Model Boat Mayhem
Mess Deck: General Section => Chit-Chat => Topic started by: newboater on August 21, 2011, 02:37:22 pm
-
Good afternoon all. Actually its still morning here in the colonies. Hope you can help me out with my new project. I found this nice wooden model at a tag sale and had to have it. As you can tell from my username I am new to this line of hobbycraft and don't know when to begin. The model is 18 inches stem to stern. Powered by 2 counter-rotating 6v. motors.
There are battery clips to hold 4 D-cells to power the propulsion motors and 1 cell for the running lights. No radio control. Set the rudder angle and launch. Made of wood it does not look like it has ever seen water. I looked it over with a magnifying glass and the only lettering I could find was "10" in pencil on the hull and removable covers suggesting that it was not a one of a kind item. The quality and detail are what caught my eye. The obvious questions are who made it and how old is it. If it is not a rare collectible I was thinking of converting to RC keeping the electric motors. Thanks in advance for your help.
Dana Kennison
(http://s2.postimage.org/173mi6lno/boat.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/173mi6lno/)
-
Looks like a 1950/60s toy.
And, as you say, many of them are very collectible. Which colony are you in? That might help a expert identify the item...
Incidentally, an internal picture, particularly of the motors, would help in dating it...
-
dodgy geezer,
Thanks for the reply. I am in the Boston, Massachusetts area. I updated my profile to reflect my location etc. 50's-60's sounds about right to me. The wiring looks alot like Japanese electronics of the era to me. The "steering wheel" is the on,off switch for the motors, and the "gearshift lever" is the switch for the running lights. Here is the picture of the "engine" bay.
Thanks again, Dana
(http://s2.postimage.org/18joa2t5w/boat2.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/18joa2t5w/)
-
That's a smart little craft. I wouldn't think it would detract from it's rarity to install R/C.
You could be the envy of the lake. :-))
ken
-
does the shaft for the rudder come up inside the hull?
-
I have one in a similar vein...
(http://s4.postimage.org/1kv9ye204/289682_205846706137718_100001371697775_489642_5314245_o.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/1kv9ye204/)
(pic by John Searle)
-
I"m going to have to start getting up early to keep up with you people. ken, yea she is smart looker but what kind. Would you call her a runabout? Mad Mike, as you can see in the photo the steering gear is attached to the transom and pivots tightly. You set it to the size circle you want to run and let her go. Being a clocksmith this does not pose a major problem.
U33, do you know who made your model? Could you point me toward makers of wooden models in general? Thank-you all for your postings. I will be away from the puter most of the day but I will check in later.
Dana
(http://s4.postimage.org/1lup1qmqs/boat4.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/1lup1qmqs/)
-
i was thinking if the shaft for the rudder goes into the hull. you could fit an rc without it being a permanent fix. then if necessary remove it to keep value. what time is it in US is 12.26pm now
-
Mike,
Because the rudder shaft does not pierce the hull my thought was to control the prop drive motors separately and keep the rudder as is and steering straight ahead. That way I would not be making and non reversible changes. Spinning the props at different speeds should turn the boat. If not I can remove the rudder and try that. Can you identify the item on the very tip of the bow? Maybe a line guide or light. Our time zone here in the eastern US is 5 hours behind GMT during daylight savings time and 4 hours behind otherwise. Thanks for your help.
Dana
(http://s3.postimage.org/9t4eg7gk/boat3.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/9t4eg7gk/)
-
i suppose then its better if you steer by prop speed. you can get these for that and they plus into a receiver:
http://www.action-electronics.co.uk/mixers.php dont knowif you would purchase one from the states though
-
Thanks for the info Mike. I checked it out and it looks like it would be perfect. International commerce does not bother me at all. If they will ship it I will buy it. I am starting to get excited about this project.
Dana
-
You can't go wrong with action... great bloke and very helpful
-
Those motors look 1950s Japanese to me - I have never seen square aluminium ones like that before....
-
And if they are that old they'll be very sparky. Fit suppressors or use a 2.4GHz system.
-
Mike,
Can you identify the item on the very tip of the bow? Maybe a line guide or light.
(http://s3.postimage.org/9t4eg7gk/boat3.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/9t4eg7gk/)
Looks like a bonnet ornament from a early '50's car to me.
-
Morning all,
Good advice on the motors but I think I will probably swap them out to preserve them with a couple of newer ones that will be more at home with a modern controller and battery.
Since they were made for a toy and not a model they most likely will not hold up well. I have a friend who is into R/C cars and I'm sure he can set me up with motors and "U" joints.
The bow ornament does look car related. I found this pic of a Japanese toy boat and the fittings look very similar to the ones on my boat so it looks like I have a 50's Japanese toy boat. Cool. Gotta run now thanks all.
Dana
(http://s2.postimage.org/1wy684gmc/boat5.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/1wy684gmc/)
-
Dana, sorry for the delay in replying to you...
I have no idea as to who made my boat...may have been a scratch build, may have been a kit build, I really don't know. I bought it from a friend who bought it off good old ebay, then realised it wasn't what he wanted. All I've done to it so far it to fit 2.4gHz radio, a new esc and a new battery pack...oh, and tidied it up a little bit.
I would like to strip the deck and rub it all down and revarnish it, maybe a job for the winter months.
-
If the existing motors can be got out easily (i.e. without damaging the surroundings) then a pair of 285s should do the job, the shafts might even fit the spring drive collars. Present day motors are likely to be much more efficient than '50s motors, so a smaller external dimension only means that there is more finger room when mounting them. As said before, they were produced in a time when radio interference was not a consideration - some of these motors are resistant to
all but even the most extreme suppression.
If the holder for the D cells can be dug out, the space should accommodate a suitable C cell pack (or a lithium pack), a radio, 2 small ESCs and a mixer.
-
Looks like I could be needing a "real" boat by the week-end with Irene bearing down on us. Projected path is about 50 mi. West of us. Batten down the hatches. Speaking of which there are two good sized hatches on my boat so finger room will not be a problem. One of the motors is already loose on its mountings and they and the battery clips are fastened to the hull with tiny brass woodscrews. I should be able to do the transplant without making any changes that cannot be reversed if and when I want to revert the craft to it's original condition. I assume Action will know about the 285's when the time comes. Looks like a good winter project eh U33.
Dana
(http://s1.postimage.org/2eba0ffus/boat6.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/2eba0ffus/)
-
funky weather that. fortunatly we dont deal with with that kind of weather here just a bit of rain most of the time.
-
This ebay item:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-Battery-Operated-Wooden-Model-Boat-Japanese-/250886663518?pt=UK_Toys_Creative_Educational_RL&hash=item3a6a02ad5e
looks similar to yours, and is confirmed Japanese.
-
When radio controlling her I would change the shaft couplings.
Those couplings are made for ahead only and if you use any decent motors they might start to unwind when going astern.
Bob
-
Just had a very interesting read ,,so you are a clocksmith ,? not many of them on here ? there is a very interesting history on American clockmaking ,how the industry started ,and the involvement of the wall clocks ,how they were made ,just a fasinating history , it was a project in my studies at the Horological /clock classes I attended to gain a pass in the same .a very interesting subject ,and having this under your belt ,helps in model boats .
-
Hi all,
Been away from the fun for awhile cleaning up after the storm last week-end. Not alot of damage but alot of debris to dispose of. Most of the really funky weather went west of us so we were spared a direct hit. Thanks for the link to the ebay item. I'll check it out. I had thought about those shaft couplings and my R/C pal said he can set me up with some nice double "U" joints. Smithies of all types are a dying breed (literally) and I do my best to pass on to others. OK for now.
Dana