Model Boats 2013 Winter

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Packed Pages! UK £4.95 Winter 2013

Improve your modelling skills!

Get on board www.modelboats.co.uk PLAN FEATURE

Wattle The Steam Tug

workhorse from down under!

HINTS & TIPS Comprehensive construction advice for the novice and expert

FREE PLAN!

KIT REVIEW

Scudder A diamond in the rough!

Build a speed boat using our complimentary full plan

Ranzow

£4.95

PRINTED IN THE UK

We review Graupner’s 1:32 scale radio controlled buoy-layer kit

modelLING group

MODEL KITS FROM AROUND THE WORLD USS MISSOURI (BB-63) TM03705

AVAILABLE IN ALL GOOD MODEL SHOPS

POCKETBOND DISTR RIBUTION

Length: 1,352mm Beam: 165mm Over 1,570 Parts 1.13m Hull with separate two-piece Bow section Two SC-1 Seahawk float planes included Accurately detailed guns Two-piece Deck

NEW

I:200

HMS DARING TYPE 45 DESTROYER

I:350 L:434mm

TM04550

I:350 L:749mm

NEW

Upgrade set also available! TM0663I

USS ARIZONA BB-39 1941

I:200

HMS HOOD I94I

TM05302

I:350

TM03701

L:558mm

Upgrade set also available! TM0662I

Over 1,000 parts! Single-piece hull more than 920mm long Metal main gun barrels, shaft and screw Comprehensive signal flags decal sheet Photo-etch railings & derricks

HMS WARSPITE

TM05325

I:350 L:461mm

BISMARCK 1941

TM03702

Length: 1,265mm Beam: 181mm Over 1,700 Parts Four Ar196 float planes included Metal prop shaft & anchor chain Photo-etch handrails, ladders etc Single piece Deck

I:200

HMS DREADNOUGHT I907

TM05328

NEW HMS BELFAST I942

Upgrade set also available! TM06627

USS HORNET CV-8 MM62001

I:200

Length: 1,239mm Total Parts: 1,200+

TM05334

I:350

Kit includes: 5 x F4F-4, 5 x SBD 3/4, 8 x TBD-1 Optional Build with “Early” or “Late” Type Radars 8 x Turned Metal Barrels for 5 inch Guns

L:532mm

ADMIRAL GRAF SPEE

AYI4I03

I:350

NEW

L:532mm

USS IWO JIMA LHD-7 GM64002

NEW

I:350 L:562mm

I:350

Length: 738mm

Kit includes: CH-46E, CH-53E, AH-1W, SH-60B, V-22 Helicopters, AV-8B Harriers, LCAC, LCU + Assault Vehicles

USS INDIANAPOLIS CA-35 The Pocketbond 2013/14 colour catalogue includes more than 250 SHIP KITS & MODELS from around the world! For your free copy send a £1.40 A4 Large S.A.E to the address below. UK residents only. Allow 28 days for delivery.

Exclusive UK Distributors POCKETBOND LTD (Dept MB/I3II)

P.O.BOX 80, WELWYN, HERTS, AL6 0ND. Trade enquiries only on tel 0I707 39I509, fax 0I707 327466, [email protected]

AYI4I07

Model Boats 2013 Special Edition ‘Improve your modelling skills!’

Published by MyTimeMedia Ltd Hadlow House, 9 High Street, Green Street Green, Orpington, Kent BR6 6BG Phone: 0844 412 2262 From outside UK: +44 (0) 1689 869 840 www.modelboats.co.uk

SUBSCRIPTIONS

UK – New, Renewals & Enquiries Tel: 0844 543 8200 Email: [email protected] USA & CANADA – New, Renewals & Enquiries Tel: (001) 877 363 1310 Email: [email protected] REST OF WORLD – New, Renewals & Enquiries Tel: +44 (0) 1689 869896

contents

UR E ! PLAN FEAT

BACK ISSUES & BINDERS

Tel: 0844 848 8822 From outside UK: +44 2476 322234 Email: [email protected] Online: www.myhobbystore.co.uk

EDITORIAL

Editor: Paul Freshney PO BOX 9890, Brentwood, CM14 9EF Email: [email protected]

PRODUCTION

Design Manager: Siobhan Nolan Designer: Richard Dyer Illustrator: Grahame Chambers Retouching Manager: Brian Vickers Ad Production: Robin Gray

ADVERTISING

Senior Advertising Executive & Online Manager: Ben Rayment Email: [email protected] Tel: 0844 848 5240

MARKETING & SUBSCRIPTIONS Sarah Pradhan & Kate Scott

MANAGEMENT

Head of Design & Production: Julie Miller Group Advertising Manager: Duncan Armstrong Chief Executive: Owen Davies Chairman: Peter Harkness

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8 STEAM TUG WATTLE

John Parker presents his new plan, together with full constructional advice in his in-depth article that also includes a Photo Gallery of the full-size tug

! KIT REVIEW

26 BUT I DON’T UNDERSTAND ELECTRONICS!

Dave Milbourn, an expert on the subject, explains everything

www.facebook.com/modelboatsmag twitter.com/modelboatsmag

© MyTimeMedia Ltd. 2013 All rights reserved ISSN 0140-2910 The Publisher’s written consent must be obtained before any part of this publication may be reproduced in any form whatsoever, including photocopiers, and information retrieval systems. All reasonable care is taken in the preparation of the magazine contents, but the publishers cannot be held legally responsible for errors in the contents of this magazine or for any loss however arising from such errors, including loss resulting from negligence of our staff. Reliance placed upon the contents of this magazine is at reader’s own risk. MODEL BOATS, ISSN 0140-2910, is published 13 times per year (twice in August) by MYTIMEMEDIA LTD, c/o USACAN Media Corp. at 123A Distribution Way Building H-1, Suite 104, Plattsburgh, NY 12901. Periodicals postage paid at Plattsburgh, N.Y. POSTMASTER: send address changes to MODEL BOATS, c/o Express Mag, P.O. BOX 2769, Plattsburgh, N.Y., U.S.A. 12901- 0239.

42 RANZOW

Terry Small builds the Graupner kit For plans, hulls, binders, books, back issues and many other products, please visit www.myhobbystore.co.uk or call +44 (0)844 848 8822 (phonelines open 9am - 5.30pm GMT) 4

Model Boats Winter Special Edition 2013

! FREE PLAN 50 SCUDDER

Glynn Guest presents an easy to build small fast electric radio controlled model

90 HOMEMADE HOT WIRE FOAM CUTTERS

Ron Rees shows how you can easily make these useful tools for a fraction of the cost of a commercial machine

56 CONFESSIONS OF A CARDHOLIC MODELLER

Glynn Guest is a great believer in the use of easy to obtain materials such as cardboard and demonstrates their practicality for working model boats

68 RESIN CASTING

Dave Wooley investigates and describes the convenience of polyurethane castings when numerous examples of the same item are required

76 FULL METAL ANORAK!

Richard Simpson discusses metals in depth and how they can be best used in model boats

