Stuffing box?

[modelnut]

Guys,

I am getting stuff together to try building my own hull. It's coming together. No pictures yet though.

But as I am planning my mind is jumping ahead. I need what I think is called a stuffing box. At least that's what I think it's called.

Years ago I bought a Skipjack hull here on the forum. Took a B-I-G chunk of that year's tax return. Well, the boat was pretty much assembled except for the guts. And the propeller came firmly attached and ready to spin.

Sadly I do not know how to do this myself for my new project. How do you attach the propeller firmly to your boat where all you need to do is connect the drive shaft?
Is the attachment called a "stuffing box"? And where do I get one? I saw one on Subtech but that's in England. Don't they grow in the States??? Is that what I need? I don't know.

I had a propeller but it got lost in the move. Might have to buy another. Here is where I get my propellers so far: Ships n Things
The propeller is four-bladed and threaded with an open end not a point or a nub. And it is large. 4inch diameter I think in keeping with the boat's scale and description.

Can anyone advise me? Use simple words in simple sentences please. This project will cost enough money without any more screw ups.

- Leelan

[fgroza]

Re: Stuffing box?

Mikes subworks sell stuffing boxes with a seal at one end for 3/16" shaft in different lengths. He also sells shafting for boats in stainless. Polks and Ships and Things sell props as well as Loyalhanna Dockyard. BTW- a stuffing box is the tubing that the shaft goes through. It usually has a bushing/bearing at each end. Some are larger diameter than the shaft for holding grease or oil for lube and have a smaller tube soldered to it near one end for filling the tube with the lube. On smaller size models, companies sometimes have the tube ID the same as the shaft OD, little room for grease.
Hope this helps.
Frank

[bill rogers]

Re: Stuffing box?

I'm a bit confused. Let's go back a bit on your Skipjack. I assume this is a radio controlled model. If so, do you have the motor, electronics, etc. all within a water tight container? If the answer is yes, then maybe you don't need a stuffing box. Maybe what you need is a universal coupling to connect the motor shaft to the propeller shaft and a bronze bearing to support the propeller shaft where it exits the sub. If the answer is no, you don't have the motor, electronics, etc., there are several fine sources out there. How about a bit more info before getting any deeper here?

"Will" Rogers
SSBN659

[boss subfixer]

Re: Stuffing box?

Leelan,
If I read you correctly your looking for flanged type oilite bushings. You will need two. One is at the very end of the hull between your prop and the end of the boat and another one inside to act as both a carrier bearing as well as a thrust bearing for reverse. You can find them at mcmaster carr or your favorite submarine venders. The process for installing them is very simple. I can send you a word file with the process if you want. Just need an email address. A stuffing box or shaft seal is usually located on the aft or in some cases the forward bulkhead of your WTC and is used to provide a seal generally with an oring of some type. The shafts that go through them are for rudders and dive planes and in the case of the forward shaft seal, forward dive planes. I hope this helps and is plain enough for you, if not fire away with more questions.

[Guest]

Re: Stuffing box?

Getting way, way ahead of yourself- build the hull first. When that's done come back and ask about how to fit it out.

Getting the parts to do this isn't hard and there are several sources out there that will be happy to exchange their wares in return for beer vouchers.

Andy

[modelnut]

Re: Stuffing box?

Hey, Boss!
My email address is modeltsar@yahoo.com . Thanks for the assist!

Andy,
I know I am getting ahead of myself. But since it looks like I will need to get a new propeller I want to get the right one AND have a way to secure it to my hull. The diameter of the propeller "cone" or whatever it is called will have an influence on the business end of my design. So I need to know this stuff earlier rather than later.
And, in response to some advice you gave on another thread of mine, I have scrapped my Frankenstein hull, the one "stitched together" from various pieces. By the time it's finished it will be way too heavy. So I am going to sculpt a new hull out of foam and laying up a contiguous fiberglass hull. That way the boat just won't de-laminate in the middle of a dive.

- Leelan

[mike dory]

Re: Stuffing box?

O.K. There are many different Stuffing boxs. Most of these are ment for surface boats/ships They generally have oillite bearing at each end of the tube with grease in the middle of the tube, surronding the prop shaft. Dumas as well as others model makers have these types. However, Your not building a surface model. Model Subs, just like the real boats, must have seals at leat at one end of the stuffing box tube (I have them at both ends) with grease in the middle, This helps keep them from drying out. See Mike at Mike's Sub works, he has what you need.. Keep his number handy, He'll be happy to answer many of the questions you will be having in building and fitting out your boat Best Wishes Mike Dory

[JWLaRue]

Re: Stuffing box?

Lot's of good information here, but I'm not sure that we understand what Leelan actually needs. He used the term "stuffing box", but no one is clear if that's what he actually needs.

From the context of Leelan's question, it sounds like he's looking for the bearings that Don (Boss Subfixer) descibed. But since stuffing boxes and shaft bearings can be two different things, depending on the way the r/c sub is built, I think we need to make sure that Leelan is getting the right answer to his question.....

Make sense?

-Jeff

[Guest]

Re: Stuffing box?

You have nothing to worry about in regards to space etc.

So build the hull first, then come back to the shaft seal/stuffing box, honestly.

The hull is by far and away the most time consuming part to construct.

[modelnut]

Re: Stuffing box?

OK. I won't try to do everything at once like I have before. That's what screwed up my earlier builds I am sure.

Right now I am polishing my design and building a jig to cut foam. And I finally found all the bits and bobs I have collected over the years for my NAUTILUS. Took three weeks to go through all the boxes I haven't unpacked yet. Can't use any of it until the hull is finished. But is quite a relief that I won't have to repurchase any of them.

- Leelan