Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Hovercraft
by dbc1218 on March 30, 2006 Table of Contents intro: Hovercraft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . step 1: The Skirt and Base . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . File Downloads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . step 2: The Lift Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . step 3: The Thrust Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . step 4: Steering and Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . step 5: It Hovers!!! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Advertisements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Customized Instructable T-shirts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 2 3 4 4 6 6 7 7 7 7
http://www.instructables.com/id/Hovercraft/
intro: Hovercraft
This is a full size(4ftx8ft) one person hovercraft built over one summer for less than $200. It was built with no prior experience or knowledge of hovercrafts but with sheer determination to build something different. So check this project out, hope you like it.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Hovercraft/
over with the dashed line and where holes should be put with the circles.
Image Notes 1. These two vertical blue lines are not part of the drawing
File Downloads
skirt1.dwg (45 KB) [NOTE: When saving, if you see .tmp as the file ext, rename it to 'skirt1.dwg']
http://www.instructables.com/id/Hovercraft/
[NOTE: When saving, if you see .tmp as the file ext, rename it to 'skirt2.dwg']
skirt3.dwg (31 KB) [NOTE: When saving, if you see .tmp as the file ext, rename it to 'skirt3.dwg']
http://www.instructables.com/id/Hovercraft/
http://www.instructables.com/id/Hovercraft/
step 5: It Hovers!!!
So here is a picture of it finally hovering. Looks pretty good, but really the project did not go as well as planed. It hovered and I could ride it but that was while I was testing and it did not have the thrust engine or fan on it. Once I added the thrust stuff it would not hold all of the weight. All is not lost though, the build went well and I learned a lot. So I you are planning a project like this here are a few tips so you do not make the same mistakes I make: 1. Use more powerful motors or motor if you build a single engine craft 2. Get already made fans do not try to build you own 3. Use light components, this is the most important it has to be a light as possible 4. If you do not know what you are doing, get some plans off the internet, try Universal Hovercraft they have got some good stuff
http://www.instructables.com/id/Hovercraft/
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Comments
50 comments Add Comment view all 187 comments
Sep 5, 2008. 12:59 PM REPLY
theXmaker says:
hey, it's better than the other rounded hovercrafts that we see always, but I just wanna ask you: can't you put anything (a cover) for safety to the back 'fan' ???????
bomberss27 says:
Aug 9, 2008. 2:00 PM REPLY Great Job. I'm building one now about the same size as yours, and I wanted to know how I could attach this fan, http://www.qcsupply.com/Products/11455.aspx , to a 5-6 hp vertical shaft engine, the shaft would probably be 7/8" in diameter. I was planning on using this or just two leaf blowers, about 400cfm. Would the leaf blowers be just as powerful? I like the idea of the lift fan more but if it would be about the same as the leaf blowers, I think they would be easier to attach. Please respond, Thanks.
dbc1218 says:
Aug 10, 2008. 10:48 AM REPLY One of those fans could work but I would go with a horizontal shaft engine, so you could connect it with a belt and pulley like I did on my hovercraft. Also make sure your pulley ratio is correct so you DON'T EXCEED THE MAX RPM OF THE FAN, you'll need to govern the motor too. The extra weight of some sort of right angle drive to make vertical shaft engine work would be to much. Two leaf blowers would work but I would get at least 30cc each. If you are not using plans or have not built a hovercraft before expect to have to redesign something to make it work. Just keep working on it and you can make it work the way you want.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Hovercraft/
bomberss27 says:
Aug 10, 2008. 11:46 AM REPLY Sorry I was talking about the lift engine, I'm pretty sure you are talking about the thrust engine. For the lift engine could I just attach the fan to a vertical shaft engine with a hub or something? The lift engine on yours is a direct drive, right?
dbc1218 says:
Aug 11, 2008. 3:00 PM REPLY Alright now we're on the same page, the lift engine. The fact still is you can't connect that fan directly to the motor because you will exceed the the max rpm of the fan. A typical small engine like the one you plan on using will rev to 3000-4000 rpm so you will still need some reduction. A pulley and belt could do this and keep the rpm below 1700. The super hard PAG fan on that site is rated at 3300rpm but I don't think it will provide the cfm you need. I know the fan I used is very much the same fan that you are looking at and I connected it directly to the motor. So I am suggesting not to do what I did. I just want to give you the "safe" advice not the "it probably won't break apart and send shards of fan blade flying at you" advice.
