Re: Welcome Tank Enthusiasts

["Carl Camurati" <ccamurati-at-earthlink.net>]

Frank I have the box launcher valve set up.  Martin had used it on a Duillio
that was a test bed to new weapons development.  To fire the valve and cycle
the bb he used a gearmotor and cam sequencer.  By the use of two limit
switches the cam would only cycle one rev per pulse. Many valves could be
mounted on the same cam and then cycle one after anouther and stop at the
end of travel.
----- Original Message -----
From: Frank Pittelli <frank-at-pittelli.com>
To: <tanks-at-rctankcombat.com>
Sent: Saturday, January 20, 2001 8:55 AM
Subject: Welcome Tank Enthusiasts


> Welcome one and all to the R/C Tank Combat mailing list.  We hope that
> this hobby will become as interesting and as challenging (if not more)
> as the warship hobby (without all of the politics).
>
> A bunch of us were in the shop last night and a couple of valuable
> tidbits were discussed:
>
> 1) Will has been talking with a speed-control manufacturer in PA,
> Diverse Electronic Services, and as a result, they are now producing a
> circuit that accepts two R/C receiver channel inputs and drives two
> speed controls.  This gives the following behavior if a single joystick
> is used to control both sides of a vehicle (tank, car, or truck):
>
> - stick due north, both sides forward
> - stick due south, both sides reverse
> - stick due east, left side forward, right side reverse
> - stick north east, left side forward, right side off
> - stick north north east, left side forward, right side 1/2
> forward
>
> In short, the circuit provides complete proportional control over both
> sides of the vehicle by moving one joystick.  The circuit kit is $30
> and can be used to drive homemade speed controls or they also sell 30
> amp speed controls for $55. The $140 price tag might sound high at
> first, but a single, reliable, high-amp speed control for a racing car
> runs between $50 and $100.  Also, the price for Vantec's 30 amp dual
> controller is $330!!!!
>
> 2) I was told that cheap, spring loaded paintball guns exist that could
> be used to make hand-held or boxed rocket launchers.  (By definition, a
> rocket launcher is any single-shot weapon).  That means that the
> cheapest entry point into the hobby is an old GI-Joe (or Barbie if you
> prefer), mounted on a board, holding a bazooka that is fired by a long
> string or a simple electric solenoid arrangement.  The total cost
> should be less than $30.
>
> 3) A couple guys were trying to figure out how to make a relatively
> cheap box rocket launcher, capable of firing their tubes in succession.
> There must be something in the world of pneumatic valves that can
> provide the "switching" needed, so a little detective work is probably
> in order.
>
> So, it looks like the technology issues are starting to materialize and
> be tackled and that, as they are, more people are starting to feel that
> this is something fun and not-to-expensive to pursue.  Clearly, the
> more we keep the cost down, the more people will want to play.
>
> All ideas, questions and comments are welcome ... even if you think
> we're crazy.
>
> Frank P.
>
>