Posted on 23/09/2006 at 01:55
Pegomas 2001
RC Submarines meeting in Pégomas, 2001 edition
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Click to see pictures full size!
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Posted on 23/09/2006 at 01:48
Pegomas 2000
RC Submarines meeting in Pégomas, 2000 edition, on September 16th and 17th
Everything occurred in Pegomas, in a beautiful place!
End of the week-end... See you next year! 
Everything occurred in Pegomas, in a beautiful place!
Posted on 23/09/2006 at 01:39
Electronics
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- Thanks to Jean-Paul CHALET, from the Miniflotte Rhone-Alpes Club, for inventing the camping gaz-cans submarine (sorry folks, t'wasn't my idea!)
- Thanks Jérôme for the pictures...
- Thanks Nicolas for the machined parts...
Posted on 23/09/2006 at 01:35
Mechanics
Nicolas "Always Higher" Petit machined for me the little parts needed for the motors orientation mechanism ; he as well found the matching 'U' seals...
Motors orientation mechanism (for dynamic diving) :
Posted on 23/09/2006 at 01:20
Presentation
I've started building this model in 1994, 13 years ago! It has navigated a lot, in the Sciences University ponds, in R/C meetings, in swimming pools, in rivers... And it still does!
The beast is 25cm long. The two half-hulls were made from camping-gaz cans.
The front transparent bulb has been hacked out of a Kinder Rabbit (you know, the one stuffed with little chocolate eggs for Easter!)
The interior of this bulb has been decorated with some die-cast plastic hacked stuff : bucket seat from a BMW, Alouette II helicopter dashboard, stickers from Mirage...
For the static dive, it uses a ballast : it's a small plastic accordion-shaped part (just like the ones on kids bikes, acting as a horn!) on which a servo pushes. It can suck up to 8 grams of water from outside, making the submarine heavier... And it goes up, or down, depending on its relative weight...
Benefits: way easier to build on such a small scale model. Without specific tools (lathe and mill), there's no way to make them water-tight.
Drawbacks : they wear faster, and I've got to change them every year. 4 welds and 7 euros later, and here we go again!
To rotate the submarine, I reverse one motor, so the machine turns like a tank!
The (functional) headlights were hacked from disposable cameras flashes...
The little tube linking the bulb to the hull allows pressuring the bulb ("better bubbles out than water in", this is the rule!). Indeed, all the water-tight elements are put under slight pressure by blowing into the bike tire valve (the little chromed thing on top in front of the antenna)...
The LEDs on the fins are functional as well, they flash when the radio is turned on.
And to turn it on, you can see right behind the bulb, on the front half-hull, an 'excrescence', which contains an ILS lamp (there's another one on the other side of the hull).
So, to switch it on, I just have to approach a magnet on the right side, and to switch off, I approach the magnet on the left side.
Such a system is a must-have, in order not to have to disassemble the whole thing to switch the radio on/off...
The fins are made out of epoxy (the one used for PCBs). I perchlorate-engraved them on their inner face to connect the LEDs...
The skates are made out of plumbing copper tubes. The end spheres at the end were made out of bondo (Synthofer, free ad!), molded in a plaster mold (this later made using a marble... Never throw away your child toys!). The rear half-sphere can be removed, by unscrewing it, thanks to a rubber seal.
The beast is 25cm long. The two half-hulls were made from camping-gaz cans.
The front transparent bulb has been hacked out of a Kinder Rabbit (you know, the one stuffed with little chocolate eggs for Easter!)
The interior of this bulb has been decorated with some die-cast plastic hacked stuff : bucket seat from a BMW, Alouette II helicopter dashboard, stickers from Mirage...
Diving :
My model dives both statically and dynamically.For the static dive, it uses a ballast : it's a small plastic accordion-shaped part (just like the ones on kids bikes, acting as a horn!) on which a servo pushes. It can suck up to 8 grams of water from outside, making the submarine heavier... And it goes up, or down, depending on its relative weight...
