Yes another Clyde Puffer

[Fred Ellis 1Participant @fredellis1]

Hi Len

Sorry for not answering sooner, yes I have been thinking how to make the locking post for the boom, so I think I will take some brass tube and cut it in half to make the rest and some thick wire for the support, also I was thinking of using the same wire for the cleats,

So far the only items other than the hull that I have purchased is the steam winch, all the rest has come out of the spares box.

Fred

[Len Morris 2Participant @lenmorris2]

Well done Fred.  The fun of ‘scratch build’ is making something out of nowt or at least not spending a chunk of money.  On the subject of wire, I use a lot of paper clips or heavy single strand domestic copper cable wire.  Solder a treat and easy to handle.

Len

[Fred Ellis 1Participant @fredellis1]

Hi Len

Thank you for suggesting paper clips, that is one thing I have not given any thought too.

This is just what I like about forums, some one has the answer to your problem.

Fred

[Fred Ellis 1Participant @fredellis1]

Hi One & All

Just when will the wealth get better?

on Monday I started to fix the rope work on the puffer and after four hours I finished, I still have to find or make a hook, I went for the cross beams type of support for the boom.

The next time I can get into the garage I will start to make the railings

 

[mmcp42Participant @mmcp42]

hello Fred,

looking good there!

is the boom static, or can you raise it/swing it?

cheers

Mike

[Fred Ellis 1Participant @fredellis1]

Hi Mike

Yes the boom can move but only by hand.

Fred

[Len Morris 2Participant @lenmorris2]

Hi Fred,

Excellent progress.  You need the boom to swing to get inside without struggling so well done.  Looks like you’ll be in the water before soon!

Len

[Fred Ellis 1]

On Fred Ellis 1 Said:

Hi Mike

Yes the boom can move but only by hand.

Fred

hello Fred

movable is great

moving remotely would be phenomenal!

great work work there!!

cheers

Mike

[Fred Ellis 1Participant @fredellis1]

Thank you Len & Mike,

I hope it will be getting it’s bottom wet on Good Friday, the club shares the ground with the local steam train club, Good Friday is there first steam day also they have the Mayor come and open and take the first ride of the season.

Fred

[James Hill 5Participant @jameshill5]

Excellent work Fred, it’s looking great.

I’m going to have to up my game, I’m falling behind all the other builds just now.

At the moment I’m cutting card out to form the steel decking before I try and get the planking sorted out. I must admit for some reason my planned route of construction seems to have gone a bit haywire as I’ve not even got to paint it properly yet. I intend to plank to a point where the engine room and wheelhouse will fit and then the rest of the decking round the steam winch at the bow. I’ve been interested to see how you’ve managed the mast and boom, as that’s a challenge on it’s own.

Best of luck with the maiden voyage . I’m a long way from that still.

Jim.

[Fred Ellis 1Participant @fredellis1]

Hi Jim

Just you take your time after all this is not a race to see who get’s there boat on the water first. it’s just we all like the Puffer.

I will get my drawings out of the bin later on to day and post them up

Fred

[Fred Ellis 1Participant @fredellis1]

First I must say sorry to Jim, I will redraw my idea for the boom to mast fixing,

when I started this build I tried to work out just were all the bits should go, one of whish was the battery, I had a 6 volt stick so I thought that this would be O.K, now that I have come to the point of test tank (bath) testing in went the battery, puffer into test tank, all O.K no leaks (good job I am not in Wales) so now would be a good time to test the motor out in water, Rudder working -checked, motor working- dead, all out of the water, the only other 6 volt battery I have is an SLA one, all worked fine with that so it looks as if the 6 volt stick is not up to the job,

I do not have room for a 7.4 volt stick so what do I do now,

In the mean time I got my self a T72 tank and that has a small 7.4 battery, out of the tank came the battery and into the puffer, all fitted O.K, rudder works – motor works so all is fine, i only now need to see if it all works when I fit the smoke unit into the system and put it into the water.

Fred

[Richard SimpsonParticipant @richardsimpson88330]

Maybe the motor is tired Fred and it needs a little more voltage to get it going.  Is it new or a used one?  Maybe your 6V pack is a little old and is not holding enough charge, a new 6V battery might be enough to do the job.  Can you cycle the battery and see how much charge it takes and can you measure the voltage across it?

[Fred Ellis 1Participant @fredellis1]

Hi Richard

Thank you for your comments.

