Model Boat Mayhem

Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length.

Author Topic: Aquarama Build  (Read 174345 times)

turbinecol

  • Guest
Re: Aquarama Build
« Reply #150 on: October 23, 2011, 09:03:08 am »

This is really great Mike. Finally joined up on here to follow this build properly and see the photos.

I have been building one of these myself since 2009, and it has certainly tested my patience, but you are really 'sailing' through it. Looks superb and I only wish I'd had your build to follow while I was doing mine.

The problems I have had are as follows, this Amati kit is good but certainly not without (niggling) fault. This is one of my first kit boat builds, but I have done a couple of scratch models over the years, so I was expecting a bit better I think. For those thinking of tackling this kit, it seems deceptively simple, but it does need a bit of head scratching. Arguably that is part of the fun of course!

1. The kit is designed for RC but the installation seems to have been a bit of an afterthought - I am using the trans kit reduction units (they are too noisy, I hope to get rid of them) but I hated the oversize shafts and plastic props supplied - on the real boats the shafts are exposed on leaving the hull and at quite a steep rake to climb up to the engine bay (the twin V8's are installed under the sundeck, not under the passenger seat). There are no proper scale prop supports supplied so had to a lot of drawing and thinking to sort the whole thing out. It is a shame that the builder has to resort to making up his own brass bits and pieces, that isn't good enough at this price in my view.
2. The laser cut ply deck section shapes do not match the laser cut mahogany sections. Quite bizarre that. I considered the mahogany to be the master, and recut the ply ones from my own material. You've solved that one as well!
3. Different mahogany shades on the laser cut bits - my 'saxboards' wouldn't match left to right - I had to buy new mahogany, took an age to get some of the right shade. Same with the 5x5mm fender strips.
4. Variable mahogany strips - when varnished mine came out all sorts of different shades. Yours have a completely different grain to mine, but look an even colour so you should be good.
4. Not enough spare material for the 1x1mm lime - ran out despite being very careful and had to get some more from an Amati stockist; again wasted a lot of time on that.
5. Instructions go all the way to the end of the hull build, and then suddenly it turns into a lovely finished boat with some arrows pointing out where to mount things! I was hoping there would be some advice on finishing, some better photos around the bows (note they have the mounting height of the chrome prow wrong - it should fit to the top of the saxboards)
6. The chrome finisher strips look like someone has trampled all over them. I hope they look ok once fixed to the boat.
7. My windscreen was bent out of shape. The other fittings are nice, but the etch satin parts are too matt. They can be polished up, but then they'll go 'off' over time?

I had terrible trouble around the bow by the way, just trying to get nice even profile deck lines fore-to-aft is a big challenge while keeping the plan view deck shape curve consistent port to starboard. You didn't seem to have any trouble getting that right straight from the off Mike. Impressive. I spent many weeks on that.

Cheers, Colin


Logged

ukmike

  • Guest
Re: Aquarama Build
« Reply #151 on: October 23, 2011, 12:05:08 pm »

Thanks for the post Colin, sounds as though your Aquarama is finished, wouldn't mind seeing some pics of it.

I have to agree with your comments, especially about the Mahogany deck parts not fitting, the CAD program does not take into account any slight variations in the building, after all no two builds will be the same.

One of my biggest moans is the amount of burning to the Laser cut edges, especially on the Mahogany veneers which are mostly show parts and with little excess to sand the carbon away.

Amati should have been a little more generous with the cutting, making those parts a little oversize to allow the carbon to be sanded away.

I think that the Saxboards under the bow "Musetto" as per full size is quite doable, have fitted the parts dry and with a little reshaping here and there should work.

See what you think ?

Mike.
Logged

turbinecol

  • Guest
Re: Aquarama Build
« Reply #152 on: October 23, 2011, 06:51:42 pm »

I'm only just in front of you actually Mike, finished the woodwork and finally applied some varnish a couple of weeks back and taking stock of any tidying up and refinishing that might be needed. My aim was to apply it before the weather took a complete dive, and fortunately things have been kind to us. The hull was sat outside today in the October sun continuing to cure after another round. There are a couple of bits I am a little disappointed with to be honest, but its just tough now, the thing is sealed and that's it. I will sort out some pictures at some point, not wanting to disrupt the neat flow of your build thread though...

Exactly right for the 'Musetto' by the way, you've cracked it. The interesting thing is the chrome part actually sits correctly when placed like this, so the part is designed right but the instructions and build up prototype are wrong. How did you extend your saxboards?

The mahogany veneers are a pain - the carbon is one thing, and also one has to be so very careful to get all the levels right, there is no room for sanding them when they are so very thin or you go through the top level and ruin them.

