As high as you can get If you can fit a 1.5" prop on there, do so, that's a single-prop (well, driven prop) ship and it'll respond well to that.
I'll measure and see if I can fit a bigger prop today. SO, you think my improvised stuffing tube should work? Also, aren't stuffing tubes supposed to be filled with grease? Beaver
Almost anything tube-like will work as a stuffing tube. Some of my ships have nice ones from BC or Rob Stalnaker, and some juse have the 5/32" brass tubing that just fits over a 1/8" shaft. All of them held out water and let the shaft do its job Definitely grease the stuffing tube. No question about it.
It might not hold those bushings unless you enclosed the bushings with the epoxy. I have found that things dont care to adhere to oil impregnated things. YMMV
Well, I guess I'll have to experiment and find out. Also, when the stuffing tube is full of grease, it should turn a little harder, right? Beaver
Usually a little. I am of the opinion that it is possible to pack too much grease in. A note on those bronze bushings - every time I've had them, out of the box they've been a bit snug on the propshaft and I've found that running a needle file through them to open them up a touch is a big help on reducing motor loading. Again, this may not be the case for you.
When my bushings came, they fit very nicely on the prop shaft. They weren't too small, and the weren't too big. Maybe I have too much grease in my ST, because it just seems that it turns so hard that it would overheat the motor. Beaver
Grease? I never use grease....just a light oil, I find grease is far too temperature sensitive. Sail on cold water and the grease will thicken, causing all sorts of problems.
You're using the wrong grease then. I use proboat marine grease. It sticks to the shaft(which is what you want, and something oil won't do). It also won't liquify when it gets warm. I don't sail in water i won't swim temp wise, so if you run in arctic waters you will need the appropriate grease
I generally use white lithium grease. It seems to do well in keeping water leak-by at bay. I can still spin the props by hand and they will freewheel a full rotation or two if not hooked up to anything.
Two great suggestions, I'll have to experiment, and see which one works best. Now that I'm getting close to being able to hook up my motor, I was wondering how to hook up the gears to the shaft? Beaver
not sure i understand your question? usually most of the gears we use have a set screw. You just flatten a spot on the shaft and crank the sets crew down on it. I usually throw some loctite on mine too.
Ok, I didn't know they had set screws. I bought some white lithium grease yesterday, and got all the old grease out of the ST. So maybe today I can get the whole thing back together. Will keep you posted, Beaver
Worked on internal layout today. The Duck-Tape is to represent the guns. The motor in the water channel is the pump motor without the pump. And last of all the grease is to represent the Co2 bottle. Beaver
Well, I've decided to go with the white lithium grease for the stuffing tubes, and am quite pleased with the results. Now that I have my stuffing tube built and ready to be installed, what should I do next? I was thinking about working on the prop, and am wondering what is best, a three bladed prop, or a four bladed prop? Beaver
I'm thinking that I'll start with a four bladed prop. I can always make another one later. That is the servo, that runs the poppet valves, that fire the guns. I'm not exactly sure where that should go, so I just stuck it there for the picture. Beaver
Ok, so nothing has happened to Suffren since my last post, and I am wondering what to do next. I was thinking that I need to build a gear box. I know that I could buy one, but like I've said before, I'd rather build than buy. Now about gear boxes, how are they supposed to operate? I mean, how are they supposed to work? Some photos of your gear boxes would help to. Beaver
