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Getting Started In Radio Control Cars

Take note that you need to decide whether you want a radio control nitro or gas car or perhaps one that has an electric engine. You could purchase either one which is ready to run (rtr) or a kit. Now, knowing how much you would want to spend start going shopping for a vehicle that fits your specifications. Like me passion is what drew me to this exciting hobby and there's a lot you are going to learn before you can "get behind the wheel".

It is always good start at a nearby hobby store - look for one that specializes in radio control vehicles. Speak to people you'll find working in the store and chances are that these people are true blue rc hobbyists as well. There is much you can learn from, so pick their brains well. You'll find these machines to be sleek and powerful, tearing up the terrain in a jiffy and it's certainly a lot of fun watching them go.

The types of radio control vehicles that you need to get aquainted with are nitro and electric cars, monster trucks, stadium trucks, minis and micros. If you want to get your feet wet and don't wish to spend a whole lot of money, go and get a used vehicle - this is the cheapest way of building your skills. To find used radio control vehicles for sale, ask your friends, check the local newspapers, read RC magazines or browse through listings at auction sites like eBay.

If you decide that you want a new vehicle, you can choose a kit, an ARR ("almost ready to run") model, or an RTR ("ready to run") model. What's the difference? A kit will take you time and a certain amount of expertise to assemble. The advantage of a kit, of course is that once you're finished, you'll know exactly how your vehicle is built and therefore how to repair any damage.

ARR and RTR models come already assembled. The difference is usually that the ARR model doesn't have a radio system installed, while an RTR model does. So don't be fooled by the difference in price. When you buy an ARR car, you're going to have to add the cost of the radio system to your final cost.

The expense of operating your radio control car can be as little as an occasional replacement battery pack. But as with any hobby, the more you play the more you pay. If you become a dedicated radio control vehicle fan, be prepared for repairs, upgrades, special tools, magazine subscriptions, books, racing entry fees, association dues, travel expenses to the big meets and races - the list can be endless. The best advice is to start small, and let your radio control hobby grow little by little to whatever level you find most satisfying.

So all in all, what's the best advice for getting started in radio control? Start small, get to know experienced radio control drivers, and learn as you go. Make a list before you buy anything, and make sure have all the accessories and parts you're going to need to use your vehicle. Most of all, have fun - RC is a wonderful way to meet people, to challenge yourself, and to fulfill your driving fantasies.

Collecting Diecast Vehicles is a fun hobby for folks of all ages

Learn how anyone can build up a nice collection of diecast vehicles cheaply, and maybe find some rare ones for free.

Almost everyone has played with diecast vehicles when they were a young child. When I went to grade school my friends and I collected ' Hot Wheels ' cars. We would make race tracks and construction zones in the dirt piles out back of our school and play with the vehicles at recess time. I remember having a holder that looked like a suitcase only smaller, it would open and inside I had probably 20 different vehicles, ranging from cars, to trucks and a few other things. We would play in the dirt with our diecast vehicles, racing them, or pretending we were construction crews, and we would dig tunnels in the dirt, and make hills and bridges to push are little cars and trucks around on. Probably most folks like myself lost or threw away them diecast vehicles we had as young children, or they got lost like all of the other toys we had when we were young. Some folks saved there's and now days some of them are probably quite rare and valuable to diecast collectors. It seems that when I was a young boy, we only heard of ' Hot Wheels ', at least that is the brand that my friends and I bought, collected and played with. Now days there are tons of different companies and they make diecast vehicles of every kind, there are cars, airplanes, construction vehicles, boats, military vehicles, and more. When first starting to collect diecast vehicles, you must decide which types you really want because there are a lot of choices, you can collect a certain make and model of car, such as a Chevrolet Nova, or you may wish to just collect yellow diecast construction vehicles, or military vehicles, the choice is up to you.

Diecast vehicles are pretty inexpensive for a lot of the new ones in stores and for some of the older ones that are common. You can often find them in the local drugstore or any Kmart or Walmart, and even a lot of grocery stores have a rack or area where you can find diecast vehicles, they often sell new for under $3.00 each, and sometimes you can find them in a bargain bin or on sale for ' 2 for $2.00 ', or even less.

