Classics Hydro progress.

[hydronut]

I have made a bit of headway on the hydro I had won from www.classichydros.com in the Rum Runner build contest. The build is moving right along. I have installed the laser cut frame work, this went very smoothly and the fit was excellent. I added a 1/32 plywood doubler to the front battery area to protect the vacuuformed floor shell from the excess battery heat and vibration. In the rear floor I added a 3/32 plywood doubler to support the stuffing box. I am going to start with a solid straight shaft. I think thay look a bit more scale and I have had good luck with them. If I want to later on it is easy to change over to a wire drive. I plan on running a 700 Off Shore Electrics motor to start on 12 cells, ( they are currently out of stock but expect them any day). I used a Graupner for set up. The stuffing box has been lined up and installed. If any one reading this post has an idea for a starting prop on this set up please let me know. This boat is a new avenue for me so any ideas will be listened to. For the paint and scheme I have pretty much decided on the 1968 U-6 "Miss Madison". I think the paint and mahogany across the deck would look great on this hull. Maybe an opening engine compartment as well. Here are a few photos of the progress.

[eddieh]

Rod you do very nice work, 1 thing I would be a little leary of is the graupner universal joints, raboesch makes one a little better, but in my scale builds I like to use this one from tamiya, it is brass, and very heavy duty,
it will fit the 5 mm shaft on the ss1, and you can solder some tube inside the other to fit the shaft, and the price is more then right
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXGE52&P=7

[hydronut]

Ed it is a Roebesch unit. I use them on all of my 10th scales running 12- 14 cells and Astro 25-5 / 4 's no problems at all. I do however use a little Locktite when I press the brass splined end in to the joint. I like to use the u-joint to absorb any torque twist that may occur under hard accelleration. I always make sure the drive shaft is in line with the motor shaft. And thanks for the ++ comments. Coming from you it is respected. AS YOU DO FANTASTIC WORK. THANKS

[AndyKunz]

For any U-joint you should slip some surgical tubing over the outside.

Andy

[Darin Jordan]

Are you guys using U-Joints with flex cable, or is that a solid shaft??

[hydronut]

It is a 1/8" solid shaft.

[Jay Turner]

If any one reading this post has an idea for a starting prop on this set up please let me know....It is a 1/8" solid shaft.

In that case you'll have to bush the prop end to fit the appropriate props. With the HiPo 700s you will want to use props like the x445, x645, etc, all of which are 3/16" bore props.

Hydro
It looks great! I just got the deck glued on mine and removed the lip on the seam. It looks much better this way. You said that you are using a straight shaft? I'm using a flex cable with homw made hardware.

Nate

[hydronut]

Thank you Jay that is the samething I have to do on my 10th scale.I shim it with a piece tube. I'll try those props.

[hydronut]

Thanks Nate. I had planned to flush the deck as well. Yeah I ran a straight shaft just to see if it will work very well. I can always change to a wire drive if this proves to be problem. my plan for this hydro in kind of three fold. I want to make it look neat but still run well and have an old school look. I wanted the boat to be easy to change in the event I decide to run in a bigger meet or venue. Maybe like the N.J. nationals.We have recently formed a new FE club and are thinking we may want to use this hull as our spec hydro class boat, we have a lot of new interest with folks who have no boat experience so I want to keep it simple but reliable. This way the younger and new guys may get going with out spending a ton of money until they decide that they enjoy it and still have a blast. I can proudly say I have worked my butt off to make this club go, A year ago you could get nothing in town for any kind of boat at all, now the local hobby shop is getting all kinds of requests and is carrying a full line of parts and getting more all the time. So if this build seems a little simple there is a method to my madness. Any suggestion on making this a fun hull for someone new to the sport would greatly help.

[AndyKunz]

A 12-cell 700-powered hydro is an excellent way to boost a club. Hydros are so much easier than monos to get running well that it makes it hard for them to screw up. I hope the club grows!

Andy

[Jay Turner]

Andy is 100% right, the LSH is a great entry-level class, and is a challenge for more experienced racers too. While it may seem counter-intuative, these hydros are easier to set up than monos - as long as the builder follows the advice of more experienced racers. Trying to re-invent the wheel on one of these boats is a recipe for frustration....

.

[Kmot]

Originally Posted by Eddieh

1 thing I would be a little leary of is the graupner universal joints

Sheesh. Now I find out!

What is wrong with the Graupner u-joints? Is my Mini-EV going to blow it apart?



And yes hydronut, you build totally awesome boats!

[hydronut]

Originally Posted by AndyKunz

For any U-joint you should slip some surgical tubing over the outside.

Andy

Andy what does the surgical tubing do ? I would think mostly to keep it clean. Thanks for the input and support.

[AndyKunz]

Clean yes, but also aligned better, and keeping the setscrew from disappearing into the hull. Tom - I had trouble with them having too much play. It caused more wear. The surgical tubing helps everything line up better. After putting it on I haven't had a failure in 4 boats.

Andy

Hydro
Doug and I are in the planing stages of starting a FE club here in Indianapolis. We are starting with LSH. This is the first time I ever buillt a hydro or tride to start a race club. There should be as many boat racing sites as there are RC flying sites. There is so much to do This winter I will build the course buoys. I'm 99% shure we have pond to race at so all is going well here. Keep up the good work I like to read your post.
Nate

[eddieh]

Originally Posted by Kmot

Sheesh. Now I find out!

What is wrong with the Graupner u-joints? Is my Mini-EV going to blow it apart?



And yes hydronut, you build totally awesome boats!

Tom you should be all right but what happens is the yoke gets a bit fatigued, and then it just starts to twist out, if you have really good alignment you should be fine, in our scale club, a lot of them fail, but also a lot are fine, 50/50 the surgical tubing goes over the yoke to keep the ends on the universal, the tamiya unit is about the same as the graupner but a lot to be said for the brass unit.......

[hydronut]

There has been a lot of progress on the hydroplane so far. I have waterproofed all of the wood, installed pink construction foam flotation in several places in to the hull, I have finsihed and installed the strut, added the steering servo and rudder. I then placed the top deck skin on and completely shaved the joint lip around the entire hull. I added small plywood strips on the inside of the deck skin under the inner lip at the cowling base so I could use a screw down system rather then tape to secure the cowling. I have also shaped and installed the tail wing and winshield. The fit of the www.clasichydros.com was excellent and went together very well and was quick to build. I am most likely going to assemble the entire boat and test it before I start to prep for paint and add a little detail to it. I want to make sure the solid shaft works out OK before paint just in case I need to make any changes. Here are a few photos of the progress up to now.

[eddieh]

Rod sweet build...... keep 'er going!!!!!!!!!!

[Kmot]

Where do I find surgical tubing in hobbyist sizes and quantities?

hydronut: I like the strut you fabricted!