Newsgroups: comp.robotics
Path: brunix!uunet!news.mentorg.com!davidr!davidr
From: davidr@davidr.mentorg.com (David Ransier)
Subject: Re: Table top Hovercraft know how wanted.
Message-ID: <1992Nov23.162450.17696@news.mentorg.com>
Sender: davidr@davidr (David Ransier)
Date: Mon, 23 Nov 1992 16:24:50 GMT
References:  <8722@lee.SEAS.UCLA.EDU>
Nntp-Posting-Host: davidr.mentorg.com
Organization: mentor
Keywords: 
Followup-To: 
Lines: 29

In article <8722@lee.SEAS.UCLA.EDU>, yee@edison.seas.ucla.edu (John Yee) writes:
|> Hello robot builders, have you any experience making small, say 6" diameter
|> maximum, hovercraft?  If so, please post/email your experiences.
|> 
|> I wish to do just this, but my first prototype consisting of a surplus
|> cooling fan mounted over a hole in a plastic base does not even get off
|> the ground, and so I am looking to order more powerful fans.  However, some
|> of the fans are listed with pressure differentials in mmHg, (another maker
|> lists "static pressure in H2O"), and also they list CFM (cubic feet of air
|> per minute) up to say about 77 for the small size (max 3" dia) I am looking for.
|> So, should I go for highest pressure differential, or highest CFM.
|> The confounding thing is that not all makers list both CFM and pressure, 
|> sometimes it is one or the other, making comparisons difficult.
|> 
|> Thanks for your help,
|> 
|> -- 
|> jy, yee@seas.ucla.edu - "The man with no .sig"

Yes, I have no experience building hovercraft.  However, I have spent some time looking 
at the toy versions in the toy store and some time visiting the local RC model 
store.  Depending on how much flight time you need, you may find a better power
source at the local hobby shop.  Either one of the newer battery power motors
used in an RC plane or even one of the self contained (gas tank is part of the engine) 
.049 gas engines.  I suspect the biggest problem with the coolong fan is its weight.

Good luck, sounds like a fun project.

David Ransier
