Pine wood

[Mark KiplingParticipant @markkipling54083]

Alternative to pine

[Mark KiplingParticipant @markkipling54083]

hi I am new to model boat making so please be gentle with me. I wish to attempt to make the model nomad which was in the June issue of model boats. The model was made up of 12 mm x 120mm pine planks. I am having difficulty finding the correct wood to use. Is there an alternative to pine or am I able to use 15mm thick wood.

Thank you in advance

Mark

[Dave MilbournParticipant @davemilbourn48782]

Mark

That would be an increase in weight of 25% which might be too much. If you Google "12mm x 120mm pine" you should get a few useful hits (provided you live in the UK). Shiplap cladding is generally this sort of size and it's pretty cheap.

Dave M

Edited By Colin Bishop, Website Editor on 04/06/2017 18:42:01

[Mark KiplingParticipant @markkipling54083]

Thank you all for your comments. I am still having trouble finding pine in the dimensions needed however, I will keep trying. My aim was to find an alternative to pine if there was one. As originally mentioned I am new to model making but perhaps I should have chosen a different model to make but I liked the nomad. I did not expect such a passionate response.

Again thank you all for your responses but does anyone know if another type of wood can be used in place of pine

Mark

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Mark,

Looking at your postcode, you have a B&Q and a Wickes store not far away in Farnborough. You should almost certainly be able to find suitable softwood in either. B&Q actually do handy short lengths of wood in a multitude of sizes. Also, think laterally! If you can find the thickness you want but not the width then you can simply glue two lengths together side by side with a bit of plywood over the joint to reinforce it where needed and there the 'strap' doesn't get in the way of something else. Glynn's form of construction is pretty straightforward really.

Also, measure the wood in the stores as it is often actually less than the nominal size on the label.

Colin

[mike farrellParticipant @mikefarrell21522]

Hi Mark A quick search on the net try Gaza Timber where you can get size and quantity for reasonable prices Good Luck Michael

[Mark KiplingParticipant @markkipling54083]

Thank you all for your replies I will do what you suggested

Mark

[Glynn GuestParticipant @glynnguest59245]

Mark,

You did nothing wrong in asking for advise on the used of alternative materials. It is not always possible for a modeler to use exactly the same materials as used in the prototype model. In view of your admitted lack of experience you were wise to ask.

Colin has made some good advise in using two pieces of timber, glued along the center-line to produce the desired section. I would suggest that a "strap" might not be needed to reinforce this joint. By using the "as supplied" edges of PSE timber for the surfaces to be glued together, a strong joint can be made with no need for "straps". I have used this method many times with excellent results.

If you have to use 15 mm thick pine then it might not be a problem provided you avoid adding too much top weight to the final model and use dense ballast as low as possible inside the hull.

Designers have to accept that modelers will sometimes have to change a design to suit available materials, equipment and personal preferences. There is nothing wrong with this and I try not to be too prescriptive about what materials, RC gear, ESC's and such to use. It seems much better for example to say something like, this motor and propeller draws so many Amps in this model, so you can select an appropriate ESC.

Good luck with your model.

Glynn Guest

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Topic tidied up.

Colin

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

You could if you can find it at a hard wood timber merchant, use obeche .although it is classed as a hardwood because of the nature of it being a deciduous tree and therefore a growth cycle of one year, it is a lovely soft textured timber, brilliant for carving and sanding, but harder and easier to finish than balsa wood, and at last count up here in Blackpool was 15p a 1"x 1" by foot run………much cheaper than balsa wood, and no knots in it to interrupt your model.

[Ian Dowlman 1Participant @iandowlman1]

Hi Mark,

Looking at the same project myself, see earlier posts.

I have a local guy I have a good relationship with who is a jobbing wood merchant and has planes, scroll saws and band saws etc, and having drawn templates I will be visiting this week to get him to cut the relevant bits for me which may be more economical that the superstore DIY route. I'll let you know how we get on. Perhaps you may have similar little businesses near you?

Ian

[Ian Dowlman 1Participant @iandowlman1]

Hi Mark

I have got the wood from the local supplier.

I'm happy enough with what I got in quality and price, but experience suggests that if you are asking for small-ish square sections, impress on the supplier how important it is for the sections to not have any bends or twists.

Ian

[Charles OatesParticipant @charlesoates31738]

Re Neils point about obeche wood, it truly is a wonderfull wood for modeling, and used to be commonly used yet is seldom mentioned now. A great shame.

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi All

Obeche is truly wonderful timber to work with, I use it for stringers and framing flexible and strong as it is available from SLEC at Watton & their on line shop is great, not forgetting the very cheap sheets of birch ply with the grain crossways, which must be offcuts from the bigger sheets Regards Ray

[Mark KiplingParticipant @markkipling54083]

Hi to all and thank you for help so far

I have started to build the nomad and I am looking at the electronics. I understand I need a motor, esc (Bec), servo, a transmitter/receiver system and a battery.

The article written by Glynn Guest (June 2017 issue) states that he used a 6 cell battery. Being new to all things model boats especially the electronics and after reading horror stories of boat blowing up etc.. if possible could someone help me to confirm the following.

1. If I use a speed controller with (BEC) then I do not need a separate battery for the receiver.

2. Most 6 cell batteries give 7.2v and most servos run either 4.8 or 6 v therefore should I use 5 cell battery which would give 6v.

I understand the nomad was a freelance model but I don't want to make the model then blow something up. I am sure that once I understand the electronics on this model I will be ok with any future models.

I have read most of the help on the forums especially "I don't understand electronics" which is still partly true, I just need a bit of guidance and confirmation.

Thank you in advance

Mark

[Dodgy Geezer 1Participant @dodgygeezer1]

Posted by Mark Kipling on 13/09/2017 10:42:02:

……………

1. If I use a speed controller with (BEC) then I do not need a separate battery for the receiver.

2. Most 6 cell batteries give 7.2v and most servos run either 4.8 or 6 v therefore should I use 5 cell battery which would give 6v.

If a speed controller has Battery Elimination Circuitry (BEC) then it has some internal circuitry which takes whatever voltage the main battery is at, and pushes out a nominal 4.8 (or 6) volts to the receiver plug. The receiver is therefore powered by the speed controller, and you do not need a separate battery for it.

It does not matter what the main power input is (within reason!). A speed controller might take 24v in, and the BEC circuitry will only push 4.8v out to the receiver. So I would use the standard 7.2v 6 cell main power battery.

Sometimes you might want to have a separate receiver battery – it may help to suppress any interference coming along the power line, for instance. But the whole point of BEC is to allow you to have a high voltage main power source, and run a 4.8/6v receiver and.servo set off this safely.

[Mark KiplingParticipant @markkipling54083]

Thanks Dodgy Geezer for your quick response it makes a lot more sense and will help me order the correct components.

Mark

[Dodgy Geezer 1Participant @dodgygeezer1]

Note that you do not have to have the BEC included in the ESC – though it is very convenient to do so. If you want to use an ESC which does not have a BEC, you can buy stand-alone BECs starting at a pound or two. You would just plug the power end of the BEC into the power source you have of whatever voltage, and 4.8v would come out of the other end….

[Ian Dowlman 1Participant @iandowlman1]

Hi Mark.
Re battery I am using a 6v battery in my (extended) Nomad, first for the revs on the motor, and second it is a good souce of ballast. They can be had for about a tenner.

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