Model Boat Mayhem
Mess Deck: General Section => Chit-Chat => Topic started by: F4TCT on February 10, 2014, 09:30:41 am
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Hi all,
Last year, March 2013, I ordered a FTX tug from mobile marine models. I paid my deposit of £50 and awaited the receipt. This then arrived a few days later and the date on there was the 7th of march, give or take a few days. Either way, the date of delivery stated 6-7 weeks from the receipt date - fair enough I thought.
So almost a year on, im still waiting for the tug! I have emailed them a few times over the last year and received many different replies. Replies such as "we're stowed out at the minute". Well my answer back to that is why take on my order knowing fine well you cannot deliver it in an acceptable timeframe.
I would understand if i had ordered a 1:1 scale of the real thing, however whilst its a large bit of fibreglass and with my very limited knowledge and skills, I know for a fact it doesn't take 11 months to make one.
If the truth be told, ive had no actual answer as to why its taking so long.
Has anyone else had any issues like this with them?
Dan
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I have only had really good service from MMM - Give them a ring and get a definitive answer I'm sure that they will help
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I have NEVER had a problem with them as Mark said give them a ring and speak to Brian he has always been on the ball and very helpfull. Geo
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Do you have any further clarity or feedback here Dan ?
Ive been asked a fair bit lately about suppliers
cheers
Chris
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The only other thing i can add is they said the ftx is 'scheduled to be delivered the 18-19th Feb and that the cost will be discounted...
Until I know what sort of discount they are offering, I wont be persuing the order further - they can stick it.
Bottom line is it stinks, just don't understand the English businessman these days.
I literally know nothing else, as they seem to be keeping quiet over what the actual delay is.
Dan
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just don't understand the English businessman these days.
A bit of a generality, Dan, especially when a few of them actually have given you good service. At the same time I'm bound to say that you don't half attract 'em! ;) Is it something in that Whitby air?
Dave M
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Hi Dave,
Ha i remember having this conversation with you a few months back.
I must attract them, get the worst luck me.
Suffice to say, and im sure everyone else will agree, I never had any issues with action. Its how a business should be run.
Anyway, will update everyone further when something materialises..
Dan
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Anyway, will update everyone further when something materialises..
Let's hope that's soon, buddy. Fingers crossed.
Dave M
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Hi Dan
Just been reading about your problems with your tug was thinking of ordering an FXT tug myself but not so sure now {:-{ {:-{ {:-{ But I must say I've only ever had a few small bits from them and they've always been very good.It's a shame because from what I've heard shes a tiger of a tug !!!!!Good luck let us all know the outcome.
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Will do :-))
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Will do :-))
Does that mean that the ETA has slipped again, Dan?
DM
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hi all
shall be getting a 50 inch apache petrol boat from waverider mouldings in case mart cant supply the three cockpit figures with helmets ,life jackets and with arms ,whole figures would be nice but would settle for half figures ,any ideas please
regards howard
midships
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Means ive heard sod all Dave {-)
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Apparently the boat will be ready to collect as of next Thursday (20th March).
They failed the mention the discount i can expect....
Dan
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WOW Dan just read your post, that’s quite some time to wait for a hull. It only takes a week at the most to make a hull. After giving them £50 deposit and waiting all this time I think they should be giving you the hull at no extra charge.
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Exactly Chipchase.
There's only been progress on this boat over the last few weeks at best, despite being told last October that it was being dealt with as a priority.....
Might tell em' to stick it as a matter of principle.
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maybe the fella that owns the company has had some fairly devestating family problems? mmm have always given a strong service so maybe you should cut him some slack,
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Yeah, his mam died. That's only been in the last couple of weeks, and she was ill before that for weeks in which he had to travel to hospital each day etc....
He's had a full year to do something and done nothing in that time other than lie to me about progress and not give me an explanation....
The one question i have asked is when he took the order (knowing fine well how busy they were and knowing he would struggle to achieve the order in the stated timeframe), then why take on the order at all... - yet no answer.
