The Charity HoverCraft

[ToolsnTrack]

Ok, I know its not particularly car related, and it is a cheeky ask on the general board, but it is a general thing for likeminded petrolheads...

So here's the plan. After months of debating the next Skunkworks project (see thread here)

retrorides.proboards.com/thread/146422/overdrives-skunkworks-2-years

... I think something radical is needed. I have the space, I have the technology, I just don't have the justification. I know its time to build a Hovercraft, I just don't know why...

Until now. I'm putting this to you, the RetroRides massive. If you think I have the gusto to do this, please donate. This will cover amassing the components needed to build a twin engined hovercraft. Once built, and detailed thoroughly with a "how to" on the above thread so anyone who wants to follow my mad steps can repeat, I plan to give up the working hovercraft. Why? Well, as mentioned, I have no need for a hovercraft other than to build one, so I'll auction off the finished, fully working build and all proceeds will go to Cancer Research. My aim here is to make something worth more than the sum of its parts, and to be awesome for all involved.

So chip in, its all for a good cause in the end. And if what I'm planning goes off well, I'm putting my time and your money into something that should bring in a lot more than that for a worthwhile cause.

Here is the link:

www.gofundme.com/GotHovvered

All feedback welcome, and I will keep you abreast of all the status on here!

[ToolsnTrack]

First update...

So the big question is, how am I going to build a hovercraft for £500? Will it work? Am I going to die?

I can answer some of these.. First up, I plan on having TWO engines powering this machine. There is a logic to this that I will come to in time, mostly centred around efficiency and availability of cheap lumps, but the main thing is "drive". I want the "hover" part, namely the skirt, to be inflated by a dedicated engine, and the "thrust" of forward motion to be separate.

Why? Well, to rotate a fan vertically, a vertical engine is needed. To do the same horizontally for thrust, you either need a complex gear set to take drive and change its orientation (which will sap power on such a lightweight machine) or you need to split the one engines force, which makes for a complex and compromised set up. And theres no fun in that.

So the skirt will be powered by a lawnmower engine. Its already orientated correct and spends its life spinning a cutting blade. Imagine the same blade, but fatter and wider. Lawnmower engines are abundant and cheap enough. That's the plan here....

[Richard TR7]

Cool idea, I don't think that a lawnmower engine will have enough power to give you any lift though. You might be better with a motorbike engine, possibly using a welded up diff to rotate the drive 90 deg. Good luck.

[ToolsnTrack]

There will be chapman tactics used. "Add lightness"

[PandaSelecta]

This might help (or hinder)

[Clamity]

Good luck with the build. Awesome idea!

I worked on a single engined one before, no gears required. We had a small Subaru/Robin kart engine directly driving a six blade fan which was partially let into the flat plywood frame, such that it formed a natural splitter. At a guess I'd say it was about 10% of the swept area inflation, 90% for thrust. It felt quick but even with a massive rudder it steered like a drunk pig. Good times

[waveman1500]

I know it's against the RR ethos to say anything negative, but the "charity" thing doesn't sit well with me.
Since your real motivation is just to build something cool for the sake of tinkering in your garage, I think you really should just do it the old-fashioned way and share the cost between a couple of mates, or just save up. It's really not a lot of money, there's no need to go fundraising from the public with a half-baked plan that may actually turn a net loss on the donations. You haven't even named a specific charity. I think at the very least, you should name your charity and guarantee that if the project makes a loss after auction, you will donate the shortfall.

In terms of the actual hovercraft, good luck and enjoy!
These really don't seem to be that hard to build with a sheet of plywood and a couple of small engines, I've seen them made by everyone from school kids to the Mythbusters.
Here's some inspiration for you:

[ToolsnTrack]

Oct 2, 2015 3:48:48 GMT waveman1500 said:

I know it's against the RR ethos to say anything negative, but the "charity" thing doesn't sit well with me.
Since your real motivation is just to build something cool for the sake of tinkering in your garage, I think you really should just do it the old-fashioned way and share the cost between a couple of mates, or just save up. It's really not a lot of money, there's no need to go fundraising from the public with a half-baked plan that may actually turn a net loss on the donations. You haven't even named a specific charity. I think at the very least, you should name your charity and guarantee that if the project makes a loss after auction, you will donate the shortfall.

In terms of the actual hovercraft, good luck and enjoy!
These really don't seem to be that hard to build with a sheet of plywood and a couple of small engines, I've seen them made by everyone from school kids to the Mythbusters.
Here's some inspiration for you:

I have named a charity. It's in the link: Cancer research.

Bit off to call it half baked when you barely half read the brief my man.

If it doesn't sit well with you, that's fine. I'm asking for donations, not expecting them. I'll be driven to build this thing right, on time first time, and under budget. Anything left goes to charity, along with the proceeds from the sale if it.

I've seen many projects litter garages unfinished. Making myself accountable to a charity and those who are sponsoring me to do so will MAKE me do this to the end, and do it right, in order to get as much in the pot as I can.

Doing it half baked won't be an option, but I would be happy to guarantee at the minimum the £500 outlay would be what goes to Cancer Research by the end of the build..

Would that make you donate though?

