CT Reference Directory for 1/10th Scale Parts and Equipment

 

(This is primarily a reference for product that have been identified by 1/10th scale racers as products they have been using and found to work for them.  The links below were found doing internet searches and are for identification and information on the products only.  You may want to shop around to find the best price from the manufacturer or from the dealers!)  As we get more input from people, this page is likely to keep growing.  Let us know if you find other useful places and items for 1/10th scale Hydros.

 

Battery Chargers:

 

Triton Chargers available from many places like Tower Hobbies, RC Hobbies etc. (see our Links page for those and other hobby shops. A good all around charger. )

http://www.offshoreelectrics.com/MainPage.htm

 

AtroFlight Chargers http://www.astroflight.com/index.html?sid=00012bJh0RgLr8YQi0072U1

 

Hyperion Chargers

http://www.foamworks.co.nz/product_info.php?products_id=297

 

Multiplex Chargers

http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXKSY1&P=0

 

FMA Direct Cell Pro Chargers

http://www.fmadirect.com/detail.htm?item=2116&section=45

 

 

Batteries:

Tons of places to find these. This is just a few that guys mentioned.  Also check the Links Page

 

 

Tower Hobbies  (just search under Nimh or Lipo Batteries)

http://www.towerhobbies.com/index.html

 

CheapBatterPacks.com (http://cheapbatterypacks.com/main.asp?sid=631737&)

Amondo Tech (now called Battery Junction) http://www.batteryjunction.com/

Horizon Hobby (http://www.horizonhobby.com/Default.aspx)

RC Lipos  (http://www.rclipos.com/)

Fine Design (http://www.finedesignrc.com/)

Offshore Electrics (http://www.offshoreelectrics.com/MainPage.htm)

Max Amps  (http://www.maxamps.com/)

 

Speed Controllers:

Brushed Controllers: 

 

RC-Hydros.com (http://www.rc-hydros.com/) popular choice, good products.

Available from many hobby suppliers, like Offshore Electric and Fine Design etc

AstroFlight

(http://www.astroflight.com/index.html?sid=00012bJh0RgLr8Yqi0072U1)

 

Brushless Controllers:

 

Castle Creations (http://www.castlecreations.com/products/barracuda.html)  Their Barracuda Series controllers, 80 & 125 are very popular and have improved in reliability.

 

Hextronic found at Hobby King/Hobby City (formerly United Hobby) http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbycity/store/uh_index.aspYou may need a PiStix from RC-Hydros.com so that it will work with a wheel radio unless you have a programmable digital radio as this is normally an airplane controller.

 

Hacker Navy Series have been used with success

(http://www.hackerbrushless.com/boats.shtml)

 

Schultz available at Fine Design

(http://www.finedesignrc.com/speedcontrolsschulze.asp)

 

Hi-Model makes a 200 Amp one that looks like it may work too.  It's another plane or heli controller that can be waterproofed and used.  You may need a PiStix from RC-Hydros.com so that it will work with a wheel radio unless you have a programmable digital radio. http://www.himodel.com/electric/HiModel_GX_Seires_200A_3-7S_Brushless_Electric_Speed_Controller_Type_GX-200A-OPTO.html

Motors:

 

Brushed Motors:

 

AstroFlight 25 turn has been the main motor for a very long time for division 1.  They won’t be making them any more, but find a used one or a rare new one for 2007.  Great brushed motor.  They last a long time if not abused.

 

Plettenberg (http://www.plettenberg-motoren.com/UK/index.htm)

 

700 Series (of Mabuchi, Graupner, CEN, Johnson can motors.  The best was the old Cordite SS1, but they stopped making them.  Offshore Electric has a motor called the 700SC that performs like the SS1, but has bushings on both ends.  They also carry a variety of others.  Not as hot as the high end motors, but low priced and reliable, steady motors.

 

Brushless Motors: (there’s a bunch of them out there now and these are some that have surfaced in and around 1/10th scale so far.  So far it looks like motors with 1500 to about 1800 RPM/V rating are working well for this size boat.  Jury is still out on whether it’s feasible to go beyond 2000 RPM/V.   (Kv ratings)

 

Mega Motors (http://megamotorsusa.com/)  So far, the 22/30/2 and what I think is the hotter 22/45/1E have made a big push in CT Division 2.  It’s just a matter of how fast is too fast for a boat this size. 

 

NEU Motors can be found at Fast Electrics.com and other places too. (http://www.fastelectrics.com/blmotors.asp)  The one’s we’ve seen are incredibly fast, but tough on controllers in the beginning.  They’re not cheap, but performance is high end.  Jury is still out on which one will allow you to keep a 1/10th scale boat on the water.  Crazy fast.

 

Nemesis/Feigao/Hacker all seem to be made by the Feigao company and marketed under those three names and distributed in numerous places with different colored cans.  You can often find them sold in a package deal with a Castle controller too.  The motor of choice looks to be the 10XL for Division 2 racing.   Good combination for a reasonable price.  Check Offshore Electrics, Fine Design and others for deals on these. 

(http://www.finedesignrc.com/motorsnemesisblue.asp)

 

AstroFlight now has a brushless 25, one of which is said to be a good fit with a 1/10th scale boat. 

 

Aveox motors can be found at Fine Design also.  Haven’t heard much from them in the 1/10th scale ranks yet.

 

Himax makes an affordable motor that works well for 1/10th scale.  Their 3630-1500 seems to be a good fit. (http://www.maxxprod.com/mpi/mpi-2601.html)

 

 

Rudders, Struts and Turn Fins:

 

Marine Specialties (http://www.marinespecialties-rc.com/) has a good supply of rc hardware.

 

Fine Design (http://www.finedesignrc.com/hardware.asp) has a vast selection of nicely made running gear parts.  You may have to modify some parts to meet club spec rules, but no big deal.

