Where can i buy diesel fuel in Singapore?

[foampervert]

hiya folks,

I'm keen to rebuild a couple of my control-line planes and run the diesel engines I own.

I also see some tasty offerings from singapore hobby supplies (enya diesels) for CL and RC.

Is there anywhere locally I can still buy diesel fuel? I know kerosene is easy to get, how do I get amyl nitrate or ether?

please help!

-Alexander (old school hobbyist)

[MacDream]

Gas station?

hiya folks,

I'm keen to rebuild a couple of my control-line planes and run the diesel engines I own.

I also see some tasty offerings from singapore hobby supplies (enya diesels) for CL and RC.

Is there anywhere locally I can still buy diesel fuel? I know kerosene is easy to get, how do I get amyl nitrate or ether?

please help!

-Alexander (old school hobbyist)

[romihensem]

hmmmm

u can buy diesel from petrol station. but u need to bring a metal container or u can buy the metal container from the petrol station itself. i tried once to pump diesel using my empty 2T bottle which is plstic, and they dont allow them. must only use metal container...

[MacDream]

Empty beer bottle with long rag as stopper can or not?

u can buy diesel from petrol station. but u need to bring a metal container or u can buy the metal container from the petrol station itself. i tried once to pump diesel using my empty 2T bottle which is plstic, and they dont allow them. must only use metal container...

[Tony]

u can buy diesel from petrol station. ..

Eh???? Er......you can't use the diesel fuel from a petrol station on a model diesel engine. The model diesel engine runs on a mixture of paraffin (kerosene), ether and lubricant (eg. Castrol M or castor oil).

[MacDream]

Eh???? Er......you can't use the diesel fuel from a petrol station on a model diesel engine. The model diesel engine runs on a mixture of paraffin (kerosene), ether and lubricant (eg. Castrol M or castor oil).

Nope... what u said is nitro. Diesel is well, diesel.

[joe yap]

Haha!...

You guys are too new to understand this.

BTW, "Nitro" engines are actually called "Glow" engines to start with, As Nitromethane is merely an additive in the fuel, which mainly comprise of Methanal.

"Diesel" engines for model aircrafts are very popular in the early days before "Glow" engines hit the market. "Diesel" engines got thier name, not because that they run on diesel fuel, but rather the fact that they work exactly like fullsize diesel engines. To be more technically correct, they are sometime called as "Compression ignition engines". But for an average layman modeller, he'll simply pass it on as "Diesel" engine.

Like what Tony has mentioned, "Diesel" fuel for model aircrafts are mainly made up of Paraffin, castor oil and small amount of Amylnitrate as additive.

With this in mind, it makes more sense for such a post where someone start asking for the source of "Diesel" fuel, where the real diesel fuel is available everywhere.

[joe yap]

Nope... what u said is nitro. Diesel is well, diesel.

Reading more about aeromodelling history will help you understand better.

"Nitro", or more correctly "Glow" fuel is a mixture of methanol, castor/synthetic oil. Nitromethane is an additive to help the engines run smoother. Some engines run on straight fuel without nitromethane, and thus, "Nitro" is not a good way to call these engines.

[Curare]

hiya folks,

I'm keen to rebuild a couple of my control-line planes and run the diesel engines I own.

I also see some tasty offerings from singapore hobby supplies (enya diesels) for CL and RC.

Is there anywhere locally I can still buy diesel fuel? I know kerosene is easy to get, how do I get amyl nitrate or ether?

please help!

-Alexander (old school hobbyist)

Hi,
Sad to say that ready made diesel fuel is hard to come by these days, I don't think that the LHS sells them. Even trying to get the components to mix up your own fuel is not easy to get, all this thanks to Osama and 9/11. Where do you intend to fly your C/L planes??

[Ghostfit]

hiya folks,

Is there anywhere locally I can still buy diesel fuel? I know kerosene is easy to get, how do I get amyl nitrate or ether?

-Alexander (old school hobbyist)

Alexander from HGSS ???

I use to buy the components from various sources:

1) Kerosene - Everywhere, some 'Mama' stores still carries it.
2) Castor oil - In 1 gal plastic bottles, AAA grade from Sino Chemicals.
3) Ether Di-Etherlene - In 750cc glass bottles from Sino Chemicals.
4) Amynitrade - In 25cc glass bottles, from Sino Chemicals, not available anymore.
5) Iso-Proprol Nitrate - In 25cc glass bottles, Explosive, cannot buy anymore !

For Paw engines (Plain bearing) we usually run a 40,30,30 mixture.
Thats 40% Kerosene, 30 Ether, 30 Castor oil and if possible about 1% to 1.5% Nitrate to smooth the combustion process.

Like Curare said, thanks to Osama, now you need a permit in order to purchase these chemicals from anywhere and more don't entertain small quantities.

AH ! ....the smell of Aeromodelling 'diesel' fuel ! ...makes me feel like I'm 16 again !!!

[Ghostfit]

Edit:

Like Curare said, thanks to Osama, now you need a permit in order to purchase these chemicals from anywhere and most don't entertain small quantities.

[MacDream]

Haha!...

You guys are too new to understand this.

BTW, "Nitro" engines are actually called "Glow" engines to start with, As Nitromethane is merely an additive in the fuel, which mainly comprise of Methanal.

"Diesel" engines for model aircrafts are very popular in the early days before "Glow" engines hit the market. "Diesel" engines got thier name, not because that they run on diesel fuel, but rather the fact that they work exactly like fullsize diesel engines. To be more technically correct, they are sometime called as "Compression ignition engines". But for an average layman modeller, he'll simply pass it on as "Diesel" engine.

Like what Tony has mentioned, "Diesel" fuel for model aircrafts are mainly made up of Paraffin, castor oil and small amount of Amylnitrate as additive.

With this in mind, it makes more sense for such a post where someone start asking for the source of "Diesel" fuel, where the real diesel fuel is available everywhere.

Hmm... I distinctly remember going to gas station to buy diesel when I was flying control lines. . maybe my memory is mixed up and I was buying diesel for something else...

[Ghostfit]

Hmm... I distinctly remember going to gas station to buy diesel when I was flying control lines. . maybe my memory is mixed up and I was buying diesel for something else...

I remember buying diesel from the petro kiosk to WASH engines !

...realised it was a mistake, ...petrol does a much better job !

[Tony]

Please take it from a guy who started on this hobby as a kid when engines that had names like DC (Davis Charlton), ETA, Taifun, Oliver Tigre (all diesel engines) held sway - a dead giveaway as to my vintage. Glow engines then were not reliable enough. The diesel fuel from the petrol stations is for diesel car engines eg. trucks and taxis. Model diesel engines use paraffin, ether and oil (castor or synthetic) mixture sometimes with additives like amyl nitrate etc and is also called diesel fuel. Look up Tower Hobbies and you will find that they sell diesel fuel - the type for model fuel. See here http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXUMU5&P=ML. Unfortunately, its only for overland shipment only.

[foampervert]

thanks for the replies...

hiya folks,

I'll try to look up the chemical suppliers. My apologies if the question has left you wondering about my common sense.

hhmm... looks like running the diesel is going to be a lot more difficult then i'd imagine... sigh.

If anyone else have ideas, do share!

There's a hiuge field where i currently live (next to chinese garden mrt) where i'm planning to fly the C/L planes.

-Alexander