Print

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

[T888]

Hi All,


My plan was to start this build in December, but due to still having waiting nearly 18 months my consultant has said that he will be doing my elbow operation shortly. So I thought I’d make a start on this project, as once I have had the operation my modelling will have to stop for a few months.


Any way back to this project, a bit of history, back in the 80s I was well in to IC racing boats and back then I had got a new copy of Model boat plan service catalogue, this is when notice they were doing Bill Le Feber plan for “Miss Circus Circus “ 1979.


So I order a set of the plans and once it arrived I start to build the build jig they specified and started cutting out the frames. The plan at that time was to power the model with a OS 0.61 But this project did not go any further and there after it was put in to storage in the loft.


Back in August I was in the loft installing a digital TV arial and notice a box mark Hydro. So I opened it up to find the Miss Circus parts and as I’d all ready resurrected my SX 100 Tunnel hull, my interest was revived for the Hydro.


Checking if the MB Plan was still available, to which it was , so ordered a set from Sarik Hobbies. Unfortunately when they arrive sheet 3 of 3 was missing. So a quick call was made and they instantly said they send a complete new set out which arrived the next day (Very good service from them).


In the last few days I’ve checked what was made back in the 80s and found that although they were correct to the drawing I’d made them from 3/8 ply when i should have used 1/8. So Ill be using them as templates when I cutting the frames out in 1/8 & 1/16 ply. The old building jig was to badly damage so I’ll have to remake that first, once I’ve done it I’ll post some pictures.


Photo one is just to show some of the old parts ( inner hull side and outside) and photo two is paper template cut out that I’ll use to make the new hull framing.

[T888]

Hi All,
Found some scrap ply wood in the workshop, so spent today making the building jig for the hull. Now this has been made, this will now allow me to start building once I’ve cut out all the frames.

So if this is a build that will interest MBMers I’ll keep you posted on the build progress.

[Capt Podge]

Good evening Dave, you've piqued my interest so I'll be tagging along. 


Ray.

[T888]

Hi Ray,

Thanks and I Hope This build does not disappoint your interest.

[Ralph]

Yup, interested in how the building jig will work.


Ralph

[mrzippy]

1/8 scale would produce a nice size model guessing around 40"?
Paul.

[T888]

Hi Paul,


It’s 44” long, the plan was designed for an 0.60 IC motor, but as my local club is in the New Forest and Forestry England controls the Bi-laws which states no IC powered models can be used on the pond, So I be using a brushless set up. At this time I’ve not sorted out what the motor size, drive train and battery’s will be.


One thing I’ve already sorted is this model build will not be built to the USA model Hydro regs.

[DJW]

Hi Dave
Sounds like a really interesting build, hope you document it so we can see the work progress. I'm also ex multi boats from the 80's, completed my first wooden / brushless build this year and thoroughly enjoyed it.
Very best regards
David.

[T888]

Hi David,


I hope to document this build, as my past warship builds.


I stopped IC modelling as at that time it was getting more like cheque booking modelling, so with a young family I stopped and moved into scale warships.




About 7 years ago I dipped in to brushless motors, Lipo’s and Water-jets this was on a part scratch build Shannon lifeboat (hull from MK1)

[T888]

Yesterday I cut all the paper templates and then glued them to a sheet of ply. So this morning I cut the port side framing and all four hull sides, once I’ve cut the starboard side frames I can start to fix them to the jig.

[Capt Podge]

Morning Dave, making progress already - good to see.
Frame 7 must have been awkward to cut out - they all look nice and neatly done though 


Ray.

[T888]

Hi Ray,


Thanks, they weren’t to bad to cut out as I used my bandsaw and then final shaping on the disk sander. There is a total of 9 frames, frame 4 is the one that will go across the width of the hull and frame 1 is the transom and will be made from 1/4” ply. I’m going to add an Ali plate on the inboard side of the transom, this will help strengthen it when I fix the rudder post to the transom.

[SteamboatPhil]

This is brilliant and I will be following with interest, I love the fact you found the parts in the loft from the 80's, not sure about any one else but to me the 80's were a few years ago, then you do the maths....and WoW it was 40 years ago........must dash I have to finish a project I started a few (47 years) ago ....

[Capt Podge]

Thanks for the info Dave and I like the idea of the Aliminium plate too!


Cheers,
Ray.

[T888]

Thanks OK Ray, pleased both of you and other are interested in the project




Yes Phil the 80s also seem a few years ago.




I’ve been over the last few weeks been looking at YouTube at the Hydro scene in the USA they seem to be into it in a big way. But there have been some good tubes showing build method and different running gear. This is why I will be using the Ali plate, I’ve still got to look in to the best running gear for my project. I did find a US company that produce the Miss Circus Circus decals, but there version is the late 80s version Hydro driven by Chip Hanauer as my version is the 1979 hydro driven by Steve Reynolds.


This company also produce a kit of the Chip Hanauer hydro and this is available from Cornwall models. However I’ve seen US reviews of this kit and some of the reviews have been a bit critical of the kit.

[T888]

Photo 1 of the Chip Hanauer version of Miss Circus Circus photo 2 is the version I’m building

[mrzippy]

Hi Dave, are you familiar with the US 'Classic Thunder' r/c model hydro website?  https://www.classicthunder.us/index.html
was my go-too reference library for all things hydro way back in 2010.
A mine of useful information with hours of videos, photo's, builds, plans, + lots of useful 'Links' etc.
Paul.

[T888]

Hi Paul,


Thanks yes I was aware and have visited it several times, I also use this one https://79squireshop.weebly.com/19801.html

[Stuw]

Followings with interest. Never built anything like this but like to see other experts at it!

[T888]

Over the last few days I start to put things together using the building jig.

First I cut from ply the hull bottom and pin it to the jig and marked the centre line and inner hull location,  next I marked the hull bottom alignment to both the outside sponson, these were also pinned to the jig. The hull framing and spruce on one side has been glued the other is only dry fitted as I have run out of 3/16x3/16 spruce and my usual suppliers can’t seem to get any.

[T888]

Hi Stuw pleased your interested in this build 

[Stuw]

Some great progress made Dave! A silly question no doubt, but the building jig seems to have an incline. Is this to shape the underside of the hull?

[T888]

Yes your correct It’s so you can get the correct shaping of the hull bottom.




Hope the photo helps

[Stuw]

   Thanks Dave.

[Circlip]

Back in the sixties, had aspirations to build "Ben Hur" full size cabover design by Hal Phillips. Problem at that time on this side of the pond was where to buy 12Ft long ply sheet.


  Regards  Ian.