DIY mini submarines. How to make a model submarine with your own hands at home? What to make a propeller shaft from

Refers to XVII century, but the first ideas of immersing people deep under water appeared in antiquity. In practice, the first submarines began to be used in the 18th century during the American civil war. Two centuries later, submarines play a huge role not only in military operations, but are also actively used to study the depths of the sea. We offer you ideas on how to make a submarine from scrap materials.

Materials and tools

To make a submarine craft, you will need

  1. Glue.
  2. Cardboard.
  3. Awl.
  4. Matches.
  5. Cotton swabs.
  6. Black paint.
  7. Scissors.
  8. A small plastic ball.
  9. Can.
  10. Used firecracker.
  11. Rectangular deodorant cap.

with your own hands

  1. Take an empty cracker. Cut a hole in the shape of a deodorant cap on top and glue it on top in the form of a chopping block. Using an awl, you can make several holes and insert an antenna from a cotton swab.
  2. Make a cone out of cardboard with a base diameter corresponding to the diameter of the cracker. This will be the stern of the boat.
  3. Next, prepare the blades for the stern and the bow and stern rudders from cardboard.
  4. Glue the cardboard pieces to the boat hull. You can make cuts in the cracker so that the parts hold better.
  5. A propeller with six blades can be made from a tin can. Bend the blades slightly, use an awl to make a hole in the center and secure the propeller to the stern with a match.

Here's how to make a submarine out of a firecracker. The craft is ready. All that remains is to paint the craft. Can be used for this regular paints or an aerosol can. The boat can be painted in any color, but the most commonly used colors are black, green and gray.

The tail number can be written using proofreader or acrylic paints. If the boat is a gift, you can write the name of the future owner. This is the first option on how to make a submarine from scrap materials.

Cardboard submarine

Another option is to make a boat from empty bushings from toilet paper. For the body, glue two elements together. Cut two portholes on both sides of the body. Make a cutting from another bushing. You can supplement it with antennas made of toothpicks. Insert inside the bushings colored paper white or blue, rolled up so that the portholes are closed. Attach a cardboard screw at the back, the bow of the boat can be made from the bottom of a small plastic bottle. Now let your child decorate the craft himself. This is the easiest way to make a submarine out of cardboard.

Submarine made from a plastic bottle

If you are interested in the question of how to make a submarine from a bottle, you will need:

  1. Plastic bottle.
  2. Window cleaning spray bottle.
  3. Scissors.
  4. Stationery knife.
  5. Silicone glue or glue gun.

First you need to decide on the appearance of the craft. A boat with a bottle as the main part will look good; the deckhouse can be made from the top of a spray bottle, covering it with a regular cap. It is better to glue bottles with a gun. You can also use plasticine. You need to cut the bottles very carefully with scissors. It is better not to trust this to a child, as the edge will turn out sharp.

The propeller is made of cardboard. Then a hole is made in the center, equal in diameter to the neck of the bottle. The screw is placed on the neck and pressed with a screwed cap. To decorate the boat, you can glue covers between the propeller and the wheelhouse, on the bow.

Here's how to make a submarine from scrap materials. All that remains is to cover it with paint and draw identification marks. Creating such a toy will not take you much time, but it will greatly please your child. After all, it is much more important for children to do something with you, and not just buy it in a store.

In the port city, breathing history, Copenhagen, there lives a brave Dane who wants to write his own page in the history of Denmark. Peter Madson, a former mechanical engineering student, abandoned his studies and, with the help of friends and a small amount of sponsorship money, created three homemade submarines. But the last of them cannot be compared with the previous two. This is the largest homemade submarine ever created by amateur designers.

The homemade submarine is named "UC3 Nautilus" and has a length of 17.7 m, a width of 6 m, and a displacement of 32 tons. When submerged, the boat displaces about 40 tons of water.

Peter worked on “Nautilus” for three years, and without clear design and technical documentation, but only sketches on paper, a piece steel pipe and the plan born in the engineer's head. But the enthusiasm that grew into a dream soon became embodied in the original submarine. Of course, the designer was helped by 20 volunteers, who were also “sick” with his desire to create a homemade submarine. The engineer believes that the boat can be built by anyone familiar with metal welding.

Homemade submarine "UC3 Nautilus" is designed for 8 people for a one-day trip sea ​​travel, or - for 3 people for transatlantic sailing. The submarine's power plant is diesel-electric.

The first homemade submarine of a Danish engineer, called "Freya", was built in 2002. She is 7 m long and displaces 3.5 tons. After 500 successful dives, the submarine's ballast tanks rusted, making it unusable. Now she stands in a quiet corner of the waters of the port of Copenhagen.

