785boats
03-18-2014, 02:53 PM
I've been scratch building a 58" model of the Spuyten Duyvil on & off over the last couple of years.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Spuyten_Duyvil_(1864)#History
On the drawings in the above link you will notice that the hull is very shallow above the rudder post. And for construction purposes I had to make that section out of solid balsa block with a ply center piece to get the shape. So there was no way to set up a normal tiller & linkage assembly at the top of the post in the hull.
Enter the flex drive.
I bent a piece of stuffing tube at 90 degrees & made it long enough to reach the main hatch about 18" away. The flex shaft was installed with the stub shaft as the rudder post to which the rudder was attached. In the hull a servo arm was attached to the flex, with a linkage to the servo. As the servo linkage pushes or pulls the arm on the flex, it rotates the flex which in turn moves the rudder left & right.
I just thought this might interest a few of you guys. Everything always has more than one use.
Here's a few pics that might explain it a bit better. The last one is just to show the armour plating made from Litho printing sheets. It's all painted black now.
Cheers.
Paul.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Spuyten_Duyvil_(1864)#History
On the drawings in the above link you will notice that the hull is very shallow above the rudder post. And for construction purposes I had to make that section out of solid balsa block with a ply center piece to get the shape. So there was no way to set up a normal tiller & linkage assembly at the top of the post in the hull.
Enter the flex drive.
I bent a piece of stuffing tube at 90 degrees & made it long enough to reach the main hatch about 18" away. The flex shaft was installed with the stub shaft as the rudder post to which the rudder was attached. In the hull a servo arm was attached to the flex, with a linkage to the servo. As the servo linkage pushes or pulls the arm on the flex, it rotates the flex which in turn moves the rudder left & right.
I just thought this might interest a few of you guys. Everything always has more than one use.
Here's a few pics that might explain it a bit better. The last one is just to show the armour plating made from Litho printing sheets. It's all painted black now.
Cheers.
Paul.