@ Geir…Well still playing around with stuff. Everything from Magnetic couplers to just machining some tight-tolerance shafts with seals. Yeah, I have access to machining equipment, but not personally only through work and friends that own shops, so kinda waiting till I get it figured out to pull those triggers…:)…
In the next year or so I would like to get my own little CNC mill and CNC lathe for the garage then a guy can do R&D work for nothing (other than the expense of buying the machines).
Depending on how the next couple months go, I may be getting a CNC mill. I used to own a machine shop and my ex-business partner and I are talking about a little side project which may mean that he will send one of his machines up to me. So crossing my fingers things will come together there…
On a side note about thrusters, I have see alot of homemade stuff and ones that Crustcrawler sells(boy are the expensive). Would like to have one just to tear it apart, probably just a regular motor with some tight tolerance machining (oil filled I am sure). Probably would cost $100 to make, if you have the right equipment.
As far as the water tight stuff, goes this is all true. I think this is why commercial ROVs are so expensive, but with a little bit of research and design, should be accomplished. I have been making precision machined parts for years, instead of someone else’s designs, I figure I should be able to put something together myself, maybe???..lol
@ Foekie, well for my underwater project, I don’t need the speed like the AUV projects with gps and autonomous behavior, I just need to use it like a rc car, but underwater with sensors and stuff, shouldn’t need to be too fussy. But I am sure as time goes on depending on the things implemented, it may need to change.
Either way, it’s been a long project, could be longer yet, but now that I have something to control it with, it may start picking up speed.
Mike in MN