Print

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

[6705russell]

This is the first Graupner kit i have started, i am not too keen on the wood superstructure and deck so i built this one with styrene and used Halford sprays for the colour scheme, three Graupner speed 500,s power the ship with twin rudder. I am just at the stage of fixing the pump for the water canons and piping them up.

Cheers

Russ

[6705russell]

A couple more pics

Russ

[grasshopper]

It's looking good Russ, just watch the railings and stanchions -bit fragile.

I have the same boat - but I am only using two 540 motors, 35 mm brass 3 bladed props and independent ESC's running from a 6v 10A/hr gel cell - plenty quick enough, more than scale speed, bit hairy on full speed turns.

I've got a halfords windscreen washer running off a 12v 1.2 A/hr gel supplying both monitors .

Overall - Nice boat, handles well with a reasonable turn of speed that doesn't look out of place - make sure you fit a flashing light kit and siren.....

[6705russell]

Thanks for that Grasshopper, i thought i would give it a different colour scheme so went for the yellow/black same as my Neptune sub, when finished i shall fit brass props, any pics of yours, did you build the superstructure with the supplied timber?

[grasshopper]

I bought mine ready built about 12 years ago - somebody from my old club spotted on a window sill in a house on his estate, knocked on the door and enquired if the owner was a member of the local club as he'd never seen it on the lake - it transpired that the house owners father had started it but passed away before completion - they weren't bothered about it, were glad to make a few quid  - I bought it from them and fitted the radio gear and motors.

Originally I bought it for my lad but he discovered video games, and then girls (stupid boy - stay with the cheap option - modelling!) I like things a little faster and now race model buggies more than boating - but am still keen on things nautical - biggest problem is being 'time poor'

[6705russell]

How is the hull looking after 12 years? has it started to show any hairline cracks or anything?

[grasshopper]

last time I looked it seemed okay, but that was probably a year ago - and at that time it didn't ship any water either that I recall - but it is painted with enamel paint...next time I'm in the garage I'll get her down and have a look.

[6705russell]

Did a little work on the wooden decks tonight, i used 3mm ply and drew black biro lines and coveredwith clear varnish.

[Faraday's Cage]

Hi Russ,

Lookin' good.  Keep up the good work.

Brings back memories as the Weser was the first model boat that I built many years ago. Looking at the console lights, I drilled out each light and fitted fibre optic strands in each light position and connected them to flashing leds fitted under the console.  I think I had the 2 monitors on the superstructure fixed and the forward one connected to a servo so that it could pivot. I also fitted two hand wheel valves to the centre and rear monitors to enable them to be turned off. This increased the pressure available to the forward monitor and so increased length of jet of water produced (Great for soaking the kids on shore  ) 

I sold the model to a ex - club member some years ago now.

[6705russell]

Thanks Faraday, i am also fitting valves to the monitors, nice idea with the fibre optics though, i have wavered slightly from the supplied instructions and made a few things slightly different apart from making the deck and superstructure in styrene.

Hopefully i can get it on Westport this Sunday for testing.

Russ

[6705russell]

Started to add the lighting and circuits for these, motors wired to Action speed controller, lights and pump wired to Action twin switcher, both highly recommended, also i am adding some circuits of lights to be controlled off a 3 channel 433mhz keyfob control which eventually will control the crane as well.

Russ

[Ghost in the shell]

looks nice, a set of metal props will set it off just nicely

[6705russell]

Yeh when i have finished the build i will replace the plastic ones with some 3 bladed props i think.

[6705russell]

Just some of the lights wired up and controlled off 433mhz radio control. 

Russ

[Powered Boat Mouldings]

Hi Russ
         Your model is coming along nicely , it's also good to see some own freelance interpritation of a vessel :).Just to go off track a little, an old friend of mine Ron Perrot did the same as you have with his wesser in that he built his superstructure out of plastic. He powered it using twin hectoperms with no gearboxes 12 volts and 45mm racing props. The sound the speed and the wash she produced was and still is awsome , what I am trying to say is if your boat goes as well as his and it looks like it might, you will have one almighty grin on your face. One last thing the dash board lends itself nicly for fibre optics to illuminate it.

Regards Rob.

[offshore1987]

Stunning very nice indeed

Love the keyfob switcher too very trick 

[6705russell]

Thanks guys, I had it on the water for the first time today and it sounds and go,s very well, i have three Speed 500,s powering this one. 

[6705russell]

Hi all, just a few pictures of the finished Weser, working monitors,radar and lights, just need to change the props for some nice brass ones.

[6705russell]

Hi all,

I have just built a kit form Sea Crane from Model Slipway to put in place of the standard that is supplied with the Graupner kit, i purchased this one from the Epic show a couple of weeks ago off Slipways stand,  a pleasure to build and a lot more detailed.

Russ

[Ghost in the shell]

did you find out what was causing the port side motor to overheat??

[6705russell]

All three were hot Ghost then i realised where the smoke came from when i got home, i had sprayed them with WD40 the day before and it was burning it off! 

[Ghost in the shell]

ah

nothing too serious then