Bow piece

T

his Special Issue has 100 pages and includes a Free Plan for Scudder, a simple water-jet powered fast electric radio controlled fun model. In addition, included on the back of the Free Plan is a MyHobbyStore plans listing. Many of our readers miss the old style catalogues that with the advent of the internet have largely disappeared and as MyHobbyStore and the Plans Service is an integral part of Model Boats, as well as other hobby magazines in the group, we thought this would be appreciated by those who still prefer to browse a printed version rather than go online. This Special Edition of Model Boats also includes a comprehensive Plan Feature for the Australian Steam Tug Wattle, which has been supplied by John Parker, as well as the included Free Plan for Scudder by Glynn Guest, plus an in depth kit review for Ranzow by Terry Small. This 100 page issue has as its second thread, the theme of ‘Improving your Modelling Skills’ and for this there are articles on the use of Cardboard in our models by Glynn Guest; Electronics by Dave Milbourn, a well known master of the subject; Resin Casting by Dave Wooley; Metals and their uses by Richard Simpson and finally a really nice piece by Ron Rees on how to make simple homemade Hot Wire Cutters. Regular readers of Model Boats will have seen his fantastic small scale r/c models built on foam hulls, so this article makes it even easier for the model boat hobbyist to use and cut this lightweight material, something that has been common in aeromodelling for some years now. I hope in this Special 100 Page Special issue that there is something for everyone who has a passion for radio control scale model boating and please don’t forget to visit our website and participate in our active forum managed by Colin Bishop. In addition, Model Boats is now also on Twitter and Facebook for those readers who like to use social media. Paul Freshney - Editor

5

Next issue

The Model Boats December 2013 issue is on sale on the 22nd November 2013

USS Monterey

EE! FRA N PL

RAFA Aquarius This Issue includes a Full-Size Complimentary Free Plan for the World War Two Royal Air Force Auxiliary Ship Aquarius and John Hollis, one of the UK’s top model boat builders, describes in depth his unique steam powered model of USS Monterey. See more about what’s in Model Boats magazine month-to-month in forthcoming issues and see some of the articles you may have missed from past issues and subscription offers on our website: www.modelboats.co.uk We have a great range of subscription packages that you can choose from, including our new Print + Digital package which give subscribers 13 issues a year with 6 free plans, 13 digital editions to download and keep PLUS access to an Online Archive dating all the way back to January 2007. Don’t forget! The December issue will be published on 22nd November 2013 price £4.35 – don’t miss it! Order your copy now! Or better still why not make it your first copy in a year’s subscription to Model Boats magazine? See our subscription offer on Page 32 in this issue…

If you can’t always find a copy of this magazine, help is at hand! Complete this form and hand in at your local store, they’ll arrange for a copy of each issue to be 100 reserved for you. Some stores may Wattle even be able to arrange for it to be delivered to your home. Just ask! S FREE

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The Steam workhors Tug e from down unde r!

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6

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Model Boats Winter Special Edition 2013

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Model 17 Tremorvah Barton Tregolls Road, Truro Cornwall, TR1 1NN Mail order Only. Sorry no callers Phone line open Mon-Fri 9am- 1pm

Dockyard H.M.S. Invincible. Battlecruiser 1907 1:250 HMS Sheffield 1:200 full hull HMS Abdiel Light Cruiser 1;200 scale 635mm HMS Repulse. Battleship 1:300 scale 806mm Iowa 1:400 US Battleship 1942 680mm HMS Dreadnought 1:200 HMS Cambeltown 1;200 scale 470mm Normandie French Liner 1:400 scale Yamato. Japanese Battleship 1:400 685mm Grosdeutschland Superbattleship 1:400

£28.54 £28.54 £28.54 £27.53 £26.52 £26.50 £25.95 £25.95 £23.95 £23.44

Hull and Plan Sets

Tel UK: 01872 261755 Tel Int: +44 1872 261755

www.model-dockyard.com U.K Delivery Kits and Boat Hulls Add £9.00 Timber orders Add £6.00 Other Order value up to £50 Add £5.00 Other Order value Over £50 Add £9.00 Over £190 Free Delivery Free delivery does not apply to shipments weighing over 2 kilos, being sent to the Channel Islands or Northern Ireland, Scottish Islands, Scillies, or IOM. Delivery here will be charged at cost.

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We ship Worldwide too All prices correct at time of going to press but we reserve the right to supply at the prices ruling at the time of order despatch. E&OE

Victoria Steam Launch 1:12 scale 762mm £40.45 Pilot 40 . Pilot boat 698mm £50.45 Bluebird Of Chelsea . 1:24 scale 654mm £46.95 Forceful Paddle Tug Hull only. 1:48 1003mm £51.49 Guardsman Customs launch 1:32 scale 571mm £37.45 Burutu & Bajima Tug 1:50scale 768mm £47.45 Tyne Life Boat 1:12 scale 787mm £46.49 Smit Nederland Hull 558mm £42.45 Liverpool Lifeboat l 905mm 1:12 scale £91.50 RMAS Moorhen Hull 1:43 scale 740mm £51.45 Cervia, Thames Tug 1:48 scale 711mm £71.50 Brave Borderer 1:32 scale 914mm £86.50 HMS Warspite. Queen Elizabeth class £127.66 H.M.S. Devonshire. Cruiser 1504mm £96.00 H.M.S. Liverpool. Town class1409mm £96.31 H.M.S. Hood. Battlecruiser 2057mm £137.87 H.M.S. Repulse. Battleship 1879mm £137.06

Deans Marine Kits 25ft Motor Boat 1:12 scale 690mm Compass Rose. Corvette1:96 673mm H.M.S. Solebay.Destroyer 1945 1210mm Robert E Peary Liberty Ship 1384mm MGB77. 71.6ft BPB 1:24 920mm 73ft Vosper Type 1 1:24 scale 965mm Bronnington. minesweeper 1:100 465mm MTB 488. B.P.C. 71.6 MTB 1:24 920mm RAF Crash Tender 1:24 scale 610mm Steam Yacht Medea 1904. 1:48 870mm Tradition. Seine net trawler 870mm 1:24 H.M.S. Cossack Destroyer 1938 1200mm

£175.95 £177.65 £306.33 £336.97 £243.01 £252.20 £107.18 £272.63 £113.31 £139.86 £360.92 £272.63

Plastic Kits Amati Kits Dutch Royal Yacht in Bottle 1:300 95mm Egyptian Ship Sahure Dynasty 350mm Greek Bireme 480 BC 560mm Viking Ship Oseberg 1:50 440mm Mayflower 1620 1:60 scale 650mm Chinese Junk Scale 1:100 400mm Xebec.1753 720mm 1:60 New Bedford Whaleboat 1:16 550mm Riva Aquarama. With Transmission kit Endeavour J Class. Wood Hull 1:80 480mm Endeavour J Class 1:35 scale 1130mm

£46.93 £77.57 £77.57 £105.14 £174.59 £87.78 £155.95 £122.50 £509.57 £83.69 £259.95

Victory Models Kits Lady Nelson Cutter. 1:64 scale 530mm Granado. Bomb Ketch 1756 1:64 800mm HMS Fly. Swan Class Sloop. 1:64 800mm HMS Vanguard. 74 gun 3rd rate 1:72 1171mm HMS Pegasus Swan class sloop 1:64 800mm Mercury: 20 gun Brig 1820. 1:64 scale 860mm

£117.95 £261.95 £289.95 £684.95 £344.95 £354.95

Mamoli Kits Friesland 80 gun 2 Decker 1:75 775mm Mary Royal Yacht 1:54 scale 483mm Golden Hind 1:53 scale 496mm La Gloire 34 gun Frigate 1:90 840mm Hunter 12 gun Cutter 1797 1:72 440mm Rattlesnake Privateer 1779 1:64 697mm H.M.A.V Bounty 1787 1:64 610mm CSS Alabama. 1:120 694mm

£492.14 £179.18 £184.58 £287.18 £134.76 £222.62 £215.76 £206.92

Panart Kits H.M.S. Victory Nelson Flagship 1:78 1300mm Between Decks Gun Section 1:23 250mm sq. Open Whaler 1850 1:16 scale 615mm HMS Victory bow section1:78 scale San Felipe Spanish 3 Decker 1:75 960mm Armed Naval Pinnace 1800 Scale 1:16 620mm Royal Caroline 1749 Royal Yacht 1:47 830mm

