Topic: Mountfleet Models Danny Boy (1:24 scale) Build Log (Read 25566 times)

eternal422 · « **on:** January 11, 2021, 08:53:56 am »

(Posting in here as I originally posted into Working Vessels R&D - apologies !)

Thought I’d start a build log of Danny Boy which I received as a Christmas present from my wife to keep me occupied during the various lockdowns etc. we have coming up! Also as a link to boating whilst we are not allowed to go on our share narrowboat!

This is only my second build (Riverside Models narrowboat being my first build) so I’m still feeling my way a bit, doing lots of research online and especially on this fabulous forum!

So, here are the first few pictures :

- nice looking GRP hull needing only a little bit of smoothing;
- stern fram drilled and frame positioned;
- prop shaft hole drilled and initial positioning for the MFA Torpedo 800 motor;
- and finally a work in progress electronics “deck” which I intend placing below the forward hatch to allow easy access to switches and charging socket without having to remove the main superstructure.

Still debating over the best way to mount the motor to make it easy to remove for any future prop shaft greasing (although it is according to Mountfleet a maintenance free prop shaft from Model Boat Bits) or motor alignment adjustments. Seen some fancy adjustable mounts for brushless motors but nothing really different for the MFA 800 and it’s like.

Still lots to research, figure out and doubtless lots of trial and error along the way! But the main thing is that it is enjoyable, I find myself spending ages just looking at the parts and going over possible ways to build things. This feels like it will be a lovely boat to build.

eternal422 · « **Reply #1 on:** January 11, 2021, 07:37:44 pm »

Just a bit more work on the electronics deck tonight, bit of soldering and positioning to check cable lengths. Tested charging socket and power to distribution board. I want to get the motor and servo mounted in the hull before calibrating the ESC and testing the RC controls, so the deck will be set to one side for a bit.

Next step is opening the mooring ports and cleaning up the rest of the hull before fixing the prop shaft and stern frame.

eternal422 · « **Reply #2 on:** January 15, 2021, 04:09:46 pm »

Day off work today, so I spent it on Danny Boy!

First off was testing the electronics out of the boat and I’m pleased to say it all worked really well first time! I’ll possibly have to swap the motor wires to get forward when I push the stick forward and astern when I pull it back on the transmitter but will be able to tell once it’s connected up to the prop and I can feel the wind when it’s spinning for forwards! The rudder servo may need to be reversed but this looks to be very easy to do in the transmitter’s menu. I will know for sure once everything is set up with the tiller arm and linkage geometry. Very pleased with the Flysky transmitter, just have to convert the aircraft-based names such as elevator, aileron, etc. to appropriate ones for boating, but no big deal.

Then it was on to filing and sanding for the stern frame until I was happy with the fit before bravely reaching for the superglue and tacking it in place to hold it whilst I turned the hull over and epoxied the internal frame and top of the frame inside the hull. Whilst at it I also epoxied the rudder tube and prop shaft support bulkhead. Very pleased with the Zap Z Poxy 30 minutes which mixes very easily and does indeed cure in 30 minutes.

I finished up making a deck for the rudder servo, which is just positioned loosely for now until I can be sure of the linkage geometry. It may need re-making in thicker ply, or else gluing braces underneath it for strength as it’s a bit too flexible at the moment.

All in all a good day and very enjoyable!

eternal422 · « **Reply #3 on:** January 16, 2021, 05:09:49 pm »

Did a bit more on Danny Boy today, sanding the hull and removing the odd blemish, opening up the mooring ports at bow and stern then adding a bit more epoxy to the inside of the hull where the prop shaft enters and rudder tube. Good lesson to learn here : watch out for any epoxy running down the rudder tube! Luckily I caught it in time and wiped off the excess to prevent it glueing up the rudder! Squirt of WD40 and constantly moving the rudder for the full 30 minutes whilst the epoxy set so that I could be absolutely sure it wasn’t glued solid!

