Vosper RAF Fire Boat RC Stuff

[Peter Brown 15Participant @peterbrown15]

Just like to thank you all for your help, the model boat community is great just like my fellow Railway Modellers. I took some stick when I bought this boat at a Railway Event! I was helping out at the Diesel Gala Toddington with a layout called Abbotswood Junction.

Now I've got all these parts coming I probably need an inexpensive stand as the Vospur is resting on two car wash sponges. Any suggestions.

[Dodgy Geezer 1Participant @dodgygeezer1]

Posted by Peter Brown 15 on 04/08/2017 13:07:43:

Just like to thank you all for your help, the model boat community is great just like my fellow Railway Modellers. I took some stick when I bought this boat at a Railway Event! I was helping out at the Diesel Gala Toddington with a layout called Abbotswood Junction.

Now I've got all these parts coming I probably need an inexpensive stand as the Vospur is resting on two car wash sponges. Any suggestions.

One of my links is to 'Phil's Workbench'. He is a professional railway modeller, who also does boats. Look at his home page. Here is the link to it **LINK**

Stands are many and various. You will have to make one to suit your boat. Many people make a framework out of plastic tubing – **LINK** I usually make mine out of wood.

The stages are:

1 – find a plank of wood, about 1/2" to 3/4" thick

2 – measure the angles at the bottom of your boat where the stand will go

3 – cut two pieces of wood to these angles

4 glue together with some cross pieces so that it looks like this –

Note that a stand is not just for show – you will need to prepare the boat by the side of the lake. You do this on a stand, which should be high enough to keep the prop and rudder completely off the ground. That way, you can run the motor and check the rudder motion BEFORE putting the boat in the water. Afterwards is a less good idea….

[harry smith 1Participant @harrysmith1]

Hi Peter

An old wire coat hanger is a good way of get the shape for the boats bottom.

I found this idea on a forum site and used it to fix the stand I received with my Precedent Huntsman.

Dodgy's stand look right.

Harry

[Dodgy Geezer 1Participant @dodgygeezer1]

For an emergency, take a cardboard box about 18" long from the nearest supermarket and cut two opposite ends in a 'V' shape to match the hull at that point….

[Peter Brown 15Participant @peterbrown15]

Great, used the card board box method to support the boat. Cleaned the inside of the boat and removed old wiring. Unfortunately the old servo has been glued directly to the stern base and won’t shift without damaging underneath.

[Peter Brown 15Participant @peterbrown15]

What’s the best varnish to use underneath and sides of the boat on the existing paint.

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Why do you want to varnish the paint?? If the paint is dodgy it needs re-painting, if its ok…why varnish?

​If you varnish, it makes it very difficult re touch up areas later as varnished paint is not the same colour as paint paint, if you see what I mean.

​On My Sans Pareil, wot I have painted with red oxide underneath and gloss black on top, I intend to use a satin varnish all over to enhance the red, and dull the black. I will use a Humbrol Satin varnish I already have. This is a specific application of course, using paints that are to hand and then altering them subtly by the use of varnish.

​Almost any varnish will do, spirit or water based…but NOT cellulose as this will certainly strip the paint off. ALSO do not use a spray varnish unless you test it on a portion of paint that you don't mind being ruined, which is of course NIL, as despite the fact that a lot of paints are Acrylic, water based, and therefore in theory interchangeable, THEY ARE NOT.

​I have used interior varnish ok….my premise is….the boat is not that long in the water to affect "interior" varnish.

HOWEVER no one will agree on this and no doubt others will have strong views over this position.

​Ashley Usual disclaimer.

[Dodgy Geezer 1Participant @dodgygeezer1]

Posted by Peter Brown 15 on 04/08/2017 18:00:43:
Great, used the card board box method to support the boat. Cleaned the inside of the boat and removed old wiring. Unfortunately the old servo has been glued directly to the stern base and won't shift without damaging underneath.

Put two bits of cord into holes on each side of the cardboard box, continue round underneath and come up the other side, and you have a useful set of handles to carry it to the lake.So long as it stays dry, it will do the job…

I'd be surprised if the servo was glued to the stern base. You would want to take it out for maintenance, and to use in other models. Check whether it is screwed to the keel in some way…

[Peter Brown 15Participant @peterbrown15]

Yes, definitely glued in tight. I will have to work around it with my new servo.

[Peter Brown 15Participant @peterbrown15]

On the subject of varnish. The paint work on the sides and underneath is good. However it may have been varnished previously as thin wisps of film peel off.

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

It may have been varnished with the quick dry acrylic varnish. This rarely adheres well to paint and peels off once abraded exactly as you have described.

In which case applying anything else on top is also likely to peel off as it will only be attached to the original insecure varnish!

You might have to strip the existing surface.

Colin

[Peter Brown 15Participant @peterbrown15]

I will strip as much off as I can. Possibly revarnish. What’s Ruskins Yacht varnish like.

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Varnish is intended to be applied over wood, particularly yacht varnish which is flexible and has a brown tint to protect against UV. You shouldn't apply it over paint.

If the original surface is paint then the answer is to repaint once you have got a stable surface to apply it to.

I do apply polyurethane varnish to red oxide underwater hulls to seal the red oxide primer and there are matt and satin varnishes which can be applied over matt paint finishes if they need protecting but generally if you paint something then that should be the final finish, you don't need anything on top of it.

Colin

[Dodgy Geezer 1Participant @dodgygeezer1]

A problem with different paints is that they can react with each other – sometimes a little while after painting – and you get a ruined finish. Because we don't know what paint is on your boat, we are cautious about advising any particular brand. You will need to test ANY paint you buy on the boat surface before doing a full paint job.

You haven't given us any pictures of the complete boat, so we can't estimate the best way to treat the deck. A common approach might be to sand it down, then to use one of the Halford's Car Paint aerosols to spray a primer, then a topcoat of your desired colour. But it would be useful to see things before giving any firm advice…

[Peter Brown 15Participant @peterbrown15]

I think I will leave varnish well alone as the paint looks ok. The deck isn’t varnished so shouldn’t be a proplem repainting mid gray and white. Will upload photos when I get the opportunity.

[harry smith 1Participant @harrysmith1]

Hi Peter

As for the paint it's probably oil base lead paint, so be careful stripping the paint.

Use a mask and do it outside, If using a stripper (that's a paint stripper).

Canabus

[Peter Brown 15Participant @peterbrown15]

Just waiting for the components to arrive, in the meantime made a stand. I'm OK ar soldering but most of the RC connections appear to be Futaba Male/Female and looks like the flysky receiver uses these.

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