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Author Topic: Small puffer  (Read 6083 times)

RST

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Re: Small puffer
« Reply #25 on: November 27, 2021, 08:09:35 pm »

Hi,

Have been a bit busy at work combined with a bit of loss of MOJO recently.

Decided to make use of today and I've re-visited my waterline which was holding up my progress fixing and rigging the mast proper and fixing parts inside.  I decided to apply a cheat and apply the old-style antifouling on a line based on the main rubbing strake along the shell plate.  That means it's curved, not following any straight line or angle associated with trim.  That means I can move onto fixing the mast and figuring out ballasting properly as she was far too trimmed before going by photos but stable for such a small model.  She won't be the same as VIC 32 / 27 in that respect but ...meh.

I have a love/hate of Revell enamels but they continue to be a million times better than Humbrol.  Two coats of antifoul applied so far today "Revell SM 331" (satin) -only one teeny tiny spot of bleeding on the stern quarter which looks more like my tamiya tape slipped without notice when I overlapped it so easy to touch up with black when I sort out the painting of the rudder and fit the prop.  After my Tamiya masking tape was applied I rubbed back the original antifoul line using a 1" wide strip cut from a Tamia 400 grade sanding sponge, wiped with damp cloth then used a tack-rag.

Daren't turn it over for a day or so now!  Next job before fitting the mast might be to pick-out some upper strakes in white, cut the name and registration on my sillouette from white vinyl and apply them then seal everything with Vallejo satin polyurethane.  Then I can fit the mast and complete the rigging.  Batteries etc. are after that -I need to re-think my rudder servo also.

Thanks for the interest and comments so far,

Rich

PS:  As this hull is well under 2 feet long, it easier so sit with it on my lap and apply a thin (4mm?) band of tape first and move around and look at it by eye.  Then start from the oposite side, peel back if it doesn't look symmetrical and re-apply.  Then more layers of 10mm or so tape applied to give a thicker band for accidental brush strokes.  I remove the tape AS EARLY as I dare to try not to leave too much hard edge!  NORMALLY due to nature of curvature on a ships hull I do all the antifoul first then mask-off bottom-up as that's the natural curve for masking.  Occasionally I get away with it like for this re-doing it from top down as it is a very slab-sided shape away from the bilge, particularly forwards.
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RST

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Re: Small puffer
« Reply #26 on: November 27, 2021, 09:50:46 pm »

Was dubiuos whether to try but thought worth a shot tonight as in the mood and feeling brave.  Revell paint is handleable so I attempted some white lining on the hull using a Posca marker.  I have to take my glasses off for this kind of detail -I'm left with very little vision otherwise as I'm sure you guys know so when I put the pen down I rarely find it after or knock it somewhere.  It went OK so far -will see how it touches up when everything is finished!

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RST

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Re: Small puffer
« Reply #27 on: December 01, 2021, 11:08:07 pm »

Hi,


Painting went OK in the end.  I struggled to get cutting on my Silouette for names as it's been that long I couldn't remember how to make a cut path, then I struggled with vinyl -I was sure I had more sheets!  The scrap sheets I had mostly have spare Calmac lettering cut in them so was cutting inbetween -badly.  Sods law my spare sheets turned up on the floor next to my desk 2 days after I was cutting, they must have slipped off the end of the desk then fell out of the gap.  The letters for this boat are so small, it's difficult to pick them from the backing, then when the transfer film is applied it is more sticky than the vinyl so I wrecked at least 10 sets.  Now I found some more vinyl I think I'll re-do some a bit neater to do it a bit better justice as the lettering is a bit wonky.  The White lining on the upper strakes and bulwarks came out OK in the end though I'm not convinced Posca is waterproof so everything will still need to be sealed.  Actually I'm quite delighted with the lining so far so hope I don't mess it up somehow later.

I'm much happer with the change in WL now though it's not realistic for the two modern boats but hey ho.  It should help allot with stability on such a small model.  I've not tried since but hoping my original 6V 4.7ah Ni-Mh pack might also go back in now.

Thanks for the interest so far, I'll not be doing much next few weeks owing to working away.

Rich
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RST

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Re: Small puffer
« Reply #28 on: January 10, 2022, 08:07:44 pm »

Hi all to anyone still following,

Pleased to say I am close to finishing this one now...

I have a nagging hate of using lighter batteries then adding ballast.  Managed to squeeze in a 3.7A 7.2V sub-C pack (two long sticks of 3 x cells each running either side of the mast which continues down to the bottom of the shell.  With that much weight low down and forwards the steam whistle unit from MRW and small speaker went back up in the deck house.  No need for a separate UBC now and hopefuly no brown-out from using a 6V 5 cell pack.

