Hi Stephen, looks pretty nice and compact and would be nice and accurate to use. Nice to be able to adjust things that finely.

The SCM (ITALY) table saw was similar to this,

https://www.scmgroup.com/en_US/scmwood/products/joinery-mach...

but an earlier model. Beam adjusts for angles/length/stops etc, saw tilts, has a scribing saw before the main blade. Very nice saw. Neighbour who does kitchens has a similar saw (different make) so if I need anything cut, I can ask him. CKD (completely knocked down -kitset) Company I worked for (Criterion Furniture) was the biggest in NZ. Used to originally make TV cabinets and a range of speakers (Wharfdale, JVC etc,) then changed to kitset furniture,- entertainment systems, TV cabinets, desks etc.

They had a sales branch in OZ and Japan as well. They originally made all of the old component cabinets (record player on top) for Technics, (Panasonic) but lost the contract to South America. We made a few million of their cabinets. The 2 brothers bought only the best machinery from Gabiani, Morbidelli, SCM, Stefani, Wadkin etc, -great machines to use. SCM owns or has merged with all of the Italian ones now.

Where is your Incra made,? might see if there are any here to look at. Does it come with all the templates, or do you just buy them as required? Good tools make woodworking so much easier and neater.

JB

https://www.scmgroup.com/en_US/scmwood/products/joinery-machines.c884/sliding-table-saws.896/nova-si-400.586

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I spent a bit of time the last couple of days, setting up the electrical bits. I've made a board for the motor compartment which handles the 6v (adjustable) air pump start and the 3v (adjustable) smoke start. The smoke and air are set to start sequentially,- ie you switch the smoke system on, (modified E Cig), it heats for about 5 seconds, then the timer switches on the air pump which gives a puff of smoke out the exhausts (still to make and fit) on 'start-up'. The power for the smoke and air system comes from a 2s 1800mAh LiPo, which glips in under the front seat.

This is then followed by the 12v water pump starting. Everything can be adjusted (the small V-regs) for voltage and timing, to suit the different motor voltages and smoke element. The start switching is done with a micro switch attached to a micro servo (was going to use a remote sw, but the last 3 I bought were duds, and they are getting too dear now,- used to be $6,-now 12-$15)

The module in the rear compartment is a power distribution board to make it a bit easier to plug things in due to the increasing volume of 'spaghetti'. The batteries plug into the board and are linked to the ESC plugs. There is a double JST PTO on one side of the board (from 1 batt,- for the sound module and aux/light power) and a PTO from the other batt for the water pump/Vreg, (spreads the minimal drain between the batteries). 12v Pump has a micro switch, micro servo, V-reg combination for speed adjustment. A bit ugly, but reliable and cheap, (and adjustable) and using up some of the bits in the collection.

All seems to work how it should, so I will seal everything up to prevent shorts (I use hot melt glue on most of my plugs and connections,- if anything melts, you know something's overloading) It's also easy to remove if necessary with a knife and pliers. Never had a problem yet,- boats or planes.

Thought it might be a few bob Stephen, but as you say, worth it for the adjustments I'm assuming it has Vernier scales on the slides. We used SCM table saws where I worked in a big CKD furniture co here, and they had all the fences etc for angles, bevels etc, and were great for accurate cutting. We worked to +.3mm -0 for everything which was nice to be able to do. They had a huge Italian Morbidelli (same family as the guy who races motorbikes) machining line about 100ft long, with micrometer scales, and you could get the board dimensioning saws to 0, pretty amazing.

JB

Clever idea Ed, looks very nice,

JB

Hi Stephen, nifty bit of kit! like the way you did the router height adjuster using the original gauge mount. What did the Incra Jig set you back,?- not the price of a tray of Fosters, I'll bet😁

JB

Hi Stephen, you are certainly 'manufacturing' this model. Nice router table, was thinking of making one to make use of an old Millars Falls 1/2 router I've had for years. Handy tool for edging, slotting etc.

JB

Shafts and rudder tubes are in, transom has first coat of mahogany stain, having a play with upholstery/ carpets. Sill have a lot to fit inside before decking over, (water pickup, air, & water pumps, smoke, sound (engine and stereo) ESCs (with switches on dash) rudder servo, lights etc.

Excellent job Bruce, obviously lots of patience required👍

JB

I have the same problem with my Optimist Nerys, - no room for passengers in the MX3😁 (front maybe) just squeaks in. Worse with large planes. Like you I've tried to build under 40" for boats, so they can fit across the back seat or rear area. Planes no bigger than 60" span (mostly 48" or less, for the same reason) big wings can be a pain to fit in and easy to damage, as with masts.

