Where to get disposable-grade rc boards?

[crunchyfrog]

Dirt-cheap is the only way I can engage in a hobby for now.

I had a dynamic diver going for a while with two 2-channel r/c car boards, the disposable-grade 27 and 49 MHz Wal-Mart type cars. I don't mind staying close to Square One in this hobby because eventually I always Deep Six my sub and I have to start over.

But I'm tired of stripping off the r/c car to get the electronics. Anybody know where I can get the r/c board without the car--a toy r/c board, not hobby-grade ?

I really am resistant to moving up to hobby-grade: If I bought a nice Futaba set, I might have to use actual servos instead of the motors in my stockpile from sacrificed cars. I don't want to risk a $12 servo in the wet when I can pull from spare parts, and only risk a fifty-cent motor. I used those in my last build--liked the performance.

Anybody know where to find disposable-grade r/c car and boat boards -- 2 channel, maybe 3 or 4--that can power motors, rather than servos ?

[raalst]

Have an open mind for

Have an open mind for remote operation doohickies like
- remotely operated car doors
- remotely opterated garage doors
ie anything that already powers a motor.

and, finding a scrapheap somewhere might help too.
Here, they collect electronics separately, which means
an endless supply of discarded RC/ cars, VHS video etc.
if I ask nicely.

But, I might add, r/c submarining the conventional way is
not really the place to look for "cheap". nevertheless,
finding your own approach is at least half of the satisfaction
I get from this hobby. So, do not despair...

[crunchyfrog]

New tack

Those are great ideas. I think I've been shopping the wrong places and could expand my research topics.

>But, I might add, r/c submarining the conventional way is
not really the place to look for "cheap". nevertheless,
finding your own approach is at least half of the satisfaction
I get from this hobby.

I'll agree. It was satisfying when I made something not quite conventional that seemed to fill the bill. Many thanks for your input.

[crunchyfrog]

Can one get three or four channels for motors no servos ?

> I really am resistant to moving up to hobby-grade:


Maybe I'm being held back by ignorance: Are there radio rigs available that would drive three or four motors, instead of servos?

If the only risk I ran on each outing was losing the circuit board (negligible cost for the motors) then I might just pick up a rig at the hobby shop.

But who would sell a tx - rc setup like that--driving a bunch of motors, no servos ?

[raalst]

maybe the best thing to

maybe the best thing to do is to buy (ebay) an abandoned
R/C whatever, just to get the servo's, tx, speedcontrol and rx.
best is a boat, since you need a specific tx (in order not to
jam the people flying r/c airplanes)

besides, servo's are really not that expensive any more.
check around (again : ebay..)

servo's are also motors. you can run them permanently
if you convert them. robot builders do this all the time.
google on "robot servo hack".

and another tip : build the sub as a surface runner first.
without all the dive stuff. just to ensure you get a working end product

good luck !

[carcharadon]

If you don't want to

If you don't want to mess with servos, drive shafts, diving planes and rudder you might wanna consider an alternative, no moving parts http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=687461

Best bilge pump for the price and size (gph) http://www.starmarinedepot.com/Rule+Bil ... sible.html

All you need are RC electrics to turn the pumps on and off and a way to keep them dry. About the same amp draw as an rc 10 car motor, except needs 12 v or more, could handle two car nicad 7cells. (have run no problem at 24 v)

Get a cheap hull, even PVC pipe and start as just a surface model.

To get a fully operational dynamic driver using bilge pumps the smallest size would probably be around 4 foot. Any smaller you could not get the right combination of battery and forward thrust.


also http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/member.php?u=40728

Much of this is specific to the Disney Nautilus but would work in a pvc pipe sub as well.

Still gonna cost, no way around that.

[wingtip]

Best bilge pump for the

Best bilge pump for the price and size (gph) http://www.starmarinedepot.com/Rule+Bil ... sible.html

I have that exact same pump and it has lots of thrust on 12 volts... im trying to find a big enough toy i can put it in....

[reckless]

well

I haven't tried it

well

I haven't tried it yet.. but I'm about too... so I thought I'd throw it up here and maybe it might be useful to you too

I'm putting Storm Launcher guts into a 1/144 Gato model (I found 2 broken ones with good gear, battery and charger on Evilbay for $50 shipped)

the good = it's 3 channel, throttle, turn, elevator (aka Dive planes!) ..and a pair of pretty powerful motors

the bad = no rudder control .. it's variable thruts.. and no reverse.

I think I've found a solution to the no rudder, but we'll see how efective it is.. basically using a lexan aviation style hinge so it's got a little bit of spring back .. and a small pair of lexan flaps into the prop wash.. as one engine pushes harder then the other, the rudder swings...

just my idea... I'll have a build thread up once all my bits arrive and let the board know if it works