Model Boat Mayhem
Mess Deck: General Section => Model Boat Links => Topic started by: dodgy geezer on July 26, 2009, 03:34:08 pm
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Ladies and Gentlemen...
Over the last couple of weeks I have been putting up a website to pay tribute to the old KK EeZeBilt range of 1950s models (50 years old last Christmas!)
It is at http://modelboats.hobby-site.com . Most of those who have been kindly helping me on the Forum will already know about it, but Martin pointed out that this was the correct place to make such an announcement, so I have taken the liberty of giving it a topic of its own...
Go there to see pictures of the model boats you built all those years ago. Download some of the (few) plans I have up there to give to any young modellers of your acquaintance, and if you should chance to get your hands on one of the few (and expensive!) kits which occasionally pop up on ebay, or from old model shop stock - please consider scanning the die-cut parts and the box artwork and sending a copy to me before revisiting your childhood!
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Brilliant site well done. I'll keep my eyes open for odd bits for you. :-))
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Oh, Steamboat - I put your Triton picture up on the site. Hope it's OK - check and if it's not I'll remove it....
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One on ebay: KeilKraft EeZeBILT Mermaid Model Boat Kit
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200371772772&ru=http%3A%2F%2Fshop.ebay.co.uk%3A80%2F%3F_from%3DR40%26_trksid%3Dm38%26_nkw%3D200371772772%26_fvi%3D1&_rdc=1
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Very nice! Unfortunately I have been forbiden by my wife from 'cluttering up the place with useless junk'! Mermaids are not very rare, though this one looks in good condition...
Since the box is already open, perhaps the eventual buyer will feel like scanning the diecut sheets and instructions, and contributing some pdfs to the EeZeBilt site? We already have a set of Terrier die-cuts I am just about to put up, courtesy of ManintheStreet, and Chingdevil's Curlew instructions went up last night....
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Hi, all....go and have a look at Kiwi's work on the Terrier EeZeBilt plans - I think you'll be impressed.... http://modelboats.hobby-site.com/terrier.html
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Hi, all....go and have a look at Kiwi's work on the Terrier EeZeBilt plans - I think you'll be impressed.... http://modelboats.hobby-site.com/terrier.html
Brilliant! Does anyone know how much it might cost to get these parts laser cut professionally?
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Brilliant! Does anyone know how much it might cost to get these parts laser cut professionally?
I think Kiwi is onto that, and we will probably hear from him in a while.
He already does a line of footy yachts, and, I am sure, a great many other things as well. I am very tempted to do a 2x scale Terrier, built with 1/8" balsa inside. It would RC well, and I could take it to a scale meeting and mark it as 2:1, rather than 1:36.....
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I'm quite surprised to find that 10-20 people per day hit the EeZeBilt site. There must be something there!
At the moment we have plans for a Terrier, Curlew and Triton. We hope to get a Neptune sometime. So we still need scans for the:
Mermaid
Otter
Cresta (rare!)
If anyone has access to one of these old kits please consider sending in a scan of the die-cut parts, instructions and box art.....
On the new plans contributions side, we have an RAF Crash Tender, and, in a week or so:
a Steam Launch
a Fairey Swordsman
a Tamar Lifeboat
and possibly a Chris-Craft?
If anyone remembers the KK EeZeBilt series and wants to design a new one in the same style, we will be happy to add it to the collection. In the meantime, why not download some plans, cut out the parts, and give them to your kid as a Christmas present? It will only cost about £1 for the balsa, and the idea behind this site is to get kids building again....
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Hi Dodgy G. I don't know how I missed your website but I'm sure glad I've now found it, brilliant stuff :-))
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Hi Dodgy G. I don't know how I missed your website but I'm sure glad I've now found it, brilliant stuff :-))
Kind of you to say so, Andygh, but it wouldn't have much stuff in it without the other Mayhemer's contributions.
They are acknowledged on the site, but I should mention ManintheStreet, who contributed a Terrier kit to start the ball rolling, and Kiwi, who is responsible for those superb Terrier line drawings. We have also got Curlew scans from ChingDevil, and I hope to get the complete set of boats over a year or so.
If you see any EeZeBilt memorabilia, do shout! And if you fancy trying your skills as a designer, there's the 50+ range to build up. I'm hoping to get a lifeboat out before Christmas, and to start encouraging people to cut out a few plans and give them to their kids/nephews/significant juniors as a present....
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Well, we are going to have a little Christmas present for anyone who is interested in the KK EeZeBilts. I have just acquired an example of the rarest of the range - the withdrawn Cresta outboard motor boat. Don't ask how much for!
