RC Newb

In an attempt to bring you some killer updates from the world of R/C, something happened to my recording setup and half of the episode was lost in a garbled mess of audio garbage. That said, I was  able to salvage most of my Frankencrawler project recap and tease a few other items that we've got cooking. Sit back, relax, and let your ears enjoy show.

In our ongoing "garage chat", Josh, Tim Smith and myself continue our crawler discussion, including what items you need to bring with you when you're out on the trail. Mr. Smith also shared a few entertaining (as always) stories and fills us in on a few upcoming events he has planned. Show notes Tim Smith will be making an appearance at this year's RCX (May 17 - 18) at the MaxAmps booth. Stop by and say hi!

Josh, Tim Smith and I recorded a show last night that was unlike any other that we've done before.  We typically have pre-show chats, but this pre-show turned into THE show as we had some great discussions around crawling, scale rigs, batteries, and everything in-between. Show notes Tim Smith has gotten into scale rigs and rock racing in a big way. Check out his scale driver steering his Jeep [Video] Taking the Jeep out for a spin [Video] Shaking down a stock Vaterra Twin Hammers for a speed run [Video] I keep finding useful YouTube videos and channels to get ideas and tips for the Frankencrawler and the Jeep.  Check out these YouTube channels for great information on getting the most out of your scale rig: CodesEmpire RCOverload (the channel I couldn't remember the name of) Tim Smith has been doing quite a bit of video work lately.  Check out his YouTube channel for his MaxAmps and CowRC reviews, unique R/C builds, and general hobby craziness.

I'm joined in-studio for this episode by special guest "Mr. C", who wanted to show off his new R/C ride. We also talk about crawlers, rally cars and much more, so enjoy the show! Show notes: Introducing our newest contributor, Matthew Horsley A brief recap of our sub-$200 small-scally rally car roundup. A quick and easy way to lock create a rear-steer lockout for the Redcat Racing RS10 Thank you to Josh, John Bernard, Tim Smith, and many others that have helped us out this year! You make this site and the show what it is, and for that, I thank you!

If you thought the first part of our interview with Tim Smith was fun, just wait until your ears are bathed in this second installment!  We talk about Mr. Smith's goals and what's next on the horizon for him in the world of R/C and he gives a nice education on LiPo batteries, for those that are looking to make the jump to more power.  There's also a few sweet giveaway items that Tim S. has in store for some lucky folks, but you'll have to listen to the episode to see how you can snag them!

For this episode of the RC Newb Podcast, Josh and I sat down with Tim Smith of (appropriately-named) Tim Smith Racing.  We chatted about a variety of things, all on the topic of our favorite hobby (hint, hint, it has to do with R/C cars) and we chatted for quite a while.  In fact, we had such a great talk going, we decided to split the interview into two episodes. In part one, we focus on what Tim S. has been up to lately and get his backstory into how he discovered the world of radio-controlled cars and how past experiences behind the wheel helped fuel his current passion, R/C speed runs.  Stay tune for the second part of this interview, which we'll be releasing later this week.  There's something special in it for a few lucky listeners! Show notes: Josh's updates on his Epic Touring Sedan Test of 2013 along with some words of caution when bashing an on-road car. Tim Smith's next micro-project on his march to 200 mph: carbon fiber wheels Video of Tim Smith's 167 mph run. Photo provided by Tim Smith

Nothing makes this hobby more exciting than having people to share it with.  I am joined by Josh Howard and special guest, John Bernard Jr. for this episode where we discuss how our families are involved in the hobby, and in what ways (if any) they share our passion for these scale vehicles. Show notes: View footage from the tracks that John races at on his YouTube channel. A flurry of small-scale R/C cars have recently been announced by ECX, Dromida, and Redcat Racing.  What do you think of these new vehicles? Josh is planning something big in the coming months. Looks like he'll be needing a larger garage. I make an awkward Breaking Bad/Walter White reference. Typical. My oldest son makes a special guest appearance to share his thoughts on why R/C cars are so awesome.

Over-accumulation. It happens in every hobby. Josh and I discuss how we prefer to make room in our R/C garages, where you can look to get deals on used R/C equipment, and we also trade RS10 rock crawler stories. All this and much more in the latest episode of the RC Newb podcast!

It's a one-man show this time around. Be warned, I am fueled by two cans of Diet Sun Drop and got off on more than a few tangents. It's all r/c-related, so it's all good! Diving into the modification side of crawlers Frankencrawler Breaking things and learning how to fix them along the way Looking to widen stock RS10 chassis to allow for easy installation and use of Axial 30-degree lower links Creating aluminum chassis additions for mounting shocks Upcoming review of Axis Rc Body Brace for the Traxxas Slash. Just posted a review of a useful site, WhichHobbyStore.com Quickly search for kits, rtrs, parts, you name it, compare prices and you're off Twitter - over 700 followers of @RCNewb - Thank you!!!

