1/96 TSMV Mona’s Queen 5

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27 October 2011 at 21:14 #32251
Kevin Fleming
Participant
@kevinfleming72293
Hi

My hull is finally finished.

Pics to follow

I just wanted some guidance for my next steps as this is my first scratch build RC model. My next step was going to be adding some bulkheads in the hull with the aim of eventually adding a deck low down for the electrics tray and servos etc. Would this deck normally have the motor cradles attached to it.

I will be purchasing some motors, shafts, props and rudders next.

Can anyone recomend a good torquey motor and an ideal prop shaft length?? i was thinking of mounting the motors just aft of midships….i want my model to have a realistic scale speed too.

Thanks

Kev
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27 October 2011 at 21:14 #6744
Kevin Fleming
Participant
@kevinfleming72293
27 October 2011 at 21:22 #32253
Kevin Fleming
Participant
@kevinfleming72293
struggling to upload pics at the min…heres one

http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/zz197/kev36630/IMG_1406.jpg
27 October 2011 at 23:34 #32256
Kevin Fleming
Participant
@kevinfleming72293
Two more pics of the hull

http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/zz197/kev36630/photo-1.jpg

http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/zz197/kev36630/photo.jpg

Edited By Colin Bishop, Website Editor on 28/10/2011 09:13:05
30 October 2011 at 11:24 #32272
Kevin Fleming
Participant
@kevinfleming72293
Any thought please ??
30 October 2011 at 12:24 #32273
Colin Bishop
Moderator
@colinbishop34627
Kevin,

Looking at the Mona’s Queen dimensions it would seem that your model is around one metre long and about 17cm wide. This is fairly close to the dimensions of my current liner model build.

I can only say what I am doing with my model after some testing but my setup is going to be:

2 x 380 type 6-12v low drain conventionally brushed motors

8.4v 4600 mAh NiMH power pack

2 x 25 mm three bladed conventional brass props (but space for 30mm props if necessary)

As is my usual practice I am gearing the drive down using pulley drive at around 2:1. This enables the motors to operate more efficiently. It also means that you can dispense with couplings and mount the motors either behind, in front of, above or to one side of the shafts as is most appropriate for access. In my case the motors are actually mounted under the deck immediately above the shaft ends. This leaves the middle of the model free for batteries. radio gear, ballast etc.

You can of course just stick with a conventional direct drive using couplings.

2mm shafts should be quite adequate for a model of this size although you could go for 4mm ones if you want..

It’s best to keep the shafts/tubes as short as possible consistent with allowing clearance internally to accommodate whatever motor layout you want to fit. The longer the shaft the more risk of it not running completely true, wasting power and making a noise.

With the fairly high superstructure on Mona’s Queen you need to build it very light and ensure that your batteries and ballast are as low as possible in the hull to avoid potential stability and windage problems. A NiMH power pack flat in the bottom of the hull will be better than using a lead acid battery,

Here is a photo of my layout with the pulleys connected on one side, it’s a bit messy at the moment as I’ve been working on the model.

Hope this helps,

Colin

Edited By Colin Bishop, Website Editor on 30/10/2011 12:39:08
30 October 2011 at 20:45 #32279
Kevin Fleming
Participant
@kevinfleming72293
Yes thats a great help, i never even considered gearing my shafts. Its make alot of sense to have shorter shafts too.

I will researching the power pack you mentioned, one thing i am struggling with is matching the correct propellers the Monas Queen had, they were a 4 blade Controllable pitch……of course mine will be a fixed pitch but getting the correct shape is proving tricky

Thanks again

Kev
30 October 2011 at 21:07 #32280
Colin Bishop
Moderator
@colinbishop34627
Kevin,

Deans Marine do some very nice 4 bladed props which are right for the Mona’s Queen period – and unlike others they have an M2 thread.: http://www.deansmarine.co.uk/shop/index.php/cPath/35_39_42

Gearing makes a lot of sense for scale models as it allows a good compromise between optimum motor and propeller speeds which reduces current drain and gives you a longer running time. Pulleys are much quieter than conventional gears and easier to set up.

If your boat doesn’t quite perform the way you want then you have several options too:

1) Increase the battery voltage

2) Change the prop size

3) Alter the gearing ratio by using different combinations of pulleys

Colin.
5 November 2011 at 21:08 #32321
Kevin Fleming
Participant
@kevinfleming72293
thanks again for the input so far, i have sourced the twin rudders and shafts so far along with motors also.

