Transferred this from my build blog. Quick vid of the starting - sound/ smoke /water exhaust sequence (water not plugged in, but can be started a few seconds later than the smoke). Smoke starts first to heat up, then air pump (timer for 5 seconds delay) then water (TX switch,) - could put in another timer to make it fully auto, but enough spaghetti there already. Also handy for future water cooling if the motors need it (fan cooled so probably not needed.) Left stick is held over to start the sequence, then released to turn the smoke and air off.
My Vic Smeed Thornycroft MTB has been sitting in dry dock over the summer, due to holidays but also procrastination due to my fear that when I finally launched her she'd go straight to the bottom...
Anyway, this morning I plucked up courage, took her down to Black Park lake near Slough and chucked her in. She appeared to sit well in the water. I gently engaged the throttle and waved a tearful farewell as she moved off 20 yards or so towards the middle of the lake. I took her round in a wide arc and back to port. I repeated this a couple of times and did some straight runs until the tiller mechanism jammed, fortunately she was within grabbing distance.
I was so relieved and pleased that she worked. She had a good turn of speed (nothing too dramatic) and seemed to steer well, keeping fairly upright.
There appeared to be little if any water ingress. The water cooling system for the ESC didn't work (I suspect kinks in the tube) but it didn't appear to be overheating. I'll attend to that and also the tiller mechanism before I take her out again.
Must be pretty solid Nick, mine weighs 2.8kg with a 3s 3000mAh LiPo. Ply from memory was only about 1.5mm. Nothing wrong with a bit of weight, makes them run a bit more realistically. The originals looked like they were sinking with the weight of the fuel and 4 big heavy Thornycroft v12s in the back.
yes i was a bit taken aback when i weighed her, but to my untrained eye she seemed to sit ok in the water and i didn't really want her skipping over the ripples 😂
Finally got a good day to try the new brushless motor. Boat goes 100% better now (if a bit noisier) 3s 25c 2200mAh liPo got a bit too hot, so probably need to up the C rate to 40 to keep it cooler (maybe install a fan as it's closed under the seat) It's pushing a 6lb boat with a 26mm jet with a 3000kV brushless so it has an excuse to get hot, (only got down to 3.7V/cell after that run, so not too bad). Runs with a more scale look now which is what I wanted. Took a bit of experimenting, but got there in the end. Thermostatic cooling fans for the motor worked well, and within 10 mins the motor was cool. Only used around 2/3 throttle so as not to stress the coupling too much (you can hear it protest a few times, - silicone tube slips slightly making it squeal)- automatic rev limiter😁
Sorry, vid is blurry again ☹️ (original's fine -HD) but something happens when it goes through my movie editor then to YT. Keep procrastinating about getting a better camera (or maybe it's just the editor. - More experimenting, this is getting tedious😐
Hi Ron, haven't spent a huge amount due to the fact that all the electrical bits are very cheap ($1 ea for a voltage reg, $8-12 for a pump, $30 ea for a motor (bought 2 as the first was not fast enough) and jet unit, $15 for the ESC, a few JST plugs and wire, $3 smoke pen, few lengths of silicone tube etc, plus balsa and f/glass, -probably not a lot more than NZ $200. A lot of things you buy of course like resin and paint, usually have to be bought in bigger quantities than you would use on one model, and may be used on other projects, so it's hard to work out an exact cost. I think the hull was the most expensive part, due to the cost of balsa and resin.
Mostly a lot of time, (hate to work out the labour cost on any model at going rates,- probably in the thousands)!
Fitted a new bottom skin fitting for the water pump pickup(air/water/exhaust smoke system) - removing the pickup from the jet, as flow stopped when the jet stopped. Fitted a new transom skin fitting (RH side transom) for the ESC cooler exit, and took the water from the jet pickup for the ESC cooler. Everything seems to work well now, with the ESC water flow increasing with throttle. Now for a test on a decent day, (has to start with the rain and wind now, doesn't it?☹️)
Think I've finally sorted the mixing smoke and water for exhausts problem. Graham has already done his using the same pen / e-cig unit but with some nice electronic controls for the on off system, but not having the electronic abilities I've just gone with a more basic method. Wired up the pen and installed a filler tube (2 tubes are better - one for a breather) these are capped after filling to prevent air getting back from the pump. This system has a water pump, an air pump and the smoke unit, (all adjustable with their own voltage buck) Thanks to Martin for his pen suggestion. I was previously using large capacity elements fitted in various containers for my experiments (truckloads of smoke available) but these pens are great for tight spaces and don't draw much current.
Air, and a small amount of the cooling water are mixed by venturis just short of the exits (the air pushing the smoke and blowing the water clear of the smoke tubes). I've fitted the same system into my ST but am still waiting for the air pump from China (postal system problem there, then Chinese new year holidays with new rules apparently) Get the odd bubble at rest but with the low exhaust you can't have everything.
Latest vid with boat in the tank.
