Place

Swiss Cottage MBC. Shoreham. West Sussex

Hi On the 20th May we are having a Fun Sail at the Swiss Cottage Shoreham on Sea Sussex Start time is 10.30am As our lake is in the grounds of a Public House this would make a good day out for all the family. In the grounds there are tables, a play area for the children, the pub has food from 12.00 alone with tea and coffee.

9 years ago by Spitfire99

Forum

soldering

Ok, needs some advise. I've purchased cooper tubing (1/8 sq & rnd, 1/16 rnd for building my air boat shrouds. I've also purchased a digit solder iron so that I can get accurate heat ranges. I've searched for "how to solder" on the subject, but have only found plumbing references. Would prefer to not use propane! Joints are expected to be contact joints, not one piece inside another. Would appreciate some feed back, wanting to get started, but not to waste material learning!😉

5 years ago by retirement-hobby

Blog

Enclosing the controls.

The original boat had a wide and deep seat at the back of the well deck and this is an ideal place to conceal the fuse, ESC and receiver. I started by setting out the components and marking an area sufficiently big enough to accommodate them all with room for the associated wiring and plumbing (water cooling for the ESC). A framework of obeche strip was formed on the floor and sides in such a way that the top and front panels of the cover would be flush with the frame, the side frames were also built out so that the cover would be narrow enough to clear the coamings on the sides of the well deck. The rear panels and floor of the enclosure are 1.5mm obeche panels, the rear one with cut-outs for the wiring to come through, both were given a coat of Teak stain before being glued in place. The cover ‘seat’ was made from a framework of obeche strip and panels with bracing pieces at each end to add rigidity and it fits neatly into the frame, some finishing detail was also added to this. This was also given a first coat of Teak stain. The cover will be held in place with small neodymium magnets.

5 years ago by robbob

Blog

Painting

I must admit that the painting process is not my favourite. it takes so long and time is always at a premium due to work commitments. I rush it a bit so that the build can continue. I fitted all of the windows into the deck structure and covered them with the low tack film. I then primed, two coats, painted, two coats followed by two coats of lacquer. I am quite pleased with the results even though it is not perfect. I decided not to fit the deck until all of the electronics, including the ESC, battery and receiver had been installed. This is because one of the big problems with this model is the lack of room to work in once the deck is in place. Another problem I encountered was the fitting of the tiller cranks onto the rudders. if the instructions are followed, it is almost impossible the adjust or remove them once the deck has been fitted. I solved the problem by reversing the cranks and bending the connecting wire to miss a bulkhead support. The screws can now be reached from the deck opening. I have now completed the majority of the painting and have started to assemble the remaining parts. Currently I am doing the wiring of the lighting and making a couple of circuit boards. There are a lot of wires involved so to reduce the amount I have decided to us e a common negative. (Cannot remember what this is called right now). There are still a lot of wires and they are mostly coming out from the cabin structure. I have decided to introduce some nine pin connectors to make cabin removal a lot easier. This is quite a big job and will take a little while. I really enjoy this bit. The results add that little bit of extra satisfaction when it all works as it should.🤓 The top search light assembly came as a bit of a surprise. it is manufactured from nickel silver plate and requires soldering together. Even though I am a precision engineer, I have not soldered a box since I was at school. Once I stopped burning my fingers with the heat, I quite enjoyed the assembly even though it would have been useful to have an extra hand and took the best part of today to complete.😤 I can honestly say that I have enjoyed most of this build and even though earlier on I was thinking to avoid Aero-naut models in the future, I have changed my mind. They are very cleverly designed. I expect to complete this model some time in March. That would be the first for me to complete in recent times even though I have two others on the go and one new one in its box ready for a Summer start.😊

5 years ago by MouldBuilder

Forum

1950s sea commander refurb.

This old sea commander was built by my dad in the mid 50's. With the help of the wife, we have started to repair and rebuild, the wife stripped it down. Doug (RNmunich) is rebuilding my taycol supermarine ready to fit into it. So far we have relaminated some of the hull boards and cabin sides. Sealed some of the sprung joints with 2 pack epoxy. Once that's had 48 hours hardening time I will rub down and coat the hull in glass cloth and Eze-Kote. I have 1 problem, the main cabin roof is missing and I don't have any plans to remake, so if anyone can help me please let me know. Thanks for reading, watch for updates in the coming weeks. Cheers Colin.

5 years ago by Colin H

Forum

1950s sea commander refurb.

Thanks for all your comments and input. What i really need now is a copy of the templates sheet so that i can cut some new parts to replace some of the missing ones . I have ordered a new rudder, and new plexi glass for the windows. Already in hand is an Mtronics Viper marine 25 amp ESC. 12 volt 7ah battery, Futaba 27 or 40 Mhz RX. Futaba servo. Just awaiting the motor from Doug (RN in Munich). We are going to repaint the Hull in White, Cabin sides in Dark Blue, Cabin roofs in White. The decks will be left as my dad made them, just cleaned and a fresh coat of varnish. the inside of the hull is well sealed already with bitumen (original) which is still allright. Next stage start rubbing down the hull ready for the glass cloth and Ezekote resin. at least i can do this indoors in the warm, workshop too d*** cold. Thats all for today shipmates, more to come, Cheers Colin.

5 years ago by Colin H

Forum

Help to indentify this tug please

Gary - have now got some details it would seem the description for the pic on the IWM website is incorrect as it describes it as a Tid tug - hence my searches were revealing nothing also now EMP makes sense - will start looking for suitable drawings plans etc - Tx Alan

5 years ago by al2612

Forum

Older Billings Models

That is a BB Samson II, using the same ABS hull as and Polar and as you state from the late 80's- beginning of the 90's. DMI and BB were competitors in the 60-80's and the wooden model names are often mixed up, between them. This at least in Denmark.

5 years ago by Tica

Forum

Older Billings Models

Happy new year to you to I would believe that the Samson is DMI Samson http://www.radiostyrt.no/forum/modellb%C3%A5ter/byggeprosjekter/51973-dmi-samson The yacht could be BB Neptun (I have a complete kit and a copy of the drawing on stock), or Sea King both is with ABS hull. It could also be DMI admiral. But I don't recall any DMI / BB yachts that was to be painted yellow. Regards Carsten

5 years ago by Tica

Forum

Older Billings Models

Hello Garth, happy new year to you too. I built Billing Sea Adler in the late ‘70s. About ten years ago I started Mary Anne but have yet to complete it. Somewhere I think I still have a 1970s Billing catalogue, I’ll try and look it out at some stage when I get a chance. Billing I think are very good models.

