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Author Topic: HMS Charybdis build  (Read 25469 times)

cheekyninja

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HMS Charybdis build
« on: October 30, 2011, 06:24:49 pm »

Having been a member of this forum for some time but never actually posted anything I thought I should give it a go.   :-)

I bought a copy of the HMS Dido plans by Glynn Guest and fancied like modifying it to represent one of the two that missed out on the 5.25" guns.  I bought a copy of Ensign 2 to help, and have been scouring the the internet for photos as well.  Not too much to show so far, as both work and holidays have been getting in the way.


Bulkheads on - I am trying to use up my scrap balsa, so built them up as a sandwich.


Hull sides on


There is a hull somewhere beneath the clamps...


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cheekyninja

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HMS Charybdis build
« Reply #1 on: October 30, 2011, 07:53:30 pm »

Progress this weekend.  I had to pull in the stern sides which is a bit that I find a fiddle, though my father was round so an extra pair of hands helped.


Pulled in stern sides.  The wood split a little so I had to glue and patch it with thin wood strips (just visible by rearmost bulkhead).  Also added the bottom of that part of the hull (pins holding it on the underside). 


At the bow I have done a first rough shaping and added the hardwood strip to the bow.

I suppose I had better let it sit to dry overnight.
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bobk

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Re: HMS Charybdis build
« Reply #2 on: October 31, 2011, 12:36:24 am »

Looking good.  Thank you for sharing.  I shall be watching your build with interest as it progresses.
Bob
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Dreadstar

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Re: HMS Charybdis build
« Reply #3 on: October 31, 2011, 01:06:27 am »

It's good to see someone else starting off on the easy-build type of ships as well. It's a great way to find your feet in this hobby,in that you can make it as simple or as complicated as you desire. I've only built three personally,but I had great fun doing it.Keep up the good work,I'll be watching this with interest. :-)) :-))
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John R Haynes

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Re: HMS Charybdis build
« Reply #4 on: October 31, 2011, 09:02:34 am »

Maybe you might take a look at my EURYALUS build start to finish on my site www.johnrhaynes.com it might help ?Lots of pictures .
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cheekyninja

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Re: HMS Charybdis build
« Reply #5 on: October 31, 2011, 10:17:32 pm »

bobk and Dreadstar - hi, thanks for reading and also the encouraging words!

John R Haynes - thanks as well.  Have been having a look at your site and I think that there are a few photos that will help me out. 

Well, the kitchen is full of dust and shavings, so it must mean I have been shaping the hull.  Have done an initial planing and sanding and am waiting for the filler to dry.



I planed the sides of the hull where they join the keel sheet as when looking down the length of the hull from the bow there was a slight coke-bottle shape from certain angles.  Before that I also added a bit of extra sheet on the inside in case I was too overzealous (that razor plane is probably my favourite modelling tool...).

I think I didn't get the stern join quite central so I may have to graft on a little wood to remedy that - with hindsight I would have put on the deck supports after I had pulled the sides in.  The clamps are in the way at the moment so I can't get my steel ruler close enough to check properly.  I'll wait till the morning before trying anything drastic.

On the plus side we have had no Trick-or-Treaters tonight, though that may be because I turned off the flat intercom at eight this morning.  1 - nil to the boat builder.
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cheekyninja

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Re: HMS Charybdis build
« Reply #6 on: November 02, 2011, 10:11:22 pm »

After looking at the hull once everything had dried I decided that the stern was a little off centre.  I figured that an extra 2.5mm on the starboard side would do it, with about 1mm shaved off the port.


I glued a strip of balsa in place and tried to get it to curve around the edge of the hull.  That sat overnight to dry...

...and tonight I set about smoothing it out.

I also sawed/sanded a flat surface to the tip of the stern - I thought I would add a bit of hard spruce to make it a bit tougher in the same way as at the bow.


So with a bit more filler applied elsewhere I will leave her overnight.
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cheekyninja

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Re: HMS Charybdis build
« Reply #7 on: November 03, 2011, 11:09:28 pm »

Been busy tonight, so not much progress.  I planed and sanded the stern block to shape and have also been filling the gaps.


Currently the hull is looking like this



I am going to have removable deck housings rather than removable decks so I for the moment I will stop working on the hull exterior.  I will get the running gear installed, then look at fixing the decks.  After that the rest of the detail - armour belt and the bow knuckle - before finally plating the hull.  That is the plan, anyway.