The scans will be going up over the next week - the instruction sheets are there at the moment - enjoy....
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Well, we are going to have a little Christmas present for anyone who is interested in the KK EeZeBilts. I have just acquired an example of the rarest of the range - the withdrawn Cresta outboard motor boat.
The scans will be going up over the next week ...
All scans of the Cresta die-cut parts are now up on the Eezebilt web site. Now, to complete the set, we just need the:
- Mermaid
- Otter
- Neptune
So if anyone has any of these in their collections...
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Dodgy
there is an unbuilt otter on ebay at the mo!
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Keil-Kraft-Keilkraft-THE-OTTER-TUG-BOAT_W0QQitemZ350290538092QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_ToysGames_ModelKits_ModelKits_JN?hash=item518ef16e6c
great site :-)) well done fella
db
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Dodgy
there is an unbuilt otter on ebay at the mo!
db
Thanks for the heads-up! Unfortunately, picking up that Cresta has left relations with my wife somewhat strained! It would be wise for me not to tempt fate twice, just before Christmas...
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Dodgy, If anyone remembers the KK EeZeBilt series and wants to design a new one in the same style, we will be happy to add it to the collection. In the meantime, why not download some plans, cut out the parts, and give them to your kid as a Christmas present? It will only cost about £1 for the balsa, and the idea behind this site is to get kids building again....
There is a similar website for the Easibuilt Aeroplanes and that is exactly what I have done. Made a kit for Xmas. Probably try and include a boat as well now. Beats "West Wings " prices at £6 for a chuck glider in a nice box.
Steve
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There is a similar website for the Easibuilt Aeroplanes and that is exactly what I have done. Made a kit for Xmas. Probably try and include a boat as well now. Beats "West Wings " prices at £6 for a chuck glider in a nice box.
Steve
Good luck with that! I would be very interested to see any pictures if you do one...
Yes, there are several sites which hold the aircraft - there is the US site - http://www.parmodels.com/ or one of the UK sites, such as http://www.thestuarts.eclipse.co.uk/gliders.htm or http://www.ffscale.co.uk/ .
When I was thinking about gathering this information and making it available to all, the first thing I did was contact one of these sites and ask if they wanted the data to start a boat page as well as an aircraft page. I would rather be boating (or sitting in front of the fire with a drink in my hand!) than toiling over a set of web pages!
They replied that their site was about aircraft, so they didn't want any boats on it.
I don't know why the aircraft fraternity seems to look down their noses at us - perhaps it's because they spend so much time with their heads back looking upwards...? But it would have been a lot easier (and cheaper) for me to have just passed info to them. And they seem to be much better at web design...
Still, their loss is our gain. They have a lot more models to collect - I have only got three to go! And I will include modern designs which are more practical for R/C. Unfortunately I haven't got things going quite as quickly as I'd hoped for Xmas, but Kiwi's Terrier lines are superb - I have made up a kit of those for a kid who will be coming round here and it only took an hour or so. You can get nearly all of one Terrier (all apart from the bottom skin) from one sheet of 1/16" balsa. And a kid can make this on his own, and it will really work.....
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Dodgy
i was sorting through some old plans i had tucked under my bench at work and i found a really nice plan for a 16/17" Fairey Swordsman in balsa, drawn by Phil Connolly.
looks like it was a free plan from model boats magazine many moons ago.
would be happy to send you a copy if it helps with the eeze bilt Swordfish project :-))
db
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Dodgy
i was sorting through some old plans I had tucked under my bench at work and i found a really nice plan for a 16/17" Fairey Swordsman in balsa, drawn by Phil Connolly. - looks like it was a free plan from model boats magazine many moons ago.
would be happy to send you a copy if it helps with the eeze bilt Swordfish project :-))
db
DB,
a very kind offer!
I built the frame of an 18" Swordsman without checking any lines, and made the V much too flat. Kiwi reckoned that he could do a 12", and has just about finished this now - though he's working over Christmas, and we will probably see the results in the new year.
I may well complete the flatty swordsman, just to see how it performs, but I probably won't put it on the web site, since it's so off scale. If you can scan the PC plan (probably a couple of PDFs?) that would give me an added prompt to redesign and put out a better 18" version.
What do you think of the 12" Tamar so far? I am finding that trying to do scale-ish boats without any reference material (beyond a picture off the internet) is a bit iffy, and suspect that I have made a cross between a Tamar and a Severn......