[tdk]

I love Hovercraft, and am always up for a good charity cause, but I think that divs like me (and perhaps, others) would appreciate some clarity on the project;

If I understand you right - You want donations to you of £500 to build a hovercraft, which you will then sell in the name of charity, and you pledge to donate at least £500 to the charity if/when it sells? Surely you have to be 100% sure it will sell for more than the total donated to make it worthwhile? How much would anyone pay for a home-made hovercraft?

Not being awkward, I'd just like to understand how this benefits anyone.

[ToolsnTrack]

You know, I think I probably haven't made this as clear as I should. Points taken from both tdk and waveman1500

So I'm asking for a Gofundme pledge to hit £500. Regardless of how this all pans out, all £500 of that is going to charity as a minimum one way or another.

The challenge here is to see if a hovercraft can be built for £500, and sell for more. I plan on applying the hairbrained ideas I have into making it fairly unique, and running through the whole process in a build thread. Every penny gained from the sale will go to Cancer Research.

I guarantee that if I fail, I will personally fill the gap or the entire sum missed into the original £500 pledge for Cancer Research.

My goal is to make this not only a win, with a working hovercraft, but use the whole projects steam to sell it on for a sum higher than pledged, and then donate all the sale money to charity.

I hope that settles everyone's concerns.

[ToolsnTrack]

I've also taken your points and added to the fund page, just to clear up any doubts from others outwith RR.

www.gofundme.com/GotHovvered

Cheers for the input!

[MiataMark]

Oct 1, 2015 18:30:42 GMT PandaSelecta said:

This might help (or hinder)

I know this doesn't add much to the discussion but that would have been my suggestion as well, lots of examples on scrapheap challenge of motorbike engines being used for things other than powering wheels.

Interesting project only 'driven' a hovercraft once and it was fun but surprisingly difficult, perhaps I'm not heavy enough to make steering by weight transfer easy

I was at Southsea recently when the Isle of Wight hovercraft arrived/departed still impressive, I was taken on it by my granddad when it first started operating and the ticket was 50 shillings.

[novocaine]

first step, contact the hovercraft club of Great Britain (HCGB), they will point you towards 1 of a number of people who will be more than happy to sit and chat with you about how to do what you want, hopefully locally to you as well (the buggers get everywhere). you've missed the race session now so no chance of popping to your local race and having a wander through the pits chatting the folk that build and race them, which is shame, you might find there is a friendly "hover in" near by though as there is also a big scene of non racing folks. Please don't take this the wrong way, but right now from your post you are missing some of the very basic fundamentals on how to build a craft, these guys will help you with that massively.

2. single engine for combined thrust and lift is going to be much easier to do for a first time (especially with your budget), a split duct (as described above) is simple and considerable cheaper than a twin engine. the lump isn't the issue, the hub and blades (large air conditioning bits) will set you back a few notes alone, then the belts and pulleys a top of that and the engine all the bits that go along side it (typically 2 stroke lumps as you don't need the massive torque but do need the rpm), even running something out a motorcycle is going to cost you.

3. safety, that dreaded word, if you plan to do this right the guys up there will point you in the right direction, there is a manual on it, at the end of the day you will have a 1000mm prop spinning rather quickly with one hell of a tip speed if you intend to actually move the thing, if that lets go (it happens, often) you don't want it to be in open air, not to mention the tendency of them to flip over, the fact you've got a fair amount of fuel sat pretty close to you and they do handle rather like a pig (as said before)

as to auctioning it off at the end, safety is obvious as you won't be using it, but doing it for 500 notes and having something that actual is worth it in the end is going to be a pretty hard task I'm afraid.


have some pictures for your trouble.











and finally, the last craft I helped build.

[boostjunkie]

I like the idea but not sure about the auction bit, why don't you do a raffle? I am sure there would be plenty of people willing to buy a ticket for a couple of pounds, I know I would!

[ToolsnTrack]

Oct 2, 2015 21:14:42 GMT boostjunkie said:

I like the idea but not sure about the auction bit, why don't you do a raffle? I am sure there would be plenty of people willing to buy a ticket for a couple of pounds, I know I would!

That's also an option!

[VIP]

Oct 2, 2015 21:28:46 GMT ToolsnTrack said:

Oct 2, 2015 21:14:42 GMT boostjunkie said:

I like the idea but not sure about the auction bit, why don't you do a raffle? I am sure there would be plenty of people willing to buy a ticket for a couple of pounds, I know I would!

That's also an option!

You'll need a gaming license to legally hold a raffle.

Those folks that tried raffling their house off fell foul of that Law and HMRC are very hot on it.

A raffle is basically considered the same as a Lottery, hence the license.

[ToolsnTrack]

Yea, seen a lot of that chat on Facebook.

[Clamity]

True, though it's only a couple of forms to fill and 40 quid to get the gaming license. The tickets have to bear the promoter's name and address too.

[oddball]

I can't help with any advice but I do know that hovercraft are COOL!

I grew up on the Isle of Wight and have been on the Ryde to Southsea hovercraft many times over the years. When I was about 5 or 6 we lived next door to a hovercraft engineer. His job took him all over the world! They are statistically the safest form of passenger transport there is. Apparently...

[longman]

Me and a mate picked one up for nothing , had a Briggs and Stratton 800 v twin .. ,only used it a couple of times as it was so noisy , fun whilst we had it though.