5 years ago by Brianaro

Blog

Deck, servo mount

Put together a pilot house based on some tugs I've seen. Just freelanced it as I went. I build a lot with styrene so I am used to just cutting and building. I use liquid styrene cement that fuses the materials together. See photo, will trim it out as I mount it, need to add some detail at roof and some Navigational lighting. Put on on 3mm plywood deck, same as hull bottom. The deck is also curved (proper term is SHEAR) and I started to build up some wood edge at the opening. Will sand everything well, then start sealing and priming all surfaces. Made a bracket for the rudder servo mount and an adjacent platform for the ESC and RX. Ordered two 6v 5ah SLA batteries. I will wire in parallel to stay with 6v and get 10ah. I like to stay with 6 volts as I want the motor to run slow like a tug should. Will wire in an in-line fuse. Haven't decided where I will put switch, up high somewhere to avoid water. I will show the wiring once I get to it. This build is going fast because it's a simple design, just what I was looking for. I work on it late afternoons and into the evening while I watch basketball games. About 4 hrs a day. Looking forward to building the hatch and getting some primer started tomorrow. Regards, Joe 👍

5 years ago by Joe727

Blog

1-35 Scale Schenllboot By TeeJay

Hi all for the second blog report on the schnellboot I am going to go over the rudder a propeller shaft assembly in more detail. The first stage was to make the rudders which were made of brass ,and having taken note of what has been said about the increase in size needed for the kit by other members I have increased the size of the rudders by 50% so that they have more effect and hopefully the boat will be more agile .I fitted 3mm treaded rod on to the rudder and in a 4mm flanged tube to reinforce the brass rod. The second stage was to make and fit 5mm flanged tube in the location for the rudders in the boat, these were made to be above the water line and will be sealed in place to reduce the possibility of leaks. These were fitted to a rudder platform inside the boat which was fitted to the kit moulding for the rubbing strip that runs the length on the boat and secured by making resin blocks which were fitted with computer extension nuts. which were then superglue in place to secure the rudder platform. The rudders were then fitted in place and held in position with the tiller collars which were made from 8mm rod and fitted the tiller arms and locked in place with 3mm computer screws and ni-lock nuts, a connecting plate was then fitted to connect the three tillers together, I also fitted rubberised washers to seal the rudder tubes. The third stage was to make the propeller supports. The centre support was a direct copy of the kit part made of brass and fitted to the kit with a plate and screws (this plate and the rudder plate were made from galvanised steel) and will sealed with resin after the I test the boat for leaks. The port and starboard supports were made by taking the kit parts and cutting them in have along the joint line or mould seam this gave me a template ,which I used to make cross-section segments but I did alter the template by increasing the boss diameter to 10mm and extending the support legs so that the finished support could be fitted through the hull (the picture of these show the mk1 version where I forgot to allow for the 4mm prop shaft which has a 6mm tube) any way the boss of these segments were drilled out with a 7mm drill and a length of 7mm brass tube fitted through the boss to assemble the segments, all of which were coated in soldering flux at this stage of the assembly which were riveted at both ends to hold it all together during soldering, after soldering the supports were then filed to the size and shape to resemble the kit parts as close as possible and fitted to the hull using a superglue and talcum powder mix and then I cast resin around the extensions to secure the prop supports in place. The fourth stage is the propeller shaft housing for the centre propeller housing I place a brass rod in a plastic straw and place in position in hull and using resin I sealed the hull with the rod in place this gave me a pilot hole for the centre prop shaft after I removed the brass rod. For the port and starboard shafts I used the kit parts which had hole place when assembled, this when I reinforced the housings ,the centre housing I glue 2mm of plasticard on each side and for the port and starboard I made a brass tube shroud which covered the housings which left gaps between the kit part and the brass which was filled by casting resin in the gap this increased the diameter to 10 mm so that there were little chance of breaking throw with the drill and finished these off by fill-in the outside with body filler and sanded to shape and finish . I then drilled through the pilot hole in the housings using very long extended drills and a wheel brace ( if I had use a power drill the heat would have melted the plastic of the kit and may have caused problems) I drill the shaft housings out 6mm them filed them out with 6mm file so that I could insert a length of 6mm brass tube. After all this was done I fitted a flanged bush made from 7mm tube and 2mm brass plate turned to 11mm to the ends or the propeller shaft housings. And now it is time I must ask for some help could anyone advise me on the length of propeller shafts, I know I can use a 300mm shaft for the centre shaft, but port and starboard will have to be longer. and I also need advice on selecting the motors, I want to use 4mm prop shaft with 35mm propellers. Any opinions welcome.

6 years ago by teejay

Forum

My other hobby

Just recalled one of my weirder experiences on a commercial flight! Was also on the memorable trip to Uganda end of the 80ies, just after idi Amin had left the stage! Was on a hop from Nairobi to Kampala (Entebbe). Aircraft was a venerable Boeing 727of Kenya Airways. Had a funny feeling climbing aboard as I saw the oil streaks over the wings and underside of the fuselage. The smell inside and state of the floor was more like a public toilet than a commercial aircraft.😡 After taking my window seat I was joined by a large 'native' Momma, who took up the remaining two seats in the row, and then I realised why the floor was as it was.😲 She plumped herself down with a big grin all round and carefully settled a large wooden crate with slats on her expansive lap! The crate was full of LIVE CHICKENS!!!!!!!!!!!! At first my ghast was absolutely flabbered😲 I expected that next someone would start building a fire to roast one, but it turned out to be quite funny and even useful! When the 'In flight meal' arrived it looked to me like old British Rail sandwiches (banana shaped) that they had sold on around 1960! I spent the rest of the flight feeding them to the chickens to the delight of 'Momma' and others around us, not to mention the chickens 😁 If you fly around long enough, and to off beat places, all sorts of odd things can happen! 😉 Priceless memories 😊 Cheers all, Doug 😎

5 years ago by RNinMunich

Forum

All hooked up, nowt happens...

You're as BAD as me Boaty 😉 but I had a Rover 2000 with fully reclining seats back then - no problem 😁 Re 3 wires on a brushless. Simply put, this is analogous to a 3 phase AC motor (such as used in bathroom extractor fans etc). If you apply a single phase AC voltage to an AC motor it just twitches backwards and forwards in the same place as the voltage crosses from the positive to the negative half cycle. Thus 3 phases are applied giving 3 'shoves' in sequence to keep things moving. A starter capacitor is also needed to give the motor a 'belt' to shove it off. Similarly with a brushless: the ESC senses where the motor armature is in relation to the magnet poles and applies a DC pulse to the next armature coil in sequence. When you shove the throttle up the pulse width lengthens applying a longer shove and thus more energy and speed. Pulling the throttle back with a reversible ESC just turns the pulse train upside down so that negative DC pulses are applied to the motor, reversing the magnetic field created in the armature and thus the rotation. Simple really. It's the sensing and timing done inside the ESC that's the tricky bit, which is why we had to wait about a hundred years from the invention of the AC motor (Nikolai Tesla) until we could use them in models - thanks to micro-electronics. Here endeth today's seminar 😁😁 Happy brushlessing Folks, cheers, Doug 😎 Hmmm, perhaps that's why electric toothbrushes use brushed motors! 😁😜

