Disney Nautilus Project, 66"

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Well, looks like I have a buyer for my '67 Olds Toronado, so I may be able to order the Nautilus kit sooner than planed. :)

Here's some pics of the electronics package I've been working on for it:
The reduction gears are at front end of motor.
Notice the 'Cool' chrome plated schrader-valve. :)

[Nuke Power]

So its not a rip off and a scam anymore?

[Nuke Power]

HA lets comapre who has been banned more buddy!
As for your valve.. Waste of money :)
Where did that wtc come from. It doesnt have David's look about it. You making your own gear now?

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Yes, I made molds to make the end-caps and servo-rod-seals (with o-rings inside). My wife had the mold rubber, resin and vacuum-chamber already, that she uses to make dolls, so it was fairly easy for me to do.
Making the vent/blow bulkhead will be much more difficult tho. I wonder if I can talk David into selling one of those separate? I may have to design my own, using a couple of my Fancy-Chrome-Valves tho. :) LOL

Here's a pic of an idea that Bob is using to hide power-switch and a magnet, to keep it closed, in bottom-of-keel hatch-cover, that I think I'll copy ( but with a smaller type toggle-switch):

[Nuke Power]

Never seen that type drive system before but, it does look like a modified version of a belt drive I have seen? Did you make it.

Cant believe you are fabbing your own wares. Guess all those repedative and endless questions sunk in finally... I am nearly impressed. Now make your own ballast system and complete your training!

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Never seen that type drive system before but, it does look like a modified version of a belt drive I have seen? Did you make it.

I think you're asking about the Hughey gear-reduction assembly, correct? It's designed and sold by Ed Hughey, for many years, for surface models. They were designed to handle the high torque motors used in race boats but they work great in scale ships, at scale speeds, also.
It has small gear on motor and larger gear on a shaft going thru roller bearings to outside.
I described and put a link to them on eBay, in the 'Targets' forum, this morning.

http://forum.sub-driver.com/showthread.php?p=4784#post4784

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I think I will plan on putting some type of light weight baffle inside the ballast chamber in this model.
I have a problem with water shifting in my Gato when it's about half full of water. Causing a pronunced lean, which don't look correct.
Maybe baffles both fore & aft and side-to-side would help that? Maybe made of plastic-sheet held together by slits cut in them?
I've not had that problem with my T-class tho and I think that's because it's a wider hull with saddle-tank shaped hull.

[Nuke Power]

You could cut plastic sheet circles to fit. drill a hole in the middle and stick them one some all thread with nuts to hold them in place. Make some more holes in them to let water through and your done. just need to mae sure it doenst effect the ballast mechanism.

That redux gear is beefy. You could probably get away with a smaller one that would take up less space but, you already have it so screw it, pull a guy in a small boat if you like... Ive seen it.

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Yes, those are built to last but It's surprising how light weight they are. I've used 8 of them in different type hulls with no problems.
I even built one offshore-oil rig-service boat with 2 of the dual motor units, total of 4 motors. It was very fast for such a large model but they sucked down my big SLA battery in no time, so I disconnected 2 of the motors. The speed-control was running too hot also.
That's another good thing about the dual motor ones, they are so versatile, and can be run with either 1 or 2 motors, but they would be difficult to fit in a sub. I had no trouble with fitting the single motor type, in the 3.5" tube, tho.

[Nuke Power]

what reduction ratio are you ussing. How bout photos of the target?

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I've used different gear ratios, from 1.9 to 2.5.
It depends on the size & weight of the model and the size and pitch of the props, as to which ratios are best, but I'll be trying a 2.4 ratio in the Nautilus. More Guesstimation involved with those selections.
Ed has a very large selection of ratios and they are fairly easy to change, as long as you leave space in front of mount to slide them off shafts. Both gears are attached with set-screws.

I don't presently have pics of oil-rig boat on my computer but I'll try to get some.

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I think I'll do a simple lighted diorama in tower, similar to that in first picture. I have not decided on the exterior color but I really like the Copper color, like used in 2nd pic.
I'll have to see how much space that's left in hull to determine what I'll do in the side windows, but I'll definitely put LED lights around it?
My question now is if I should try to seal the control room and side windows, or just let them fill and drain as the hull does? If I leave them wet I'll only have to seal the LED connections. If I use good paint I don't think lake water will cause a problem, as long as I don't make the holes very big, so trash and dead fish won't go in?

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I received the Aluminum Prop.
It appears to be very durable and light weight.
The mold flash had been cleaned off some but will need more work. (Of course Bob warns about that, so no surprise)
The only minor problem I see is that the inner hub center does not line up exactly with the outer hub details, but that will be okay if I can drill and tap into inner hub without going all the way thru. The outer hub will wobble some when running but will look okay otherwise.
If that don't work I may have to grind off the outer hub knob (second pic) and use an Acorn nut on end of shaft.
I have a prop-balancer jig that I can use to check and correct the balance after it's drilled.
I think I'll make a rubber mold of the prop before drilling it, so if I happen to distroy it I could at least make a resin copy to use.
(The weight is 42 grams, before clean-up and drilling)
See Pics:

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It appears Bob used some type of special brass nut/washer on his aluminum prop? I may ask about that. Maybe that's a machined brass insert?
The problem is that there's not a lot of space between hub and rudder.
See Pic:

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Here's Bob's reply about the prop hub:
(I guess the part of hub that looks like brass, is really not, or his may be all brass and just looks like aluminum in pic, he makes both types)

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"What I did with mine was turn it in my lathe to straighten everything up. I did, however, use all of the original part, and the only thing that I added was the prop shaft itself. For that, I turned a hole right through the entire prop and then rounded the end of the prop shaft. That part is what protrudes slightly from the prop face, forming up that central knob.
I then used a set screw in the rear of the prop hub to secure it in place on the shaft (along with some Loc-Tite!)."
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That would be impossible to hold in place, without damage, on my little lathe, so looks like I'm back to the Acorn-nut & tapped hole approach.