£395.10 £99.00 £139.50 £179.95 £670.00 £139.50 £269.95

Caldercraft Display Kits Diana 38 Heavy Frigate 1794 1:64 1180mm £472.45 Cruiser.1797. 18 Gun Brig 1:67 scale 850mm £206.98 Snake 1797 18 Gun Sloop 1:67 scale 910mm £206.98 Mary Rose. Tudor warship 1510. 735mm 1:80 £260.98 Agamemnon 1781. 64 gun ship 1300mm £661.45 Endeavour. Bark 1768. 1:64 scale 725mm £245.65 Bounty. 1789. 1:64 scale 660mm £202.45 Sherbourne. 8 Gun R.N Cutter 1763. 500mm £75.55 HM Yacht Chatham 1741 1:64 scale 530mm £89.96 HM Mortar Vessel Convulsion. 1804 1:64 530mm£96.71 Victory 1781. Nelson's flagship 1:72 1385mm £746.98 Granado. Bomb Ketch 1756 1:64 scale 785mm £220.48 HM Brig Badger 1778 1:64 scale 600mm £177.12 HM Schooner Pickle 1778 1:64 scale 565mm £130.46

Caldercraft R/C Kits Joffre. 1916 Tyne Tug. £251.95 Imara. Twin Screw Berthing Tug £458.95 Resolve. Twin Screw Admiralty Tug £508.95 Amaranth. Motor Fifie £120.95 Milford star. Post war East Coast side trawler £228.95 Marie Felling single screw steam tug £395.95 North Light. Steam Clyde Puffer £251.95 SS Talacre. Single hatch Steam Coaster £251.95 H.M.T Sir Kay Round Table Class Minesweeper £294.95

Card Models SD14 general cargo ship 1:70 2133mm. £295.00 USS Missouri. 1:200 scale £61.24 GPM SMS Seydlitz 1:200 scale 1010mm £56.95 Queen Mary 2, 863mm 1:400 scale £53.06 Prince of Wales Battleship 1:200 scale £51.95 USS Lexington Aircraft carrier 1:200 scale £51.04 Tirpitz 1:200 scale Full hull 1260mm £49.99 Bismarck 1:200 scale Full hull 1250mm £48.98 Revenge 1588 600mm 1:96 scale £47.95 HMS Mercury 6th rate frigate 1779 1:96 scaler £44.95 Admiral Hipper, cruiser 1935 1:200 scale £40.81 HMS Enterprise 28 gun Frigate 1:96 scale £40.80 Graf Spee. Full hulled model at 1:200 scale £30.60 Lexington. American Brig 1:96 scale £30.59 HMS Endeavour. Captains Cook's Bark 1:96 £30.59 Santa Maria & Nina £30.59

Trumpeter Bismarck 1:200 scale £225.99 Italeri MTB77 72.5ft Vosper 1:35 632mm £99.99 Heller Le Soleil Royal 1:100 scale £149.95 Trumpeter USS Arizona 1941 1:200 £163.99 Trumpeter HMS Belfast 1942 1:200 £69.95 Trumpeter HMS Dreadnought 1907 1:350 £37.99 Academy Titanic 1:400 Ltd Edition £99.95 Revell Titanic 1:400 £51.05 Revell Flower Class Corvette 1:72 £119.00 Trumpeter HMS Repulse 1941 1:350 £100.06 Heller HMS Victory 1:100 scale £149.99 Trumpeter Queen Elizabeth 1:350 £69.99 Trumpeter USS Alabama 1:350 £79.99 Trumpeter HMS Hood (1941) 1:350 £91.89 Lindberg Sea Witch. Clipper 1:96 838mm £149.95 Lindberg PT 109 MTB 1:32 scale 749mm £149.95 LindbergBlue Devil Destroyer 1:125 910mm £99.95 Lindberg Air Force Rescue Boat 1:72 330mm £34.95 Lindberg Tuna Clipper 1:60 scale 368mm £49.95 Lindberg Atlantic Fishing Trawler 1:90 457mm £49.95 Lindberg Coast Guard Tug Boat 1:72 304mm £34.95 Academy HMS Warspite, Premium Edition £79.95 Revell Gato Class Submarine 1:72 £72.36 Trumpeter Admiral Hipper 1941 1:350 £69.95 Trumpeter Prinz Eugen 1945 1:350 £61.23 Airfix HMS Illustrious 1:350 £51.05 Trumpeter Graf Spee 1:350 £51.04 Trumpeter Jeremiah O'Brien Liberty Ship £32.99 Trumpeter JohnBrown liberty ship 1:350 £30.62 Tamiya Yamato 1:350 scale £270.95 Tamiya HMS King George V 1:350 £49.99 Tamiya HMS Prince of Wales 1:350 £49.99 Tamiya Bismarck 1:350 717mm £61.99 Tamiya Tirptz 1:350 717mm £58.50 Academy Tirpitz 1:350 £28.00 Academy Graf Spee 1:350 £28.00

Plastic Kit Upgrades

1:96 Scale 20ft Motor boat £6.47 1:48 Scale 20ft Motor cutter 130mm £18.95 1:48 Scale 25ft Motor cutter 162mm £30.72 1:48 Scale 20ft transom sterned clinker lifeboat £12.23 This is just a selection of over 100 boats in various scales

Vertical Refillable Gas Tank (1-1/4"" Dia) Exhaust Oil Trap (1-1/4”) Horizontal Boiler Mounting Tray Refillable Gas Tank Adaptor (Long) Refillable Gas Tank Adaptor (Standard)

R/C Boat Plans

Sound Modules

H.M.S Cossack Tribal class destroyer 38" £12.50 Lorraine: A really elegant 54in. motor yacht £17.50 Vosper R.T.T.L: 1:24 68ft. Vosper Rescue and Target Towing Launch £12.50 St Louis Belle 1:64 Mississippi stern-wheeler £12.50 T.B.D Cruiser Leader: 1:144 32in. Scout class £12.50 200 Series RAF Seaplane Tender: 1:12 950mm £12.50 Brave Borderer: A 36in Vosper patrol boat £12.50 H.M.S Ark Royal : 1:192 WW2 aircraft carrier £12.50 MFV Admiralty Trawler 1:40 scale 710mm £12.50 Enterprise: Northumbrian Coble 1:12 685mm £12.50 Tyne class Lifeboat 31in. 1:12 scale £12.50 HMS Kite: Ant Class Flatiron Gunboat 1:32 £12.50 H.M.S Kent : 1:96 scale early cruiser 58" £17.50 Miranda Edwardian steam Launch 42in £12.50 Valerie Anne Thames barge. 1120mm £16.85 Orca (Jaws) fishing boat featured in the film. £11.23 Boston Fury 1:48th 1960 East Coast Trawler £16.85 Fairey Huntsman:1:8 scale 1066mm £12.50 TID Tug The wartime tug 890mm . £11.23 Princess of the Lake Cruise Launch £11.23 HMS Inflexible Dreadnought 1890s.1100mm £16.85 Waverley paddle steamer 1365mm, £16.85 Tina Jane A 45ft stern trawler 560mm £11.23 Altair Auxillary gaff rigged schooner 1200mm £33.19 Rhum Islands Class Ferry, 500mm £9.19

Petrol/Diesel Engine with Horn Machine Gun Steam Engine Sound Whooper Fog Horn Ship Klaxon Sub Sonar Ping Sub Dive Alarm Air Horns Large Ship Horn Large Ship Steam Whistle Old Steam Whistle Tug Boat Air Horn Mtroniks Diesel Canal Boat Mtroniks Multicylinder Diesel

