I hang my head in shame Sorry for forgetting the request starting this thread. To get back on track: If we have a polypro tube, perhaps a cutout and keel strip will keep it oriented. Kotori's idea of a gas cutoff/blowout when out of water has merit. Perhaps if you get a ball that floats, and when water is removed from a normally flooded chamber, then the release gas could be down and forward, or down and reverse to get the torp to both drop speed and get back in the water. Environmental bailers use this to capture water and other yucky things. The balls are way to big, but a similar material or system could work, and is worth looking into. Mike
here are a few promissing candidates. Right now one of my buddies is playing with using two caps, a pic, and a fet to pusle width modulate one of the caps to the motor so the motor stays at a relatively constant speed as the cap discharges... http://search.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?Detail?name=589-1000-ND http://search.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?Detail?name=587-2015-ND
I was searching for an msds on propel. Here's one, I hope it's not for what you guys are talking about, it seems to me to be a low vapor pressure hydrocarbon... and flamable http://hazard.com/msds/files/bvh/bvhqx.html Mike
Propel is just a brand name, The type of propeling gas I am talking about is the commonly found "canned air" dusters for electronics. They have to meet VOC standards so they should be totally safe. I wouldn't think they would be flammable if they are designed to dust off electronic equipment, because one spark would turn them into flamethrowers... One of the gasses used is difluoroethane, butane was used in the past, but has long since been discontinued because it is flammable.
Okay, After doing more research, some of them are flammable... but at the same time... some of the flammable ones are used as the propellent in asthma inhalers....
Many compressed gases are flammable, including pure oxygen( oxygen is highly flammable), but the CO2 ones might not be. Good luck figuring that out.
I stand corrected, as it is not a fuel, it is an oxidizer. it is however a high energy gas, and supports flames very well as long as there is a fuel. but still, it is dangerous to deal with, as are all compressed gases.
Yeah, tracking down the specifics might be hard... but if in general they are getting the low pressure with a CFC or an organic hydrocarbon... then there might be trouble. I thought it was a possiblility for trouble, so I mentioned it. The good news is that you might be able to track down a friendly one and specify that brand... and keep the propel. Mike
Not sure if linking to another message board is a no-no... But check this out, this guy built launchers for his Russian Alfa sub. Seems to have done a lot of R&D to get reliable torps. He employs resin casting to make the torpedo bodies, which I think is the way to go if we want to crank out a good number of them. http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=339195
Hmmm, my post disappeared. archer, I was going to use an avr but I could go the pic route if your buddy would like to collaborate. -iamscottym
http://www.rcnavalcombat.com/rcnavalcombat/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1762 this thread is getting unwieldly. there are quite a few aspects that need tackling and we may need to end up with a couple of threads on subfeatures.... so I tossed this little schematic in a thread of its own -Greg
Do you people know that 144 scale torpedoes already exist? They are powered by propel gas. They are used bu the Submarine guys, Check out David Marriman's work or visit mike@caswellplating.com Bob Empire State Battle Group KM Tirpitz Km Graf Zeppelin Km Prinz Eugen XXI electricbot Sub
I was looking at the baking soda / vinegar rockets. Could that be adapted to have enough force to penetrate?
improbable without safety implications, but I would encourage you to try and see what results you get.
Actually, they dont exist....I've spoken with Mr. Merriman several times. His Torpes are 1/72nd Scale, not 1/144. He is very unwilling to share any of his secrets with anyone as he doesnt want to be made a laughing stock in case they dont live up to expectations (which is perfectly understandable). Here's his website: Visit this site Propel Gas is what Mr. Merriman uses. It's MUCH more viable as a fuel source for gas torpedoes than CO2 gas. It's most readily available as replacement canisters for the cheap-o airbrushes available at most hobby stores for painting models (and conveniently enough a basic kit comes with a coupler for the bottles and hoses too! Woot! I was able to create a basic gas powered torpedo design that only costs 17 cents each (with no resin casting involved), and seems to work adequately well. Im still Beta-testing the design, but it looks very promising. I had tested out Vinegar/Baking Soda...it's not worth the time. It makes a lot of Fizz but does little else.
I found a guy (on youtube) who made a u boat with fireing torpedoes with electric motors and doors and all that. It istn 1/144 scale and they dont explode, but it is intresting. He shows how he made the torpedoes and stuff and he uses an electric motor for propulsion. They are exremely realistic and go pretty straight, so it might be good to look at that. i think he uses a sprin or compressed air to start them off, then the motor starts up. He might have a magenetic switch on the torpedo tube so that way when they start moveing the motor kicks in. I was thinking for penetration the most viable solution would be either 1. just make the torp to go fast enough to make a dent, as in ram a hole. might have a spiky thing. OR 2. the more realistic solution, to make a small explosion capable of making a hole. another thing to think about it obviously being able to reuse them. If i make any i will make the main body reusable and the warhead disposable. It could have a small float inside that comes out when the warheads explodes, and floats to the surface.
