Wolfman micros

[Jesse J]

Well I spent some time today getting the fleet of micros ready. I got the Mini-V, the Mini Rio and the MHZ micro fountain out to the pond.

The Mini V really did rock. Stock motor, 20A ESC and Tactic on 3S with X432 prop - Here is vid (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhreGA7YwmY).

The Mini Rio lost a bullet, so no vid.

The Micro fountain was a blast! here is vid. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRTwNg1J-hY)

[befu]

Jesse, those look great man. I love my mini-v's, but yours seems to ride alot better than mine do. would you mind posting some info on the mods you did?

Obviously, you put in your own Rc and servo with a new speed control. Stock motor, but you used a flex drive.

did you use a new drive system or are you using the steerable drive?

what battery are you using and what is the internal layout. Where does the hull balance?

In mine, I was trying to fit a 2s-2200 Lipo in it. I put the combo ESC/rc in the battery tray and fit the battery in the Rc spot all the way back to the transom. It just fit, only needed to trim one ridge of plastic out of the inside part, but it seemed to porpoise badly. I am still running the steerable outdrive, but replaced the u joints with flex cable and put on a X431 plastic red prop.

I tried to make my own trim tabs with turn fins, but it didn't really help any.

any info is appreciated.

brian

[damfurst]

Those look really good Jesse. Waves make alot of difference with these little guys. I'm going to take my mini-c down to the creek and see what she does. Good vids too.

[Jesse J]

Hey Brian, sorry I never got back to you about the radios... I didn't find any that I felt were reliable enough to pass on to a potential FE addict - ya wanna get em hooked first.

I will post pics of the innards and her arse end when the silicone dries (I am trying the silicone on the hatch to see if I can get it to 99% water proof.

Mods:
1) removed straight drive with u-joints but kept the steerable outdrive. Insert .098" flex to 1/8" stub. Shim motor shaft to fit 1/8 - 1/8" coupler. Add Octura prop (I will post the size when I check it again).
2) removed stock esc/radio - add electrifly 25A w/BEC 2-3S lipo - water cooled and water proofed (I went over this process in my micro scratch cat thread (http://forums.offshoreelectrics.com/showthread.php?t=6561&highlight=micro+scratch+cat)).
3) trimmed off the ridges in the tray so battery and rx can be moved around.
3.5) remove stock servo and add futaba micro but high torque servo - shim well so it is firm.
3.75) get a grommet for a drain, I used a proboat one (http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=PRB2239), and make a little piece of plexi glass or some water proof material that will cover the servo rod hole in the transom. Drill the appropriate size hole for the grommet and glue in place. This will reduce the hole and permit a more waterproof servo rod exit. I then took some antenna tubing, the stock servo rod and a bit of small shrink wrap, silicone lubed the rod, added the shrink wrap, heated and slid these into the antenna tube. This fit snugly into the drain plug, leaving only the rod to slide and no watah enter.
4) add turnfin/trimtab combo (the one for the turbovee) (http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXCSZ3&P=Z). Be sure to sharpen fins and flatten tabs.
5) get 1300 mah 3S 20c lipo and place just behind where stock battery was supposed to be.
6) COG was probably 33% - will make a little vid showing the insides, rear and where COG was for the run.
7) my final step (curing at the moment) is to run a bead of clear silicone seal around the hatch groove, take hatch and lube up the base where it will fit into the groove with silicone LUBE and then nestle it down in. When seal cures, you should be able to remove the hatch from a very tight little sealed up groove. The idea is to eliminate the need for hatch tape.
8) I used one of my many tactic receivers that I have waterproofed - this also eliminates the need for antenna wire and another hole in the boat.

One comment, I think I need to trim back the turn fins, it is super stable, but no want to turn at speed, then it spins out once the drive catches. I will run some more batteries through her to see. I am curious to run some stock Mini Rio battery packs through to see how it will do.

............... I think I hit all the questions??

Wes, I am ready for ya!! still need to call your daughter.... I know, slacker!

[befu]

Hey Brian, sorry I never got back to you about the radios... I didn't find any that I felt were reliable enough to pass on to a potential FE addict - ya wanna get em hooked first. That is cool, thank you for the thought and checking.

I will post pics of the innards and her arse end when the silicone dries (I am trying the silicone on the hatch to see if I can get it to 99% water proof.

