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Author Topic: Freelance harbor workboat  (Read 6357 times)

Capt. Spaulding

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Freelance harbor workboat
« on: November 28, 2008, 09:53:55 pm »

Here is a harbor workboat I finished late in the summer (when all is green, hot, and very humid here in lovely, leafy New Jersey, USA). The fiberglass hull is a 1:32 scale 50-foot steam picket boat from Microglass. I bought the hull with the intention of building a picket boat, I really did; but one thing led to another (as often happens), and this was the result. I'll probably buy another hull and actually build a picket boat one day...unless, of course, it turns into something else.

The boat's dimensions are 18 3/4" X 4" (no kowtowing to metric political correctness on this side of the pond). The deck is dollhouse floorboard sheets that have been stained and sealed, laid over a 1/16" ply sub-deck. The wheelhouse and other wood parts are basswood, and the front bumper is a triangular cutting from the kind of rubber mat that prevents carpets from skidding. The black rubber edging is, well, just that: industrial edge trimming.

Sorry that I have no pictures of the inner workings. Space was tight; the layout of the electronics and mechanicals isn't pretty, but things work well. (Note to self: next project has to have a wider beam, or I have to get smaller hands.)  A mini-servo operates the rudder, and a hacked regular-sized servo does duty as an ESC.

The boat looks great on the water, and creates a lovely, gentle wake as it glides at a stately pace. All in all, a satisfying project.

Cheers,
Capt. Spaulding     
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Garabaldy

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Re: Freelance harbor workboat
« Reply #1 on: December 10, 2008, 09:07:07 pm »

its pretty :-)

FYI 1" = 25.4mm :-))
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andygh

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Re: Freelance harbor workboat
« Reply #2 on: December 11, 2008, 01:59:28 am »

Millimetres rock dude  ok2
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Garabaldy

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Re: Freelance harbor workboat
« Reply #3 on: December 11, 2008, 07:51:36 am »

the metric system rocks :D

1litre of water = 1kg so convenient!
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Capt. Spaulding

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Re: Freelance harbor workboat
« Reply #4 on: December 11, 2008, 07:17:22 pm »

Gentlemen:

When I visit the UK, I'll be happy to discuss the metric tyrrany with you over 0.56826125 liters.  :-))
 
Cheers,
Capt. Spaulding
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Garabaldy

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Re: Freelance harbor workboat
« Reply #5 on: December 11, 2008, 07:20:12 pm »

haha!

We still call that a good old pint!  We also still use miles....  Milk is slowly turning metric too!
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Weeds

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Re: Freelance harbor workboat
« Reply #6 on: December 12, 2008, 04:03:36 am »

Waaaaaa - what a good looking tug boat!
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Peter Fitness

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Re: Freelance harbor workboat
« Reply #7 on: December 12, 2008, 05:58:27 am »

I can only think that Australia must be way ahead of you lot, we changed to metric currency weights and measures, way back on the 14th February 1966.  :}
I have to admit, though, I still think in imperial when it comes to a person's height, although when building anything, I only use metric. I don't even own imperial measuring tapes or rulers. Most people here under 40 wouldn't have a clue about pounds and ounces, or pints, quarts and gallons either.  {:-{

Peter.
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Garabaldy

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Re: Freelance harbor workboat
« Reply #8 on: December 12, 2008, 08:18:59 am »

you guys dont have 1 or 2 cents pieces either!  Thats genius!
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dougal99

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Re: Freelance harbor workboat
« Reply #9 on: December 12, 2008, 04:45:26 pm »

I can only think that Australia must be way ahead of you lot, we changed to metric currency weights and measures, way back on the 14th February 1966.  :}

Matter of opinion!

I'm 60 and can handle both. My children were all taught metric only for measurement,except miles (road signs must be imperial to be legal), currency has been decimal since early seventies. Apparently it is no longer illegal to serve groceries in pounds and ounces and beer is still sold in pints and spirits in parts of a gill. So no confusion there then!

Bring back £ S D and stuff the Euro.

JMO

Doug
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Capt. Spaulding

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Re: Freelance harbor workboat
« Reply #10 on: December 12, 2008, 05:34:01 pm »

"Bring back £ S D and stuff the Euro."

Yes, indeed. I'm sure that's what I'd say if I lived in the UK.

French inches...bahhh.

