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Well, this is a hovercraft. For those of you who are looking for a rideable or remote-controlled hovercraft, look somewhere else. This is meant for people who are not yet into radio control (like yours truly) or for people who don't want to make a life sized one, but there are plans out there for free or... well, not free. This is a small hovercraft that will go and hover. If you want it to stop when the front of it hits something, i can show you how to do that. or not. whatever.
If you don't know what a hovercraft is, it will not rise above your head and float in the air. Motors inflate a plastic bag underneath, so it does float off the ground, but something is touching the ground. But only barely. The air then seeps out between the skirt and the ground, making it almost frictionless. That's why it doesn't require very much power.
Even if you have none of the parts at all, it should cost under 30$, and i can give you links for some of the parts. Remember, this is what I did, so you can leave ma a comment if you can't find a part, and hopefully I can help you.
You might also notice that I have two hovercrafts, one completely broken with all the parts taken off, and another shiny one that I'm working on as I make this instructable. The broken one is one that I made before, then someone stepped on it.
It is a completely original design, at least i didn't get the plans from anywhere. It doesn't require very much time. I should stop talking now and move on. Even though I have a lot more to say. Which I will say later.
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Signing UpStep 1Find your parts
You don't need very many parts, but you don't need too little, either. Here's a list of what I used:
1) Two identical motors (I used the motors in two bug vacuums, the toy kind, but any 6-v motors should work) here, this should work: http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2914699 basically, two of the same motors
2) O.k., this is the hardest part to find. You need (in my case) two centrifugal fans (i don't know if i spelled that right). Those are the swirly kind. If you took apart the bug vacuums, the fans come with it. I used those. Any hand vacuum has one, or almost anything that sucks air. It seems to be hard to find a small one. If not, any computer fan should work, and you won't need two identical motors if it already has one.
3) Battery holders for your dual motors. (Or single computer fan) Again, make sure the holders hold the battery (or batteries) your motors need. I used a 4- AA battery holder with a switch built into it from here: http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062253 for my two motors.
4) another motor, doesn't matter exactly, but I used a high-speed, powerful 18 v battery from radioshack: http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2102827&tab=summary
5) Now you need to find a fan that will fit on the end of the last motor. If the hole is too small, you could probably drill the hole very slightly bigger. If it's too big, I guess you could glue it.
now, here are two links where you don't have to worry about the fan fitting or not: http://www.sciencestuff.com/prod/P-m/0812 (for the motor) http://www.sciencestuff.com/prod/P-m/0823 and here for the fan
6) Battery holders for the single motor, in my case, two 9-v battery holders. As long as the holders hold the battery ( or batteries ) your motor needs.
7) a switch (preferably a push-on push-off switch, but any will work) If your battery holder doesn't have a switch built in, you need another one. Any kind.
8) wire (any gauge)
9) some much thicker, stronger wire, not for conducting electricity, but the wire mounts for the motors. (I used the straight portions of orchid-hanging wire) And make sure that it's not so thick you can't bend it.
10) all the batteries for your motors
11) a large foam meat tray or turkey roaster (like a big, deep metal pot, but thinner and square) and at least 13" by 9.75" ( 33 cm. by 24.5 cm) basically, the larger the better.
12) Plastic, like garbage bag or shopping bag plastic - not way too thick.
13) you also need some other glue, but not so powerful that you can't take it off or remove later, in case you make a mistake. I used hot glue.
14) you probably also want something to cut and strip wire.
15) this is optional. A hot glue gun.
160 something to cut the meat tray or turkey roaster
17) lastly, a tiny bit of cardboard and some glue, or, even better, a small screw and a matching bolt instead of glue
Everything will get clearer as we go along. (maybe) It's really not that much.
1) Two identical motors (I used the motors in two bug vacuums, the toy kind, but any 6-v motors should work) here, this should work: http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2914699 basically, two of the same motors
2) O.k., this is the hardest part to find. You need (in my case) two centrifugal fans (i don't know if i spelled that right). Those are the swirly kind. If you took apart the bug vacuums, the fans come with it. I used those. Any hand vacuum has one, or almost anything that sucks air. It seems to be hard to find a small one. If not, any computer fan should work, and you won't need two identical motors if it already has one.