6 years ago by RNinMunich

Blog

Vintage Model Works 46'' RAF Crash Tender

Here's the history bit so pay attention... Many years ago as a boy in the fifth year of my north London secondary school, circa 1971, our woodwork class was given the option to make something of our own choice. Having mastered the majority of joints, wood turning, finishing techniques and the making of table lamps, stools and bookshelves etc. this seemed a good idea, so myself and a fellow classmate and model making chum asked if we could construct a model boat. The teacher, on hearing that it was to be from a kit and not from scratch was a little surprised but agreed. So my friend and I jointly invested about 20 quid in an Aerokits 34.5 inch RAF Crash Tender from Blunts' model shop in Mill Hill (long since gone like many others) and we set about construction during lesson time and sometimes at break times. I recall we used "Cascamite" to glue it all together on the advice of the woodwork teacher because neither 'Scotch' glue nor PVA was suited to marine construction. Good progress was made over the course of our last year at school but it was never fully completed, only requiring painting, running gear and detailing. My friend decided that he needed to withdraw from the project as he was enrolling in a college away from home to study for a career in the merchant navy and I agreed to buy out his share and continue with the project. And so it was that I carried on with the painting and installing the running gear which consisted of a 1.5 cc marine diesel engine, water pickup, prop shaft and rudder and a MacGregor radio system with a stick for steering and a single button for speed control. The engine and radio came from Michael's Models in Finchley (also long gone) for £20 as my elder brother, who had started a Saturday job there, was able to get a staff discount for me. The diesel engine was noisy and smelly and a pig to start with a leather thong around the flywheel and I decided to abandon this means of propulsion (I foolishly ran it for slightly too long 'dry' and melted the soldering around the brass water jacket!). By now I had graduated from my part time job in Woolies to an engineering apprentice with Post Office Telephones and my new income of 20 quid per week could support my modelling and electronics hobbies after my contribution to the household for my keep. So off to the model shop to buy a Taycol Supermarine electric motor, two 12v volt lead acid batteries and a suitable charger. The diesel came out and was sold on Exchange & Mart and the mount and coupling re-made to accommodate the new Taycol motor. What an improvement that was! I can't remember now what speed controller or servo I used but whatever it was did the job, and it went like the clappers on Friary Park boating lake (also long since gone) even though the radio control system was a bit crude with the non-proportional steering and 'blip' throttle control. The boating took a back seat when I acquired my driving licence and my first car (a rusty old Cortina Mk 1) and I also got involved in sound recording for radio. I decided to sell the boat and bits for £60 through Exchange & Mart and bought an Akai 4000DS tape recorder and a 'Chilton' audio mixer, built a home studio and along with a good mate of mine started making radio commercials for the new commercial radio stations including London's Capital Radio. We even won a 'Campaign' advertising award for one of our efforts! And so after several years as a 'phone engineer I moved into professional recording for A/V and broadcast and then into TV production. Fast forward to today. Semi-retired with grand kids and with more free time on my hands I still had an interest in model making so in Jan 2016 went to the Model Engineer exhibition at nearby 'Ally Pally'. It was there that I saw an RAF crash tender just like the one I built all those years ago and got into conversation with the chap on the stand. This re-ignited my model making interests and I researched the hobby and that model in particular.

8 years ago by robbob

Forum

Equipment wire

Hello, try looking for old 25way data cables at your local car boot sale. The cores are multi-coloured and very thin. Most LEDs only use a breath of current to drive them so you won't start a fire! Here's a tip about dropper resistors for LEDs: put them at the power supply end where you can tie them down securely. Also, the formula for finding the resistance you need is: R equals Volts(supply) minus Volts needed by LED (Vf) divided by the required LED current (If). So, say 12V supply, 2V LED wanting 15mA = 12-2=10/.015 = 666.667, so you'd use the nearest value above, which would be 680ohms. Easy! The size of the resistor in watts/milliwatts is found by I(current) times E(volts), so 10X.015=.15W, or 150mW. Hope I'm not teaching an old sea dog new tricks! Starting a new Firefloat - oh boy.😲

6 years ago by b111yboy71

Blog

1-35 scale S100 schennllboot

Hi all for the second blog report on the schenllboot I am going to go over the rudder an propeller shaft assembly in more detail. The first stage was to make the rudders which were made of brass ,and having taken note of what has been said about the increase in size needed for the kit by other members I have increased the size of the rudders by 50% so that they have more effect and hopefully the boat will be more agile .I fitted 3mm treaded rod on to the rudder and in a 4mm flanged tube to reinforce the brass rod. The second stage was to make and fit 5mm flanged tube in the location for the rudders in the boat , these were made to be above the water line and will be sealed in place to reduce the possibility of leaks. These were fitted to a rudder platform inside the boat which was fitted to the kit moulding for the rubbing strip that runs the length on the boat and secured by making resin blocks which were fitted with computer extension nuts .which were then superglue in place to secure the rudder platform. The rudders were then fitted in place and held in position with the tiller collars which were made from 8mm rod and fitted the tiller arms and locked in place with 3mm computer screws and ni-lock nuts, a connecting plate was then fitted to connect the three tillers together, I also fitted rubberised washers to seal the rudder tubes. The third stage was to make the propeller supports. The centre support was a direct copy of the kit part made of brass and fitted to the kit with a plate and screws (this plate and the rudder plate were made from galvanised steel)and will sealed with resin after the I test the boat for leaks. The port and starboard supports were made by taking the kit parts and cutting them in have along the joint line or mould seam this gave me a template ,which I used to make cross-section segments but I did alter the template by increasing the boss diameter to 10mm and extending the support legs so that the finished support could be fitted through the hull (the picture of these show the mk1 version where I forgot to allow for the 4mm prop shaft which has a 6mm tube) any way the boss of these segments were drilled out with a 7mm drill and a length of 7mm brass tube fitted through the boss to assemble the segments, all of which were coated in soldering flux at this stage of the assembly which were riveted at both ends to hold it all together during soldering, after soldering the supports were then filed to the size and shape to resemble the kit parts as close as possible and fitted to the hull using a superglue and talcum power mix and then I cast resin around the extensions to secure the prop supports in place. The forth stage is the propeller shaft housing for the centre propeller housing I place a brass rod in a plastic straw and place in position in hull and using resin I sealed the hull with the rod in place this gave me a pilot hole for the centre prop shaft after I removed the brass rod. For the port and starboard shafts I used the kit parts which had hole place when assembled, this when I reinforced the housings ,the centre housing I glue 2mm of plasticard on each side and for the port and starboard I made a brass tube shroud which covered the housings which left gaps between the kit part and the brass which was filled by casting resin in the gap this increased the diameter to 10 mm so that there were little chance of breaking throw with the drill and finished these off by fill-in the outside with body filler and sanded to shape and finish . I then drilled through the pilot hole in the housings using very long extended drills and a wheel brace ( if I had use a power drill the heat would have melted the plastic of the kit and may have caused problems) I drill the shaft housings out 6mm them filed them out with 6mm file so that I could insert a length of 6mm brass tube. After all this was done I fitted a flanged bush made from 7mm tube and 2mm brass plate turned to 11mm to the ends or the propeller shaft housings. And now it is time I have to ask for some help could any one advise me on the length of propeller shafts , I know I can use a 300mm shaft for the centre shaft but port and starboard will have to be longer . and I also need advice on selecting the motors , I want to use 4mm prop shaft with 35mm propellers. Any opinions welcome.

6 years ago by teejay

Response

Spraying Again.......

Hi Neville, Check out my Sea Scout 'Jessica' renovation blog for how to achieve good paint finish! 'Wet n dry' is the ONLY way to go. Right from the priming stage. it stops the 'riding' you describe and the generation of flying dust which is anathema to any paint or varnish finish, but you do have to clean and re-wet the paper and the object you are sanding from time to time!!! Any mistakes at that stage will carry through to the top coats and still be visible 😡 Don't quite understand how you created 'mouths'. I'm wondering if you sprayed too close and/or too heavy!? Your apparently exorbitant paint consumption seems to hint at this🤔 For the record; I started with 240 on the primer/filler for my Sea Scout and worked up through 400, 600, 1000, and 2000 and 3000 for the final top coats and deck varnish. All 'Wet', with a few drops of liquid soap added at the top coat stages, i.e. from the 1000 stage. At the end I polish with a mild cutting polish 'Anti hologram' they call it here, from the auto industry. Tedious I agree and a generous dollop of patience is required (the 'Secret ingredient' I have often mentioned here 😉 But when you see the result it warms the cockles and makes it all worthwhile.😊 Happy spraying, cheers, Doug 😎 BTW; for the blue on my Sea Scout hull I used a 400ml rattle can for several coats (more than three in the end) and there's still some left ! BTW2; For masking I use Tamiya tape for nice crisp edges. Fill in behind that with 'normal' fine masking tape and newspaper.

