10 float paddlewheel

[Dai Powell]

Hi there all,
I am reading posts regarding laser cut paddlewheel
frames I just thought I would post a sketch I did when contemplating
a paddlewheel for one of my boats, I considered the fact that the
boat doesn't spend all its time in the water, and was only 3ft long
therefore I considered that a wheel made of good quality plywood
once painted would be quite satisfactory, this was easy to cut out
(4 at a time held together with staples temporarily) using a scroll
saw, and cost almost nothing as it came out of off-cuts, it seemed
to work out well for me perhaps it may be of some use to others, I
have posted the sketch in the files as 10 float paddle.........Dai
Powell

[Paulrjordan]

I was just on the point of writing my thoughts on model paddlewheels
when my friend and VMSS colleague, Dai (Powell) pretty well said what
I was thinking.

I adore feathering wheels and only wish my engineering skills (and
time)were sufficient to make them. However, there is a solution
which I'm going to suggest. You don't need to hold up model
production waiting to figure out and construct those ultimate
feathering wheels. You can do what Dai suggests (and what I've done
with great success) and that's to build interim simple radial wheels.

There has been some debate over whether or not model feathering
wheels in fact reproduce the efficiency of their full-size
counterparts. I have spoken to a number of modelers who, although
they've built feathering wheels, believe that radial wheels work just
as well on models under 48". I fully expect "Waverley Mike" to raise
an eyebrow at this and certainly on 14" wheels driving a 13' model,
feathering wheels might well replicate the efficiency of the
prototype.

I have made simple wheels from various materials including casting
resin, styrene and plywood and they do not compromize the model
visually..until of course it's out of the water. So here's a
suggestion...While you're building your next set of beautiful
feathering wheels, stick on a couple of simple radial wheels merely
to get the paddler on the water and running and to iron out any
performance bugs before you build your ultimate wheels. For instance,
you might well find the need increase thrust by "oversizing" the
blades or make some other performance related mod. Much easier to
make these changes on simple radial wheels than a beautiful finished
feathering wheel. I regard these radial wheels as "test
wheels"..which, in my case, have worked so well, I've never taken
them off the model..and at a fraction of the cost and time for
producing feathering ones. !

Regards

PJ
Victoria, BC. Canada