3) Battery holders for your dual motors. (Or single computer fan) Again, make sure the holders hold the battery (or batteries) your motors need. I used a 4- AA battery holder with a switch built into it from here: http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062253 for my two motors.
4) another motor, doesn't matter exactly, but I used a high-speed, powerful 18 v battery from radioshack: http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2102827&tab=summary
5) Now you need to find a fan that will fit on the end of the last motor. If the hole is too small, you could probably drill the hole very slightly bigger. If it's too big, I guess you could glue it.
now, here are two links where you don't have to worry about the fan fitting or not: http://www.sciencestuff.com/prod/P-m/0812 (for the motor) http://www.sciencestuff.com/prod/P-m/0823 and here for the fan
6) Battery holders for the single motor, in my case, two 9-v battery holders. As long as the holders hold the battery ( or batteries ) your motor needs.
7) a switch (preferably a push-on push-off switch, but any will work) If your battery holder doesn't have a switch built in, you need another one. Any kind.
8) wire (any gauge)
9) some much thicker, stronger wire, not for conducting electricity, but the wire mounts for the motors. (I used the straight portions of orchid-hanging wire) And make sure that it's not so thick you can't bend it.
10) all the batteries for your motors
11) a large foam meat tray or turkey roaster (like a big, deep metal pot, but thinner and square) and at least 13" by 9.75" ( 33 cm. by 24.5 cm) basically, the larger the better.
12) Plastic, like garbage bag or shopping bag plastic - not way too thick.
13) you also need some other glue, but not so powerful that you can't take it off or remove later, in case you make a mistake. I used hot glue.
14) you probably also want something to cut and strip wire.
15) this is optional. A hot glue gun.
160 something to cut the meat tray or turkey roaster
17) lastly, a tiny bit of cardboard and some glue, or, even better, a small screw and a matching bolt instead of glue
Everything will get clearer as we go along. (maybe) It's really not that much.
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Later, I decided I wanted to improve it, so...this is the result.
Still, the skirt could be improved... along with the motors and fans.
Lighter motors that spin faster would have been much better.
Your motors will be better, as long as the batteries to supply the higher voltage arent too heavy.
Computer fans may have been the best, but I couldn't find a reliable way to power them all the way up to 12 volts.
Send me a picture or something when you finish!
well...I don't think that I'll be ready with my project anytime soon(work), but (in about 2 weeks) I'll send you my project or better then that I'll post it and you could have a good look at it and tell me if you like it.
The motors I'm using are some old ones that I got by taking apart 2 of my toy cars (at the age of 8) and the 2 propellers are from a computer fan and the other from some strange toy (I don't even know what is it suppose to be or do)
( I didn't use the fan directly because it just doesn't deliver enough punch)
As I remember you are using 4 AA batteries that should give you 6V but I think that one 9V Battery is lighter and has more power ....also I am overpowering my motors for better performance(12V made out of 8 units that make a 9V(6+2separatly))your engines have huge endurance so you can even power them with two 9v packs (I have 3 of those too and I tested them)
I have a problem though ...Does the your lift sistem work as it should?Are the propellers big enough?...I have a centrifugal propeller from an old hairdryer but I didn't have the time to put it to the test and I don't know if it is up to the challenge.
do they have a rechargeable battery, are they plug-in, or gas powered?
is there a certain model you were talking about?
and finally how much do they weigh? weight is a huge issue with making hovercrafts. otherwise, i can imagine that these would be very good.
i pm'ed u somthin.. y dont u look...
i just didnt want to.. *herm hreek* release ur name 2 evry1..
anyway how will u make it turn wen u get it?
as long as the skirt is made correctly and there is very little friction between the skirt and the craft, the computer fan only has to be strong enough to overcome any headwind.
the main thing you want with a propulsion fan is that the air moves fast.
if it blows really slowly, your craft will go slowly.
make sure there are no air leaks around the fans.
remember, the main thing to remember is that it has to be light.
especially the batteries, if your fans are not that powerful.... computer fans are usually designed to work with minimal energy and move a lot of air.
they should be fine.
Before this one, i actually made a hovercraft that was exactly the same but with a foam meat tray. that worked A LOT better than the tin one i have here.
good luck!
Do you actually get enough lift? I'm not convinced by what I can see.
L