Colin
Logged

ukmike

  • Guest
Re: Aquarama Build
« Reply #153 on: October 23, 2011, 07:58:26 pm »

Hi Colin

I know what you mean about the thinness of the veneers, have gone thu' myself in a couple of places.

I used the supplied Saxboards, you are sliding them in an ark rather than in a straight line so only lost a little in length, not enough to warrant making new ones

Have chucked away the supplied wood for the after rubbing strips, certainly not Mahogany, more like Lignum Vitae or Ebony. Will have to recover it from the bin just to see if it floats,
apparently Lignum Vitae sinks, not a good omen on a boat I think.

Do your cockpit rear seat parts fit ? Mine certainly don't, far to wide to fit where they are supposed to, alterable I suppose !

Have a look at this thread on RC Groups, makes interesting viewing although I think you have to register to see the photos, worth doing tho'. http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1454417

Mike.
Logged

turbinecol

  • Guest
Re: Aquarama Build
« Reply #154 on: October 25, 2011, 03:54:33 pm »

Good work in respect of the Saxboards, makes good sense. I had to make mine from completely new material so was able to add a bit on at the fore edge. I had a struggle to get a nice smooth curve when I cut them out. Hard to beat the laser.

My rub strip material was bizarre, one piece looked almost like Walnut, the other side a very pale wood. Inconsistent, and useless at the same time!

Rear seats. Well I am with you, they don’t fit. I can sort of cram them in but then the edging surround strip doesn't fit above the backrest. Looks like something else we'll have to mess about with. I haven’t fitted any of the white flooring parts yet as I decided I had so much woodwork to do it would be best to leave them out. I used an emulsion on the floor and interior woodwork just to cover things up in the interim. I did get my vinyl to stick when I made the cabin cushions -  I think I used a combination of Cyano edges and a contact adhesive on the flat, but I'll get them out of the cupboard and find out if they are still holding up.

The RC group build is interesting - some big modifications around the rear - seems like he got into trouble there, but made a good decision to sort it out. Just amazed he had enough strip left to effectively plank that twice. Watching the complexity of his plumbing work increasing!

Any thoughts on a figure yet? I found a 7" high Mr Spock, if I can cover up the ears maybe it will work!!!
Logged

Sharky1dk

  • Guest
Re: Aquarama Build
« Reply #155 on: October 25, 2011, 06:09:21 pm »

Looking really good...   ;)
Logged

ukmike

  • Guest
Re: Aquarama Build
« Reply #156 on: October 28, 2011, 08:10:52 pm »

Hello.

Had very little time to build this week but gave the foredeck a thinned coat of varnish just to see if the colours were O.K. Am quite pleased with the results.
Roughly fitted the windscreen, (several filled holes later), which, after an awful lot of jiggling, is acceptable.
Couldn't resist the temptation to roughly fit the cockpit and sundeck upholstery, just to see how it will look, seems fine but the cockpit rear seat backrest and squab
are a terrible fit, will have to do some serious surgery to make them fit properly. The problem is that the rear seat assy. has to be removable to allow access to the motors/batteries et al.

Have bought a few 12mm compasses, (working) as I hope to replace the naff Amati supplied one. Had to buy 5 and as I only need one I have 4 going spare.
If anyone would like one then send me a P.M.

Some photos.

Mike.
Logged

ukmike

  • Guest
Re: Aquarama Build
« Reply #157 on: October 28, 2011, 08:10:56 pm »

Hello.
A couple more
Mike.
Logged

ukmike

  • Guest
Re: Aquarama Build
« Reply #158 on: October 28, 2011, 08:16:34 pm »

Server seems to have gone wonky !!



     Wonkyness repaired

           Moderator
Logged

Sharky1dk

  • Guest
Re: Aquarama Build
« Reply #159 on: October 28, 2011, 09:15:17 pm »

 :-))

Would love to put my hands of one of those spare compasses, and know where you got em' from...

Robert
Logged

ukmike

  • Guest
Re: Aquarama Build
« Reply #160 on: October 28, 2011, 10:09:50 pm »

:-))

Would love to put my hands of one of those spare compasses, and know where you got em' from...

Robert
PM me your address Robert and I'll send you one.

Mike.
Logged

turbinecol

  • Guest
Re: Aquarama Build
« Reply #161 on: October 30, 2011, 01:18:06 pm »

Well, still having trouble with my varnish here, but mainly owing to user error.

Had another look at the seat - the backrest is too wide and too deep - if you pull the cushion forward it helps, but then you can see a gap. I removed the compartment cover, and just fitted the seats without it - better but cannot really live with it like that. Perhaps the cover can be modified as I don't see what can be done with the seats themselves.