6 years ago by RNinMunich

Response

Rudders and Propellers

BTW; I copied your above massive text block into a document file and split it up into paragraphs so I could see where you're at! My conclusion: so far so good BUT! You made the one classic mistake of many model boat / ship builders 🤔 You continued the prop shaft tube right back to the propeller and hence you had to make oversize struts to support them. This is fundamental wrong and creates unnecessary work.😉 On real ships, including the Schnellboote, the so called 'stuffing tube' is JUST THAT, it 'stuffs' the shaft through the hull and includes stuffing glands to prevent the ingress of sea water. Outside the hull ONLY the rotating shaft itself continues on through the bearing in the support strut and to the prop. See attached pics of my HMS Belfast as an example. There was actually no reason for you to make oversize strut bearings, simply bushes to match your prop SHAFT not the tube would have been correct. Inside the real ship there is also NO TUBE, only bearings at suitable intervals. They look like gigantic versions of the big ends in your car. Imagine on really big ships, carriers, container ships, bulk tankers etc, with shaft diameters of 1metre or so how big the 'tube' would be, how much weight that would add and how difficult it would be to service and maintain! I've often noticed in posts here that folk confuse shaft and tube, often referring to the whole assembly as 'the shaft'. For convenience we modellers use prop tubes, who wants to fiddle about making a row of internal shaft bearings no one will ever see and will most likely never be really concentric? The downside is that continuing this 'convenience' outside the hull is wrong, adds weight and detracts from the scale appearance of the model. 😭 OK, it's 3am here now so - orf me 'obby 'orse and up (in my case down!) the wooden stairs to Bedfordshire, G'night all, cheers, Doug😎 Re shaft length: What fits fits, what don't don't! Such a question is like asking 'How long is a piece of string?'! If all three motors abreast won't fit you have to decide if the central motor should / will fit fore or aft of the outer motors. Then measure / adjust the shaft length accordingly. Before you start fitting the centre motor check what length shafts are commercially available and adjust your motor fit to suit. Otherwise make your own shafts and tubes to fit as required, as I've started doing cos I got fed up with 'standard sizes' wot don' wanna fit my ship. 🤔 G'night All, cheers, Doug 😎

6 years ago by RNinMunich

Forum

A Tragic Tale Unfolds

About a month ago I came across a wooden model of a Side Trawler by the name of ‘Maartje’ dating from what I assume was the Sixties. It is 84 cm long (33 inches) with a beam of 19cm (7.75 inches). The then owner had found it in a poor state and had reconstructed and painted to a large degree, but then turned to model trains. It was not known whether it was a ‘kit’ or ‘scratch’ built but he had however found it was a model of a boat, UK 223, lost with all hands in the North Sea off Texel (NL) in 1967 thought to be registered in Diss UK.. I am aware that such a tragedy is not uncommon with sea fishermen but I had never come across a model of such a boat. I had some time on my hands so I started to make enquiries and I was surprised how helpful people were. I had contacted the Dutch Embassy in UK, the Press Association in Netherlands and the Texel Tourist Information Centre. Within a very short time I had responses not just from those sources but also from others they had contacted. A major response was from the Embassy with the names of the crew of five, some were never recovered and important, was information from the Harbour Master of the Port of Urk, Netherlands confirming the boat was registered there and who then contacted the son of the captain of the ‘Maartje’ and gave him my contact details. I am pleased to say the captain’s son Jauwk contacted me and we are now in frequent communication. So we now know the date of the loss, the sea area, weather conditions names of the crew and results of the enquiry. Also very personal and emotional information including the fact that two of the crew were father and son and that the captain’s wife was carrying his son, Jauwk at the time of the loss. You never know what this hobby may lead you into. NPJ.

6 years ago by NPJ

Forum

Pretend deck planking

Thanks for the reply. Had already sussed the curved planks but think I will stick to a simple join to the king plank. Just bought some fibre tip pens 0.3mm which should do the job. So, seal and sand the ply first?...the ink would track into the grain otherwise. Doing it before fitting means you can bin it if not happy or turn it over and start again.

6 years ago by steve-d

Forum

Another toy pond yacht????

Well Martin, the cloth is full of small holes and when I tried to put them on the seams started to give way. Also I think there should be some lead attached to the keel, there are hole in it and a feint shading difference about an inch wide along the bottom edge both sides. Cheers Colin.

6 years ago by Colin H

Forum

Kingsmere Model Boat Club

Sorry no photos ,but I remember back in the late 60's early 70's spending some enjoyable Sunday afternoons sitting by the pond with my wife and children watching the straight running events against the Victoria club I believe,so that and seeing a guy with radio control air sea rescue launch got me started building model boats something which I had last done as a nipper.Does the King's mere club still exist,last time I went by the pond a few years back it had shrunk in size and was very overgrown around the edges.

6 years ago by Ray

Forum

Taycol Supemarine Resurrection

Hi Colin, re your post in the scale speed thread- "I've got spare Viper marine 25 amp. So hopefully that will do. Also would you recommend a reduction box to give a fair scale speed as I don't want to overwork the motor." The Viper will be fine, I'll probably be using a little Viper Marine 10 on my Taycol Target in the fish cutter. Re gearbox: I doubt one is necessary. I would try to adjust the top speed more with the prop, mainly the pitch probably. The Supermarine is not particularly hi-revving, 4000 or so off load? if you reduce that your Sea Commander may behave more like a tug I suspect If you do decide to go that way PLEASE don't ask me to make it😁, I'm having enough trouble with the 1to1 gearing for my fish cutter😲 Good luck with bathroom and OP. Fingers crossed for you that the works DO start in 6 weeks (the bathroom I mean!) 😉 Cheers, Doug 😎

6 years ago by RNinMunich

Media

ASR 64 ft RNZAF HSL W1. R/C vid 3

British Power Boat 64 ft RNZAF HSL scratch built 36" R/C model with twin systems including sound. Brushless 2000kv w/cooled (pump) in-runners, 30A car ESCs, 2200mah 2s LiPos remote lights etc. Started off in 1940, new with the RNZAF and had many modifications over the years till decommissioned, including machinery reduced to twin 671 Greymarine GMs (from the original 3x 500hp Napier Sea Lions) which were finally removed around 7yrs ago and replaced with a single 650hp GM Detroit 8v92T1 (still does 20 knots in its latest configuration ! - see this on the photo gallery of this model) This boat is in far better condition than the ex Phil Clabburn restoration of HSL 102 (he didn't have much to start with) and the hull has never had any major rebuild apart from being glassed to the W/L. Even today there is no way most people would pick it for 80yrs old. Those hulls never age! (ie some of the beautiful 'Whale Back' conversions still around)

6 years ago by jbkiwi

Forum

motor sizeing

Hi Jim I used a Hobbyking D3548/4 1100kv , a car ESC (hk60A-SL)(electric fan on top for cooling), program card(HK PROG-CARD) and a 40mm 2blade prop(test out the one on the boat first). Battery a 3s 5800mah 30C Lipo. This is in my Sea Commander and gives a good turn of speed with a long run time. ESC set up:- 1 Cutoff Voltage for 3S=10.2 and 4S=13.6 2 Start Power Percent=5% 3 Advance Timing=4 4 Run Mode=2 5 Brake Force=1 6 Drag Brake Force=1 7 Neutral Range=1 8 initial Brake Force=1 9 Reverse Force=1 Canabus

