|||
Not Registered
Go AD FREE & get your membership medal
BRONZE
Less Ads
SILVER
GOLD
Ad Free
Cancel
Anytime
Β£2.50
Β£4.50
Β£6.50
Subscribe
Go AD FREE & get your membership medal
BRONZE
Less Ads
SILVER
GOLD
Ad Free
For A Whole Year!
Β£25
Β£45
Β£65
Donate
You Will Be Helping Towards:

  • Domain Fees
  • Security Certificates
  • iOS & Android App Fees
  • Website Hosting
  • Fast Servers
  • Data Backups
  • Upkeep & Maintenance
  • Administration Costs

    Without your support the website wouldn't be what it is today.

    Please consider donating towards these fees to help keep us afloat.

    Read more

    All donations are securely managed through PayPal.

    Many thanks for your kind support
  • Join Us On Social Media!
    Download The App!

    Login To
    Remove Ads
    Login To
    Remove Ads

    Model Boats Website
    Model Boats Website
    Home
    Forum
    Build Blogs
    Media Gallery
    Boat Clubs & Lakes
    Events
    Boat Harbour
    How-To Articles
    Plans & Docs
    Useful Links
    Search
    Search
    Forum
    Simple Smoke Generator
    In discussion with jbkiwi, we felt it would be a good idea to bring together into one post the different smoker experiments we have each conducted to make them easier to find for anyone interested in having a go. Here is a summary of my experiments. JB will add his in time. My implementation is based on an e-cig H2 atomizer. These are readily available at low cost. The unit as purchased comprises a 2ml tank, heating coil, and a coupling which would normally connect to the e-cig electronics/battery. I made a simple end cap from acrylic which is a push fit into the coupling. Any insulating material could be used for this, even a piece of hardwood could be carved to shape. The end cap is held in place with a couple of small screws through the side of the coupling. Before fitting, it was smeared with silicone
    sealant
    to ensure an airtight seal. A central screw in the endcap can be adjusted to make electrical contact with the coil. The other contact to the coil is via the body of the coupling, using one of the endcap retaining screws. A brass tube fitted through the side of the endcap allows air to be pushed through the atomizer. For installation in my Crash Tender, I increased the capacity of the smoke fluid tank by adding an additional tank around the outside of the original atomizer tank. The smoker fluid I use is 3:1 glycerine:water. The coil seems to work best when energised with around 5 watts of power. This can be achieved by using a DC-DC converer to drop the battery voltage to around 3volts. Simple low cost buck converters are available on-line. As an alternative, a PWM electronic circuit can be used to power the coil direct from the battery voltage, provided the power to the coil does not greatly exceed 5w. I found to my cost that feeding 25w of power into the coil (circuit error!) vaporises the coil in the blink of an eye! Fortunately, replacement coils are readily available. The exposed metalwork of the atomizer typically reaches a temperature of 30 -35C while it is running but that depends on how much power you feed into it.πŸ˜‰ The air pump is not critical. I have tried a couple of different types and the both work well. It is useful to be able to adjust the pump speed, and hence the volume of air being pushed through the atomizer. Small motor speed controllers are easily obtainable. The atomizer works best mounted in a horizontal position. if mounted vertically, as shown in part of the video, it has a tendancy to flood the coil. By adjusting the pump speed and the coil power a range of different effects are possible. The video shows several examples of different settings. It is possible to generate just a gentle waft of smoke suitable for a funnel on a tug or a quick pulse of thick smoke possibly suitable to simulate gunfire on a destroyer. For my Crash Tender I mix pulsed smoke with water using a venturi type connector and then feed the resulting mix out through the exhaust ports. More details of the installation in the Crash Tender can be found in my Crash Tender Refit blog. Happy to try an answer any questions. Graham93
    4 years ago by Graham93
    Response
    Re: Piscataqua river gundalow
    OK,I was offered polyester putty in various modifications, I had to refuse. It smells very stiff when used, and I'm afraid I can't explain it to the people in our house. For puttying before lamination, I used acrylic
    sealant
    . I could use epoxy with a filler (fine wood sawdust) but it is too hard when used on soft ground.I used a special nitro putty to seal the hull of my second Thames sailing barge "Gusty Cat", but unfortunately it was not in the range of local drugstores... The putty I am using now is similar to Tamiya putty for plastic kits. Tom
    4 years ago by tomarack
    Blog
    Bulkheads and motor fit.
    And it was all going so well! If all else fails, read the instructions and look carefully at the drawings. Having removed deck camber beams, mid deck bulkheads and longitudinal stringers from the CNC sheets, I glued the assembly together and taped it to a flat surface to dry, as per the instructions. However, as you can see from the two magnified sections in picture 1, the deck camber beams and stringers are not flush. I only became aware of this after glueing the assembly into the hull and trying to dry fit the aft deck. Once again, the trusty Dremel with cutting disc attached came into its own and I managed to rectify the problem - not without difficulty. Before glueing the bulkhead assembly into place I fitted the motors. As I have already mentioned, with the propshafts parallel to the hull, there is very little clearance for the motors. However, with the offset shafts on the 2.5:1 540 geared motors, this was not a problem. I used vac formed plastic 'cradle' motor mounts and standard universal couplings. I am now a great believer in using proprietary silicone
    sealant
    to fix the motors onto the mounts. This not only cushions vibration but allows tweaking of the final line up, which I do by eye. Before the
    sealant
    sets, I run the motors and further tweak to get as little vibration as possible. See pic 4. With motors in place it was time to fix the bulkhead assembly into the hull. Instructions suggest using slow cure epoxy, but I used Gorilla glue, which does the job just as well, without the trouble of mixing. Included in the bulkhead assembly is the servo tray for the rudder and with that connected and the power plant -two 12v 7ah lead acid batteries - in place, sea trials were fast approaching.