Although the next thing I really need to make is a stand for her.
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cheekyninja

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Re: HMS Charybdis build
« Reply #8 on: November 07, 2011, 07:02:38 pm »

After a bit of a pause I have a few new pictures to post.  I decided that I should build a stand, so on Saturday I went into town and bought a pine shelf for the princely sum of £3.77.  I have some sundeala and had wondered about using that, but in the end I wanted a heavier base so decided on wood.

I don't have a proper workbench so I had to clamp it to the kitchen surface and carefully cut it up with my tenon saw.  I gave it a few coats of varnish and glued foam on as cushioning.

Not perfect but it will do for the time being, and Charybdis looks like someone owns her now.  Cutting the recesses out for the hull was entertaining - cut the verticals easily with the tenon saw, but had to open out the horizontal cuts using a modelling knife (!!) before I could get my smaller saw in.

Pine looks at a craft knife and laughs.   :-) 

I also started making the rudder out of brass tube and aluminium scrap.  Work in progress below - glue has dried, need to do some filing.

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cheekyninja

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Re: HMS Charybdis build
« Reply #9 on: November 10, 2011, 08:27:41 pm »

Progress seems to have been measured in millimetres so far this week! 

I decided that the rudder looked a bit scruffy so set about making it look better.  To that end I glued some balsa on each side of it to hide my rough filing.  Once dry I sanded it smooth and streamlined it.  I had some spare nylon mesh from another model so skinned the rudder with that and epoxy.





I then sanded it smooth and removed the excess off the rudder shaft so that everything now moves cleanly.

My plan for the weekend will be to get fitting the rest of the running gear.
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cheekyninja

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Re: HMS Charybdis build
« Reply #10 on: November 21, 2011, 08:46:06 pm »

Ahh!  It has been 11 days since I last posted and progress has been a bit slow.  I have glued in the prop shaft and tube for the rudder.  I have tried to make the electronics/motor install neater than normal so everything will hopefully have a place to be screwed or velcroed to - all a bit over-engineered but seems sturdy.


Servo in place.  I put the oiling tube in at an angle to keep it out the way of the servo arm.

Battery compartment for one of my trusty 7.2v stick packs. 


Motor compartment 1.  That bit behind the chocolate block connector will hold the fuse holder.


Motor compartment 2.  The ESC will go against the inside of the hull behind the motor.


Next will be the soldering.
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cheekyninja

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Re: HMS Charybdis build
« Reply #11 on: November 27, 2011, 10:33:56 pm »

HA!  Events have conspired to prevent me from doing much modelling this last week but in the dying hours of the weekend I managed to get a bit of modelling in and did some soldering.  I also connected everything up for a test - the servo works and the motor jumped into life and ran smoothly in both directions. 



Servo pushrod, velcro for the ESC, something for the on/off switch and then I will be back to balsa work!
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SernPost Sam

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Re: HMS Charybdis build
« Reply #12 on: November 28, 2011, 08:45:47 pm »

Good to hear you have got the motor in.!
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cheekyninja

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Re: HMS Charybdis build
« Reply #13 on: November 28, 2011, 09:00:56 pm »

Good to hear you have got the motor in.!

SernPost Sam;  Thanks!  Although I just succeeded in stripping the gears in my servo - it now makes a lot of noise without actually moving.  Ugggh.  The rudder is proving entertaining as the stern is narrow so the tiller arm is quite short, and having clumsy sausage fingers does not help either.  Will have to get a new servo on Thursday when my local model shop is open late.

I have made some progress tonight though.  I now know how to quote another post(!).
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SernPost Sam

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Re: HMS Charybdis build
« Reply #14 on: November 29, 2011, 12:44:18 pm »

It may be worth considering purchasing a servo with metal gears.
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cheekyninja

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Re: HMS Charybdis build
« Reply #15 on: December 03, 2011, 07:00:43 pm »

Well, the internal fit has been completed.  I went up to my local model shop today and got a new servo, and made the tiller arm on the rudder a bit longer (had to sand a little depression in the inside of the hull to accommodate it).  But that all went fine and so the servo/rudder assembly is now working well.  I also velcroed the ESC in place.

Which means after what seems like an age I can get back to the woodwork!   :-)

I have cut out the decks and sanded them to shape.


I have also started marking out the forward superstructure.  I am working it out from a mixture of the Dido plan, Alan Raven's book about the Dido class, and some pictures I found for a review of a resin model of HMS Scylla.  Better make sure I don't end up building HMS 'Scyllybdis...' 