Thanks Peter, took a while to get there, should see the pile of stuff I've collected while doing all this experimenting! Have a smoker for every occasion😁!
JB
A fan powered smoke unit (modified Heng Long) tried in the HSL. Not particularly good but it's output is reasonably scale(ish). As the fan (12v comp snail fan) just blows into the back of the smoke box without any positive connection, a fair bit of smoke escapes into the engine bay. The fan is hooked up to run with the cooling pump and is left on while running after the smoke (on off remote from the rotary switch) is turned off, and blows the residual smoke from the engine bay out the exhausts.
There are also the 2 small air pumps plumbed into the exhaust outlets via venturi pipe inserts, to blow the water out of the exhausts, (just on the waterline) as any water stops the smoke coming out (surface tension holds it in the pipe). Once I find a decent high volume small quiet air pump, I can do away with these and the fan, which should make things a bit better.
I've ordered some small 12v 40W printer elements to try another smoker idea, but they will be a while coming. Smoke will only be on for startup so shouldn't be too much of a problem.
I've almost become water/vaporlogged/glycerogged with all these experiments, and the other night I actually set off the smoke detectors,- house smells like a glycerine factory for hours afterwards,- but my skin's getting really smooth😂😂😂😂
JB
Is there any reason why fourteen posts under the heading 'My Collection' have been placed in this thread with various titles pertaining to Smokers and Smoke Machines. Very confusing and basically removes a number of posts regarding an excellent collection of models that have now been lost in a completely unrelated thread. If there is a legitimate reason for this which I haven't seen, then I apologise.
Noticed that myself Nerys, perhaps he posted it in the smoke thread by mistake, and everyone just followed along? No idea really, - strange things happen occasionally here!
JB
Made a few mods to the cooling system and was hoping for a quiet day for a video ("yeah right") Too busy watching out for an erratic orange torpedo to have much close up fun! Tried out a few full speed turns with no dramas, sticks like glue with no hint of 'roll out', just a bit of cavitation.
JB we have an odd shop here - called the "Crazy" store - you must have similar ones there - full of Chinese stuff and gadgets etc. One of the pool/beach type things they sell are kiddies paddling pools - usually inflatable - which are not much use as a test tank - however better half found one with a semi solid wall - that does the job admirably . Have a good look - sure you could find one too. Save you the hassle - easy to erect and useful when you need it.......... Packs away into a small box.
Actually thought about that Red, not a bad idea but I'd have to buy a pump as these days I'd probably black out trying to blow one up manually. Nice and soft round the edges as well, won't damage the boats. Main problem for me is my entire section is sloping and the only flat area available is a strip of concrete on the drive, or else the deck. I made this one narrow as it doesn't take too much water to float the boat.
JB
Zoom 1 (Interceptor) Mono boat.
Built from a Glassfibre hull, brought on Ebay for £35 the hull is a slim mono racing type with a self-righting side cabin it runs a 1400W 14V 2958 4200KV Brushless Motor and 29-S Water Cooling Jacket with additional air cooling fan.
I did not want to use a flexi drive as high maintenance and prone to failure so the shaft runs via two universal joint one at each end. the propeller is a 38mm copper alloy
The ESC is a 200W and water cooled the twin rudders supply separate water one for the motor and one for the ESC.
The rudder are positioned to reduce prop-walk and are hinged to prevent damage if you hit a object in the water and also for ride adjustment.
Turn fins and trim tabs for ride adjustment were provided by a spares kit for another boat. also foamed and added an inner sealed hatch, a rubber bump strip and safety loop.
It certainly looks like we are having notification problems again, First it was very few getting through and now we get 14 YES that is fourteen of the same.
Built from a kitishack kit 56" it runs on two Hobby King 750kv brushless motors I used brake pipe to make the motor cooling coils two 200a water cooled esc,s, I got the 5mm shafts & 42mm brass props and couplings from SHG models the power is supplied via two 14.8v lipos this is a really powerful boat
I think with two beefy out runners, 42mm props on 14.8 lipos it should be a very powerful boat. However I like big boats properly engineered. Well done. 😀
I built this one about 3 years ago she is built at 1/24th scale 50"long and is a plank on frame hull , scratch built using lime wood planking and 9mm ply for the frames and keel, the rest is birch ply of various thicknesses.
she has a 12volt cooling fan motor driving a 4" prop,and has a 12volt 48amp hour battery ,plus some lead for ballast,with working lights and revolving radar scanner
HI Ralph we have a launchung crane at our club so it is not really a problem with size and weight, most of my big tugs actually weigh less than 30lbs without the battery and ballast, I use 46amp hour gel cell batteries where possiblt and then trim with lead blocks ,the Atlantic Cock has her battery plus 3 x3lb lumps of lead so she goes into the cradle light, then is loaded and launched mechanicaly simples really and no bad backs. George,
Some more pics of hatch detail and a not to good internal pic.
Torpedo tubes help hide hatch line. Another pic of 0.5 m/c guns shows cooling flutes on barrels.