The last picture is of the mooring port surrounds which will fit inside on the bulwarks (and not the outside of the hull which does have some surrounding in the GRP moulding anyway - thanks to checking that out with the plan😂).

eternal422 · « **Reply #4 on:** January 17, 2021, 07:32:46 pm »

Not much work today as I need to wait for a delivery of some bigger clamps to the ones I have to allow me to fix the main deck stringers. So I contented myself with some milliput to mould around the bottom of the stern frame; not used it before but very impressed with how easy it is to use and mould. Next job will be to sand it down to shape which I may tackle in the evenings after work.

I also built a quick make-do stand with some scrap ply, using the supplied templates for bow and stern profiles. It is meant to hold the boat at its waterline but I’m not convinced as it seems to be angled up too much towards the bow. It will do for a bit whilst I work on the next bits of the model but I really want a much nicer permanent stand.

tugboyben · « **Reply #5 on:** January 17, 2021, 08:19:30 pm »

Evening eternal422

Good progress look forward to more photo's as you go along

Jason

eternal422 · « **Reply #6 on:** January 18, 2021, 02:00:05 pm »

Thanks Jason! I'm sure there will be "challenges" ahead, but just taking it really slowly and carefully and so far enjoying every moment of it - hopefully that will be the case throughout and I'll end up with a lovely model

eternal422 · « **Reply #7 on:** January 20, 2021, 10:15:39 pm »

Bit more progress tonight, sanded the Milliput around the stern frame, put P40 around the prop shaft inside the hull and laid out the motor mounting, battery tray and electronics deck to check for placement of everything.

Took a lot of time to consider the motor mounting and in the end decided upon a simple plate, slightly inclined to keep the coupling straight and in line with the prop shaft, bolting the bracket onto it and will epoxy the plate onto a cross beam. I decided that with a small screwdriver bit handheld I will be able to unscrew the motor from the mounting bracket then move the motor back and off the prop shaft to allow sliding the shaft out (once propellor unscrewed) if I ever need to gain access after the boat is completed.

Ordered a 12v 9Ah SLA battery tonight (the one in the picture I’m just using to test the electronics so far) along with some more bits from The Component Shop, deciding to have a go at installing some RC controlled LED lighting. So will follow some more planning and trials to fit everything in, but at least at this stage I have full access to the hull!

Ralph · « **Reply #8 on:** January 21, 2021, 07:44:36 pm »

Looking good so far. If access is going to be limited it's sometimes better to fit stud bolts to the motor - much easier to fit a nut on the end of the stud than try to line up a bolt through the mount and find the threaded hole in the motor case when you can't see where it is.

Ralph

eternal422 · « **Reply #9 on:** January 21, 2021, 08:51:12 pm »

Thanks for the suggestion Ralph, I think what I’ll do is fit the deck stringers and cross beams and before fixing the deck see what the access is like. At the moment I feel that I would be able to undo the motor bracket screws on the front of the motor as it should all be visible and accessible under the superstructure opening in the deck, but will check and adapt the mounting if needed.

Tiny bit more work tonight in shaping the rudder servo mounting plate to see that I can get the geometry lined up with the linkage and tiller. Will leave fixing until the deck can be dry fitted to check for clearances.

Day off work tomorrow so I hope to tackle the deck stringers and might have a go at making a better stand.

eternal422 · « **Reply #10 on:** January 22, 2021, 03:58:17 pm »

Good progress today, started off making the stand as without it anything else would have been too difficult with an unsteady hull! Fairly pleased with the stand, might varnish it later but at least it will see me through the build.

Then on to fixing the main deck supports around the inside edge of the hull. First styrene strip epoxied to the hull then after completing that round I made a start with a second strip using styrene cement to glue it to the first one. Should build up into a nice ledge for the main deck (which will doubtless be a fiddly task but very important to get right!). At least I’m learning as I go and feel that my woodworking skills are getting better already and only using hand tools I can get a reasonably good line sawing through plywood with a coping saw so the deck should be within my skills to cut out.

