Lost article

[Karl Marforio 1Participant @karlmarforio1]

Some years ago, there was an article in MB giving some hints on what to do with an partly failing servo. One possibility presented was to use it as a small power plant. Motor with forth and revere speed control. There were some other smart tips as well. I cannot find the article. Anyone remember the article and better know the issue it was published in?
BR Karl

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

I don’t recall the article but if you do a Google search on:

using model rc servo as speed controller

it comes up with various suggestions about using servos as speed controllers.

Colin

[Richard SimpsonModerator @richardsimpson88330]

The good old Bob’s Board being one of the most obvious ones.

[Tim CooperParticipant @timcooper90034]

Richard

Blimey!  Bobs Boards!

I remember putting one in my Veron Trident when someone at work gave me a Radio set (and a glider).  It was a bit like having a gearbox on the boat.

Was it 3 or 5 steps on the board?

Tim

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

With the appropriate motors Bob’s Boards were very effective speed controllers and quite clever. I had two in my Isle of Wight Ferry Shanklin and they worked a treat.

Colin

[Tim CooperParticipant @timcooper90034]

Colin

I probably didn’t have the right motor at the time!

It was a Taycol Meteor originally, then changed to a motor from a model racing car. Still not appropriate really but I was new to RC in boats then and didn’t have much money, with 3 young boys. So happy when someone gave me a part.

Tim

[Karl Marforio 1Participant @karlmarforio1]

Thanks! I’ll search the web, but I still miss the article. There were a few other smart tips on using discarded servos that I would like to read again. Gave all my print copies away, as I have the print + digital copy alternative. I guess there is a lesson here to learn. I already searched the forums and internet for a list of MBM articles. Usually some guy with high ambitions or too much spare time will categorize and register all articles in an Excel or similar, but we seems to miss that guy here.

All the best,

Karl

[The Long BuildParticipant @thelongbuild]

If you ever find which magazine it was I will be able to send you a copy of teh article, I have looked online but can not find anything about it.

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Brushed ESCs are not expensive theses days. Maybe just buy one? Life is short.

Colin

[Tim Cooper]

On Tim Cooper Said:

Richard

Blimey!  Bobs Boards!

I remember putting one in my Veron Trident when someone at work gave me a Radio set (and a glider).  It was a bit like having a gearbox on the boat.

Was it 3 or 5 steps on the board?

Tim

Tim,  I once used one in a Krick speed boat model, the Avanti 2.  I mounted the copper wipers onto the end of the plastic servo arms but the copper got so hot the arms melted and it ended up dead in the water!  Just another lesson learned.

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

The question is…are you likely to want such a tiny motor? Or do you have a glimmer of an idea already?Anything demanding anything that small would in itself be very small.

I do marvel at the level of miniaturisation and indeed ingenuity of plastic conversions and i can understand the lure of converting something you like to be independently mobile, but at the end of the day they have very limited use on an open water

Ashley

[Fred Ellis 1Participant @fredellis1]

Hi Karl

I don’t know if this will be of any help, in the feature section on page 8 there is an article named           ETV Waker, if you scroll down you will find how he used a servo to power his model.

Fred

[Karl Marforio 1Participant @karlmarforio1]

Good news for me (at least)!

I spent some times in the Model Boats magazine archive and finally found the article, or rather the two articles. It was called “Servo Sorcery” Part 1 and 2 by Glynn Guest. Published 2021 February and March issue.

Now I spent some time in the archive, but it was well spent time! What a source of knowledge and inspiration we have there.

Now why would I interest in that tech someone asked. Well for me its all about size and hunting grams as I plan to convert a static plastic model boat kit to a working model. And also, I admit, I get very inspired by understanding and experimenting on all kinds of technology.

BR Karl

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