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[andi4x4]

Well, maybe there is some incentive there ! 

On the positive side ( ) :-

I finally got the thin ply (1/32") to do the cabin skin and "cowling" behind the cabin - so that is what I am doing at the mo - piccies later ! Also Speaking to Sean at the model shop and explaining to him that I wanted to try to set the boat up to cut/reduce power to the inside motor and reduce power to the centre motor when turning, he siad - "you can do all that from your Tx ! "  So - as I have a Futaba 4EX digital Tx which I use for all my ground based models - I have now got the settings to sort all that out without the need for complex bits of kit in the boat for mixing !

Will let you all know how I get on !

Regards

Andi 

[IainM]

Hi Andi,
Looking good maan!!
Sorry to hear of your upset  :'(  I confess to having doscovered that my reactions are not all that good with a high speed craft coming towards me!  One advantage of slow Tugs I guess 

Perhaps the pikky below may help with your water line issue.
As you'll see there are draft marks both forward (and aft) but I have not seen a Plimsol mark at all.


Regarding your rudder stock set up, perhaps consider using the extended arm approach .... 

I'd certainly make every effort to keep the length of the rudder stock tubes as high as possible.  My one squirted water up the tube as soon as the stern dug in at high speed.  I eventually had to fit a mini stuffing box at the top to stop it happening.  Hindsight being a great gift, I had been warned about the sloppy fit of many commercial rudder tube assemblies but, me being me, I thought 'ach.. it'll be OK'.

Reference the superstructure I discovered that making a template and clipping the thin ply over it to give the curves followed by 30 seconds in the microwave produced a component that held its shape.  Maybe all too late but .........  Also, just remember to make sure that SWMBO has gone out for the afternoon before you try it!!

Keep up the good work
Iain

[andi4x4]

 Hi Iain,

 Thanks for the idea re: rudder arm extension - my plan is to relocate my rudder servo to the rear of the bulkhead before the transom and use a Bowden Cable type setup, seeing as I have some kicking around - it will also free up a lot of space in the stern compartment for ballasting/weight redistribution.

Will post a pic when I have done it !

Got some pics coming up shortly of the superstructure - keep watching !

Regards

Andi

[IainM]

Hi Andi,
Yes ... I'd go with the bowden cable idea.
I used this on my Royal Barge (see piks) and it works a treat. 



Sorry about the poor quality of the piks .. hadn't acquired my latest camera at the time!!

Iain

[andi4x4]

 As Promised, a few more pics of todays work :-


Laying the outer skin for the cabin area :-


By andi4x4 at 2008-04-12


By andi4x4 at 2008-04-12

The rear "cowl" section is laminated double thickness for strength - the outer skins were cut such that the natural flex of the ply would curve easily around the radius of the cabin  - I cut slots in the inner strengthening piece to help it bend around the curve as I made this piece across the stiffer direction of the grain of the ply for extra strength :-


By andi4x4 at 2008-04-12


And, finally, a couple of shots showing the carved balsa parts which make up the entrances to the gangways either side of rhe cabin :-


By andi4x4 at 2008-04-12


By andi4x4 at 2008-04-12

 Details of the Transmitter settings for the throttle mixing still to come !


Regards

Andi

[Martin13]

Andi,

Your model is coming along great  - wish I could build that quick - :( I suffer from swmbo restrictions. Great build and keep up the good work

Martin doon under

[andi4x4]

Hi Martin,

 Thanks for your kind comments !

Todays efforts were just the skinning of the cabin area and the carving of the balsa gangways - started about 5:30pm and had it finished by about 8pm. Sorted out the photos then for the forum !

 I, too, suffer from swmbo restrictions, although, they are few and far between, thankfully !     Both my partner and I smoke, but, we do not smoke in the house, so we often have "Rendezvous's" in the back porch for a smoke and a coffee !      She complained once about me spending so much time with  my models and my reply was " would you prefer I go to the pub every night and come home skint and p****d ? At least this way I am at home with you and just skint ! " The answer I got was favourable ! I am very lucky - my swmbo is very understanding and accommodating - it is supprising what I manage to get away with in the house sometimes ! 
I also have the benefit of working 12hr shifts on a "Two days, Two nights, Four off" pattern - which gives me a lot of free time for modelling, and on nightshifts I often take something into work to keep me occupied when it is quiet.
I also tend to get quite focused when I am left in peace - once I get my head into something I can make a lot of progress in a short amount of time ! I have been known to spend as much as 14 - 16 hours a day on a project when I get on a roll !