Mods:
1) removed straight drive with u-joints but kept the steerable outdrive. Insert .098" flex to 1/8" stub. Shim motor shaft to fit 1/8 - 1/8" coupler. Add Octura prop (I will post the size when I check it again).
I did this also, but used the original driveshaft, just bored it out .093 for the short pieces of flex cable. Octurastub shaft in the outdrive. Runs really smooth.

2) removed stock esc/radio - add electrifly 25A w/BEC 2-3S lipo - water cooled and water proofed (I went over this process in my micro scratch cat thread (http://forums.offshoreelectrics.com/showthread.php?t=6561&highlight=micro+scratch+cat)).
Still running stock electronics

3) trimmed off the ridges in the tray so battery and rx can be moved around.
Did this some also to fit the 2s-2200 lipo. I think it is too long and heavy. I got some 2s-900 - 15c lipos from ebay for $9.50 a pair delivered. Two are lighter than the 7.2v-1100 Nicads.

3.5) remove stock servo and add futaba micro but high torque servo - shim well so it is firm.
I am still with stock servo.

3.75) get a grommet for a drain, I used a proboat one (http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=PRB2239), and make a little piece of plexi glass or some water proof material that will cover the servo rod hole in the transom. Drill the appropriate size hole for the grommet and glue in place. This will reduce the hole and permit a more waterproof servo rod exit. I then took some antenna tubing, the stock servo rod and a bit of small shrink wrap, silicone lubed the rod, added the shrink wrap, heated and slid these into the antenna tube. This fit snugly into the drain plug, leaving only the rod to slide and no watah enter.
I sealed this up with silicone. Vaseline on the push rod so it would not be glued but creates a seal. Works well.

4) add turnfin/trimtab combo (the one for the turbovee) (http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXCSZ3&P=Z). Be sure to sharpen fins and flatten tabs.
I tried this also. Mine helped the ride but not the turning. Still need to work on this. Mine are longer than those ones, probably too long!

5) get 1300 mah 3S 20c lipo and place just behind where stock battery was supposed to be.
tried this with the stock ESC, killed it!

6) COG was probably 33% - will make a little vid showing the insides, rear and where COG was for the run.
No idea on this, will have to measure after I get it running well.

7) my final step (curing at the moment) is to run a bead of clear silicone seal around the hatch groove, take hatch and lube up the base where it will fit into the groove with silicone LUBE and then nestle it down in. When seal cures, you should be able to remove the hatch from a very tight little sealed up groove. The idea is to eliminate the need for hatch tape.
I did this last spring and it works great. Trying to run multiple boats, taping them just wouldn't work with the kids.

8) I used one of my many tactic receivers that I have waterproofed - this also eliminates the need for antenna wire and another hole in the boat.

One comment, I think I need to trim back the turn fins, it is super stable, but no want to turn at speed, then it spins out once the drive catches. I will run some more batteries through her to see. I am curious to run some stock Mini Rio battery packs through to see how it will do.

............... I think I hit all the questions??

Wes, I am ready for ya!! still need to call your daughter.... I know, slacker!

pics are attached, tabs are on the left yellow hull mini in the middle of the pile.

Brian

[Jesse J]

I think I killed the mini V motor, but the mini rio really stole the show! Kinda cool vid, has a rescue of the mini V and a harassment case of the mini rio. Spring in Montana, liquid AND solid sunshine.

Here is vid. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjUK4EMYeKQ)

[damfurst]

Too bad about your mini-v. I have a new motor if you want it. Your Mini rio looks really good. Don't know if I have anything that will catch it, but we'll see.

Still going to come down this weekend so we can see how things stack up. Let me know if that works Jesse.

[Jesse J]

thanks Wes, I am pretty happy about the rio... until your gecko passes me by! Ya this weekend should be fine, I should have a set of lil 2S batts for playin. I may be interested in the motor, thanks; not sure if I want to go bl yet - $$$ ya know. Thanks again for the river jet hatch and the DVD, great footage in there! Keep me posted when you are coming. I will at least have mini Rio and mini fountain ready.

[HYDROJERRY]

jesse that little rio was cookin very sweet just got me 3 mini-c's from ebay all are not working ofcorse but hope to play with or sell them soon...