Peter Madson's second homemade submarine has a name "Kraka", is modeled after a German Series VII submarine from World War II. This homemade submarine project turned out to be very successful, so it is still plowing sea ​​waters while diving near Copenhagen.

Third homemade submarine "Nautilus" has dimensions 5 times larger than its predecessors. The submarine operates on the same principle as typical diesel-electric submarines. On the surface, the homemade boat runs on a diesel engine. The bow and stern ballast tanks are filled with air. To perform a dive, the boat pilot opens the valves and water fills the ballast tanks through an opening in the bottom of the boat.

The boat sinks under water. Underwater, the homemade submarine switches to power supply from batteries. Trim tanks stabilize the submarine, and horizontal and vertical rudders control up, down and sideways movement. Sonar and video periscope provide navigation over water and at depth. To rise to the surface, the designer blows compressed air through the ballast tanks, displacing water, reducing the specific gravity homemade boat and raising it to the surface.

After its successful launch in 2008, the UC3 Nautilus submarine has not yet become a real submarine. After 6 months of technical improvements, the amateur boat triumphantly made its first dive in a quiet corner of Copenhagen harbor under the supervision of hundreds of admirers of the talented engineer, becoming the largest homemade submarine in the world.

The important point in these designs is not the submarines themselves, but the goals that were achieved through sheer enthusiasm.

What could it be the best gift for a sailor on Defender's Day than a ship model? Let it be the simplest one, but made with your own hands! A chic submarine model is easy to make from the simplest and most unexpected materials.

You will need:
— body from a large firecracker;
- a smooth plastic ball (Christmas tree, for example), with a diameter suitable for a cracker;
— a cap from an antiperspirant (the cap from Mennen Speed ​​Stick fits perfectly);
- cardboard;
- tin lid for preservation;
- 1 match;
— 1 cotton swab;
- scissors;
- awl;
- glue;
- black paint in a can.
Manufacturing:

The hull of the boat will be a firecracker on which all other parts of the submarine are attached.
We cut a hole approximately in the middle of the firecracker body into which we insert the cap - the wheelhouse (fencing of retractable devices).
We make the stern part of the boat from a cardboard cone. We also cut out the rudders, bow and stern depth rudders from cardboard.
You can secure the steering wheels by making protrusions on them and slots in the body: this is more reliable, but more difficult. It's easier to fold the edges and glue them empennage to the cone.
From a tin lid with scissors (not manicure scissors, but good scissors for cutting) cut out the screw. Having bent the blades, we make a hole in the center with an awl and secure the propeller to the stern using an axis made from a match. The submarine's propeller even spins! If it's difficult to make 6 blades, try three or four.

We glue the stern part to the hull - the hardest part of the job is done!
The nose part is much easier to make: you just need to insert the ball into the body of the firecracker about halfway and secure it tightly. You will get the rounded nose of a submarine.
Stepping back a little, we glue the bow depth rudders.
Having made two holes in the roof of the superstructure with an awl heated on a fire, we insert an antenna and a periscope made from the rod of a cotton swab: one is shorter, the other is longer.

Assembly is complete, it's time to start painting.

The fastest and easiest way to paint our boat is from a spray can. What a beauty it turned out to be! The only thing missing is the tail number.

It can be written with a proofreader, but it is better to make it clear and beautiful by printing white letters and numbers on a black background and gluing it to the boat’s superstructure on both sides.

The submarine goes to sea!

DIY submarine, military themed craft

The active development of underwater shipbuilding can be dated back to the 17th century, although the idea itself goes back to ancient times. William Bowry, Cornelius van Drebbel, Robert Fulton proposed new designs for an underwater vessel, tested it and modified it. In practice, the first boats were used by the Americans during the Civil War at the end of the 18th century. Just two centuries later, submarines began to be introduced into the navies of many countries and played an important role in wars, as well as during exploration of the deep sea. We suggest you make an original one DIY submarine craft.

Materials for crafts - submarine:

- cardboard;
- match;
- glue;
- awl;
- cotton swab;
- a can of black paint;
- a beer can;
- scissors;
- plastic ball;
- firecracker;
— rectangular antiperspirant cap.

1) Empty the contents of the cracker. Trace the antiperspirant cap onto the surface of the cracker and cut out a hole. Glue the cap to the cracker and you have a chopping block. You can use an awl to make holes in the cap and insert an antenna or periscope, which can be easily constructed from cotton swabs.