Regards

Andi

[Martin13]

Hi Martin,

 Thanks for your kind comments !

 I, too, suffer from swmbo restrictions, although, they are few and far between, thankfully !     Both my partner and I smoke, but, we do not smoke in the house, so we often have "Rendezvous's" in the back porch for a smoke and a coffee !      She complained once about me spending so much time with  my models and my reply was " would you prefer I go to the pub every night and come home skint and p****d ? At least this way I am at home with you and just skint ! " The answer I got was favourable ! I am very lucky - my swmbo is very understanding and accommodating - it is supprising what I manage to get away with in the house sometimes ! 
I also have the benefit of working 12hr shifts on a "Two days, Two nights, Four off" pattern - which gives me a lot of free time for modelling, and on nightshifts I often take something into work to keep me occupied when it is quiet.
I also tend to get quite focused when I am left in peace - once I get my head into something I can make a lot of progress in a short amount of time ! I have been known to spend as much as 14 - 16 hours a day on a project when I get on a roll !

Regards
Andi

Andi,
I currently work 3 days and 4 off, dayshift only. I used to work same as you but 25 years shiftwork was enough for me - now avoid it like the plague. Evenings on forum posting pics and searching for info with no time for modeling after work as I come home pretty stuffed. We live on a large property with extensive gardens that requires looking after. Swmbo puts in the plants by the thousands and then its my job to look after.
Current swmbo complaint - you don't spend as much time with me anymore...Hmmmmm
Modeling is slow and I tend to build larger scale but I am in no hurry, my pleasure just comes from doing it. At present still sanding and filling my  largish BB although hope to finish off this week end - not bad, only took 6 months to get this far.

So, you keep building your model as I'm lurking in the background, picking up pointers for my model. Can't wait for you to start on the transom flap ::)

Good luck and happy building


Itchin Martin doon under

[andi4x4]

 Can't wait for you to start on the transom flap ::)

Transom flap - forgotten all about that last day or so !


Regards

Andi

[John W E]

Andi, hi there;

It is looking good your build so far, it's very impressive.  The subject of the transom flap on the back of the BB - if you fit this; as a working item; do not forget to fit the small angle strip which goes between the hull, and the flap.   This prevents the water from creeping up the stern; and the back of the flap - causing unwanted turbulence. 

If you check the photograph which I put on earlier, which was kindly sent to me from our very own Martin doon under - the one with the propellers and rudders; if you enlarge this photograph up and scrutinise it, you will actually see the sealing strip which I am referring to.

aye
John e
Bluebird

[andi4x4]

 Hi John,

 Thanks for that - I have seen mention of it on the forum - IainM has a "quick sketch" of the mod he had to do to solve that problem on his webpage about his BB build - http://www.sfmbc.net/page123.html

Hope you don't mind me posting a link to your page Iain !

Due to my fibreglass hull not being of the best quality, there is a little deformation of the transom - so I plan to manufacture a new outer "skin" so to speak and fit the flap and other transom parts to this - will probably skim the GRP transom with P38, sand flat/square then use plasicard for the rest. This should allow me to build something along the right lines as a unit, then bond the whole assembly into place.


Regards

Andi
 

[IainM]

No problem Andi, just glad it's been of help.
Your build is looking really good ........ keep up the good work!!
Iain

[andi4x4]

Well,

I had a play with my Futaba 4EX transmitter and the only way I can do the channel mixing I need to do in order to use the V-tail mixing funtion on the tx is to start swapping the channel allocations in the Tx case.  >:(  There is no provision to digitally asign channels for a specific function. I could do it with the channels set as they are, but this I would then put throttle on right stick and the rudder control on left stick. This would confuse me far to much as all my other ground based models are set up the other way around. I did contemplate physically swapping the pots on the sitcks to move the channels around, but, then, of course, it would be set up wrong for all my other ground based models and I would have to spend some time changing the settings on the 30-odd cars, trucks and rockcrawlers I have ! 

