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Author Topic: Building a Rotor Tug?  (Read 3337 times)

Martin (Admin)

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Building a Rotor Tug?
« on: February 02, 2009, 07:27:20 pm »

Via email to Mayhem...

Hi Martin,

 Was wondering if you know of anyone building a Rotor Tug and if
so Id like to get in touch with that person as having a lot of trouble
getting frames/bulkheads to size up. Its been on the building board
for two years now an would like to move forward.
 Also do you know of anyone that makes a kit of this tug over there?
Going to try to use Groupner Z-Drives but not much clearance  the
way they come. Thanks   Darrell


 I'm back in Wisconsin an come back to ice and snow.
Here are two pictures of my RT Magic.
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Umi_Ryuzuki

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Re: Building a Rotor Tug?
« Reply #1 on: February 02, 2009, 09:17:10 pm »

Darrel,

You'll have plenty of clearance once the hull is fiberglassed, and
some of the frames are removed from the hull. 

 ok2

Also, Have a look at "Poll's" Carrousel Tug refit. It is essentially a Rotor tug drive set up.  O0

http://www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=14757.0;topicseen
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dms toucan

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Re: Building a Rotor Tug?
« Reply #2 on: February 02, 2009, 11:30:35 pm »

Hi
Were did you get the frame drawings from I have written to the owners of RT Magic but all they send you is photo's of the Tug
Regards 
Martin
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col426

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Re: Building a Rotor Tug?
« Reply #3 on: February 11, 2009, 01:05:56 am »

Hello Darrell,
I'm having a go at a Rotor Tug also (among many other projects - both modeling and around the house, so it could take a while...), I'm at about the same stage as you, and I agree that the frames are painful to line up.  I'm trying to build RT Zoe, one of the newer rotor tugs, and its hull form is slightly different from the earlier tugs, but I've only got the hull lines from the first series of rotor tugs, which makes it doubly frustrating!  I'm building mine in 1:32 scale, and if/when I get started on laying the boards on the frames, I'll post a picture of that to see if it helps you.

dms toucan,
You should think yourself privileged that you got a response at all, I emailed them for the frame lines for RT Zoe and didn't hear anything!  The frame lines that I do have were shown in a writeup about the first series of rotor tugs (RT Magic, etc).  This was in PDF format, but I was able to copy the picture and turn it into a jpeg, which I've attached.  I've also attached the frames divided into front and rear, with each side duplicated to make full frames to save you the trouble.  The trouble is the image was fairly small, so when you enlarge them to a reasonable size, they get a bit jagged and hard to follow.  If you want a copy of the PDF, PM me and I'll email it to you.

Phillip
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big-geoff

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Re: Building a Rotor Tug?
« Reply #4 on: February 11, 2009, 04:58:55 pm »

I built my Rotor Tug last year, had an outing at the mayhem weekend, rain leaked through the deck hatch and soaked the electrics.

I built my hull using builders blue foam to make the plug, I had a lot of problems getting the frams to line up, it looks like you have been on the same web site I did to get information.

In the end I went by "Geoff's Rule" If it looks right it is!.

The Graupner schottchel drives are very hard on servos, dont use standard servos you will have problems when manouvering, all of a sudden you see your pride and joy go in a different direction from the way you are pointing the controlls, very confusing.

For control I coupled  the front pair of drives in tandem and run the rear drive as the main stearing drive, each motor has its own esc.

It has taken a great deal of time to get used to stearing and I have thought about taking the rear drive off and running as a tractor tug.

I will post some pictures when I finnish work this evening :o I think the forum is so much better than facebook {-)

Big Geoff
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col426

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Re: Building a Rotor Tug?
« Reply #5 on: February 12, 2009, 01:42:34 am »

Thanks for that Geoff.
I've got 3 Hitec HS-645MG ultra torque metal gear servos, running on 6 volts, hopefully they should be enough for the steering!  I'm hoping on building my own drives, but this is still in the planning & gathering materials stage.  As this is the first real hull I will have scratch built, I probably need to make sure I can finish it properly before I go too much further on other details for the tug.  As I get further into the build I'll post more details.

Regards,
Phillip
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big-geoff

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Re: Building a Rotor Tug?
« Reply #6 on: February 12, 2009, 01:25:36 pm »

I have been scratch building my own hulls for more years than I care to remember, my motivation for doing this has been either what I am building is unusual or I am too strapped to purchase a ready made hull.

This particular build was my first venture into GRP, not my last though.

I always encourage modlers to have a go at building your own hull, the satisfaction gained is immesurable. Yes it adds to the build time and the frustration, bleeding fingers, grandchildren learning new words, divorce rate etc. But the feeling you get when someone askes you where did you get the hull from......priceless!

Does that sound smug?  it is not supposed too, it is vindication of your efforts, sweat and tears of frustration, when asked what kit you used.

I have never had a hull build that went perfect first time, fettleing the frames into position, getting the lines to look right takes time, and there always is P38 if you did not notice until it was too late.

I have a large block wood board that I use to build, I mark up the frame positions as on the plans or drawings and  screw to the board support blocks for the frames, the frames are a tight fit between the blocks to hold them in place.

The blocks are made using 2x1 softwood with a rabit milled out just shy of the width of the frame so that they are firmly held but can be moved.

There have been many times Have I had to move the support blocks until I am satisfied the frames are in the correct position.

Once I am satisfied the Keel is offered up, changed, sawn through binned and re built until it fits. The frames are not fixed to the support blocks until the Keel is in place and fixed to the frames.

Fixing is usualy done with wood glue run along the seam of the frame and support block.

I do not release the hull from the building board until I have planked, filled with P38 sanded re filled and left to settle for a week to make sure every thing has cured.

I then take a small saw and carefully cut the frames from the blocks.

I then glass the inside of the hull to add strength and give protection to the timbers.

This method has worked well for me, and I recomend having a go.

Regards

Big Geoff
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big-geoff

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Re: Building a Rotor Tug?
« Reply #7 on: February 12, 2009, 01:30:43 pm »

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