Todays Boating

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

• Filled in the form to book our place at the Egham Royal show on weekend 24 25 August. Big marquee for the model boat section and featuring the Bushy Park Kids once again.
• Small bandsaw busted…one of the rubber/plastic tyres on the top wheel disintegrated due to age hardening. Ordered two from ‘Solent tools’ as the bottom one probably just as hard as the broken one.
• Visited Hobbycraft after band this morning to get paint and stuff. Fantastic place to look round!
• nothing else.    Ashley

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Good turnout today. 6 boats on a very calm pond, in the sun. Super.

Took the Zis, running ok as usual. Fabulous manouverability despite the rudder being hidden in the prop tunnel.

Ashley

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

• Another good turnout today. Bit blustery but temperature manageable and the very light drizzle at 0900 ish stopped and didn’t return.
• As expected due to total incompetence on the ‘keeping an eye out on what you are doing’ stakes I bashed the Valiant into the concrete and once again damaged the ram bow. Easy small repair.
• 19th May date for Kempton steam open day. Small pond, bumper sized, and about 5 club stands including the non-club Bushy Park Boaters! If nothing else, worth a visit to be gobsmacked by the size of the 4-story three cylinder 1000hp steam engine churning away.
• Next boat, two props, one propshaft, one motor….hmmmmm
• Nowt else
• Ashley

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Good boating Sunday last after standing in the rain for 10 mins, after which it became quite sunny.

The inlet power tube for the flying saucer blaster became detached and a certain amount of stellar matter was allowed to contaminate the saucer interior but all the sensitive electrical systems were high up and ok, allowing the saucer to continue its mission of world domination.

More seriously the dome was misted up severely due to the rain and celestial navigation was somewhat impaired. No matter.

Impressed by Rob who bought his HMS Sheffield down, by bike. In one piece with no breakages! First time out..couple minor glitches but looking good and very lively.

Ashley

 

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Started off with a bit of rain Sunday but brightened up. Only took the ferry as it wasn’t that warm.

No mishaps other than Trevor having forgotten that he took the battery plug off his esc in the Mayfly (down for a test), but easily rectified by pinching the one from his Tup.

Unable to see last post and comment on the “propeller ” post for some reason. I did post on it a few days ago but I can’t see it although if I log out and log in it says mine is last post??

Ashley

[Dave ReedParticipant @davereed72029]

As Colin says…use a wattmeter…instant visibility of how much load you are putting on the motor.

Try using a smaller pitched prop as well. Air boats don’t go as quick as aircraft so will benefit from a lower pitch.

Say….7×4 rather that 7×5…or 6×3 instead of 6×5.

It will allow the motor to rev more. Wattmeter…buy one now!

Ashley

This is the last post I can see on prop thread…

 

 

[Richard SimpsonParticipant @richardsimpson88330]

That’s the last post I can see on the same thread.  Why is that a problem Dave, have there been subsequent posts that you know about and we can’t see?

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

I think there can sometimes be an intermittent glitch. Try refreshing the page and also using the page number links at the foot of the last visible posts to step through the last couple of pages.

Colin

[Dave ReedParticipant @davereed72029]

That’s the last post I can see on the same thread.  Why is that a problem Dave, have there been subsequent posts that you know about and we can’t see?

Sorry Richard, I didn’t mean to imply a problem, just showing Ashley that his post was visible

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Well I can see it now so alls well.

Had a delivery of stuff from CMB, and the 4mm plain brass u/j bits are so wonky it’s unbelievable (not concentric..splines/hole).

These are for the ferry project which has extended shafts. All 4 I had are wonky. Trouble is, there’s one or more either end of the shaft extension so it’s doubly worse. I have set them so the wobble is up one side, down the other so the centre of the shaft is at least stationary. Having a centre support might help I suppose. I might try varnish on the opposite side of the grub screw to give a shimming effect although the holes do not appear to be loose. I do have some brass 4mm rod which I could use tin with solder one side?

Just possibly it might get better if I play with the ends by turning them incrementally.