 

 

Horizon Hobby (http://www.horizonhobby.com/Default.aspx) Just do a search under “rudder” of other items you’re looking for.

 

Fuller’s Fast Electrics (http://www.drcwebservices.com/ffe/) has a vast selection of nicely made running gear parts.  You may have to modify some parts to meet club spec rules, but no big deal.

 

 

 

Propellers and Drive Dogs:

 

Octura Propellers of sizes x447R (primarily in Div 1) and x442R (primarily in Div 2) have been the mainstay from this company.  Selection of Right-hand turning props is limited, but these work very well for 1/10th scale.  The only alternative is to spin the motor for the use of left hand turning props and fight the rotation through the corners.  Not many are doing that. Octura does not have their own web site, but their props can be found at Offshore Electrics, Fine Design, Fuller’s Fast Electrics and many other places.  Some places offer them sharpened and balanced already for a bit more money.  You can find drive dogs for these props from Octura in a 3/16” and 1/8th “ inner diameter.  You can either shim the 3/16” one using brass tubing for a 1/8” shaft or fill the gap left by the small teeth on the smaller 1/8th” drive dog using Goop or other flexible adhesive.

 

Graupner makes a couple of Right hand turning props that have been tried in 1/10th scale.  Their 45mm is by far the most successful.  Most run them in Division 2, but some have also had success with them on 12 cells in Division 1.  A 51mm version of this prop is also available in Rt hand turning, but has had limited use.  The props are made of carbon and are black in color, very light, lower in price then Octura and do not require balancing, which is another plus.  Offshore Electrics carries these props too.  Octura drive dogs can be used on these props too.

 

Dumas (http://www.dumasestore.com/catalog/specials.php) is said to have drive dogs and other parts that can be used in 1/10th scale too.

 

 

Shaft Material and Motor Couplers and Specialty Items:

 

AstroFlight motors come with a coupler (1/4” down to 1/8th”).

 

Fine Design and Offshore Electrics and others carry good 5mm couplers as most other brushed or brushless motors that would work for 1/10th scale have 5mm output shafts on them.  These flex hex couplers have become very popular.  Size 5mm x .130 holds a 1/8” shaft very well.

 

Small Parts, Inc (http://www.smallparts.com/) has Titanium Wire and Stainless depending on how much you want to spend.  You can find many other interesting and useful things there too, like materials for shims, bushings, small plastic screws etc.  Good place to find little things you need and can’t find at the hardware store!

 

Foamworks (http://www.foamworks.co.nz/index.php) is another place that has RC supplies for building and gearing up models.  This place has been a pleasant find!

 

Tacoma Screw (http://www.tacomascrew.com/) is also a good place to find Stainless steel shaft material and other small items.

 

McLendon Hardware (http://www.mclendons.com/) and other hardware stores may even have some shaft material in stainless or cold rolled steel.  Be careful of the bent pieces!  They are also better for hard to find small items than other hardware stores.

 

Boca Bearings (http://www.bocabearings.com/) Just about every type and size of bearing you might ever need for r/c stuff etc. 

 

 

 

Radio Gear:

(A minimum 2 channel radio is needed.  These are just some of the brands that have good reviews in 1/10th scale.)

 

JR (http://www.jrradios.com/)

Futaba (http://www.futaba-rc.com/)

Airtronics (http://www.airtronics.net/)

Spectrum  (http://www.spektrumrc.com/DSM/SurfaceProducts.aspx)

 

 

 

Building Materials:

 

Home Depot has a great supply of pink foam in different thicknesses.  Most popular is the 2” and 1” foam.  I find that the pink type (only pink since it’s Owens Corning, but some places carry blue) is easier to shape and not as messy as the white styrene foam.  The white tends to soak up water somewhat also.

 

B&D International, Inc. (http://www.bd-international.com/) out of Tacoma is a good place to find 1/32” plywood and other specialty woods.  They will ship it to you if you like too. 

 

Fiberlay (http://www.fiberlay.com/) is an excellent place to find all of what you need to work with fiberglass, carbon fiber, resins etc. 

 

Aerospace Composite Products (http://www.acp-composites.com/acp-cat.htm) has an assortment of fiberglass laminates in sheets and also panels of composite panels of foam and fiberglass, balsa and fiberglass etc that can be useful in building boats.  You can order different thicknesses of laminate sheets.  Looks like .015" is popular (1/64") but they have thinner and thicker sheets too.  Quick ordering and shipping.

 

Boat Graphics:

 

Kustom Rides (http://www.kustomrides.com/home.php) is a cool site and is one place you can find water transfer decal sheets in white and clear if you want to print your own decals.  They come with instruction.  Remember to clear over the boat decals before you put it in the water!

 

Proline Media (http://prolinemedia.net/) can do vinyl graphics for you if you don’t want to cut your own.

 

Kinko’s or possibly other sign makers will also take your graphics and make you a sheet rather inexpensively if you have it on disk.  The clearer the image, the better.  Photoshop files or other popular format is preferred in 300 pixels per inch, which is appearantly industry standard.

 

Pacific Graphics (http://www.scalerc.com/) has been making and selling scale hydroplane graphics in vinyl for a long, long time and are well known for quality.  They have a big selection saved on computer, so I would imagine they can size them for you in just about any RC scale. 

 

Scale Drivers and Parts:

(If you're not making it yourself, which is half the fun, you can find someone who is.)

 

Hansen Racing (http://www.classicthunder.org/ForSale/Hansen.htm) has an assortment of 1/10th scale drivers from the 50's on up to present day style.  He's got engine stacks, windshields and other items too.  He also makes them in 1/8th and 1/12th scale.  You can contact him directly or find his drivers for sale at Offshore Electrics too.

 

 

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