I'll bet my house that the order wasnt even started until this year.
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Well a resolution has been reached and I now have the boat.
A discount was offered which I accepted and Brian threw a few other bits and pieces in as part of the deal. He apologised and that was that.
Hopefully he will keep his customers more up to date with developments in the future.
Anyway some pics... Used a 5L washer fluid bottle as a comparison to the size of the thing! The bowthruster was installed by Brian as I simply couldn't be bothered.
(http://s13.postimg.org/82yyxsu8n/100_5243.jpg)
(http://s13.postimg.org/hc157x34n/100_5244.jpg)
(http://s13.postimg.org/uccw4cpp3/100_5245.jpg)
(http://s13.postimg.org/wsepi77rr/100_5247.jpg)
(http://s13.postimg.org/41hvs51xz/100_5248.jpg)
(http://s13.postimg.org/3skb27p5j/100_5249.jpg)
(http://s13.postimg.org/qua2zg3kn/100_5250.jpg)
(http://s13.postimg.org/lwwiec1lj/100_5252.jpg)
(http://s13.postimg.org/ifz1p3rx3/100_5255.jpg)
(http://s13.postimg.org/nsnw38ftj/100_5256.jpg)
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H Dan, nice to see it was sorted............ Eventually!!!!! You are a lot more patient and understanding than I am... If I was in your position he would have been told to insert said hull somewhere with very little daylight a long time ago...
Still from my perspective one good thing has come out of this fiasco, I was going to buy a full Portgarth kit from him but after your experience I think I will spend my cash elsewhere... Might have a chance of the kit arriving before I retire!!
Paul..
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Well i do know there was 7 or 8 of them including mine in the batch getting done.
The initial phone call was a bit heated to say the least in regard to brians attitude towards my disgust at the initial offer of discount. It was said that another guy wanted the boat (obviously it would be sold for the full price as he wasn't bothered if i bought it or not) so I thought to hell with that, i'll get it and sell it one for full price...
But im going to keep it and slowly work at it. I bought the running gear of brian again for a discount and got thrown a few other bits.
Props ordered from the prop shop and so it shouldn't be long until I start installing the gear. Just need some major inspiration now and a few ideas on how to actually move the boat around and get it in and out of the water! its meant to be about 55KG fully ballasted to the waterline <:(
Dan
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Anyway some pics... Used a 5L washer fluid bottle as a comparison to the size of the thing! The bowthruster was installed by Brian as I simply couldn't be bothered.
Jeepers!, that's nearly big enough to sit in!
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HI M.M.M
i would think the wait was worth while looking at the hull i had the same problem with speedline models regarding missing parts and some not etched out properly but got there in the end, nice clean moulding on your hull look forward to more pictures as you progress
bow thrusters are awesome handy if you want to go round in circles
perhaps you could build a big crane first,or ply two strong men or ladies with something stronger than tea
perhaps you could practice with two bags of cement as they would weigh 50 kilos or take out membership at your local gym
now gowing to get back to my tamar but looking forward to end of june when my apache powerboat (petrol ) being built by mart from waverider mouldings will be ready
keep up the good work
regards
howard
midships
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Yeah awsome moulding Howard - very strong, although it may need more support along the keel to stop it snapping!
The idea is to have two working winches front and aft along with possibly a weidico hydraulic crane also.
Yeah had the same beef with speedline getting my trent parts in order. duplicate sheets sent and general mayhem but it got sorted between mike pendlebury (whos building her) and adrian.
Dan
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I failed to mention that another boat with the same setup as me managed to tow a 6000kg real boat around :D
needless to say, i might have a few little ideas in mind for fundraising for whitby rnli.
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although it may need more support along the keel to stop it snapping!
Dan
no way needed dan.the strength of that thing you could have a bath in it resting on 4 bricks and it wouldn't snap.........that would be overkill to the nth degree.
