten feet from you lying horizontally.(Infinity symbol).
Let your eyes trace along the figure without moving your head. First trace in one direction, then in the opposite direction. Remember to continue to breathe and blink as your eyes move effortlessly along the figure eight. Check for tension in the jaw and let it release before continue.

The Hot Dog
This exercise is done to improve the flexibilty of the inside muscles of your eyes, which called the ciliary muscles. It is important to keep these muscles flexible.

How to do it?
Take two deep breaths, either stand or sit with your feet, shoulder width apart, if you are standing make sure your knees are slightly bent.
Aim your eyes on any target in the distance. While looking at your distant target bring your index fingers tips touching about eight inches in front of your eyes and into your line of sight.
Still aiming your eyes at the distant target calmly notice a mini hot dog has appeared between the tips of your fingers. Remember to continue to breathe easily and deeply. DO NOT let the awesome beauty of the mini hot dog to distract you and to cause you to aim your eyes directly at it. Continue to aim your eyes towards the distant target.
Pull the tips of your fingers apart slightly and observe the hot dog floating in the air. Now keep the mini hot dog for two breaths, then look directly at your fingers and the hot dog will disappear. Do not retrieve the hot dog for two breaths; then look again in the distance and find the hot dog again. Continue to switch back and forth for two minutes.

That all the exercises that I practise in my home to improve my myopia.

How to Quit Smoking

Why people tend to start smoke? Smoking can temporarily make feelings such as sadness, stress, anxiety, depression, and boredom evaporate into thin air.

We all know the health risks of smoking, and most of us know that kicking the habit is the single biggest improvement to health a smoker can make. But that doesn’t make it any easier to kick the habit. Whether you’re a teen smoker or a lifetime pack-a-day smoker, quitting can be tough.

Why is it so hard to quit smoking, while is so easy to started it? Smoking is both a psychological habit and a physical addiction. The act of smoking is ingrained as a daily ritual and Some people smoking after their daily meal that provide comfort and relaxation, at the same time, the nicotine from cigarettes provides a temporary, and addictive, high.

Eliminating that regular fix of nicotine will cause your body to experience physical withdrawal symptoms and cravings. To successfully quit smoking, you’ll need to address both the habit and the addiction by changing your behavior and dealing with nicotine withdrawal symptoms.


To increase your chances of success, you need to be motivated, have social support, an understanding of what to expect, and a personal game plan. It is possible to learn how to replace your smoking habits, manage your cravings, and join the millions of people who have kicked the habit for good.

To successfully quitting smoking, you will need to identify and address your smoking habits, the true nature of your dependency, and the techniques that work for you. These types of questions can help:

- Do you feel the need to smoke at every meal?
- Are you more of a social smoker?
- Is it a very bad addiction (more than a pack a day)? Or would a simple nicotine patch do the job?
- Is your cigarette smoking linked to other addictions, such as alcohol or gambling?
- Are you someone who is open to talking about your addiction with a therapist or counselor?
- Are you interested in getting into a fitness program?

Take the time to think of what kind of smoker you are, which moments of your life call for a cigarette, and why. This will help you to identify which tips, techniques or therapies may be most beneficial for you.

Source : Helpguide.org

Wood Working

Get into woodworking

As a woodworker, you must have basic knowledge of your material – wood. In order for you to come up with the best products from wood, you must have the complete 411 on the kinds of wood.

1. Hardwood
This often comes from trees such as cherry, elm, oak (English, imported, Japanese), lime, rosewood, walnut, teak, mahogany, cherry, ash and beech.

Hardwood is strong and durable. It may be more expensive than others (particularly softwood) because it has a longer life span. It is used for making furniture. Be careful in selecting hardwood. The younger the wood, the softer it is to work with. Yet, the center of the log, or what is the heart of the hardwood, it is liable to splitting into half and can also twist or shrink. Store and season the timber correctly to prevent it from doing so.

Seasoning hardwood helps in making it stronger. By storing it for a number of years before it is brought to the market, the wood becomes more durable and long-lasting.

2. Softwood
This comes from trees like cedar, hemlock, pine, redwood, whitewood, yew, spruce, larch, cedar and deal.

These are cheaper than hardwood because their deterioration rate is faster, particularly when used in an exterior setting. Softwood must be combined with wood preservers or finishes such as paint in order to protect it from natural elements.

Softwood must be treated with an anti-woodworm and anti-rot preservative. If these are going to be exposed, then they should have a lacquer finishing. This will prevent dirt from seeping through the surface. It will also emphasize the appearance, showing off the wood’s natural color.

3. Blockboard
These are often made from the strips of glued and bonded softwood, often rectangular in shape. These strips are trapped between veneers like birch. Single veneer on each side is called 3-ply. Double veneer on the two sides is known as 5-ply.

Blockboard works best for interior work because the glues used during the construction are not exactly-waterproof. It has a variety of thickness – ranging from 12mm to 32mm. Upon purchasing blockboard, they must be stored because they have the tendency to warp and twist.

4. Chipboard
This is made from softwood particles coated with resin. The particles are spread flat out and are heated together in a high pressure. Its thickness ranges from 9mm to 18,

Other types of chipboard include the flooring glade, plastic veneered, wood veneered, white melamine coated and melamine veneered.

Upon purchasing chipboards, these must be stored. These work best in interior jobs. They are also waterproof and appropriate materials for damp projects.

5. Hardboard
A versatile product that comes from softwood pulp turned into sheets. There is a finishing on one side and a textured underside. It is also available in a variety of finishes and thicknesses.

Other types of hardboard include medium, oil-tempered, perforated (pegboard), plastic faced, painted and duo faced.

Upon purchasing hardboard, this must be stored.

6. Medium Density Fiberboard
These work best for interior projects. Since it is easily exposed to wet weather scenarios, it cannot be used for exterior work. It is perfect for surfaces inside a house – like shelving and cupboards.

With its fine texture that is evident throughout the length, medium density fiberboard is often manufactured in woodwork warehouses the world over. The bonded wooden fibers are instilled together in a high pressure.

It is advised that a mask must be used when sawing medium density fiberboards. This is to prevent the inhalation of the fine dust particles. The thickness range from 9mm to 18 mm.

7. Plywood
A majority of plywood used for woodworking is imported from abroad. The bonding of the veneers is made sure to run in alternating directions in order to make up for the sheets of plywood. These are bonded on each side of the piece so the tension remains balanced.

Basic number of sheets in plywood is three. This is the 3-ply. When another sheet is added in each side, then this becomes the stronger ply also called the 5-ply. By repeatedly conducting the same technique, plywood comes in different forms.

But bear in mind that this procedure can lessen the tendency of warping. Plywood may still twist or warp because each veneer sheet is not completely identical though. Another reason why warping occurs is heat and water penetration.

Different types of plywood are standard, wood faced and plastic faced.

When storing plywood, make sure that the sheets are flat in order to prevent twisting. The sheets come in various thickness ranging from 4 mm to 18mm.

Zest for Life - The Great Awakening of Life

When you are inspired by some Great Purpose – A Dream, all your thoughts break their bonds, your minds exceeds limitations, your consciousness expands in every direction and you find yourself in a new great and wonderful world. Dormant forces, talents come alive and you discover yourself to be a greater person than you ever dream yourself to be……

                                    - Dr. Kong Voon Sin -