Did some drilling and tried to place the shaft in a good position. I don't have the mount inside the ship but wanted to know if I'm in the right direction with this. Need suggestion on what is needed.
Do they fit into the gear boxes like that? Seams like they'd be right on the bottom of the hull. What size prop are you using? 1 3/4" would be my choice. They should be closer to the hull. You can see in the pics how most of the prop wash will flow past the rudder without hitting it. That ship has a funny stern layout. What goof ship yard designed that...
It is a 1 5/8 or 1 3/4 prop. Its from BC. I'll try and lower the shafts at the rudder. The gear boxes sit on the floor and the shafts have to come up about 1/8 inch. Should I cut down the gear box. Maybe I'll lower the props and see whats needed. I'll repost when I change it later. I'm also watching your DVD. Thanks Again Ron
It looks like all you need to do is continue cutting down some more towards the 3rd rib. The stuffing tube is way to high yet, again down worry, you can patch anything extra that you cut out. The props should be 1/8 away from the bottom of the hull, and the center skeg if that helps, then you continue cutting away at the hull till the gearbox aligns up with the proper prop alignment. I thought the 3rd rib was about right. [] You will need to come down close to another inch I would guess, but do it a little at a time.
Brought them down almost hitting keel. To bring them down more I would have to move them out further from the center line the total length of the cut, and because they are dropping too low inside I think the cut has to come down toward the 2nd rib and I might have to fill between the 3rd and 4th rib to get the shaft up inside. This way the props would set in the side hollows next to the rudder. Advise if I should. See pics
Thats looking alot better, what do the GB look like inside now, are they touching the hull, or can you get them on?
Sounds like you need to cut down just a tad more to get the gearboxes on. Also remember you can sand the bottom of the gearboxes to get them to fit, just don't get carried away with it is all.[] Sanding the gearboxes will allow for a flatter drivetrain, which is what you want.
Hi Mike The shaft is too close to the floor only 1/4 inch off the floor and the gearbox holes are 9/16 above the floor. I could cut back more dropping the props and fill in front of the cut to lift the shafts inside. Maybe doing that and cutting the gearboxes down will do it. What do you think?
djranier, mike5334 I put the gearbox on the left side. You can see the prop and shaft have lifted a bit. Maybe I should cut back towards rib 2 and let the shaft and prop drop. Maybe just sand the base on the gearbox. Suggestions!
Yeah, Dave's right, you need to cut more of the hull out towards the stern. Try and get the hub of the prop centered between the top and bottom of the rudder. Ive always resorted to cutting big slots normally about 1/2in X 3 in and work from there. Having a round file that you can use to help shape the fiberglass so the shaft sits on it nicely is a big help too. If the gearboxes are sitting on the hull and the props are to low you can always put them up on blocks if you need to.
The closer you get those props to the hull, the better, as you'll be able to make use of "hull effect", where the water flowing along the hull (where the hull gets narrower) has higher pressure and minimizes cavitation. In ahead thrust, anyway. A big reason that a ship (even a pointy-backed WWI one) normally goes slower astern is that hull effect is working backwards and thus hurting your thrust.
Looks like you want me to keep cutting. Will do, hope I don't over do it but it can be fixed. Dropped the one shaft but didn't cut or sand the gearbox. The gear box is flat on the hull floor. I know I'm driving you guy nut but I'll be done in about a year. Sorry!
That looks much better. I kind of think toeing in the props a bit to center will help it a little more. Make sure when you set them that your rudder can turn and not hit the props, but yet get it as close as you can to the rudder. BTW I would consider maybe going to a geared setup on your rudder. They are more compact and will allow you to get better rudder movement over the arm you have in there now.
As soon as someone tells me how to change to gears for the rudder and what to order I'll do it. If I can get the OK on this I'll glue it up. I haven't sanded the gearbox as yet but don't know if I should. I'm new and trying to hang in there. My wife said I'll hang you in there!
Ok Gears can be bought from Battlers Connection. Or you can actually use Gears from RC cars and such to make it too. Basically one gear will slide over the top of the rudder shaft like you arm does currently and is held in place with a set screw like the gears in the Gearboxes you have. The other gear you set will actually be attached to a servo horn with some small screws and center it up really well. The attach and secure the servo horn to your Servo and position the servo to be mounted with the gears interlocking so the one on the servo will turn the one on the rudder. I use the smaller battlers connection gear on my rudder and the larger one to my servo. You can find the gears for the rudders under the rudder section for Battlers Connection. Keep up the good work. My des Moines is about ready for its first battle and I have spent a good 6 months building her and I am sure I have made some mistakes along the way. But she is my first ship.
Ok Ron thats is looking pretty good. Just check the rudder throw, and the prop rotation, you are looking for 1/8 clearance all around. With the GB on how is it sitting? Is it flat against the hull, with the prop and shaft as shown?
The gearboxes are sitting on the floor and shafts and props are as in pics with 1/16 to 1/8 inch clearance. See pics
