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Author Topic: Smit London  (Read 22600 times)

hama

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Smit London
« on: September 30, 2008, 10:02:16 am »

Hello everybody!
Thought I'd show some pics of my current build, Smit London by Billing Boats. It's a slow build, started a year ago but will eventually get there I guess. About the kit; First laser cut kit for me, I love the nice cuts and that some of the boring cutting out stuff is already done. When I decided on this kit I thought I'd go for the "special edition" version of Smit London. My advice to you, don't do that. It was a little bit more expensive than the Smit Rotterdam for no reason as far as I can see. A different box and a small wooden ball for a Sat com dome is all the difference I can spot. The instructions are a huge dissapointment, I've built two other Billing kits many years ago and had hoped for them to improve. One side of written instructions for this big kit is a little lame I think. BUT, the kit and material is great I think, and it's not meant for beginners anyway so with a little experience and help from fellow forum members it shouldn't be a problem. And the finished model should hopefully be as impressive as the original vessel. I've built the hull and epoxied inside and outside with glassfibre. This was the first time for me and I was a bit nervous about it. Read all the threads I could find on the subject and then just did it one evening. Very messy but the end result was very nice and gave me a very strong hull. For a second I felt like leaving it as shiny and glossy as it was when I had epoxied her, she looked like a wooden yacht!  I've fitted my homemade bowthruster and right now I'm fitting propshafts, shaftbearings, korts and rudders. More updates to come hopefully.
Cheers!
Hama.
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Martin (Admin)

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Re: Smit London
« Reply #1 on: September 30, 2008, 10:40:36 am »

Looks great!  O0

I know what you mean about another very high cost kit but the "instructions are a huge disappointment."
I think I'll start a topic about that.....
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hama

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Re: Smit London
« Reply #2 on: September 30, 2008, 01:03:45 pm »

Thanks Martin!
I think iŽll check in on your thread, see you there!
Hama.
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Garabaldy

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Re: Smit London
« Reply #3 on: September 30, 2008, 01:10:56 pm »

This looks great!  Ive always liked these boats.

Does anyone know where to obtain plans for scratch building them?
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hama

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Re: Smit London
« Reply #4 on: September 30, 2008, 01:19:01 pm »

Hello Garabaldy!
Check out your own thread in "Model boating". Martin has fixed a link to SMB who does fibreglass hulls in 1:50, 1:75, 1:200 and plans as well! Good luck!
Hama.
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Garabaldy

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Re: Smit London
« Reply #5 on: September 30, 2008, 01:21:37 pm »

Cheers hama,

I have already emaild SMB to see how much the shipping would cost but im guessing it will be too much which is why im on the look out for plans.  A future project, i need to finish my fireboat first.....
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hama

  • Guest
Re: Smit London
« Reply #6 on: October 01, 2008, 02:23:01 pm »

Hi again!
Been working on the "busy end" for a while now. Starting to feel satisfied with it even though it ain't 100%. Modified the korts a little bit as they felt a little soft and week. Made a ring of brass rod that I epoxied to the kort. Seems to work. Enlarged the rudders a bit as the plans show two different sizes. Will also modify them to look a little more scale like. Thats it for now!
Hama.
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hama

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Re: Smit London
« Reply #7 on: January 18, 2010, 10:30:43 pm »

Oh boy, did have to dig deep to find this thread! At last some progress, hopefully it won't be a year till next update.   :embarrassed:
Hama
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Garabaldy

  • Guest
Re: Smit London
« Reply #8 on: January 18, 2010, 11:34:15 pm »

shes looking excellent.  cant wait to see her in the wet stuff :-)
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hama

  • Guest
Re: Smit London
« Reply #9 on: January 19, 2010, 09:36:40 am »

Thanks Gary, seeing her in the water is what keeps me going. Just got to have her sailing this spring. ( fingers crossed )
Hama.
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hama

  • Guest
Re: Smit London
« Reply #10 on: January 22, 2010, 11:10:32 pm »

I intend to install ventilation in this boat, here is the bigger fan. I think I'll have two smaller ones as well. The big one will evacuate and the smaller ones will supply air from the funnels to the aft and the bow section. I might do the other way around as thats probably how it's done on the real thing, I'll decide later.
Have a nice weekend!
Hama.
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hama

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Re: Smit London
« Reply #11 on: January 24, 2010, 07:30:59 pm »

Dry fitted the mast to see how it looks. Off to work now so no building for a few days.
Hama
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awvs

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Re: Smit London
« Reply #12 on: January 24, 2010, 07:42:52 pm »

Hi Hama,
she is looking great, I really like the wood work. By the way, you do the  same I'm doing, using fans for cooling down ESC's and so on  :-)) :-)) :-)).