6 years ago by canabus

Forum

EarlyVosper M.T.B by Simplas

Hi Onetenor Fuji 15 was a good glow engine which I don't think it is manufactured any more. Aero version max B.H.P was just below .40 when tested. if it was in a model aircraft it would have been around .20 to .25 depending on prop size which was good then for a small capacity glowplug . Marine versions when on the water put out a little less and the water cooled jacket was never as efficient as the finned cylinder jacket of the aero version. My two Aerokits boats, the Sea Commander and the Crash Tender are powered by single Speed 600 motors running on either 8.4 or 9.6 volt Ni Mh batteries. Performance is equal to that of marine diesel power such as the 2.46 Ed Racer and D.C 2.46 Rapier, the latter I used to watch in the fast steering events in the early 1960s at Fleetwood and Coronation Park in Crosby just outside Liverpool. Taycol powered versions would be obviously slower due to the additional weight were far more reliable and you did not have to put up with injuries from excessive use of a starting cord with kids watching and "extracting the urine" shouting "why wont it go mister". Boaty

6 years ago by boaty

Blog

Rebuild starts

Well it has been a while but I can now continue with the renovation. I have purchased most of the weaponry from Battlecraft and I must say that I am impressed with the quality. I will add pictures of these later in the build. I have started to prime all of the wood. Removal of the final areas of the original paint was a task but I got there in the end. I have applied sanding sealer and rubbed it down with 1000 grit wet and dry. it is starting to look and feel quite smooth. Have you built the 50cal guns yet Doug? I would like to buy some but I am concerned that they might be a little brittle for me to handle.🤔 Just a couple of questions to ask before I get on. Can I have suggestions as to who supplies good quality wooden kits to build at reasonable prices. I need to consider my next project. I want to buy a 0.8mm air brush for the larger areas as I am finding 0.5mm too small. I have my eyes on an Iwata HP-EP. This is for sale on ebay new at £122. Are there any suggestions for a better and or cheaper solution. Thanks.🤓

6 years ago by MouldBuilder

Blog

Now Coating and Matting

On to Coating and Matting. (as well as sanding!) Now have at least finished all the stripping. Then did the ‘bright light in the hull bit’ to look for areas that needed patching. The major problem area was in the bow and that did not receive the light as it is a totally blanked off compartment. However, it was obvious from the outside anyway so, could I assume it was the only leak? Decided to put a fine matt over the whole hull, not deck, just to be sure of best chance of success. I can imagine what will be said here if it still leaks after all this! I had ordered some supplies ready for the next stage and drew up a plan view of the boat to help think through layout of electrics and other items. Made my usual mistakes about size. Some fittings purchased too small………However, never too large now that’s interesting. Some materials purchased too large. Now have a life’s worth of Resin……(when does it ‘go off’ by?) Also have a lounge floors worth of tissue matting! Also Sandpaper. Now there is a mine field. So now I know a bit more about that and which way the numbers work! When I forgot to put the mask on, I had some of the crispest 'bogies' in years.............. No images posted! On the plus side, although I never wanted to get into this stripping sanding, filling sanding, sealing sanding, matting sanding, painting sanding, painting, sanding bit……………. I now feel I started out with someone’s boat I had bought and now it has become “my boat” for real! I am at the stage now where I have put some filler in and applied the first coat of Eze-Kote from DeLuxe Materials To use Eze-kote read stuff from RNinMunich on this blog or the’ leaking boat’ thread. Washes out of the brushes very easily. There is such as this ..... Youtube link - watch?v=yP05qv3QtUk RNinMunich or Colin H. and the like have bits of extra comment and experience that is always very helpful. BTW, after that finer sanding before first coat, I did the dust down and vacuuming bit but it still felt a bit ‘chalky’ so I gave it a wipe with Methylated Spirits. Now I realise that has water in it, so if anything goes wrong it could be blamed on that................. Having left the first coat to dry I started to cut out the light matt to apply after the next sanding. The matting I have is called Glassfibre Surface Tissue EGlass from FibreGlass Direct. A part of Tricel Composites (NI) Limited. Available internationally in lengths from a metre upwards, it is quite fine in weave so we shall see what happens. I have left quite a wide margin at the moment but may reduce that when I have tried using it! This is another first for me so plenty of room for mistakes............... Will need to cover with the matt in stages as I cannot get around all the boat without changing its position. Going for the bottom of the vessel and stern board first as I figure they are going to be easier than some of the other bits. Then will leave that to cure before moving the boat. Really worried about the joins/overlaps and how well I will cope with those, not to mention the curved bit! Started to look at electrics and layout for a bit of a change. I will post again when I have had the first battles with the matting! TTFN. NPJ

6 years ago by NPJ

Forum

54'' long Cervia tug.

See my boat harbour basically it was bought from pontins model makers festival 40 years ago the hull was made by a model maker. I have photos of his boat. He then produced hulls for sale from the mold and my Dad bought one he spent 9 years making a sealion 4 cylinder petrol engine and it was meant to be petrol electric hybrid generator. The start of the deck work was started by my Dad but was left unfinished for all this time. I have photos of the origional from slide photos my Dad took when I was 4 or 5.

6 years ago by Novagsi0

Response

Range Safety Launch?

Hi Neville, I recognise the 'I want it all and I want it now syndrome' cropping up again😉 Wev'e been down this road before haven't we!? You don't have any "structural' problems. The original builder simply cheated and covered over the 'back bay' instead of fitting it out. And - Why do you want to mess with the cabin tops? To get the boat going for some fun just leave the superstructure like that for now and think about it and fiddle with it in the winter. The deck looks fine from the photos. Just flat off with some 1000/1500 grit wet & dry and give it a spray of medium sea grey and finish with satin or matt varnish. After you've fixed and repainted the hull. If you do all we've said to fix the hull, and apply the fix up to the joint of hull and deck there will be as good as no chance that the deck will leak. When all is said and done YOU saw the boat before you bought it and YOU had a specific purpose in mind apparently. Namely; some quick fun. Soooo - fix the hull, have some fun learning to drive it, and leave the fiddly bits and embellishments until the 'closed season'. Then you can deliberate and decide if you want to restore it as an RSL or convert it into something more exotic. Looking forward to your cogitations on the electrical layout😉 What Action bits are you thinking of using? BTW: if you had a fire at all with the heat gun either you have it too hot, turn it down to about 300 -350°C, or you're hanging about too long in one place. The gun should only be just hot enough to start the paint surface bubbling up. ATB Doug

6 years ago by RNinMunich

Forum

Brass bashin' Chris Craft deck fittings...

I was just searching for a model car pattern I made months ago for some mods and I found all the lovely etchings I'd done years ago, pre computer, for Riva and Chris-Craft models. These two pics show two brass patterns for the Riva vents and two of the white metal cast vents, one polished about 20 years ago, one done just now, to show that a well burnished casting will stay looking chrome even without lacquer. Then the two Chris Craft tread plates I had the great, good forethought to draw when I found I had a bit of space on the Riva fret. They are perfect, as are the Chris-Craft side flashes and all the Riva badges, even though they were done from hand drawn artwork, proving that Vector images are NOT essential as the pootah people will tell you. I shall mount these two on the typically wedge shaped base and have them cast. I also found a FUEL engraved cap cover which will go on my Chris-Craft filler. it happens to be bang on size wise! I'm cock ahoop! I knew I had these, but had no idea where to start looking. Thanks Mel for getting me started on the search for your Tecno F2 car, but sorry, couldn't find that devil. I have made some more Vincent bits, been to son's to play on his new steering wheel and pedals racing game ( I managed a whole lap of the proper Silverstone in a Lotus 25!) and dined out with the lady wife. What a great day. Martin