Good progress on the screen fitting - I was wary of cutting holes until I'd varnished things (figured the varnish would help stop the wood splitting), but I am nervous now reading about the difficulty of fitting the screen correctly at the first attempt)! This isn't easy all this...
Logged

ukmike

  • Guest
Re: Aquarama Build
« Reply #162 on: October 31, 2011, 05:25:03 pm »

Hi All.

Have 5 days leave from work this week so hopefully will be able to get a little more done to the model.

Saxboards fitted and glued and the dash received it's 9th coat of varnish, so may be able to fit it tomorrow, also, made and fitted the after rubbing strips, had to machine my own 5mm square Mahogany as I couldn't find any pre made that matched the colour.

Will have to do the same for the spray rails I think.

The dash is the next job to be done before I can continue, so hopefully more progress tomorrow.

A couple of pictures.

Mike.
Logged

turbinecol

  • Guest
Re: Aquarama Build
« Reply #163 on: November 01, 2011, 01:53:29 pm »

That dash looks very nice. I glued mine in first before varnishing, but then I had to be very careful that the glue didn't get in the way of the varnish taking properly later on.

Have you started making the dashtop yet, that is fun (needs various bending, filling, adjusting, etc)?  I managed to use the kit parts this time though, which was a minor victory I suppose.
Logged

ukmike

  • Guest
Re: Aquarama Build
« Reply #164 on: November 01, 2011, 03:55:45 pm »

Hi Colin.

The next step is to complete the dash assy. plus the returns at each end, these are drying, taped to the wooden spoon handle after a good soaking in boiling water with washing up liquid added.

Made 3 just in case one decides to snap.

For something to do by way of a change I started to assemble the instrument panel , had to buff the bezels because they were very dull and stained but came up quite nicely.

Having to send the rear mushroom vents away for re chroming as the nickel plating,(or lack of it), from Amati was disastrous, the brass was, is, clearly visible in the photo
.
Didn't have any offers from anyone to make me some and not being able to buy any ready made I decided to make my own Mahogany tri stock for possible spray rails.

Made 2 x 1mtr lengths of each, 5mm and 3.5mm, the smaller one is I think the better size. Whilst I had the wood I made 2 new after rubbing strips to replace the bizarre material supplied in the kit.

So, a few photos to peruse.

Mike.
Logged

turbinecol

  • Guest
Re: Aquarama Build
« Reply #165 on: November 01, 2011, 04:49:50 pm »

Wonderful work!

My returns needed a bit of trimming, but there was plenty of spare material and went together easily. I used hefty rubber bands to hold them to a suitable size battery while they were drying from kettle treatment - tell me how does the washing up liquid help though?

Those bezels come up well, I wonder how long before they tarnish, could be worth lacquering them perhaps?

Disappointing on some of the parts again then. I hope Amati read these threads.

For my rubbing strips I also used new material, tapered a little at the front like yours - it looks more flattering that way.

Are you really going to implement the spray rails then?
Logged

ukmike

  • Guest
Re: Aquarama Build
« Reply #166 on: November 01, 2011, 05:05:54 pm »

Undecided yet Colin, but looking at some of the videos posted on YouTube, some of these models go like pigs,

especially the ones from Vietnam, the others that seem to run correctly are having to do a scale speed equivalent to at least 70 knots.

So, will decide later on this but at least I have the mouldings to use if I want to.

I am convinced that if the balance point is correct and the weight is not too excessive then, with the appropriate amount of power, the model should ride as per full size.

It will take a very good argument to convince me otherwise.

By the way Colin, washing up liquid contains, "wetting agents", these make the water effectively wetter, soaks in better and quicker.

Mike.
Logged

turbinecol

  • Guest
Re: Aquarama Build
« Reply #167 on: November 02, 2011, 10:25:50 am »

Some of those boats look far too nose heavy, plowing up a lovely bow wave. Others ride the water like a hydroplane at crazy non-scale speeds and look vaguely ridiculous.
Logged

derekwarner

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 9,463
  • Location: Wollongong Australia
Re: Aquarama Build
« Reply #168 on: November 02, 2011, 11:06:04 am »

.....ukmike says...... "Having to send the rear mushroom vents away for re chroming as the nickel plating,(or lack of it), from Amati was disastrous, the brass was, is, clearly visible in the photo"


Mike...there are a few misconceptions here with plating  <*<

1. to provide a bright chromium plated finish over polished brass, a pre electrolytic deposit of [more noble] copper is required
2. a chromium deposit over copper will require extensive polishing to achieve a lustre
3. an electroless deposit of nickle can be achieved on etched plastic or metals = the bright shiny lustre you are after

4. 90% of the bright mirror like chromium surface finishes we see in appliances or automotive accessories are from an electroless nickle deposit process

