R/C Naval Combat

Everyone agreed with me (including BC) that the Cleveland Hardware kit would work with Swampy's Houston hull. 

Now for the..Rutroh Raggy...

Does anyone know what motors and props does BC use with the Cleveland Hardware kit?  (I am trying to confirm I got a Cleveland Hardware kit after I put it in I am feeling fairly certain it may be a De Moines hardware kit)

Well after getting the stuffing tubes, rudder post all set up in my Houston I am coming to the conclusion (real late in the game) that BC sent me a Des Moines hardware kit.  The props are 1.5 diameter 4 blade 25 pitch which were a pain and a half getting nearly parallel to the waterline.  With the 550's and 2.5:1 gear ratio (14t pinion / 35t drive).  The rudder they sent seemed to be in line w/ the original Indi' plans (scaled down) rudder+skeg so I figured must be okay.  But now, I have just realized that I most likely have the oversized 3 unit rudder of the Des Moines.  Everything is epoxied in right now >.<.  Plus I had to do some liberal grinding of the 550 motor mounts to get them to work with the props.

I can most likely do some major modification of the rudder to get it to work.  Including making a new rudder post.  But, that is the least of my worries.    The Houston will have less drag due to the hull as well as significant weight difference when compared to the Des Moines.  My biggest worries is the 2 550's and 1.5 props I am nightmares of Miss Budweiser of a cruiser.  When looking at some old propulsion posts most people say use 1.0 diam 3 blade props w/ 380s for cruisers.  But that 550's and 1.5's props with the larger Des Moines style cruiser is okay.  Will getting a 12 tooth making it a little under 3:1 slow it down enough with drag props?

If not... The closest together I could get the 1.5"dia props was a little under a quarter of an inch.  If I should use 1.25 or 1.0 diam props I would need to redo my stuffing tubes to bring the props closer together.  So.. I am hoping the 1.5 diam 4 blade props w/ 550 will not be too fast.

Are you planning to use an ESC? If so, depending on your radio, you should be able to use the end point adjustment to get the speed down.  You can also remove some of the pitch from your props to get down in speed.

No, not using a ESC I bought a rce220 board from team delta for control of the motors.  Which is similar to using micro switches.

If it's too fast, here's my ideas...

Gear the motors down, sounds like you are going ahead with that one already,

Bend the pitch on the props, Make them straighter but go easy they break off

giant drag disks

make sure the motors have the metal covers on them, it cuts down the rpm

You could always make up a homemade set of props out of brass, I  have made quite a few lately

Don't worry too much about scale locations, get it running and play.

Posted By Iceman on 29 May 2009 08:18 PM

If it's too fast, here's my ideas...

 

Gear the motors down, sounds like you are going ahead with that one already,

Bend the pitch on the props, Make them straighter but go easy they break off

giant drag disks

make sure the motors have the metal covers on them, it cuts down the rpm

You could always make up a homemade set of props out of brass, I  have made quite a few lately

Don't worry too much about scale locations, get it running and play.

Well I sent an email to BC earlier today mentioning my quandry (telling them that I think they sent me the wrong hardware kit).  Dave Au has allowed me to have a loaner Gloire so getting it running asap is not as important to me as getting it put together right the first time.  The more local guy Mark Roe will take a look at it tomorrow.  I could always do the stuffing tubes again but it may not be pretty taking them out along with the motor mounts.  I am not so much worried about scale locations as much as I am about getting the screws close to the hull and close to each other and as close to the rudder.  With the current location the closest I could get the 1.5" to each other was a little under .25 inches.  If I go 1.25" it would be a half inch gap.

What kind of radio and speed controller are you running if it is a newer digital and ESC you can cut back the throttle %

Posted By HMCS on 29 May 2009 11:19 PM
When I ordered my Cleveland hull from BC I ordered the hardware kit as well, it came with two 550's, the gearboxes(same ratio, 14/35 tooth)and 1.25" 3 blade 25 degree pitch props, that was back in January 08, I built it with the gearboxes but modified the motor mounting plates to accept Speed 300 motors, since then I've taken the gearboxes out and just run direct drive with BC 380 motors. Not sure about the rudder as I asked them to give me the bigger rudder as IRCWCC allows it for cruisers 599' and up.

Oddly Rick said that it comes with 3 bladed 1.5 props.  I took it to Chris Au and he agreed with me that I should redo the tubes and get 1.25 3Blade props.  I sent an email to Rick asking if that is possible.  Yeah I wish I could use the bigger one but in MWC I am not allowed to.

Mine are 1.25" for sure, perhaps they've changed it in the year and 5 monthes since I ordered it.

hi

2 x 550's ? and 1.5 inch props ? wow.

ok my houston has 40 yr old marx monoperms in direct drive on 1.25 (30mm) props  and is on speed

she also has a simple car style waterproof esc and runs on a few li-ion batteries making 7.4 volt about 6 ah 

all that extra power and adding resistance will only cause heat and bad currentdraw.

why dont you try 2 380's or even 540's ? they are smaller and the 540 can be found in 5 pole versions wich are lower rpm and less currentdraw.

i know.. i'm dutch and i have the old junk from europe but hey if it works then why not 

 i tried pasting a pic but it failed, i will put it in my "houston" folder laters

Krijn

OAF

ABDA-Float Command