Propeller Powered Skateboard

Step 3 Test It Out!

This section documents the test phase of the project, which mainly includes standing on the board and seeing how fast I can go before I lose control. :-)

I started by doing some feasibility tests with a household fan, 12V battery, and an inverter on a skateboard. The results were disappointing, but not surprising. I needed more power!

A Model Airplane Using the Same OS 1.60FX Engine

Enter: The OS 1.60FX 3.7 HP model airplane engine. The most powerful engine in the world! Ummm.. not quite - but it packs quite a punch for an engine that weighs under 1kg. Much better than the heavy, low-power house-fan and battery setup! Even better than a 5 HP lawnmower engine for the weight. Additionally the engine is very high RPM (1,800-10,000), which allows us to use the small (model airplane) propellers. The main drawback is that the engine runs on Glow Fuel, which is made of methanol, nitromethane, and an oil, needs to be purchased at a hobby store and is much more expensive than gasoline. That said, I probably only used a couple bucks of fuel during the entire time I spent using the board and tuning the engine.
The first test ended shortly in propeller failure. The cage was just too close to the propeller, and with a slight vibration the propeller was caught in the mesh of the fan cage. Totally preventable problem, but I thought the tolerances were good when it really needed some more space. The next day, after reconstructing some of the engine mount which cracked in the propeller incident, it was time for test #2.
Success! The board cruised around the parking lot like an unstoppable freight train. Now this parking lot wasn't like most parking lots you might thing of. It was the parking lot to a long-neglected factory, and itself had been long-neglected. In other words: there were tons of rocks and grooves and cracks! So, what one might think of as quite mundane empty parking lot skating was actually quite exciting plowing over these rocks which would normally grind my skateboard to a halt when freeskating - in addition to the fact that there is no brakes and that the board wanted to take off even at low throttle.

Comments

[jimmytvf]

what about a chainsaw? you control the throttle with the servo as well, attach the chain to a sprocket and there you go! you get more power, is kinda lightweight and the gas is also cheaper lol

[Kaos7125]

You should totally do this on a bike! I'd go for it in a heartbeat if it was on a bike

[yardkarter]

I already did!

[Madrias357]

Working on that! Got me a plan for it.

[sebberdreng]

Can i get the link to the plan?

[Madrias357]

Can you download a notebook? I'm sorry, my plans are to stay in notebooks. Anyway, I have limited supplies and was thinking of using the box-fan-on-power inverter to turn the wheel instead of trying to push 240 pounds of me and the bike around. Worst thing that could happen? I smoke up an old box-fan motor and have a smoker-unit for a mile or so. Or I get shocked. That's what electrical tape is for.

[bylerfamily]

Ah,that remind me of someone I know who fastened a chainsaw motor to his bike...

[Madrias357]

Except I don't like gas. It's loud, smelly, and it explodes.

[Zaphod Beeblebrox]

but thats what makes gas so cool!!!

[DJ_JS9]

well if you need 10,000 rpm couldent you use a wd raptor hdd motor and a 12v battery??

[crazybuilders]

Interesting idea, but I don't think that motor would have the torque required to turn the propeller over that fast. Motor power is a combination of speed and torque (Power = rotational velocity * Torque). Good idea though!

[LetsExplodeSomething]

Good idea but hdd motors only take 5v and if you were to use it with a fan blade it would probably work those things just don't have torque to be wheels or something encounters lots of resistance. i might try it

[Jackp5]

build a car type one that uses like x3 of the materials but i dont think ur that loaded

[harvey639]

i would build one but i can't skateboard

[jonathonbryce]

I WANT ONE!!!!!! Time to build it, it seems that it would be a cheaper way to work to.

[schweinhund227]

Pretty Kewl Idea !!!! but I would Switch the Remote for a Spring loaded Hand Throttle !!! if you fall ! the Board won't go Berserk on ya! If only I had one of those.... when I was a Kid !!! LOL Great Thinking !!! I am sure you Turned a lot of Heads Careening down the Streets.... LOL Way to go !!!

[mortemus]

100% nerd power! Sweet! Maybe I'll adapt this my son's Big Wheel. He'd love it.