"Quick-Rig" Engine Tests on an Icy Sunday

So, it rains, soaks everything, then the temps drop and LOCK everything, trapping me on the hill ! Still got electricity though, and figure I might as well play in the shop on a frozen Sunday afternoon.
Painting the Ringmaster is still out...lest I go for a fibrous look...so I heated up some epoxy and glued Patrick's much-punished "Dewey Bird" back together (3/4 loop), including some generous bracing in the process. Yes, I KNOW it doesn't have a rudder, but he likes it that way and I'm too cranky to argue with him....



I'm REALLY wanting to run some engines though, and casting an eye toward my innocent little Mini Stunt, and it's troubled .020, I decide it's time to fix that sucker. Checking that I've got fresh batteries in my CO Detector, I deftly bolt a piece of flooring ply to the inside sill of my singular shop window, install a tiny fan that I've owned for 15 years and never used, and VOILA !!!! Instant Indoor Test Cell !!!

The .020 in the Mini looked so pretty, I figured to just give it a go without initially opening it up. Ran crummy, needle all over the place...then discovered fuel running down it's tail. Turns out that the lower screws in that beautiful little backplate had been torqued to breaking it! Momma!



So, I auditioned an replacement while I fiddled with the busted one. It took off like a rocket, but is still a little wild in it's needle settings. I'll probably go ahead use it in the Mini Stunt on "RTF Day" anyway.









So, a Sunday spent running engines...with no discernible side-effects, hallucinatorially speaking.
Thus concludes this report from me and the Purple Dust Bunnies....