So I took the easy route and splashed out a whole £15 on a v-tail mixer to go in the boat !      This , obviously, only affects the outer motors - the centre motor is just connected to the throttle channel and runs at whatever speed the outside motor is running at through a turn. It is not affected by the V-tail mixer at all, but, I would like to get it to throttle back a little though a turn if I can.

Any suggestions anyone ?

Haven't had chance to try it out yet - not done much more work on the boat either as I have been working last few days - will be back on it in a day or so though !
 


Regards

Andi

[Shipmate60]

The ACTion mixer has plugs for 3 ESC's or use a "y" lead from the throttle channel.

Bob

[andi4x4]

Hi Bob,

 I have the centre esc on a "Y" lead at the mo along with the throttle lead for the mixer - this obviously only sets the throttle proprtionally to the stick position and the speed of the fastest of the two outer motors during a turn, I would like to throttle back on centre in a turn if poss.

 I will have another look at the ACTion website - I haven't really studied it that hard !

Thanks for the tip !

Regards

Andi
 

[andi4x4]

Bottoms !  :(

Wish I had looked before I bought the V-tail mixer -  the P40C looks like the perfect tool for the job - must get one !

 Thanks again for the advice, Bob !

Regards

Andi

[John W E]

Hi there Andi 4 by 4

I have several of these ACTion P40 mixers & so forth.  The way they work:

here is some food for thought;

To take full advantage of the mixer; you require a peed (that is how I feel today  ) should read speed controller for each motor - there is provision on the mixer to take three speed controllers and your rudder servo plug.  When it is connected up in this way, as you advance the throttle stick from the zero position, all three motors will run at the same speed.

If you desire to turn port or starboard and move your rudder stick this in turn, through the mixer, either increases the outboard motor speed and decreases the inboard motor speed to aid the turning.   The centre motor is not affected, it remains at the same speed as what has been set by your throttle stick.

This set up using three speed controllers, extracts the best performance out of these mixers; last thing about these mixers, when your throttle stick is in the zero position and you move your rudder stick from port to starboard; the motors do not react they stay stationery.  Just the rudders move.   However, if you slightly advance the throttle stick either forward or reverse, only by one notch, you get an immediate response of the mixer and your motors - so basically this enables the boat to spin on the spot.   One motor running full ahead and one full astern.

The motor's speed is in ratio with the movement of the rudder stick.   I have been trying to persuade FLJ and his support team to add a function in where when you put the stick hard over to either port or starboard, it drops the centre motor down by at least 50% speed.

I think personally this is the only alteration this mixer needs - I have worked with it for many years and the only problems I have had, or have ever seen regarding problems with speed controllers and mixers is the plonkre or even plonker  at the end of the sticks - the person who is controlling the model.

What we want is our very own FLJ to manufacture a chip - that is easy to insert into the MODELLER not the model - to prevent the modeller making silly mistakes    things like connecting things around the wrong way.

Hope this helps

aye
john e
bluebird

[andi4x4]

 Hi John,

     Thanks for the info on the ACTion mixer - it sounds pretty much the same as the setup I now have - only difference being that  the mixer I am using *does* run the motors with the throttle stick at neutral - the speed they run at is proportional to the throw of the stick though. When running at full throttle, the mixer shuts down the inside motor, but, at lower speeds it will start to reverse the inside motor and accelerate the outside one - the differential increases the slower the boat is moving.

Off to work in a bit  (night shift - last of this tour thankfully) - so will give it a try tomorrow evening at the pond and see what happens !

Regards

Andi

[andi4x4]

 Hi Guys,

 Been doing a little work on the BB - Got the main superstructure done - this has been painted with a household "one-Coat" emulsion which has gone on really well - just needs a rub down now prior to a varnish coat. I also stumbled across a green colour acrylic spay paint for the deck in the local motor factors - I know it will go ontop of the emulsion ok - hope it is the right colour !