6 years ago by Westquay

Forum

Martin's Taycol Conversion Boards

Howdy Ed, Yep, will do. Have taken some pics along the way. Mast lights and searchlight are working. Red/Green Nav lights fitted (had to spray the roof the right colour first - white not grey!) but not wired up yet. About to do that now. After that the two aft facing Towing lights and deck flood lights. Also discovered that there should be two deck lights P&S of the main cabin😉 Will need the miniscule chip LEDs for those - Now, where did I put my microscope🤓🤔 In fact while researching I found there's a whole list of 'bits' missing. Not least the Life Raft, which should be behind the wheelhouse!!😲 (In God we trust - But just in case we want a Life Raft 😁) Have also started drafting new decals with the correct owner's logo and fonts. The wiring is only a lash up at the moment to check that everything works. As soon as I'm happy, with resistors an' all, I'll fit some mini connectors. More soon, (in a different thread cos this will bore the pants off Martin. A NO Lights Man!) That reminds me of a banner I once saw above the RAF Controllers at the London Air Traffic Control Centre. "RAF controllers do it in the dark" 😲😉 The civil side was brightly lit, other side of the wall the RAF guys had minimal desk lighting only. Cheers, Doug 😎

6 years ago by RNinMunich

Blog

Chris-Craft Special Runabout

OK, you know and I know that this is an Aerokits Sea Hornet, BUT, with a little reworking, it becomes a very passable Chris Craft Special (sometimes Custom) Runabout. One cockpit, long engine deck. I think it suits the Sea Hornet shape and proportions very well. Generally, I think too much is expected to be going on with a basic Hornet and the deck furniture is too simplistic. Also, don't be tempted to call this one a barrel back They had one continuous curve right over the transom from chine to chine, whereas this hull and the Special Runabout had a break, albeit a small one at the deck level. Anyway, I redecked the Hornet with 1/16th" ply, leaving the engine hatch long. I also had to make a small hatch at the stern to service the tiller and its connection. Then I realised I would never be able to get to the two starboard screws that hold the steering servo in, so a wee hatch went in over them too. That will be held in with a small magnet and just popped up from inside the engine 'ole hatch. Because the hull needed filling and various repairs, I decided to paint it, but veneer plank the deck. many Chris-Crafts were painted and I think this one in a nice off-white with a varnished Mahogany and pear deck will look just the job with nickel plated deck furniture, made in brass and nickel silver and plated in nickel to look like chrome in scale. Chrome is a) difficult to get these days and b) too bright and garish on a model. The hull has been epoxied and rubbed down then brush panted heavily with cellulose primer surfacer. This rubs down a treat ready for a sprayed enamel top coat or three. Cheers, Martin

6 years ago by Westquay

Forum

Cheap motor for a quick fit, but what prop gents?...

Thanks, Doug, the blue brushless is held by something that grabs the smaller cylinder and the rest spins round, ergo, outrunner. if I ever make a lightweight I might try one in there. The brushed 400 I will try in the Sea Hornet. Gotta be worth a try. And that Simprop should be OK for it, n'est ce pas? What concerns me is the lack of sizes available in props. They all seem to start at 35mm which might be a little too hefty for the 400, but I can't find a 30mm anywhere. I also found the Hornet II I carved a while back with a view to getting it scanned for frame sections, so that's another wee job to finish off. I am looking forward to doing that one. Cheers, Martin

6 years ago by Westquay

Forum

Billing Boats St Canute Update

Hello everyone, it’s been a while since l made a post about my ongoing model St Canute, mainly due to the heatwave we’ve just been through, however l have just completed laying the decking strips, which l have to admit was going well until the last few strips to the edge, boy oh boy did l struggle. I jumped the instructions as they do say to plank the hull first. At times l just sat there looking at the decking trying to get a reasonable edge and curve. I have attached some photos which some of you professional model makers will spot the errors, but it’s the best l can do so long am pretty pleased with the outcome. I have a question, should l now apply some sanding sealer to the deck strips? l am just a bit worried not to sand the deck strips too much. Any advice would be very much appreciated. I guess now l must start with the hull planking which l am apprehensive about, but hey ho it has to been done. Thanks everyone l will keep you updated from time to time, if anyone out there is also building this Billing Boat st Canute l would love to hear from you. Cheers everyone, Richard.

6 years ago by Richard7

Response

Range Safety Launch?

It might be worth noting that all RAF RSL's were were numbered starting with 16, all the 43ft RSL's were 1640 - 1668, the 41ft 6in RSLs were converted Seaplane Tenders, that were re-designated. they also started with 16 but were lower numbers, with the exception of 1646 and 1647 for some reason. The seaplane tender conversion was actually faster than their successors, 23Kts compared to 20kts (if you were really lucky) but generally about 18Kts. http://www.rafboats.co.uk/rsl43.html this is a a good reference.👍

6 years ago by colindavies

Response

Rear Deck assembly –(upper tow deck)

Hi Gents I have found this build fascinating including robbob's build. I have one these to build but will be doing an Aerokits Sea Commander first. As these designs go back to the 60's and were designed by Les Rowe ( I know I had one with an ED Racer in it.) So I will be referring back to this quite a bit. Will start a build blog on it. Shouldn't be to difficult busy changing my model engineering workshop to build boats. Model Engineering too expensive now boiler for my Springbok cost close GBP 1 300.00 alpne 😊😊. Trouble is I am importing all parts from UK etc. Between royal snail mail and SA post office I need to order any requirements in advance.

6 years ago by Ianh

Forum

Aerokits MTB, what is it?...

Hi Martin, a few ELCOs were used in the European theatre, they were USN standard Navy Medium Grey. Or RN medium Sea Grey depending who used 'em. Most were deployed in the Pacific, where during the day they hid under the foliage in inlets on the islands. Hence the crews started painting them green (whatever they could 'acquire', as in the pics of the restored boat in the link I sent. Which is what I intend to do with mine. A la PT109 Kennedy's boat. Crew have already reported for duty😉 Some more info on colours here http://www.ptboatworld.com/PT_Boat_Info/colorschemes.htm Sorry, got me link references mixed up! Archive getting toooo BIG 😲 Here's the link to the restored boat in Battleship Cove USA with tremendous detail http://www.williammaloney.com/Aviation/PTBoat/index.htm Cheers, Doug 😎

6 years ago by RNinMunich

Forum

LED Tug Mast Navigation Lights

Hi, Doug: Thank you once again for answering my questions. I especially like your response & comments about HE tug’s factory-installed motors. I think the “heart of the machine” for my tug is perfectly fine. I’d rather add detail to the model, over time & within reason, to make the boat look as realistic as possible without becoming so delicate that I’d be afraid to put it in the car for a drive to the lake. Continuing on, I’d like to get your comments about my latest idea for adding connectors to the wiring that runs from my tug’s circuit board to the various lights & components in the deck house & pilot house. This is something I can do with or without my proposed new LED Mast Navigation Lights to add the convenience of being able to completely disconnect & separate the Deck House/Pilot House from the circuit board/Deck House bottom cover assembly. This will make detailing the upper works much easier because it won’t be tethered to the circuit board by (16) wires. The circuit board holes where the (10) Search Light, Port & Starboard Sidelight & Aft Deck Light wires are soldered are equally spaced at 0.10” (2.5mm). I can tag & desolder the wires, insert a 10-pin HS male socket & solder it to the board. Then I can connect the wires to the male plug. I can do the same thing with the (6) wires that run to the Pilot House Light, Smoke Generator & Smoke Pump. What do you think? if you find that powering & controlling the new LED Navigation Lights on the Mast the way I’d like to can’t be done, the circuit board connectors still make sense. Or am I AWOL from reality...again? Thanks, Pete

