Todd L.

My Feedback: (9)

Hi guys, I just got my first gas boat (used ExpressCraft Osprey) and am in the process of going through the boat replacing and few things. I found that my radio box is cracked and am looking at new on the Warehouse hobbies site.. Since it looks like their is only one size box, it leads me to think that this box will fit any Gas hull?

http://69.49.183.35/ProductDetails.a...ctCode=RB5010P

Thanks for any help.

BMAD01

Check here Todd, There are a zillion different styles besides whats here. I'm partial to #3. Good luck, Brian

http://www.rocketcityracing.com/prod...category_id=95

lildude2599

http://www.americanrcboats.com/produ...rods/boxes.htm

Go to the bottom of the page.

Ron Olson

My Feedback: (1)

Unfortunately the WHH radio box won't fit in all gas boat hulls, I already found that out a few weeks ago. In the Osprey it might work as it's a deep hull.
Zac at American RC boats is short on radio boxes and hulls right now as he is in the middle of moving to the new busines, shop and home in Ozark, AR. I just talked to him last week while he was packing up my shipment. He was scraping around for a radio box for my Vee-Rod.
There are several alternatives. Aeromrine has a nice selection with both flat and slant-top boxes. Zac is out of the Dr. Buck's boxes at the moment also but there are other dealers that have them in stock.
Last week while shopping at Wal-mart, they have some waterproof sealed boxes in the camping supplies area and I picked one up for use as a possible radio box if all else failed. It's a loose fit but they have been used in some hulls. In mine I'd have to cut down the rails to get it low enough and to use the lock-downs for the hinged lid. I wasn't too crazy about doing that but for around $6.00 and change it's a cheap way to go.

crookm11

Try Wes at [link=http://www.gaspartsplus.com]Gas Parts Plus[/link] he carries the Dr. Bucks box. I have a few and they work great.

Doubledog

My Feedback: (48)

No doubt. Mark got me hooked on them as well.

LtDoc

Until you're able to find a replacement, what are the chances of just repairing your present radio box? If it isn't 'too' cracked, it should be repairable, I'd think.
- 'Doc

mike the snake

I made a slick radio box out of plywood from my LHS in about 1/2 hour. Sealed it with a couple coats of epoxy. Much stiffer and stronger than the boxes I've seen to date, and better looking IMO.

Todd L.

My Feedback: (9)

Thanks for all the info and links guys. This all helps me out greatly. I don't really have to worry to much about patch the box I have due to the fact of ice on the water still ... I did not realize their were so many styles for a radio box. When choosing a box, do i have to worry about the width of the box? Are the motor mount rails from one hull to the other going to have the same width?

Todd L.

My Feedback: (9)

Now thats not a bad idea... I do have a stack of ply sitting under the bench... hummmm [8D] Looks good Mike... Is that hull the Expresscraft Thunderbolt?

mike the snake

If I'm not mistaken, most gas rails are set 5" apart, that is the standard.


Yes, that's my Thunderbolt Cat. here's a pic of the whole boat, and a pic of my gas cat.

I plan on making the same ply box for my new gas race cat too!

I made the box literally with a hacksaw, it was too easy.

The base is also really stiff. The strongest servo is no good if the mount or base moves, something I question when I see the regular radio boxes.

In flying and building 300mph gliders, I've seen many instances where the servos weren't fastened well enough causing flutter or loss of performance. The forces are incredible. I suspect the forces on the rudder and servo from the water aren't much less.

martno1fan

Im with Mike on this too plywood boxes are by far the best!! ,tell me about flexing i have a big tupperware box!! isnt that what most of those so called radio boxes are in reality ? in my vee and although it works great now i had to stiffen it up due to it flexing too much.

Todd L.

My Feedback: (9)

Since I got the Osprey a few weeks ago I have been looking at the different hulls that are offered on the market. I must say that Thunderbolt has the some on the nicest lines for a cat... I got my heli up on the chopping block so I can get one ... I'm kinda board here at work so I think I'll mock it up in CAD real quick and see what I can come up with. Heck, I have scratch built giant scale planes, I should be able to figure this out.. I'm just surprised I did not think of building a box out of ply

martno1fan

Cad?Just use a measuring tape and a pencil and draw it right on the ply and cut,dont make more work for yourself .Make some servo brackets from some alluminium angle and screw em to the the base of the box and your almost done .

Todd L.

My Feedback: (9)

If i only had some ply at my desk... Work always gets in the way of fun [:'(]