JB

Looking very nice so far Jerry.

JB

It would be a shame to lose you as well Colin, as there is a distinct lack of regular contributors at the moment, and that seems to be getting worse every month, to the detriment of the site. I hope things will come right soon before it goes too far, as we need experienced modellers to help the newcomers, or perhaps the hobby will die out completely.

JB

Seems to be happening more often everywhere in the world now Rick. Deliveries are probably going to slow down from China now, even more than usual. I've said it before "the sky is falling"😁

JB

Soldered on the oiler tubes and thought I would have to remove the already aligned motor mounts to slide the shaft tubes in. But more by good luck than good management, I found I could slide the shafts in vertically, then push them forward up to the motors, Now epoxied in, using West epoxy and adhesive filler powder, which can be mixed to the desired consistency to stop it running out the bottom of the tube guides.

Tubes were roughed up with sand paper, glue dropped into the guides, and tubes rotated backwards and forwards in the glue to get a good coverage. The locating jig was quickly put under the shafts and the hull flipped back over. Once dry, it will be flipped back over, and more epoxy inserted round the tubes where they exit.

Before painting, thin preservative sealer epoxy will be poured around the shaft tubes from inside, which will seal any minor spaces which may be left, preventing any possible leaks, (also shows if you've missed a spot😀).

This is an example of the types of floods we get down here occasionally.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ad6-zTvvSmY

JB

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ad6-zTvvSmY

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Hull f/g has now been flatted off and I had a crack at veneering the transom. First did it with Walnut, but it looked like c--p and had a hollow on one side. I had some thicker Mahogany sheets, so I laid that on top of the Walnut. It consists of 7 separate pieces and was a pain to apply, due to a tight curve where it joins the sides, and the need to lay them on an angle to make the curve on the transom. Had a few slight gaps at those points, which were filled using West epoxy resin mixed with Mahogany sanding dust. Turned out reasonably well I think, considering.

Before fitting the larger veneer pieces they were dipped in boiling water and quickly wrapped around a large tin, in the same orientation as they would be on the boat, and taped in place for a few hours, then dried with a hair dryer.

Shaft tube slots were cut and a jig made to finally position them for epoxying when ready. Still have the oiler tubes to solder in. Did a bit more woodwork (doublers) around the rear hatches and cockpit side rails as well to give a better gluing surface.

Battery and ESC 'pockets' made, and will be sponge lined later and ESCs held with Velcro, which allows air to circulate under the ESC. Battery 'pockets' are made wider to accept 3s 2200mAh batteries which are shorter and wider. Batteries shown are 3s 3000mAh. Just trying things for fit.

Well done Nerys, hope to see them both on the water soon.

JB

Thought you might like a scenic jet boat thrash through some of the smaller rivers on the lower west coast of the South Island of NZ. The type of places Bill Hamilton designed the jet boat for.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RC3Ldhf_YA0

JB

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RC3Ldhf_YA0

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Lots of ready to sail cats around Ron, plus foiling tris etc

https://www.google.com/search?q=EARLY+RC+SAILING+CATAMARANS

(Find pics down this page a bit) and a few old Dumas Hobie cats for sail as well on E-bay etc.

Plus - https://www.catsailingnews.com/2013/05/radio-controlled-mult...

JB

https://www.google.com/search?q=EARLY+RC+SAILING+CATAMARANS

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https://www.catsailingnews.com/2013/05/radio-controlled-multis.html

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Ron, I made a free running cat (about 30") back in the late 60s, which was pretty quick, and built a pair of hulls for an RC version which was around 3ft from memory. Went to work in Aust for a while and the project was sort of forgotten about. Thought recently about building another the same with an RC controlled ballast weight. May do one soon if the mood takes me.

There were a number of cat kits in the 70s (I think Dumas did one around 3ft) but haven't seen one in years. I think the problem was, that you needed a rescue boat with you, as they tended to capsize easily in a good wind, due to the fact they didn't have moveable ballast systems, and need to be sailed carefully. I think it might have been the Dumas one, which had a foam ball on the mast head, so it didn't go completely over. I'll see If I can find a pic.

JB

Excellent and obviously time intensive job Steve. I wouldn't worry if things are not perfect, as I doubt the original would have been anywhere near as tidy as your model, after a few years of work, wharf scrapes etc. As you say, will add to the character. I've yet to see an immaculate fishing boat.