DG
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Dodgy
pm me your address and i will pop you a copy in the post... scanner not working since a major computer crash and a "format C" :((
wont be till i return to work on the 4th Jan tho as i ermm.... left it at work! its a nice plan to have in your collection
the lifeboat is looking good... wouldnt worry too much about building a super scale model.. ezebilt = stand-off scale is the way to go!
looks like you are having loads of fun with this project, sometimes its just nice to keep things simple and fun ,hence my love of Aerokits boats
db
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Dodgy
pm me your address and i will pop you a copy in the post...
Will do
looks like you are having loads of fun with this project, sometimes its just nice to keep things simple and fun ,hence my love of Aerokits boats
db
loads of fun also = loads of work, but I think it's worth doing. It's a shame I'm pretty useless at web design, but at least the data is out there. These plans would just have got lost otherwise, as many better plan ranges probably already are. Who sees any indication of the MarineCraft range nowadays? Still, watch this space - I hope to have another set of plans shortly...!
I suspect my selection of a Crash Tender and a Swordsman indicates my love of the Aerokits range also! One thing that constantly bugs me is that JoTika bought up the rights many years ago, and announced their intention of bringing out the whole range. But only the Sea Queen has ever been released.
I am very tempted to publish a 1/2 size set of balsa plans for each of the Aerokits range, so that aficionados of the boats can have something to make while they are waiting, but I suspect JoTika would be onto me like a shot, especially if I used the same names....But surely it can't take this long to re-tool for a Sea Nymph?
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Triton and Curlew cutting lines are now up on the site for anyone who wants them....
DG
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Don't forget the weblink! O0
http://modelboats.hobby-site.com/
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Ah, Martin - I was trying to avoid too much advertising!
But the Curlew, in particular, has been a very popular download for the die-cut sheets - more so than the Terrier, which surprised me! Contributed by ChingDevil, of Mayhem fame...
Well done, ChingDevil! We are starting to match the vintage aircraft plans preservation people on their own ground....
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Found this on Ebay:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Rare-Vintage-Keilkraft-Keil-Kraft-Sprite-Outboard-Mtr_W0QQitemZ140380392183QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_ToysGames_RadioControlled_JN?hash=item20af52caf7
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I'm impressed that people are looking and thinking of me, particularly since I have been neglecting the site for so long. I promise I will get the Tamar up in a week or so, and the RIB is coming together nicely...
However, I suspect that this Sprite is way out of my price range. I would guess £60? We shall see how it goes...
At some stage I must get the Otter scans up, and I have a Mermaid promised. That leaves only the Neptune to go....
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I promise I will get the Tamar up in a week or so, and the RIB is coming together nicely...
I shouldn't promise things - it only gives me another thing to put on the pile...
Anyway, I have now put up the 12" Tamar Lifeboat plans. At http://modelboats.hobby-site.com/Tamplan.html . With the fittings elsewhere on the site. In a great rush...
The boat has not been painted yet, and it's just had static float tests, but it looked OK. To create more fun, I must have looked at the wrong boat halfway through the design, and drew a Tamar superstructure on a Severn hull. When this was pointed out I changed the plans, but kept building the original hull, so you will see some differences between the web site and the plans you download. Still, the modded plans should work ok - right up to the point where disgruntled users start throwing things at me....
Hey, if model boating was easy, everybody would be doing it!
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We have just put up plans for the OTTER - a tugboat. Download away!
http://modelboats.hobby-site.com/Otter.html
That is the last of the small EeZeBilts, and we now only need the Mermaid and the Neptune to present the complete range to you. Contributions will be gratefully received...
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I know you are all waiting impatiently for the Mermaid and Neptune.
One of these days I will complete the collection. But I have just had a kind contribution of Instruction pages for both the above boats, and thought I would stick them up to whet your appetites. Enjoy, and lift a glass to Tony Oliver...
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Well, the Mermaid and Neptune should be going up in a week or two....
In the meantime, I have just completed the CRESTA cutting lines - they are available at http://modelboats.hobby-site.com/Cresta.html
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Thanks to Tony Oliver (may his shadow always be jointed at the elbows), we are on our last lap for the EeZeBilt plans. They said it couldn't be done...!
I have just put up the scans of the die-cut parts for the NEPTUNE, and the MERMAID is waiting to be inked in. http://modelboats.hobby-site.com/Neptune.html refers.
Once we have drawn up the lines for these two, the range will be complete, and I will have to look for a new hobby. Or just sit in the garden and drink a beer....
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Well done, dodgy geezer, a well earneed rest is due, I'm sure. You must now sit and make them all!
Regards,
Vintagent
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Not me - it's the contributors who were central to the success of the scheme - spread around the globe but all coming together courtesy of Tim Berners-Lee and a shared interest in these little starter kits. And let's not forget the Mayhem discussion which started it all...
