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Author Topic: Touchwood 1/12 scale Bluebird K7  (Read 44324 times)

Arrow5

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Re: Touchwood 1/12 scale Bluebird K7
« Reply #75 on: July 15, 2010, 01:19:09 pm »

I`m glad I spotted this thread come alive again as I never thanked Ernst for posting pictures of the K4 (I had a heart attack about that time)   I hope all is well in Bavaria Ernst , be sure to show Vintagent your mahogany boat.   I wonder if the molds for the Touchwood models are still available for someone to have another go with them ?    Is the Springer for your nephew going to be planked in fine wood and  with 10 coats of varnish ?
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vintagent

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Re: Touchwood 1/12 scale Bluebird K7
« Reply #76 on: July 15, 2010, 01:26:17 pm »

Eh?..What??? mahogany??  What's this, what's this????

Touchwood are still going, I'm sure, in fact they do a lot more than they used to as they're flogging 1/43rds of record boats too.
I think attacking them for so called quality problems is a damned cheek when people like Amati are allowed to get away with outrageously over priced blobs like their Riva Aquarama, one of which I was unfortunate enough to have to build for a customer when work was thin.
You'd bite Touchwood's hands off if you saw the Amati kit, believe me. It was  part filled with Polyfilla!!  The fittings were a joke and needed replacing, the wood was off a matchbox, etc., etc.
By comparison, I'd love a Touchwood.  Nice people too.
East Anglian Solidarity rules, man...

Regards,

Vintagent
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Arrow5

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Re: Touchwood 1/12 scale Bluebird K7
« Reply #77 on: July 15, 2010, 02:35:14 pm »

Aw geez, now you`ll have the Amati lawyers at your door !   I remember someone offering K4 plans but cant remember who.  I think Ernst was doing a Baby Boozer-ish prohibition era boat, might have been a Yank car manufacturer, Dodge ????  Yep I think he`ll have to plank that Springer for the jungend !
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HS93 (RIP)

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Re: Touchwood 1/12 scale Bluebird K7
« Reply #78 on: July 15, 2010, 05:11:03 pm »

Eh?..What??? mahogany??  What's this, what's this????

 I was unfortunate enough to have to build for a customer when work was thin.
You'd bite Touchwood's hands off if you saw the Amati kit, believe me. It was  part filled with Polyfilla!!  The fittings were a joke and needed replacing, the wood

Regards,

Vintagent

I didnt think Amati  used or supplied Polyfilla!! 
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Biscuit

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Re: Touchwood 1/12 scale Bluebird K7
« Reply #79 on: July 16, 2010, 01:05:30 am »

Ah well that was helpfull  :-)) I am sure this thread was for the K7 !! this is why my boat is up in the loft as this is all I get.
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Arrow5

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Re: Touchwood 1/12 scale Bluebird K7
« Reply #80 on: July 16, 2010, 07:47:27 am »

aw sorry Biscuit :embarrassed: Get K7 down out of the loft we ARE interested, you know how it goes one thing leads to another :-X   We`d all love to see it  running.  Sorry for wandering off topic.
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vintagent

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Re: Touchwood 1/12 scale Bluebird K7
« Reply #81 on: July 16, 2010, 08:53:55 am »

Biscuit,
tell us exactly what you want and we'll give it to you, between us.  I mean I can talk you round any modelmaking problem you like, but I wouldn't know one end of a flexidrive and "strudder" from a jet's orifice, but there are those who do.
It seems you have done a great deal so far (especially those neat ally planing shoes) so there isn't a lot left to get sorted.

As an Essex boy myself, I don't think you should give it up so easily.  You won't find many K7s around and the transmission system you really need can always be designed by someone on here. If what you have is wrong, you can also sell it on here and tell us all what crap shop sold it to you, so we don't go there (by PM, I suppose).

So you will very quickly have a very unusual model in running order...but you do need to keep poking the thread back on line.
My Amati comments were to show a favourable comparison between an established make and a tiny one man band from Norwich whose product you thoughtwas bad, in order to show you that it really wasn't so bad after all, especially as the K7 is a much more difficult shape than a Riva.