Regards
Wilhelm
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hama

  • Guest
Re: Smit London
« Reply #13 on: July 21, 2010, 06:25:38 pm »

Finally got some paint on her! It's not perfect, but it's something to work with. Perhaps I'll rub her down a bit later on and put clear cote over it all? Anyway, for the time being I'm so happy that I've passed this hurdle.
All the best!
Hama.
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hama

  • Guest
Re: Smit London
« Reply #14 on: August 28, 2010, 08:25:23 pm »

OK, Ive done some more painting of decks and so. After the hull paint I rubbed it down slightly and added a clear cote. Now I wonder if I rushed the paint job to much as it hasn't cured properly. If I put a nail on the surface it leaves a mark that later vanish, it's been at least two weeks since I painted her. I used acrylic spray cans. Will it cure eventually or do I have to remove it all?   <:(

All the best!
Hama.
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hama

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Re: Smit London
« Reply #15 on: May 21, 2011, 11:05:02 pm »

Well finally an update!
The paint didn't cure even after months of wait, so I had to start over. Rubbed it down and let it cure, washed it off and on with new paint. Problems again! On the few millimeters where the bottom paint overlapped the hull paint it reacted. Had to rub the waterline down and on with new paint. Looks OK but not perfect. Also made a mistake when I raised the waterline two millimeters all around instead of marking the new line, on the sloping sides in the stern it looks strange. After putting the decals on I put on a thin clear cote. Then the decals reacted to the paint and got bubbles on them. If that wasn't enough I noticed today that after two weeks, the clearcote on parts of the stern has a reaction. But I can fix that later, not a big deal. The painting of this boat has been a nightmare, and I don't really know why. I've never had these problems before. After all, I'm quite pleased anyway and finally I'm able to move on. Have been busy installing motors and all the RC-equipment. Even had a first bathtub test. All systems worked!
All the best!
Hama
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wartsilaone

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Re: Smit London
« Reply #16 on: May 21, 2011, 11:11:59 pm »

looks good to me Hama. These things are sent to try us. Nice work. She looks really powerful.
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wibplus

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Re: Smit London
« Reply #17 on: May 23, 2011, 02:57:56 pm »

.............................. Martin has fixed a link to SMB who does fibreglass hulls in 1:50, 1:75, 1:200 and plans as well!
Hama.


Hi, just wondering if SMB might be useful for me but I cant find out who SMB is. Can you give me the full name please ?    :-)  :-)
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mmolkenthin

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Re: Smit London
« Reply #18 on: May 23, 2011, 03:02:28 pm »

Hi Folks!

S.M.B. you may find on this url:

http://users.skynet.be/fb746886/index-2.html

Greetings from good old germany

Michael
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wibplus

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Re: Smit London
« Reply #19 on: May 23, 2011, 03:42:16 pm »

Hi Folks!

S.M.B. you may find on this url:

http://users.skynet.be/fb746886/index-2.html

Greetings from good old germany

Michael

Thank you very much. Danke sehr viel. Bitte schoen.   :-)
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hama

  • Guest
Re: Smit London
« Reply #20 on: May 23, 2011, 07:33:18 pm »

Hi!
One thing I found out during bathtub tests was that I really need other props. Going forward will probably be OK but astern! I guess she will have the stopping distance of a supertanker! I know there are beautiful brass kort props, I'll see if I can raise funds for them as they are a bit expensive. Perhaps get some better plastic ones in the meantime.
Sorted the fixed ballast today, used tire weights. Sea trials are getting closer, only need a extension cable for the steering servo.
All the best!
Hama.
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hama

  • Guest
Re: Smit London
« Reply #21 on: June 04, 2011, 10:33:41 pm »

Hello!
Done some more painting, and painting again! And started on the masts. Bought new props as well, these have a little more blade area than the original ones. The hub was too long so I cut it and put some plastic to the end. Still waiting for first sea trials to test everything including the different propellers.
All the best!
Hama
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hama

  • Guest
Re: Smit London
« Reply #22 on: June 05, 2011, 12:27:57 pm »

Finally got her in the water!
Testruns where mostly a success. Tried both original and new propellers. The pictures are with original props at full speed and thats alright, problem is going astern as it doesn't happen much. With the new props the top speed was a bit too much but that doesn't matter. Maneuverability was much better. Problem was that I thought the motors got too warm on both propellers, I'll probably have to meassure the load on full speed. How do I do that with a amp meter? I choose the SPEED 500E motors buy chance, if anyone could recommend a motor in the same size with low rev and high torque please let me know. There was a small wateringress at the rudders, either from the rudder shafts as they are very close to the waterline, or from the hatch that hasn't been watersealed yet. All in all a good seatrial I think.
Hope you enjoy!
Hama
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hama

  • Guest
Re: Smit London
« Reply #23 on: August 26, 2011, 08:06:21 pm »

Hello!
Took her out for a spin today. I really enjoy sailing this model! I've never had such a big and heavy model before and I love the way she handles, and she runs very silent as well with the direct drive system. I mentioned earlier that the motors were running a bit hot, I bought some lovely fans that are mounted directly on the motors two on each and it works great. You don't really need to go full throttle as I did on the pictures as it is a little bit over the top, but it's good to have the speed if needed. She cruises very nicely with a good wake on just half throttle. As you can see on the pictures I have a little extra buoyancy allowed for all the fittings that are to be mounted.
Hope you enjoy!
Hama
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hama

  • Guest
Re: Smit London
« Reply #24 on: September 24, 2011, 01:44:55 pm »

Hello again!
Got my computer running again after very bad virus, PC-repair, watch out!
Work on the boat proceeds, had to do my third repaint of the upper hull so the decals are gone. This time I used humbrol paint with brush and then a clearcote with spray can, and fingers crossed it seems to work. Also got the waterline fixed and she now has a belt. Adding things every week now and she's beginning to look like a boat. The railings are a bit thin and soft so I think I'll use another method on the remaining and perhaps redo the ones I've made.
Took her for a sail today and it was a bit more wind than I expected, so the lifeboats that aren't glued on yet had to stay ashore!! What a cynical shipping company.
Have a nice weekend!
Hama.
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