It is getting harder all the time to find and buy new pairs of crystals of any type as they are now considered more or less obsolete.

I have a good stock of new and unused crystals (mainly MPX) to cover most frequencies in the 40 and 41meg frequency ranges (and some 35meg too).

For some of the frequencies I have multiple receiver crystals to allow the use of a single transmitter with several different models.

If anyone is in need of a new set of crystals please contact me by email as I may be able to help you find what you need.

These will be listed on eBay eventually (when I can get around to it) but for now I have almost every frequency available so I should have whatever you may need.

When fitting any new 40 meg crystals into any radio it is always good practice to do a "ground range check" with the tx aerial retracted to make sure everything is working correctly before launching your model.

This is particularly important when fitting "non-standard" crystals (not original make or type) just to make sure that everything is working well and safely.

To add to this 40meg radio discussion.

I have fitted and used Mutiplex radio crystals in Futaba (and others) for many years and never had a glitch.

Multiplex (often referred to as MPX) crystals were always the most expensive to buy here in the UK and were claimed to be "superior quality" (by their German sales representative) ........."but they would say that wouldn't they".......

I have also used 41meg crystals in my radios with absolutely no problems whatsoever.

It certainly does make you think!

It a real shame that Dremel have been bought by Bosch.

Thanks, I will give it a try !

Stay safe,

Bob.

That is a nice lidl tool for the money!

Bob.

I am also looking to buy an ED Racer - I have a Veron Minibuster "A" Class Team Racer kit and don't have a 2.5cc engine for it.
There always seems to be some on eBay every week - but they are fetching strong prices.
Sometimes spare parts come up too - so it could be worth checking as you may find what you are looking for!
Bob.

I have plenty of powerboats, but not a single yacht.

I don't especially fancy any sort of racing yacht, but I do like the look of your scale (or semi-scale?) yachts.

Do you know what types they are...I could be tempted to find something in the future.........

Bob.

I hope suer-glue will hold my strakes on OK.

I have just made some strakes to fit on the hull bottom of my Rapier (3 each side) and for the first time I have used super-glue to fix them in place with no brass nails.

Previously I have used PVA for this job and in the 1960's I used Cascomite and Aerolite 306 and they all worked OK.

I have driven my boats hard (and even raced my Swordsman in the sea) and they have held together OK.........so far.............

These sailing videos are well worth watching - Harry and his friends have some really nice water to enjoy sailing their model boats on! 👍

I think the bows may be a bigger problem Will, so when you have sanded those blobs of filler off, let's take a look to see what is lurking underneath!
Bob.

Glad the method is working for you Will.

I have used this method many times during my various restorations , so when I suggested it to you I knew it would work.

Nice job - Bob.

I will give the VMP plans a try.

The MM prefix on the Sarik plans presumably means that they are a copy of the original Model Maker plans?

It is a shame that the VMP plans are not priced in the $ Canadian currency as the $ US is usually stronger - making these plans a little more expensive than they could be when buying from a Canadian business that still operates in Canada.

It looks like the Vintage Model Plane plans include the bulkhead half template drawings, but the Sarik plans only show the profiles so the former would be easier to work with (but a little more expensive?).
The VMP plans also have what I think may be a copy of the original magazine review of the plans that could help with the building sequence etc.

I have been checking to find the best source for a set of Vivacity plans.
Sarik have them for MM652 for £18 and have a 15% discount offer on all their plans until 31st January.
Vintage Model Plane have them on eBay for $34.95 (not sure if that is US or Canadian dollars) so I don't know what that is in £?

That is a nice looking build - good effort!👍

I also have a set of wooden blinds that I have "saved". They look like pear wood (bass?) but they have been around for many years, so I may have to find a way of soaking them for a while to get some moisture back in them before using them for planking?
Bob.

I have found a couple of Chinese made RJX Hacker brushless motors that were intended for use in r/c helicopters that were about the same size as those helicopters that were powered by Zenoah 23cc and 26cc engines.
They shared the same main assemblies - only the gearing was different
One of these could well have enough power to shove along a Vivacity at a reasonable pace so maybe..............

Maybe I should see what sort of brushless motor would give a similar power output to a 30cc two stroke as that would at least allow the boat to get some use........but it won't sound as nice 🤣

Both models used fairly sturdy 1/4" ply for the bulkheads, and the Beachcomber used 1/2" thick
plywood for the transom!