Rigged up the mast etc. now and secured the tender and the gangway went back up where it was intended.

Kitchen sink tests showed lots of power, and very effective rudder response possiby too much from each but I'll wait until I can get it on the pond proper to tell.  Lots of power forwards but not unexpected; lots of aeration when throttle is reversed but this is no bad thing as it means it can't dissapear under the water when going astern.

I will post more pics when I finally get it on the water -it's gone far too cold the past few weeks to venture to the pond.

Richard


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David - Dry Dock 3D

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Re: Small puffer
« Reply #29 on: January 10, 2022, 10:15:40 pm »

Great work on the 3D Printing Rich. I just read through the build.
Looks like you have cracked most of the art of 3D Printing with filament :)


Great looking Hull. Did you use PET-G filament?

I am just doing a couple of wheelhouses myself at the minute.  A bit to big for my resin printer, but hoping to upgrade by the end of year.
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RST

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Re: Small puffer
« Reply #30 on: January 11, 2022, 02:36:43 am »

PLA but after a couple of years printing I personally only use easy PLA from Fiberlogy.  I know I have to keep this model out of direct heat.  There's wooden stringers under the deck to try and keep things straight and the ESC is fitted on the shell side below the waterline so should keep the plastic underneath cool.

I've not really cracked printing to perfection and I can't take credit for this puffer hull as I did modify it a good bit from the thngiverse file(s) and indeed used nothing from the hull up.  I re-designed most of my own parts so it's been no "download and print" job in any way shape or form.  I just take advantage as alost every modeller does of resources out there.  My wastage in printing is huge still but I've learned each time how my machine works.  I think this is no different from anyone with a lathe, casting machine etc.  None of my models are fully printed though, they all have mixed media when it makes sense to use it.

Rich
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tigertiger

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Re: Small puffer
« Reply #31 on: January 12, 2022, 02:50:42 pm »

***Just a note that if members are having technical difficulties, please contact Martin or one of the moderators for assistance***
TT
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ooyah/2

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Re: Small puffer
« Reply #32 on: January 12, 2022, 04:12:42 pm »

***Just a note that if members are having technical difficulties, please contact Martin or one of the moderators for assistance***
TT


Thanks T/T. will do next time I need to withdraw a post


George.
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ooyah/2

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Re: Small puffer
« Reply #33 on: January 12, 2022, 04:33:46 pm »

Hi Rich,
Your puffer is very realistic to the actual Puffer which is still in action, well done, I am completely ignorant of the process that you have used, at my age I have missed technology expansion.
When I think of some of the work that I have done in heavy engineering in the past I wonder now how much longer it took to do things as to how it's done now.


I look forward to some better weather to see it on the water.


There are 2- 1/3 full size puffers on the Forth and Clyde, the" Wee Spark" built by Jimmy McFarlane and Archie and the puffer "Maryhill " built  for the CEO of G& J Weir of  Cathcart by a professional boat builder in Bute,
I quite often see the Wee Spark tied up just out side of Kirkintilloch  when out riding on the bike along the canal, so here hopefully is a pic of it in the sunshine, you know that bright thing in the sky.


Take care and stay safe.


George.
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RST

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Re: Small puffer
« Reply #34 on: January 13, 2022, 06:47:29 am »

***Just a note that if members are having technical difficulties, please contact Martin or one of the moderators for assistance***
TT
...AS per PM there is no problem on this thread that I am aware of unless you want to share an issue with me?????
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Taranis

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Re: Small puffer
« Reply #35 on: January 13, 2022, 08:23:10 am »

Nice to see your work Rich, very nice indeed.  O0
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ANDY
You’ll only know your best effort if you don’t give up.

RST

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Re: Small puffer
« Reply #36 on: January 15, 2022, 11:37:52 am »

Hello George, from your original post I was not aware there two of the mini puffers out there though I was aware of wee spark!


Andy, thanks for commenting -it's all pretty rough and ready compared to most folks achievements!  Looks OK from a few feet away which is good enough for me.  Just need to get to the pond now to dunk it properly.


I have a spare seuthe smoke unit which might fit in the funnel, but the materials have very low distortion temp so am nervous about trying it yet.  I have this on my mini TID tug though and the oil pops and blows nice little smoke rings.

I thought hard about fitting my little steam sound generator but it sounds too much like a steam locomotive.  The whistle sounds great so far though considering it's through such a small mylar speaker...

https://modelradioworkshop.co.uk/shop/specialised-items/sound-store-mrw63/

Rich
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ooyah/2

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Re: Small puffer
« Reply #37 on: January 15, 2022, 05:52:21 pm »

Hello George, from your original post I was not aware there two of the mini puffers out there though I was aware of wee spark!


