Model Boat Mayhem
The Shipyard ( Dry Dock ): Builds & Questions => Navy - Military - Battleships: => Topic started by: DickyD on April 22, 2008, 06:06:14 pm
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Well I've started my next build with what I had laying around in the shed while I wait for the wifes pay cheque to catch up with my spending so I can finish the last one.
This one is going to be an American PGM of the Vietnam era with a little bit of builders licence.
I have managed to get loads of photos off the internet, all side or front shots, no rear or top shots.
Anyway have made a start.
Have so far put in the Mtronics Vision 600 motor with cooling coil. Have done the inlet and outlet for the cooling system.
Have put in a Graupner propshaft to which I have attached an oiler fitting and a 2 bladed prop.
Have also fitted a pair of Robbe rudders.
I have put this to one side as I don't intend to do the deck or other electrics until I have made up the main superstructure and figured out where its going
Have started on the superstructure using plasticard..
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Looks good so far O0
Stavros
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Well had another good day in the shed.
Made and fixed the doors to the superstructure.
Put in the battery holder and the servo and connected the servo to the rudders.
Fixed in place the speaker for my JJC turbocat noise maker.
Fixed the deck supports to the hull which was a bit of a workup as the deck does not run parallel to the top edge of the hull but slopes front to back.
Cut my two openings in the deck and put the coaming around the hole.
That was the lot for today.
I think I have figured out one reason you chaps like scratch building, its because you can put things like access hatches where it suits you and what you want to put in the boat.
Some photos self explanatory might be a bit vague as it is white plastic,
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Have started on the superstructure using plasticard..
DickyD - Are you scratch building the superstructure :D :D :D
Martin doon under
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Have started on the superstructure using plasticard..
DickyD - Are you scratch building the superstructure :D :D :D
Martin doon under
I'm giving it a go Martin. O0
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Dont appear to have done much today though I've been a long time doing it.
I finished off trimming round the hatches and fitted them.
Fitted the deck.
Moved the speaker to a new position as I realized once I'd fitted the deck I couldn't get to it.
Made and fitted a funnel for the superstructure.
I am expecting some deliveries tomorrow ( boat stuff ) so I wont get much done as I will have to wait in the house for the postman.
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DickyD as you suffer from Emphysema what glues do you use as a close friend of mine suffers not from Emphysema but a severe reaction to all kinds of fumes cheers
Stavros
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I use all the normal glues and epoxys but I have to leave the shed door open and the fan on and do a little at a time. I do get a low odour supa glue from A Model World.
Spray cans are the ones that do me in. I have to spray outside and quickly as even spraying the under side of this model is going to give me problems ie. leave me gasping for breath. People say use masks, well take my word for it , if you have emphyema the last thing you want is something clamped over your nose and mouth, unless its an oxygen mask.
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I feel for you, Richard - I used to be into garden railways a few years ago and one of the local members of the 16mm Narrow Gauge Modellers Association who lived close to me had Emphycema - he was also a prolific builder ( most 16mm stuff is scratchbuilt or part kit as there was almost no R-T-R stuff at the time ) and ran a small business building '0' Gauge and larger locos for customers without the time or abilities. He has had to give up as he simply cannot do it any more - he has now unfortunately had to give up the hobby completely as his condition has progressed to the point where he is sat in the house on almost constant oxygen now - it has been sad (and humbling) to watch it happen - we have kept in touch, although I no longer model 16mm railways. He, like you, would not wear any breathing/respiratory protection and both he and I ( I work for the Ambulance Service ) feel that his not doing so has progressed his condition more rapidly than if he had worn something.
I know it is not comfortable - I have no respiratory conditions, and I hate masks too - but if you can get into it, do so. They do help.
Back to the thread in hand though :embarrassed:
Is that hull you are use styrene or ABS ? Boat is looking good so far - another masterpiece from the DickyD Dockyard ! Did your bits and pieces arrive yet via the post ?
