Hello all

[rpringle1028]

I am a new member from toronto Canada.
I am involved in many aspects of modelling - R/C aircraft, control-line aircraft, R/C sailboats, R/C scale ships, model railroading, plastic model aircraft...  (too many hobbies and not enough time - I am a transportation engineer during the day but retirement is not too far off.
Current projects underway in the scale boats area:
1.  Dumas Chris Craft 1930 runabout - hull almost planked
2.  Lobster boat - about 16" LOA - using drive system from a Reef Racer - plans almost complete - will be built balsa strip with glue-soaked silkspan outer layer - plan to take this boat with me on road trips and keep a map of all the waters it has sailed in.
3.  Brede class lifeboat - have finished drawing the lines and plans
4.  N-scale (1/148) model of the DEPV Talisman - want to use this as part of an N-scale railroad layout but also want it to be functional (miniature R/C, using a converted servo for power) - I remember this steamer from my youger days in Scotland - used to vacation at Fairlie where the Talisman was a regular caller - can't remember if I sailed on her but I do remember sailing on the Duchess of Hamilton and the Glen Sannox (yes I know a small size model such as this can be tricky at best)

I have also built a full-size cedar strip Whitehall rowing skiff that is now 32 years old and am drawing plans for a full-size kayak to be built next summer.

Sorry I don't have much to contribute at this point in time as the only paddlewheeler I have built was a rubber-band powered model in by Boy Scout days but I'm hoping to hear from anyone who has converted an aircraft servo to power very-small-scale paddlewheels for my Talsiman.

Regards
Rob Pringle

[derekwarner_decoy]

Hi PD's ...........& welcome Rob  .....clearly your previous building skills will help & put you in good stead for any model vessel build you contemplate

Could I suggest you spend a few [quite a few] hours scanning our online archives........

When you find a build that interests you.....don't hesitate to ask away with questions

One of our world wide group of PD members will be more than happy to help

Derek

[steamboatmodel]

Hi Rob,
Welcome to Paddle ducks. Converting a servo to continuous rotation is not that hard, there are two things that have to be done. First you have disconnect the potentiometer that tells the electronics the position of the output shaft and replace it with resisters that tell them it is centered. The second part is removeing any phisical stops that limits the shaft from turning. Another option is to buy one already converted. There are a couple of places in TO that sell them.
Regards,
Gerald.

[DamienG]

A 6 turn sail servo/winch shouldn't need much work they're fairly hefty in size though and may be too big for your needs  Rob.

In the majority of cheaper servos the output gear only has  teeth on about 270deg of it's diameter you'll have to pick and choose your servos carefully Rob.

Damien.

[rpringle1028]

Thanks for your welcome and your advice.  I had read that you could also leave the potentiometer in place and use it to adjust things so that the servo was not moving when the transmitter stick/trigger was at neutral.  I have also seen the method mentioned by steamboatmodel whereby you replace the potentiometer with a resistor network.  Are both methods ok?

Has anyone actually used the servo gear train or part of it to achieve the right rpms, perhaps in combination with an O-ring/pulley connection to the paddlewheel shaft?  The marine applications I have read about usually involved removing the gears and connecting a propeller drive line to the motor shaft - this was the case for my Deans Marine compact Clyde puffer.

Regards
Rob

[R.Groff]

Hello rpringle 1028
Welcome to the forum you will find plenty of material to read and view the problem I have is finding where to buy the parts needed to build my boat (Maid of the Loch ) as there aren't many boat rc shops left around where I live a fellow Canadian I live in Stoney Creek.
Rick

[rpringle1028]

Hi Rick
I feel your pain re hobby shops.  It seems that those around here carry only what's needed in terms of replacement parts to keep the current crop of RTR boats going.  Other than that, the stock seems to be what's left over from the "old days".  Great Hobbies, Hobby Hobby, Skycraft, Cool Toys for Big Boys all seem to carry bits and pieces but "serious" stuff has to come from offshore.

Regards
Rob

[Sekim]

Hi Rick
Depending on the power you need you may not have to convert a servo.  Hitec do a servo for robotics that rotates continuously through 360 deg with proportional control of the speed in each direction.  I use them for rotating a camera suspended under a kite.  Check out model no.HSR 2645CR.  Worth shopping around on the web as they seem to vary in price.
Two with a mixer would give full forward and reverse control of each paddle wheel if you require it.   Regards. Mike

[rpringle1028]

Thanks for the info Mike

I checked out that servo but unfortunately it's rotational speed is somewhat too slow - 46 rpm at 4.8v and 72 rpm at 7.4v.  I understood that you needed rpm's in the range of 150-300 for a paddlewheel.

rob