My son, known in the family as the Sorcerer's Apprentice, has been busy again. He has learning difficulties but fantastic spacial visualisation capability. Give him a couple of pictures and a GA drawing and he produces very passable models.
His latest product has been a 1/12th Shannon class lifeboat using two of the small NDQ speed boat jet units uprated with Speed 480 motors. This goes well but he still needs to sort out better reversing buckets!!
He has also thought about the Supercat launch system and after spending a whole £2 at the car boot sales yesterday on a couple of old battered tanks has decided that it is possible to make the system work.
The large track base unit had no internals but was the correct length for the trailer section. The smaller unit was an r/c unit but the radio was crap so it was removed and the motors at the moment controlled by long wires and a battery in his hand. The two units are coupled with a wooden rod at the moment.
He balanced his Shannon on top of the units to see if the motorised section was capable of moving the whole rig.
First tests had a lot of 'track spin' but after adding a spare battery as ballast onto the power unit this very short clip shows the result.
He will now go ahead producing the Supercat in a better looking format.
troutrunner Master
Posts : 573 Join date : 2014-01-23 Location : Lincolnshire UK
Subject: Re: Sorcerer's Apprentice strikes again!! Tue May 10, 2016 7:55 am
Interesting it's good to see the younger generation doing practical stuff and not just sat in front of a computer.
Will you show us more as he progresses in the build please.
I have a son with problems, he is dyslexic among other issues but very intelligent, perhaps I should give him a boat kit for his birthday and see what he makes of it, he certainly needs a new interest.
nivapilot Deck Hand
Posts : 19 Join date : 2016-04-18 Age : 72 Location : Southampton
Subject: Re: Sorcerer's Apprentice strikes again!! Tue May 10, 2016 8:55 am
Smashing...I also have a daughter, although with severe global learning difficulties.... Fair play to your son, looks good.
gribeauval Master
Posts : 500 Join date : 2011-06-11 Age : 73 Location : West Yorkshire
David has started on the main rotating carriage using a section of metal U channel for the main part and has also started adding simulated hydraulic lines to the trailer.
battleshipbuff Gunner
Posts : 174 Join date : 2012-03-16 Age : 78 Location : Cornwall
Subject: Sorcerers Apprentice. Fri May 13, 2016 9:32 pm
Like Father like son! Hes a clever lad Mike,and having met him hes a good lad too. Good luck to him. Glad David has taken up interest in lifeboats! is this one 1/12th scale or 1/16th? Mick
gribeauval Master
Posts : 500 Join date : 2011-06-11 Age : 73 Location : West Yorkshire
Subject: Re: Sorcerer's Apprentice strikes again!! Sat May 14, 2016 6:40 pm
battleshipbuff wrote:
Like Father like son! Hes a clever lad Mike,and having met him hes a good lad too. Good luck to him. Glad David has taken up interest in lifeboats! is this one 1/12th scale or 1/16th? Mick
It's 1/12th to match his Shannon!
He is thrown out the small tractor unit now that he knows it works and is building one from scratch with much better gearboxes, pics when he gets a bit further with it.
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Subject: Re: Sorcerer's Apprentice strikes again!! Sun May 15, 2016 10:54 am
gribeauval Master
Posts : 500 Join date : 2011-06-11 Age : 73 Location : West Yorkshire