John Lambert Plans The Royal Navy’s Standard 14 Ft Sailing Dinghy £14.10 Vosper 72ft 6in MTBs Nos 73-98 £14.10 71 ft 6 Inch British Power Boat. MTB 467 £37.86 The Quadruple 21in QR Mark VIII Torpedo Tubes £14.10 The 16 Ft Admiralty Pattern Trawler Boat £14.10 The Royal Navy's standard 27 Ft Whaler £37.86 Flower Class Corvette. HMS Nasturtium £14.10 United States Navy 2Omm Oerlikon. £14.10 The Twin 2Omm Oerlikon on Post War Mark 12 £14.10 The 3 Pdr Hotchkiss Gun £14.10

Harold Underhill Plans Cutty Sark Clipper Ship 698mm Marie Sophie of Falmouth 1033mm Lady of Avenel. Wood. 850mm 74-Gun Two-Decker (Circa 1813 1422mm Lady Daphne Thames Sailing Barge812mm 12-Gun Brig-of-War. Lines, 1187mm Cunard Liner Servia, 1:192 scale 850mm 40-Gun Frigate (Circa 1790 831mm Valerian. Brixham Trawler 1069mm. Diesel Ring Net Fishing Boat 615mm Three Brothers. Rye Fishing Smack. 797mm

Static Display Kit Plans Chinese Junk, construction plans. £11.24 Sovereign of the Seas, plans 1:78 1100mm £27.10 HMS Fly Plan set £26.50 Lady Nelson Cutter Plan Set £9.80 HMS Bounty, construction plans £21.71 French Xebec construction plans £11.24 Vikingship, Osjberg, construction plans. £11.24 Titanic Plans set £49.89 Endeavour J Class Plans set £25.28 Cutty Sark, construction plans, Scale 1:78. £31.00 La Couronne, construction plans, Scale 1:98. £28.50 Santa Maria, construction plans, Scale 1:50. £14.95 French Xebec, construction plans, Scale 1:49. £14.85 Thermopylae, construction plans, Scale 1:124. £14.85 Mississippi Stern Wheeler plan 1:50 1050mm £34.95 Pinta. construction plans 1:50 570mm £14.85 Friesland (1:75) Drawings & Instructions £47.73 H.M.S. Victory (1:90) Drawings & Instructions £64.09 Yacht Mary (1:54) Drawings & Instructions £32.73 Golden Hind (1:53) Drawings & Instructions £32.73 Rattlesnake (1:64) Drawings & Instructions £46.36 Royal Louis (1:90) Drawings & Instructions £62.73 This is just a selection of over 1000 plans available

Lionroar HMS Repulse Super detail 1:350 £98.57 Lionroar Arizona Super detail set 1:350 £74.18 1:350-1:400 Naval Ship Decals £7.19 1:350 Bismarck and Tirpitz detail sheets £45.95 1:350 KG5 & Prince of Wales detail sheets £49.95 1:350 Naval Figures sheet of 100 £4.95 1:350 Various ladders. £6.20 1:350 Quad Bofors and Oerlikon details £8.75 1:350 Doors, Hatches, & Life rings £6.20 1:350: 5,000 scale feet of U.S. Navy railing £20.55 1:350: Arizona Details sheets £43.97 1:350 WWII Liberty Ship Etched detail £43.99 1:350 Hood detail sheets £49.99 1:350 Hood extra detail sheet £25.83 1:350: Alabama Details sheets £49.99 1:350: USS San Francisco Details sheets £49.99 1:350 Repulse detail sheets £49.99 Wooden deck for HMS Hood 1:350 scale £36.50 Wooden deck for Graf Spee1:350 scale £32.30 Wooden deck for HMS Repulse 1:350 scale £34.80 Wooden deck for Prinz Eugen 1:350 scale £34.80 Wooden deck for Tirpitz 1:350 scale £34.80 Wooden deck for Admiral Hipper 1:350 scale £34.80 DX Wooden deck & Railing for Bismarck 1:350 £37.99 Wooden deck for Bismarck 1:350 scale £31.50 Wooden deck for Tirpitz 1:350 scale £31.50 Wooden deck for KG5 1:350 scale £33.20 Wooden deck for Price of Wales 1:350 scale £33.20 DX Wooden deck & Railing for Warspite 1:350 £53.80 DX Wooden deck & Railing for Bismarck 1:200 £149.40 This is just a selection from Gold Medal, MK1 Design, Master and Eduard.

R/C Equipment

Quaycraft Boats

Miniature Steam

1:48 Scale 27ft Royal Navy Clinker Whaler 1:48 Scale 16ft Royal Navy 16 Clinker dinghy 1:32 Scale 16ft Clinker Ship s Lifeboat 1:96 Scale 25ft Motor cutter 1:96 Scale 27ft Whaler 85mm 1:96 26ft Lifeboat double ended 83mm 1:72 Motor cutter 2 cabins 109mm 1:48 scale. 22ft Lifeboat. double ended 1:32 Scale 14ft Clinker Dinghy 1:24 Scale 14ft Clinker Dinghy 1:48 Scale 18ft Clinker Lifeboat 1:72 Scale 16ft Clinker dinghy, 1:48 Scale 24ft Clinker Ship s Lifeboat 1:72 27ft Clinker whaler 115mm

£19.91 £8.87 £16.32 £7.68 £7.31 £10.31 £19.08 £12.71 £14.15 £16.55 £11.27 £7.79 £16.32 £17.03

£29.54 £44.41 £33.30 £77.71 £29.54 £55.51 £33.30 £66.61 £49.23 £29.53 £29.54

Hitec Optic 6 (2.4 GHz) combo £124.99 Viper Marine 75 £115.00 Hitec Optic 5 channel (2.4 GHz) combo £89.95 Mtroniks G2 Hydra15 combo £59.99 Hi Tech Zebra 4 Channel £56.12 Viper Marine 40 £53.22 Planet 5 Transmitter and Receiver Set £51.99 Hi Tech Ranger 2 Channel £49.95 FR30HX 30amp speed controller £47.14 Viper Marine SUB 10 6-12v £42.99 Viper Marine SUB 8 4.8-9.6v £42.50 Viper SSR 25amp Speed controller £39.99 15HVR 15amp speed controller £37.69 Viper Marine 25 £34.99 Viper Marine 25 Mirror £34.20 FR12VR 12amp speed controller BEC £33.86 Hi Tech Mega Arm Sail Winch 19.8kg/cm £30.99 Proportional Drum Sail Winch £30.63 Viper Marine 20 £28.99 Viper Marine 15 £22.99 Viper Micro Marine 10 £22.99 Viper Marine 15 Plug Play £22.99 Programmable mixing module £20.34 Waterproof mixing module (w-tail) £17.80 Waterproof mixing module £15.70 Mtroniks EP Multi charger £12.14 1300ma receiver nicad battery square £5.61 1300ma receiver nicad battery flat £5.61 Switch harness with charging lead £4.70 Full range of R/C installation equipment available

Clyde Horiz Ready Assembled Steam Plant Clyde Vertical Ready Assembled Steam Plant Clyde Horizontal Self Assembly Steam Plant Clyde Vertical Self Assembly Steam Plant 4 inch Horizontal Boiler 3in Horizontal Boiler 3in Vertical Boiler Clyde Fully Assembled Clyde Fully Machined Kit for Self Assembly Tyne Vertical Self Assembly Engine Boiler Feed Pump 3/8"" Assembled" Refillable Gas Tank "ertical Refillable Gas Tank (1-1/2"" Dia) Ceramic Burner: for 3in boiler

£949.95 £949.95 £849.95 £849.95 £649.99 £575.99 £575.99 £444.00 £312.00 £199.50 £119.95 £94.99 £84.99 £74.99

£64.99 £49.98 £39.95 £24.99 £21.99

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plan feature

Steam Tug Wattle JOHN PARKER presents a Plan Feature for this Australian restored tug

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t the height of the Great Depression, on 27th June 1933 a small steam-powered harbour tug was launched at the Cockatoo Island Dockyard, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Its name, Codeco, derived from that of its builders, the Commonwealth Dockyards and Engineering Company, was soon changed to Wattle when the tug was taken over by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) in February 1934. Today in mid- 2013, the same tug towers high and dry over its South Dock surroundings in the Melbourne Docklands precinct of Victoria, whilst a restoration team works toward returning it to the water in the near

The Steam Tug Wattle at Garden Island just prior to the outbreak of World War Two. In the background may be seen the RAN cruiser HMAS Australia with another cruiser alongside whilst the craft in the foreground is a high-speed radio-controlled target boat. Photo © State of New South Wales through the State Records Authority of NSW.