All in all a very enjoyable day off work and a nice relaxing time “pottering” on Danny Boy😀

eternal422 · « **Reply #11 on:** January 23, 2021, 05:58:01 pm »

Completed the main deck supports and added some milliput filler to the stern section where there is a gap between the styrene strips and the hull, to be sanded level later. Received a delivery from the Component Shop today of the battery, P44 twin RC switch, leds, resistors and some wire. Actually looking forward to building the circuits for the lighting, even though I’m sure it will be a bit fiddly.

Didn’t do much else today other than adding strips around the battery plate for the new battery and did another placement of all the electronics to check position and clearances. I’ll leave final fixing until I’m ready to fix the main deck. Also fitted the washport covers, deciding against opening up holes in the hull for them.

Next step will be the bilge keels and then cutting out the main deck.

eternal422 · « **Reply #12 on:** January 24, 2021, 08:30:20 pm »

Got brave and cut out the main deck and fitted it today! Took most of the day as I took it really carefully and got as far as cutting out the right size hole for the superstructure. Just got forward hatch and rudder hatch to cut then I can position cross beams to allow me to finalise the position of the electronics, battery and motor plates in the hull.

eternal422 · « **Reply #13 on:** February 05, 2021, 06:19:27 pm »

Amazing how this hobby makes time pass quickly and there’s not much to show for it some days ! I fixed the rudder servo plate, glued in the battery plate and whilst waiting for them to set so that I could remove the electronics to flip the hull over for its final prep before priming, I moved on to the main superstructure.

This was my first go at working off a plan and being confronted with a myriad of white metal castings! It’s like a 3D jigsaw puzzle but without a clear identifier of the parts at times I had to resort to matching part counts against the bag parts list! So, after lots of sanding, filing and drilling I managed to get the engine hatches completed and for good measure the porthole surrounds. Curious one of the engine skylight catches refused to superglue until I cleaned off the glue, filed it a bit and tried again. I can only think it was some grease preventing the glue from setting or adhering.

eternal422 · « **Reply #14 on:** February 07, 2021, 04:35:09 pm »

It may not seem like much, but I was so pleased to get the Action Electronics P44 RC switch wired up and able to switch on a couple of LEDs via the RC! This is new territory for me and I was so pleased it all worked! I’ve got some more wiring to complete along with a connection to a small resistor circuit board I’m building for the superstructure to drive the navigation lights and cabin, engine room skylight, deck and wheelhouse lights. Once I’ve wired up the connector to the superstructure I will be ok to secure all of the running gear and fix the main deck (although still got ballast to sort out and delaying fixing the deck until I’m absolutely sure everything is ok).

In the meantime I’ll plod away at the fittings for the superstructure, having got them sorted out of the bag into a box of little compartments whilst I proceed with the build.

eternal422 · « **Reply #15 on:** February 09, 2021, 07:06:57 pm »

Did a bit more work on the superstructure tonight, made and fitted the three doors and fitted the foot plates on both side walls. Really enjoying this work now and loving how the boat is starting to look the part. Next job is to cut out the grp under the wheelhouse before the whole thing becomes too delicate with the tiny fittings!

JimG · « **Reply #16 on:** February 09, 2021, 08:11:04 pm »

Before adding all of the small bits you should really be looking at shaping the bottom of the superstructure to fit the deck. You have a number of gaps showing and the bottom edge looks rather uneven.
Jim

eternal422 · « **Reply #17 on:** February 09, 2021, 08:42:39 pm »

Thanks for bringing my attention to that Jim, I’ll have a go at that next before moving on any further. I guess it’s all about learning as you go along and there is always a lot to think about at each stage!

eternal422 · « **Reply #18 on:** February 12, 2021, 04:43:19 pm »

Another Friday off work and my original plans were to spray some primer on the hull, wanting to get that done so I can complete the fitting out inside the hull and then fix the main deck, then get on to shaping the superstructure on the fitted deck. Amazing how the build very quickly becomes a long chain of things that can’t be done until (a) is done, but (a) can’t be done until (b) is done etc.! As this is only my second build and my first building from a plan and some brief instructions (that purposely say that the detail is left to the builder) I am finding it takes me quite a while to figure things out just for the sequence of building. But all good fun and a great learning experience!

