markadams Posted July 7, 2003 Report Share Posted July 7, 2003 I am looking to buy a new rotor, I am unsure of which to go for, it seems like the three top rotors at the moment are made by: Shoot warehouse ############## Pinewood Does anyone have any opinions on the above rotors, good and bad points. Thank you Mark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M ROBSON Posted July 7, 2003 Report Share Posted July 7, 2003 Mark We have 4 Pinwood rotors and 4 original magnet rotors. I can't coment about any of the others but from these two i would pick the Pinewood. They are very light and will run off a smaller battery, 8-10 hours on a 12v 7 amp. But most of all its there adjustability that I like. They Aren't as strong as the original but as long as you take care of it nothing should go wrong. There was a slight reliability problem at the start, due to a gearbox/Motor speed problem but i believe they have adjusted the gearing ratio to resolve this. We use these rotors up to six days a week in the spring and late summer and don't get any trouble. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sean johnston Posted July 7, 2003 Report Share Posted July 7, 2003 Hi mark.Personally i would go for either the pinewood or the rotor coy,I don't know that much about the shoot warehouse one but would not buy one as i made one myself of equal if not superior quality for around £50.00.The downside to these wiper motor rotors is the weight, but the motor's have plenty of torque. I would also like members opinions of pinewood vs rotor coy as i intend to change mine just to save on weight,which is a shame really as my machine works really well but is a bit on the heavy side, like all wiper motor rotors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted July 7, 2003 Report Share Posted July 7, 2003 I only have experience of my Pinewood rotary device. It outlasts and is more reliable (no problems at all), than other rotary devices owned by friends of mine. I would recommend it to anyone, with confidence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hammergun Posted July 7, 2003 Report Share Posted July 7, 2003 I am just about finished making my rotor, and have tried to make it as light as possible. However, I have already begun work on an aluminium version which should be a good deal lighter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sean johnston Posted July 7, 2003 Report Share Posted July 7, 2003 Hmmm trouble is a windscreen wiper motor weighs about 3 lbs before you start.Let's be honest they are a nightmare to carry long distances,however i will continue to use mine untill i at least find out what motor is used in a pinewood or have the money to purchase either a rotor coy or pinewood.When you look at these machines they would be really easy to make,the motor is the most important part. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markadams Posted July 8, 2003 Author Report Share Posted July 8, 2003 Cranfield, Do you have the Pinewood advantage? Is it the one with the single pole that sticks in the ground? Do you find it stable in allmost soil types? Mark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted July 8, 2003 Report Share Posted July 8, 2003 I have the Pinewood that has the single pole/spike, but it also has the facility to screw in three stabilising spikes (early model). I have never used the stabilising spikes, in fact, I,m not sure where they are. :blink: Stability has never been a problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnny Posted July 9, 2003 Report Share Posted July 9, 2003 I now have a rota coy which is magic but my mate had one which was not so great as it kept chewimg the gearbox up they are a good magnet as they are light and show the birds nice and high. But the gearbox is the weak link on them , also the service from merlin products who it is made buy was pretty poor to say the least the one I have is a newer model though it looks the same hopfully the gearbox is stronger. cheers John PS deako is your rota coy the same as the merlin one or just the same name. shoot to kill John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sean johnston Posted July 9, 2003 Report Share Posted July 9, 2003 Where did you purchase your rotor coy johnny?What happened to your flapping magnet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M ROBSON Posted July 9, 2003 Report Share Posted July 9, 2003 The problem which occured in the early rotor models was that the gearboxes were "geared up" too high, for example 100 to 1. This ment the motor had to spin 100 times to turn the pigeons once. This was good because the motors didn't need to be that powerful, just fast, they used less power. The problems occured when you switched the power off. The momentum of the pigeons swinging around drove the gearboxes in reverse, and because they were not of the highest quality and geared up so much they tended to bust after a while. The manufacturers have taken this into account with the newer models. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted July 9, 2003 Report Share Posted July 9, 2003 Where did Deakos post,( in which he said he didn,t know where their rotary devices came from), disappear to ? Have we got terrorists on the Forum ? :ph34r: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deako Posted July 9, 2003 Report Share Posted July 9, 2003 Lazza moderated me! (advertising rules, fair enough...) The new rotor-coys dont have a gearbox, and are not made by 'Merlin' :blink: Best to just leave it at that, but if you need more info Johnny, just mail me. Glad you like the machine though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnny Posted July 12, 2003 Report Share Posted July 12, 2003 sean I brought the rota coy from flightline in the buy sell or swap bit. I take both magnets as the rotacoy is no bother to carry and put up what I feel like at the time. some days they don't like the flapper and will come to the rota coy . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sean johnston Posted July 12, 2003 Report Share Posted July 12, 2003 Hello johnny.I was interested in the rota coy flightline was selling,but he said the motor was knackered so i didn't bother.Have you managed to fix it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnny Posted July 13, 2003 Report Share Posted July 13, 2003 sean yes one of the wires had come off soldered it back on and now works fine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjimmer Posted August 4, 2003 Report Share Posted August 4, 2003 At the Game fair, there were a lot of rotors to look at. Lots of prices, lots of packages. Deako's looked the most attractive, but there was a lot of price competition. Unless you found out what every package contained, it was a difficult job to compare prices. Some included batteries, some didn't. Some included decoys, some didn't. Some were several hundred pounds, but the lowest price I saw was £65.00. Some looked little crude, others, like Deako's were well turned out. Some were in matt finish, some were shiny, Deako's were flocked. It is the first time I had ever seen the things, I've wasted so many years working. The models with a motor and gearbox would appear to need more power than the ones with the rotor fitted to a vertically mounted motor, like Deako's and Pinewood's, and they appeared to need a degree of weatherproofing. On design, if a one-way freewheel arrangement could be made, and some sort of cone incorporated underneath each decoy then it might be possible for the rotor to turn on it's own in a slight wind, or at least draw less power from the battery. It would also reduce any strain on the gearbox (where fitted) when the thing was switched off. This might have already been concidered, of course. I ended up buying a pair of Deako's flying decoys which I shall mount on some home-made bouncers. A rotor next year, perhaps. I think it makes more sense to work the overtime to buy something that someone else can make more efficiently, than to take the hours needed to design and make one yourself. If I had a small welder, I might think differently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted August 5, 2003 Report Share Posted August 5, 2003 Getting rid of my 'wiper' rotor and buying my Pinewood Advantage was one of my better moves with regards to weight and bulk. I've had it for about a 18 months or so and it works very well. I actually collected it from Pinewood as they are based close to me. I had reservations about the single spike so they gave me the tripod fittings too. I have used the tripod several times were the soil hasn't been firm enough. Going out tonight after work so I will be able to try Deako's flying pigeons on it. Regarding deeks on rotors, is it best to use the deeks until you shoot the real thing then swap them over or just keep the deeks going? The flying deeks that I bought from Deako look pretty good and I reckon they could stay on all day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deako Posted August 5, 2003 Report Share Posted August 5, 2003 Tony, I can guarantee they will work BETTER than dead birds!...they won't keep falling off and you won't have to put up with the feathers looking scruffy, etc, and they don't stink!! Let us know how you get on, but remember the rotor is best used over a standing crop, you only need the deeks for stubbles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted August 5, 2003 Report Share Posted August 5, 2003 Hi Deako, There you go, I have learned something new. I always use the rotor even on stubble to pull birds into the decoys that may be off the flight line or casual passers by. I only tend to pull the rotor in if I think birds are 'spooking'. Is there any reason for not using the rotor over stubble or is this just your experience? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deako Posted August 5, 2003 Report Share Posted August 5, 2003 Probably just me mate, I find that if the birds can see the deeks clearly enough, then the rotor isn't needed...take it out though, 'cos I'm bound to be wrong! Have a good shoot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pigeon Pieman Posted August 5, 2003 Report Share Posted August 5, 2003 I can guarantee they will work BETTER than dead birds!...they won't keep falling off and you won't have to put up with the feathers looking scruffy, etc, and they don't stink!! Ere Deako, if the deeks don't stink, what was that smell in your tent?!?! :*) :*) Did YP leave a 'gift' of some sort? :wacko: B) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deako Posted August 5, 2003 Report Share Posted August 5, 2003 LOL@PP... We apologise to all our customers for the smell. Lazza has been told to bring more than one pair of socks to the next Game Fair. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Sniper Posted August 6, 2003 Report Share Posted August 6, 2003 Deako, B) But what are you going to do to remedy Mark1!'s snoring ? Can you get sound moderators for mouths ? :wacko: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted August 6, 2003 Report Share Posted August 6, 2003 Tried Deako's flying deeks yesterday and they looked pretty good. I don't think I will be using dead birds on the rotor again. I did find a bit of a problem with them. B) My pinewood rotor arms set the birds at about 20 degrees to the horizontal. This gives the impression of a bird with set wings. There was a bit of a wind last night, nothing too bad but the rotor was all over the place. The birds were bouncing about so much it worked the ground spike loose even with the tripod attachment. This has never been a problem before with dead birds. The deeks must present more of a solid wing to the wind. All I need to do is make a new rotor arm 'prong' with a bend in it so the deek is more horizontal/aerodynamic. Other than that it was a very pleasant evening. Shame I shot ****** all. Four woodies for two hours in the field. Despite recces showing loads of birds and good flight lines over a recently cut wheat field, a neighbouring farmer who doesn't allow pigeon shooting cut a field yesterday morning and the little ******* found it straight away. Oh well. By the way, tried deeks only without a rotor with no interest from woodies. Put the rotor out and accounted for the four I shot. Must have pulled a few strays in. Maybe if I was on a good fligh line the deeks alone would have done the job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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