Motors :
As you can see on the following pictures, the motors run freely in water!Benefits: way easier to build on such a small scale model. Without specific tools (lathe and mill), there's no way to make them water-tight.
Drawbacks : they wear faster, and I've got to change them every year. 4 welds and 7 euros later, and here we go again!
To rotate the submarine, I reverse one motor, so the machine turns like a tank!
The (functional) headlights were hacked from disposable cameras flashes...
The little tube linking the bulb to the hull allows pressuring the bulb ("better bubbles out than water in", this is the rule!). Indeed, all the water-tight elements are put under slight pressure by blowing into the bike tire valve (the little chromed thing on top in front of the antenna)...
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And to turn it on, you can see right behind the bulb, on the front half-hull, an 'excrescence', which contains an ILS lamp (there's another one on the other side of the hull).
So, to switch it on, I just have to approach a magnet on the right side, and to switch off, I approach the magnet on the left side.
Such a system is a must-have, in order not to have to disassemble the whole thing to switch the radio on/off...
The fins are made out of epoxy (the one used for PCBs). I perchlorate-engraved them on their inner face to connect the LEDs...
The skates are made out of plumbing copper tubes. The end spheres at the end were made out of bondo (Synthofer, free ad!), molded in a plaster mold (this later made using a marble... Never throw away your child toys!). The rear half-sphere can be removed, by unscrewing it, thanks to a rubber seal.
Posted on 23/09/2006 at 01:14
Result
First drive test
The engine doesn't run smoothly, I feel like it has to much fuel... Plus, after 500 meters, the throttle cable breaks!! Argh, gotta push the beast back home...I change the throttle cable for a Teflonized model... The "too much fuel" issue looks like coming from the needle valve on the carburetor that doesn't close correctly... With some patience and polishing paste, I adjust it, looks like it works... I reassemble it back.
Second drive test
The engine starts first kick, and runs smoothly... I'm a bit scared to go too far from home... but finally, everything goes fine!! I still have some gas leaking from the fuel tap, the speedometer cable that broke... But it runs fine, and I go for a fifty kilometers of pure pleasure cruising!The beast is relatively comfy (well, gotta admit that after 1 hour driving on bad road, it becomes very relative! :-P). The gear selector is a bit delicate to use, but I got used to it quickly (I now understand the need for that needle indicating the selected gear on the gearbox!). Feels unstable at first try, but this is a false sensation due to the spring-mounted saddle and large diameter wheels...
Obviously, it doesn't drive fastly : given for 75km/h in 1954, but I don't think I drove faster than 60 or 65 km/h. Cruising speed only!
And the beast is a preu eye-catcher : people are either interested, curious, mocking, or envious, but everybody turn their head when it passes!
And voila! One more is back on the road... It deserves a new paint, but for now I want to drive it a few kilometers!!
Posted on 23/09/2006 at 01:11
Restarting the beast
Here we are, the papers are done, this bike officialy belongs to me!
As a first step, I took it back home on my terrace... I already restored my Lambretta's engine on my terrace, my neighbors are used to this kind of stuff now!
Well, next time I'll think about emptying the gearbox before disassembling the left carter : half a liter of smelly oil on the tiling...
First step, restoring the carburetor.
It is a 17mm Gurtner, finally in pretty good condition. A deep cleaning of each of its parts will be enough to give it a new youth...
This is a very rudimentary carbie, as there's not a single setting on it!! The starter is just a metallic plate to close the air intake, the only "setting" being the throttle cable tension, which arrives directly on the carbie.
A push button on the left forces the fuel intake by pushing on the float.
17mm for a 125cc... This thingy won't be a dragster!
The contact key goes into the small box fixed onto the carter, right below the saddle. It has 6 different possible positions :
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I'm impressed... So many refinements on a 1954 bike...
Top picture : the electrical box insides. It's branded "I.K.A", and still contains the electrical wiring schema inside its top cover... But still in German, argh!
ou can see the key inserted on the box's side... This box contains the key contact (top right), the high tension coil (top left), and a relay (bottom left), which looks like redressing the alternative tension delivered by the alternator.
