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Author Topic: Bowden Cable Alternative  (Read 3743 times)

6705russell

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Bowden Cable Alternative
« on: July 04, 2016, 03:24:33 pm »

On the last water jet boat I built I used Bowden cables to operate the jets/reverse buckets, on my latest build I would like to use some kind of a waterproof grommet or nipple with a stainless control rod from inside the hull to the jets, is this possible, I have had a quick look on the net but cannot really find anything? Has anyone used anything like this?  Any help appreciated..

Thanks

Russ
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g6swj

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Re: Bowden Cable Alternative
« Reply #1 on: July 04, 2016, 03:42:58 pm »

Hello Russ,

Try Googling - and look at the images - then see if any stock available

Graupner Robbe Rubber Shock Covers

Don't know if any stock still available - maybe eBay

https://www.howesmodels.co.uk/product/Robbe%20Rubber%20Bellow%202%20Pieces%20R1400?add=10677

Perhaps this http://www.ebay.ie/itm/Brushless-Electric-Boat-Waterproof-Push-Rod-Rubber-Seal-Bellow-13mm-x-34mm-/201575810198?hash=item2eeedac496:g:Wt4AAOSwYmZXKDzv
Regards
Jonathan
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6705russell

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Re: Bowden Cable Alternative
« Reply #2 on: July 04, 2016, 04:22:00 pm »

Thanks Jonathan, not quite what I am after, I have used these numerous times on sub builds which are ok under water but I do not want these on the back of my boat, they will look awful (and they are not that good at keeping water out), I was looking for something more engineered, like a brass "thingy" with a rubber seal inside so I could slide a stainless rod in and out and still keep a watertight seal?

Russ
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g6swj

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Re: Bowden Cable Alternative
« Reply #3 on: July 04, 2016, 04:28:18 pm »

Ooops! I must have misunderstood your post - I thought it was odd that you didn't know about the rubber bellows.

I have seen them mounted inside the boat - not sure what effect this has on water ingress.

Be very interested in what you come up with as I have an un-started Moonraker kit which would be benefit from a decent solution.

Regards
Jonathan
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tigertiger

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Re: Bowden Cable Alternative
« Reply #4 on: July 04, 2016, 05:12:27 pm »

Just thinking out of the box.

You could try to modify a small prop shaft, or mix and match from long and short shafts. You already have a steel rod (shaft) 'O', rings, and a sleeve. Or you could shorten the sleeve, and find a suitable diameter rod. Maybe a prop shaft manuf. could help out. Final sealing could be grease.
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TomHugill

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Re: Bowden Cable Alternative
« Reply #5 on: July 04, 2016, 05:19:25 pm »

Thanks Jonathan, not quite what I am after, I have used these numerous times on sub builds which are ok under water but I do not want these on the back of my boat, they will look awful (and they are not that good at keeping water out), I was looking for something more engineered, like a brass "thingy" with a rubber seal inside so I could slide a stainless rod in and out and still keep a watertight seal?

Russ

Thinking out the box you could use bellows on the inside of your boat and then make a scale opening in any way you want. If bellows are air tight on submarines then there's no reason why they would let in water in this application! There might be another option, Ron Perrott uses a rubber gland in a brass housing like you describe on his submarine WTC. You might be able to get some off him for the boat!
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TomHugill

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Re: Bowden Cable Alternative
« Reply #6 on: July 04, 2016, 05:22:03 pm »

Ooops! I must have misunderstood your post - I thought it was odd that you didn't know about the rubber bellows.

I have seen them mounted inside the boat - not sure what effect this has on water ingress.

Be very interested in what you come up with as I have an un-started Moonraker kit which would be benefit from a decent solution.

Regards
Jonathan

Hi Jonathan, on the Moonraker I would replace the combination rod the instructions use with a braided bike brake cable like the robbe jet boats use (on the reversing buckets). For the steering rods the internal bellows work perfectly.
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6705russell

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Re: Bowden Cable Alternative
« Reply #7 on: July 04, 2016, 07:46:16 pm »

Thanks for that chaps, appreciated.


I thought about making some small 2mm propshafts but wondered about the water ingress if they were horizontal, maybe with the bellows on the inside that may work, also the brass sleeve with a rubber insert may look ok, one thing that Tom just touched on was the reverse buckets, will the control rod raise and lower because of the angle the reverse buckets lift up and down? Maybe they need to be cables for the flexibility?
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TomHugill

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Re: Bowden Cable Alternative
« Reply #8 on: July 04, 2016, 08:21:16 pm »

On my challenger I'm sure they were stainless rods with ball joint ends, the pivot point of the bucked is right on top of where the ball joint connects so the rod doesn't need to bend much, this is not the case on the moonraker
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6705russell

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Re: Bowden Cable Alternative
« Reply #9 on: July 04, 2016, 08:34:52 pm »

Ok thanks Tom, yes I suppose the pivot on the ball joint will take up the angle of the rod.
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Brian60

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Re: Bowden Cable Alternative
« Reply #10 on: July 06, 2016, 08:50:08 am »

If you fancy a bit of fiddling to make your own housing in plastic maybe, you can find on ebay rubber O rings down to 2mm internal bore. Two pieces of plastic or brass if you want, mill a hole - ok drill a hole of minimum depth slightly smaller than the outside diameter of the O ring (3.5mm diameter, drill a 3mm hole) Squash the O ring into it and then clamp the two pieces of brass or plastic together.

You now have a 'captured' O ring, because the external housing is slightly smaller it will squash the O ring in towards its hole in the centre ensuring a tight seal around a 2mm push rod.
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