R/C Naval Combat

This build started on another forum where new user Matt (USS Arazona[sic]) asked what the cheapest way to get into the hobby is. My answer was:

"...the cheapest way to do a warship is to buy two sheets of 12"x48"x1/4" plywood ($9/sheet), 1 sheet of 12"x48"x1/2" plywood($8.50/sheet), buy a cheap blue-handled hand jigsaw (aka coping saw) and a flat file at Lowe's for around $9 each. Download a set of cruiser plans (or predreadnought plans)(free). Make 22 copies of the frames drawing at $0.10/page, fold them in half at the centerline, and cut out each of the ribs on paper(scissors $2 at Hobby Lobby). Glue these papers to one sheet of 1/4" plywood (UHU Stick glue, $2 at Hobby Lobby), and sit down with the jigsaw to cut the ribs out of the wood (free, not factoring the value of your time). Buy one 1/4" x 1/4" x 48" hardwood stick($0.83 at Hobby Lobby) to play keel, and fit the ribs one at a time to the keel. If you epoxy them to the keel at this time (5 minute epoxy $10.99 at Hobby Lobby, mix it with scrap wood on pieces of old envelopes, $0.00), make sure that the ribs are vertical and true. When you finish with this, I'll have the rest of the instructions typed "
 

So, much discussion ensued, and Matt is apparently very nearly as insane as I am and is willing to try this. So, as a good mentor and Axis captain, I decided that the "Cheapest Point Of Entry" would be SMS Pommern, a 3.5 unit predreadnought. As I have free plans for it (thank you Russian plan guys!) and we can begin fairly quickly (although I am dreading the amount of arm soreness that will follow jigsawing all the ribs), Matt is being roped into becoming a glorious Axis captain!!

So, following this post will be a step-by-step How-To on the cheapest way to get into the hobby. I will not entertain shortcuts that will cast reliability or basic combat effectiveness into doubt (I know one new person who contemplated using a small fuel pump from a 1960's small car as his DC pump). I am going to strive for keeping the budget outlay under 40 bucks/month. Some months we will not come close to the limit, and that will need to be saved for later (for things like the radio system, regulator and bottle that we can't make or scrounge). Any questions about this project? No? Good! Press on regardless!

WEEK ONE: FRAMES AND MORE FRAMES

First, download the following image file:

http://www.rcnavalcombat.com/Portal...20144B.jpg

This is the frames drawing for Pommern.  Because I am a kind man, I even fit TWO drawings on one 8.5 x 11 piece of paper, thus lowering the reproduction cost to US$0.80 (8 sheets = 16 frames drawings).  Before making multiple copies, ensure that the beam (the width of the ship at it's widest point) is between 5 15/16" and 6 1/16".  Definately no wider than 6 1/16", because we don't want to go over on beam, and we still have to stick on a 1/32" layer of balsa on each side...  Cut each page into 2 separate frames drawings!  Schnell!!!

Come back when you have 16 separate frames drawings ($US0.80), a pencil or pen, and a pair of scissors($2.00).  Do NOT run with the scissors 

 Not to steer things back to the French, but wasn't there a thread a while back about a pre-fab wood hull kit based on the Emile Bertin?

But a predread is a good thing.  Even if it smells of cabbage.  

 Interesting that the frames are numbered from stern to bow.  That is the first plan set I have seen that does it that way.

WEEK ONE: FRAMES AND MORE FRAMES

Zo! Zo, my friends, if you are followink along at home, you should have your 16 drawings, scissors, and a cheap ruler ($1.27 for two, one pink and one purple, at the Bi-Lo) and they should look like this:

Now, running down the vertical center of the diagram is the imaginatively-named 'centerline'.  The horizontal line running all the way across the diagram 2" up from the keel is the nomial waterline, where the model should float when ballasted properly.  At zis point, take the first of the frames drawings, and fold it NEATLY along the centerline NOT the waterline.   Repeat this process with all due diligence and you should wind up with something resembling what is pictured below.  The neat little artsy fan pattern is solely to assuage the aesthetic senses and is not strictly necessary.

NOW we're getting somewhere! 

**Notification of a new book-keeping rule: I will be keeping strict records on cost of parts.  I will NOT be including tax, nor shipping charges in my $40/month goal, although where applicable I will list them for informational purposes.**

Alas, unless there is a convenient supplier of quality hobby plywood near you, you will have to wait as said plywood comes to your door by way of UPS.   Having priced the wood six ways to Sunday, I believe National Balsa is the cheapest, and I have bought from them previous with no hassles.  ( www.nationalbalsa.com  (no, I get no kickbacks from them, although I will cheerfully accept such, if offered)

Your materials list is:  one 1/4" x 12" x 48" plywood sheet, one 1/8" x 12" x 48" plywood sheet (the 3-ply one, not the 5-ply one), twelve 1" x 2" x 6" balsa blocks, and 3 sheets of 1/32" x 3" x 36" 'Aero Lite' balsa.  The total of this is $30.08, however with shipping to Georgia, it came to $46.85 by UPS ground (the cheapest way).  I'm not including shipping in the budget though!!  HAHAHA!!  Also, the wood is the majority of what we will need to complete the hull, including the water channeling.  You could order just the 1/4" piece for now, but shipping will still be within 3 bucks of what it cost for the whole shootin' match.

Zo! Get ordering your wood schweinhunden!!  The $30.08 plus the $8.28 for the Kobalt 6" coping saw (Lowe's) brings us to a total of $38.36, very nearly the whole first month's budget.  Spend your remaining $1.64 for month 1 at a hardware store buying some sandpaper, or alternatively, beg/borrow a piece of sandpaper from a friend or family member, or narf one of great aunt Fannie's emery boards, and then blow the buck-sixty-four buying a soda to drink while you wait for the wood to arrive.

Tomorrow: laying out ribs on your frame diagrams, and then cutting them up into tiny pieces for my amusement.

Are you hand-sawing as a way to show it can be done without spending money on tools?

I think those are the casemate. They share the vertical with frame 4. I think on the 1:1 ship they have a lesser slope. than 4 does. 7 being flat, 6 being basically flat, 5 has little slope (shown by a bit greater line thickness) and with 4 being sloped as shown.