Topic: Vintage Model Boat Company's Wavemaster 25 (Read 19493 times)

TailUK · « **on:** November 13, 2012, 10:28:11 am »

Has anyone else bought a VMB Company Wavemaster 25? I picked one up at Warwick at the weekend and need a content check. I've tried contacting the company but can't get hold of them.
Specifically I need to know if there should be 5 sheets of laser cut 3mm ply?
Many thanks.

Artistmike · « **Reply #1 on:** November 13, 2012, 11:23:40 am »

When I bought my Sea Scout from them, there was a sheet of paper enclosed, showing the different ply sheets that came with the kit, have you not got that? If not try giving them a ring, they usually answer, unless he's away at another show........

TailUK · « **Reply #2 on:** November 13, 2012, 11:37:19 am »

Thanks Mike, There was no contents list and I've tried ringing them. I'm fairly certain one sheet of ply is missing but wanted to make sure.

TailUK · « **Reply #3 on:** November 13, 2012, 02:32:58 pm »

Mystery solved! VMB got back to me and is sending replacements! Good service!

Artistmike · « **Reply #4 on:** November 13, 2012, 02:57:00 pm »

Great ! I've always found Ivan to be very helpful, so I'm glad that you're sorted and don't forget to put up some photos of the build !

SteamboatPhil · « **Reply #5 on:** November 13, 2012, 10:32:26 pm »

I meet Ivan at Warwick and have to say he is very helpfull (aided by the fair Marie) in fact I came away with a Sea Scout (well Steamboat Apprentice did) and a Sea Nymph and all the missing fittings (that have been knocked off over the past 40 years) for my fire boat, the 2 other members of my club also came away with their little projects.........
A big Wavemaster for me next........they really are great little kits and Ii wish them huge success, as with any luck we might now encourage some new model boaters.

Now how do I get a steam plant in one

TailUK · « **Reply #6 on:** November 14, 2012, 01:54:15 pm »

So here we are "Kickin it,old school" I'm working on a 25 mm MDF build board and using medium viscosity Superglue for assembly.
More pics to follow.

tt1 · « **Reply #7 on:** November 14, 2012, 05:17:59 pm »

Hello TailUK, can you continue posting and let us know how you get on? I too bought the Wavemaster at Warwick (35" length) but am finishing off an MTB before I open or start the kit. Looks a nice model and hope all goes well with you. Regards, Tony.

TailUK · « **Reply #8 on:** November 14, 2012, 06:06:51 pm »

Not a problem! I hope to document the build right through. My initial impression of the kit is that the pieces are a reasonable fit but there is enough slack to give you problems so plenty of checking with the square as you fit them. Once fixed, however, I think it will give a simple but relatively strong structure. I'm held up at the moment until the missing pieces arrive but have fitted the keel doublers where possible and the stem blocks, which will hold the ply skins when they are fitted, of all the jobs that's the one I'm not looking forward to. The keel doublers need to sanded where they line up with the frames. I did this before gluing them as it gives a cleaner corner for the edge of the ply to fit into. I'll include a pic of that when I post the next lot of pictures.

Artistmike · « **Reply #9 on:** November 14, 2012, 06:54:39 pm »

On my Sea Scout I soaked the skins in the bath for a while and then pinned them to the superstructure and allowed them to dry. They dried almost perfectly to the shape and were then easy to glue.....

essex2visuvesi · « **Reply #10 on:** November 15, 2012, 07:59:42 am »

Quote from: TailUK on November 14, 2012, 06:06:51 pm

My initial impression of the kit is that the pieces are a reasonable fit but there is enough slack to give you problems so plenty of checking with the square as you fit them.

handy hint when making this kind of frame.... clamp a couple of lego bricks into the joins while the glue goes off keeps everything nice and square. Lego technic is very useful for this as it has holes in that can be used to screw them down to the building base

Mrs Stav · « **Reply #11 on:** November 15, 2012, 10:12:15 am »

I to brought one or 2 of these kits, this is my frist boat a Mr Tom

Im really enjoying buliding it, the only thing i have found so far is that some steps of the build are missing from the insturctions, but even i worked out where and how to do them, so not a big issue.will try and put some pics up later

kelly

Guy Bagley · « **Reply #12 on:** November 15, 2012, 10:41:18 am »

Quote from: essex2visuvesi on November 15, 2012, 07:59:42 am

handy hint when making this kind of frame.... clamp a couple of lego bricks into the joins while the glue goes off keeps everything nice and square. Lego technic is very useful for this as it has holes in that can be used to screw them down to the building base

i like that kind of thinking !!!!! ( he says thinking about his christmas bonus !!!!!