Ashley

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

The original HUCO couplings used to be OK but the current copies are often poorly engineered. Ashley and I have also found that the red pulleys and gearwheels with a 4mm bore which are generally available are often also sadly drilled off centre. So much so that I am currently remaking the Glynn Guest design wheels for my Bilsdale paddler using more accurate collets soldered into washers. See below for before and after.

Colin

 

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

The irony is that I wanted a very long shaft (28 inches) but was worried about vibration so split this to include the uj either end.

I have a pair of 4mm bore bearings, and am going to fit them, with the aid of a rod between the propshafts, so they support the centre rod near the u/j. This should sort it.

At some stage I might buy a long 4mm shaft and see if this will fit and what the difference is, although it is unlikely to be absolutely straight?

Yes the red cogs can be wonky. I had several to choose from when I did the “ultimate” paddle drive, but even then I had to do a bit of shimming between cog and wheel.

HOWEVER….the laser cut 4 inch discs with 4mm holes are bang on, and having cut paddles all at once so they are identical…THEN sticking the laser cut circles round the edge, the actual paddle wheel is as good as you want.

2nd irony is that whereas the disco paddles are virtually hidden, the “ultimate” paddles are on full display where in fact given the fun nature of the boat, a bit of wobble would almost be in character!

Ashley

[NoelParticipant @noel26080]

Hello everyone, it was nice to go to Bushy Park today and sail the destroyer, and talk about modelling.

Good to meet Rob and see his lovely steam launch.

For Rob’s info I looked up where those Carley floats came from, and they were from John R Haynes. Now he closed his web shop in 2020 and said he had stopped making new parts to sell (but was selling off any old stock he had).
Maybe worth an email on the offchance he still has some.  I bought mine off him in late 2020 after he announced he’d stopped making parts.  But I realise 3 years has passed.

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Nice to see you Noel as well. Noel showed us some fabbydozo 3D printed bits for his carrier he cad’d .Top notch Noel.

Fitted the ferry drive with the two small bearings next to u/j and phew! It runs smooth as a pint of Titanic Plum porter down the hatch. Can start on the rest of it now.

Ashley

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

I had a quick test-float of the push-me pull-you ferry yesterday. Since the last boat, the HSS ferry, which had to be built down to about a kilo and a bit due to the slim pontoons i have been worrying that the push-me might be a bit heavy.

I took it to Trevors Tuesday and he hefted it and his expression told me he thought it was a bit weighty. It is 30 by 5.5 inches, and weighs in (bare hull, motor, driveline) at a weighty 1.75 kilos.

After a bit more sanding and two coats of sanding sealer I plopped it in the galvanised water tank ( holding all the goldfish from mums pond wot I cleared…anyone wanting goldfish…just shout), loaded it with two 6 cell NiMH packs and servo/rcvr/esc to find , as expected really….it floated in an inch of water!

A basic calculation gives me about 3 kg of buoyancy and the designed draft is 40mm so I am well comfortable with that. Any ballast will take the form of lead flashing glued to the underside as the side and superstructure is tall compared to the draft. A Graupner speed 600 eco is the motor driving two 30mm props. A bit overkill but the driveline is extensive and its belt driven.

More sanding today. Dancing this afternoon, and preparing for the 1920’s themed dance on the 23 March.

Ashley

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

The sanding is going well but I am worried some ply join lines will remain visible even after painting. I may consider glass tissue and ezekote on the sides to ensure a seamless joint.

Starting on the top now. Same construction as the HSS, Styrofoam formers and 1.5mm ply (was 0.8mm ply on the HSS).

Weight is not an issue so the top can be a bit more substantial on the ply compared to the HSS, who’s top is barely 200g.

I do need to go to Addlestone models at some point to get some 1/2 round strip…4mm wide. It’s almost impossible to cut strips of wood this thin and get it absolutely even. The boat has “shelves” for want of a better term, wave deflectors either end and we were mulling over scale-ish or practical, when it was suggested that they can’t be too big or the boat would not fit in my 30 inch toolbag for boating by bike! This will be a great bag-boat as the props are flush with the bottom, and with the removable funnel and mast de-mounted, there will be no detail on the boat to get broken.

