Atomic Zombie Workshop

Welcome to the Atomic Zombie Workshop, source of timers for control line and other model aviation uses.

The Atomic Zombie Workshop is the name that I (Tim Wescott) use for my model-aviation technology related activities. Currently, these activities are working on Tim's Universal Timer (the TUT), and Tim's Teeny Timer (the TTT).

The TUT was primarily designed for use as a timer in control line stunt, but which is currently seeing the most use as a timer for engine sequencing. The TUT was designed for Howard Rush's effort at the 2014 World Control Line Championships, where he took 25th place, but was based on some long-standing thoughts I've had about control line timers, engine speed management, and related issues

The TUT became Tim's Universal Timer after conversations between me, Howard Rush, and Dave Trible, having to do with what a timer for control line stunt should be. Since each of us wanted a markedly different thing, I decided that rather than building a timer that -- like the existing timers on the market -- presents the user with the author's preferred flight profile, I would make a timer whose behavior could be easily modified to work in a number of different ways. This effort succeeded when Fred Cronenwett came along and asked if I could make the TUT sequence four engines for more realism in scale. The answer, thanks to the versitility built into the timer, was "sure!".

There is more information on the TUT here

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Tim's Teeny Timer came about because Larry Renger of the Knights of the Round Circle contacted me with a need.

The KOTRC has a program of introducing young people to control line flying. Lately, this has been done using Larry's ET-1 design, which is a durable control- line trainer built out of Coreplast (lawn sign plastic) and with a radio-controlled throttle. This has worked well for introducing kids to control line, but the club was getting enquiries about an airplane that parents could take home with them.

Larry responded to this by designing a trainer airplane that can be put together very inexpensively, but he needed a simple timer to go with the simple motor in the plane. He asked if it could be done, and I stepped in with Tim's Teeny Timer.

You can learn more about Tim's Teeny Timer here.