Josh and I got back in the studio to discuss all things Traxxas, specifically their recent frenzy of releases. We also touched on some announcements from RCX, and waxed nostalgic about the RC10. Show notes: Traxxas NHRA Dragster Rally 4x4 (Talked about before but worth mentioning again... truly an amazing transformed Slash) New Slash LCG Chassis & Platinum package (Traxxas and their wonderful ability to create classes in racing now just by introducing basic "spec" vehicles) Heli's and a mini-quad (Will this revive the slowing "air and flying" market?) Nitro Slash (How many people are actually going to buy this thing?) RCX - What caught our eye... '66 Ford SCT Body from Pro-line RC10 re-release RC10 Team Associated re-releasing one of the classics, the RC10 For history and details about this model, check out the Radio Impound Podcast roundtable discussion on the RC10 What's new in your garage/garage sale? Tim's Redcat Racing RS10

Josh and I join forces for yet another episode of the RC Newb Podcast to discuss a few recent movements in the hobby. We've noticed more vehicles are being introduced with higher levels of exterior detail and styling. Along with this, there have been an army of rally cars introduced as of late and we share our thoughts on where their appeal may be coming from. Show Notes Scale cars making a comeback... slowly but surely. ABC Hobby USA Vaterra RC Rally Cars Traxxas Rally HPI WR8 Flux Kamora - Vaterra Check out the RC Newb Podcast on iTunes.

After months of planning, scheming, and rescheduling, I was finally able to record a podcast with Josh Howard.  We had a few items to talk about, starting with the closing of his local R/C racetrack and we rounded things out with a chat about ways to achieve a matte finish on a Lexan body (without risking scrapes and scratches).  All told, it was a fun episode to record and I have a feeling we'll be scheduling a few more of these sessions in the future. Enjoy!

With the holiday season upon us, it's time to tackle the big question. What do I get the person that's interested in the R/C hobby?  Give it a listen and share your ideas too! Update 12/11/12: Thanks to Josh Howard for the tips on #RCStockingStuffers! @rcnewb Setup sheets, sharpies, tire glue, and toothbrushes for cleaning nooks and crannies. #RCStockingStuffers — Josh Howard (@JHowardDesign) December 5, 2012 @rcnewb Shoe Goo, body clips, Wheel nuts, Polycarbonate safe paint, and AA's for radios also are great. #RCStockingStuffers — Josh Howard (@JHowardDesign) December 5, 2012   @rcnewb Another excellent idea... GEARS. Equipment to re-gear is cheap and easy to find. #RCStockingStuffers — Josh Howard (@JHowardDesign) December 5, 2012

It's been a while, but I wanted to give some updates on a few things that will be coming up on the site.  I'm (again) thrilled to welcome Josh Howard as a contributor to the blog and hope you've been enjoying his take on RC racing. A few new posts will be coming in the next week and a half that deal with creating a budget basher body as well as a look at on-board camera mounting.  All this and more in episode 4 of the RC Newb podcast.  

We're back, both with another podcast episode and some more riveting R/C experiences to share.  It's been a busy week and we've dug into some new topics such as shock rebuilding and sway-bar installation.  I even took a friend's HPI RS4 MT out for a spin.  Sit back and enjoy! Subscribe to the RC Newb Podcast!

We're back with another episode, but nothing much has changed.  No intro music, no r/c truck and more ideas than I know what to do with.  So what does a person do when their radio-controlled vehicle is in the shop? They come up with a list of upgrades and hop-ups! Bodies - This is an easy visual enhancement.  You can really make the vehicle your own with a custom body. Springs and Shocks - A simple and relatively low-cost performance upgrade for bashing or racing. Tires & Wheels - Performance meets visual appeal.  If you're thinking about hitting the track, keep an eye on what your competitors are running. Undertrays and Overtrays - Protect your electronics and servos from battle damage by bolting on an added shield. Sway bars and other chassis upgrades - Dial in your performance and handling whether you're bashing or racing. Motor and Electronic Speed Control (ESC) - The ultimate performance boost.  These will cost the most money, but you'll get the biggest return in the form of speed. Radios,

After living the R/C "lifestyle" for over a month, I wanted to take a quick look back at the voyage thus-far and give some words of advice for those looking to join the party!  Without further delay, I give you the first episode of the RC Newb podcast! Subscribe to the podcast!