My Micro Hydro

[RandyatBBY]

no worries, I'm a slow worker as well.

Anyone got any comments on that motor?

It looks like a good choice with Lipo. I think I want to try one, but I have way too much to do.

[Dr. Jet]

The hard part is getting the top of the frames to fit. maybe Dr Jett has a trick up his sleeve on how to do that.

Jim, et. al.,

Here’s how I made the outline for the MTH framework: Using card stock, I made ½ templates; one for the top and one for the bottom. It was mostly trial-and-error cutting, taping, splicing, and fitting. Once I had the proper outline for the top of the frame and the bottom, I lightly “tack”-taped them to the hull pieces and assembled the top to the bottom. Then, through the hatch opening, I taped the two half-templates together with the hull halves joined. Voilá, you now have a perfect-sized template! Then use this template to cut out your reinforcement pieces. This works for the stringers as well as the bulkheads.

[Sneasle]

@ Jim

Well, Doc did such a good job cutting the lightening hole that we can't really do much modification to those frames. I might just use them as a template to start from, the only problem being I can't get the same type of lite ply used for those frames locally. I'll either have to use a stiffer ply, or go to balsa, so I'm not sure what to do since I want these boats to be as equal as possible.

@Randy

Good to know. I'll get a set on the way.

Can anyone give me some input on what size range props I can expect to use and how much current I expect to draw? I can mentally size my power systems for my planes pretty easily.. boats are another matter and I have no idea how big of an ESC I'm going to need.

[Dr. Jet]

Can anyone give me some input on what size range props I can expect to use and how much current I expect to draw?

My hulls are drawing somewhere around 10~12 amps with a 29 mm Graupner prop and the 3000 Kv motor.

[Sneasle]

hmm. ok, I will go with the 30amp super simple from HC then. I've used them in planes and had good results.

Think the 2700kv will give me any difficulties?

[Dr. Jet]

Think the 2700kv will give me any difficulties?

No. You may even consider going 3S with a 2700 Kv motor and a small prop like an X427 for starters.

[Sneasle]

Sounds like a plan.

[RandyatBBY]

When making the templates use Medical Paper tape to hild the 1/2 together it will pull off with out ripping the card stock apart.

[Sneasle]

I guess I know what I am doing tonight!

Where did I put those notecards...

[JimClark]

I ordered a bunch of wood from national balsa last night. I could call them and see if they would add some more 1/8 lite ply for you then send it to you if you want. The $25.00 min order is what kills you

[Sneasle]

I ordered a bunch of wood from national balsa last night. I could call them and see if they would add some more 1/8 lite ply for you then send it to you if you want. The $25.00 min order is what kills you

Thanks, I appreciate it.

Doc, what kind of ply are the MH frames cut from?

[JimClark]

Doc and Randy just how much framing does on of these little babies actually need? I plan on filling the sponson's with foam and adding fiberglass to the inside of the tunnel area. What about supporting the deck?

Jim

[J Solinger]

I wonder if strategicly glueing some carbon fiber strips in the top and bottom would stiffen it up enough to forgo the wood frames?

[Sneasle]

Whoa.. this was a long evening.

After some severe mutilation of a nice stack of note cards, I have some frame templates made and transferred over to balsa.

The frames are pretty rough and were very hard to cut to fit this hull. The deck of this hull is not flat like the MTH, which made this very hard for me to do. Also, the angled indent in the bottom of the back of the hull near the transom causes my stringer to angle in. The angles of the top deck and the inside angle of the sponsons causes my stringer to tilt at an angle, even more so when you squeeze the deck on tight.

I'm sure there is a better way to do this, but I'm not sure how.

Jim, what I can offer to you is to make another copy of the front bulkhead, one stringer, and the transom piece and either make a copy/trace and mail it to you, or I can cut one of those out of balsa and mail you that. That will save some time on your end. If you want the templates, you can cut some balsa forms from that and refine the fit on your hull and then transfer that over to ply. If you want the balsa, you can directly fit them to your hull and then make some ply templates.

It would probably be a good idea to add a crossbrace in the front like in the Doc's frame, but I haven't done that yet.

I also checked my ply inventory and I don't have anything suitable to cut a set of frames from, nor does my LHS when I called them.

So.. whatcha think Jim,Randy,Joe,Doc?

[Sneasle]

More images