Model Boat Mayhem

The Shipyard ( Dry Dock ): Builds & Questions => Working vessels R&D: => Topic started by: polobeer on July 15, 2008, 08:22:15 pm

Title: IMEX plastic merchant ship kits; can they be converted to radio control?
Post by: polobeer on July 15, 2008, 08:22:15 pm
Hello Mayhemers one and all,

This is my first post for many months so a big hello once again! Anyway has anyone had a go at converting the IMEX range of 1:450/1:400 scale plastic merchant ship kits to radio control? If so how did you do it and with what RC equipment? Any assistance gratefully received, especially photos!

Cheers
polobeer  O0
Title: Re: IMEX plastic merchant ship kits; can they be converted to radio control?
Post by: Martin (Admin) on July 15, 2008, 08:57:29 pm

http://www.imex-model.com/models1new.htm (http://www.imex-model.com/models1new.htm)
Title: Re: IMEX plastic merchant ship kits; can they be converted to radio control?
Post by: cos918 on July 15, 2008, 09:03:31 pm
hi there kits most plastic  kits can be converted. I have seen the imex done but not done one my self.
1 look at the kit and see were you can get acess + were you can remove weight.
2 for props shaft use brass tube and rod. some rubber tube will do for a coupling.
3 for motors look at shows you will see good small motors. you want quite high reving motors as the plastic props ant that good.
4 action do some real good and very small esc.
5 for raido you can use a regular reciver if you can get away with it if not it down the micro route.
6 for steering make a over size rudder out of brass sheet. then use brass rod and tube. a micro servo will do.
 these high light areas of work to be done extra to the kit.
What i do is make up the hull if require and put blue tack in all the holes so the hull is water tight. then palace it in the bath. add weight till it comes down to the water line. now weight the hull + weight make note . add up all of the weight of the rest of the kit + hull +motor,battery,runing gear etc. subtract for the fist weight{hull+weight} and this tell you what you have to play with. Note most plastic kits are top heavy so see were you can remove weight up top even a few grams they all add up and improve stabilty.
Once you have her on the water and are starting to add blast weight get them as low as posible even on the out side of the hull . You done want a boat that will roll over to easily.
on a final note  these boat are very low in the water so make sure all acess hatchs are water tight.

john
Title: Re: IMEX plastic merchant ship kits; can they be converted to radio control?
Post by: polobeer on July 15, 2008, 09:31:02 pm
Dear Martin and John,

Many thanks for all your help. Much appreciated.

All the best
Simon  :D
Title: Re: IMEX plastic merchant ship kits; can they be converted to radio control?
Post by: Ghost in the shell on July 15, 2008, 10:45:20 pm



if you really want to get creative, take the motor off a servo and replace with one with a longer shaft, however you want an esc, just wire the motor to where the servo motor was wired into the board.  with no gearbox to worry about, and the centre point tunable, you have a perfectly good light weight speed controller.  I have used a servo modified on my research model to work a winch with upto 4 feet of cable on the drum
Title: Re: IMEX plastic merchant ship kits; can they be converted to radio control?
Post by: polobeer on July 15, 2008, 11:18:46 pm
Dear Ghost in the Shell,

This sounds interesting! Many thanks for the info.

All the best
Simon  ::)
Title: Re: IMEX plastic merchant ship kits; can they be converted to radio control?
Post by: polobeer on July 15, 2008, 11:23:06 pm
Hello fellas!

I forgot to ask; where could I purchase a suitable (near scale) brass propellor and shaft from for these small scale boats?

Cheers again
Simon :-\
Title: Re: IMEX plastic merchant ship kits; can they be converted to radio control?
Post by: cos918 on July 16, 2008, 05:22:32 am
Hello fellas!

I forgot to ask; where could I purchase a suitable (near scale) brass propellor and shaft from for these small scale boats?

Cheers again
Simon :-\


hi there try the plastic ones they might be ok,some are. If not speak to simion at the prop shop and he will bw abel to sort you some out.


john
Title: Re: IMEX plastic merchant ship kits; can they be converted to radio control?
Post by: tigertiger on July 16, 2008, 07:24:58 am
Question to which I don't know the answer.

Will a scale prop be big enough for the job?
Title: Re: IMEX plastic merchant ship kits; can they be converted to radio control?
Post by: polobeer on July 16, 2008, 09:27:58 am
Cheers John!  O0
Title: Re: IMEX plastic merchant ship kits; can they be converted to radio control?
Post by: Ghost in the shell on July 17, 2008, 05:20:03 pm
Question to which I don't know the answer.

Will a scale prop be big enough for the job?

I dont see why not tiger
Title: Re: IMEX plastic merchant ship kits; can they be converted to radio control?
Post by: Ghost in the shell on July 17, 2008, 05:33:47 pm
here's a basic schematic (minus gearset) of a servo.
Title: Re: IMEX plastic merchant ship kits; can they be converted to radio control?
Post by: Martin (Admin) on July 17, 2008, 06:04:10 pm

Modifiying for continuous rotation for use as a winch  - http://www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=5704.0 (http://www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=5704.0)

Continuous rotation - http://www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=8595.0 (http://www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=8595.0)

Modifying Servo for Continuous Rotation  - http://www.acroname.com/robotics/info/ideas/continuous/continuous.html (http://www.acroname.com/robotics/info/ideas/continuous/continuous.html)

Hacking a servo - http://www.seattlerobotics.org/guide/servohack.html (http://www.seattlerobotics.org/guide/servohack.html)