bomberss27 says:
Aug 19, 2008. 2:23 PM REPLY Hey, I've got one more question. How does the thrust system on the xinventions hovercraft work? They attach a wood propeller to a weed whacker engine, and I believe that those have a really high rpm (like 7000-10000), does the wood propeller they use just have a really high max rpm? Thanks.
dbc1218 says:
Aug 19, 2008. 8:05 PM REPLY I'm pretty sure that prop was made for large model airplanes, so I'm sure it was made to spin that fast. I have seen that large of a prop at some hobby stores and surprisingly they are not that expensive either.
bomberss27 says:
Aug 11, 2008. 4:06 PM REPLY Yeah I've decided to go with a fan with a higher max rpm, something from universal hovercraft probably. I think this would be much more powerful than two leaf blowers, so I'll probably use the lift fan. Thanks for the help.
guymark says:
Jun 23, 2008. 1:39 PM REPLY I am surprised at how few people have said "extremely well done", I wish I had had the initiative and determination to build a project like that while I was still at school. Sure it would have been even better if you had managed to get a professionally made fan - and safer too - but a huge bucketload of credit for actually making even the basic components yourself too. Seriously impressed - glad you learned a lot from it too, and excellent project and considering your age at the time, amazing resourcefulness and determination. Mark
Prometheus says:
Scary, my opinion exactly, and even with my own name too. I have to perform some "Hail Marys" now LOL
tigerdog330 says:
Jun 27, 2008. 7:31 AM REPLY How many hp do you recommend for the lift engine? I was thinking like 5 or 6.. Also would a weedwhacker engine would work for the thrust if I were to cut the stem and attach a prop to it?
Prometheus says:
Aug 8, 2008. 3:10 AM REPLY No, a weed-whacker engine simply does not have enough torque to turn a propeller. A 3hp Briggs-and-Stratton upright utility engine would be much more appropriate for the application. You can also salvage the powertrain from a Honda "Spree" motorscooter or similar and simply attach a prop to what would be the drive to the rear wheel with a 20" propeller. Ideal would be the powertrain from a Honda "Aero 50", probably the most powerful mopedclassed motorscooter to ever exist (built only in '85 and '86, and 70cc mods are apparently still available).
awkrin says:
May 29, 2008. 11:35 AM REPLY so u can really ride it? anyways, it's funny how some simple instructables have high quality pics and this one, and many others that a simply "big", don't
dbc1218 says:
I did ride it but it was really under powered.
Prometheus says:
Aug 8, 2008. 2:49 AM REPLY Add another fan unit (for the airfoil) or upgrade the existing one and it might perform better. Ideally you want something like one giant innertube around the perimeter with enough air pressure underneath to keep it just a tenth of an inch off the ground. Perhaps adjust your weight balance as well, you might just be dragging on the ground too much. An ideal design can get around with little more than a leaf-blower as forward thrust, but who can get ideal without spending several digits....Awesome project, and with a few minor tweaks could perform like a dream come true. Well worth the money and time to try.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Hovercraft/
Prometheus says:
P.S. Added vote for book contest.
carpe_noctem says:
Jul 30, 2008. 8:20 PM REPLY perhaps you could look into the jet engine instructable and fill the skirt using the exhaust( i know you should cool it down) and use tha actual drive(?) to power a fan or vice versa
Kalianepic says:
May 27, 2008. 8:26 AM REPLY Great instructable! I have always wanted to make one of these. Do you think that I could scale it down to something slightly bigger than a skateboard? I can foresee some stability issues, but really nothing that couldn't be overcome with a gyroscopic stabilizer... Any thoughts?
carpe_noctem says:
i highly doubt their would be enough support now a surfboard, thats a different story. perhaps 60in long by 24in wide would be enough, just over twice average deck size.