6 years ago by PittsfieldPete

Blog

Hellen Fishing Boat

Hi All This year I bought an unstarted kit, but, sold it to a club member. A month later one of the club member wish to swap for a faster boat and as my Sea Commander required a repaint and fittings. I thought a swap for a very good working Hellen was a good deal. So are making a dingy and replacing the broken prop with a brass one I had my second Hellen for the year. Three weeks ago another Hellen pops up on Gumtree(aka EBAY), so it was to cheap not to buy it. While waiting for it to come, I made a new stand, a dingy with oars and a set of fenders. When it arrive the mast where laying on the deck broken, but , the posted pics show that. The motor is a 11 to 1 geared MFA Como 919 D which runs OK. A spare new plastic prop. Started on the repairs, like the keel and deck around the mast bases. The aft mast was broken in half, so I brass sleeved it. The aft sail was missing and the forward sail was all glued up, so I bin it. So this is the boat pics so far. Canabus

6 years ago by canabus

Forum

Sea Queen

Can anyone help!! I am in the process of restoring an Old Sea Queen and have nearly finished it. I need to know what the running lights look like (Port & Starboard) and any other fittings (Lights ,Horn etc) Sid🤓

6 years ago by sidley70

Blog

Emily P II

EmilyPII left my Harbour yesterday and has headed north to Manchester.. she will be on a lake with her new Skipper Andy.. I loved making her and am glad she will be used regularly! EmilyP III is still in the Harbour and search now starts for a new fishing boat project...

6 years ago by GrahamP74

Forum

Warped wood

Boiler dried out the wood, no great surprise huh? Same happened to my Sea Scout🤔, 7 years in the cellar at my last place and 20 years here in the kitchen/workshop before I started on her last year. Be happy if it didn't crack like mine 😭 Such is life, Happy straightening, cheers, Doug 😎

6 years ago by RNinMunich

Forum

Fittings & Detail Parts

Hi Pete, "Moorhens — sometimes called marsh hens — are medium-sized water birds that are members of the rail family (Rallidae)." Good ol' Wiki😉 When they are young they are much smaller, brown and fluffy. You often see up to six of 'em in 'convoy' behind Mum 😁 Maybe they have a different 'handle' in N America? 'Marsh Hens' perhaps? I guess plastic / PTFE is OK, after all as you say, the Tugs are not exactly Sea Greyhounds so they ain't under much stress😉 I never guessed either😲 Re humble pie! Ask the Missus to top it with Lemon meringue, delicious 😜 Crow with Sage & Onion stuffing perhaps!? Anyway we all had to start somewhere as well😉 More soon, am currently stripping the hull of my 28" Elco PTB, prior to repainting in Pacific camouflage as PT109😲 Cheers, Doug 😎 PS: YOOHOO! The new ESCs for the PTB just arrived 😊 HobbyKing HK-30A, 30A cont. complete with finned heat-sink and fan connection, $10.29 a chunk. Can't grumble at that Grimble😁

6 years ago by RNinMunich

Forum

Charging NiMhs, one for Doug?...

Evening, Doug, or is it morning? Just had a well earned rest having had the family round for Fathers' Day. Now catching up with the pootah. BTW, I had a garden full of blue and purple Lupins till the big breeze blew 'em all down recently. My star was a plant I didn't knowingly sew and that was an amazing mixture on the same stems of purple alternating with yellow. Gorgeous. Anyway, Kakos. Yes I have quite a few and as I was given 2 original little Marinecraft hulls, I have earmarked two of my mint, new in red boxes Kakos for those with little AAA 3-at-a- time flat packs which even have switches. I wish we could still get Ever-Ready or Vidor batteries. Remember them? Can get scans though and my Sea Urchin has a styrene home made AA flat case ready for the daughter to print me out an Ever Ready bell flat pack, just like yours. The brass contacts aren't a problem for an old metal basher like me. Your Sea Scout looks nice and I would say at 24" it would be about 1/16th to 1/12th. 24 feet would be a reasonable size for a sport fisherman or inshore cruiser. But in 1/16th scale at 32 feet I would say the style of the model and the use of the boat would be best represented by that combo. Just looking at some info on the FlySky Tx I've got coming (it's already been posted) and find it uses no fewer than 8 AA cells...12volts! Ye Gods, why? OK, I can get two packs of NiMhs, but then that wouldn't be 12 volts, would it? it would be 9.6Volts. Would it even work? So, on further checking, I notice that several people have gone for the LiPo path, which means a 4s at a more acceptable 11.1Volts. Now I also see that a few have gone for the LiFe option, which I much prefer the sound of as they are a lower fire risk and keep a charge in storage for ages. But they would only be 9.9Volts as LiFe cells are 3.3 volts each. Would 9.9 volts be enough I wonder for a nominally 12 volt Tx. I'm assuming that if people with no objection to NiMhs have been using those for the rechargeability, then the Tx will, in fact, accept 9.6Volts. So, logically, a 9.9Volt LiFe would be OK, do you agree? I'm thinking down the line a bit after I'm used to it. My Imax magic blue box of chargery caters for LiFe cells too. Steering teddies, et al, yeah, I can come up with some mechanical magic. My nickname with little gent, Lothar, at Wolfsburg was Mekanist (spelling), as I was always making little mechanisms for VW and SEAT cars. I made a rolling TV monitor that replaced the passenger airbag in the Passat CM2, which also had headrest TVs for back seat passengers and a wireless internet laptop built in to the rear seat central arm rest. A palm computer could come out of the dash using a mechanism that I designed and made and for which VW got a patent, with me as nominated inventor! Never made me a penny extra of course, but it was nice to know. I did a static model of a 1/12th scale Riva where, if you turned the model Cadillac (yes it is, really!) steering wheel, the rudders moved via a worm and wheel steering box and two home made Universal joints! Gawd knows why. I just thought it might win me some column inches in Classic Boat....Nah! You might find that 6" figures are more available for 1/12th scale boats than 4 1/2" figures for 1/16th, but I have to find or even make some for my Crash Tender. I look out for dollies at boot fairs and Sunday markets. I got a very square jawed geezer, 12" tall for my 1/6th scale Darby One Design and he fits, thanks to bendy bits. On your sports fisherman you need some arrogant bastard to be standing with one arm up on the screen and just the one on the wheel. Think Audi driver in a boat. Up yer arse or in yer way, but always thinking the sun shines out of his primary orifice. Keep my socks dry? I was bought a pair of Granddad socks by the two little horrors today along with a chocolate Marmite pot and a Smurfs do Pop CD, which they insisted I play during the barbie! They've done the Smurf wind up since they were old enough to crawl because they know I despise the Dutch ghouls Right, bedtime I suppose. Compost and Busy Lizzies tomorrow, she tells me. Yes, Ramona, my love.... Cheers, Martin

6 years ago by Westquay

Forum

what have I got?

Yep, that's what the Aussies have replicated with better magnets 👍 Should run fine on a 10 cell 12V NiMh or a 3S 11.1V LiPo. AFTER you've checked and cleaned up the brushes and commutator!! Have fun restoring, I know what's ahead of you cos I just did the Sea Scout my Dad built in the early 60s and have started on an ancient Billing Boats fish cutter. Cheers, Doug 😎 BTW To go in the cutter I renovated a 50s Taycol Target Dad had put in the Sea Scout, and modified it to run forward and reverse via an ESC and RC. Details are on the site somewhere 😉 The Sea Scout is now brushless!

6 years ago by RNinMunich

Forum

Charging NiMhs, one for Doug?...

