Model Boat Mayhem

Mess Deck: General Section => Chit-Chat => Topic started by: timg on January 02, 2017, 09:28:39 pm

Title: home made bow thruster?
Post by: timg on January 02, 2017, 09:28:39 pm
Hi All


I have seen information on building a bow thruster ideal for tug towing on here ages ago , could someone point me in the right direction please,  tried a search / and looking through the topics , I just can't find it


Thanks in advance


Spud
Title: Re: home made bow thruster?
Post by: Vts99 on January 02, 2017, 09:35:47 pm
Not sure of the actual post but it's pretty simple really


Plastic pipe with a short prop shaft passed through it an angle in order to mount the prop within the pipe then fit a universal joint and motor to external of pipe and all you need is a speed controller to run it


Hope this helps and my explanation makes sense
Title: Re: home made bow thruster?
Post by: timg on January 02, 2017, 10:22:26 pm
Hi Vts99


Thanks for the reply  , it's the finer details I need
It's the type of plastic pipe (push fit or glue fit )drain pipe ,I believe that the glue fit is abs,  also the type of prop , I think I have seen two blade racing props used, and if the position of the prop matters?




Cheers
Spud
Title: Re: home made bow thruster?
Post by: Vts99 on January 02, 2017, 11:51:49 pm
Ah gotcha . I haven't carried it out myself but have saw quite a few done at my club . Most just used standard household waste pipes on the larger models but depends on your model I guess that will set the size . As for the props most use 2 blade plastic props in the event something gets pulled in the tube it's easier to replace . With it being submerged and due to the setup you will not get it dead centre in the pipe unless you have a massive model so majority sit at one side but they do perform a lot better than the standard paddle style thrusters
Title: Re: home made bow thruster?
Post by: Brian60 on January 03, 2017, 07:22:37 am
On a couple of the european model sites I have seen them use brushless motors mounted in the tube with a prop attached directly. Brushless run underwater so all you need do is mount the motor in the tube and a tiny hole for the wires which can be siliconed into place to make it watertight. There is a youtube video of the motors running underwater to prove the concept.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iILvDbLWQU0
Title: Re: home made bow thruster?
Post by: Skimmer Fan on January 03, 2017, 08:32:49 am
Spud
Is this what you where looking for


http://www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,3919.msg38477/topicseen.html#msg38477


Go to post 6.
Title: Re: home made bow thruster?
Post by: meechingman on January 03, 2017, 08:52:34 am
..... in the event something gets pulled in the tube it's easier to replace....
And to help prevent that, consider a grille. This one was made from a scrap of plastic garden mesh used to keep birds off a newly seeded patch of lawn.
Title: Re: home made bow thruster?
Post by: timg on January 03, 2017, 09:05:47 pm
Hi All


Thanks for your replies,


Skimmer fan,  yes that is the post ,I can't believe It was 2007..


Vts99, Brian60, meechingman
I should have said,  the model is an oversized springer tug , no issues with scale appearance,  great idea for the grill and I will check out the one's on  utube  before I make mine.


Spud
Title: Re: home made bow thruster?
Post by: bfgstew on January 04, 2017, 10:49:54 am
I have been held up on my build of the Granit, so to keep myself occupied I have designed my own bowthruster. Based on a 2212 brushless outrunner and a good few years building very large submersible pumps. It is now being printed off and should be with me in a week or so. I will put up a build log when i can. Am also waiting to hear back from Raboesch as i need the props to be 1/8" bore rather than 4mm they provide.
Am hoping this can develop into more then just a bowthruster! Remember the CAT drive on hunt for red october! A new class of drive for springers.......lets see if it is viable first, then maybe pull thd ring pull on a can of old speckled hen to celebrate.
Will keep you posted.
Title: Re: home made bow thruster?
Post by: tugboyben on January 04, 2017, 11:32:04 am
Hi spud
Picture's of the home made bow thruster's i put in my tugs for towing coped from mini steve
I used 43mm pipe prop shaft is 2 3/4 inch's long 35x 2 blade prop work's well
I only use brushless motor's now around the 900kv with 60amp rc car esc


Jason



Title: Re: home made bow thruster?
Post by: timg on January 04, 2017, 02:24:10 pm
That's what I have been looking for and all the info, thanks tugboyben, I have seen that type at Balne moor boat club which works really well (probably miniateve's).


Bfgstew
Look forward to seeing your new design


Hopefully I will post a few pics once built


Spud
Title: Re: home made bow thruster?
Post by: tugboyben on January 04, 2017, 03:03:15 pm
Spud Happy to help
A list of the brushless set i use now
esc [size=78%]https://hobbyking.com/en_us/turnigy-brushless-esc-60a-w-reverse-prog-v2-2.html (https://hobbyking.com/en_us/turnigy-brushless-esc-60a-w-reverse-prog-v2-2.html)[/size]


Program card [size=78%]https://hobbyking.com/en_us/hobbywing-esc-program-card.html (https://hobbyking.com/en_us/hobbywing-esc-program-card.html)[/size]

[size=78%]motor [/size][size=78%]https://hobbyking.com/en_us/turnigy-2217-20turn-860kv-22a-outrunner.html (https://hobbyking.com/en_us/turnigy-2217-20turn-860kv-22a-outrunner.html)[/size]

[size=78%]Jason[/size]
Title: Re: home made bow thruster?
Post by: timg on February 14, 2017, 10:44:40 pm
Hi All
Just a quick update
Prop shaft fitted into the drain pipe ,just need to make a motor mount
I have a couple of motors to try,  I run the springer on  2 x 12v 7 amph  that I use for ballast and power for the drive motor so I would like to run the bow thruster on 12v  . I will test the performance before I install it in the boat
Spud
Title: Re: home made bow thruster?
Post by: timg on March 06, 2017, 11:19:26 pm
Hi All,
I installed the bow thruster last week, before I did I had a test run in the bath to try different motors, the mfa works the best     here's some pics
Hopefully I will try it out at Blane Moor on Sunday


Spud