gears, transmissions & things

[Carl Farrington]

I have a burning desire to work with gears and things, particularly on a
small scale. Where / what can I do to rapidly realise this ambition?

please look at the following sites to get an idea of the things I mean:
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/gear.htm/printable
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/transmission.htm/printable

Now, I want to be able to put together things like electric-motor started
Glow (Nitro) engines (model engines), using one-way bearings on spur gears
to fire up the nitro engine. I want to take it possibly further by having
the starter motor run as an alternator/generator to re-charge its cells or
power onboard electric radio & servo stuff.

Where can I start? Are there specialist suppliers of (inexpensive) gears &
shafts and things that I can bolt stuff together in, and run something on a
workbench and what not?

What I really want to create is a complete power & transmission system

I have no mechanical background, apart from my r/c helicopter & nitro truck,
and so don't have a workshop, but I do have a suitable workplace (the back
room) etc.

is this totally vague? even remotely possible?

Carl

[Andy Linney]

Carl,
no reason why this would not be possible - the site seemed to be
simple and informative. You may find a few problems along the way but look
at a few of the larger RC nitro trucks with starter systems on board -
weight is your biggest enemy though - remember that an electric motor when
turned creates a current so a baby alternator isn't out of the question it
may present more of a problem in controlling the current to the battery
pack. I'm well interested in what you're doing though so keep me informed.

Andy

[Carl Farrington]

Andy Linney wrote:
> Carl,
> no reason why this would not be possible - the site seemed to
> be simple and informative. You may find a few problems along the way
> but look at a few of the larger RC nitro trucks with starter systems
> on board - weight is your biggest enemy though - remember that an
> electric motor when turned creates a current so a baby alternator
> isn't out of the question it may present more of a problem in
> controlling the current to the battery pack. I'm well interested in
> what you're doing though so keep me informed.
>
> Andy

The platform I have in mind is a boat, so weight is not a problem at all
really, since ballasts are usually required anyway.

[MPA]

On Tue, 17 Jun 2003 10:49:24 +0100, "Carl Farrington"
<carl@000compsup000.net> wrote:

>Andy Linney wrote:
>> Carl,
>> no reason why this would not be possible - the site seemed to
>> be simple and informative. You may find a few problems along the way
>> but look at a few of the larger RC nitro trucks with starter systems
>> on board - weight is your biggest enemy though - remember that an
>> electric motor when turned creates a current so a baby alternator
>> isn't out of the question it may present more of a problem in
>> controlling the current to the battery pack. I'm well interested in
>> what you're doing though so keep me informed.
>>
>> Andy
>
>The platform I have in mind is a boat, so weight is not a problem at all
>really, since ballasts are usually required anyway.
>

Tamiya sell a selection of seperate hobby transmissions that should do
what you want.
Plastic and metal, multi speed g/boxes, angle drives, shaft drives
etc.

[Carl Farrington]

MPA wrote:
> On Tue, 17 Jun 2003 10:49:24 +0100, "Carl Farrington"
> <carl@000compsup000.net> wrote:
>
>> Andy Linney wrote:
>>> Carl,
>>> no reason why this would not be possible - the site seemed
>>> to be simple and informative. You may find a few problems along the
>>> way but look at a few of the larger RC nitro trucks with starter
>>> systems on board - weight is your biggest enemy though - remember
>>> that an electric motor when turned creates a current so a baby
>>> alternator isn't out of the question it may present more of a
>>> problem in controlling the current to the battery pack. I'm well
>>> interested in what you're doing though so keep me informed.
>>>
>>> Andy
>>
>> The platform I have in mind is a boat, so weight is not a problem at
>> all really, since ballasts are usually required anyway.
>>
>
> Tamiya sell a selection of seperate hobby transmissions that should do
> what you want.
> Plastic and metal, multi speed g/boxes, angle drives, shaft drives
> etc.

but doesn't that take all the fun out of it? I will have a look mind.
Graupner make all the drive mechanisms for boats too - but I still want to
make my own underwater 'ducted-fan inside a hollow bottom bit of a boat'
thing.