Regards,
Vintagent
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Biscuit

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Re: Touchwood 1/12 scale Bluebird K7
« Reply #82 on: July 18, 2010, 12:19:21 am »

Look Guys, I have asked everyone about the running gear for this boat, there is only one person that has done it, I wish I had seen it before I bought the motor and such, but no one can tell me if my motor will work in this boat, every body has taken the money and run, even so called experts, but I wont name them  >:-o
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mattycoops43

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Re: Touchwood 1/12 scale Bluebird K7
« Reply #83 on: July 18, 2010, 04:32:47 pm »

Hi, I am new to boats but have used brushless motors for years and know them pretty well. If the kv is high, would it not be possible to just use a lower pitch prop? thats what we do with planes. I realise this changes the efficiency etc of a prop, but brushless motors are pretty powerful, why not just use a smaller dia prop?

The model looks very impressive, It's only a gearing issue after all, would it be impractical to use a small lightweight gearbox to drop it down?

Matt
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ooyah/2

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Re: Touchwood 1/12 scale Bluebird K7
« Reply #84 on: July 30, 2010, 01:36:44 pm »

Hi Biscuit.

Don't be discouraged I too am new to electric power so here are some pics of my Bluebird.
I didn't set out to have a super scale model, I wanted one that would be fast and get up on it's wedges.  I can agree with you on the quality of the moldings from TOUCHWOOD  I only bought the main hull and the sponsons but I had to return mine as there were holes in the 45deg joint, but to be fare to TOUCHWOOD it was replaced with apologies and a complimentary tail fin and a set of decals.
My hull also had a convex bottom but as it wasn't to be a super scale I lived with it and it would possibly give a bit of lift.
Some of the mods that I made included grinding of all the rivets as they were about a scale as the rivets in the Queen Mary, a new tail fin was made from thin laminated ply and the sponson wedges increased in width at the rear of the sponsons, filled with balsa and skinned with thin plasti-card.
I have used 3/8" Ali tube as supports and have left them uncovered until i discovered how the boat performed.
The engine hatch is loose fitted and is taped up with water proof tape when running.
The drive system is a brushless 2750 kv motor with a 70 amp water cooled E.S.C. both purchased from Prestwich Model Center, the shaft is 3/16" dia St/St
and is at as shallow an angle as possible and the rear wedge has been left out as it could restrict the water flow to the prop which is a carbon fibre 37mm dia, battery is 8.4v x 3700 m amp.
I have tried to keep the boat as light as possible and have left out all baulk heads and resin molded fittings and now have a 1.5kg boat + 450g battery.
All I can say is that it is very fast and looks great on the water and I will be completing it soon, will send you some pics of it on the water when I can get my mates to photograph it at speed, I ccouldn't get pics as my radio is on it's last legs and so far have only had some short runs..
I can't say how yours will go with all the resin fittings and the Ali sponsons with the reduced area at the rear but have a go and don't get disheartened .
I have been involved with steam projects for some time so this is a bit of a diversion, have a look on STEAM  R&D and see what I have been up to in the past.
George.













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Drkomen86

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Re: Touchwood 1/12 scale Bluebird K7
« Reply #85 on: July 30, 2010, 05:48:55 pm »

are there any basic plans for the bluebird around as I want to build a turbine model an it would be perfect
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ooyah/2

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Re: Touchwood 1/12 scale Bluebird K7
« Reply #86 on: August 04, 2010, 09:06:03 pm »

Hi Biscuit,
Here are some pics of my K7 in full flight and it's very very fast.

Motor :-- BL2845 2700kv Brushless and 70amp water cooled E.S.C. from Prestwich Model Center.
Battery :--- 7 Cell sub C 8.4V x 3700 amp hr. turning a 36 mm carbon Hydro prop ( Graupner )

I can now get on with finishing the sponsons and get all the decals on, must say that I am very pleased with it  so have a go, get your K7 out on to the water.
George.







