Hi all builders and forum users. This story is from my efoil build during the summer 2018.
I had seen some efoil videos at the begin of 2018 and then at June 2018 I found this forum and interested even more. I’m electronic engineer and I have been doing kite surfing from 2000 so efoil seemed a perfect project for the summer. Even I had only once tried foilboard with kite before this project.
First I hit a wall to try to find the planetary gearbox as many of you have noticed. The delivery times a crazy and we have only couple of month’s time with warm waters in Finland so I had to make up something which I can get in weeks period. I found @pacificmeister post of the timing belt version and that looked to a perfect solutions for a quick build.
It took me for 1 week to ordering the components and designing the parts. Then 3 more weeks for building and it was ready. For the result please see the video linked at the end.
So after the timing belt it was time for another design. At this time a noticed @mp105 is building a solution with cordless drill planetary gear. I had a friend working at company that sell’s cordless drill’s so I got a couple of used drill’s from him. I also ordered the same gearbox as @mp105 is using but I decided not to use it because it doesn’t have bearings at the planetary gears. My summer holiday was already over and the building was slowing down. I managed to build the second version during august 2018 and the test run was done last weekend. Again for result please see the video linked at the end.
I will try to write more info when I have time and if people are interested about my project.
Once again thank you @pacificmeister for putting up this forum and all you other who are sharing your project and great ideas of building the eFoils. Without this community I would have not been able to build my efoil.
I guessed that this raises questions.
I have a small problem since I kept only the planetary gear parts and threw all the other parts away and I forget to check the exact type of the drill.
Mine has the Quick Lock system so it’s not that one.
I tried to search for it also and for me it looked that it might even be from GB 18 LTX BL Q I Cordless tapper based on the symbol that it has at the top. At least that’s the only model that I can find to have the same symbol. I should have confirmation tomorrow for the exact model.
@Kaalepson , Where about Finland are you from? Just started my own build here in Lohja area… I decided to try a Chinese 5:1 gearbox. Lets see how that works…
@Vipo Those Nema gearboxes are meant for stepper motors (rather slow) and this one has a continuous input RPM rating of 3,000 - with a 500KV motor and 12S you are at 22,200 RPM, with 360KV still at ~16,000. I would be surprised if this gearbox lasts much longer than the first motor rev
@Benjo, yes I noticed but thought to give it a try anyway. Have the cold winter time to test it. I have been looking for a good ones but they are quite hard to find and if I find one the postage costs are really high. But as I said, I have the whole cold winter time to solve the gearbox problem…
@Vipo For the price you can try it, sure!
Have you read about the Reisenauer gearboxes? Shipping shouldn’t be a too big deal from Germany to Finland and the Motor Chief has already been proven to work. If you want to go cheaper and experiment it would be very interesting to test the smaller and cheaper Super Chief. Just by weight and size one can judge that it will be less robust than its bigger brother, but it is still rated for high RPM and could just work! For relatively cheap.
Thanks @Benjo, I have not heard about those. Have to dig in to those and look for some information.
Have been thinking to go with Neugart setup, because it has been proven to last. But always interesting to look for other solutions.
If you want to be absolutely safe go for the 4P version of the Motor Chief, it has 4 planetary gears and should therefore be able to take more torque and power. Just calculate additional 15€ for a flange and again 19€ for a Torque-Torque-Pinion. So the great thing about this gearbox is that for ~300€ (not exactly cheap but also not much more expensive than other good solutions) you get a gearbox with direct availability that should definitely work (see @Alexandre e.g.).
That actually looks very good. That might solve my gearbox probelms (or actually future gearbox problems…) Are you Benjo using Motor Chef version, your self?
I was about to order this 4P 6:1 Motor Chief + SSS 56104 500kv motor but I switched to a direct drive design with an 80100 outrunner running wet (currently part gathering phase).
I live in Jyväskylä. Let me know how your build will go. I noticed that @Benjo was talking about the Reisenauer gearboxes. I have brand new Super Chief 4:1 that I was planning to test if no other solution would work. But now it look’s like that I don’t have any use for it so I can sell it if you are interested.
@Foxyirish1987 I still didn’t get confirmation about the exact model where the planetary gearbox was. I let you know when I have the information.