Ashley

[Len Morris 2Participant @lenmorris2]

Ashley,

Do post some pictures please (and not about the dancing).

Len. 🙂

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Len, len..LEN. you are so demanding! HSS and ferry. Not much to see I’m afraid. HSS is all white, and I am working on the foam ferry top framework. Waiting for the Gorilla glue to set.

Ashley

[Len Morris 2Participant @lenmorris2]

Hi Ashley,

Thanks for that.  I can now get mi brain about wot you’re talking about!  Looks like a super job on both boats.

Len. 🙂

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Cheers Len. Hss untested yet…

Ferry side panel hull joints sorted by scraping P38 filler over them and sanding.

Bought three sheets thin ply, super aliphatic glue and three strips lime wood from Addlestone models a mere… gulp …£61.

I only needed the lime strips, but worth stocking up on 0.8 and 1.5mm ply.

Ashley

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Rain is stopping play here. Raining now and the mrs’s phone says wet until lunchtime.

Continuing work on ferry top. Its odd but once the basic carcase of the top has been glued together, the rest follows at a pace. I was wondering about the front and rear face supports, but having cut a few bits of foam the way is clear.

5  in epoxy is the thing here. You can crack on with the build. If it was summer and hot I would use PVA…but its cold and damp.

Ashley

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

For those of you (len) who would like photo updates…I offer the ongoing construction of the ferry top. This dried overnight in the living room. It’s a foam core and 1.5mm ply on sides and eventually the top.

It’s full of ad-hoc bracing to keep the thin stuff straight and stop bulging, which it does when you try and curve it round the ends. The hull is essentially three sections of straight bits on the sides and thus far the top is mirroring this really well without resorting to joins. There is a horizontal split at the aft end to accomodate the the cut up in the rear but superglue will be all that’s needed to keep the edges together.

Once the sides are on and fettled, it’s on with the top and then there is just a long box to be made to go down the centre, and the bridge.

Ashley 

[Len Morris 2Participant @lenmorris2]

Hi Ashley,

Thanks for your 1150 word post.  Text 150, picture 1000!  Looking very good and clever construction.

A long time ago on a business trip the Queen Mary was my hotel for a week and I had time to visit the Spruce Goose.  In the side display they had examples of the plane’s construction.  I always remember some of the smaller bits being 9 ply at 1mm thick!

Len. 🙂

 

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Massive run at Hampton Court meant no one could park Sunday. As it happened I went by bike as I had to do something prior so no problem parking…BUT the Mintanic throttle wouldn’t work…tried reseating leads but no good. At home, took all leads out and put them back in and it all worked OK…grrrr

Worried I had put the side strake and fore/aft shelves on ferry hull much too low but then noticed that the photo of the (correct) boat I was looking at had a slightly different livery, one in which the superstructure white extended down the hull somewhat, making it look like the hull was shallower than my model and su sequent,y making the shelf appear to be higher!

The front of my models superstructure slopes inwards at the side, but on the actual ship they I explicable slope outwards? On closer inspection, this is due to some large cutaways, not reflected on the die cast model. Will think on that one.

The rear of the superstructure differs a bit as well, but I think I can get round that.

Ashley

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Had a clearout of the shed yesterday in order to put some dancing stuff away ( hall/table decorations), so have been thinning down the big pile of boat plans/drawings.

Amongst titles to go in the recycling  are some of my most ICONIC (!) builds…Hms Argus and Glorious,  Sutcliffe Valiant, Larsen Aerocar, Flying saucer, His 489. STingray, Terror fish, Swordfish….

Not sure why I keep them really, but it’s like keeping your old school books I suppose. Over the years I have scanned perhaps only  two or three of them to send to people. Anyway…in ttherecycling next week.

I am 5 bits of ply, 8 half lifeboats,  a funnel and a mast away from finishing the ferry actual build, and four of those are only small bits. Hard part next, decoration!

Ashley

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