Probably one of the best places to find a rare or missing diecast vehicle for your collection is on eBay. Another great place to often find rare and unique diecast vehicles at very low prices is yard sales. I went to a few yard sales, last summer with my daughter and I saw a lot of diecast vehicles, and many were 25 cents each and some were less. If you look you can usually find a pile or box of assorted toys at a yard sale, these often have numerous plastic soldiers, trucks and cars, and some old non-clothed dolls, and if you dig or search through these piles or boxes of old junk toys, you can often find diecast vehicles at the bottom. The diecast vehicles are smaller and heavier then the plastic toys, so they tend to drop down to the bottom of the piles like gold nuggets in a stream. Back around 9 years ago when I was still married, my wife and I bought one of them cheap metal detectors, the ones you can get at discount stores for around $50 or so. We went outside and in our yard where we lived at that time, we found 7 old diecast vehicles. Once we took them inside and cleaned them up, they were all in great condition, despite being buried for a few years. The vehicles were all made by ' TOOTSIE ', I looked on ebay at the time and discovered that the vehicles were worth around $15 or more, so if you have a metal detector, you can probably find some nice diecast vehicles for free, by searching yards and old school grounds.

Once you start building up your diecast vehicle collection, you should consider getting a display case to show it off. If you have some talent and a few tools, you can easily build a display case in your garage or workshop, or if you look on ebay they always have a large amount of diecast vehicle display cases.

There is computer software that is made just for collecting diecast vehicles. Anyone who has a small or large diecast vehicle collection can easily keep track of what vehicle they have, the color, condition, cost, value, scale and lots of other info for each record (vehicle). This is the most easiest to use software of it's kind, and it is made 100% for diecast collecting. The software is described in detail and you can download a free demo version of it at this website address: http://www.rb59.com/diecast

By Robert W. BenjaminCopyright © 2006 You may publish this article in your ezine, newsletter or on your web site as long as it is reprinted in its entirety and without modification except for formatting needs or grammar corrections.

Autograph Collecting: Questions and Answers

Obtaining autographs from celebrities requires patience and a little luck. As well, purchasing autographs online requires knowledge of the hobby.

Question: I want to start sending requests to celebrities for autographs, what should I include in the letter?

Answer: When writing a letter to a celebrity, it is advisable to write no more than one page. Although celebrities may be thrilled that you appreciate their work, or liked their acting in a certain TV show or movie, they simply do not have enough time to read multi-page letters from fans. Also, when writing to a celebrity, try to include some specific references to their work that you particularly enjoy. Be very specific in your descriptions. Mention character names that they have played and movies in which they have starred or appeared. This makes a much better impression than just simply saying... "I enjoy all your movies. Send me an autograph". Be courteous and respectful. My experience has been that celebrities are truly impressed with kind treatment from their fans and they usually reward it.

Question: I’m a beginner when it comes to autograph collecting. What type of autographs should I purchase?

Answer: Buy autographs that capture your interest. Don’t purchase items presented as “investments” or sold through pressure. Learn as much as possible the language of autograph collecting. The more you study, the easier it will be for you to determine what items are authentic and which items to purchase. Use common sense when buying a signed piece. If the price is too good to be true, it probably is. Purchase autographed items from reputable dealers, who will help you avoid risks and problems. Most dealers offer a certificate of authenticity, which is only as good as the reputation of the dealer. If the dealer cannot tell you when and where the item was signed or how it was obtained, go elsewhere.

Question: How do you determine the price or value of your autographs?

Answer: Several factors go into determining the price of an autographed item. The content of the photo (is this person known for his/her role shown in photo) and how difficult it is to obtain the autograph. Condition and market are also factors considered in pricing. Demand also has to be considered, especially if the celebrity has become more popular and the demand has increased suddenly. Examples recently include celebrities such as Johnny Depp, Hilary Duff, Viggo Mortensen, Orlando Bloom and Bruce Springsteen. Each has either had a very successful film, tour or CD. Here is a breakdown for determining value.

1) Who has signed the autograph? The key words here are "demand" and "scarcity." If a particular person's autograph is in high demand and it happens to be a scarce autograph, then you can expect it to have good value. This is why an autograph of Marilyn Monroe sells for over several thousands of dollars. She remains popular and her signature is in great demand. Her autographs are scarce when compared to those of entertainers George Burns, Jimmy Stewart or Joan Crawford, all of whom were around many decades longer to sign autographs for fans.