Regards Andi
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I feel for you, Richard - I used to be into garden railways a few years ago and one of the local members of the 16mm Narrow Gauge Modellers Association who lived close to me had Emphycema - he was also a prolific builder ( most 16mm stuff is scratchbuilt or part kit as there was almost no R-T-R stuff at the time ) and ran a small business building '0' Gauge and larger locos for customers without the time or abilities. He has had to give up as he simply cannot do it any more - he has now unfortunately had to give up the hobby completely as his condition has progressed to the point where he is sat in the house on almost constant oxygen now - it has been sad (and humbling) to watch it happen - we have kept in touch, although I no longer model 16mm railways. He, like you, would not wear any breathing/respiratory protection and both he and I ( I work for the Ambulance Service ) feel that his not doing so has progressed his condition more rapidly than if he had worn something.
I know it is not comfortable - I have no respiratory conditions, and I hate masks too - but if you can get into it, do so. They do help.
Back to the thread in hand though :embarrassed:
Is that hull you are use styrene or ABS ? Boat is looking good so far - another masterpiece from the DickyD Dockyard ! Did your bits and pieces arrive yet via the post ?
Regards Andi
The hull is ABS and my bits and pieces are being processed. That dont sound right :-\
Its not that I dont like wearing the masks its because I cant breath with one on. I am on oxygen 16 hours a day.
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Oh, I see - sorry - didn't realize that was the reason. I can understand the "no masks, please" -
I'll shut up at this point for fear of putting my foot any further into my mouth ! :embarrassed:
Back to the topic of glues - can you suggest something that will convincingly bond styrene to what I think is upvc ? I purchased some plastic tube from the model shop, who state the tube is styrene ( it isn't, because Revel Contacta Professional wont melt it ! :( ) to make the pivots for the transom flap on my BB - the rest of the TF is styrene, but the tube just wont bond strongly enough to take the strain it will be under. I cant get PlasWeld here either.
Regards
Andi
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Andi have you tried plumbers solvent weld cleaner. Must be used sparingly as it is a solvent. Works like Plastic weld.
Dont use the solvent weld it is the cleaner you want.
If thats no good can you get Stabilit Express, expensive but seems to stick almost anything to anything. O0
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Hi Richard,
No, haven't tried solvent cleaner - I do have, somewhere, some Evostic solvent cleaner - intended for removing Evostic adhesive. Is that likely to do the job ?
I have got some neat Acetone - which nicely melts the tube - but not the styrene ::) I aslo have some plumbers solvent adhesive, but, as you say - not the right product.
I will have a look for the Evostik stuff - if that doesn't work I will go to B&Q tomorrow and get some solvent cleaner.
Regards
Andi
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Its plumbers solvent adhesive cleaner you need, the Evo Stik one wont do it.
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Haven't done a lot today.
Ran epoxy resin round the inside of the join of the deck and hull.
Then I drilled and filed out loads of holes at deck level.
Then I fixed my two Bofors guns( two I made earlier ) into the deck. They wil have to be removed again before painting.
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Its plumbers solvent adhesive cleaner you need, the Evo Stik one wont do it.
Bottoms ! I just found it - Took me ages ! ::)
Will go get some tomorrow.
PGM looking good ! What scale is it ? You said you made the guns yourself ? Got some Bofors for my BB - started to take a look at them today to see if I can convert them from static to enable rotation and raise/lower gun. Will let you know how it goes !
Regards
Andi
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The scale is 1: 40 Andi.
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Very nice work! I really like your scratchbuilt styrene superstructure, and the 40mm guns also look good (did you scratchbuild these? If so, I'd like to see some close-up detail shots). Also, where did you get the hull from?
I'm planning to build a US Coast Guard Cape-class cutter - a "close relative" of the PGM - in about 1/35 scale in the near future, as my first scratchbuilt R/C "warship". The hull I've got was originally designed for a 1/12 steam launch, of all things, but happens to be almost exactly the right shape and size for a Cape-class scaling out at around 1/35, give or take a few scale points. The shape of the stern/transom is the only major thing wrong on my hull (too rounded) but for a working model it should be OK.
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One other thing: As you say you're basing your models on photos, this plan might be helpful. I found this on the web last year when I was looking for reference material for the Lindberg USCG cutter plastic kit I was building at the time - can't remember which site I found it on. The plan is very low-res, and part of the bow is missing for some reason, but it should still be useful.
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Hi there Edward.
The hull is a Robbe PT boat hull I had kicking around so also not quite the same as the PGM.
Thanks for the plan it will be really helpful.
Will see what I can do about photos.
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Today I installed my Overlander esc, Futaba receiver and JJC Turbocat and wired them in. Perfic. O0
I also made the aerial and fixed it to the wheelhouse roof.
