Hover Craft

OsNap

Well, I was watching Mythbusters a few days ago. (really grat show) and it "inspired" me to build a hover craft lol. So I made one out of some plywood I had and some concrete tarp and my leafblower.

Bought 3 hours later it worked! It holds 225lbs easy, and is fast....when pulled by a truck.

So right now I am working a new one with a new skirt desgine for more speed. It also has a proplusion sytem from a weedwacker and a small propler. I get some pics up later if I can.

jbfan

Somebody not busy enough right now?
Just got too much time on your hands. The wife must have a honey do list!

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OsNap

well I dont have a wife, and I got my stuff done.

joasis

Many years ago, a friend bought a hover craft, factory made, with 2 rotax engines.....in my former life as an aircraft mechanic and pilot, he qualified me to "fly" this baby around, after getting it running....well..it is awsome BUT!, brakes suck!

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Teetorbilt

Years ago they made one called a 'SwampCat' or something. Used a 2-stroke engine and a small dia. wood prop. One of my buds bought one and it worked pretty well.......for a while. The high RPMS caused the prop to explode and he came home with a 10" splinter, slid in almost to the hilt, in his back.

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You can't solve you're problems with the same level of thinking that created the problems.

Albert Einstein

OsNap

Thats got to hurt.

For the lift I used my leafblower, and for the drive I am trying to find a chainsaw or a weedwacker. I prob will go with a 20x12 propller, because they are cheaper, like $20.

Does any one have a CAD program?
Because I need a drawing of the drive shaft for the mechinest. Its 1/2'' round stock, and in one end there is a 1/4'' hole drilled and tapped in the center, and on the other end is milled down to a 3/16 square, 1 1/2'' long. And the whole thing is 10'' long.

I am trying to figure out how to connect a direct drive from a chain saw to the shaft, I was thinking some round stock that is larger than the gear on the clutch and then CNC it out to fit around the gear and then like a set screw or something like that.

dougchips

OSNAp, post some pics when you are done and if it works well. I think I just found a winter project!

Do they have issues working over snow?

OsNap

I dont know about the snow, it might work it should. I am working on plans, but I will get some pics when I finish, going over the machine shop on Monday to get my drive shaft!

joasis

For the life of me, I cannot remember the name of the hovercraft my friend bought...but I know it was a bear to keep both engines running, and coordinated since the throttle of one engine controlled the "lift" and the other speed....had twin rudders just like an air boat. Had a control wheel like an airplane, with the throttles mounted on each hand grip....the point to the lift engine slowing was the cushoin would die, allowing you to stop on the skids...much like helicopter skids. The freaky thing was you could be going really fast...I am thinking well over 50 mph, and turn the wheel and take a hundred yards before you could get going the other way......not for me...kind of like ultra light aircraft...not for me.

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Teetorbilt

You will probably want to go to some sort of a flex coupling between the engine and the driveshaft plus something to recieve the thrust other than the engine bearings. Hard couplings on multiple shafts have short lives unless VERY precisely aligned.

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You can't solve you're problems with the same level of thinking that created the problems.

Albert Einstein

OsNap

On this, you start the "lift engine" the leaf blower it stays on, I did make a thing with a modded sprinkler vavles to realse the air fast.

It has twin rudders. On the drive shaft I am not going to put anything on there, there is a flange bearing, I might put a U joint on the shaft before the bearning but I am going to take my time to line them up good.

For the sterring it has to levers, and some brake cables to steer the rudders.

Ken@K&R

I would have someone video tape everything. At the very least you may win big on americas funniest home videos.

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Ken

OsNap

Well, when I get it built you will wish you had one!