Hobby store recommendation Portland OR, Salem OR

Anyone have a hobby store they can recommend in the Portland, Oregon, or Salem, Oregon area? I've been to several, and haven't really found one I like. There used to be a big one at Jantzen Beach, but they seem to have gone out of business. There are several hole in the wall stores, but nothing that really impressed me with prices or availability of stuff. I'm mostly interested in building balsa aircraft - control line, 1/2A, and I'm starting on a .35 powered Nobler project real soon. And when did fuel start costing $25-30 a gallon? Is that really the going price these days? Can we get the raw materials and mix it ourselves?

Reply to
Zootal
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Check out Coyote Hobbies in Oregon City, Tammie's in Beaverton, and R/C Modeler Northwest in Hillsboro. There aren't any big hobby shops in Portland proper except Aero Hobbies way out in NE Portland, near Gresham, but they're almost all cars nowadays, and they're EXPENSIVE!!

There's a very active control line club in Salem. Check the AMA District XI listing in MA for their meets in the competition directory. Mike Hazel is the man to contact, I think.

Geoff

Zootal wrote:

Reply to
Geoff Sanders

I was at Aero Hobbies a few days ago. I would hardly call that big - it was more a hole in the wall with a lot of empty slots on the walls. Is this the store on Glisan and 182nd or so? Hillsboro is the wrong way for me, but I'll check Coyote Hobbies as I go through Oregon City several times a week. And I did find the CL club in Salem - I'll be sure to talk to them, a I live about a half hour south of them. Tnx :)

Reply to
Ook

Geoff Sanders wrote: (top posting fixed)

I stopped going to Aero Hobbies shortly after Leon retired -- it just wasn't the same place any more.

Tammie's and Coyote are both good, although Tammie's has more floor space. Russ (of Coyote) is very astute, and he's usually there. If anything Coyote has a better selection of balsa, although I'm not sure if there'd be enough there for a whole plane.

Dunno about the place in Hillsboro -- I rarely get out that way.

Reply to
Tim Wescott

He used to have a good shop on SE Division, and another in the old Tanasbourne Mall, but that's long ago history, alas...

The place in Hillsboro has twice the wood of the others combined! It's definately a builder's store.

Reply to
Geoff Sanders

I've been in the SE Division shop, at least whatever shop was there in 1983 or so. I used to live on Powell and 166th, and that store was just around the corner. And that was indeed a long long time ago - I used to fly in the parking lot behind...Albertsons? On Powell just before 182nd or so. I think they are still there.

Gotta check it out. HIllsboro is way out of my way, but the stores I've seen so far were so sad, I'm just about to the point where it's worth a drive out there.

Reply to
Ook

It's actually in far west Beaverton, according to the phone book. It's a bit tricky to find - parallels the main road, in one of those "can't get there from here, gotta start somewhere else" settings. Google map it and call ahead for directions! 503-649-0633. 17140 SW Shaw.

Nobody around here carries control line stuff to any great extent anymore, but they can all order Brodak products.

Good luck!

Reply to
Geoff Sanders

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