Lew's Model Boats
is a non-commercial web site. Lew
is a model builder as well as a Civil War living
historian. Views on this web site are opinions of the
author and not driven by any commercial entity.
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U.S.S. Monitor - Internals
Drive & Mechanisms
Above
Left is the motor, gear box,
stuffing box, and propeller for the Monitor. All, except the motor,
is scratch built.
The gear box is made of Plexiglas and has a grease fitting on it to inject grease. There is a universal joint between the gear box and shaft.
The stuffing box is made of tubing with the prop shaft running through it. This also has a grease fitting so that when the stuffing box is filled with grease, it provides a seal to prevent water from entering the hull.
Above Right is the gear mechanism I have chosen for the Monitor's turret. The motor has a black plastic cover on it, and is part of an old gear mechanism used for a sail control unit for R/C sailboats. Than mechanism is on the far side of the plywood plate and the casting is visible just below the motor. A gear was epoxied to the square output shaft. On the left side is a truck bearing with the meshing gear attached. Finally, on the top is a plate (with the three nuts) which will attach to the turret's floor.
The whole mechanism rotates at about 2 RPM on a 9-Volt battery, which is not only a good speed, but the battery surprisingly lasts quite long.
The gear box is made of Plexiglas and has a grease fitting on it to inject grease. There is a universal joint between the gear box and shaft.
The stuffing box is made of tubing with the prop shaft running through it. This also has a grease fitting so that when the stuffing box is filled with grease, it provides a seal to prevent water from entering the hull.
Above Right is the gear mechanism I have chosen for the Monitor's turret. The motor has a black plastic cover on it, and is part of an old gear mechanism used for a sail control unit for R/C sailboats. Than mechanism is on the far side of the plywood plate and the casting is visible just below the motor. A gear was epoxied to the square output shaft. On the left side is a truck bearing with the meshing gear attached. Finally, on the top is a plate (with the three nuts) which will attach to the turret's floor.
The whole mechanism rotates at about 2 RPM on a 9-Volt battery, which is not only a good speed, but the battery surprisingly lasts quite long.
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