Todays Boating

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Good boating today. Wind a bit lively. Herald went ok, but the ERSC had lost forwards….so….changed the l/h prop for a r/h prop and just had forwards!! Toybota very lively with 2s Lipo, and hovervan, well it was a bit windy really but went ok.

Peter had fishing boat and Fire boat although there was a bit of an issue with the ESC battery box and it only had a short run. Trevor had the small torpedo boat with the unfeasibly small brushless in, wot goes very well.

Noel. Had the new lander, which IS very lively and seems to have a 380 in it, sneaky one, and needs to be swapped for a 385, his little tug and destroyer and the Ecranoplan. Again, a bit windy for optimum performance but going very well despite this. Judging by the grin-on-face I think he was quite pleased!!

Home, drying boats in the garden, lunch, possibly a bit of sanding on project W later on.

Ashley

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Just a bit of sanding this afternoon , outside as it was nice and blowy, with mask on , using drum sandings attachment on drill. Good shape on bow, a bit thin I think in places but will sort that out easy enough. Next job will be filler and wet`n`dry, I will set aside a day for that.

Lipo low voltage warnings were bleeping from both craft so fitted with my 2s Lipo, bvut I think the voltage cutoff is too high, and I don't think you can reset the cheap ones, as all cells were showing 3.9V which is certainly not low.

Hovervan (540 and ducted fan) showing 16A drain using meter on full throttle, a bit more that I was expecting, but it has lasted well enough on the 3700Mahr Nimhs so I don't think I will change it.

found an interesting fact regarding the propulsive effort on project W (the full size one) and it belies the fact really but that is for later.

Ashley

[NoelParticipant @noel26080]

Hi. Really enjoyed today's sesh. Landing craft great, needs a bit more ballast i think and a milder motor As suggested but otherwise awesome. Ecranoplan a real challenge in the gusty conditions but really good fun, really funny how it veered from borderline flipping to burying its nose!

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Have been filling and sanding project W hull. Despite that I seemed to have filled and sanded for England, it has only taken one first fill, sand, second remedial fill, sand and then a knifing filler and light sand to achieve a very reasonable result. Reasonable even after dusting the hull with grey primer to see exactly what`s what.

The actual sanding time (wet`n`dry actually) probably didn't exceed an hour in total, it just feels like it, eh?

This afternoon I have been applying extra filler to the bow to remedy the bow profile which has gone astray a little bit, these Victorian boats, difficult bows, all bumps and reverse angles.

Logging on amazon now to purchase a steel everlasting sanding block/thingy. This has (don't quote me on this) bits of tungsten carbide or something welded in the face and is exactly the tool to achieve rapid fibreglass removal, viz, the deck line. Handily the deck line should be level with the kjsaddfijh so I don't need to carry out extensive marking-up. While that arrives I will at be tackling the thorny issue of the rudder, after the bow re-profiling of course.

• Ashley

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Finally taken delivery of the Perma-grit block and my word what a tool. Had my job finished in no time, and there were no cracks or chips in the fibreglass either. Several holes have been drilled in the sides ready for later on and a rudder opening similarly, using another Perma-grit tool, a little cutting wheel (used in conjunction with hoover and mask, outside) which was similarly effective.

Carbon fibre rod for masting also in the box (how light and stiff???) AND extra materials for the NEXT project, which will probably run concurrently with this one, as this one will take a long time.

Also faffing about with the propulsion which will not be so easy to fix in place as first thought, but that's more than a few weeks away yet.

The old bank balance has taken a bit of a hit but there we are. Cant take it with you…

Ashley

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Boating today but not next week as it is Armistice Sunday.

Today will be the SansP, USS New Jersey (sort of) and the usual lander.

Work proceeds on project W hull, certain items are showing more resistance to my chisel than expected!! After several goes at it I am half way through the procedure but have a blister on my right hand. Should have worn gloves earlier, however it is going to plan (not that I have one).

Ashley.

[NoelParticipant @noel26080]

Not sure am going to be down pond for another week or two, but have been able to finish off the donated landing craft. It now has a battery holder, a little corrective lead in the stern as it was still a bit bow heavy, and some foam rubber bumper strips fore and aft. These strips don't look bad when painted grey and should provide good protection for other objects the lander comes into contact with – be they static, or indeed, other water craft.

