Hello and what have I started?

[Stephen Paterson 2Participant @stephenpaterson2]

First of hello! I've always tinkered around with 'stuff' I have rc gliders, nitro cars and planes, a Thames Barge (completed about 30 years ago when I was 14-ish&#128584

I have taken upon myself to build a ship of resemblance to Barbaros class frigate. Why? I liked it and had a 'scale fail' three times attempting to do the Bismarck… opted for a gentler taxation of thought!

Now many here will hold their hands up in sheer horror whilst casting scorn and grabbing their pitchforks… to which I am happy for them.

It's not (well kind of is😂&#128584 about that

perfect scale finish and complete look of authenticity but its about the road which is travelled to reach the end result! Anyhow.. here's 1 or 2 pics as it nearly looks now… oh and the hull is perfect mm by mm checked with a fixed jig thing and digital vernier's. 😯😎👊🏻

errr how do I post pics? 🤬😂

[Stephen Paterson 2Participant @stephenpaterson2]

[Stephen Paterson 2Participant @stephenpaterson2]

[Stephen Paterson 2Participant @stephenpaterson2]

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Hi Stephen. Keep us posted. Hull shaping up ok…the carcass is ply ? and if so of what thickness?

I would say that smaller modern warships like this can be a bit tender/unstable/wobble quite a bit, and an effort should be made (when you get there) to make the superstructure as light as possible, and similarly get the battery as low as you can. Personally I like to fit oversized bilge keels/fixed stabilisers as this can greatly help to prevent rolling, but this is a personal taste thing.

Ashley

[Stephen Paterson 2Participant @stephenpaterson2]

Thank you Ashley, advice is always well received. I have been making the superstructure from thin Balsa, 4mm square and 1/32 sheet. the hull formers-ribs? 🙈 are 3mm ply I kept the front three solid to make it more rigid. The deck which is visible will be cut and trimmed to leave a 10mm edge which the real deck will sit flush to and allow me to ensure as watertight a seal as possible.

Battery choice was to be lipo's slong each side at almost keel line (10mm internal from outside if that makes sense😂

Motor wise is giving me the biggest confusion, it wants running on two screws with central rudder but not sure on motor choice ss yet.

[Andy FParticipant @andyf73386]

I love the way that your workshop is almost as untidy as mine. I feel we could have a bond forming here

Nice model btw and good luck with the motors. I'm in the same boat as it were (no pun intended) with mine – 2 props, 2 rudders, bags of enthusiasm but zero knowledge.

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Stephen. Given that you are likely to need ballast in the boat, a Nimh battery on the centreline might be better? Unless you already have liposuction to hand.

I might be inclined to use two 385 motors, or low power Mfa 540/1 types as being adequate on a 6 cell Nimh.

Ashley (yes like the workshop ambience)

[Stephen Paterson 2Participant @stephenpaterson2]

I had been thinking of casting a thin lead keel with most of the mass sat in the mid to rear section (dependant on waterline when hardware is mounted) I could cast it a few mm width to 20/30 mm width at only 1-2 mm depth. I theorised that by spreading the mass of the ballast as low as possible it would centralise the hull round the pivotal area of rudder?

I do like my tidy workshop, quite tidy just now with no car engines stripped on the bench 😂😂😂🙈

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

External keels work very well with small warship type hulls, if you don’t mind a bump underneath the hull.

A couple of mine have a strip of 5mm steel glued in place and it is just the job.

Ashley

[Chris EParticipant @chrise]

Posted by ashley needham on 03/07/2019 21:23:39:

External keels work very well with small warship type hulls, if you don’t mind a bump underneath the hull.

A couple of mine have a strip of 5mm steel glued in place and it is just the job.

Ashley

So first you must stop the keel rusting & then glue it to the hull.

How do you achieve all this including is the hull fully finished before you start?

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi Stephen,

Lead flashing cut into strips & laid in the bilges should do the trick, without spoi!ing the appearance of your ship 😀

Regards Ray

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Clean the steel, glue it on with epoxy, making sure to smear glue on all of the sticky side (to seal the metal) and when dry, paint with rex oxide paint (likely the colour of the bottom of the boat anyway. I mean of course that the strip of steel is stuck on flat, not hanging down on one side!

You say the hull is finished? Underneath you only need to rough up the paint for sufficient adhesion. Any remedial filling work is right underneath so will not affect the finish of the sides assuming that you mean you have painted this already.

Agreeing with Ray, I would try the hull out soon-as and decide if internal ballast works ok first. It is easy to see the difference as attaching a temporary keel underneath only takes a bit of masking tape. 

To be honest, for the amount of time that the boat is in the water, the likelihood of rust is minimal.

I used a steel strip because I had some handy, but builders merchants sell roof ties, which are thickish, and plated for rust prevention, at reasonable cost. They are perforated with holes but this is easily remedied by a swoosh of filler.

I would still advocate slightly oversize bilge keels or fins.

Ashley

Edited By ashley needham on 05/07/2019 09:48:42

Edited By ashley needham on 05/07/2019 09:50:53

[Chris EParticipant @chrise]

Ashley

Thanks for that. I wasn't saying that the hull was finished I was asking you to clarify whether you would glue steel to a finished painted hull & I have gathered that you would. I would prefer to also have a mechanical fixing which becomes more important the heavier the weight gets.

Thanks again.

Edited By Chris E 1 on 06/07/2019 08:04:52

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Chris. Sorry I thought you may have painted the hull already. Gluing to the bare wok is best. A couple of small nuts/bolts or even screws (with countersunk heads) would certainly give peace of mind, however I have not had a flat strip keel drop off yet!

Ashley

[Malcolm FraryParticipant @malcolmfrary95515]

Personally I would never glue to a painted surface. Total reliance is being placed on the stiction between paint and surface,. When the item is recovered, it invariably has a layer of paint attached to it by the glue.

A lesson learnt from observing the re-fixing of an alarm lantern set that had been glued to a painted wall. But that was a heavier item than a ballast strip on a model boat.

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

Yes, I'd echo that. I'd love to paint my hulls before fitting the rubbing strips and chine rails etc. to save not having to do fiddly masking but I'm not going to.

I realise of course that you have to glue some of the finishing touches to paint.

Chris

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi Stephen,

If your hull is 180mm beam as you mentioned earlier that's quite wide for the length of the hull ! Get the hull sealed and Mark the waterline on and test for the amount of weight required in the bath to achieve the right level allowing some leeway for the weight of the superstructure. I would only bolt a weight on the keel as last resort 😯

Regards Ray

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Ignore my last comments, as you have already done what I suggested 😮

Maybe only having one thread for you build may stop me posting on the wrong one !!

Regards Ray

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