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promocean

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Re: Touchwood 1/12 scale Bluebird K7
« Reply #87 on: October 18, 2010, 11:12:09 pm »

Hello from Germany,

very nice pics of K-7!!! :-))

My K-4 is still sleeping, cause I have to do other things first. But next winter is coming soon and I had been at lake garda this year.
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ooyah/2

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Re: Touchwood 1/12 scale Bluebird K7
« Reply #88 on: October 19, 2010, 09:37:49 am »

Hi Promocean,
The stills of K7 really don't show the speed at which it travels and our lake is quite small so I can't let it really go. have a look at the video.
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjckMFo6TUE 
This was taken on a dull day but will let you see K7 at speed.
I have had it out on Loch Lomond which is near where I live and on a flat calm day it was really motoring and with all that space if not careful it was out of sight..
George.
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Biscuit

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Re: Touchwood 1/12 scale Bluebird K7
« Reply #89 on: July 17, 2011, 04:48:10 pm »

Thanks to you George my Touchwood Bluebird is nearly ready to go  :-)
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CF-FZG

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Re: Touchwood 1/12 scale Bluebird K7
« Reply #90 on: July 17, 2011, 08:50:19 pm »

Nice one biscuit :-))

I've only just seen this thread as I've only been a member on here for a few months.

What setup have you settled on - motor/esc/batteries/prop


Mark.
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Biscuit

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Re: Touchwood 1/12 scale Bluebird K7
« Reply #91 on: July 18, 2011, 07:33:00 pm »

Well its been a long build this, been nearly 5 years, most of the time it has sat on the top of the wardrobe gathering dust, but bought a Shockwave 26 (very good boat) and was looking for some info on it on another forum and I came across George, he had built the Touchwood Bluebird and got it running well, even posted on this forum for me to get it up and running, but because I had given up on the boat and this forum I never saw it. But now in 2 days I have got this far and nearly ready to run. Motor is 2881 Kv, prop is Graupner 36mm diameter x 50mm pitch 3 blade hydro, Esc is ETTI Navy 150amp, Cells 2x 3cell 2200mah through a Y lead to give me 4400mah, Hitec Hs 81 rudder servo, Astec Models rudder and strut, water cooled motor mount. The only difference to my boat and George`s boat is I run the cells lower down each side of the hull, still can get the correct C/G, will make a water tight hatch to cover it all and tape it on before I fit the top cowling. George did have a concern about my front planing wedges, as I have made them out of alloy and the same as the scale ones, this may mean I will have trouble getting up on the plane but we will have to see how it goes. I am going to glue 2 carbon plates inside of the hull to Velcro the cells in, and one in the rear to mount the esc, so not going too bad.
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ooyah/2

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Re: Touchwood 1/12 scale Bluebird K7
« Reply #92 on: July 19, 2011, 11:40:41 am »

Hi Biscuit
Every thing looks fine , I would suggest that you twist the water pick up a bit to the left and in direct line with the prop blade and nearer to the top of the blade.
My water pickup goes directly to the E.S.C. and then to the motor and exits through the small pipe next to my pickup in the stern.
I have been thinking about getting K7 water tight and suggest that as you have the white lip around the hull you could cut a piece of light gauge plastic, preferably clear,to over lap the white edging by say 1/8"  and then with some sealing tape, tape it down which would make it watertight.
I use tape bought from ASTEC which the fast Electric boys use for sealing hatches and as I have 2- sets of Lipo's it's only a matter of pealing of the tape, installing the fresh batteries and having another run.  I get about 10 mins of run time.
It's very important to get the hull water tight as K7 burys itself in the water as you switch on the power before it gets up on the plane, just like the real K7.
Don't be afraid to put on full power it will lean to which ever hand you have on the prop but pops up onto the plane and runs virtually hands off in a straight line.
You need plenty of water as it's FAST and remember to give plenty of space when you cut the motor as it will run on quite a bit.
If the Ali wedges don't work it will be easy to remedy it
Any further questions don't hesitate to ask.
George.



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Biscuit

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Re: Touchwood 1/12 scale Bluebird K7
« Reply #93 on: July 19, 2011, 10:16:00 pm »

Well I have glued in the battery mounts and esc platform, stuck the Velcro on the esc mounts and cells, what would we do without Velcro  :-) it all fits in perfect very pleased with it now. George, I have had to drill another hole and move the water pick up over and even put a set in it to get it closer the centre of the prop best I can do because of the strut, I used the old hole for the outlet ! I am hoping to get some plastic sheet for the hatch, the top cowl I will mount with a dowel at the front and some type of fastener at the rear, may even use a magnet, will stick some foam it the top in case it comes off ! Now I want to try and run it before I paint it, but cant see how to make it waterproof without gluing the canopy on, did not want to do this till it was painted, should I just go ahead and paint it before I run it or find some way of sealing the front, how do I glue the canopy on ? thing is I did want to put the seat and driver figure in but cant do that if the canopy's on so not sure what next move is, hope its not back on top of the wardrobe  :((
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ooyah/2

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Re: Touchwood 1/12 scale Bluebird K7
« Reply #94 on: July 20, 2011, 04:40:47 pm »

Hi Steve.
I don't want to hear any more about "BACK UP ON THE WARDROBE", lets get this K7 finished and on the water, you have come too far now to give up.