The motor is old/new stock 385 that I got from Hunter Electronics and it has been sitting in the box unused. the battery is about two years old, I get a reading of 6.4 volts a day after being charged so it looks as if it is holding a charge.

I think and I could be wrong, taking that it has to run the rudder servo, esc with bec and the motor it is just may be to much for the battery.

I will try running the motor from the battery if that works I will then add in the ESC, now this is were I think it will stop working, I am thinking that I am taking more power out to run the R/X and the motor than the battery cope with.

Fred

 

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

From what you say, it sounds as if the NiMH stick may be the problem The radio gear draws very little power. I’ve just found a dead pack in one of my boats. 7.2 volts would be better really. If the existing stick is old then you may find that smaller batteries now have the same capacity. AA cells can now deliver 2600MAh and you can get different standard configurations that might fit into the hull more easily:

https://www.componentshop.co.uk/batteries/radio-control/mini-power-packs.html

For greater capacity the larger Sub C cells also come in different options including a split stick pack:

https://www.componentshop.co.uk/batteries/radio-control/large-power-packs/7-2v-8-4v.html

Another option, which I favour for smaller models are the Low Self Discharge batteries which hold their charge for a year or more:

https://www.componentshop.co.uk/batteries/radio-control/low-self-discharge.html

Ashley has also recently drawn my attention to the availability of Li Ion rechargeable batteries which have very large capacities for their size. They are 3.7 volts each so two would give you 7.4 volts. Lots of places online sell them as packs such as:

https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/rechargeable-battery-packs/1449412

These are more expensive and you need a suitable charger but an interesting possibility.

Colin

 

[Fred Ellis 1Participant @fredellis1]

Thank you Colin for the links,

The battery out of the T72 is a 7.4v 1800mah Li-Po, 2 cell and it fits, I will be trying it out at the next meeting,

Fred

[Fred Ellis 1Participant @fredellis1]

Hi One & All

The new battery that I ordered from Howes has now arrived, I can now start to get her ballasted, then with luck is down to the pond this coming weekend.

Fred

[Len Morris 2Participant @lenmorris2]

Exciting Fred.  Hope you get the weather.  How far down are you going to ballast her?  I set mine with the rudder just covered and the deck level.  That’s in the bath though.  Might need changing in the real world.

Len

[James Hill 5Participant @jameshill5]

Well done Fred , another Puffer going in the water.

How close are you to finishing and what’s the next project?

Jim.

[Fred Ellis 1Participant @fredellis1]

Hi One & All

Len & Jim, I have done the ballasting I have taken her down to were just the top part of the rudder is on show,  all being well I hope to get down to the pond in Crowborough this coming Saturday.

I am starting the Lady “T” from MMM, I have had her since the 4th May 1998, I got her out of the loft in 2017 so I think this is a good time to start.

Fred

P/S will try and get some photos of the puffer on the water.

[Fred Ellis 1Participant @fredellis1]

Well things did not go well for me at the weekend, so for now no sailing, the next sailing that I can do will be at the start of June,

[James Hill 5Participant @jameshill5]

Sorry to hear that Fred.

At least in June things should be a lot warmer.

Jim.

[Len Morris 2Participant @lenmorris2]

Look on the bright side Fred.  At least you have a bit of tinkering time.  And I do hope Jim’s right.  Outside this morning in North East Lancashire it was 2 degrees with horizontal hailstone.  Around here we must be fastidious about the environment.  No sign of global warming at all!

Len. 🙂

[Fred Ellis 1Participant @fredellis1]

Thanks Lad’s

Yes I do hope that Jim is right about the weather in June. yesterday we had high winds and heavy rain, that is just how it is at times on the south cost.

The one thing that I have found is that a boat this size is very tender, for the first time I did conceded using car wheel wights on the outside of the hull just to get it to sit right, but I have not so far.

I had a look at the calendar and I just my be able to get some water time in May, if I can then i will post photo’s.

I have one more at this size along with a 1/24 one by Models by Design to build at this moment in time I think that it could be the 1/24 next along side the Lady “T”.

Fred

 

[James Hill 5Participant @jameshill5]

I hope I’m right about the weather as well! I’m inland from you Fred, at the top of Hampshire and yesterday everything was trying to turn itself inside out, so strong was the wind. Can’t believe at the end of this month that’s a third of the year gone!!

I need to speed up the build.

Jim.

[Author]

Posts