Returning to port with just a few minor adjustments to make.

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future. So, what better timing could there be for building a model of the Wattle? Cockatoo Island was named after the sulphur-crested cockatoos that once made their home in the island’s red gum trees and is the largest island in Sydney Harbour, triangular in shape and covering some 18 hectares. Following European settlement, it was used as a convict prison from 1839 to 1869, but became an important shipyard when the Fitzroy Dock, built by convict labour, opened in 1857. During World War Two, Cockatoo Dockyard was the major repair and refit base in the South Pacific for battle damaged warships of the allied fleets and it also converted the liners Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth, Aquitania and Mauretania into troop ships. Ships built there included

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cruisers, destroyers of the Tribal, Battle and Daring classes and Type 12 frigates for the RAN. Refit work for the Royal Navy’s 4th Submarine Squadron based in Sydney, and later for the RAN’s own Oberon submarine fleet provided much work for the shipyard in the postwar years until the final Oberon refit was completed in 1991 and without the prospect of further major work, the dockyard was closed. Cockatoo Island is now being developed as a tourist destination and was proclaimed a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2010. The steam tug was built at a cost of £18500 as a labour creating project to keep the apprentices and senior tradesmen employed and perhaps to show that the dockyard was a going concern at a time when it was being

Model Boats Winter Special Edition 2013

plan feature prepared for lease. The yard had built an earlier tug, Bustler, in 1917 and this formed the basis of Wattle’s design. I don’t think by the way that it formed the basis of Vic Smeed’s semi-scale Bustler plan as it is quite different in appearance. Although not a large vessel, Wattle taxed the ability of designers and builders, being the first Australian oilfired steam tug, with an Australian-built engine and boiler and experimental electrically-welded bulkheads. Said to be built to an unusually high standard, she was the source of some pride upon her completion.

S.T. Wattle under restoration, September 2011.

Service history

Wattle entered service with the RAN in 1934 for general duties, attached to the Garden Island Naval Base, but manned by a civilian crew. These duties included the towing of barges, pontoons and lighters and the collection of buoys and other items from the various naval establishments around Sydney for servicing by the dockyard. She was found to be hard to handle, so a steering engine was soon fitted immediately aft of the enginehouse to reduce the effort required at the helm. Reading just a little between the lines of contemporary accounts, suggests that the tug was insufficiently powerful for the safe docking of larger vessels. Many a time the captain of the vessel being docked would call down to the tug for, ‘a little more power, a little more power, please’, and this being whilst all the time Wattle had its throttle wide open! During the war, Wattle was involved with degaussing experiments on warships and ex-crew member Graeme Andrews, writing in Steamlines, describes the tug being used for target towing in postwar years. This meant a long day for the crew, towing the wooden target out beyond the heads of Sydney Harbour at some 4.5 knots for six hours, whereupon a destroyer would appear, pepper the target with gunfire and speed off, leaving Wattle’s crew to manually wind in the towline, vent some suitable comments in the direction of the departing destroyer, and

begin the slow voyage home again! By 1969, the RAN no longer needed the tug’s services and the scrapyard loomed large. A reprieve came with a rescue effort by a team of marine steam enthusiasts in 1971, who managed to keep her working by running public cruises around Sydney Harbour until 1976. Unable to be taken on by the Sydney Heritage Fleet when repairs became necessary, Wattle was acquired by the newly formed Victorian Steamship Association (VSA) and towed to Melbourne by the tug Edina in 1979. Government funding and a lot of volunteer work made possible refurbishment of the deck, bulwarks and auxiliary machinery and the ship’s return to service in 1986, operated by the Bay Steamers Maritime Museum (BSMM) as a

Plan for Steam Tug Wattle The three sheet full size CAD (computer aided design) plan No. MM2086 is available from MyHobbyStore Ltd and is priced at £17.50 + p/p as of November 2013. MyHobbyStore plans may be purchased online at www.Myhobbystore.com or please call 0844 848 8822, 1000hrs to 1600hrs, Monday to Friday.

passenger vessel running tours and charters around Port Phillip Bay. Settling into its new role and new environment, the tug became a popular tourist attraction until the deterioration of her hull caused her to fail the annual survey in 2003 and once again doubt was cast over her future. This time is was Sorrento Steam, founded in 2007, that came to the rescue. With a vision to recreate the presence of steam in Port Phillip Bay, this group of ten business entrepreneurs were able to purchase the tug for the symbolic cost of 1$Au on the proviso that they fund its restoration, with work to be carried out by the volunteers of the BSMM, or contracted out as necessary. This work continues at the time of writing, with the tug having been granted hardstand space at South Wharf near the Bolte Bridge, whilst development of Melbourne’s Dock Precinct continues all around it.

Principal particulars

Wattle is of riveted steel construction with welded bulkheads and measures 80 feet 8 inches overall length with a beam of 17 feet 6 inches and a displacement of 120 tons. The

PLANS SERVICE 1933 MODEL BOATS STEAM TUG WATTLE BY J. PARKER

PLAN No:

MM2086

No. OF SHEETS:

1 OF 3

in 2013 First published Winter Special Model Boats

MODEL BOATS PLANS SERVICE 1933 STEAM TUG WATTLE BY J. PARKER

PLAN No:

MM2086

No. OF SHEETS:

2 OF 3

First published in Model Boats Winter Special 2013

MODEL BOATS

PLAN No:

MM2086

PLANS SERVIC E 1933 STEAM TUG WATTLE

No. OF SHEETS:

BY J. PARKER 3 OF 3

First Model Boats published in Winter Special 2013

Model Boats Winter Special Edition 2013

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plan feature

tug is powered by an Australian-built twocylinder compound steam engine that in trials provided 287 indicated horsepower at 134 rpm, giving the tug a maximum speed just short of 10 knots and an endurance of 36 hours (360 nautical miles) on four tons of fuel oil. It is recognised by the National Trust of Australia as: ‘Historically, socially and technologically significant at the national level as the only small harbour steam tug surviving in Australia and one of only three Australian built steam tugs still in existence and one of only eight Australian built steamships surviving on the Australian coast’. Further information on the Steam Tug Wattle and its restoration may be found at: https://sites.google.com/site/ steamtugwattle/home.