Anyway, my only place to spray would be outside and it was just too windy here today, so I spent the day instead doing some more sanding, preparing the bilge keels better (every time I look at the hull I see bits that need a bit more smoothing - I suppose that’s what it’s like and one can never get a totally perfect finish for everything, certainly not first time!).

I then spent ages figuring out how to draw the waterline, propping the hull upside down on the table after placing marks at various points where I had taken measurements from the plan from the top of the bulwarks to the waterline. In the end I found the method of attaching a pencil to a set square and moving that around the hull did the job. I used some frog tape to mark the waterline and then took Danny Boy to the test tank (bath) to see about ballast. I split about 2kg of lead shot between bow and stern, plus placing a spare 1.7kg SLA midships to get the boat down to the waterline. I know it will be a rough guess at this stage, even adding the white metal parts will not give me a totally true position, but as the bow and stern ballast need to be placed before fitting the main deck I needed to get the boat down to something like approaching the desired waterline.

I didn’t do much else other than fit a bulkhead at the bow to contain the lead shot when I finally fit that. I then had some fun painting a paint swatch of the colours I have already bought to see which ones I will use and whether I need get any other ones.

Capt Podge · « **Reply #19 on:** February 12, 2021, 04:50:28 pm »

Quote from: JimG on February 09, 2021, 08:11:04 pm

Before adding all of the small bits you should really be looking at shaping the bottom of the superstructure to fit the deck. You have a number of gaps showing and the bottom edge looks rather uneven.
Jim

Have a look at this thread https://www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,39214.msg422854.html#msg422854

Top of page 7 shows a great technique for getting the shape right - once you have the deck in place, that is.

Regards,

Ray.

eternal422 · « **Reply #20 on:** February 12, 2021, 05:00:39 pm »

Thanks for that link Ray! Wow! Genius! I was thinking of sanding bits of the GRP superstructure in a trial and error way to match the deck, but this idea is so much better- and so simple (like all the best ideas!). Once I’ve got the deck fitted and move onto that stage I’ll use that trick to hopefully get a better fit than I would have done otherwise!

Capt Podge · « **Reply #21 on:** February 12, 2021, 05:03:20 pm »

Nice one - but don't forget to flatten one side of the pencil

Ray.

eternal422 · « **Reply #22 on:** February 15, 2021, 09:30:40 pm »

Quiet night spent doing some painting, trying out the new paints (Revell Aqua Color Matt acrylic) and really pleased with them, just need more practice but pleased with the overall look of the life buoys.

eternal422 · « **Reply #23 on:** February 15, 2021, 10:40:58 pm »

Meant to say life belts - not buoys! For some reason I don’t have the modify option on my posts

Although this one does have modify! Oh well, I also meant to say that the rope between the red and white segments is actually a brighter white than the white segments, but the picture incorrectly shows it as being more silvery. I had thought of painting the rope bits a light brown, but think I’ll leave them as they are.

eternal422 · « **Reply #24 on:** February 16, 2021, 09:59:25 am »

Doing some thinking ahead for when I need to smooth the bulwarks, having read various options on here and other forums it seems that there are a few options :

Just sand the GRP smooth - ok if doing so leaves sufficient thickness, which I think it would, but not sure sanding will get it smooth?
Use P38 or Top Stop filler to coat the bulwarks then sand smooth - sounds messy and difficult given the fast curing time and possibly hard to get a sharp edge between deck and bulwark?
Line the bulwarks with thin ply veneer or styrene / plasticard - not confident I would be able to get the lining neat enough against the bulwarks, especially on the curved stern section.

Interested in other people's thoughts and experiences here?

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Author Topic: Mountfleet Models Danny Boy (1:24 scale) Build Log (Read 25566 times)