Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length.

[rathikrishna]

Friends..modeleers..Colleagues..i am posting this simple idea, because , i am getting lots of requests to make a prop shaft and its outer tube in a simple way..answering to all personally is not possible with my slower connection..so here is the simplest idea, is tested for years, and works well, to years, and you need not any high rated stuffs to make this..same idea can be utilized in to any ctaft , any size, and any type..including a boat using an IC engine, as i post it later..

most of us, (modellers), the considered head ache is, to make a prop shaft and its outer tube..some try at lathe with expensive stain less steel, with bearings, and water seals..but will be expensive, and the power of the motor will be consumed a lots as the motor become liable to pull the grabing force of the water seals..and some of us try with solid copper or brass tube, in full length, and struggles to get a smooth free movement all the while..

when we makes a boat or ship model, we have two options..is, one, is the fixation of the propeller, in a straight angle, as we found in Puffer Coasters, and some other, is only for a real scale look..and years of my research and study taught me that it is not nessesary to fix the prop in a straight line, and works well..but yes a very steep angle is not feasible..so, as an alternate, as easy one, we can choose a slightly angled prop shaft for our use..and it works well..
after completion of the hull, place it in water..and mark the water level with a marker pen..take the hull out..and dry it..the marked line is only a basic reference, and not a final line..so, we can consider this line as a basic water level line, and easily can fix the drive shaft assy, just over the water line..so, can avoid any water leaks inside..cool and simple..

[rathikrishna]

making a prop, its shaft and its outer tube from  some expensive materials is not needed..and such options will always keeps us from making models, as we think and consider it all as some thing tough works and expensive..so we can make it all in some easy manner..with all handy things..
the basic need of a prop shaft assy is the driving shaft..we do not need to wander all over for this, anywhere..we can buy some bicycle spokes around us..
so, collect some bicycle spokes in various sizes..its inexpensive but 1000% functional...and if you are in a good mood to spend some more extra money, can buy stain less steel spokes..start from, 2 mm to 4 mm thickness..

collect some empty ball point ball pens as whole as body, refils, and tops..as all it will be useful in model making..i always wander all over to collect these ball pens..

[rathikrishna]

now..start the making..take a 4 mm spoke and make sure the thread is sound..straighten the spoke, if found uneven, with awooden hammer, by placing it over a metal base..

if you are going to use a plastic prop, in scale or not, can thread in the spoke simply in to the hub, by drilling an apropriate hole in the hub..a fast setting epoxy will hold the prop in place..

[rathikrishna]

and if you are going to fix a home made prop, take one nipple, provided with same spoke, and cut it in half, on a vise..

so we can thread in one piece at first on the spoke, then propeller, then the rust of the sliced piece..tight it well with nose pliers..

[rathikrishna]

please keep the squared tip out of prop, as it serves as a nut to tight it in...

now take a ball point pen body, and make sure it is in desired length of your intended craft..

[rathikrishna]

now take a pice of thin walled brass tube, ( a scraped pocket radio antenna tube is ideal)..and slice it to a 2 inch length..can cut to your size, to your craft..

heat the tube on a gas burner, while holding it with a rounded tip nose plier, and force in , one side of the ball point pen body..in a vertical manner..then remove any flashes with a round file..this tube is intended to lubricate the whole drive train assy later..routine..

[rathikrishna]

now take a brass, stain less steel, or copper tube that fits on the drive spoke, and it is not nesessary to be a tight one, and a slight losse is negligiable..

cut it in to two pieces about 18 mm in length..these pieces are intended as bearing bushes..

[rathikrishna]

attach one piece of the sliced piece at one side, mostly on outside, means the tip faces to the out side of the craft..just drop a super glue to hold it in place..

cut the bend part of the spoke,while leaving 2 inches, as this part can be used in other purpose, as air intakes of a scaled war ship, because of its shape..

grind the tip for a smooth tip..and insert the spoke in to the ball point pern body, and attach the second piece of bush as shown..slowly turn the spoke, and check for any jamming..after getting a proper placing, drop a drop of super gule to the next bush, while taking care to avoid, to reach the gule on shaft...
later can be reinforced with fast epoxy glue...glue all joints include the lubricating tube..

[rathikrishna]

now make a hole on your craft and insert a round file through it, while looking for a good angle of prop shaft assy..make sure prop is situated in a good place, and please place the prop just under the hull, to prevent cavitation to a limit..
apply some super glue while holding the tube in position...

make sure the tube is in staright line, and attach it with a foam board, or with aplywood piece, or any..apply epoxy glue and make sure it is firm in place..

[rathikrishna]

drive in a same nipple to the motor shaft..and cross drill a hole at the tip of the nipple..

[rathikrishna]

you can fix this on any motor..MCM, or ECMs...

[rathikrishna]

now..fix it on crafts..with a cross rod..can use a brass rod, or a pin from a super glue..

[rathikrishna]

Friends..see how easy it all..and was using these from 90s..and works well..after installation lubricate the tube assy with oil..if you are using your craft in pools, can use any edible oil..coconut oil is a best bet..can also use ghee, and gingely oil..and if you are using it on out side..use 2T (two stroke engine oil) oil, as it is the best option to lubricate shafts, as it is equpped with synthetic boosters, with anti jamming ability, while with a property of rust prevention..its all inexpensive..but works well..and please add some drops of oil, prior to run, and yes after the run ....

so time to go for crafts..lots of..make it and run it..model making is a meditation..it continues..wroom....wrooomm...yoooy...yoooy...have a lots of crafts..

[barryfoote]

Another ingenious tip. Thanks for that.

[Circlip]

Not up to your normal standards Krishna, - - -  Commercial motors! 

  Regards   Ian.

[rathikrishna]

Circlip..it can be used with any set up,as you can see ..with ECMs..and early mentioned by me.."including a boat using an IC engine, as i post it later.."..cool..