The shape of my stern has presented me a decision with the shafts and motors. As they enter the hull inside being 170mm long they are quite close to the bottom of the hull so there is very little room to mount my motors directly in line behind the shafts.

With consideration to gearing my shafts i though about mounting my motors (as pictured earlier) on a platform jusy above the shafts keeping the weight as low in the hull as possible and using pulleys and belts that way.

Other than gearing the shafts i considered just using a direct shaft – motor coupling using a universal joint. Is it possible to mount the motors pointing slightly down meeting the low horizontal shafts having the UJ coupling connected at a angle???? a fella in my local RC shop said thats the best thing about UJ couplings as they can help to connect drive when a direct in line method is not available….any help is appreciated thanks
5 November 2011 at 22:45 #32322
Colin Bishop
Moderator
@colinbishop34627
A double universal joint coupling will accommodate a degree of movement in one plane only but will absorb power. It is certainly an option but not really good engineering.

Mounting the motors above the shafts as you describe should not cause problems, virtually all my models have been built that way. If there is room then mounting the motors above and slightly to one side of the shafts can lower the centre of gravity a bit more. The important thing is to keep the battery weight low and this can best be done by using cylindrical NiMH cells mounted on the bottom of th hull. I usually build a watertight plasticard box for the batteries so that if any water gets into the hull they are still likely to stay dry.

Colin
5 November 2011 at 23:06 #32323
Kevin Fleming
Participant
@kevinfleming72293
Can recommend a good selection of pulleys. Also how do you attach the pulleys to the motor drive shaft and the prop shaft ?
6 November 2011 at 10:42 #32324
Colin Bishop
Moderator
@colinbishop34627
Obviously you need pulleys with bores to match your motor and shaft. If you Google miniature pulleys you will find many suppliers. Plastic ones are cheaper than alloy.

The plastic push fit ones are OK for small motors which usually have a shaft diameter of either 2mm or 2.3mm although I prefer ones with a grub screw which makes them easily removable. The shafts will need pulleys with grubscrews as you will need to withdraw them easily for servicing. If you have got M4 shafts then the Meccano brass finish pulleys are a good fit.

Another alternative is to use toothed belt drive although this is probably overkill in a model of this size. If you are interested in this have a look at SHG Model supplies:

http://www.shgmodels.com/acatalog/

Colin
7 November 2011 at 18:17 #32358
Kevin Fleming
Participant
@kevinfleming72293
Thanks , while I am waiting for my running gear to arrive I am researching materials for my superstructure build.

Is plasticard a common material for this. My models superstructure is quite basic but I was wondering how flexible the plasticard as my fwd structure is rounded slightly. I was considering buying large sheets around 1mm-2mm thick??

Thanks
7 November 2011 at 20:36 #32359
Colin Bishop
Moderator
@colinbishop34627
Personally I don’t like plasticard very much although many people are quite happy with it.

My preference would be 0.5mm birch ply on a balsa framework which will be much lighter than plasticard of equivalent strength.

But it all depends which materials you prefer working with really.

Colin
11 November 2011 at 21:28 #32408
Kevin Fleming
Participant
@kevinfleming72293
Shafts, rudders, motors, propellers and A frames have arrived. hopefully get these installed over the next few days.

As my twin rudders enter my hull they do so at a slant in the hull, do the model rudders need to enter the hull at a horizontal section to aid the rubber seal and watertight integrity. I was thinking i could make a small tube section with a horizontal bottom for the rudder post to rest upon when fixed internally??? make sense?

The full size rudder set up is in the following pic, there is a similar section i have just described on the Monas Queens identical sister

http://www.flickr.com/photos/br-images/4868906618/

Thanks
11 November 2011 at 22:40 #32409
Colin Bishop
Moderator
@colinbishop34627
I would follow the arrangement shown in the photo which clearly shows a vertical rudder tube. This should extend above the waterline inside the hull and be supported in some way.to keep it secure and rigid. The tiller then attaches to the top of the rudder shaft.

A useful trick is to offset the rudders slightly from the propellor shaft (either inboard or outboard). This will enable the prop shafts to be withdrawn for oiling and servicing etc. without having to dismantle the rudders. It may not b 100% scale but it will usually be unnoticeable on the model.