Cheers,
Capt. Spaulding

 


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Peter Fitness

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Re: Freelance harbor workboat
« Reply #11 on: December 12, 2008, 08:47:03 pm »

you guys don't have 1 or 2 cents pieces either!  That's genius!
Too true, Garabaldy, and the way prices are going up, the 5 cent piece is almost redundant now, too  :}

Peter.
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Peter Fitness

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Re: Freelance harbor workboat
« Reply #12 on: December 12, 2008, 09:03:49 pm »

I'm 60 and can handle both.

Doug, as I was 29 when the metric system was introduced into Australia, so can I. However, I was also taught the metric system at school, in science, where all calculations of weights and measures were metric, so perhaps, for me, and others who took science, that made getting used to metrics in everyday life easier.

Oddly enough, many people of all ages still refer to feet and inches. For example - "he is about 5' 10'' tall", and for surfers, "the waves are about 6' high" etc., but the vast majority of my generation have forgotten imperial weights, and liquid measures, thinking only in kilograms and litres.

Apart from anything else, calculations in metric are far simpler than those in imperial.

Peter.
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dougal99

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Re: Freelance harbor workboat
« Reply #13 on: December 13, 2008, 06:08:54 pm »

Apart from anything else, calculations in metric are far simpler than those in imperial.

Peter.

Peter,

Horses for courses

When I was in Cyprus in 75 (swing that lamp  :} ) the RAF went metric for carpets and curtains. My staff were Cypriots of a certain age who had used imperial for ever so I had to provide double sided tape measures so that they could measure up in feet and inches then turn the tape over to get the metric measure. Worked for them.

I gave them some metric dimensions for a job but when they checked them (don't trust the boss) I was told surely I meant 1.70m not 1.7m. I just smiled and said yes.

I used metric in science at school as well. Oddly I use imperial for weight mostly, Centigrade for cool temperatures and Fahrenheit for hot. Buy petrol in litres but check consumption in miles per gallon.

I guess I'm just a crazy mixed up kid  {-)

Cheers

Doug
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Capt. Spaulding

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Re: Freelance harbor workboat
« Reply #14 on: December 13, 2008, 08:33:46 pm »

re metric vs. imperial measure:

One reason I'm not a fan of the metric system is simple confusion, related to the way it was taught in the US when I was in school (I finished high school in 1971). How was it taught: confusingly and inconsistently.  In high school physics and chemistry courses, measurements and computations were in usually, but not always, in the metric system. Confusion reigned.

Before that, in grammar school, the metric system was taught side by side with he real...er, excuse me...imperial system, at the same time that authorities were trying to beat into us an idiotic system called New Math. (Remember that? The only thing I recall about it was that something called "base eight" worked very well if you were missing two fingers).

Not surprisingly, all was a muddle, and the default system -- imperial -- is, and remains, the path of least resistance. And it it has the added benefit of not being French.... ok2

Cheers,
Capt. Spaulding
   
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dougal99

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Re: Freelance harbor workboat
« Reply #15 on: December 13, 2008, 09:47:46 pm »

called New Math. (Remember that? The only thing I recall about it was that something called "base eight" worked very well if you were missing two fingers).

Cheers,
Capt. Spaulding
   


Oh! Octal and Hexadecimal - now you're talking  (left school in 67 complaining about the fourth form being allowed slide rules when we were stuck with Napiers tables) Oh happy days  :D :D :D

Doug
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derekwarner

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Re: Freelance harbor workboat
« Reply #16 on: December 14, 2008, 12:42:49 am »

Hi ...& as Peter noted.....we [Australia] changed to metric currency weights and measures, way back on the 14th February 1966.

Well this is true....but a few months ago I attended an engineering meeting to discuss & resolve an appropriate diametrical clearance for a 240 mm diameter pin to mate with a GE240 spherical bearing...after many qualified engineers gave their speil quoting the SKF or ELGES recommendations of an ideal interference fit.....no agreement was made as the ideal interference fit is fine for a workshop environment....but useless for site application underneath a reheat furnace at a Port Kembla steel works plant

As a humble engineering facilitator ...I suggested the following......

240 diameter is close to 250 diameter which is ~~~~10" diameter...so 1/2 a thou per inch would give us a 0.005" clearance...a few engineers raced  for their calculators then asked if I was really thinking of  0.127 mm ...my response was well if this equates to 1/2 a thou per inch....then yes........this was then adpted

I can & do  read a metric vernier caliper [without a digital TV screen in the corner] but still choose the mental calculation in imperial clearances.... <*< %%...like a sheet of paper is approx 0.002" so I need 2 1/2 sheets of paper to give me a 0.127 mm clearance

I wonder what bogstandard or bandit would think of all this.... >>:-(....Derek
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Derek Warner

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toesupwa

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Re: Freelance harbor workboat
« Reply #17 on: December 14, 2008, 01:21:12 am »

I can only think that Australia must be way ahead of you lot, we changed to metric currency weights and measures, way back on the 14th February 1966.  :}

My children were all taught metric only for measurement,except miles (road signs must be imperial to be legal), currency has been decimal since early seventies. Apparently it is no longer illegal to serve groceries in pounds and ounces and beer is still sold in pints and spirits in parts of a gill. So no confusion there then!


