Hi y’all got a bit more done this weekend. First thing was the bottom trim around the superstructure. This is a piece of thin plastic that goes on the bottom edge of both sides abd the front of the cabin. I had already sanded the bottom to get it ready, and as close a fit as I could to the deck. You’re supposed to cut the strips from plastic sheet, but I had some very thin flat abs sprues from another project in my scrap box. It was easier to clean them up than cut the strips, so that’s what I used.
Then the fun began. The cabin windows have frames around each one. The windows are not marked on the cabin molding. You’re SUPPOSED to mark their locations using the plans, tape a long strip top and bottom, glue in the uprights and then the upper and lower portions then cut away what’s not needed while simultaneously not glueing the scrap in place too. Nope.
I put the plans over a small piece of ceiling tile, covered in wax paper the built that assembly over the plans, then covered that with wax paper and built a twin over the first assembly. Same way I built rubber powered free flight fuselages a very long time ago. Once built I used 6mm masking tape to mark my boundaries, tacked the assembly in place, then cut away the excess and glued it all down. I had to build the forward windows in situ. I then cut out the window area and sanded.
Last thing I did was the forward cabin reinforcement strips. I think it looks like a grille from a 30s Cord, but that’s what it says to do.
I have a bit more to do to the cabin, then it’s paint and details.
Cash

Hi y’all. The Tug formerly known as Harbor is now in her berth, flagged, and is now known as the O Wulf 8. She’s done!! Well..mostly. Got a couple more things to do to her, but she’s out of the shipyard, which means another project must commence. Union rules Y’know…I’m not union, but the gremlins in my garage are…
Anyway, I WAS going to start one of the kits that’s been in my hoard for a while, but I decided to build a birthday kit. She’s the Model Slipway Vosper RTTL. It was in my wishlist on Ages of Sail, my wife picked it out of a list I gave her. Woman knows my heart. Anyway, I wanted something relatively simple, although the kit does have some head scratching moments.
To start off, it’s a nice kit. Molded hull, deck and superstructure, good brass and plastic, printed plastic parts and white metal fittings. The downside is the 2mm shaft and tube, press on propeller and a rubber tube coupling. First thing I did was find a suitable tube and shaft in my stash, I like 4mm and 1/8th inch. Found an unused Dumas 1/8 tube and shaft that was just a wee bit longer, so I chose that and a 3 blades prop with a 3mm hole that I gently cleaned out to 1/8.
The kit is designed to be powered by a 6 volt Speed 400, and one was included, but I’m going brushless with this build.
First thing after cutting out the hull, deck and interior liner is to clean up and trim, then you’re supposed to build up the rudder from 2 abs halves and a metal shaft. I had a commercially made rudder that was the right shape and size, so I chose that and a 3mm ID tube. Now, the builder is supposed to make sure the liner fits, then tape it in place so one can drill the rudder tube hole thru the hull and up into the aft part of the liner. I thought I’d be able to just hold it in place. And, of course, it slipped leaving me with an elongated hole too far forward. Looking at the plans, the tube comes thru the bottom of the hull and is glued ther and at the liner. No reinforcements on the hull bottom. So, me being me, I found a nice piece of hard balsa, drilled to fit, and then slid that over the tube, and used black ca on the bottom of the hull and used epoxy to glue the tube and block inside. I made the offending hole in the liner a little bigger, and once it was glued in i made up a plate to go over the tube, the glue the plate to the tube and topside of the liner. Before I could accomplish that, I had to mod the liner to accept my choice of brushless outrunner. Plus I had to cut the slot for the stuffing box. Once I had all that done, I tacked the tube in place with ca, made sure it was lined up, the used tape on the bottoms of the hull to keep excess epoxy from running out and then glued it home.skeg was installed at this time. Then I installed the modified liner. I made up my motor mount and installed it and the motor. I tacked the mount in place with the motor installed to make darn sure the motor, shaft and coupler were a slip fit with no binding, then I bonded the mount to the hull and liner. After that I installed the deck, and the spray rails. You’re supposed to cut the strip from tha plastic sheet, but I cheated and used some strip styrene I already had.
The superstructure has been started. I’ve got the aft bulkhead, aft bulkhead outside fairing doublers, cockpit and windbreak installed. At this point I have to measure the drawing on the plans to mark the windows, then tape 2mm strips in position, glue the strips and uprights at the window locations, cut away the unglued excess strip, then cut the windows out. I’ll probably get the locations marked this week, and get the horizontal strips taped down, then wait till this weekend to finish that job.
Cash