1/10 Crackerbox brushless build

[j.m.]

You have radios, I have an extra hull...... hmmm.......

If only there was some way to work that out.......

Brian

DEAL.

One radio, one hull. Two radios, hull with shaft and stuffing tube. Installation is not necessary, I know how to do that. (SORRY I still haven't looked. But I am going to first thing tomorrow... Now I have incentive)


I have a spare brushed system I could put in there.

Jon

[befu]

I was thinking about doing a similar project in the neighborhood I live in and getting the kids to meet up at the clubhouse twice a week to build something.. probably not powered though... something they can wind race or just put a small brushed motor to a couple duracells or somethign and let it go across the pond (about 40 yrds that one is) next to the club house... I dunno, still too many thoughts before I approach the event coordinator about it......

-Scott

i remeber years back about hearing of a competition to see who can get a boat across a pond the quickest. Basic rules were no RC or control electronics, electric motors only, stuff like that. A simple vacuum formed v hull about 20" long would work great. A cheap brushed motor, on off switch, plastic prop, solid shaft drive, couple of batteries and a rudder.

As long as everybody is close in equipment, it can be competitive and fun.

Go for it!

[tiqueman]

Brian, PM me your address.... nothin fancy, but they work and if the boys can use them, they are yours...

[wizard122]

My MRP Cracker Box

Wow I still have my MRP cracker box boat runs on 6 cell and roar brushed motor X431 prop not the fastest thing but fun to drive here are some photos. What rudder are you going to use I would use an Octra my friend had a wood home built boot that work very well with that set up he also had to add a skag to the bottom near the COG to get it to turn good also some trim tabs to help tune it better good luck can't wait to see finished boats

[befu]

hardware

Well, this project is centered around two principles. Do it as cheap as possible to get kids involved and to teach the boys how to make things. The cost of a RTR boat with a battery or two, radio and battery charger has to be well under $100! About $80 to $90 max.

So we are building our own rudders. I took an old bracket from a plastic rudder, might have been dpi or mrp, and it is set up to cast in RTV wednesday (my old rtv setup and got hard, so I am waiting for my next order to come in) Hopefully Thursday we will do urethane resin casting on the brackets.

We will then make the rudders. Thinking about a cast bracket with the rudder arm incorporated into it, a break away aluminum rudder blade.

Trim tabs will be simple bent aluminum sheet, two bolts each on the back. The skeg will be the same. Piece of thin aluminum through the bottom of the hull.

Should be nice boats. I want them to be slower than the ones I see racing as they are leaning to drive and I want them racing, not retrieving flipped boats. We can always speed them up later.

Help request section:
Wizard, could you post a couple of more pics on how your rudder works, it looks like it is a break away design, correct?

Tiqueman, I will definately take those radios, PM sent. Thank you.
If you decide to do a project with the boats, let me know. I can come up with a simple vee hull, glue the two parts together and they would have a blast! I will send a PM.

After this boat project, I am hoping to get the dads into a 1/16 hydro class! Set up similar with a cheap outrunner, 2s or 3s lipo, build what you want, limit the power train to a single motor and a scale solid shaft and scale rudder, small scale turn fin!

Brian

[wizard122]

Rudder pics

here you go hope this helps.

[peells]

Looks like fun for the scouts, keep them intrested

[tiqueman]

Brian, radios have been sent... Enjoy! Also threw in a Servo Check PM for tracking.

[Xfactor]

I have a similar task. My sister does work with foster kids and wanted me to teach a tech class to the kids. So boats is what we decided. Look at theese they just came in the mail today. Iwas worried about the quality. I recieved them today and to my surprise the were pretty nice fo 14.99 each. The only delima All the radios are on the same frequency I think. Im hoping ill be able to get away with installing diferent cystal sets in each boat. Im gonna try one and see. Ill figure something out. For mods we'll paint,step up the prop to some octura plastic ones or the other ones ose sells, change the cowls,and have fun.

[befu]

nice

xfactor, those look pretty nice. not bad for $15! i love the through bolted hardware. No need to through bolt it through stringers, just go to the hull!

For a lot of these kids, this will be great. We have been foster parents for over 5 years now, seen a lot in that time. i have learned a lot in that time Been a heck of a journey.

Thanks tiq, will get a package out to you also.

Brian

boat update:
Got the 2nd coat of epoxy on the speed controls, so they are now done and cured. Waiting for the connectors so I can do the solder work. I think tomorrow I will work on the trim tabs, center skeg and rudders some. Lots to do. Oh, I will also try vacuum forming the hatch covers tomorrow, ready to try the next plug.

Brian

[befu]

progress

OK, had a meeting the other night with the boys. One is bored already, but the dad's are interested now. How interested would the average 8 year old be in a demonstration on resin casting with RTV molds?

So we epoxied in the motor mount assembly and the servo assembly. Also got the trim tabs on. That and flashlight tag and running around. Boys that is, not the dad's.

I have decided to make our own kick up rudders. I took a bracket from a fixed one and cast it in rtv, then made new ones. Original is black, new are white. The aluminum pieces in the back are going to be the plug for the rudder mount. It will pivot on bolts in the transom bracket, the rudder will be 0.06" aluminum secured with one bolt so it will pivot if it hits something. I will post more pics when I get the next piece done.

also started to form the hatch covers and found a problem. when I form them, I get a nasty web between thier helmets. don't think I can prevent it, so I am going to glue them on the inside, fill it with 2 part foam and then trim the web out. Should look just fine.

tiqueman, got the radios, thank you. will have to get your stuff boxed up and shipped out. Don't be waiting for the UPS man just yet!

pics will be posted below, won't let me post them right now.

[befu]

pics

here are pics for last post

[tiqueman]

tiqueman, got the radios, thank you. will have to get your stuff boxed up and shipped out. Don't be waiting for the UPS man just yet!

Glad you got em! Enjoy!

Brian, no sweat. Take your time. I actually found a deal on a full set of SV hrdwr for it, for 35 shipped. Hopefully that will work out nicely on it. I recommend shipping it USPS.. its A LOT cheaper and just as fast if not faster than UPS. As long as the box is under, I think its 108" total dims added together, it goes standard shipping. I shipped a 32" Nitro boat w/ the outboard motor on it and electronics on a heavy wood stand in a 15x20x40 box for $17.00 to TX.... UPS wanted $85.00

[befu]

rudder

To control cost and minimize damage, I decided to make the rudders. Three parts: Transom bracket, pivot mount and the aluminum rudder blade that will kick up.

The transom mount is a simple casting. Drill four holes in it, two for mounting it to transom and two for the 3mm pivot screws

The rudder pivot mount is cast with a piece of aluminum in it to form the slot. The aluminum is then pulled out which leaves the slot for the rudder blade to slip into. This piece also has the rudder linkage horn molded on it. Need to drill a hole for the clevis and drill a hole down the middle of the bracket, then tap each end 3mm for the pivot bolts.

The rudder is .060 aluminum. It is slid into place and then the whole assembly is through drilled with a 1/8" drill bit. One 3mm bolt tightened down holds the rudder in place. If you hit something, it will allow the blade to kick back, but you will still have steering, just less of it.

they do need to be sanded up a bit, but I think it will work well. cost, pennies each. Just time and more time - but it was fun and a neat way to show others one solution to a problem.

Now to assemble one and get a boat running to test.

Brian

[tiqueman]

That looks great Brian!