Shows that humans can achieve useful things if only they act together.....
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Shows that humans can achieve useful things if only they act together.....
And don't pour trouble onto oily waters, Congrats DG., hopefully some will use the Gorgon to print out and have a bash.
Regards Ian.
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And here they are, Ladeeeys 'n Gentlemen, for your delectation, the last, the very last scans of the EeZeBilt range!
In the blue corner, weighing in at about 4 oz, we have the Mermaid die-cut balsa scans. http://modelboats.hobby-site.com/Mermaid.html will take you there...
Now I just have to draw up the cutting lines, and I can have a quieter summer....
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Neptune cutting lines now up here: http://modelboats.hobby-site.com/Neptune.html
Just the Mermaid left to do now.....but I think I'll go and get the beer, and leave them for another day...
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I have a question if I double up the line drawings and print on A3 effectovely doubling the size of the print and double the thickness of the sheets using birchply instead of balsa do you think it would be feasable to build a double sized model of the triton?
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I have a question if I double up the line drawings and print on A3 effectovely doubling the size of the print and double the thickness of the sheets using birchply instead of balsa do you think it would be feasable to build a double sized model of the triton?
Have a look at the Triton Pictures page: http://modelboats.hobby-site.com/tritonpics.html
There you will see a 34" Triton being made - still all in balsa, mainly 1/8" with 1/16" skin. The maker, Steve Heward, says that it needs a bit more reinforcement - you can see extra sub-formers along the sides, but it does make a very impressive 1950s-type model. I suspect that thin birch ply sides would make a more robust boat, and I would probably modify the chine at the front to curve it up a bit, but I am very tempted to do a double sized Triton myself, having seen Steve's one.....
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I think Ill give it a go. But then if its already been doubled up them maybe i should step it up a bit bigger lol 68" triton anyone? %%
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Umm...Wow!
The Triton looks good at double size, and I believe a couple of Terriers are being built at 2x and 1.5x.
I'm not sure if any others of the range would look good bigger. Perhaps the Mermaid?
Of course, they stop being a cheap little starter kit then....
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The mrs quite likes the cresta, so I was thinking about that also upscaled to around 200%. Maybe with a nitro outboard on the back lol
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We also have a couple of people doing an inboard Cresta without the rear compartment - I've stuck a few pictures on the site here:
http://modelboats.hobby-site.com/Crestapics.html
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A quick question on scale
Ive decided to upscale a cresta to fit this:-
http://www.jet-drive.de/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=shop.flypage&product_id=33&category_id=13&manufacturer_id=0&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=17
Anyone tell me the percentage to increase the scale to get a 1/10 cresta? for example 120%
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On scale
Dodgy geezer assesses the larger kits as about 1:36 to 1:24 which equates in decimal terms as .33" to the foot and .5" to the foot. 1/10 equates to 1.2" to the foot so to get from the plan size to 1:10 you need to multiply by 240% to 364% which will give a model of between 41 and 62 inches
Best of luck
Doug
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Vintagent would be interested in this one. A semi-scale vintage racer maybe, scope for the mahogany and varnish people to. I like the idea of enlarging them a wee bit.
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Oh, scale only, arrow5...scale only ok2
But then, I loves me Aerokits, don't I?
Oh dear.
Vintagent
Too busy!
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Thats exactly the sort of thing me and the mrs were thinking, build the cresta and then plank it out in mahogany with some nice chrome fittings. the casing on the outboard needs some tarting up too
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Maybe vintagent could draw up some plans for a KK style kit of an nice vintage hydro :)
Pretty please?
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I'm sure I could. but what type of vintage hydro would be most popular?
I have some drawings of an early Ventnor or there could be a simplified single stepper like a Darby or a Whippet, maybe a Crackerbox?
I also have a Century Thunderbolt drawing.
I guess it needs to be simple. for an Eezibilt type.
But I'll certainly give it some thought.
Regards,
Vintagent
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I'm sure I could. but what type of vintage hydro would be most popular?
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I guess it needs to be simple. for an Eezibilt type.
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May I encourage you to think simple, attractive and easy to build?
I'm seeing quite a lot of interest amongst people wanting to design some of these simple boats (and some rather more complex ones..) Perhaps if enough people contribute, we could put up a full catalogue, just like the old KK ones, with Vintagent's range (the best that money can buy!) and Essex2's selection (perfection on the water!)....
I know it's a different forum, but my attention was drawn to this thread in another place: http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1079729&page=3#post15457718
It looks like the aims of the site are beginning to be fulfilled, as the old eezebilt designs work their magic on another generation...