Prometheus says:
Aug 8, 2008. 2:41 AM REPLY Actually a surfboard was attempted on "MythBusters" (Discovery Channel), and was rather unwieldy. However, perhaps a design similar to hydrofoil boats could be applied with two of them and work quite well, but that also means double the thrust and even more than double the weight to support the two. To stabilize even a surfboard-sized hovercraft would take one heavy gyro, further reducing lift. An ideal shape is a "golden rectangle" (by the "Golden Mean" of a rectangle 13x21 or an equivalent L/W ratio of about 1.61904:1). Pythagoras had something right, even if he didn't fully understand it's remarkable scientific relevance. An aerial view of an actual military hovercraft shows how close to a golden rectangle it's footprint is, accounting for it's stability.
carpe_noctem says:
PS SKATE AND/OR DESTROY!!!!!!!!!
dbc1218 says:
May 29, 2008. 6:08 PM REPLY Smaller can be done, check out universalhovercraft.com A gyroscopic stabilizer sounds a little over the top but if you want one do it.
pindalanderz says:
for the skirt why not use an inner tube for a tractor tire?
Darth_Reese says:
The mithbusters made two hovercrafts.
minerug says:
Jul 21, 2008. 6:21 AM REPLY The tv show "I didn't know that" made a hover craft with just a bit or plywood, plastics sheeting and a garden leaf blower. It still hovered when it had an adult on it. Nice work though
1up says:
Jul 20, 2008. 9:41 PM REPLY Where did you get the horizontal shaft engine for the thrust? I've been wanting to make a go-kart and I need an engine with a horizontal shaft.
TheMadScientist says:
thats really excessive. the air cushon should have a far larger hole, or the back WILL drag.
Thornburg says:
Is it me or is Instructables featuring a lot of older Instructables. Like this one was posted in March of '06.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Hovercraft/
Da_Fudge says:
I was thinking the same thing.
Thornburg says:
Well it is kinda nice considering alot of them are pretty cool. I just thought I'd throw that out there.
Da_Fudge says:
I didn't mean that in a bad way, I was just saying. sorry if I caused any offense.
Thornburg says:
Oh no, just trying to clarify. Your fine.
dbc1218 says:
Jun 26, 2008. 5:18 PM REPLY I certainly appreciate it. This was one of the first 700 or so instructables posted and who knows how many there are now. I just found out the newsletter goes out to over 160,000 people so the site is definitely growing by leaps and bounds. I think the day of instructables being grouped with Google and YouTube is coming soon.
Da_Fudge says:
Whoa! First 700! That would've been a few years back!
Thornburg says:
Jun 26, 2008. 7:03 PM REPLY That is really something to be proud of. I was here in late months of '06, just it wouldn't let me become a member (honestly). I just used a different email and it worked. Anyway good job.
firestormcomputers says:
does ur name happen to be kyle thornburg? and do you go to freedom high school?
Thornburg says:
No, where is Freedom High located. Never heard of it.
firestormcomputers says:
its in Loudoun County VA
Thornburg says:
I don't I live any near there, about a 820 miles away.
GWJax says:
Jun 28, 2008. 4:26 PM REPLY I've seen a lot of homebuilt hover crafts over the years and with yours the few thinks I would change is putting a seat on it and a protective grill on the back of the main thrust blades so hair or other clothing would not get stuck in the blades, as is its a very dangerous setup but it looks really cool.
Josh_B says:
Took some filtering, but I finally found some used engines on eBay. 3HP Horizontal Engines 4HP Vertical Engines
dbc1218 says:
Jun 26, 2008. 5:25 PM REPLY Keep in mind my craft was fairly underpowered with these size engines. Check out universalhovercraft.com and the UH-10F for a 10hp single engine hovercraft design. I might try the UH-13P when ever I get the time and money.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Hovercraft/
looking4ideas says:
Jun 26, 2008. 1:56 PM REPLY I made one using a shop vac I live near the coast so i want to make one that will work on deep water can some one test one out and msg me
supersith22 says:
Very nice instructable, I once made one of these but it was round and had no motor on the back.
I_am_Canadian says:
I need a video.
Joel D says:
have you ever been sucked into the fan and then cut urself.
Kendallkip says:
have you?
dbc1218 says:
Jun 23, 2008. 2:40 PM REPLY No, I never got hurt riding this craft, but I could have. Looking back, this was the most dangerous thing I've ever built and had a very high potential to do some serious damage. IF ANYONE IS PLANNING TO BUILD ANY THING LIKE THIS PLEASE ADD PROPER GUARDING.
finnster says:
do you by any chance live in kalamazoo??????????
Joel D says:
i got my carcasses to power my fan from kalamazoo
http://www.instructables.com/id/Hovercraft/