2) What item has been signed? A simple signature on an album page, menu, airline ticket or piece of paper is normally worth less than a signed document, signed photo, typed or handwritten letter. This is because it is the most common type of autograph. All things being equal, a handwritten signed letter demands a premium since not only does it have a name signed at the end but may also reveal something interesting, historical, or personal about the writer. Thus, you're getting more than just a name signed on paper.

3) Is the signature in ink, pencil or otherwise? Ink is worth more than pencil. Pencil can fade over time and usually isn't as dark and bold as a nice ink signature. Many collectors prefer and will pay more for ink signatures. But don't take this to mean pencil signatures don't have value. The great Apache Indian chief Geronimo signed pencil autographs at the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis. Today those pencil signatures on small cards can sell for at least $5,000. Today, most collectors prefer that photos and non-flat items be signed in sharpie or paint pen.

4) What is the condition of the autograph? Any damage to the autograph, photo or paper will lower value. Smears, stains, creases, smudges, fading, tears, holes or other damage will always drop the value of an autograph. To get top dollar and maximum value autographs must be in excellent condition.

There are several other small variables that can come into play when attempting to place a value on an autograph, but these four important questions are regarded as the most basic factors that determine an autograph's value.

These are just a few of the questions we receive from autograph collectors. If you have a question, feel free to contact us.

How to get started flying RC airplanes

For thousands of years man has dreamed of flight. Nothing has amazed people as much as flying machines have in the past century and there is still more to come. What is even more amazing though, is the progress in personal flight toys. You can fly everything from a miniature helicopter, to a one 20th scale Cessna, which you can build at home yourself.

The more amazing thing about today’s RC airplanes is the fact that anyone can fly them, and some airplanes are very easy to fly. For example, I bought a $50 Hobby Zone airplane and the controller had two controls, one that could steer the plane left or right and then the second was throttle (speed) control. How can you get any simpler then that!As easy as it can be, it still can be difficult for beginners to get started in this hobby. Since I now have the knowledge that every beginner should know, since I was a beginner once, I wanted to share it with other people so everyone can enjoy the RC airplane hobby.

The first thing a beginner needs to know is their power sources. RC airplanes can be powered either electrically or by an engine that runs on fuel called nitro methane. This is very important when deciding on purchasing your first radio controlled airplane. You need some knowledge of both power sources, as they both have their pros and con’s. First I would like to state that for all beginners’ I recommend an electric RC airplane over a gas RC airplane. Why? Because an electric airplane is cheaper, like under $100 cheap, and much easier to operate. In fact, all you have to do is plug in the battery and flick the ON switch. They are also much quieter and produce no fumes in the air. Plus not much maintenance is required besides keeping it in a cool, dry place.

A gas powered RC airplane has its advantages to of course. If you are a realist and what an authentic looking and sounding remote control airplane, then an airplane with a gas engine is what you want. An RC airplane with a gas engine is bigger and bulkier then an electric R/C airplane, so it is more to scale and realistic. It also sounds like a real airplane does, and is kind of like a real little miniature airplane since the engine requires fuel, tuning, and other adjustments. These types of airplanes cost a little more and take longer to assemble. Plus, they require much more maintenance and you have to continue to spend more money since you need special fuel, oil and some other small accessories.

Now that you pretty much know what type of airplane you want to purchase, let me help you get it running and teach you some tips and tricks that you will find handy out on the flying field.

If you have never flown a model airplane or a real airplane before, then you might have some trouble taking off, flying and landing. The first thing to remember is that you need a good open field to fly at, unless of course you have a slow flyer or park flyer, which can be flown in small areas like indoors or parks. A good local flying field can be located online by searching through a search engine, like Google, for a local club. Flying fields always have a club, and they are usually full of friendly people who are willing to help you learn.

Most of these clubs have flying instructors that will either help you for free, or charge you a little money. Either way you will have a guide that can teach you a lot. You also can be sure that if something goes wrong with your airplane, people will be there that have the knowledge to fix it.