Assembled two 20mm anti aircraft guns and primed them for fixing later on.
Think I will change the motor for a Deans Marine Kestrel, the same as I have in my PT boat as the motor I have in it at the moment is a very noisy Mtronic 600 and you can hardly hear the Turbocats for the motor noise. The Kestrel is very nearly silent, like a Rolls Royce.
Will carry on with the superstructure tomorrow.
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Whoops nearly forgot the photos of the guns for Edward.
They are made of brass wire, brass tube, plasticard, and small shaped wooden bits.
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Looking nice, Richard O0 Made a start on my Bofors for the BB - not got as far as you yet though - still trying to get the R/C contol sorted. :-\ Did you make the 20mm guns yourself or are they from the "Processed Bits" package ?
Regards
Andi
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Hi Andi
The 20mm guns are kits from Redbank Models or as you know him Wingertaz.
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Very nice work with the scratchbuilt 40mms! How did you make the barrels + flash hiders - are they turned in a lathe?
The only suggestion for improvement I'd make is to add some proper open gunsights instead of the solid discs. Handwheels - particularly 4-spoked ones - are the best low-budget way of making these (they're what I normally use, anyway). Etched brass ones might be a bit too fragile for a working model, but Billings do some thin, flat plastic handwheels which would probably do.
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They look solid in the second photo, check out the fourth photo you will see that they aren't. Trick of the light O0
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Back from my hols.
Yesterday I fitted my new Deans Kestrel motor, what a difference, can hardly hear it running, but I can hear the turbo cats now.
Today I fitted the portholes, handrails to superstructure, ammunition boxes I had left over from a previous boat and finished of the plastic work to the superstructure.
Great being all grey, I can assemble most of it before painting anything.
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Looking great, Richard ! Going to look nice when it is all painted !
You are making more progress than me at present - I havent had time to do anything on my BB - I have made a start on the wordy bits for the build thread I am going to do about converting my Bofors to r/c control, though !
Regards
Andi
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Today I chucked her (the boat) in the paddling pool to mark out the waterline and while she was in there I had her running for a while just to check it all out.
Everything was fine, she floated level and stayed perfectly dry and the sound system woke my neighbour up.
I then marked out the waterline.
The top of the hull was then sprayed with grey Plastikote primer and the bottom of the hull with matt black.
Once this was done I had to stop for the day as the paint fumes were having an adverse affect on my breathing and vertical hold. This when the painting was done outside.
Also the heat was getting to me as well.
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Dicky why have you used the same rudders as the other boat especially as you are haveing turning problems just a thought O0
Nice looking craft though
Stavros
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Came with the hull Stavros.
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Fair comment Richard but why don't you modify those rudders to be larger that is what the concensis of opinion is just a thought
stavros
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Might try that Stavros, want to see how she goes first, as she is a different weight to the other one. O0
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Did a little bit more today.
Fitted the remaining stachions and handrails and painted them.
Removed masking tape from windows and portholes.
Fixed lettering.
Came indoors, heat and paint got me again, will try again tomorrow.
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Looks fantastic Richard, Take it easy with this heat, they say it will break by mid-week. Great work though.
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Looks Great Dicky D
When does she get her bottom wet?
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Just a bit of detailing to do TT then it will be ready. Taking my time with this one, though I reckon I might still have it on the water before John floats his tug. ;)
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That's lookin really good O0
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Thanks and the same about yours, are you glad you kept it now ?
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Yes...just glad I woke up before it was too late, I would have seriously regretted parting with it! A moment of madness on my part :embarrassed:
Are you going to add any crew figures?
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Yes to the crew figures, trouble is I used converted soldiers on my last two and the only ones I have left are kneeling or lying down, so I will have to pay another visit to Toys-r-Us and get some more. 1:40 scale are as hard to find as chickens teeth. :-\
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Didn't do to much today.
Varnished over the paintwork and one ot two detailing bits.
Just have to make a crew and we can have the maiden voyage. O0
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Looking very, very good! (And it looks like you build even faster than I do) Great work! O0
1:40 scale are as hard to find as chickens teeth. :-\
You might try using O gauge (1/43) model railway figures. There are lots of these available (mostly metal, but I think Preiser do some in plastic), probably including some suitable for conversion to naval crew.