5. conventional plating shops are not equipped to provide an electroless Ni plating process ...........  :D :o Derek
Logged
Derek Warner

Honorary Secretary [Retired]
Illawarra Live Steamers Co-op
Australia
www.ils.org.au

ukmike

  • Guest
Re: Aquarama Build
« Reply #169 on: November 02, 2011, 12:54:42 pm »

.....ukmike says...... "Having to send the rear mushroom vents away for re chroming as the nickel plating,(or lack of it), from Amati was disastrous, the brass was, is, clearly visible in the photo"


Mike...there are a few misconceptions here with plating  <*<

1. to provide a bright chromium plated finish over polished brass, a pre electrolytic deposit of [more noble] copper is required
2. a chromium deposit over copper will require extensive polishing to achieve a lustre
3. an electroless deposit of nickle can be achieved on etched plastic or metals = the bright shiny lustre you are after

4. 90% of the bright mirror like chromium surface finishes we see in appliances or automotive accessories are from an electroless nickle deposit process

5. conventional plating shops are not equipped to provide an electroless Ni plating process ...........  :D :o Derek
Wow, how ignorant am I then !

All I did was to send the bits to the chrome plater so that he can fix it.

He says he can so thats O.K.

Meanwhile, I'm still trying to get to grips with the concept of glue and nails. >>:-(

Thanks for the info tho'.

Mike.
Logged

ukmike

  • Guest
Re: Aquarama Build
« Reply #170 on: November 02, 2011, 01:23:15 pm »

Hi Chaps.

Have managed to make an acceptable compass, pulled the dome from a cut up washing up liquid bottle, (what is it with me and washing up liquid, doesn't bare thinking about !!).

Made an extra one, just a tad smaller in case my idea turned out to be rubbish.

Bought a packet, (5), of white metal porthole castings from my local model shop, they make them theirselves and do leave a little bit to be desired regarding finish, but can be made to look O.K.

That is what I have used for the base mounting flange. Am quite pleased with the result so will use one.

Not so pleased with the supplied cockpit coaming upholstery though,have a good look at the pictures, they are not the same size, (not one end anyway), and are really far too small in depth for where thy are supposed to fit.

Have decided to make some new ones the correct size once I have worked out how to use a sewing machine.

The dash returns show what the coaming upholstery is supposed to hide, they just won't do it.

Mike.

Logged

turbinecol

  • Guest
Re: Aquarama Build
« Reply #171 on: November 02, 2011, 02:21:20 pm »

Oh wonderful...more quality parts then. I had better check mine.
Logged

ukmike

  • Guest
Re: Aquarama Build
« Reply #172 on: November 03, 2011, 02:15:57 pm »

Oh wonderful...more quality parts then. I had better check mine.

Colin.

Have been able to reduce the width of the cockpit rear seat squab quite successfully by heating the turned over end material using a heat gun.

They seem to have used Henkel contact adhesive which is not as tenacious as Evostik so it was not that difficult to lift enough material to make it possible to cut 4mm ish from the ends.

Re glued and pulled the ends back in place, I now have about 2.5mm clearance from the cockpit sides.

Have done the same to one end of the backrest so far but the same technique worked.

Decided to close the dash returns with Mahogany, couldn't stand looking at the shaped ply ends.

I am going to make some new coaming upholstery to the correct size, to that end have obtained an old Singer sewing machine which seems to work, at least the light comes on and the what's it's name goes up and down

when the pedal is pressed. Don't have a clue how to thread the cotton onto it because it came without instructions but have printed a simple diagram from the net on how to do it, also, there is a little spool under a hatch which

also needs cotton. Will experiment with it, see what happens.

Some photos.

Mike.
Logged

MikeA

  • Guest
Re: Aquarama Build
« Reply #173 on: November 03, 2011, 02:32:27 pm »

after this build you will be a master upholsterer, i used CA glue to make my vinyl inyterior. I did do some stitching but vinyl is hard stuff to stitch by hand, plus it looked like proverbial.
Logged

turbinecol

  • Guest
Re: Aquarama Build
« Reply #174 on: November 03, 2011, 06:17:09 pm »

be interesting to see what you did with the backrest, that is the bit that doesn't fit for me. Did you just reduce the width on that as well Mike by the same approach? If so, cunning!

My varnish has gone wrong, back to the drawing board on the bow and some of the deck. Bit fed up really and need to wait for good weather again (which probably means next year now to be honest, it is too strong to apply in the house).
Also ruined one of my brass rudders when I was soldering it together to the shaft. I think the flux was wrong so more hours have been wasted. Oh to have your skills on some of this stuff.
Logged
Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 [7] 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18   Go Up
 

Page created in 0.106 seconds with 22 queries.