)

essex2visuvesi · « **Reply #13 on:** November 15, 2012, 10:44:00 am »

I think I have more lego in my building box than the kids do

TailUK · « **Reply #14 on:** November 15, 2012, 06:51:27 pm »

The missing bits showed up today and work started again. I finished fitting the keel doublers including K5 and 6 which are double doublers. K5 supports the keel where the gap for the prop tube is and K6 widens the keel to allow the rudder tube to be fitted.
(pic 004) I bevelled the doublers as I was fitting them (pic 002).
Included in the missing sheet was the K4 double but it isn't marked. It fits eithers side of the join in the keel. (pic 003)
Then I started fitting the deck stringers. (pic 005) This highlighted a small problem. The first frame (Bulkhead One) is fitted to the "breasthook" shown on the drawing as the "nose piece" The breasthook is wider than the cutouts for the stringers in B1! This doesn't allow the stringer to be run around the edge of the breasthook as shown in the drawing. The option would be to re-sand the breasthook until it's the same width as the top edge of B1 or what I did which was to the chamfer the end of the deck stringer until it lined up with the breasthook. This will allow the outer deck stringer to wrap right aroung to the stem. (pic006)

TailUK · « **Reply #15 on:** November 16, 2012, 06:10:58 pm »

Friday! The last pic for this week shows the deck and chine stringers in place. Once these are sanded or planed to shape the ply skins can be fitted. I may fit the stern tube and figure out the motor mount before that though.

Artistmike · « **Reply #16 on:** November 16, 2012, 06:45:23 pm »

Looking good !

TailUK · « **Reply #17 on:** November 19, 2012, 06:53:25 pm »

Got the stringers shaped and ready for the ply skins. I broke one of the stringer releasing it from the build board but it glued easily enough. Greaseproof paper on the board would probably have been a good idea. The spacer in the keel for the stern tube broke free so I fitted the tube to stabilise the keel. It was a 150mm tube but I shortened it a little.
I used a scrap of 1.5mm aero ply to make a template for the bottom skins (pic 008) I'd tried card but didn't have the best kind. (Cornflakes box) The template is almost right but I might re-do it and make sure it's spot on. I've deviated from the instructions at this point. They recommend that the side skins should be done first but I'm hoping it'll be easier to keep the keel stright by doing the bottom skins first.

tobyker · « **Reply #18 on:** November 19, 2012, 09:31:41 pm »

When preparing a building board it can help to rub over the areas where glued joints will be with a candle stub.

TailUK · « **Reply #19 on:** November 21, 2012, 05:49:43 pm »

Yesterday I re-cut the template for the bottom skins and made sure it fitted both sides. I called in to the local Maplin's and bought some of their cheapo G clamps on the way home. The chine stringer angles quite sharply towards the stem post so I prepped a couple of the G clamps ready for the gluing job. (pic 009)
I pre-bent the ply skins with a old guitar rib bender after cutting them to the template. The ply supplied in the kit bends easily and without cracking
This made it a lot easier to pull them round into shape. I used epoxy to glue them down and when I release it from the build board I'll go over the inside with medium viscosity superglue to re-inforce the glued joints. I glued the keel side and stringers and the edge of the frames and laid the skin in place, starting at the stern, lining up to pre determined marks I "G" clamped to the stringer and pinned the inside edge to the keel and keel doublers. (pic010) As far as I can tell the keel is fairly streight.

TailUK · « **Reply #20 on:** November 23, 2012, 06:09:36 pm »

Not a great deal done today, Removed the clamps and pins and took it off the build board, (pic 011) I sorted out the motor mount and rudder tube. (pic012) I did these before fitting the side skin for ease of access. Once the Epoxy finishing resin appears I'll coat the inside and fit the side skins.

TailUK · « **Reply #21 on:** November 28, 2012, 06:12:38 pm »

While I'm waiting for the stuff to finish the hull I started the superstructure. The laser cut parts fit fairly well and the cabin drops nicely into the cutouts on top of the frames. The cabin was assembled using superglue and pins into predrilled holes. The only difficulty was fitting "C3" which needed to be sanded to fit.
Once the servo mount and rudder arms are fitted I'll skin the remainder of the hull and fix the cabin and decks.
I decided on a colour scheme and skinned the cabin parts with red hardwood veneer about 0.5mm thick. I also skinned the transom. I stained the redwood "Deep Mahogany" I think it should look quite smart once it's clear coated. Cabin roofs will be white or off-white and the hull dark blue.

tt1 · « **Reply #22 on:** November 29, 2012, 01:49:15 am »

Coming along nicely T uk, what size is the motor the esc and prop that you'll be using?
Regards, Tony.

TailUK · « **Reply #23 on:** November 29, 2012, 09:22:06 am »

The motor is somewhere in the 500 range and the prop is a plastic 2 blade about 35mm. These were bought from VMB Co at the same time as the kit and the ones recommended for this kit. I'm arranging so i can upgrade the motor at a later date if the performence requires it.
The ESC is still in question I've got a Turnigy 30A esc but I think it only runs forward so might change it out for an Mtronic 15A Viper. We'll have to see how it goes.

TailUK · « **Reply #24 on:** November 29, 2012, 06:28:12 pm »

Tonight, one of the jobs I was apprehensive about. The cabin roofs. The parts supplied for the skins were fine but because I'd added a veneer the overhang was reduced, so I replaced the parts with spare Aeroply. The roof base was sanded to fit neatly into the opening and then attached to an MDF base with double sided tape to ensure it stayed flat. The ribs were superglued into place. I marked the centerline on the end ribs and on the underside of the skin, then dry fitted them (pic015)
Once I was happy with the fit I glued the skins in place with epoxy and clamped the edges. (pic016)
When the glue was set I cleaned off any excess glue and fitted the roof to the cabin sides allowing about 2mm all round. (pic017) I'll fit scrap wood bearers inside the cabin sides and use magnets to secure the roofs.

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Author Topic: Vintage Model Boat Company's Wavemaster 25 (Read 19493 times)