Motor mount

[AlfamanParticipant @alfaman]

I am building the Billing’s Zwarte Zee, coming back to building model boats after a good few years off, I am looking for some ideas for mounting the motor to the hull(plastic), any ideas would be welcome, Cheers

[AlfamanParticipant @alfaman]

[JC Uknz 1Participant @jcuknz1]

Recently I came up with the completely unorthodox system of have the motor fixed to the drive shaft with a bar taped across its top which stops it rotating and twisting the wires      It maks an interesting ‘motor’ sound as the bar viobrates and taps the side of the boat.  Earlier I mounted my motor in a polystyrene cradle [ for the boat featured in my name-pix.  For that model I used curtain wire secured to prop-shaft and motor shaft.  It is slightly flexible and and served me well for at least the past six years and continues to do so. The connectors are brass hex with 3mm grub screws.

[AlfamanParticipant @alfaman]

Thanks for the ideas

[Dr John BoothParticipant @drjohnbooth43899]

Try using epoxy glue to fix plywood plates in the bottom of the hull then fit the standard motor mounts onto the ply.

 

John

[Mike DavidsonParticipant @mikedavidson22772]

We can learn from the past, as I have in my collection of antiquities, a very interesting electric motorThe plate at the front of this motor extends downward, and as it passes the line of the motor base, it bends about 45 degreesto form two mounting lugs which can be used to fix the motor to a baseplate. I copied this idea when I mounted two mabuchi 540’s in my arun class lifeboat model. I got some aluminium plate about 3mm thick, and drilled a central hole for the drive shaft, and concentricly, tho mounting holes for 3mm screws to fix the motor to the plate using the threaded holes in the motor face. then Igot my meccano out, and pinched two angledbars to fix my plate to the engine room deck. Of course, I used nylock nuts for this jobas the vibration is quite strong at this point.. That by the way, worked a treat…………………………………………………………………………..Mike D

[60wattParticipant @60watt]

……………or a bulkhead mount clip.

They come in various diameters for audio capacitors and are stocked by RS components,Maplin,Farnell and industrial electronic suppliers.

 

The screw fixing allows easy motor removal or adjustment.

[AlfamanParticipant @alfaman]

Thanks guy’s, plenty there for me to think about

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Generally I like to epoxy a bit of ply into the hull, to provide a base and also to spread the humongous TORQUE of a pair of 380`s/whatever and stiffen things up a bit, and then i use a post and cap system…this translates into some threaded rod set vertically either side of the motor, or just in the centre of a pair of motors, and then use a bit of aluminium or steel, suitably drilled, to sit over the motor and be held down with nuts. The advantage of this is ease of motor removal, cheapness, and also it will accommodate different motor sizes, if you want to up or downsize.(providing you are a but generous with the spacing.) All it needs then is a bit of cocktail stick glued on the base either side of the motor to hold the motors in line with the coupling when you initially tighten everything up. Ashley

[David MeierParticipant @davidmeier28154]

Hi. I have found a good method is to fit the motor onto the shaft with a tube sleeve to align the motor with the shaft. then fashion a wooden block that fits to the hull and has a half round cut out  to fit under the motor with about 2mm clearance around the motor. I glue the block to the hull, then wrap a single layer of cling film (food wrap) around the motor and then put a few drops of foaming glue in the gap between the motor and the wooden block. When every thing has set, slide the motor out, remove the cling film and refit the motor with the universal joint fitted in place of the tube sleeve. I make a simple strong back across the motor, held onto the wooden block with a couple of self tapping screws. Hope that makes sense. David.

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

I find that the old fasioned pipe clips made from copper are a great way of fixing electric motors into model boats.

 

Paul

[Francis MacnaughtonParticipant @francismacnaughton39461]

David,

 

Could you explain “foaming glue” a bit more please – what brand and where you can get it particularly?

 

I seem to have missed the potential of this before but it could come in handy for the next project or two.

 

thanks

 

Francis Macnaughton

[David MeierParticipant @davidmeier28154]

 Hi Francis. Sorry about the delay, I just noticed your post.

The glue that I use is Gorilla glue. It is a moisture cure glue so you have to dampen the surfaces that you are going to glue. It sets best in a humid atmosphere so I usually place a piece of water soaked tissue in the hull while the glue is setting to help things along. Another glue is Sumo glue, apparently it foams more than Gorilla. I have put a web link to each of the glues below.

Hope this helps.

David.

 

http://www.holdfast.co.nz/resources/pdf/products/01496_TDS.pdf

http://www.sumoglue.com/html/features/

 PS below is a link to some more info.

http://www.woodenboat.net.nz/Workshop/Workshoptips/Holdfastfolder/Gorillaglue.html

[Peter FitnessParticipant @peterfitness34857]

Hi David, 

 

I like your idea of foaming glue for motor mounts. I used a similar method in my current build, a Grand Banks Cruiser, but used body putty insted of the glue. The outcome was good, but I believe the foaming glue would be better. I will have to see if it’s available here in Australia. It should work well at home at present, as it’s been quite humid lately.

 

Peter.

 

[David MeierParticipant @davidmeier28154]

I am sure you will find it in Australia Peter. Yes it should go off a treat where you are.

 

David.

[Francis MacnaughtonParticipant @francismacnaughton39461]

David,

 

Many thanks – Gorilla glue sounds new to UK but I have found that some specialist shops stock it.  It sounds a bit like the filler foam that you get in aerosol cans for the gaps when you replace windows or similar – is that a messier alternative perhaps?

 

Francis Macnaughton 

[David MeierParticipant @davidmeier28154]

Hi Francis.

The glue does not expand nearly as aggressively as the aerosol can expanding foam. The glue comes out of the bottle like liquid honey and it takes a few minutes for it to slowly foam up, so you can place it in quite a controlled manner. All the best with your model build.

 

David.

[Francis MacnaughtonParticipant @francismacnaughton39461]

Thanks David,

 

That sounds just the job.  I will give it a go.

 

Francis

[JC Uknz 1Participant @jcuknz1]

If you are going to firmly attach the motor to the boat it is desirable to have a universal joint on the drive shaft.    I found a short length of curtain wire attached to driveshaft and motor shaft  with 10mm brass hex and grub screws to secure works quite well. Cheap solution if you have the tools in your workshop already.with a lathe to drill the holes nicely centred helps

[JC Uknz 1Participant @jcuknz1]

My experience with expanding glue [called Gorilla out here] is that it tends to expand into places where it is not wanted so a protective layer of something [ plastic shopping bag material ? ] to stop it getting into the motor ventilation holes would be a good idea I think …. but I like the basic idea and have a boat where it could be of use. Thanks for the suggestion David  

[David MeierParticipant @davidmeier28154]

Hi JC. I have found that cling film (glad wrap) works well for a protective layer and the glue doesn’t stick to it.

 

David.

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