Research

For the first time with any model I have built, I had access to the real vessel just 30 minutes drive away from my home here in Melbourne. I thought that would be of inestimable value and it was, but it also brought about a severe case of information overload, with discrepancies between the builder’s drawings and the real vessel that required further research and much head scratching, something that would never have happened if I only had photos with which to compare the drawings. Right from the start, when I explained my project to the restoration team, they made me feel very welcome and gave me every assistance, yet as each answer lead to further questions, and each inspection of the vessel revealed more and more puzzling detail not shown on the drawings, I reached the point where I simply had to turn a blind eye and make a start. My drawing shows Wattle as she was built, prior to the fitting of the steering engine that resides in a wooden housing between the enginehouse and aft access hatch. It has been worked up as a CAD (Computer Aided Drafting) tracing of the original Cockatoo Dockyard drawings that I obtained from the National Archives, which matched the photocopied set that the restoration team had kindly provided to get me started. Of course the vessel currently carries all the modifications made to enable her to perform public cruises, most noticeably a timber enclosure for the stern deck, and I had to ignore these. That was straightforward enough, but other details just didn’t seem to work out. Various original features of the Wattle

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differed from what was shown on the drawings and it soon became clear that changes had been made at the time of construction without the drawings being updated to reflect this. Just one example is: The wheelhouse is considerably wider than the National Archive drawings show and scaling a 1936 photo supports the belief that it was originally built to this greater width, not replaced or modified later, so this is the width I have shown on my drawing. On the other hand, some differences such as the location of the freeing ports and bulwark supports were the subject of modifications during the life of the vessel and I have shown these in their original locations. One feature I cannot confirm is whether or not there ever was a central porthole on the port side of the hull. Peering inside the hull, there is no evidence today that there ever was one, unlike the others which have simply been plated over. I would have liked photographic evidence to support this, but every photo I have seen (and the drawings) only shows the starboard side with its three portholes.

Model design

Having plotted Wattle’s outline, I next had to develop the frame outlines and constructional details, all simply said and fairly simply done, though it was time consuming. I have assumed my preferred method of construction, that of 3mm (or 1/8 inch) plywood frames with 3mm balsa planking, fibreglassed inside and out. I used Lite Ply for ease of working, but weight is of course not an issue and standard plywood would be fine. Vary the construction as required to suit your own methods, such as thicker frames to support basswood planking, but beware of the flow-on effects of any changes. I found that the Wattle design threw up a few challenges and I’d like to highlight these as you may have better ideas about how they should be tackled. Being a steel ship, the keel consists essentially of the seam formed by the joining of the flanges of the hull plates on each side. As such, it is only some 1.6mm wide to scale and would need to be made from metal to have the strength needed for a working model. Rather than do this, I used 3.2mm basswood for the keel and deadwood around the propeller, which is quite stiff enough once it receives its fibreglass cladding, yet does not look too over-scale in thickness. For reasons of practicality and time constraints, I have not included any plating or rivet detail on my model. I had visions of carefully adhered

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pieces of litho plate starting to peel at the edges from collisions and water pollution, or built-up areas of filler breaking away as my models can have a hard life! If you can incorporate this detail, your model will be all the better for it (and my admiration for you all the greater), but I’m afraid I did not have a plating expansion drawing and you will only have the photos to go on. As for rivet head counters, please be warned as there are tens of thousands of them! The stern tube used a Raboesch RAB301-08 290mm M5, incorporates a lip seal at the propeller end to prevent water ingress. This is a good thing in a model with a propshaft well below the waterline, but it means the propeller shaft needs to be removed rearwards to prevent its threaded end from damaging the seal. To enable this, I had to forego the fixed skeg around the propeller and provide a removable rudder mounting. The full size Wattle tug has a propeller shaft that is horizontal (i.e. parallel to the waterline), but as this would leave barely any clearance between its inner end and the keel for a motor or gearbox, I have angled it upwards at 2.5 degrees, so it is now parallel with the keel. As is my usual practice, I have allowed for a sound system with the speaker baffle sealing off the forward part of the hull to form an enclosure that, when fitted with a suitable speaker, will really enhance the quality of the sound produced. A perforated wheelhouse floor also helps the sound escape from the hull. There is room for a bulky nebuliser type of smoke generator (I used an MMB variable speed Foggy Mk. 2) for visual effects and I have fitted working lights. You may wish to use thinner planking above the deck level as continuing with the hull planking thickness as I did, leaves the bulwarks looking a little shallow under their capping, although it does provide a stronger fixing for the capping rail. The drive motor selection will require some thought. Whilst the original was not noted for the power of its engine, it did have a large 7ft 6in four-bladed propeller that scales to no less than 95mm at 1:24 scale, and it’s going to take some torque to drive that. I am a great fan of brushless motors, but discounted them in this case because of the difficulty of finding one of sufficiently low KV in a large size, and because unless they are of the ‘sensored type’ they do not provide good low-speed throttle action. The next natural choice was a geared brushed motor, although I have a strong aversion to gear noise. I found that a popular affordable

Model Boats Winter Special Edition 2013

plan feature

Framework assembled on the building board.

Planking commenced around the stern knuckle. Far left: Overall view of the hull being planked.

Left: Stern planking.

geared motor had an overall combined (motor plus gearbox) efficiency of less than 50%, whilst a quality one of higher efficiency was very expensive. In the end I settled for a hightorque direct drive brushed motor, the T24 (12 to 24 volt) from Mobile Marine Models. As I needed 24 volts anyway for the smoke generator, the 24 volt version was the natural choice, and four series-connected 6 volt, 4.4 amp-hour sealed lead acid batteries provided an energy source that was both cheap and convenient to install low in the hull. The propeller I chose was a V3540 LH 4-blade vintage tug pattern from The PropShop, slightly undersize at about 90mm diameter. Building the Wattle should pose no particular difficulties for an experienced scratch-builder, but a fair degree of ‘stick-to-itivness’ is required to see it through as making the fittings is time consuming. The drawings are on three A0 (1188 x 840mm) sheets and show external and internal (model) arrangements as well as patterns for the frames and most other major components. The completed model measures some 1028mm by 242mm and tips the scales at around 8.5kg.

Hull construction

For reasons already given, the keel is narrow so use a nice straight piece of 3.2mm x 25mm basswood or the like (I used two 3.2 x 12.5mm pieces edge to edge) as its basis, adding the separate stern deadwood, bow piece and doublers. The latter should have their leading edges chamfered to the approximate hull contour before fitting. Cut the frames and test that they engage with the keel to the correct depth. A gimlet-point drill is best used at the corners of the frame cut-outs. Score the deck curvature on to the frames from each side. but do not cut through. A photocopy of the frame outline can be used to transfer the shape from the drawing to the wood, either by using a hot iron on the reverse side, or cutting out the shape and fixing it with spray adhesive, letting it go off a little first so as to ease later removal.

With the frame positions and centreline marked on the building board, for which a piece of melamine-faced shelving serves well, the framework can now be dry assembled and the frame extensions fixed to the board with short lengths of square section timber. PVA glues works well here as the extensions can later be tapped off the melamine with a hammer and the shelf reused. I get about eight models, four each side, before the shelf gets too ratty and has to go back in the bookcase! When all is well, epoxy the keel in place on the frames and double check everything for straightness, squareness and location before the glue sets. Once set, carefully fair all the edges of the framework to follow the curvature of the hull, using a balsa test plank to check for any bumps or hollows. Frame edges may be built up with thin strips of wood if necessary.

Planking

Doing this with balsawood and medium superglue is one of those skills that sneaks up on you, as at first it seems all too difficult, then one day it all comes together, you build up a rhythm and find that planking a hull is the pleasant work of a couple of evenings. Inevitably, you will get some superglue on your fingers, but after a while it forms a protective extra skin and prevents you becoming permanently attached to everything you touch! You learn to judge the amount of bevel to put on the edge of a plank and apply it quickly and easily with a sanding block; you don’t get too hung up about small gaps as they can be plugged with slivers of balsa, or by the plank being forced a little sideways; you anticipate the general line of the planks and taper their widths at each end to suit. Work where there’s good ventilation though, or the superglue fumes will get you as you’ll be using a lot more glue than usual. Working with a pile of planks cut from 1200mm long sheets of 3mm balsa using a long straight edge and a simple jig, I started

Model Boats Winter Special Edition 2013

at deck level where there is slight knuckle, especially at the stern. I found I could twist the plank just below this knuckle a full 90 degrees to run under the fantail of the stern. After working a few rows of planks up and down from this point, alternating sides to even out the stresses, I moved to the keel to run three or four planks each side of it. The first of these is probably the hardest of all to

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Above: Bow planks meeting the keel at the bow doublers.