Another way you can learn to fly is of course teaching yourself, but that can be costly if you crash a lot. If you are going to teach yourself, I suggest you start off with a cheap $50 electric RC airplane that has only left and right steering control and throttle control. These types of airplanes can take off from a flat surface or can be easily hand launched into the air by applying full throttle.

After you get started, there will be no stopping you and the rest will come naturally. There still is some other much needed accessories that I suggest no beginner go with out. Like a good RC airplane book, a field box, a car charger for an electric plane, and extra batteries for your transmitter. With all these tips in mind, start your flying experience right and keep the wind at your back.

Card-Making with Recyclables

Making homemade greeting cards is an affordable and rewarding hobby, especially when you can use common household items for your creations.

Crafts are often expensive to set up, but they do not have to be. Card making is one craft in which it is completely possible to operate just for the cost of some card stock, envelopes, a good pair of paper scissors, glue, and your imagination. It is unnecessary to buy additional supplies unless you want to, and can afford to. With these basic supplies and items from around your home, you can create wonderful, personal works of art. You save money making them, and you save money by giving them away, instead of purchasing printed cards from the store.

Card-making is a rewarding hobby, and everyone likes to receive something that was made just for them. The tips listed below not only save your wallet, but are also beneficial for the environment. Exploring recycling in the art of making handmade cards is an incredible resource -- for your creativity and your fingers.

Some of the tips listed mention additional resources like stamps and punches. They are not necessary, but do make the most of opportunities. Local craft groups, friends, or a family member may have resources you can borrow. Use spare paper to punch, cut, or stamp a supply of images and designs for later use. Check out your children’s craft supplies, too – children’s rubber stamps make a great background when stamped repeatedly over the surface of a card.

Here is a list of Top Ten household items to recycle. Why not springboard your own unique ideas from these?

1. Old Greeting cards

The backs make good bases for layering or stamping of images. The front can be cut up for borders, wording, and images. Take smaller elements from an image to complement your own design. Received more than one card of the same design – use repeated elements for your own form of paper tole.

2. Wallpaper

Do you have some old wallpaper lying around after finishing the children’s bedroom, or the dining room? Cut out the individual elements of large patterns to make into decoupage or paper tole. Use medium-sized pictures and patterns spaced symmetrically to create new patterns. For smaller patterns or no pattern, use for backgrounds, layering and paper piecing.

Extension tip: If you are fortunate enough to know someone that works in a home decorating store then you may be able to get, either free or for a small charge, an out of date wallpaper sample book. These are rich in textures, finishes, and colours. Some contain border strips as well for added creativity.

3. Magazines

If you do not but them yourself, ask around your friends and family. I’m sure they will soon be deluging you with their off casts.

Magazines are a wealth of pre-coloured wording, pictures, and colours. Pictures can be used effectively by combining with other complementary elements to make a stunning card.

For example, I cut a picture of a giraffe from a magazine. I made a stencil of a giraffe’s skin, then transferred the pattern to my card with a sponge and some black ink. In the center of the card I layered a piece of cork sheet (wood-grain patterned paper or corrugated cardboard would work just as well) with glossy, black paper cut from a magazine advertisement. Then I glued the giraffe picture on top. I finished it off by adding a couple of small leaf shapes, cut from a picture of someone’s lawn, in the bottom corner.

I find the greatest advantage to magazines is the textured colours, such as the leaves in my example above. It is often difficult to match a colour piece of paper or card to the effect you are wanting. Rather than buy special printed products, scout through magazines for suitable colours and textures. Blended colours on advertisement backgrounds often make for great punch art. If the punches will not cut through properly, insert a piece of plain used printer paper with the magazine page and it will cut perfectly.

Also consider: used wrapping paper, advertising leaflets, and old business documents.

4. Sewing Supplies

Buttons, zips, ribbons, and small pieces of fabric, tulle, or lace all make for great accents on a card. Plait the left over lengths of embroidery cottons to make smart trims, or tie several colours into a bow to match the main card design.

5. Used A4 paper

Some paper is suitable for use in your card making – e.g. punching and layering. A lot of paper is not usable, either because it has been folded or crumpled, or text is visible on both sides. These sheets of paper I use as gluing surfaces for glue sticks, liquid or spray glue, or with a brush. Discard the piece of paper when it has no space left that isn’t sticky. I find this works better than newsprint, which may leave black smudges on the good side of your card.

