Aerosled “Swan-7”

Aerosled Lebed-7 by V.K. Savitsky: Design History

Among the large family of “Lebed” (Swan) designs by Vitaly Konstantinovich Savitsky, the “Lebed-7” stands out for its bold layout of components and assemblies, successful centering, good streamlining, and smooth ride. The sled (see figure) is a four-ski design with steerable front skis. The steering is automotive-type, with a worm gear and steering linkage. The Read more…

Garden harvester

Multifunctional Garden Unit on Cart: Furrows, Seeder | DIY Plans

Cultivating land, planting (or sowing) crops, and caring for them is not only labor-intensive but also physically demanding. Even those who have acquired a dacha or garden plot to have a place to “stretch” at leisure or work the land for pleasure try to somehow lighten and mechanize these tasks. For this purpose, a multifunctional Read more…

About “Tulpar” — in detail

Tulpar electromotor scooter: drawings & description

«After the publication in issue 12 of 1971 of the magazine «Modelist-Konstruktor» of the article «Meet the Tulpar» we received many letters from readers asking to send drawings and descriptions of various components of the Tulpar electromotor scooter. Since we cannot send drawings to each reader individually, we ask you to print them in the Read more…

Under sail — through the desert

Land Yachts: 1000 km Desert Journey

We heard about this unusual journey in the summer of 1968. Three amateur athletes from the Kuibyshev District Tourist Club of the capital traveled 1000 kilometers across the sands of the Aral Sea region on homemade wheeled yachts. Let us introduce the participants of the expedition. Vladimir Talanov and Eduard Nazarov — initiators and inspirers Read more…

Hydro kart “Typhoon”

Typhoon Hydrokart: DIY Water Kart Building Guide

We read with great interest in the magazine the descriptions of the hydro-sleds “Pioneer”, “Dolphin” and “Pirate”. We should note that on the waters of the Ob Sea, such vessels can be seen every summer. These are “Typhoons”, the drawings of which were developed in the experimental mechanics laboratory of our KUT. Undoubtedly, the new Read more…

His element is land and water

Triton-2: a planing amphibious vehicle with front-wheel drive

Musician D.T. KUDRYACHKOV is known among amateur constructors as the author of the unique amphibious car «Triton» — the only vehicle of its kind registered simultaneously with two state inspections: automotive (traffic police) and small vessels (GIMS). Our regular readers may recall the publication «Gliding… car» («Modelist-Konstruktor» No. 5, 1996), which contained a fairly complete Read more…

Siberian single-wheel

Homemade Motorized Plow From Moped Engine — DIY Plans

I live in Krasnoyarsk Krai. I have my own house and a small garden plot. Every spring, while digging the vegetable garden, I thought about how to ease — mechanize — this laborious work. So I decided to build a motorized plow. I had an engine — from a motorized bicycle. I made the frame Read more…

TO PREVENT CARS FROM RUSTING

TO PREVENT CARS FROM RUSTING

Rust is enemy number one of almost any metal. The “red plague” that with enviable persistence and constancy turns hundreds of thousands of tons of sparkling high-grade, high-strength, alloyed steel into heaps of brown powder. A disease for which there are no barriers… But there are remedies for it: galvanic coatings, varnishes and paints, bitumens Read more…