JB

Nice work Martin, lights look excellent, as do the life rings👍 Why buy them made from plastic when you can make your own from the same material at a much cheaper price.😁👍

JB

That convertible top really makes it Ed, nice job👍

JB

We are only at 12.8% fully vaccinated here with 1.55m doses given (only 628k fully) We have a population of around 5m, so we are somewhere between India and Brazil. Not that brilliant really, but no-one has died since the middle of last year (the ones that died were mostly rest homers with some medical conditions). No-one's in hospital as far as I am aware, even though a number have tested positive, and we seem to be letting known positive people in every day, ( just had a bunch of sick fisherman from a big trawler in, plus another one a while back).

Our travel to Aust has been put on hold due to their new outbreak, and a number of Kiwis are stuck over there yet again. On the bright side, we can still go to the Cook Islands/Rarotonga. I was looking at some cases on YT of reactions to some of the vaccines in the US, and there have been a number of rather nasty ones,-partial paralysis, constant headaches, painful burning tingling hands etc within a day or so of having a jab.

Makes you think, if you see 10 cases on YT, how many other cases don't you hear about? Reminds me of what a pest control guy said to me years ago, when we had a rat problem in a timber yard I worked in. He said, "if you see one rat, there will be another 20 or more nearby", and he was later proved correct when we dug up an old drain.



They can't stop the common cold, so how did they come up with this vaccine in 1 year ( think about how much money the drug companies are making out of all this, for something which is not even 100% effective.) The (eg) 50k + deaths a year in the US from the flu, seem to have been forgotten about with this new virus.

Approx figures-

Covid deaths in 2020 (US) 625k 29,400,000 recovered out of around 35,082m cases,
Flu deaths 2020 (US) 24k-62k cases 39m- 56m

Considering the flu has been around for centuries and has probably killed many millions of people up till now, this new virus is probably like the flu was to us perhaps in medieval times. We've had the Black Plague, Measles, Chicken Pox, Ebola, Spanish flu and a dozen other things trying to kill us, but we've survived all those to still be here destroying the earth. perhaps someone's trying to tell us something😀

A small piece from the statistics on US flu which I found relevant (regarding reporting) -might be the same with covid? (even though it's reportable)

What does the cumulative burden of influenza for the 2019-2020 season mean?
The cumulative burden of influenza is an estimate of the number of people who have been sick, seen a healthcare provider, been hospitalized, or died as a result of influenza since October 01, 2018. CDC does not know the exact number of people who have been sick and affected by influenza because influenza is not a reportable disease in most areas of the United States. However, these numbers are estimated using a mathematical model, based on observed rates of laboratory-confirmed influenza-associated hospitalizations.

JB

Quite a bit Peter, they didn't have peel ply back then, - think it might have been one of those things developed from the Americas Cup boat building methods over the years. Some pretty fancy ideas have come out of the construction of those boats,- especially with the latest flying cats and monos. Not sure where vacuum bagging started for glassing, but it's used a lot on planes and boats (even models).

JB

Hi Nerys, I always had a thought that Wharram might have had some connection, to NZ as a couple of his early boats in the 50s had Maori names (Tangaroa and Rongo),- perhaps it was his interest in the Polynesian twin hulled sailing canoes the Maori used to sail to NZ -making a number of return trips to 'Hawaiki' (unknown where they originated from -even today) to bring more people back to colonise NZ (Aotearoa.)

JB

You'll notice it's the 'ACME' static solar powered, moisture evaporating model Martin😁- works for drying most things. Doing my bit to save the planet 😂

JB

Nice work Martin, they have turned out very well. I think you will enjoy adding all the 'bits'😁

JB

Peter, was it peel ply he used, ? - thought about using it but it's extra cost, and just goes in the bin when finished. Might try it next time just for fun.

https://epoxycraft.com/top-tips-best-ways-to-use-epoxy/using...

JB

https://epoxycraft.com/top-tips-best-ways-to-use-epoxy/using-peel-ply-to-best-effect/

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Second coat of resin on yesterday arvo, out with the 'Armstrong' sander tomorrow, then holes drilled/re-drilled for shafts and rudder tubes. Good stage to get to as it's closer to getting all the innards installed. Painting will be left till later to avoid damage.

Peter, my cat was a big sanding job with the Dynel (2x18ft hulls) but they were cold moulded ply and very light (around 60lbs ea) and were done individually. The 70s 12ft racing dinghy I restored about 3yrs ago, was another big sanding job,- stripped right back through about 5 coats of paint, repaired (including re-filling about 300 nail heads) and glassed with 6oz cloth (all done with a bung elbow -mostly one handed- while off work for 3 months😁) Used 6oz on this due to the fact it was starting to fall to bits due to very light racing construction/age. Should be good for another 50yrs now.

JB