On the top left, we've got the HT output (towards the spark plug), and the charging control lamp. This lamp must go off when the engine runs...
Two next pictures : deep cleaning of the fuel tap... Hard to get it fuel-tight!
Bottom picture : a little aesthetic thingy... As the electric wiring is visible on the frame, I did it with black wires only... But with only black wires back to the electric box, sounds like a nightmare!
So I painted (modeling paint) the last centimeter of each cable with a different color, while noting down each correspondence! From the aesthetic point of view, this is perfect, as once the box is close, we can't see anymore those painted tips...
Keep on disassembling!
Top picture, the frame is still on wheels, but the engine is on the table in the background
Second picture, the frame is cleaned out, and the engine is back to its original place, but the wheels are gone...
The last run!
The tires were pretty difficult to find, which put me late... Indeed, 19" tires are not that usual any longer!
Finally, this will be 3.00 X 19" (ref. D404F) 'made in Japan' Dunlop that will be mounted, with the main drawback to be higher than the original ones. So I had to make to aluminium small plates to raise the mud guard by 25mm, unless it did not work...
Originally, there were a small box for the battery... Unfortunately, I don't have it, so I made one out of plywood. Yeah, yeah, I know, plywood on such a machine sounds like a deadly sin, but I can't wait riding it! And at the end of the day, the result looks pretty cool after 2 black lacquer layers (see 3rd pic)...
Here it is, time for the first test drive!! I changed the clutch cable for a Teflon©-ized one (see local sports shop for mountain bikes cables). It's way more easy to use, mounting without grease... Enjoy!
I changed the transmission chain for a new one. I even managed to make the original horn working after 15 mounting/unmounting processes!!
As a first step, I took it back home on my terrace... I already restored my Lambretta's engine on my terrace, my neighbors are used to this kind of stuff now!
Well, next time I'll think about emptying the gearbox before disassembling the left carter : half a liter of smelly oil on the tiling...
It is a 17mm Gurtner, finally in pretty good condition. A deep cleaning of each of its parts will be enough to give it a new youth...
This is a very rudimentary carbie, as there's not a single setting on it!! The starter is just a metallic plate to close the air intake, the only "setting" being the throttle cable tension, which arrives directly on the carbie.
A push button on the left forces the fuel intake by pushing on the float.
17mm for a 125cc... This thingy won't be a dragster!
- Engine stopped, day light
- Engine stopped, by night (front light on thanks to the battery, to be seen on the side of the road)
- Engine running, day light
- Engine running, by night (low lights only)
- Engine running, by night (headlights)
- Engine starting with a flat battery or no battery.
I'm impressed... So many refinements on a 1954 bike...
ou can see the key inserted on the box's side... This box contains the key contact (top right), the high tension coil (top left), and a relay (bottom left), which looks like redressing the alternative tension delivered by the alternator.
On the top left, we've got the HT output (towards the spark plug), and the charging control lamp. This lamp must go off when the engine runs...
Two next pictures : deep cleaning of the fuel tap... Hard to get it fuel-tight!
Bottom picture : a little aesthetic thingy... As the electric wiring is visible on the frame, I did it with black wires only... But with only black wires back to the electric box, sounds like a nightmare!
So I painted (modeling paint) the last centimeter of each cable with a different color, while noting down each correspondence! From the aesthetic point of view, this is perfect, as once the box is close, we can't see anymore those painted tips...
Top picture, the frame is still on wheels, but the engine is on the table in the background
Second picture, the frame is cleaned out, and the engine is back to its original place, but the wheels are gone...
The tires were pretty difficult to find, which put me late... Indeed, 19" tires are not that usual any longer!
Finally, this will be 3.00 X 19" (ref. D404F) 'made in Japan' Dunlop that will be mounted, with the main drawback to be higher than the original ones. So I had to make to aluminium small plates to raise the mud guard by 25mm, unless it did not work...