.. and bricks (and doors) are metric... Strange how the 'metric' measurement converts to the old imperial sizes though... hmmmm  :P

"In the United Kingdom, the usual ("work") size of a modern brick is 215 × 102.5 × 65 mm (about 8.5 × 4 × 2.5 inches).."
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Capt. Spaulding

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Re: Freelance harbor workboat
« Reply #18 on: December 14, 2008, 02:06:59 am »

Well...we've certainly gotten far afield from the photos and descriptions of the little workboat. Any comments on that? (I know that the prop shaft angle is a little steep. The reason is that I had to make the motor and shaft fit into the very small space available int he hull.)

Cheers,
Capt. Spaulding
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Peter Fitness

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Re: Freelance harbor workboat
« Reply #19 on: December 14, 2008, 05:25:14 am »

Well...we've certainly gotten far afield from the photos and descriptions of the little workboat. Any comments on that?

My fault, Capt Spaulding, I started the metric v imperial debate - sorry  :embarrassed:

The little work boat looks great, very nicely finished  :-))

Peter.
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roycv

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Re: Freelance harbor workboat
« Reply #20 on: December 14, 2008, 11:27:52 am »

Hi all seeing as we have gone a bit metric, I was surprised when a French freind told me that in France when out shopping you do not ask for half a kilogram of whatever in a market, but a pound!!!!!  And you get 500 grams.  Has the whole world gone mad, were we conned into the metric system?  The other worry is, why am I surprised?
regards Roy
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Roger in France

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Re: Freelance harbor workboat
« Reply #21 on: December 14, 2008, 12:14:06 pm »

Yes, in France you can still hear folk ask for a "livre" (pound) of things. But they mean 500g. Similarly, they will ask for a "demi" or "quatre" meaning half or quarter a kilo of dry goods or half or quarter litre of liquid.

It really does not matter what name you apply to things provided everyone knows what they are talking about.

You need to remember that the Imperial Pound and the Imperial Yard are lumps of gunmetal (well the yard is know defined by reference to the metre....which is in turn defined by a portion of the wavelength of light). Lumps of metal can and do change!

The Metric System was an attempt to base measurement on a physical, immutable standard. A portion of the Earth's circumference was chosen, initially but it is now as I describe above.

Do remember there are other standards than Metric and Imperial. The gallon in the USA being different from the UK gallon because it was based on the Winchester Gallon which early settlers took with them. Other nations continue to use other systems although the Metric System has a relentless impetus.

I used to work in Imperial (or Avoirdupois); Decimal Imperial; Metric; Apothecary; Carat; American Wet; and others.

However, my favourite systems are "Aboutthatmuch"; "Justasmidgin"; "Ahandfull" and "Adropmore"!

Roger in France
(former Inspector of Weights and Measures).
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Capt. Spaulding

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Re: Freelance harbor workboat
« Reply #22 on: December 14, 2008, 05:01:05 pm »

"However, my favourite systems are "Aboutthatmuch"; "Justasmidgin"; "Ahandfull" and "Adropmore"!"  An honest man!  ok2

Thanks for the kind words bout the boat. re prop position and steering: the boat handles quite well despite the steep angle of the propshaft -- it's responsive and smooth throughout its speed range, even though the turning circle is slightly bigger than what you might expect from looking at it.

Cheers,
Capt. Spaulding


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dougal99

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Re: Freelance harbor workboat
« Reply #23 on: December 14, 2008, 05:08:00 pm »

Capt Spaulding

A slightly deeper rudder, to catch the wash off the prop, would probably help the steering. I suggest another 1.5cms  :} :} :} :}

By the by the boat is very nice, a good piece of workmanship.

Keep up the good work

Doug
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Capt. Spaulding

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Re: Freelance harbor workboat
« Reply #24 on: December 14, 2008, 05:59:10 pm »

Doug:

Thank you.

re your suggestion for the rudder: you mean an extra 0.000074564393938 of a furlong, correct?

Cheers,
Capt. Spaulding
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