Model Boat Mayhem
The Shipyard ( Dry Dock ): Builds & Questions => Submarines => Topic started by: das boot on May 19, 2008, 05:05:53 pm
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Can somebody please tell me if the flooding holes on the hull are already cut out on the Revell Gato please?
Cheers,
Rich
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I haven't a clue....
Can you make out what you need from this review?
http://www.ipmsusa2.org/Reviews/Kits/Ships/revell_72_gato/revell_72_gato.htm
-Rob
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Look here, bottom left-
http://vabiz.com/d&e/articles.html
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Look here, bottom left-
http://vabiz.com/d&e/articles.html
To both of you gentlemen...thanks very much for the information, loads of useful info there. I think I'll risk it, it's only plastic I'll be cutting and filing, not fibreglass or wood, so I can't make that much mess in my front room, can I?
Can I? ;)
Thank you again guys,
Rich
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sorry to hijack the thread but has anyone in the UK built this kit using the big Dave WTC its a decent price now due to the exchange rate?
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sorry to hijack the thread but has anyone in the UK built this kit using the big Dave WTC its a decent price now due to the exchange rate?
I don't suppose you (or anyone else?) has the link to Dave's WTC site? I've lost it and google is being decidedly unhelpful......
Regards,
-Rob
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http://www.frontiernet.net/~bwelch/
There you go Rob
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Ta, Davie!
Appreciated :)
-Rob
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Just doing some thinking online...has anyone built a full static diving Revell Gato? I've just ordered mine, and doing some pre-planning...I'd like to make it a static dive boat, but the commercial systems are out of my price limit, so I'm thinking along the lines of using a plastic cylinder as a ballast tank, powered by a screenwash pump to fill the cylinder with enough water to submerge the boat. Anyone tried this, and if so...how did you do it?
Cheers,
Rich
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Paul Holman and Paul Cook done exactly this. They belong to the Norwich model boat club, and the conversion was featured in one of the model boat mags a year or so ago (can't remebr which one though...).
There are at least two other systems kicking about, one uses gas the other a recirculating air system based on a mini compressor.
Andy
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It was in Marine Modelling Dec 07.
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Thank you gentlemen, very useful. I don't suppose anyone has a copy of that article they could photocopy for me?
I'm thinking of building a watertight box for the radio, etc, and then using the space underneath it as a ballast tank. Could be...interesting?
Cheers,
Rich
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Before I get too involved in the Gato, I want to build a sub based on the good old plastic soil pipe, similar in design to the Henry/Skipjack/etc. I have the pipe, but seeing as how I now live in a small flat I have neither the room, the equipment, the expertise or the tools to make the bow and stern ends.
Is there anyone who could make me the two end sections [presumably from fibreglass?] for a suitable financial incentive? In cash, of course...
Cheers,
Rich
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I think you'll have a long wait, to be honest.
I have moulds for a little submersible type craft, designed to be used with 110mm UPVC wastepipe, but that's nothing like the boats you mention.
You will still need to fit it it out with an equipment rack, spin up the endcaps make hydrovanes etc.
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I thought that may be the case, a long shot but you never know...someone might take pity on a poor old sweeper driver!
Cheers,
Rich
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Why not use the 'lost-foam' method of making a bow and stern piece. You don't need much in the way of tools for that.
Looking at it realistically, fashioning a set of masters, taking moulds and then casting some pieces is going to take at least two-three days work. Even at the minimum wage you'll be looking at close to £150.
Alternatively, how about a Robbe Seawolf? That is in effect a bit of tube with bow and stern pieces.
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The 'lost foam' method? Explain please...
£150...hmm, frightened me to death!
Robbe Seawolf...too small and not what I was after really. I'm looking at something in the region of 6" diameter soil pipe for the hull, about four and a half/five feet long overall.
Cheers,
Rich
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That's a big boat, and it'll be very heavy.
Have a look at this thread for inspriration on lost foam construction-
http://subpirates.com/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=4200
Invest in Steve Neills 'RC Sub modelling for dumb asses' it explains all this very well. Contact Steve at Sub Pirates for more information on this.