Originally, there were a small box for the battery... Unfortunately, I don't have it, so I made one out of plywood. Yeah, yeah, I know, plywood on such a machine sounds like a deadly sin, but I can't wait riding it! And at the end of the day, the result looks pretty cool after 2 black lacquer layers (see 3rd pic)...
I changed the transmission chain for a new one. I even managed to make the original horn working after 15 mounting/unmounting processes!!
Posted on 23/09/2006 at 01:08
History and original condition
My IFA's origins :
I bought this beast on March 2001 to my neighbour (!).This is an IFA, which is the East-German name of DKW : the iron curtain creation had splitted the production factory in two, and a trial took place to decide which part, East or West, would keep the DKW name. DKW, which was, with Horch, Audi and Wanderer, part of the Auto-Union group (Guess why the Audi's have a 4 rings logo today?).
So, in Eastern Germany, the brand name became "IFA". Not without a lot of difficulties, the factory's production continued, as the Russians left the country taking with them a part of the production line! They'll then reassemble it in Moscow, and will produce a rusian copy of the RT125 under the name "Moskva". So, my ride is Est-German, which makes it one of the rarest models of the RT125 production history!
This motorbike model is the most produced one ever, as its design became the Allies property after the war. So, you can find copies produced by Russia, France, and even USA with Harley-Davidson!
On the fuel tank and the rear mud-guard of my bike, you can read "DKW" : it has obviously been manually added, hand brushed. Most probably by the french importer ; in1954, right after the War, vehicles from East-Germany do not sell very well in France, so he prefered to see DKW appearring instead of IFA, for obvious marketing reasons! Plus, it appears that my bike was first sold, brand new, in 1954 in Nice (close from where I live), and its ID plate number is still its original one!
If you want to know more about DKW, the following site is very complete, proposing for download several technical documentations in PDF format : DKW-Geyer.com.
Moreover, I would like to thank Kalevi Sundqvist, Finnish specialist of this model, for all his kind help!
Original condition :
So, here is the little bugger, as I found it in my building's basement.First glance : battery and transmission chain are missing. Tires are pretty tired...
The chrome plating were redone recently (some parts have even been chrome plated but they originally weren't!) ; the paint is the original one, and looks nice, there's only the white pinstriping around the fuel tank and the mud guards which is faded out by time...
The electric wiring needs to be totally redone...
I definitely love it, its egoist's single saddle, its vintage Harley look...
Plus all those details, like the large chromed fuel cap, the fuel filter right below this same cap, the little tap with its glass filter, the strange contact key, the little chromed needle on the gearbox that indicates which gear is engaged, the fish tail chromed tip exhaust (looks pretty HD as well, uh?), the ID plate on the front mud guard, etc, etc...
Posted on 23/09/2006 at 01:04
Miscellaneous and accessories
Here is an accessory I'm particularly proud of!
This is a "2 in 1" Motometer gauge : fuel level (with a reserve light) and oil temperature...
I bought it totaly NOS, in 2000, on eBay : complete in its original box, never mounted! For a 50 years old accessory, this is pretty rare!
So, some paint and 2 holes in my tank later, I finally have a nice jauge on my dashboard!
Just one more accessory : a Smith tachometer.
It was not that easy to understand the way it works : by induction!
Anyway, now it works perfectly... I got all the tools to keep an eye on my little engine!
This is a "2 in 1" Motometer gauge : fuel level (with a reserve light) and oil temperature...
I bought it totaly NOS, in 2000, on eBay : complete in its original box, never mounted! For a 50 years old accessory, this is pretty rare!
So, some paint and 2 holes in my tank later, I finally have a nice jauge on my dashboard!
It was not that easy to understand the way it works : by induction!
Anyway, now it works perfectly... I got all the tools to keep an eye on my little engine!
Posted on 22/09/2006 at 13:41
Elements of geography / The departure
Sorry! This article has not yet been translated in english! Please come back later!