    5 years ago by cormorant
    Blog
    WTC/Sub Driver.
    Hi Guys, One more small step completed. I struggled with this end cap as I do not own a pillar drill so trying to drill it and get it straight and level was a real pain. (See drilling tip in Hints and Tips thread) I made some small servo push rod’s and taped them in the appropriate position then placed the assembly in to the tube. I then put a small blob of paint on the ends of the motor shafts and push rod’s, placed the end cap in the end of the tube and pushed it up against the assembly. When I carefully removed the end cap the paint marked the position’s ready for drilling. After a bit of tinkering I inserted the through tubes and sealed outside and inside with silicon
    sealant
    . The valve in the middle of the end cap Is from a tubeless mountain bike tyre.
    5 years ago by Martin555
    Blog
    Navigation and Deck Lighting
    Hi all ! Thing are moving slowly at the detailing stage. I wonder if anyone would be kind enough to tell me the best way to secure the LED bulbs for my Navigation Lights etc. There isn't much room for fittings and I have seen lights secured and sealed with a clear gel that goes off hard. Can someone tell me what this is called and where I can get some of same please, it looks like clear
    sealant
    but is much harder when cured.
    7 years ago by Ballast
    Forum
    dust on painted areas
    Humbrol enamel attract dust very easily. This includes the can in which you keep the paint. Make sure you have thoroughly mixed the pot then strain through a fine lint free mesh to remove any dust etc. You need to use good quality paint brushes well washed before use as you have indicated As mentioned in an earlier post your painting area need to be spotless and well protected from dust etc for the hour or so the enamel requires to dry. Results can be very good but the effort and attention to cleaning is considerable. I prefer to use Acrylic spray paints followed by a clear
    sealant
    for any large jobs (hulls / superstructure etc) and have just repainted the hull on a friends Sea Commander using this method. For smaller fittings I do use enamel as it works well in a spray gun and I can protect the work in the spray cabinet. Good luck with the Sea Commander restoration. Some pics showing your progress in a build blog would be helpful to other members πŸ˜€
    11 years ago by Dave M
    Response
    Cariad Rear Cockpit and Rudder
    HI jon Yes tried that but I have a servo (just visible) that I need to get at. The actual cockpit is a snug fit round the coamings and has a siicon seal. The problem was I had failed to completely seal the inside just below either side of the seat. Sorry not that clear on the photo but there is 1/8" gap either side! Water will get in the cockpit whatever I do but providing it remains there I have no problem - perhaps a self bailer or pump may be required, but if I can keep the boat more vertical this will not be too great a problem. The rudder is the main problem and I will bee making the much more watertight. The tiller arm is there for show and can't be seen moving whilst sailing so I am considering cutting the rudder post level with the arm fastening. I can then fully seal the deck opening and make a false support for the tiller arm. Thanks for the input, gutter
    sealant
    sounds a good idea round the rear covering πŸ˜€
    12 years ago by Dave M
    Response
    46'' RAF Crash Tender new kit
    HI Dean Not had much experience with salty water. The club used to sail on Nantwich Lake, Cheshire and that had a salt spring right6 in the centre of the lake. 😟 As Gregg has suggested (in another post) you should cover your finished paint job in clear
    sealant
    . I can't remember any members with paint problems but anything ferric (metal) used to rust even the cars parked alongside the lake. 😰 The main problem is with the running gear. The salt crystals that form as the water evaporates ruins most bearings. 😰 I used to hose off all my models at home but without much success. I was sailing one of my models today and this has suffered the very same problem, resulting in more water inside than I am comfortable to allow. I will have to remove the complete shaft assembly and fit a new one. I now make my own stuffing boxes at the shaft motor end so hopefully I will avoid this problem in future. πŸ˜‰ The model marine IC fraternity must have a solution as they often sail in coastal waters. (OMRA)
    12 years ago by Dave M
    Response
    Propshaft Coupling arrived - Construction Full Speed Ahead!
    HI Richard Neat mounting. Do the motor mounting nuts have shakeproof washers? An early attempt with a brushless motor resulted in a burnt out motor when my mounting screws worked loose! Will you be supporting the prop shaft just after the coupling? At the speed these motors achieve any slight vibration will quickly develop into some serious forces. I use similar couplings and find them excellent, but the clear tube heats up in use and may not provide sufficient support for your long prop shaft. I usually use a piece of wood fastened to the hull base with an oversized slot for the propshaft. Filling the slot with epoxy or silicon bath
    sealant
    provides a secure fitting without upsetting any alignment.
    12 years ago by Dave M
    Forum
    The COROMANDEL
    HI Dave I intend to cover the outside in glass fibre tissue and resin ( actually I have done it, as I have said earlier, the blog is a bit behind actual events so details will follow later ) As I cannot get to the inside and the frames do not have any clearances from the hull skinning, I cannot slosh coat with a
    sealant
    , so hope that fibre glass and paint will seal adequately. If it leaks a bit, as the boat is only about three foot long I will be able to tip it upsde down to clear it. in your magnificent project it would not be easy to tip an eight foot long ship ( or 2 of them ) up side down or get it out of the water either. I expect that if you get leaks you will have to fit bilge pumps you will have plenty of space ! Kind regards nasraf
    13 years ago by nasraf


    About This Website
    Terms of Service
    Privacy Policy