The 1/24 Defender looks great in it, but being die-cast it does raise the centre of gravity rather alarmingly.

The cheapo brushless EDF turned up in the post too, so this has been mounted to a temporary jet pipe and fitted to my Schumacher Cougar r/c car in order to generally test it out before it goes on the speedboat hull.
It looks quite exciting standing still, and accelerates rapidly down the kitchen on a 3S or 12v battery!

[NoelParticipant @noel26080]

Posted by ashley needham on 02/11/2017 17:32:52:

Finally taken delivery of the Perma-grit block and my word what a tool.

What do these things look like? are they hard and metal or squashy and foam like? Are they like an all in one glasspaper-and-block type thing?

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi Noel

Google Permagrit Tools, good website, excellent tools been using them for 20 years

Regards Ray

[Tim CooperParticipant @timcooper90034]

Noel

I can recommend the Permagrit tools. Like Ray I must have been using them for 20 years. They have been useful around the house from fitting a bath surround to lots of woodwork projects. At the present I am using a Permagrit jigsaw blade to cut Contiboard without chipping the coating. I have 2 sanding blocks, files, flat files. The advantage is that they can be cleaned by scrubbing in water with a suede brush or brushing on paint stripper!

Tim

Edited By Tim Cooper on 06/11/2017 11:01:39

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Noel. The tools come in various shapes and sizes, but basically the actual Permagrit surface looks like the surface of (whatever) has been coated in glue and very fine granite chipping (big sand), and it is a sort of copper colour.

The block I have is an aluminium hollow oblong with indented sides for grip, and on one side there is a course grit and the other, fine. Razor sharp sanding.

The exhaust path from an EDF should be very free, and although the car looks racy like you have mounted it, it would go a bit better if the motor was simply mounted on a ring at the rear…ie no jet pipe.

I would not like to give any sort of percentage drop associated with a long or rough/narrowing jet pipe but when on a boat it may well be the difference between flying and pootling.

Ashley

Edited By ashley needham on 06/11/2017 16:54:48

[NoelParticipant @noel26080]

permagrit going on the Christmas list… I like the angled sanding block shaped like a parallelogram, looks very useful.

The jet pipe length was based on ease of mounting across the cars shock towers, so in use it can be cut down a lot I was thinking of about 4" or just enough to pipe it out the back of the boat and make it look jet-like.

[Dave MilbournParticipant @davemilbourn48782]

Ah! So the word is finally out on Permagrit! I buy a new one for a Christmas present to myself just about every year. This is one of its most frequent uses:

Dave M

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi Noel

That's the best reason I've ever seen for drinking the scotch !! I think I may have a go at a twin tube version

Liking the sanding board idea Dave, I have no finger tips left !

Regards Ray

Edited By Ray Wood 2 on 07/11/2017 10:44:33

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

I bought a Permagrit at last year's Model boat Show. Only bought a small one though, will buy a bigger one this time and make one of Dave's sanding tools.

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Yes everyone should have Permagrit tools. I am ordering some files to go with the block.

Ashley Ps Ray, easy on the air boats…

[Dave MilbournParticipant @davemilbourn48782]

Yes everyone should have Permagrit tools

They're brilliant if anyone asks what you'd like for Christmas. No more sweaters, socks, ties, smelly stuff – these are USEFUL! **LINK**

As they say, no commercial connection; just a very satisfied customer over a number of years.

Dave M

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

I have looked at them but thought they were rather expensive. Maybe I will have another think.

Colin

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi All

My contribution to the Permagrit appreciation society is a photo of my 20 year old, long block which has a rough and smooth sides and is the most often used tool I have, which is cleaned with a wire brush. They also do the sheet with the tungsten carbide welded to it which you can cut with scissors to make custom sanding blocks, also for small brass work I use it instead of a file. So well worth the money

Regards Ray

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

I now have a fibreglass hull, and I need to make several openings in it, and will certainly order a set of PG files. I baulked at the cost yesterday as they are quite expensive, but a tool that lasts forever is not expensive really is it??

I shall not be putting bulkheads in my hull.
I say this as newbie timford2 says should he put bulkheads in his new Severn hull to stiffen it up…and previously DM has commented on reading instructions and bad advice. He is as usual correct, and as I know nowt about Severn hulls would not like to comment and refrained from doing so. Suffice it to say of the 6 fibreglass hulled boats I have, only two gave bulkheads (yes I really have that many ready made hulls, sadly) BUT there are crossbeams and third height motor mounts and so on inside

My hull is very thin, about 1.5mm and of a good size but is stiff as a rake. I know once the decks are on and a couple of deep deck supports and motor mounts etc. are in, that will do nicely.

