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Author Topic: Aeronaut Princess - Mahogany runabout build  (Read 18586 times)

hpergm

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Re: Aeronaut Princess - Mahogany runabout build
« Reply #25 on: May 20, 2016, 05:26:25 pm »

0.2mm Aluminum plate (litho) was then pinned on top to create the first creases/outline of the mould cavity.. Then, using a rounded dowel as a burnishing tool, the cavity was formed. The material thinned out so much at the bottom that it ruptured - but that's no problem since the LED will be inserted there anyway.


One thing to note is that the Aluminum is really malleable but work hardens and needs frequent annealing with a micro torch to stay soft.
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hpergm

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Re: Aeronaut Princess - Mahogany runabout build
« Reply #26 on: May 20, 2016, 05:28:31 pm »

After some trimming (and swearing)...


Note: the light surrounds are from the Amati Riva kit - I purchased a set of fittings to see what can be used on the Princess. Bit of a risk really, since the Amati is 1/10 and the Aeronaut is 1/8.5..
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hpergm

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Re: Aeronaut Princess - Mahogany runabout build
« Reply #27 on: May 20, 2016, 05:32:07 pm »

The light buckes were simply aligned and CA'd on the inside..
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hpergm

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Re: Aeronaut Princess - Mahogany runabout build
« Reply #28 on: May 20, 2016, 05:33:25 pm »

Installation of the wiring. I stole a couple of large straws from the kids' cupboard to act as cable conduits within the hull to keep the spaghetti out of sight once the deck is installed. A resistor of a few KΩ is used right before the red R/C plug, heat shrunk in white, to drop the BEC voltage from 5.6V to 3.3V for the LEDs.
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hpergm

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Re: Aeronaut Princess - Mahogany runabout build
« Reply #29 on: May 20, 2016, 05:37:00 pm »

The lights were tested for good operation (they... work) - and the time came to "hit the deck" (pardon the pun).
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hpergm

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Re: Aeronaut Princess - Mahogany runabout build
« Reply #30 on: May 20, 2016, 05:38:08 pm »

Now it looks like a boat!


 The deck lid which contains the cockpit and sundeck was also quickly put together (more like a 3D puzzle) and placed on the hull as well as the supplied aluminum windscreen - we all need a bit of motivation boost sometimes..  %)
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hpergm

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Re: Aeronaut Princess - Mahogany runabout build
« Reply #31 on: May 20, 2016, 05:43:20 pm »

One thing I previously forgot to touch upon was the installation of the cleats/spray rails. Those were trinagular-profiled hard wood and it was really difficult to pursuade them to take the bow curves without popping out the glue. I had to weigh them down at the bow until the glue dried - resulting in some innovative positioning of the boat so that gravity could be employed...


Also, it was necessary to sand them at one end to obtain a nice feather..
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hpergm

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Re: Aeronaut Princess - Mahogany runabout build
« Reply #32 on: May 20, 2016, 05:46:11 pm »

In the end, a symmetrical result was luckily obtained.
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hpergm

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Re: Aeronaut Princess - Mahogany runabout build
« Reply #33 on: May 20, 2016, 05:48:34 pm »

Some filling was required to get rid of various gaps. I used a mahogany-pigmented wood filler..
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hpergm

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Re: Aeronaut Princess - Mahogany runabout build
« Reply #34 on: May 20, 2016, 05:58:48 pm »

One more thing to fit was the front bumper. This was decided in order to avoid nasty results from collisions with swimming pool edges (I will also be running the boat in pools).


This came in 2 parts, included in the Amati metal kit which required soldering together. I was not sure whether it could fit this larger model or that it would follow the bow curvatures. But some hand bending and minor trimming later, it seemed to fit nicely - lucky strike.


The pieces were put on the boat and spot soldered together before a full bead was laid. To avoid burning the wood, I dediced against silver soldering and went for soft soldering. Anyhow the part is not structural so not a biggie. The metal is stainless steel and took the 40/60 solder very well. I fluxed the parts before and used a micro torch with a soldering tip to apply lots of heat (stainless is a bad conductor) - worked wonders. I doubt this could be so easily done with an electrical soldering gun, though.

The solder bead was then sanded and the part polished with the Dremel and some cutting paste.