2) You need to make a cone out of cardboard so that its base is equal to the diameter of the cracker. This cone will become the stern of our submarine.

3) Cut out the blades for the aft part from cardboard, which will serve as rudders, as well as bow and stern rudders.



4) Glue the cardboard parts onto the cone; you can make slits so that the parts are held more securely. Bow rudders are glued to the bow of the boat.

5) Cut a propeller with 6 blades from a tin can and bend them slightly. Make a hole in the center and insert a match into it. Secure the screw to the stern part.

6) Now it remains finished product paint. It is very convenient to use an aerosol can, but acrylic paints are also suitable. The submarine looks original in black, but you can make it gray or green.

7) Draw the tail number in white acrylic paint or proofreader. You can also print or cut out the numbers. If you want to give someone a submarine, you can also draw or stick the name of the future owner of the submarine as a hull number.

Are you interested in how to make a submarine model with your own hands? In our article you will find instructions describing each construction stage in great detail. In addition, here will be a list necessary materials and tools that may be needed for work. This information will be useful to any person who has decided to engage in modeling or simply wants to learn more information about the design of submarines.

Should I buy a model in a store or make it myself?

Have you decided to make a radio-controlled model with your own hands? Such an activity will take quite a lot of time and will also require a huge amount of patience from the master. Perhaps it’s easier to buy a ready-made toy in a special store? They also provide a guarantee for the product. For a person who does not like to do things on his own and is not used to counting money, such a decision will seem quite justified. However, not everyone has the opportunity to spend several thousand on a model, the cost of which is a couple of hundred, because for modeling submarines one of the most budget materials- wood.

In addition, do not forget that during the manufacturing process you will experience a lot of unforgettable impressions, especially if you are doing this process for the first time. Creating a work of art from rough material is the job of real masters who can cope with absolutely any task. Well, if you decide to make a submarine model with your own hands as a gift to another person, then you can be sure that the birthday person will remember this day for a long time and will treasure your gift with special care. Perhaps it will even become a family heirloom and be passed down from generation to generation.

If your childhood was in the nineties of the last century, then you probably remember that there were quite a few toys in the post-Soviet space. For any child, a radio-controlled car seemed like a real jewel, since such a product could only be found on sale in major cities. But almost everywhere they sold “Do It Yourself” nabobs, with which you could make models of airplanes, cars, motorcycles, ships, and so on. Just following the instructions from one such kit, we invite our readers to make a model of a submarine.

List of required materials

Making a model of a submarine with your own hands is a rather long and painstaking process that will require the master to have a huge amount of patience and skills in handling classical instruments. In addition, you will also need to stock up on some building materials, which the future model will consist of:

  • a sheet of plywood 3 millimeters thick and measuring 210x55 millimeters;
  • a rubber band at least 400 millimeters long (can be bought at a pharmacy);
  • lead in the amount of 5 grams or a regular weight for a fishing rod;
  • tin from tin can or other metal object;
  • waterproof paint (acrylic, oil or nitro enamel).

If you want to add some element to your model that is not taken into account in our instructions, you should include several additional items in the list of materials in advance so as not to be distracted during the work process. By the way, it is best to purchase all the necessary components that cannot be found at home at a construction base (paint, plywood sheet, tin), since the prices for products there are much lower than in a regular hardware store.

What tools will you need for the job?

To make a model of a submarine or ship with your own hands, you will have to use some tools, without which it will not be possible to process the material correctly. By the way, it is strongly recommended not to use alternatives to those tools that cannot be found on the farm, since this may affect the quality future model. It is best to borrow the missing items from friends or buy them at the store. Here is a small list of basic tools that you may need in the process:

  • manual or electric jigsaw- for working with wood and plywood;
  • any waterproof glue - necessary for gluing wood;
  • pliers - for unbending a tin can;
  • brushes are indispensable for painting.

Of course, this list can be significantly expanded depending on the materials that you decide to use to make the submarine. For example, if you decide to attach a small radio-controlled motor to the model, you will need to use a lot of connecting wires and insulation. Well, if the master decides to make a 3D model of a submarine, then this will require even more various instruments, which will allow you to plan the base from a full piece of wood.

Creating blueprints for a submarine

Despite the fact that the model of the Shark submarine, the instructions for creating which you will find in the following sections, is not distinguished by complex details, it is worth leaving the drawings on a sheet of paper in advance so that you always have an image of the future model before your eyes. Remember that even the slightest error in calculations can lead to parts not fitting together in the end, and time being wasted. The same applies if you decide to make a 3D model of a German submarine or any other submarine. A competent drawing is already half successful work.