Andy
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why not look at some of the spun fibreglass pressure vessels, often used in the water treatment/ swimming pool industry, - theyre also used in custom designed fire extinguisher systems, these have a rounded end moulded in along with a nice perfect end seal ready to accept a waterproof seal, and these come in all shapes and sizes, and all for alot less than £150 !!!
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That's a big boat, and it'll be very heavy.
Have a look at this thread for inspriration on lost foam construction-
http://subpirates.com/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=4200
Invest in Steve Neills 'RC Sub modelling for dumb asses' it explains all this very well. Contact Steve at Sub Pirates for more information on this.
Andy
Oh my gawd....that leads to desparation Andy, not inspiration! I've been looking around for one of those big pop bottles, the ones with the rounded ends, but I can't find one anywhere, that would do the trick. We have plenty of pressure pipe at work so finding a hull to match the ends would be no problem at all.
why not look at some of the spun fibreglass pressure vessels, often used in the water treatment/ swimming pool industry, - theyre also used in custom designed fire extinguisher systems, these have a rounded end moulded in along with a nice perfect end seal ready to accept a waterproof seal, and these come in all shapes and sizes, and all for alot less than £150 !!!
Now that's something I hadn't thought of...well done that man, I'll go have a quick google about and see what I can find.
Andy...Guy...thank you gentlemen, much appreciated.
Cheers,
Rich
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why not look at some of the spun fibreglass pressure vessels, often used in the water treatment/ swimming pool industry.
Have you got a link?
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to be honest i go into a local trade supplier and buy over the counter, you can also see what your buying, but i know of one online source, - they stock a few types... link is below- but its well worth searching around on the net for different types
http://www.kennetwater.co.uk/
go to 'products' section of the site then 'structural vessels' and hey presto.....
there are so many different types for so many different applications, you can also buy the end sections that screw on with a rubber 'o' ring waterproof seal, so hey presto you can have a watertight chamber easy peasy, these can then become your WTC if you wish by building your sub around these, they come in various diameters and a multitude of lengths, plus they are designed to withstand very high pressures !
i used a 9 inch diameter tube as the body of my submersible, i then used a peristaltic system and a gummi sack on board, so i pump water into the void within my pressure vessel..no problems with the vessel, its just my propshaft seal that now needs replacing !!!!
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Cheers for the link.
They're a large diameter are'nt they. Smallest diameter is 159mm.
Norbert Bruggen sells small quantities of simmerings for a new shaft seal.
Andy
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We have some redundant fire extinguisher cases at work, the fitters took them out of the old RCV's when they were replaced, emptied them and kept them for some reason. I may have to consider 'borrowing' a suitably sized one...being metal, they would be more than strong enough to shove the odd Tesco trolley out of the way should I find a submerged one.
Cheers,
Rich
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Blast it...can't find a fire extinguisher case anywhere, reckon I've been rumbled!
OK...so how about if I make the ends out of solid blocks of something like balsa or obechi, then give them a thin coat of resin, do you think that would suffice? The stern blocks would need hollowing out as I go or drilling to take the prop shafts and rudder/dive vane linkages but that shouldn't be a propblem. Should it?
Cheers,
Rich
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Rich ,why dont you have a go with styreen foam (the expanded bead type) ,cut and shape to your requirements then cover with PVA and tissue and then cover with fiberglass resin and matting/cloth/tissue (your choice) .when its all set you can then pour a thinners luquid that will melt the styreen and your left with a shell O0 .
daz
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Daz, now you talking my kinda language...that sounds much easier than chopping great lumps of wood about for hours on end. Question...where do I obtain styrene foam...is there a specialist supplier? I like the sounds of this...tell me more.
Cheers,
Rich
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You know that link I posted earlier, and suggested the 'lost foam' process. Well that's how you do it.
Builders merchants for foam.
Andy
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Got it...all of a sudden it seems an ideal way to do the job.
Thanks gentlemen, I'm on the case.
