R/C Naval Combat

Posted By Bob Pottle on 05 May 2009 08:49 AM

The 'honey do' list and a cold and foggy vintage motorcycle run along the coast left no time for flange making on the weekend. Waxing of the plugs was finished and Dave volunteered to make the bow catapult. He's dropping it off today and it'll be glued to the upper hull plug. He's also bringing the CAD plan for the deepened hull. Providing we cut out the hull profile accurately this'll make flange shaping easy. I hope to get that done over the next two days and start I-400 mold production this weekend.

Bob

I don't know Bryan. I did the fine shaping work on the 3 component plugs (upper and lower hull plus hangar) but haven't had enough spare time to make the molding flanges. I hope someone else on the I-400 team can do it, after which I'll help make the molds. Unless another team member can make and install the flanges it 'll be several weeks before the molds are made.

I've had very little time for the hobby in the last month - haven't been able to prep WWI armoured cruiser Black Prince for sale, work on the Ibuki, or fix Minotaur's guns for the next battle. Tonight I'm doing some plumbing work, then meeting an election candidate with some of my colleagues to discuss the government's appalling neglect of the mental health care system. Tomorrow evening there are more house and garden tasks. And so it goes!

Bob.  

Posted By Bob Pottle on 26 Feb 2009 05:50 AM

Last night Jay, Steve and I spent a couple of hours working on the I-400 hull plug framework. The top and bottom halves of the plug were screwed together and the 1/8" thick basswood bases the frames and keel are glued to were carefully dressed to match with a small hand sander and sandpaper . The enlarged box keel (for ballast) was bevelled and tapered at the ends.

A few small asymmetries in the hull sections will be corrected this weekend before the plug halves are injected with expanding foam and carved to approximate shape. We'll be applying the drywall compound early next week and sanding the hull plug to final shape, which should take several days. After that we'll glue on the carved wooden catapult at the bow and paint the plug halves with Zinser shellac/sealer prior to waxing and molding.

We're a little behind schedule but should have the mold finished by the end of March. We hope to have hulls made in time for two local model shows in April, one at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic where we occasionally recruit new club members.

Jay took more photos last night and will be posting them soon.

Bob

Not to worry I have tons to keep me busy, just let me know when things

get done and we will have a go at one over here also then (building one

of your models)...

Posted By Bob Pottle on 02 Jun 2009 12:24 PM

then meeting an election candidate with some of my colleagues to discuss the government's appalling neglect of the mental health care system.

Just because the Axis may drive the Allies batty doesn't mean you have to drag parliament into it!

After a month of no activity the I-400 project has resumed. Last night I waxed the hull plugs again and Steve Hill picked them up. He and Dave started the molding flanges last night. As soon as they're done (hopefully by next week) we'll start the mold construction.

I'll be in town for the next 3 weeks so we should be able to finish the molds and start hull production by early July.

Bob

Posted By Bob Pottle on 12 Jun 2009 02:26 PM

After a month of no activity the I-400 project has resumed. Last night I waxed the hull plugs again and Steve Hill picked them up. He and Dave started the molding flanges last night. As soon as they're done (hopefully by next week) we'll start the mold construction.

I'll be in town for the next 3 weeks so we should be able to finish the molds and start hull production by early July.

Bob

And I will be waiting in line for one of those!

The sealant we use for the plaster plugs is a white sealer/primer shellac made by Zinsser.

Re the status of the hull plugs, Steve Hill picked them up 2 1/2 weeks ago and he and Dave started to make the molding flanges. I saw Dave 2 weeks ago tomorrow and he reported considerable diffculty making the flanges. It was hoped they'd be done by now but I've heard nothing since June 20 . Once they're installed the molding process can be completed in 4-5 days.

Bob

Jay,

Steve's had the hull plugs for >3 weeks and was to call when the molding flanges were installed. I haven't heard from him.

I'm available to make the molds until July 24, but would have to start by July 18 to finish them before I go on vacation.

Bob

Jay,

I share your disappointment about the delay in the I-400 project. I spent many hours correcting and fine sanding the hull plugs and prepping the surfaces for molding, so I thought other team members could make and install the molding flanges. I'd hoped to get the flanged plugs back in a week or so and start molding but here we are 4 weeks later with no molds made.

I'm on call again starting Friday and Steve's cottage is beyond the required response time to the hospital. I hope the flanges can be finished and installed this weekend so the molds can be made next week. I want to be around when that's done.

Bob

That's good news Jay. The flanges have to be installed before waxing to fill any small gaps between them and the plugs with wax. Wednesday PM is the last time I'll be available to work on the molds until Aug.10. I have 1/2 gallon of gelcoat that has to be used this summer and can drop it off before I leave.

Bob