It's most important that you get the cockpit sealed as I have said she tries to bury herself in the water on start up.
You will have to seal the canopy and down the back of the seat to stop any ingress of water, this is one of the points that I sacrificed scale appearance for.
I left out the canopy runners and sealed it down with CANOPY glue and after all the time that I have been running my K7 no water has managed past the seal, my initial test was to hold it under the water for a few minutes to ensure there were no leaks.
This is the glue that the flyboys use and it doesn't mist or fog the perspex of the canopy.

You could finish of the seat and the paint it, install your pilot and then paint the runners which would then allow you to glue on the canopy and if you don't want to finish the over all paint job before test running and then mask of for final paint when you have her running..

The water pick up is best sited to the middle of the blade, just give it a little twist upwards.

Here are 2- pics of my canopy and the glue used, you can see my battery monitor in the space where Donald should be ,I slide it in velcro'd to a piece of ply, from inside the hull.

Everything looks good and I look forward to hear how you proceed.
George.




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Biscuit

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Re: Touchwood 1/12 scale Bluebird K7
« Reply #95 on: July 21, 2011, 09:43:01 pm »

Well got the Spektrum Rx today and bound it to my Shockwaves Proboat transmitter, made a little plate to stick it on and programed the esc, you have to listen to a load of beeps and things, for an esc this expensive you would of thought it would of had a programing card, never mind done now. Ran it up but the Teflon tube is spinning in the brass tube for some reason  {:-{  and is very noisy, made up a bulkhead behind the seat and been playing about with the dashboard and steering wheel, think I am just going to go ahead and paint it and hope for the best otherwise it will never get on to the water, weight crept up to 1820g  :((
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ooyah/2

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Re: Touchwood 1/12 scale Bluebird K7
« Reply #96 on: July 22, 2011, 10:51:03 am »

Steve,
I painted mine with Auto shop spray paint and have had a few episodes with it requiring some re painting, this hasn't been a problem as the paint matches in very well.
I would finish of the cockpit seat and paint if required, paint around the slide bars and spray paint the hull, when dry glue in the canopy with cockpit glue and test for leakages, love the steering wheel , where did that come from ?
I can't offer any advice on the Teflon inner tube as I have never had a flexi-drive but possibly ask on the other forum and you will get an answer, there seams to be more interest on fast electric hardware there.

I can't stress the importance of the hull being water tight, I was out last night at the club and on one of my runs I passed over the wake of another boat and K7 nose dived and flipped over, when it was rescued there was no damage and still completely water tight after being upturned for about 5 mins.

Keep at it your nearly there.
George
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Biscuit

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Re: Touchwood 1/12 scale Bluebird K7
« Reply #97 on: July 22, 2011, 11:40:20 pm »

I am trying George, just sat there tonight thinking how I could fit top cowel but it aint happening, maybe get some kind of spring catch {:-{  Shame you cant just buy a ready to run  :-) still got a lot done in the last few weeks, maybe take some time off again and come back to it in a few months as had enough now taking up too much of my time, thanks for the help.
Steve.
Ps dash came in the kit.
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spitfire

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Re: Touchwood 1/12 scale Bluebird K7
« Reply #98 on: July 28, 2011, 01:02:07 pm »

one of the guys at richmond park has got a bluebird
dont know the scale, this thing goes like stink.
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ooyah/2

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Re: Touchwood 1/12 scale Bluebird K7
« Reply #99 on: July 28, 2011, 03:01:06 pm »

Hi Chas,
Don't know if you have seen the Vids of my K7 so here is the link  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjckMFo6TUE

When my box comes up in the top L/H corner is a box showing 5 videos.
The first is K7 on 7 x 8.4v  3700 amp  Nimh batteries and the Other one is on 3s Lipo's.

I have just realised who SPITFIRE is.

George.
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