Greek Bireme by bensid54 - FINISHED - RADIO

[bensid54]

Love that video that is so cool! For them to build that ship is quite something, great job but looks pretty awkward for the rowers.

[bensid54]

Steven you started my mind to churn, so I've been giving my next project some thought now that the hard thinking part of this build is done. So I'm thinking about building the Boatman Charon of the river Styx, that I think would be a very interesting project.  

[bensid54]

Finishing the tholes I still have to trim them down so the deck will fit properly. I'm just cutting and fitting the planks for a bit of extra strength and improve the look. The piece I made for the mast to slide into doesn't look right and I need a means of securing the deck, so does anyone have any suggestions?

[bensid54]

Thinking about the boatman on the river Styx I can use three cams to operate the oar or one cam with springs and one "turntable" for steering. That means I will have to make Charon first and build the boat to fit him. Give me something to think about because the Bireme kept me thinking when I started into the mechanics and I do enjoy puzzles like this.

[bensid54]

Patrick I have two videos on You tube of the first time my Bireme has touched water if you could download them here please that would be great. I have some bugs to work out but I am pleased with the results and I'm sure the next video in water will be better

[Omega1234]

Hi Ben

 

Sure thing. Here goes!

 

Congratulations on reaching this milestone. All your hard work has paid off big-time! As for manoeuvrability, all I can say is 'wow', the use of the helicopter system for the oars certainly gives you a great range of options for controlling the oars. Almost a stroke of genius!

 

You gotta be feeling pretty darn chuffed now!

 

Cheers

 

Patrick

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 22, 2015 by Omega1234

[bensid54]

Thanks Patrick still a ways to go some bugs to work out in the straight ahead oar operation. May have to look into switches or something like that to balance the oars.

[Bedford]

I always thought you might end up with this imbalance in straight rowing. I think I would have the two drives linked by a single spline dog clutch something like a bendix clutch on a car starter motor. Just use one motor to drive her in a straight line but when you steer the second motor comes into play and in the process it disengages the clutch. Easy to say I know.

[bensid54]

What you say makes sense Bedford but the motors are a seventy five to one gear reduction, the steering motor would have to be disengaged from the drive chain and then you would only have one set of oars to steer, it just won't give me the look in operation I'm after, plus what you describe would take a better machinist than me, this could become a little too involved. What I am thinking is a micro switch on both rack ends when the first rack contacts it then stops because you've broken the "normally closed contacts then when the other rack catches up and hits it's micro switch and provides power to the other rack while still carrying on it's path. It can be wired to balance the oars that will be next.

[Bedford]

I see where you are going with that. What are you like with electronics, Google "hall effect" using magnets and sensors rather than mechanical switches, could be easier to fit etc. Just a side note, if you have a bit of weight to play with you might be able to put a weight below the keel to stabilize her against the oar movement inspired rocking.

[bensid54]

I think it will stand some weight on the keel mainly in the bow I see what you mean a proximity switch would work and I could come up with a means to bypass the switch when turning.

[bensid54]

I managed to find three micro switches with NO (normally open) and NC (normally closed) terminals I can use those without a lot of trouble and incorporate a receiver switch to bypass the micro switches when I want to make a turn, that should cure the problem I have now.

[Bedford]

Good luck, what is the travel tolerance in them, there are different types but if you make the mounts very finely adjustable you might just have it beaten

[bensid54]

The ends of the racks have a flat 90% surface about 3/4 of an inch long, on the one rack I can set it up so it will just trigger the switch to open the circuit to stop that rack then the other rack will hit it's switch at a parallel part of the rowing stroke, that will power the first rack until it's clear from the switch that broke the circuit. For the receiver switch it will be set up to bypass both switches when I turn on a toggle on the transmitter therefor allowing me to turn and reverse the ship.

[Louie da fly]

Ben, I just caught your video. That's totally amazing! Such maneuvrability! Much better than the previous videos I've seen of model galleys in action.

 

I take my hat off to you, sir.

 

Stven

[bensid54]

Thank you Steven! It's going to get better once I add the micro switches and the battering ram those two things should dampen the rocking. Right now I'm getting my RC helicopter set up for flying so I'll be taking a week break from working on the Bireme.. 

[bensid54]

One of two micro switches I'll be using. They have a normally open and normally closed switch which is critical for what I need to do.

[bensid54]

Pins mounted on racks will be used to trip the micro switches. I would put all in one post but doing it this way is easier so please bear with me.

[bensid54]

This is what I propose to do with the micro switches, the slightly faster rack will trip the normally closed switch first breaking the contact and stopping the rack until the slightly slower rack catches up then it will trip the normally open switch to closed and power up the faster rack to move past it's tripped micro switch. I will have the faster rack set up to be slightly tripped and then slower rack switch will be tripped longer to allow the fast rack to move past the first switch. 

[bensid54]

The pictures in this post show the platform and micro switches in the locations I will use them in. On the quicker oar rack I will have a normally closed switch that will become an open circuit once the pin reaches the switch and trips it, thereby stopping the rack motion. The other oar rack has a normally open micro switch that the rack pin will trip making it a closed circuit that will power up the stopped rack to allow it to continue on, but unlike the other switch the duration of this one will be activated longer to ensure continued operation of the fast rack past its own tripped switch. Once I have it all wired and operational I will post a video.

[Omega1234]

Hi Ben

 

Lots of techie stuff in your build, but once it's all fine tuned, you'll be off and running again.

 

I'm looking forward to the next update.

 

Cheers

 

Patrick

[bensid54]

Thanks Patrick I also plan on having two separate operating systems for this ship in the radio just for fun, I will demonstrate both when I get a chance. 

[bensid54]

New video up with the micro switches installed, can you load it for me Patrick? I tried to interrupt the signal at the receiver but that didn't work so I ended up having to interrupt the positive lead on the motor, I think with some adjustments I should almost have the oar operation working right.

[Omega1234]

Hi Ben

 

No probs. Here ya go!

 

 

Cheers

 

Patrick

[bensid54]

Thanks Patrick.

[bensid54]

I can copy and paste now anyway.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

https://youtu.be/fjJj0gxbwTw

Edited June 7, 2015 by bensid54

[Bedford]

You seem to have it sorted mate, I wonder if you need to worry about reverse?

How often do you think you would need reverse and for how many strokes?

 

I might be inclined to leave it as is.

 

Steve

[mtaylor]

I can see reverse... use it for "all stop".

[Bedford]

Oh I can see the need for reverse but it wouldn't be used much, only a few strokes I would think. 

[Omega1234]

I can copy and paste now anyway.

 

Hi Ben

 

Nice video. Quick question- is your camera independently controllable; that is, can you control the direction of the camera?

 

Cheers

 

Patrick