Blog

40'' Seaplane Tender, new build T

Aerial masts made and wheelhouse ribbing on. Acetate windows cut out (require painted trim around boarder (time to get out the BIG glasses) Tried the shafts out, wasn't expecting much and wasn't disappointed. Shafts are stainless but are soft, and look to have been turned, instead of being made of straight wire. Wondered why everything just about jumped out of the boat at high revs, turned out to be the shafts which looked like and were throwing themselves out by miles. Took them out and tried to roll them on the bench top, -ever tried to roll a banana?!. Managed to straighten the worst one about 90% but it was impossible to get it dead right as it had a spiral built in (quality Chinese machining). The bearings are crap as well and 'snatch' quite often (probably soft balls and slack clearance) but I'll replace them with some better quality NMB high speed ones if they don't last, and make shafts from 4mm silver steel or straight wire. The complete shafts didn't cost much (no more than the brass tube alone required from the LHS) so I'm not too worried. If I'd had a lathe I would have made my own with teflon bushes. The shafts would be fine on a slower revving model (0-5000rpm maybe) but they start flexing at around 8,000 (no load) where it all goes banana shaped. I've also removed the heat exchanger I fitted as I was running out of room for more important gadgets like sound (Just did it as an experiment, nothing serious (I'll do a quick sound demo vid soon, works well) When my lungs recover from 3 weeks of the black plague I'll paint the coamings and fit the windows, (still waiting for my grab-rail stanchions from CMB). Will make a start on the wheel house fitting out when I get time (need to find a wheel etc, -might have to haunt the toy stores).

5 years ago by jbkiwi