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No crew yet but sent her on her maiden voyage today.
Went well with a run time of about 45mins on a 9v 4300mAh racing pack, also stayed nice and cool.
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hi there Dicky
I must learn how to super impose photographs some of my models onto the water like you do with yours !!!!!! O0 :D :D :D Cos you dont half seem to be building these models good and fast - have you nowt else to do I may ask. 8) 8) Do you sleep in your shed as well {-) {-)
LOOKS GOOD MATE.
Have you got your speed controller for your MTB yet?
aye
john
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DickyD,
So how does she turn, is she any better than the other patrol boat?
Bob
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Great job Dicky, she looks amazing ;)
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Starting to get yourself a nice little fleet together now Richard, she is looking fab and looks to perform well?!
Jay
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DickyD,
So how does she turn, is she any better than the other patrol boat?
Bob
Weird Bob, same set up and she turns fine though I do have the speaker for the sound system in the front section of the hull.
Might try a bit of weight in the front of the PT boat as that is the only difference.
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Very nice dicky looks great on the water O0
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Very nice, very nice indeed ;)
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Thanks for your comments chaps. O0
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Amazing mate O0. If you put a small cooker in the shed you'd be able to eat out there and stay warm during the winter.
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No room for cooker Robert, barely room for me. ;)
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Looks excellent on the water I must say, nice work O0
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Looking great, and it looks like it runs well too!
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Just a bit of detailing to do TT then it will be ready. Taking my time with this one, though I reckon I might still have it on the water before John floats his tug. ;)
You Call That Taking Your Time :o :o - puts me to shame then :embarrassed: :embarrassed:
Well done Dicky O0 O0
Martin doon under
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Thanks Martin from doon under. ;)
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Looks excellent on the water I must say, nice work O0
My sentiments exactly. Very realistic, how did you manage to get te scale of the water correct? O0
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Looks excellent on the water I must say, nice work O0
My sentiments exactly. Very realistic, how did you manage to get te scale of the water correct? O0
Thanks for the comments.
As for the water, well it's not any old water, it's New Forest water, its intelligent water. O0
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Hello Richard!
I just came by from the 'Setley Manouvres' thread as promised.
I have a general adage for modelling which goes thus:
If it looks right, it *is* right.
Richard, it's right :)
I'm certainly not going to wade 10yds out into a lake with a ruler and a plan to check it!
Incidentally the '10yds away on water' is also pretty much the distance I judge 'rightness' at. :)
Job well done Richard!
-Rob
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Thanks Rob. It was a bit of a problem as there is not much info about the PGMs about. Plenty about the river craft though. All I could find was a few iffy photos that all appeared to differ. Still she does go well and my cousin got the best part of an hours running on one 9.6V 4300mAh battery pack yesterday.
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Sorry to be annoying, but can I ask a question from an image on page 1?
On the post you made with the two images of the superstructure on Page 1 - where you fitted the bofors guns - I see that the chimney is not circular but an oval shape.
I'm trying to make an oval tube at the moment, but failing utterly.
Any chance you could let us in on how you made it?
Steve
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Tis simple Steve. You need two pieces of 18mm pipe cut overlength of funnel.
Stick them together.
Cut them top and bottom to the angle required.
Stick plasticard on bottom for base and top to seal funnel, when dry trim around pipes to form oval.
Then wrap round the two pipes with thin plasticard overlength again and hold it in position with laccy band.
Heat gently over steam and the plasticard will mould to the shape needed.
Run Stanley knife down the length of the funnel on one of the pipes through to pipe and this will give you a clean tight joint when glued.
The rest you can probably figure out for yourself.
On mine the stack was wider at the front than the back so I used two sizes of pipe ,inch and a quarter waste pipe and three quarter inch overflow pipe.
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Hey Dicky,
Any chance you can come over to Oz and help me with BB ::) ::)
Only then, I may have it finished by Chrissy - otherwise 2010 BB Odyessey ;) ;) ;)
Martin doon under
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Sorry Martin I'm not allowed to fly anymore and unlike you Aussies I cant afford to do it by ship.
Anyway I have a steam trawler, a steam coaster and a tug queuing up for building apart from having to sail the others.
Hoping I can get them all done while I am still able.
So sorry, stop dreaming about bikes and get on with your boat building. ;)