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ok cheers neil.
will be in touch with some machining of brass requirements :embarrassed:
Dan
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FTCT.......maybe I am just having a senior moment :o....but am having difficulty in understanding how the dual bow thrusters work......
From the image...
1. The Port thruster rotates clockwise looking on the blade....this then drawers water from under the vessel via the 90 degree tube spool & hence would force the vessel to Stdb.......
2. If this is the case would the Stbd propeller not have to be of the same rotation but driven in reverse?
3. From this.....if both thrusters were reversed :} they would draw water form the sides & force it under the bow >>:-(
3. Does this then mean that only one thruster is used in one direction? %%
Again from the image......the thruster propeller appears to be greater than 30 mm diameter?.........
4. Is the o-ring drive 2.62 diameter section?
5. Is the o-ring capable of maintaining drive under load?
6. What is the unloaded RPM of the motors?
7. Did the manufacturer offer detail of the shaft sealing & shaft bearings for the thrusters?
8. Does the shaft sealing rely on being immersed in water to eliminate cooking the seal?
Sorry....so many questions :embarrassed: ...just cannot get my grey matter around it.......Derek
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Let me just get my manager sir....
off out now but will answer the motor questions later.
Yes only one thruster is used at a time. You can use both but because its forcing water out of the bottom, it basically tips the boat over and makes it very unstable. The Electronise FR15HVR ESC will be used.
The o rings are apparently more than enough to run the system and done this way as to slip should a thruster get clogged up etc...
Dan
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Thanks Dan....... ok2 looks like the grey matter is not quite dead yet..... >>:-(
a. you have answered points 1 to 3 inclusive OK
b. points 4, 6, 7 & 8 would still be interesting to understand
c. point 5 response :o as assumed from the manufacturer is a rendition of something from Monty Python........ {-)
Derek
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I am saddened to hear of your experiences with MMM. A few years ago, I ordered a hull and plans for Lady T and had it delivered to me here in Southern Spain within a week. I was delighted, particularly as it was over the Christmas period.
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Hi Dan
Any news or up dates on the tug ? Just came across your post only asking because I wouldn't mind doing one myself one day.
Cheers
Mike
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Up to this point last summer...
(http://s3.postimg.org/vc96btpcz/SAM_3365.jpg)
Although i spent most of the build drunk, dealing with a miserable girlfriend and a screaming daughter...aswell as studying for my ATPL - despite measuring multiple times and cutting once, it seems the korts catch on the back end of the shafts where the props screw on... There really isn't a lot of room at all for the huge motors, the relatively short shafts (in order to maintain a parallel angle to the water line). Since doing the work on the tug, ive bought another house, bought a boeing 737 flight deck simulator, been essentially violently assaulted financially by the German whip and had another child.
I have a lot of CAD work complete for ideas for the tug aswell as the main running electronics. Need to get a few things out of the way, and then will be back on with the build.
Dan
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Hi Dan
I suppose your like me and most mayhem'ers just want to go in to the shed and be left alone to build boats {-) {-) {-).Looking good up to now.Phoned up about one for myself today but not sure how I'm going to get it in the boatyard with out the SWMBO seeing ha ha {-) {-)
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Although i spent most of the build drunk, dealing with a miserable girlfriend and a screaming daughter...aswell as studying for my ATPL - despite measuring multiple times and cutting once, it seems the korts catch on the back end of the shafts where the props screw on... There really isn't a lot of room at all for the huge motors, the relatively short shafts (in order to maintain a parallel angle to the water line). Since doing the work on the tug, ive bought another house, bought a boeing 737 flight deck simulator, been essentially violently assaulted financially by the German whip and had another child.
Dan
You have had a busy year! :o
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been essentially violently assaulted financially by the German whip
This sounds fascinating, Dan. Do tell - if you can bear to.
DM
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It was the fuel system catastrophe and then a gearbox fault costing in total about 10k.