No boating tomorrow as playing for a remembrance day service (in a roundabout in Reigate).

Ashley

[Tim CooperParticipant @timcooper90034]

Ashley

You will never regret buying the Permagrit tools.

They work very well on plywood, MSG and hardboard as well.

They are only expensive if you don't use them much.

Tim

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Tim. Set of large needle files ordered!!

Have been faffing about with propulsion on new boat. It seems to be one of those things, unless some bits are fixed in place, others cant be added but then really everything needs to fitted at once. I am going to have to bite the bullet and fix SOMETHING in and see how we go.

I have been poring over the plans today in an effort to sort out the gunports. As usual there is not really enough there to be 100% sure, but I am making informed guesses based on established practice (at the time). I need to purchase some 1/2 inch ply for a starter and then I can crack on with doing the deck.

Something else to ponder over is the steering. The end at which the rudder is situated is narrow and I cannot use a normal tiller. I am thinking about a wheel/pulley affair but am worried about access once the deck is on. I had thought I could have a hatch cunningly hidden as a deck-house but this does not seem to be the case (after more studying) I don't really want a bit of removable deck but this may be the way I have to go.

I often wonder if anyone tries to build anything of mine that has appeared in the mag. I have not received any hate fan mail other than a chap in the lake district asking about the pontoon boat (plans) but of course I didn't have any plans for this, so had to knock up a dimensioned drawing. I believe I may have seen an Ecranoplan in a picture of some show or other, and I have made an Ecranoplan kit (how`s it going??) but that's about it. Craft are probably too scary…

Something about 5 projects down the line will be something ordinary and much-modelled but with a small twist but plans for that one are already out there (not like my sketch of course!!)

Ashley

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

 

​Posted by ashley needham on 11/11/2017 10:00:51:

I now have a fibreglass hull, and I need to make several openings in it, and will certainly order a set of PG files. I baulked at the cost yesterday as they are quite expensive, but a tool that lasts forever is not expensive really is it??

I shall not be putting bulkheads in my hull.
I say this as newbie timford2 says should he put bulkheads in his new Severn hull to stiffen it up…and previously DM has commented on reading instructions and bad advice. He is as usual correct, and as I know nowt about Severn hulls would not like to comment and refrained from doing so. Suffice it to say of the 6 fibreglass hulled boats I have, only two gave bulkheads (yes I really have that many ready made hulls, sadly) BUT there are crossbeams and third height motor mounts and so on inside

My hull is very thin, about 1.5mm and of a good size but is stiff as a rake. I know once the decks are on and a couple of deep deck supports and motor mounts etc. are in, that will do nicely.

No boating tomorrow as playing for a remembrance day service (in a roundabout in Reigate).

Ashley

I picked up one of the large sanding blocks as per Ray's photos yesterday at the show and baulked at the cost of the files also! Wished I'd known about the sanding blocks years ago as I've spent a fortune on sand paper for jobs around the house and garden over the years which would have paid for Permagrit tools over and over again.

I baulked partly because I'd already spent quite a bit on materials and other bits and pieces and still had some things to get.

Not really essential for me at the moment and I have been guilty on many occasions of buying "expensive" tools for DIY and the garage. Some I've never used!

Chris

 

Edited By Chris Fellows on 11/11/2017 21:52:36

Edited By Chris Fellows on 11/11/2017 21:53:26

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Never take anything for granted. Having stuck something to the new hull of my boat, I rechecked the drawings for some other information and noticed some inconsistences Viz the placement of items in the boat and the thickness of the part I had just stuck on. A second opinion confirmed my suspicion and I have had to get the chisel out and prise the offending part off.

However this gave me the chance to use my new PARMAGRIT block and in a jiffy all the old glue and filler was off and two new bits have been made ready for gluing on tomorrow, the hull being totally undamaged.

Having said there will be no bulkheads in the hull, I shall by the looks of things need two half bulkheads to square the sides up a fraction and also represent another feature of the boat.

Ashley

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Glad it worked Ashley!

Colin

[Author]

Posts