At this point I would like to thank Mayhem member UKMike for his Amati thread which actually was also my inspiration to try the Amati parts on the Aeronaut. Searchin for Amati pics in Google, was the reason I stumble across Mike's threa and basically how I discovered the Mayhem forum in the first place - Thanks mate..!!  :-))  Time to give something back - thus this thread.
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hpergm

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Re: Aeronaut Princess - Mahogany runabout build
« Reply #35 on: May 20, 2016, 06:03:28 pm »

Some pics of the 85% finished boat, then..
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hpergm

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Re: Aeronaut Princess - Mahogany runabout build
« Reply #36 on: May 20, 2016, 06:05:04 pm »

Some finishing touches - e.g. edge strips for the deck lid..
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hpergm

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Re: Aeronaut Princess - Mahogany runabout build
« Reply #37 on: May 20, 2016, 06:06:22 pm »

A bit of filling under the deck...
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hpergm

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Re: Aeronaut Princess - Mahogany runabout build
« Reply #38 on: May 20, 2016, 06:06:59 pm »

Edge planks on the bow deck...
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hpergm

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Re: Aeronaut Princess - Mahogany runabout build
« Reply #39 on: May 20, 2016, 06:08:20 pm »

Rear bumpers...
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hpergm

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Re: Aeronaut Princess - Mahogany runabout build
« Reply #40 on: May 20, 2016, 06:15:41 pm »

And its time to start the finishing. I decided to try the Owatrol line of products, the Deks Olje D1 being an oil-based saturation agent/wood preserver and the D2 being the gloss varnish.


I also used some pine sticks to build up an enclosure to avoid dust speckles on the mirror finish I intended to produce..
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hpergm

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Re: Aeronaut Princess - Mahogany runabout build
« Reply #41 on: May 20, 2016, 06:20:51 pm »

3 coats of D1 and 2 coats of D2 later, this is the current status...
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hpergm

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Re: Aeronaut Princess - Mahogany runabout build
« Reply #42 on: May 27, 2016, 09:08:03 pm »

Some attention to the interior was duly paid while the varnish was drying - starting with the dashboard. The Aeronaut dash seemed a bit plain and I decided to make it look a bit more like the real thing. The Amati fitting kit also helped - this includes some nicely turned instrument bezels.


First step was to extend the dash with a piece of mahogany from the kit's blanks. Then the positions of the extra bezels werre marked. The holes were opened by hand with a conical reamer to control the dimension precisely but also  make a relly clean cut.
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hpergm

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Re: Aeronaut Princess - Mahogany runabout build
« Reply #43 on: May 27, 2016, 09:12:32 pm »

Amati also includes the small switches in nicely turned aluminium pieces, as well as the transmission levers...
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hpergm

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Re: Aeronaut Princess - Mahogany runabout build
« Reply #44 on: May 27, 2016, 09:14:03 pm »

OK, the dash is not 100% true to the scale layout, but neither is the boat itself...  8)


One nice touch from Amati is the micro-routed Aquarama logo.
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hpergm

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Re: Aeronaut Princess - Mahogany runabout build
« Reply #45 on: May 27, 2016, 09:17:31 pm »

OK, everything back to pieces for varnishing...


The bezels needed some backing surface to allow the instrument fascias to be stuck on. Those were made from thin polystyrene sheet, turned on the Dremel for close shape and size control.
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hpergm

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Re: Aeronaut Princess - Mahogany runabout build
« Reply #46 on: May 27, 2016, 09:21:08 pm »

One more little touch to improve the instruments was to put some glazing on top of the stickers. This was done by using "liquid glass", which is nothing other than a slow-setting, low-viscocity epoxy resin (to allow enough time for bubble extraction and easy self-leveling) which nevertheless possesses almost perfect transparency.


A small spatula was used as a mini-spoon to fill the instruments.
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hpergm

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Re: Aeronaut Princess - Mahogany runabout build
« Reply #47 on: May 28, 2016, 07:41:23 pm »

In the meantime, wet & dry sanding to remove the orange peel surface as much as possible between successive coats of varnish...
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hpergm

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Re: Aeronaut Princess - Mahogany runabout build
« Reply #48 on: May 28, 2016, 07:53:32 pm »

The elbow grease pays back - the surface improves each time.
Good, but not perfect yet...
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nivapilot

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Re: Aeronaut Princess - Mahogany runabout build
« Reply #49 on: May 29, 2016, 08:53:09 am »

Wow!.... :-))
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