I remember reading the original article about the Vivacity in Model Maker and Model Boats magazine when it first came out and I liked the look of it - but never built one - yet!
The Beachcomber was another similar sized design that I also considered as I have always had an interest in running model boats with two stroke petrol engines. Both are ample sized good looking boats - but finding any water that allows petrol engines to run on it is getting harder all the time

You will probably need to do one bulkhead at a time as you need enough space for the plates and clamps to hold each part as it dries.

It is well worth doing - its very satisfying to save a basket case from the skip and bring it back into regular use!

Bob.

Hi Will,

As you know, I am a habitual restorer of basket cases that any sensible person would avoid like the plague - and I have come across and dealt with this same problem many times before..

The first thing you need to do is to get your nice dry de-laminated plywood wet again - and give it time for the moisture to soak well into the wood.

While that is happening sort out something like a couple of hardwood or alloy plates that will fit against both outside faces of the delaminated bulkheads and some clamps that are deep enough to press the sandwich of plates and bulkheads together.

Now wipe the wetted wood with a kitchen towel to remove any excess moisture.

Inject some good quality water-proof PVA taking advantage of the now plyable wood to get the glue right down and between the different layers of delaminated ply. I save any thin slithers of wood that are left over from the bandsaw to help with spreading glue in tight areas like this.

Use plenty of glue as when the plates squeeze it together any excess will get pressed out - and also into the small areas that you were not able to reach.

Wipe away any excess glue as it is forced out of the wood with a damp cloth.

Keep the plates under firm pressure for at least 24 hours and when removed the bulkhead should be flat and stay that way.

Hope this helps,

Bob.

Hi Will,

Yes, I am aware that Aerokits made a Swordsman as it was the first ever model boat kit that I made back in the 1960's.

I am currently making two more of them from the Aerokits plans - one as per kit and one with the aft cabin (not a Super Swordsman with the full Huntsman 31 type cabin).

Bob.

Hi Will,

Your uncles Sou Too was one of the three different variants that could be had with the standard 33ft hull.

Maybe (one day) I will get the time to make all three variants!

Bob

The rear cabin variant of the Swordsman, has its cabin top sitting in-between the cabin sides (combings) unlike the Super Swordsman that has a high cabin top like the Huntsman 31.

The Super Swordsman could also be ordered with two different lengths of longer hull too !

Bob.

Hi Will,

I may make a Super-Swordsman in the future - but there are three types of 33ft Swordsman that are not Super Swordsman.

The raised cab type is like Tireui, the low cab type is as modelled in the Aerokits kit and there is also an open cockpit as well.

Bob.

Hi Will,

A 1/11 scale 34" Huntsman 31 hull from a Precedent kit has exactly the right hull form and dimensions for use as a base for a 1/12 scale Solent Spear.

I have acquired a 34" Precedent g/f hull for this purpose - but I have the 1/12 scale Swordsman (two versions) as new builds and a 1/11 scale Huntsman Sport to finish first!

The long term restoration of my Sterling Chris Craft Corvette has been "put on ice" until the warmer weather comes next year as it is too big to work on in my workshop(shed) with the Fairey hulls needing the bench space!

Bob.

Hi Colin,

As far as I know Aerokits never made a 34" Huntsman, but it sounds like yours was built from an early Modav kit before Precedent started making them with a revised inter-lock assembly method.

Maybe your wife's similar model came from a later Huntsman 31 Precedent kit?

If so, then Modav plans would cover them both if any new parts needed to be cut in the future - and I have a set of Modav plans in the post and could be able to help (if needed) in the future.

Bob.

Hi Will,

I have already cut a new cabin template for my 34" Huntsman 31 Sport - this time made from a box of Yorkshire Tea teabags...it makes a change from my usual choice of old cereal boxes!

The new Huntsman Sport cabin sides were made by drawing around the remains of the existing wooden cab sides and then sketching-in the new lines to the rear end as required.

Next I will take a look at improving that dreadful front cab window and that will give a better cabin top shape too.

We will have to compare notes - but I am well on with modifying my Swordsman (being built from Aerokits plans) to become the rear cabin type so I want to finish that first (but sneak-in some time on the Huntsman when glues are drying etc) 😎

Bob.