Columbus Ironworks Civil War Naval Vessels:

Technical Guide on how to convert models to radio controlled vessels

The manufacturer will provide as much technical information as possible to help Civil War Combaters get their ships together and in fighting form. The average home owner who has the following should be able to get their ship up and running after several weekends of work.

 The basics are: power drill, sanding disk, drill bits, files, sand paper, screw drivers, pliers, soldering iron, spray paint, saws. Advanced tools that would help are: Belt sander, drill press, band saw, Dremel grinder. The ships are not true kits and therefore require some work to customize and setup. All of these items will need to be purchased or can be made and are not provided by us due to liability (especially the guns!).

The following technical information is given on this page: propulsion, combat systems, gun systems, gun setup, CO2 and firing systems, gun emplacement, simulated firing, pyrotechnic systems, and pyrotechnic devices.

PROPULSION

When deciding on what motors and propellers to use, authentic size and speed are not always appropriate. Full size propellers and speed result in many problems in actually running your ship. A full size propeller is much larger than modern propellers and ran at much lower rpms. When using realistic size and speed you tend to be underpowered and attract seaweed. For functional use with the least amount of problems, use an undersized propeller at a higher rpm. This will result in less problems and more realistic performance. I recommend using the following:

COMBAT SYSTEMS

Equipping your model for combat play can be done by purchasing items through various vendors and or hand making items. The degree and complexity of equipment you need will depend on the model, size, and level of interaction you want. To simply sail your model around the lake, a two-channel ground frequency RC system is all that is needed. You need only control steering and propulsion. A simple firing system will necessitate a three-channel system to include a left side and right side firing (four-channel for forward and aft firing or turret turning). The following RC systems can be purchased at Tower Hobbies (or another hobby store):

GUN SYSTEMS

The gun system is the key to combat play and requires purchase of a variety of items to make it work properly. Inherent to a system that shoots BBs is a concern for safety. Goggles that cover the face or glasses are mandatory. The eye is the most vulnerable area. Being hit on the skin may hurt but would not cause serious damage. Combat play is an adult hobby and needs to be done in a safe, private location. Spectators need to be wearing safety glasses at all times. The gun systems can be purchased from BDE at a reasonable cost. Recommended items are:

GUN SETUP

Gun setup will depend on your model. In general, a 1 ½ inch ¾ strip of various lengths of wood is cemented (ABS cement) to the inside of the hull. A ¼ inch hole is drilled into the wood to insert the BDE gun. (The barrel may need to be shortened).

CO2 AND FIRING SYSTEMS

The CO2 bottle will have a regulator bringing the CO2 pressure down to 150lbs from 800lbs. A 1/16 hose will go from the regulator to a T connector to two poppet valves. The poppet valves must be set up in a fixed system that will allow the servo to fire them.

GUN EMPLACEMENT

SIMULATED FIRING

Guns can be made to simulate cannon fire by using a simple system. When firing, CO2 is released into a plastic pill bottle via 1/8" hose inserted from the top of the bottle 3/4 of the way down. The bottle is filled 1/3 of the way with talcum powder. At the top of the pill bottle, ¼" hoses are connected to the gun ports. The CO2 blows down on the talcum powder creating a cloud that shoots out of the gun barrels. This creates a realistic simulation of actual cannon fire.

PYROTECHNIC SYSTEMS

Any fake gun (1/4" copper tube projecting out of your ship) can be used for setting up a pyrotechnic trigger. A wooden dowel that loosely fits in the copper tube, with a notch in the opposite end, is glued to a flat target plate. The dowel is inserted through the copper tube and when the target plate is hit by a BB, it will push the dowel in, tripping the microswitch. The microswitch is cemented (or duct taped) to the end of the ¼" copper tube so that the on/off switch can be depressed or opened by the dowel rod. When the trigger is set, the dowel rod is pushing the microswitch closed. When the target plate is hit with a BB, it pushes in the dowel rod in moving the notch up to the microswitch allowing it to expand and turn on the circuit.

PYROTECHNIC DEVICES

1. A 6-volt battery or greater with good amperage is needed to set off a smoke bomb. A 1 ½ volt C cell or 9 volt does not work well.
2. To set up a firing system you need to have a container with metal sides for a smoke bomb since they shoot out a hot flame while smoking and could set your boat or sails on fire.
3. The easiest way to set up a system is as shown: A pyrotechnic site will require an area that can vent into the air without flammable materials nearby. You will need 1 ½" diameter section of pipe inserted into a piece of wood with the bottom closed off and two small nails on either side of the pipe. Electrical alligator clips can be used to hold a small section of steel wool between the two nails. When the circuit is open, electricity will flow through the steel wool causing it to incandesce and set on fire a fuse causing a smoke bomb to burn, creating a cloud of realistic smoke. The smoke bomb will blow away the steel wool, short circuiting the electrical connection and thereby keeping your battery from discharging.

"Getting Started" link:

Here's a great web site that takes you through the entire process of getting started in the world of Radio Control.  The site features cars, planes, and boats, so for the Civil War scale naval vessels that we are offering for sale, pay particular attention to their "Boats" link.

Link to getting started in Radio Control boats

Back to Columbus Ironworks Civil War Naval Vessels Main Page

Click here for Columbus Ironworks Naval Vessels Catalog

Home Page