6. Plastic lids, bottles and pottles

Instead of buying a special template or cutting system to enable a perfect circle, save up a variety of different sizes of round containers or lids – from a small pill bottle to a cottage cheese pottle lid. Ensure they are well washed and thoroughly dried first, then use as a cost-free template for drawing circles. Stack inside one another for easy storage. Look for oval pottles too, which make a nice change.

These containers are useful to hold leftover punched shapes. When I visit people who own punches I do not, I spend time punching shapes out and then store in separate containers for use at my leisure.

7. Cardboard

Old coloured card folders can form the basis of the card itself, if it is clean and undamaged. Otherwise cut smaller pieces from it for layering, punching or making borders.

The kind of plain brown or grey card that comes in packaging, such as business shirts, is also useful. With this you can make templates from colouring book pictures or images offered on-line for the purpose. If you cut shapes out from the card, use it as a stencil.

Corrugated card has a great texture; I prefer the kind that is not sandwiched between two flat sheets of card, for the crinkles are what make it interesting. There are specialised tools to recreate this corrugated effect, but you can colour the brown kind easily using paint.

8. Lolly and chocolate wrappers

Bright and sparkly; colourful and fun! There are numerous ways to use these delightful little scraps of paper and foil. Use in layering and paper piecing, or cut into shapes to add a shimmering accent to any scene.

Try this fun idea: Draw on your card the simple outline of a fish. Cut circles of foil wrappers – I don’t recommend punching – and stagger them to fill in the body of the fish. It doesn’t matter if the circles are imperfect, elliptical, or uneven sizes. Use smaller ones to do the narrower pieces of the fish and the larger ones to fill the middle. Overlapping the circles means that most imperfections can be hidden, but the flaws do add charm to the overall effect. Glue strips of paper, foil, or ribbon in a fan pattern to fill in the tail. Lastly, draw an eye. Add background detail such as seaweed, air bubbles, or smaller fish with coloured pencils or pens and you’re done.

9. Business Cards

Changing jobs these days is quite a common occurrence and what do you do with all those old business cards from the previous place of employment? These are ideal for using on cards since they are uniformly-sized, perfect rectangles, on good card stock, and usually the back has no text. Used plain they are great for layering. If the cards are textured, accent it by sponging lightly with coloured ink. Alternatively, stamp an image directly onto the card and colour or decorate as desired.

10. Old Jewelry

Broken or unusable chains, fake jewels, beads, and simulated pearls all make elegant embellishments. Bought embellishments are pretty and effective, but can get quite costly. Items from last year’s Christmas crackers make great 3-D additions as well.

Many other materials around the home have a use in your card making. Before you throw something in the trash, consider how you could use it to add texture, colour, interest, and embellishment to your cards, or storage for your supplies.

Happy creating!

Bird Watching Tips

Simply sitting and watching birds is a popular hobby around the world. It's fun and relaxing at the same time.

Many people quite enjoy just watching the birds in their garden, yard, trees and bushes from their front window. And it's even better to actually go out into the wild and watch the birds in their own natural habitats.

"Natural Habitat" of course usually means going into the woods, or to remote areas. So before going on a bird watching outing, be sure you've prepared a little. First and foremost, be sure you're wearing the appropriate clothes for both the location you'll be visiting, and the climate that area is currently experiencing.

If you live in a warm desert area for instance, and you plan to go up a mountain for a day of bird watching, you'll want to first find out if there's any snow on the mountain, or whether it's cold during the daylight hours.

You'll of course also want to be sure you have some food or snacks, and plenty of water to keep you hydrated.

Binoculars are almost a requirement for bird watching too. They allow you to get a close up view of any birds, nests, and chicks. Many bird lovers also enjoy having pen or pencil, and a notepad on hand so they can take notes about the birds they've seen, or sketch them as they're watching.

And of course if you like pictures... you'll want to bring along a camera :)

Last but not least, it would be helpful to have some sort of bird identification system or reference available. Whether you can take it with you into the woods, or you have it hanging at home, these are always quite useful over the long term.

Attract Wild Birds to your Garden this Spring with Bird Houses, Bird Feeders, & Bird Baths! This article may be freely published on any website, as long as the author, copyright, website address and link, and this notice are left intact.