By the way, it is recommended for a novice craftsman to start with 2D models, since making them does not require serious skills. It will be enough to transfer the design onto a sheet of plywood, and then carefully cut the workpiece with a jigsaw. If you have a printer, you can use the picture above. Simply print out the drawing on a piece of paper, then carefully cut out the base of the submarine with scissors and attach the resulting drawing to the plywood in order to trace it with a pencil. In this case, the bulk of the work will be practically completed.

Workpiece processing and work with small parts

We begin to make a model of a submarine with our own hands from wood. As soon as the workpiece is cut using the technology described in the previous section, it is necessary to carefully handle the cut areas, since they can easily injure you if handled carelessly. This can be done using medium-grit sandpaper. All edges should be smoothed especially well and any burrs should be removed.

If you pay attention to the drawing, you will notice several slots in the submarine model. They are made so that the master can then insert steering blades into them, which are also cut out of a sheet of plywood and carefully processed sandpaper. The steering wheel should be rubbed with special care to create a part with a rounded front part. This way the submarine will look even more realistic.

The steering wheel must be glued using regular water-repellent glue. Be sure to follow the instructions on the packaging when this process! Remember that it is the pressure, not the duration, that matters when joining two pieces together. It will be enough to properly fix the parts in one place and press them well together. After that, the glue will do the rest of the work.

What is the propeller shaft made of?

Any submarine must have propellers that ensure its movement through the sea. Even if you make another model of a submarine - "Stars", for example - then this element must be present on the submarine without fail. It can be made from a regular pharmaceutical tourniquet, and attached using a pin that has a ring-shaped needle at the end. A thread for the future rubber motor is passed through this very ring, and a propeller is attached to the opposite end. The easiest way to do this is with glue.

As for the hole for the shaft, it can be made using iron heated over a fire. For example, you can heat the same pin so that the hole is the perfect size for the motor. However, there is no need to rush, since any sailor knows that from correct location screws depend on the boat's running ability. As alternative option For fastening, you can use a regular screwdriver or a drill with a thin drill.

It may happen that after burning or drilling, the stern of the submarine becomes less durable than its bow. To prevent breakage, it is recommended to additionally wrap the structure with strong threads soaked in water-repellent glue. There is no need to worry that this will make the submarine look unnatural, as the model will be covered with several layers of paint.

Painting work

Have you decided to make your own “Pike” - a model of a radio-controlled submarine? This design will look quite solid, but you are unlikely to be able to convey its aesthetic appearance if you don't paint the wood the right paint. It is preferable to use acrylic paints for this purpose, since they dry quickly enough and repel water well. Although, if we are talking about a 2D model, and you have several tubes of oil paints, then you can use them too. The advantage of quality compounds is that they are quite durable, so you won't have to repaint the sub every year.

As for paint color, its choice is strictly individual. If you decide to make a model that will simply show off on a shelf with books, then it will be enough to paint the boat in a classic black color so that it is as close as possible to its natural appearance. However, if you want to make a model that will float on water, then it would be best to paint it some kind bright color so that the submarine is in front of your eyes at all times. It will also be very useful to saturate the structure with hot drying oil before painting to give it durability.

When using acrylic paints, it is necessary to treat the entire surface with them, without leaving areas without paint. After polymerization, such a composition becomes impervious to water, so you can feel free to put your model in the water. You don't have to worry about the plywood getting wet and swelling, especially if you sanded the corners well with sandpaper before painting.

Making engine screws

For making it yourself radio controlled model submarine will need to use quality material for propellers, since the running characteristics of your submarine will depend on this. As suitable material ordinary tin, attached to the main part with three small washers, in front of which you can additionally place a small glass bead, which will act as a bearing. This way you can not only reduce friction, but also make the rotation of the shaft much easier.

If you are making a model of a submarine for some important competition or simply do not want to bother with making a propeller, then you can purchase a ready-made engine from specialty store. However, it is best to do this in advance so that later there are no problems with attaching the purchased element to finished design. Such engines differ from each other not only in power, but also in appearance. But you should not pay attention to the number of propellers, since the running characteristics depend for the most part on their rotation speed.

The submarine's performance is also affected by the angle at which the engine propellers are bent. A model with a well-fitted sheet will dive into the water in a matter of seconds, and will also quickly reach its maximum speed. Therefore, pay attention to the manufacture of screws special attention. But you should not bend the blades at too large an angle (40° will be more than enough). To find optimal location screws, it is recommended to conduct several test runs and see in which case the boat sinks to depth faster. You can use a stopwatch for this.