Below: The twist in the planks is quite evident here.

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plan feature Left: Planks need to be tapered from this point to even up the remaining gap.

Far left: The almost completed hull planking prior to sanding. Left: Planking around the stern using a temporary former.

Far left: Hull now fibreglassed inside and sanded outside.

fit as it needs to twist from vertical at the bow to horizontal amidships and then back to vertical at the stern, with a varying edge bevel required along its complete length. You’re allowed a bit longer to get this one right as subsequent planks will largely follow its example. At this point the remaining gap in the hull planking will vary considerably in width, so rather than continue with straight planks, start to even up the gap width by tapering the ends of the planks you fit, bringing some to a point well short of the full hull length. To taper a plank, hold it in place near the centre, mark its location with a pencil mark across the adjacent plank and mark where the taper needs to begin and end. The taper can usually be cut as a straight line, with the change of angle smoothed out a little with the sanding block. Some short tapered pieces, called stealers, will probably be needed to complete the planking. At the bow, the planks need to be carefully trimmed for length and their inner edges sanded back to fit neatly against the keel. The sharp curves around the stern are achieved by using short tapered vertical planks aft of Frame J, using the temporary

Fibreglass skinning of the hull’s outside.

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Former O to create their upper edge. It is tempting at this point to sand the outside of the hull, but I find it better to apply some chopped strand glass mat and resin to the inside first. This prevents the balsa flexing between the frames when sanding and ensures the hull has the rigidity needed to carry a few kilos of batteries and ballast. It is quickly and easily done be cutting strips of 200 to 250gsm (grams per square metre) chopped strand mat to suit the frame spaces, laying them in place and stippling on some polyester resin. Knock off any upstanding plank edges first with coarse sandpaper or you’ll get air trapped under the mat. Once hard, you can sand the outside with medium grade paper (we don’t need a really smooth surface), working with sanding blocks and in different directions to remove any waviness and achieve a smooth flowing shape. Some of the stern planks will have to be feathered right back to the keel. Take your time at this stage because it defines the final shape of the hull.

Fibreglassing

With the inverted hull supported at a comfortable working height in a well-ventilated

area, you can start fibreglassing the outside. I generally use polyester resin as it’s cheaper and allows me to work quickly, but it has been tactfully suggested that I have rocks in my head for not using epoxy resin! Amongst other benefits, its advocates point to a quicker and easier final sanding process. Both will produce a tough, hard wearing hull that is impervious to water, so the choice will come down to your own preferences and experience, local advice and availability of materials. I used one layer of 185gsm cloth for strength, followed by a layer of fine 85gsm cloth to fill the weave pattern and finally a coat of straight resin as a sanding filler. With the cloth pieces cut to generous oversize, the first can have its edge pegged to the keel with the plastic clamps and the resin stippled through. Don’t coat the hull with resin first, as the cloth will grab and you won’t be able to drape it around the hull properly. You will need to cut some ‘dart shapes’ in the cloth for the stern knuckle and possibly where the hull tapers inward at the bulwarks. Trim it just past the centreline at the stern fantail. Having done both sides, I followed up with the fine cloth and final coat of resin. After a short

Hull being fitted out for running gear.

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plan feature

Early on-the-water test with jury-rigged systems and ballasting.

Gluing the half-deck in place. Far left: Further general progress with completion of deck and servo mounting.

Left: The foredeck planking overlay.

break, the resin had reached the ‘green’ stage and the excess resin/cloth could be trimmed using just a sharp knife drawn along the edges of the keel and bulwarks. One final job then was to lay a strip along the bottom edge of the keel and similarly coat the rudder. Working on a warm day, this was all in an afternoon’s work, after which the whole lot was put aside for a few days to harden.

Sanding

This is best done wet to control the harmful dust. Have some water and a sponge at hand to wash off the slurry as it forms and a few drops of detergent in the sanding water will help float the debris off the paper. You can probably start with 180 grit and finish with the 240 or 320 grade to leave some ‘tooth’ for the paint. As you sand, any low spots will remain shiny whilst the rest takes on a matt finish. Low spots that require really heavy sanding may have to be filled, as otherwise you will start to sand through the glassfibre cloth. Since I use two different cloth weaves, I can judge how the sanding is progressing by watching for any areas of weave pattern that appear, stopping before I reach the coarser cloth. When all is done you should have a smooth matt surface all over, with no bumps or low areas.

section consists of pieces cut from across the sheet, with the grain vertical.

Test run

At this point I chose to complete a trial fit of the running gear, fitting a tray for the batteries and a shelf each side of the motor for connections and the Electronize speed controller. The rudder linkage runs below deck through slots in Frames H and I and will emerge through a semi-circular groove in the deck to connect to the top of the rudder tiller. The servo is mounted on a shelf just aft of Frame G where it will be accessible via the enginehouse. With the heavy speaker mounted forward and the smoke generator

temporarily fitted to the tops of the frames, I was able to power up the hull on the water and confirm that all was well. In particular I was glad to see that the motor made fairly light work of turning the large propeller and that a fair amount of ballast (I tossed in various heavy items I had to hand) was still needed to bring the model down to the correct waterline.

Main deck

Construction continues with the fitting of the deck from 3mm plywood or Lite Ply. This is best done in two halves, both to accommodate the compound curvature of the deck’s sheer and camber and so that the outer edge may

Below: There’s just a wisp of smoke with the model stationary.

Bulwarks and deck

Work on the hull continues with the bulwarks, which need to have holes cut in them for the freeing ports and hawse holes. The frame extensions that support the bulwark planking need to be sanded back and the whole above-deck area filled and sanded to produce a smooth surface. Hull belting on Wattle (the restoration crew refer to it as the sponson) is heavy and consists of timber baulks fitted between metal flanges running around the hull at deck level. I constructed it from strips of 3.2mm thick by 6.4mm wide basswood, laminated to the hull in three layers, using superglue and with the joints staggered. There’s no chance of bending this around the stern, so that

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plan feature model and fit in place later once the painting of the bulwarks had been done. The planking consists of wider margin planks for the edges and surrounds for the bollards and skylight, with narrower 5mm wide planks covering the remaining area. All planks were cut from 0.8mm basswood sheet with a permanent black marker run along their edges to represent the caulking. On the full size tug, these planks are joggled into the margin planks as I have shown on the drawing, but unless you are confident that you can do a really crisp job of this, it might be better to forego the joggling (as I did) and concentrate on trying to achieve a good general standard of fit throughout. Two coats of satin marine varnish were used to finish off the planking. Stern grating.

be carefully trimmed to fit the hull, leaving the straight-line trimming to the centre line until last. I sealed the underside of my deck with resin, scraping clean the contact areas and coating generously with slow-setting epoxy before fitting. You’ll likely need to call all your clamps out of retirement for this step. As I messed up the cutting of the slot for the rudder linkage, I cut the whole area away and fitted a thin disk of ply with the slot cut in it. The deck can be doubled up in thickness by laminating pieces to the underside along the opening at the front of the deck house and where the ventilators will go. Cut out the top of Frames C, D, E and F and fit the coaming for the deck cut-out from 1.5mm plywood. The design allows for a total of 1mm clearance between the coaming and its mating deckhouse (0.5mm each side), which provides for movement of the timber with the weather. The notched shape at the rear corners of the deckhouse is to accommodate the steps leading to the bridge deck.

Deck planking

The foredeck of Wattle is planked back to the access doors of the main deckhouse, this being a design requirement due to the accommodation spaces below. I found the easiest way to do this was a cut a foredeck overlay from 0.8mm plywood, plank it off the

Bulwark openings

Pieces slightly thinner than the overall hull thickness are fitted to the freeing port apertures to represent the opening doors, with a piece of D-section plastic across them at mid-height. Build up the inner and outer cheeks of the hawse holes with ovals of 0.8mm ply and smooth the inner surfaces of the penetrations.

