28 replies to this topic

[Pablo]

The world is turning too fast for me. I bought a Red Fox weighted graphite flag from PCH (RF-BAGHGW) for $20 and this is what I got:

 

 

The shaft has jagged flash near the bottom, so it's not precise by any means. Am I being too picky? When I first looked at it, I thought it was a crack.

 

The blade has some sort of film on it. Does this peel off? It's already started to peel ... ?

 

I don't understand how a Parma flag for, like, $4, is perfectly formed, and this isn't. Also, why does a modern race flag shaft need to be 3/8" tall? Are vintage guys installing these on La Cucarachas, or what?

 

Sorry to sound like a whiner, but I just don't get it. Help, please?    Thanks,

 

Pablo

 

 

[Rotorranch]

Looks like Koford guide flag tape to me. Probably to help prevent the pellets from making an escape.

 

I'll stick with the Swiss flag. Thinking about the new tungsten Swiss flag. I also have a small sheet of tungsten that fits the Swiss flags perfectly as well. I just have to figure out how to cut the plate nicely.

 

Rotor

[Racer36]

This looks like yet another great reason not to deal with PCH. I’ve had nothing but hassles dealing with him , and I hear the same from others. Simply put, it looks like you got scammed. Weighted guides from Chicagoland are perfect every time, and even MA products are decent from what I hear. 

[NateT]

a $20 guide flag should be perfect.  It looks like there is something amiss with the post as well.  I have never seen a redfox unthreaded post look like that.

I agree with Dennis though, you cannot go wrong with the Swiss weighted guides.

[glueside]

The tape you are seeing is a special tape that has been used that is slick, for both that reason and to help with the installation/placement of the tungsten chips.  The tape can be removed if you don't like it.

 

As far as the post - that looks strange - almost like someone was trying to form another layer over the threading that might have been screwed up.  I myself would not use and would send back for a replacement, but then again I am just an ***hole.

[Isaac S.]

Pablo, I can't disagree. I would see if I could send it back for a refund and get a Chicagoland flag. The Swiss products are always good quality for me. 

[mark1]

Looks like that flag got past quality control. Contact PCH. They will take care of you.

[aquavelvis]

Looks like that flag got past quality control. Contact PCH. They will take care of you.

 

I've made a number of purchases over the last several years when something I want isn't or won't be available locally, or when I got a PCH gift card for Christmas, etc. Never had a problem.

 

Same goes with my limited experience with Chicagoland and Mid-America. No Ken-O's among this group per my experience.

[MSwiss]

Pablo,

I feel somewhat at fault here since you tried to buy some from me, first, and I was, and still am, really backed up with weighted guide, and other orders.

 

FWIW, I know a lot people love Scott, and he has asked to buy weighted guides from me, multiple times, but I just haven't been able to muster up the intestinal fortitude to sell him as a raceway, since he moved from his last location, to the current one.

[Pablo]

I never have problems with PCH, and obviously this isn't a PCH issue, it's a manufacturing issue.

 

Now I understand some fast guys are using this slick new tape, so I plan to leave it on.

 

The post was flawed during the manufacturing process, that's a given.

 

If PCH showed Chicagoland flags for sale I would have bought a Chicagoland, but they don't. So I bought this Red Fox.

 

I'm going to sand the flash bump off, smooth it out, add a microdot of CA to the tape where it's curling, and go on with life. But I won't be ordering any more Red Fox flags.

 

I tried to order CR flags from Mike S. but at the time he was so slammed with work, he couldn't accomodate me.

 

Not mad at anybody and life moves on. Soon I will be going to the famed "local raceway" y'all keep talking about, and buying parts from Bill Pinch   

[MSwiss]

Pablo,

 

I'm 98% sure that is not a Red Fox marketed item.

 

No one on the planet has handled as many Red Fox guides, intimately,  as myself.

 

I've never witnessed anything like the crazy mojo on that post.

 

It either happened in manufacture, by the person who weighted it, or at the very least, if it was a Red Fox issue, the person doing the mod work, should of easily spotted it and not use it to begin with, and get restitution from whoever sold it to him.

[Pablo]

No problem here, thanks Mike 

[Zippity]

I run the weighted Red Fox flag on several of my cars - no issues.

 

 

[JHMerriman]

Swiss flags are all I run anymore. Every time a new flag comes out, it doesnt compare to Swiss flags. Ive won many FNRS Nats with them.

[Steve Deiters]

Does it strike anyone as upside down and moving in the wrong direction for slot racing costs when guide flags reach $20 each?