Thank you, one and all, for your contributions and support. It couldn't have happened without you...
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Well the ply is on order and the plans have been rescaled. I decided to upgrade the balsa to plywood
Hard to Find suitable mahogany veneer in finland tho :(
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Look forward to seeing it!
Oh,and I've just put up the MERMAID lines. http://modelboats.hobby-site.com/Mermaid.html will take you there to download the last set. That makes ALL the original KK EeZeBilts now available on the site, and interest is definitely growing round the world... I wonder what to do next...
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:-)Hey! We had KK down under too although I never built one of theirs. I think your website is fabulous and fills me with nostalgia for those days when we always seem to be able to find something to do. A mantra I hear all too often these days in the media and from youngsters. "there's not enough for us to do". ugh! >>:-(
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An unusual one up on the EeZeBilt site this month - Kiwi's footy schooner-rigged flat-bottomed scow! One for the yachting fraternity...
http://modelboats.hobby-site.com/Scow.html refers...
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Great site dodgy, you make the internet a better place. :-))
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Great site dodgy, you make the internet a better place. :-))
Not me - that was Kiwi making it a better place. That plan he has contributed is one he used to sell...
The site does make the world a better place for short periods of time, however. When I'm updating it, I don't have time for all the other nefarious activities I would otherwise be engaged in...
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When I'm updating it, I don't have time for all the other nefarious activities I would otherwise be engaged in...
Thank Heaven for small mercies then.... %)
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Thank Heaven for small mercies then.... %)
A thought echoed by many in the UK establishment...
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Your to modest DG.
Without your magic site we wouldn't have access to all the drawings available, wherever they come from.
Am pleased to be able to contribute a little towards your offerings to beginners, whatever their age.
Just returning a little of the help and enjoyment I had when I started out, keep up the good work
cheers
kiwi
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Well done!! The Neptune I built for my "new" stepson way back in 1968. Brought back memories!! Seeing them again, I thought, "Plus 50%?" Make a craft about 2 feet long, have to use some ply in her, room for modern small RC, a nice winter project. Have you any objections? Let me know what you think, thanks again for all the hard work you have done. Take care!!
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The Neptune I built for my "new" stepson way back in 1968. Brought back memories!!
That's one of the things the site's for! I've been neglecting it badly for the last few months as I do a single-handed shed build, but that should eventually give me more room to design models....
Seeing them again, I thought, "Plus 50%?" Make a craft about 2 feet long, have to use some ply in her, room for modern small RC, a nice winter project. Have you any objections? Let me know what you think, thanks again for all the hard work you have done. Take care!!
The site resources are at your disposal. Would you like a copy of the Neptune drawings in .dxf format, so you can put them on a drawing package and vary the sizes?
You will see a 34" Triton here, so double-size is quite possible: http://modelboats.hobby-site.com/tritonpics.html
I have been tempted to build a double-sized Terrier, but have so many other designs waiting to put into the 50+ range that I will probably never get round to it. The Crash Tender is 20", and looks very smart, though the plan has errors and needs redrawing (as another Mayhemmer is currently reminding me!). It is fine in 1/8" and 1/16" balsa - no ply needed....
Good luck...
DG
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Dodgy, you might be interested in an online meccano magazine resource..Around 1966/67 under the editorship of Vic Smeed they had several simple boat designs by Ron Warring
such as http://pdfmm.free.fr//6601.pdf
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Brought back memories!! Seeing them again, I thought, "Plus 50%?" Make a craft about 2 feet long, have to use some ply in her, room for modern small RC, a nice winter project.
Anyone looking for a cheap, quick-to-build but impressive fireboat might be interested in Steve Heward's current project - a 2x EeZeBilt 50+ Crash Tender with twin engines. All Balsa, with the eezebilt egg-box structure. 40" in length!
There are a few build log pictures here: http://modelboats.hobby-site.com/steverafpics1.html . Go Canada!
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The complete build log for Steve Heward's 2x Crash Tender is now up at:
http://modelboats.hobby-site.com/steverafpics1.html
Marvel at a 40" sheet balsa version of a hull you usually see in fibreglass! Wonder at the rapid build and low cost of this form of construction! Gaze in nostalgia at the other boats on the site, and download a few plans for any kids you know (of any age)...
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Looks superb , shame a lot of the pictures are so dark..
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Meant to say the build pictures indoors are a dark , outdoors are great.
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Meant to say the build pictures indoors are a dark , outdoors are great.
Ah well,... Steve is Canadian - houses up in the Frozen North probably have small windows with lots of insulating curtains round them. But I love his decking...