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Author Topic: Cute cheap and cheerful little tug  (Read 4031 times)

KIWINB

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Cute cheap and cheerful little tug
« on: May 23, 2011, 03:59:47 am »

Here is a small (32mm 17mm) cheap ( $2.99 or about one Pound) plastic toy tug I converted to RC. 20mm 3 blade prop in a Kort nozzle, motor from an old battery toothbrush, 6 AA nicads, a homemade ESC and a 9g servo for steering. Motors along at a brisk walking pace, can spin in it's own length in reverse and in 2 lengths forward. Steering in reverse is very precise. I'll use it as a line towing rescue boat for stranded yachts where I sail.
I call it "Little Toot" from the Disney children's story book.





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AlisterL

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Re: Cute cheap and cheerful little tug
« Reply #1 on: May 23, 2011, 04:35:32 am »

Looks good Kevin,

where do you usually sail?
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Alister

KIWINB

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Re: Cute cheap and cheerful little tug
« Reply #2 on: May 23, 2011, 04:55:57 am »

Onepoto domain lake. Tuesday and Thursday with the Ancient Mariners. I travel from Massey, where are you?.
I have a Micro Magic and a Victoria. I also have a 580mm Klimek tug, it's in the working vessels section.
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KIWINB

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Re: Cute cheap and cheerful little tug
« Reply #3 on: May 23, 2011, 05:46:52 am »

Missed the pix of the prop.

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Martin (Admin)

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Re: Cute cheap and cheerful little tug
« Reply #4 on: May 23, 2011, 07:09:08 am »

Excellent!  How cute is that!   :-))

It looks like it's made of the Vinyl type plastic, what glue did you use KIWINB?

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nhp651

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Re: Cute cheap and cheerful little tug
« Reply #5 on: May 23, 2011, 07:53:14 am »

I LOVE IT!!! {-) {-) :-)) :-)) :-))
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over_powered84

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Re: Cute cheap and cheerful little tug
« Reply #6 on: May 23, 2011, 08:50:19 am »

Hi Kiwinb
i'm going to be a small keyboard pest here lol but....please please please tell me a few things like where did you get that little tug, how hard was the conversion and do you have any conversion photos? %%
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KIWINB

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Re: Cute cheap and cheerful little tug
« Reply #7 on: May 23, 2011, 10:22:05 am »

I've been searching for a small plastic tug for some time.  (The boat on the monitor is my KLIMEK).

I found this one on special at $2.99, normal price $9.99:- ( I know, I know, I'm cheap!! :-)) ) in a walmart type shop (clothes, cheap furniture, sports, toys,automotive items), Warehouse in N.Z.,  in the kids toy department. There were larger ones, about 600mm long amongst the beach toys with buckets,spades,moulds etc but too dear.
The one I got is blow moulded from a vinyl type plastic and is reasonably firm but flexible, typical material used for kids toys. Notice an error in the first post, Length is 330mm, beam 170mm.

2 screws held the cabin on, I cut out the top of the raised bit under the cabin to gain access to the interior.  This was the hardest bit to do, along with the cutout for the servo. No slips allowed >>:-(


I glued a piece of 3mm balsa to the inside bottom using standard contact cement, seems to adhere ok.



 A simple box of 3mm balsa (CA'd together) raised the motor to line up with the shaft. The connection is with a spring out of a Bic lighter. Drop of CA on the ends. Ok for the low torque required.


The shaft is a length of 1.5mm brazing rod inside the smallest tube section from an old car aerial. Not a perfect fit but ok for this purpose. The placement of the prop and nozzle is on the TLAR principle
The prop came from a small boat I used to have in the dim dark past, 3 blades 20mm dia, pitch about 0.8 ratio.
The kort nozzle is from a 18mm plastic conduit joiner section. The I/D is about 22mm.
Rudder shaft is a M4 x 40mm brass bolt with a thin nut to clamp through the side of the Kort tube and 2 nuts to clamp the tiller arm at the top of a piece of 4mm I/D brass tube. This tube goes right through the hull . A 9g generic servo I had lying around is enough for the rudder. The push rod is a piece of kebab stick with wire connectors thread wrapped and glued on. I fitted a 4mm x 3mm pine false keel to help with directional stability. I used Araldite for this joint. All other joints were contact cement.



I might even go the whole hog and make a cap and face for it as per the original in the book. Google Little Toot.


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AndrewB

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Re: Cute cheap and cheerful little tug
« Reply #8 on: May 23, 2011, 11:35:00 am »

Nice work  :-))
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AlisterL

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Re: Cute cheap and cheerful little tug
« Reply #9 on: May 24, 2011, 05:35:21 am »

Hi Kevin,

great imagination on your part to see the possibilities in that!

I live in Wattle Downs, in sight of the reserve where the power boat guys run, but I also use that lake on occasion (when it's not too windy!) and I put my Victoria in there.
I'm also a new member of Scale Marine Modellers (www.marinemodellers.org.nz) and sail regularly in the lake down at the Panmure Basin.
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Alister

TugCowboy

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Re: Cute cheap and cheerful little tug
« Reply #10 on: May 25, 2011, 01:44:32 pm »

Love it!

I'm all for the fun side of the hobby and this certainly fits that description. I always keep an eye out for convertible boats in supermarkets and cheap shops. Make such great little projects, as well as "have a go" and rescue boats.

Good on you sir!

Alex
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