[Bill from NH]

You can't modify motors, yet you can modify a guide to cost more than the motors. Looks like consistent inconsistences to me. It might be legal, but it's not in the spirit.

[MSwiss]

Slotblog has had this discussion before, and the weighted guide is low hanging fruit.

Ban the $12-$20 guide, that lasts almost forever, while guys hook up their $1,000 controllers.

That said, I'm all for spec classes, that require the parts, that come on the car, to be used.

It would be absurd to allow my guide, in say, a JK spec class.

[MSwiss]

You can't modify motors, yet you can modify a guide to cost more than the motors. Looks like consistent inconsistences to me. It might be legal, but it's not in the spirit.

 

 

Does it strike anyone as upside and down and moving in the wrong direction for slot racing costs when guide flags reach $20 each?

When I started back into slot racing, seriously, in late 1981, I had to buy a $29 Mura motor that had about a 25% chance of being competitive.

 

It's 40 years later, and Retro racers like Ed Sohl are using a $15 motor to podium in 6 or 7 races, and you 2 guys have the audacity to spin this thread off into something totally different than it started as.

 

Merry Christmas.

[Phil Smith]

Does it strike anyone as upside down and moving in the wrong direction for slot racing costs when guide flags reach $20 each?

 

 

You can't modify motors, yet you can modify a guide to cost more than the motors. Looks like consistent inconsistences to me. It might be legal, but it's not in the spirit.

 

To me it doesn't seem good for the hobby. Mike's got a lot of clout so it doesn't get brought up much.

 

That said, just like pricey controllers, if someone wants to spend a lot of money on a guide I suppose it's their decision.

 

 

 

[Phil Smith]

 

 

When I started back into slot racing, seriously, in late 1981, I had to buy a $29 Mura motor that had about a 25% chance of being competitive.

 

It's 40 years later, and Retro racers like Ed Sohl are using a $15 motor to podium in 6 or 7 races, and you 2 guys have the audacity to spin this thread off into something totally different than it started as.

 

Merry Christmas.

 

 

Thread drift. It's rare that it doesn't happen. On this forum or any other. Not a valid complaint in my opinion.

[Phil Smith]

This thread is about a complaint about a weighted guide, Mike. You had no complaints until your guide was criticized.

[MSwiss]

Drift is fine.

The concept of someone complaining about a trick item, in someone's hobby, that cost a little more , like it's a new phenomena,IMO is absurd, especially since it's been litigated before.

Racing orgs allow or not allow parts as they see fit, and the racers participate in races, in those orgs, on their own free will.

[Pappy]

The concept of someone complaining about a trick item, in someone's hobby, that cost a little more ,

So are you saying weighted guides are a "trick" item? Just asking for a friend.

 

trick | trik | noun1 a cunning or skillful act or scheme intended to deceive or outwit someone: he's a double-dealer capable of any mean trick. • a mischievous practical joke: she thought Elaine was playing some trick on her. • an illusion: I thought I saw a flicker of emotion, but it was probably a trick of the light. • a skillful act performed for entertainment or amusement: he did conjuring tricks for his daughters.

 

I think what Bill and Steve are trying to say is if racers think they need a $20 guide flag to be competitive then more of them will just quit and come race 1/32 scale cars with me. 

[MSwiss]

Butch,
I hold races for the Great Lakes 1/32 guys, love having them, encouraged weekly races, etc.

I find the bodies fabulous.

That said, knowing what I know about 1/32 racing, I find your above post highly disingenuous.

For someone who didn't know anything about it, and saw your post and got involved, thinking it's all guys just having fun, they would have a real eye opener racing against someone like Denny Moscatelli and 8 hour trued tires, and baked in his wife's oven, "dewarped" chassis.

There are trick parts, trick tools, guys that spend a lot of money, just like 1/24 commercial racing.

[Pappy]

I was being facetious when I said they'd come race 1/32 cars with me. But the fact is when it gets too expensive guys will quit if they don't think they can be competitive without it. It reminds me of the 60's when something new came out every week and unless you had it you couldn't compete. It's why I don't like allowing 3D printed chassis in 1/32 scale racing. The guys printing the chassis don't really have much invested like the big 1/32 scale slot car manufacturers have in their molds. It's the 60's all over again. Someone prints a chassis and wins with it and everyone thinks they need that chassis to win it hurts the slot car manufacturers. 

 

Retro racing got too expensive for me to be competitive.