Cheers,
Rich
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You may want to take a look at the 'Shellshock' resin Dave Welch used for his Flying sub in the thread link I posted earlier.
It's a brushable polyurethane resin, needs no reinforcement and dries very quickly.
Not cheap, but you're almost guaranteed a good result. You won't need to PVA the foam either, as PU resin has no styrene in it, it doesn't eat the foam like Polyester resin does. Polyurethane resin doesn't pong as much as polyester either.
4D modelshop stock it-
http://www.yellowcatshop.co.uk/shop/default.asp?clientid=14&gid=4dmod&viewstate=32769&tabcatid=3500021&subcatid=3500028
Bottom of the page
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Things seem to have changed radically since I last built a sub...we had watertight radio boxes made from resin coated ply and fitted with Lexan or Macrolon tops, not fancy transparent WTC's.
I'm doing some research prior to taking delivery of a USS Blueback kit [thanks Pete] and I have a question: is there a favoured method of installing the radio in a WTC [I'm making my own] or do you just shovel it all in and fix it as and where it fits?
Cheers,
Rich
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Things seem to have changed radically since I last built a sub...we had watertight radio boxes made from resin coated ply and fitted with Lexan or Macrolon tops, not fancy transparent WTC's.
I'm doing some research prior to taking delivery of a USS Blueback kit [thanks Pete] and I have a question: is there a favoured method of installing the radio in a WTC [I'm making my own] or do you just shovel it all in and fix it as and where it fits?
Cheers,
Rich
Shove it all in where it fits :) Ballast tanks work best below the conning tower if you have a single tank. Batteries and any thing heavy need to be kept as low down as possible. Try and keed the Rx away from the ESC and motor. Other than that, you can do pretty much as you wish.
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The same rules apply for a cylinder as a box. A box is a very poor pressure vessel though, and a cylinder will give you much less problems long term, so long as you build it right from the start.
The main thing you need to address is to make everything so that it slides out of the tube, most people mount stuff on a tray.
The best advice is tom look at how others have done it. OTW, D&E miniatures and Small world models all make wtc's or dive modules as I prefer to refer to them as.
One last thing- think about investing in a small lathe if you haven't got one already. Very valuable for making bits and pieces, and it will soon pay for itself when weighed up against the cost of buying readymade parts.
Andy
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The same rules apply for a cylinder as a box. A box is a very poor pressure vessel though, and a cylinder will give you much less problems long term, so long as you build it right from the start.
The main thing you need to address is to make everything so that it slides out of the tube, most people mount stuff on a tray.
The best advice is tom look at how others have done it. OTW, D&E miniatures and Small world models all make wtc's or dive modules as I prefer to refer to them as.
One last thing- think about investing in a small lathe if you haven't got one already. Very valuable for making bits and pieces, and it will soon pay for itself when weighed up against the cost of buying readymade parts.
Andy
Thanks Andy, much appreciated. I only live in a small flat now, so no chance of having a small lathe...however rarely I get the girlfriend into my bedroom I know she wouldn't appreciate sharing it with a lathe! :-\
Cheers,
Rich
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You can get very small lathes very cheaply these days.
This one by Sieg will fit in a small box that can slide into a broom cupboard, so no need to kick the missus out!
(http://www.axminster.co.uk//images/products/600517_xl.jpg)
http://www.axminster.co.uk/product-Axminster-SIEG-Axminster-SIEG-C0-Metal-Turning-Lathe-559017.htm
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Now THAT is neat, I like that...that would fit nicely into my hall cupboard and she'd never know it was there [don't get her into cupboards nowadays.... ::)]
That looks an ideal tool for turning up all those small pieces that we always need....thanks Andy.
Cheers,
Rich
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If you are interested here is a site may help.
Hs93
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/C-O_Lathe/?yguid=280365235
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this is the same lath but a bit cheaper they also do all the spares
Hs93
http://www.arceurotrade.co.uk/Catalogue/Machines-Accessories/Lathes/C0-Baby-Lathe