Géographie :
Quelques éléments de géographie pour comprendre de quoi on parle... La Polynésie Française est un POM (Pays d'Outre Mer) situé dans le Pacifique Sud, à 18.000 kilomètres de la métropole (soit 22 heures d'avion et 12 heures de décalage horaire).Il s'agit de 118 iles et atolls, composant 5 archipels : Iles de la Société (ou se trouvent Tahiti, Moorea, et Bora Bora), Marquises (chères à Brel), Australes, Tuamotus (Rangiroa, Fakarava...) et Gambier. Réparties sur une surface d'océan équivalente à l'Europe, la surface cumulée de ces terres émergées, en revanche, représente à peine la moitié de la Corse...
Le continent le plus proche est l'Australie, à 6100km à l'ouest. L'Amérique du Nord est à 6500km, l'Amérique du Sud à 7500km... Bref, difficile de faire plus perdu!
220.000 personnes vivent en Polynésie Française, dont la moitié sur Tahiti (centre économique, avec le chef lieu de Territoire, Papeete).
Le départ :
Je décolle donc de Nice le 20 Avril 2003, tôt le matin, pour un voyage de 27 heures, en passant par Amsterdam et Los Angeles. Vol sans soucis, dormi une bonne partie du temps...Pour rallier Los Angeles (LAX), on survole le Groenland, immensité gelée... En plein jour, la neige réfléchissant le soleil, c'était totalement aveuglant depuis l'avion! Mention spéciale pour Air Tahiti Nui, la compagnie aérienne que j'ai empruntée pour rallier LAX à Papeete : avions neufs, téléphone satellite à chaque siège, écran LCD individuel avec films et jeux vidéo, personnel navigant charmant, et l'inévitable fleur de tiaré offerte au décollage... Rien à dire, parfait.
Arrivée a 22H heure locale, dans la chaleur étouffante de Tahiti, l'odeur du tiare qui monte à la tête et le son du ukulélé dans les oreilles... Cette fois j'y suis!!
Posted on 22/09/2006 at 13:40
Tahiti
Sorry! This article has not yet been translated in english! Please come back later!
Le nom fait rêver hein??
Tahiti est une île superbe, mais l'image que l'on en a en arrivant ne lui rend pas justice. En effet, on arrive forcement à l'aéroport ou au port, et donc on découvre Papeete, grande ville polluée, au développement anarchique...
Non, pour vraiment apprécier Tahiti, il faut en faire le tour (prévoyez 4 heures en voiture), et s'offrir les services d'un guide en 4x4 pour partir à la découverte du centre de l’île (totalement dépourvue de route).
Géographiquement, Tahiti est formée d'une grande île ronde (Tahiti Nui - "Nui" veut dire "grand" en Tahitien), à laquelle est rattachée une presqu’île, elle aussi ronde (Tahiti Iti - "iti" signifiant "petit").
La ville, centre économique, est évidemment surpeuplée, mais en s'éloignant vers Tahiti Iti, on trouve des zones totalement sauvages, sans aucune habitation!
[Cliquez ici pour voir la carte de Tahiti]
![[Cliquez ici pour voir la carte de Tahiti]](images/polynesie/map_tahiti.jpg){kind=link}
Posted on 22/09/2006 at 13:39
Moorea
Sorry! This article has not yet been translated in english! Please come back later!
Moorea (prononcez mohoréa, en roulant le R!), c'est l’île sœur de Tahiti. Située à quelques kilomètres en face, on fait le trajet Papeete-Vaiare en 30 minutes en bateau, ou 6 minutes (!) en avion, respectivement pour 700CFP (5€80) ou 1500CFP (12€60).
L’île a grosso modo la forme d'un triangle arrondi, dont le coté Nord a deux grandes encoches : les baies d'Opunohu et de Cook (Les Révoltes du Bounty, ça vous dit quelque chose?). Il n'y a qu'une seule et unique route, qui fait le tour de l’île, environ 60km...
[Cliquez ici pour voir la carte de Moorea]
![[Cliquez ici pour voir la carte de Moorea]](images/polynesie/map_moorea.jpg){kind=link}
Bonus : une petite vidéo de chez Francky, le faré raditionnel qui a été ma maison pendant 6 semaines!