The auto primer I used on the hull is too dark a shade of grey though I think - any comments ?  I have more of the lighter colour grey on the cabin - I may repaint the hull to match the cabin - what does the group think ?   I won't do any more painting until I have had some comments back from the group as to the general consensus on the two colours.

Also made a start on the Transom Flap - I didn't have any "T" section plastic strip (neither did the only model shop on the Isle of Man  ??? ) so I had to "improvise" - not brilliant, but, looks ok from a couple of feet away !    Got some fettling to do with that, just waiting for glue to cure !

Some pics below:-







  regards

Andi

[Stavros]

Are you 100000000% sure that auto paint will go over Houshold emulsion check again as the household paints are not compatable with auto paints.It will end in tears

Stavros

[andi4x4]

 Hi Stavros -

 I have a piece of wood outside that I painted with the emulsion then laquered with automotive acrylic laquer - so I know that works - the beauty of acrylic is that it will go onto almost anything - it is the solvent/propellent that may be an issue, but, the test piece I did last week seems ok at the mo. The good thing about emulsion is that, as you probabl;y know, it is water based not oil based, so, it should be safe to use with the auto acrylics.

Not sure how the emulsion would go ontop of the auto primer though - need to test that before I start painting.

I am kinda thinking that the hull is too dark - the more I look at it, the more I am convinced about it.

Anyhow -

Couple more pics of the transom flap -








Next is hinge fitting and mounting points for the bottle screws I have just ordered  !  I have also just ordered a pair of 4mm Bofors kits, along with other sundry items such as working searchlight, bollards,handrail knobs, stanchions, foghorn, anchor, etc.

Still to do -  the bridge, ammo boxes and deck details, exhausts, masts, etc -

the list goes on !

Regards

Andi


Regards

Andi

[Martin13]

Andi,

I noticed with each photo taken that the hull color changes (household lighting). On a reasonable day, take a photo of your model outside in natural light - will give a better idea.

Also, on the Mayhem site there are photo's of various shows. Have a look at the photos under Ally Pally 2007 London exhibition and around photo No.163. Here you will see an excellent model of BB and the color scheme - May be of some help :)

I still wish I can build that quick - your build is looking great and keep up the good work

Martin the other BB builder.

[andi4x4]

Thanks Martin,

 I have had a look at several of the galleries on there - which is what makes me think the hull is too dark !

 I am goint upto the local pond shortly - they have a scale steering competition on there today - Have a look at the boats and talk to the owners !

May even take my camera !

Regards,

Andi

[andi4x4]

Been a bit slow of late - not much progress to report on the actual build,

But,

 I have been spending !


Two parcels arrived yesterday morning for me - the first contained :-



Handrail stanchions, anchor, searchlight, bollards, turnbuckles and foghorn from an ebay seller - sellers name is - wingertaz

and the second contained :-





Two resin and whitemetal 1/32 scale Vosper type 40mm Bofors kits !  Beautifully cast resin parts, nice whitemetal barrel and parts for the magazine, and some brass wire for the guardrails, and a good pictoral build manual. Very pleased with these !  £22.99 each from  N.M.Models in Burscough, lancs.  www.modelboatfittings.co.uk if you want to take a look - lots of MTB fittings there - will be placing another order soon, now that I kow what they sell !  I found them via Ebay - seller name - jancol78.  They also do a complete PT-109 kit all resin and whitemetal parts, GRP hull and includes the motors, shafts, etc - all you need is your esc,radio gear and battery - £250. - and all the parts are available seperately so you can buy all the bits individually if you cant afford £250 straight off ! 

I will do a build thread when I start these guns (there wont already be one as these kits were only released last week !) which I will post in this thread as it is part of the BB build, but, I would also like it to be posted elsewhere as a thread in its own right (could the mods keep watching and do the necc. for me at the appropriate time ? ) - I think these guns could become quite a favourite amongst MTB / FPB builders !     My only complaint is that they are meant to be assembled as a static, non-working kit - I hope to be able to add in pivots for the up/down of the gun and I hope to also add a rotate funtion too.

All I need now is 4 extra channels on my transmitter ! 

Happy, Happy, Happy !   

Regards

Andi

[Martin13]

Andi,

Do they make fittings in other scales ???

Martin doon under