Colin
12 November 2011 at 12:13 #32412
Kevin Fleming
Participant
@kevinfleming72293
Thanks and yes I agree with the offset of the rudders. The full size ship had rudders off set inboard slightly to aid her shaft removal in dry dock , she would have one propeller blade removed and the shaft removed that way
15 November 2011 at 19:56 #32450
Kevin Fleming
Participant
@kevinfleming72293
Is there a common material used for the bilge keel, I was thinking of using a thin piece if plastic angle , the right angle piece giving a greater piece of surface to bond to the hull???

Edited By Kevin Fleming on 15/11/2011 20:00:04
15 November 2011 at 21:08 #32454
Colin Bishop
Moderator
@colinbishop34627
You could certainly get away with angle as long as the horizontal bit is hidden on the inside but plastic doesn’t necessarily bond well and on a working model the bilge keels might take some knocks.

An alternative might be to use thin stripwood such as mahogany and use a very small drill to make vertical holes in it which can be used with thin wire pins to secure it to the hull at regular intervals in addition to gluing it on.

Colin
19 January 2012 at 15:31 #33137
Kevin Fleming
Participant
@kevinfleming72293
Hello again, i have been busy with my boat, Shafts are in place along with rudders, stabiliser fins are still being shipped and Bow thruster and bow rudder on order.

I have had to make my Propeller shaft A frames out of plastic rod and strip. I wanted to smooth out the joins in the plastic and where the frames meet the hull. What is the best thing to use.

I thought about filler but as they are quite small and fiddly i would not be able to get a good hold on them to suitably sand them down….

Any thoughts or advise is appreciated

Thanks

Kev
2 May 2013 at 19:31 #40607
Kevin Fleming
Participant
@kevinfleming72293
Hi, all.

Im a little disapointed in myself as ive not been posting on here for a while. Well the Monas Queen is coming on nicely. I was side tracked slightly with the birth of my son Finlay and also aquiring a type 42 batch 3 Royal Navy destroyer HMS Edinburgh. So been having a play. Work completed on the MQV is as follows.

Twin rudder set up

Twin screw and ESC set up

Bow rudder in the fore peak cut, positioned and connected up (wish i never started this feature but got there in the end)

Rectractable stabiliser fins connected up and housing secured and sealed. ( very pleased with this feature, smooth and slow)

Bow thruster completed with ESC.

Hull belting and name plates completed.

Super structure sections, windows cut with passenger doors completed. Interior decking and glazing to follow.

Stern loading ramps completed.

Foc'scle / cable deck completed

Stern cable deck partially completed.

I ll get some pics uploaded soon.

Thanks

Kev
3 May 2013 at 07:27 #40615
Paul T
Participant
@pault84577
Hello Kev

Congratulations on the birth of Finlay I trust that both mother and son are in good health and that you are now enjoying sleepless nights.

Looking forward to seeing your pictures of Monas Queen (as I suspect Neil is) as this particular ship is an important vessel in Steam Packet history.

Paul
3 May 2013 at 16:49 #40633
Kevin Fleming
Participant
@kevinfleming72293
Yep ta, Finlay and mum are fine. Is Neil connected to the MQV or IOMSPco?
3 May 2013 at 19:13 #40635
Paul T
Participant
@pault84577
Neil is our resident lifeboat modelling guru and a keen exponent of all things Manx ferry
8 May 2014 at 11:02 #48766
Kevin Fleming
Participant
@kevinfleming72293
hi all, sorry for delay in posts. Been hard at it with work, family and boat building. Both the MQV and my T42 destroyer HMS manchester.

MQV is coming along slowly but surely, im grabbing an hour here and there. Im working away in Newcastle last night and my hotel room last night was a sight indeed. It looked like a scaled down shipyard as i worked on he Queen.

Super structure is in place, it was a trial and error build in that respect as the superstructure sides are flush with the hull. i was intending to build the whole thing as a one piece and lift it off as and when, but i just couldnt get the join as id liked it to be. So scrapped that and built the sides and rear car ramps in to hull and after endless filling and sanding i think it will look ok.

The dozens of windows and door openings have been cut, these will be glazed when the time is right. Another modelling friend of mine said just paint or stick windows / doors on but i wanted to to be able to see the promenade decks with the wooden decks behind the windows, along with the interior lighting, it has been said im over engineering this model

I was detailing the foc'sle / cable deck last night. i made the mistake of painting certain areas earlier in the build but it looks like it will need redoing.

The rear spiral car ramps were interesting but fiddly to do, but they should look ok when fully installed.

Boat deck detailing next, along with fore mast, mainmast (exhaust) and finishing the dummy funnel.

I'll get some more pics on when ive primed the model again.

I Hope everyone is well

Ta

Kev
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