Ballast installation

The last stage of making a radio-controlled model of a submarine with your own hands is installing ballast. If you plan to place the submarine as a decoration item for your home, then you can skip this point, since the weight is only needed to make the model sink faster under water. The ballast must be installed on a special keel beam, which can be found in the drawing we left earlier. As for lead, it is best to use it in the form of a plate measuring 12x22 millimeters, but the thickness should not exceed 1 millimeter, otherwise the mass of the submarine will be too large for it to remain afloat.

The strip must be bent in the form of a bracket to form an even letter “P”, after which all that remains is to attach the ballast to the keel rack, which is located approximately under the submarine’s gun. By moving the weight, you can easily adjust the submarine's center of gravity, forcing the stern or bow of the submarine to rise to the top. In order not to make a mistake with the location, it is recommended to carry out several test dives, securing the ballast with ordinary tape. Only after a successfully chosen position can you use glue to firmly attach the lead to the boat.

We build in a radio control sensor

If you want a wooden submarine model that you can control with long distance, then you will need to build a special radio transmitter into it, which can be removed from any old toy or purchased at a specialized store. The last option is best suited for those. who is not particularly versed in electronics or does not want to delve into wires. It will be enough to simply attach the sensor to the left and right motors, and then test the progress of the submarine on the water.

You can adjust the trajectory of the submarine using the intensity of rotation of the right and left engines. As a rule, there are two levers on the radio control panel, each of which controls a different motor. If you slow down the right engine and speed up the left, the submarine will turn right. Therefore, for convenience, you should swap the contacts on the control panel so as not to get confused in the process. If you used a joystick from an old car, you will first have to understand it a little in order to adjust the intensity of pressing a certain button according to the rotation force of a certain engine.

Installation of decorative elements

Let's move on to decorative stage Making a model of a submarine with your own hands from wood. If you want your submarine to look as realistic as possible, then you will have to attach various small elements to it, which you can make yourself or purchase at a toy store. In the first case, it is best to use ordinary tree, since it is relatively light in weight and easy to process. However, be extremely careful while working, because the smaller the part, the more difficult it is to manufacture. When it comes to toys, they are usually made of plastic and are more durable than wood. However, buy only those items that really suit your model in appearance and size.

So what can you attach to a submarine to make it look nice? If you decide to make a model of a nuclear submarine, you can purchase several stickers that will talk about the radioactive element on board the submarine. You can also attach several torpedoes to the sides of the submarine, which indicate that the submarine is ready for battle. Well, if your model also has a deck for fighter planes, then you can buy several beautiful toy airplanes and put them on the very top. Of course, all of the above can be made and with my own hands. For example, it is not difficult to paint a radiation icon with acrylic paint, and torpedoes can be cut out of wood.

It is worth noting that decorative elements, attached to the model, negatively affect its performance characteristics, so their use is justified only if the submarine is planned to be placed on a stand in the future and used only as a decorative element for an apartment. However, if you really want to decorate your submarine, which will have to participate in various competitions, then do it wisely. First, do not hang the ballast until all decorative elements are installed, otherwise it will cause overload. Secondly, try to make all torpedoes, fighters and other decorative elements removable, as you risk losing them during a dive, even if they are firmly attached.

Video and conclusion

As you can see, making a model of a submarine with your own hands is not such a difficult task as it seems at first glance. You should be patient and study everything carefully possible options execution of one or another element, after which it will not be difficult to make your dream come true. If you still have any questions about the progress of the work or the information from our article was not enough for you, then we strongly recommend that you watch a short video in which the author shows in detail how to do the simplest model radio-controlled submarine from an ordinary plastic bottle. For some masters, such an action will seem funny, but there is a lot to learn from this guy. For example, you can use the same engine system, but on a wooden submarine.

What do you think about what else you can use to make a radio-controlled submarine model with your own hands? Perhaps you have some thoughts on this matter that you would like to express? Share them with your readers. You might even be able to help one of the budding inventors make their own submarine based on your idea. Isn't it nice to know that you helped someone? to a stranger, which is located several thousand kilometers away from you?

We hope our article will help you make a model of a submarine with your own hands. For gluing, it is best to use a good water-repellent glue, since conventional compounds can lose their strength over time. However, if you do not plan to submerge the submarine, then everything is much simpler. Let your imagination run wild and don’t be afraid to experiment. Of course, it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to make a perfect sample for the first time, but you shouldn’t give up. Over time, you will become a true master of your craft and will make submarines that have no equal.