Evenin' Martin, Oh dear oh dear oh dear! 😲 There is some good advice above, but maybe not optimally expressed for use by a Luddite! Sorry guys but this might be a relatively long post to separate the wheat from the chaff, explode a few myths and resolve this little conundrum of Martin's! One thing at a time! NUMBER1. THE RADIO- Dear Martin: Whatever possessed a self confessed Luddite and Scrooge like you to spring a large chunk of your hard earned pension on one of the most expensive and complex RC sets on the market in the first place???? I bought a Spektrum DX6 on impulse a few years ago while strolling around Conrad here in Munich. I've regretted it ever since. in retrospect it was way too expensive >600€, and complex. it is intended for the Fly Boys, as unfortunately most sets are these days. I have still not successfully programmed it to do what I want to do, instead of what it is pre-programmed to do for helis and fixed wing aircraft. Not even with it's own Spektrum RX, let alone a 'foreign' RX like Orange. So I have not yet risked it in a model. Definitely NOT my Catalina. Since then I have bought a Turnigy I6. Which does the same as the Spektrum, works fine with my Orange RX with giro for the Catalina😉, cost only 69€ (is now available for around 33 quid😡) and within a few hours I had it programmed and tested to do all I want in my destroyer and Sea Scout.👍 In short: the Spektrum is way way way Overkill for your yacht or Fire Float or similar, where you will only ever want rudder and sail servo / winch or rudder and speed control. So flog the Spektrum and get a nice simple (and cheap😉) 2 or 4 channel set. I can't imagine you ever wanting to start building special effects into your models so 2 (max 4) channels is all you will probably ever need. Stick your Spektrum on eBay, maybe you'll get at least a 100 quid for it. If you still want to go 2.4Gig get yourself a Turnigy i6 set with RX, 6 ch but cheap enough and I can help you directly with binding and programming from experience - I have a good English manual with no Chenglish gobbledygook. If not and you still have a working 27 or 40MHz FM set (40 would be better) use that. Where you sail, all alone, who's going to bother you or be bothered? BTW: Yes the Spektrum TX IS DSM2 and DSX compatible BUT you have to tell it what you want to use!!! Frankly I think trying that with a non-Spektrum RX is risky - especially first time out and for a novice Luddite😉 NUMBER 2. THE NiMh BATTERY- Voltage is not a reliable indication of battery charge / remaining capacity. After use a battery will recover slightly when at rest and the open terminal (off load) voltage will rise, often to the nominal voltage or slightly above. This is NO indicator of remaining charge as when a load is applied the voltage will drop again rapidly, the higher the current drawn the faster the voltage drops. if it goes below 1.0V per cell the battery will be permanently damaged and never regain it's original capacity. Haverlock is dead right about batteries losing charge when not used or regularly recharged. An NiMh batt loses charge at the rate of about 1% per day so after 3 months or so you can send it to the great recycling depot in the sky and buy a new one. Periodic cycling, discharge / charge prevents / minimises this - see care hints I posted above. And yes, NiMh do have that irritating Memory effect🤔 albeit not so pronounced as with NiCads. Lipos apparently not, but I ain't seen any evidence yet - the jury is still out! Sooo - ignore the 6.37V and run the batt through a discharge and full charge cycle. if your new NiMh batt has not yet been cycled and charged I would bet that it's present capacity is about 45%. See example below (and in attached pic) of one of my new 4.8V (nom) NiMh RX batts. NUMBER 3. THE CAPACITY CHECKER - "Glorified voltmeter" ? Where did the 6.37V reading come from if not from your 'new toy'? If it is showing volts it should also be showing capacity in %age. If you received the wrong thing it's not the "bloody electrics" but the bloody nit who packed and sent it that's at fault. Before you send it back check the below😉 Send me a photo of the Checker you have and with your battery plugged in so I can see what's happening on the display. Otherwise we are all poking about in the dark (Are we back to Jules and his friend Sandy😉😲) The link I sent you was for a checker exactly the same as mine except for the labelling! As you can see in my photo, properly connected it shows the terminal voltage and the remaining capacity (charge level) of the battery pack. Forget the Nixx (=2 Ni possibilities) display, that just means 'It ain't a LiXX' (3 Li- pissibolities). Attached photo shows a brand new 4 cell NiMh RX pack 4.8V (Nominal) connected to one of my Checkers. As you can see the voltage shown is 5.19V, according to the popular 'folklore' that would seem to indicate FULL charge. Unfortunately not🤔 Capacity indication is 45% which is normal for brand new batteries in storage and transit. Explanation thereof - see above! RE: " if it can do LiPos, why not the relatively simpler NiMhs?" a) the LiPo pack has a different chemistry and construction which requires different input circuitry on the checker, b) LiPos need balancing and are fitted with Balancer Plugs which connect to the multipin connectors on the checker. Each pin connects to one cell of the LiPo so that they can be monitored individually. LiPo chargers use this to balance the cells to within 0.01V (100mV) or less by adjusting the charge / discharge currents to each cell. The checkers use this to show you the individual cell voltages and charge states. A big difference, i.e.lower V and capacity, indicates cells with faults, e.g. higher internal resistance, or a discharged pack which needs charging and balancing. NiMh packs don't usually have this facility to measure individual cells. They are thus connected to a separate input on the checker which can then only show total pack terminal voltage and capacity. BTW: if you can get it passed 'THE Management' store your battery packs in the fridge😲 The 'coolth' slows down the rate of self discharge, which is a function of the battery internal resistance, which reduces slightly with reduced temperature😉 Enough for now, back to stripping my PTB for it's Midlife Refit! Cheers, Doug 😎 PS Martin: Just saw your post about another RX. Why the hell not buy a Spektrum designed Rx guaranteed to work with their TX? Or better still; flog the Spektrum and get a nice simple Turnigy set as above, also recommended by Ron, albeit the 9 ch version. All this frigging about with 'claimed compatible' bits and pieces just wastes money and time, fogs the issue and don't prove nutt'n!

6 years ago by RNinMunich

Forum

LED Tug Mast Navigation Lights

Good morning, guys. I got the pilot house roof off of my boat by using bits of advice from both of you. I looked closely at the seam where the roof attaches & sure enough found a very fine gap. Doug: I trimmed my fingernails just yesterday so my built-in scraper/screwdriver/seam separator, i.e. thumbnail, is too short to be of use for a while. Ed: Following your lead I carefully worked an ultra-thin blade into the seam & after about 30 seconds I had the roof off without damaging a thing. Excellent! I’m impressed at how well the roof presses in place. Only the paint had “glued” the roof on. Looking at the photo you can clearly see the ceiling bulb (white wires), which is the same kind used for HO scale & larger locomotive headlights, among other things. The blue wires near my thumb (notice the neatly-trimmed thumbnail) run up to the search light on the roof. You can also see the black & red & black & green wires running to the port & starboard side lights. I think I’ll add a multi-pin connector as part of my overall upgrade plan for the tug so that I can completely remove the roof if I want to without risking damage to those fine wires. Thanks again to both of you for your helpful guidance. You’re both awesome! Pete

6 years ago by PittsfieldPete

Forum

LED Tug Mast Navigation Lights

Hi Pete, When I worked on mine. I believe it took me about an hour or so! Just be careful with the seams! take your time. Start from the rear of the Pilot house! I first took apart the pilot house. I took the smoke stacks off! Then slowly pride the rear of the pilot house! NOTE: on mine they had only glued the glue points! If you look carefully, You can see them. They're located at each corner! Maybe you can also use a wide xacto. That's what I used back then..... Good Luck!

6 years ago by figtree7nts