Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length.

[Willit]

the motor is in, and didn't put up too much of a fight. I'm a firm believer in making models easily maintainable, and I'm not a fan of screwing motors to wood as the wood can split or the threads go over time. So this motor is bolted to a bit of 3mm steel, drilled and tapped 6BA, so removing the motor is an easily repeatable exercise, not that I expect I will have to for a while yet! The plate is Devcon'd to the hull bottom on two wooden wedges. As well as supporting the motor it also acts as "working ballast" as it has brought the bow down a bit. And yes I did try it in the bath, there is a little bit of vibration but I was running it on 9v off a PP3 so that might be why. I might clock the prop shaft with a dial gauge in a collet to see if its running true.

[RST]

Absolutely superb work though I don't like the olive green colour!  Re screws in wood, I've had them in motor mounts for 20 years or more and  they've never shifted / failed from the occasional unscrew then back-in again.

Fantastic work anyway, very jealous.

Rich

[Willit]

Absolutely superb work though I don't like the olive green colour!  Re screws in wood, I've had them in motor mounts for 20 years or more and  they've never shifted / failed from the occasional unscrew then back-in again.

Fantastic work anyway, very jealous.

Rich

aw shucks thanks Rich, I'm not that good, and it could definitely be better but I appreciate the kind words.  Yeeaaaah the brown (its actually brown in real life but the pictures don't recreate it well), I was a bit unhappy with it to start with but its grown on me. 


Its the steam loco mechanic in me I'm afraid 

[Willit]

Steering is in. The micro servo is mounted on a commercial bracket, mounted to a block of wood, Devcon'd to the hull. A bit of piano wire provides the push.  The tiller will be covered by a capstan and the wire by a coiled tow rope.

[Willit]

I have fitted out the running gear, usual sort of thing, Mtroniks controller, my preferred Graupner HOTT RC system and a 7.2v pack velcro'd to the hull, some self adhesive steel weights counter balancing it.  The receiver has 6 channels so I shall fit a sound system like Joffre's and a switcher for the lights (watch this space!).


and yes it has had a go round the pond but the chop got up and my nerves couldn't hack it!  It does sail quite nicely though, and sits perfectly on the waterline with just a little weight needed in the bow.  I've allowed some leeway for when I fit the white-metal lifeboats.  I need to fix that switch in place, it doesn't normally foul the servo arm!

[Willit]

well after the last ten minute test sailing (where it got far too rough for a small model) Shelley and I went to Tilgate lake in Crawley and gave Magrat 45 minutes of sailing time.  Aside from a slight rattle that seems to have developed (probably wants more lubrication) it sails very nicely though I am going to try to get a tighter turning circle as it is currently a little wider than I would like, its perfectly acceptable but not exactly steering competition winning!  Shelley had a go and declared it good.


I am going to try and get to the Mayhem weekend with it (hopefully a little more finished), and if I can manage it my Vic Smeed Guardsman.

[Subculture]

Nice. I made a Bustler back in my teens, and I fitted a steering kort nozzle. Was up there with the best steering regatta boats.

[Willit]

Nice. I made a Bustler back in my teens, and I fitted a steering kort nozzle. Was up there with the best steering regatta boats.

I remember reading a post where you mentioned that, was that the one that got sunk?  I did consider putting a kort on!

[Subculture]

Yes that was it. Got pushed under by a bigger boat.

[Willit]

Yes that was it. Got pushed under by a bigger boat.

aw that's a shame

[Willit]

I have been fitting sound and lights to Bustler, update shortly.

[Willit]

I have been working on the flying bridge. Its more or less as Vic Smeed intended it to be but I've put working navigation lights on, wired to two lengths of copper self adhesive tape which in turn will be wired to the support frame.  A Forge Electronics sound system has been installed with assorted hooter noises uploaded.  I also have found time to fit the bow fender   

[Willit]

Apologies for going a bit quiet, but I have been plugging away!

The flying bridge is as complete as I think its going to get for the moment.  The hidden wiring for the navigation lights has worked well, one leg either side being a pole, tiny link wires connecting them to self adhesive copper tape under the floor, to which the bulbs are wired.  I have the necessary switcher unit to wire in to control these, I just haven't done it yet.  I'll probably paint the companionway handrails white.  It was made via a Plastruct stairway and some styrene rod, very fiddly.  The crewmembers are courtesy of a Revell 1/72 U Boat kit, I managed to acquire them off ebay.  The telegraphs and wheels were out of Cornwall Model Boats catalogue.  I was very tempted to try and replicate the chain steering but I have left it for the moment.  The ships cat is a Langley Models whitemetal casting, a spigot into his 'bottom' holds him securely.

Lastly I've started the tow hook.  I've spent a long time thinking about this, really, the most crucial part of the tug. Its a tug, its got to pull, so how to do it? The wooden base once sealed and painted is glued to the deck, and a 5/16 drill run through both. A brass pivot post with a 5/16 32 thread on the end is inserted and a broad nut clamps it to the deck, transferring towing forces to the hull and not the superstructure, as it ought to be. The pivot post is tapped 6BA and the tow hook secured thusly, with a nice brass semi circular rubbing plate to sit on. All brass bits will be chemically blackened to avoid an unnatural finish.  So far the wooden parts have received two coats of sanding sealer, two of primer and two of paint, a bit of Bostik and its on.  I'll whizz up the metal bits on Sunday when I go down the railway.  I have a lathe here but for some reason no 5/16 32 dies.

[Willit]

Not much to report alas, but I will get back to it soon. In the meantime here is a photo of it on our recent holiday sailing around the Bude Canal. I had previously replaced the 3 blade prop with a 4 blade which has gone some way to stopping the paddle wheel effect experienced going astern.


https://www.modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/image/JbY8f

[Willit]

A little bit of progress.  I've posted the picture from the last post here to save people clicking links.  I have made and fitted a steam winch on the bow deck.  It took me a while to find one suitable and even then its a bit of a fudge but it looks the part.  Its a 3D print from Shapeways for replacing a Flower Class Corvettes winch with something more accurate.  It came up rather well, its really more for anchor handling but if it looks right etc.  Its a lovely thing but quite delicate.  I ended up breaking two control handles off so I cut the others off and fashioned replacements out of brass wire.  After a bit of paint and weathering I think it came out ok.  I shall be using this again on my Revell Corvette build.  I particularly like the pipes coming "through" the decking. 


www.shapeways.com/product/QA2HYP66K/anchor-winch?optionId=58793037&li=marketplace

[Willit]

time to get the lights working. The running lights as seen before are wired "invisibly" through the legs of the bridge and connected to copper tape running down the sides of the superstructure to which a UBEC (Universal Battery Elminator Circuit) is also connected. This is to reduce the main battery voltage of 7.2 to the rated 6 volts of the bulbs to ensure a long life. Finally the UBEC is wired to a length of PCB with a couple of cuts down the middle to isolate the poles. This is our "socket". Another bit of PCB with a couple of phosphor bronze tongues forming a plug which engages with the "socket" on the superstructure. The positive red lead is led back to a Turnigy remote control switcher unit which operates the lights via radio control. I have arranged the transmitter to make channel 6 operated by a simple on/off switch that was available on the handset.  I'm rather pleased, the system I've chosen was simple to do (though the plug/socket took some thought) and my wish to avoid flying leads and plugs between hull and superstructure has been fulfilled. I've still to wire in the mast head lights but as the mast has not been built yet this will have to do for now. Next job.

If you look closely you'll notice I've whizzed up a bit of bronze for the tow hook base too.  This is ongoing.