Hatched areas are bits that will be cut out, shaded bits will be left in place but hidden by superstructure overhangs. 
Need to move the boundaries in several mm to account for the thickness of the housing.  I had to shuffle the bulkheads around a bit so that one would correspond to the gap between the two forward housings - should provide some support for the deck.

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cheekyninja

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Re: HMS Charybdis build
« Reply #16 on: December 04, 2011, 08:23:57 pm »

Have cut out the deck openings today.  Well actually most of it has been spent peering at the side view in Ensign 2 with my ruler trying to work out what I am looking at, and comparing the measurements to the photo of the resin model.  I drew them out and then left it out for while - I then came back later with a fresh eye to see that I was happy with it.


Cutting the opening took about 20 minutes. Haha.  I have allowed for the superstructure thickness to be 3/32" (that line around the openings)


The forecastle has good access - I had moved the bulkheads when I was building the hull to coincide with the gap between the housings.  Although my receiver will look a bit lost in there.  Weight permitting I may put in a sound unit.


The centre compartment is just for the battery.  I might make some kind of cable run for the servo leads to make it easier to connect things up.


And the stern.  The rearmost housings are rather large, so access to the motor, servo and wiring is better than I had hoped.  I also cut a small hatch above the rudder - this will be varnished in place.  If I have to get to the rudder once compete I will just have to ping it out.


The coamings will be 3/32" balsa.  I have quite a bit left over from making the hull, but I might need to get some more 1/4 square.  But that is for another day...
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SernPost Sam

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Re: HMS Charybdis build
« Reply #17 on: December 06, 2011, 02:36:31 pm »

She's really looking good now the constrution is advancing again  :-) .Are you going to use your M'plex RC gear in her?
 
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cheekyninja

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Re: HMS Charybdis build
« Reply #18 on: December 13, 2011, 09:21:01 pm »

This may win an award for Least Impressive Post, but a busy week has given me a hankering to at least glue something tonight.  So I have started gluing the 1/4" square strip to the underside of the deck.  When these bits are dry I will have to make a few cuts in the bulkheads below to accept the deck.



Umm, that is it(!). 

She's really looking good now the constrution is advancing again  :-) .Are you going to use your M'plex RC gear in her?
Hi, yes, the Multiplex gear will be going in up front.
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Dreadstar

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Re: HMS Charybdis build
« Reply #19 on: December 14, 2011, 05:26:08 pm »

That's starting to look the business Ninja. :-))
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cheekyninja

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Re: HMS Charybdis build
« Reply #20 on: December 14, 2011, 08:46:24 pm »

That's starting to look the business Ninja. :-))
Thanks Dreadstar!  Progress has been a bit slow but she is gradually taking shape.

I have added some more strips to the underside of the deck.  I have also had to saw a little out of the bulkheads and the 1/4" square at the stern.  My sawing is not as neat as it could be, so you won't get a picture of that  :-)

Although as I am getting an error when trying to upload an image there may not be any pictures tonight.  Will try the attachment thing.

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cheekyninja

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Re: HMS Charybdis build
« Reply #21 on: December 14, 2011, 08:52:59 pm »

That isn't quite what I thought would happen.  It's a photo Jim, but not as we expected.

The reindeer thing by the saw is the bit that will go on the underside of the narrow strip between the deck houses.
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cheekyninja

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Re: HMS Charybdis build
« Reply #22 on: December 17, 2011, 10:46:14 pm »

This working week has been a bit heavy and I think next week will be to, hence the last few short posts.

The last bits of balsa for the coamings are gluing, whilst I have added a support for the hatch above the rudder shaft.  Which means tomorrow I will hopefully be able to glue the decks down.  The forecastle deck is curved so I will glue that down and then add the square section balsa.



Incidentally I am thinking of buying Norman Friedman's book about British cruisers.  If anyone out there has it is there any material in it that would help me with this build?
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John R Haynes

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Re: HMS Charybdis build
« Reply #23 on: December 18, 2011, 11:00:58 am »

Get a Morskie Profile on Naiad Number 67  and Ensign 2 Dido class . google for suppliers , they are out there.
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pugwash

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Re: HMS Charybdis build
« Reply #24 on: December 18, 2011, 11:34:03 am »

I have Norman friedmans book - it is a great book  about  British cruisers and there are some photos of the class
but none of Charybdis herself though there is some text about her.
The book is well worth having as a reference book but may not be much use to you for your current build.

Geoff
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