Andy, thanks for commenting -it's all pretty rough and ready compared to most folks achievements!  Looks OK from a few feet away which is good enough for me.  Just need to get to the pond now to dunk it properly.


I have a spare seuthe smoke unit which might fit in the funnel, but the materials have very low distortion temp so am nervous about trying it yet.  I have this on my mini TID tug though and the oil pops and blows nice little smoke rings.

I thought hard about fitting my little steam sound generator but it sounds too much like a steam locomotive.  The whistle sounds great so far though considering it's through such a small mylar speaker...

https://modelradioworkshop.co.uk/shop/specialised-items/sound-store-mrw63/

Rich






Hi Rich,
Managed to find a pic of "Maryhill ", as you can see it's a bit more professional than the Wee Spark, Jimmy and Archie are just 2- enthusiastic builders, they built the Wee Spark in an empty shed at Scotts boat yard at Bowling ( the yard and business is no more ). I think that they run cruses from Hamilton Hill in the summer so if I see it when I am out on the bike I will get some more pics


George.
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CarlC

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Re: Small puffer
« Reply #38 on: February 03, 2022, 08:57:07 pm »

Wow Rich,


Your puffer looks fantastic, I may have a go at printing this hull.


Carl
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RST

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Re: Small puffer
« Reply #39 on: March 26, 2022, 06:59:10 pm »

She finally got a wet bottom in the local pond this afternoon.  Motor and prop combo are perfect bit to say she's tender is an understatement!


The small MRW whistle sound board a little mylar speaker were swiftly removed from the deck house.  While the batter pack floats it nicely it's re-think time!


Batteries need replacing for a small 1,600mah 7.2 stick I have which just fits and looks like no other option but to sheet the shell bottom outside with lead to make up the difference in weight.


Looks like I need to block-off the scuppers also.  I never like it on small models when water gets on deck.  In retrospect fitting the mast boom raised to make access easy was a mistake -not easy to fix without major work now.


I have a battery analyser coming also as I had to abandon after 15mins to very strange problem with the radio.  The rudder servo was twitching uncontrollably then wouldn't turn.  But seemed strange the ESC wasn't cutting out.  I've never had that before so perhaps it's another dud battery pack.  I just don't sail often enough to keep batteries cycled properly.  I was just about to take photos before had to give up with the radio problem -local kids had arrived and there was plenty of stone throwing anyway.


If that lot don't fix it I'm out of ideas.  If anyone thinks of printing it at the scale I did mine I reckon it needs stretching on the beam by half an inch.


It's my second attempt at a puffer this size and both of them have been way too top heavy.  I'm obviously not learning!


Rich
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RST

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Re: Small puffer
« Reply #40 on: April 04, 2022, 09:29:47 pm »

Think I got somewhere positive with this the last few days.  In hindsight the idea of using batteries for ballast was a bit of a fallacy.

I managed to get the original battery holders out.  I didn't abrade or totally clean the hull when I put epoxy on them just in case -they were strong enough to hold but didn't wreck things when the pliers and snips came out!  I used silicone glue on other bits and to be honest those blobs aren't shifting at all but they are out of sight so will probaby leave them.

2 sheets of lead added to the inside of the hull between the motor and the base of the mast.  Each lead sheet (90 x 100mm if I recall) is about 90g.  7.2v 1,600mAh "mini-stick" is about another 90g so that takes us close to the original battery pack at 310g but the lead sheet is obviously much lower down in terms of CoG.  I moved a few other bits like ESC and hope I've got a way to re-fit the MRW steam whistle now, down in the cargo hold.

Did a bath tub test and it "bobs" plenty now though not sure if I'll block-off the scuppers yet or not.  I also left it running in the bath on about 2/3rds throttle and it was still going strong after 45mins, no evidence of glitching from the radio again.  As it's a small model it's pretty inconvenient to hook-up a multimeter or my power meter to run it under load but it looks so far like the little 285 motor is plenty for this model still and doesn't even get warm after 45mins.

I have a new Overlander Battery cycler but can't make head nor take of the instructions so far or from pressing the buttons after a few charges it's not doing what I thought so this afternoon I nipped out to the local motor factors for a car headlight bulb connector from their "pearly wot nots" stall.  I might be better just staying old skool in terms of discharging batteries properly before charging them.

Have attached some pics as an update but I'm still printing the new battery holder so there will be another update once it's all together again.  There was a surprising difference in dimensions between 2 mini 1,600mAh battery sticks so having to re-make it (twice) so I can use either battery packs I have.

Rich
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