Bulwark capping

This was cut from 1.5mm plywood, three pieces for each side. I used a piece of paper, pushed down on to the inner curvature of the bulwark, to pick up the shape required and transferred this to the wood, adding 2mm for the inboard overhang and drawing the outer line of the capping 8mm away from this. This gave me over-width capping pieces that could be epoxied to the top edge of the bulwarks with an equal overhang each side. Start with the stern pieces, continue with the bow pieces and finish with the centre pieces, which being only slightly curved, are easily trimmed to fit. All the capping pieces then need to be sanded back in-situ to 6mm wide, forming sweeping curves along the length of the model. Due to the method of construction, the bulwark sides are far thicker than scale on the model as they would be under 0.5mm thick if truly to scale.

Bulwark supports and fittings

Pre-filled and primed 1.5mm plywood was used for these. Most are 42.5mm apart, centre to centre, so a 41mm wide spacing piece can be used for setting them out. Note that they are all vertical and not necessarily perpendicular to the deck. At the bow, you will need to paint at least the lower edge of the inside of the bulwarks first and glue the planked foredeck overlay in place before fitting the more closely spaced forward bulwark supports. The Sampson posts are from 7mm square timber stock, thinned down below capping level at an angle, to compensate for the thicker than scale bulwarks and allow them to stand vertical. They have strengthening surrounds of 1.5mm ply.

Stern grating

A feature of most tugs, the stern grating provides a safe area to walk on without getting tangled up in the rudder mechanism. On Wattle, the grating is divided into three framed sections running across the ship. I used three grating kits (73 x 73mm with 2.3mm holes) to provide the basic material, trimming these into the three pieces, framing with basswood and joining together to produce a one-piece stern grating that sits on supports glued to the extensions of Frame J and at the stern. If you have the patience, an alternative to the grating kits would be to file slots half-way through strips of basswood at the correct intervals using a jig; the pieces can then be fitted together with the slots forming halving joints.

Basic superstructure

The various structures built upon the deck of a ship were once known as ‘deck erections’, but I’ve noticed that this term is no longer in common use. I therefore refer to it as the superstructure, consisting of the combined main deckhouse and boiler room with the galley and WC at its forward end, the enginehouse (over the engine) immediately behind it and the wheelhouse which sits on top of the main forward deckhouse. I made the

Right: Bulwark capping completed with deckhouses, foredeck and stern grating being tested for fit.

Far right: This view shows the deck coaming and separate deckhouses. Right: A closer view of the basic superstructure.

Far right: Stern deck area.

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plan feature Right: Main stairway construction from a stack of risers and treads.

Far right: Completed stairways. Right: Enginehouse hatches, bulwark supports, stairways and other parts fitted.

Far right: Wheelhouse construction.

Below: Wheelhouse and bridge deck planking.

engine and main deckhouses removable as separate units. Operational access is normally only needed via the enginehouse for the various switches and recharging sockets as the smoke generator can be topped up with a measured amount of water fed through the funnel via a plastic tube. The enginehouse is of a simple construction, I made it from 3.2mm basswood sheet so that there would be enough material thickness for the radii along the top and edges. A companionway is added to the rear of the port side. The hatches are represented by 2mm thick spacing pieces overlaid with thin ply covers fitted with 14mm portholes. Don’t forget the smaller hatch on the lower section, which is the emergency exit for the engine room. To represent the hatch hinges, I used the tiny aluminium clips that come with certain brands of sock to hold the pair of socks together, so as an added bonus I now have eight spare pairs of new socks in the drawer! Small holes were drilled in the hatch covers to receive the bent down end tabs of the clips. You may find as I did, that the shiny appearance of the various brass portholes just does not look right on a working ship model. Rather than wait years for them to tarnish

naturally, you can darken them chemically. The traditional method uses chemicals that today would probably see you arrested on suspicion of terrorist activity, but there is an easy alternative. Household bleach will darken brass parts progressively if you soak them in it. Two or three hours is probably long enough, as overnight will turn them black. Rinse thoroughly after treatment. As the portholes need to retain their bronze appearance, only fit them after painting the hull and superstructure.

Main deckhouse

The main deckhouse is a little more complicated. I used 3mm Lite Ply for ease of working with 1.5mm plywood for the curved front and roof. The curvature for these is set by the appropriate bulkheads (doubled up at the transition to the bridge deck) and the formers at the front. Inset ramps need to be provided for the separate stairways to be added. I doubled up the roof thickness between the

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stairways to allow for the mounting of the funnel and vents. Note that the access doors are in slightly different positions each side and that the bottom edge of the deckhouse needs to be stepped up over the foredeck planking. To allow more of the sound to escape, I fitted a perforated metal floor (actually an old speaker grille) under the wheelhouse area, planking the remainder of the bridge deck in a similar manner to the foredeck. For the two main stairways, I cut 20 pieces of basswood, 20 x 8.5 x 6mm, and 20 pieces of aluminium, 20 x 10 x 0.5mm. Each piece of aluminium was given a 30 degree by 3.5mm bend in the vice, then the parts glued up in an alternating stack. Provided with side cheeks of 0.8mm basswood, these stairways can be set on to the ramps on the rear corners of the deckhouse.

Wheelhouse

Wattle’s rustic wheelhouse, such an important feature of the model, deserves

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plan feature Far left: Foredeck detail.

Left: Foredeck skylight construction.

careful attention to detail. I used basic panels of 1.5mm plywood (templates are provided on the drawing), to be joined at the corners with 3mm square basswood posts. Before joining, the panels are planked with narrow strips of 0.8mm basswood, framing the window cutouts down to their correct size and thereby leaving a neat recess for the window glazing to be inserted through the slot remaining in the top of the panel. Having the glazing separate like this avoids getting glue on the windows and allows them to be removed for replacement or cleaning. On the inside, the whole area could be planked as per the outside, or you could just frame the cut-outs as I did. The roof is from two pieces of 0.8mm plywood, laminated together to hold the curvature and fitted with roof beams on the underside. It needs to be made removable to fit the glazing or service the lighting, if fitted. To complete the wheelhouse, I fashioned a representative engine telegraph mostly from scrap brass, fitted a ship’s wheel mounted on a pedestal made from plastic sheet, and installed the captain (an Adrian’s Marine Models figure), a fuse box and a seat. The doors are only planked on their outsides and their windows permanently fitted. When all had received a coat of teak stain and two coats of satin marine varnish, I attached the doors in the open position via lengths of shallow brass channel representing the door tracks.

Foredeck fittings

The foredeck skylight is a simple basswood construction with its upper parts stained to match the wheelhouse, and it sits in a recess formed by the planking. Immediately behind it, in an extension of the recess, is the mast tabernacle, constructed from 5/16in (7.9mm) brass tube and three pieces of brass sheet. Note that there is a forward slope of 3 degrees on the mast socket relative to its base, when fitted to the foredeck which at this point slopes upward at 6 degrees. The result is a mast with the correct 3 degree rearward slope. A small square access hatch on the rear deck was made use of on the model to provide access for lubricating the stern tube via a flexible extension tube fitted in the hull.

Method of moulding fibreglass funnel.

then being upended on a sheet of glass to fully set, after which the flange can be drilled to clear the smoke generator tube and drilled and tapped for three attachment screws. Bands of 3.2mm x 0.8mm plywood in two locations complete the basic funnel construction. For the cowl vents, I turned to 3D printing as I was not at all impressed with the sample moulded vents I purchased. They were typically poorly shaped, thick-lipped, solid, out of round or not available in a large enough size. You don’t need your own 3D printer as

the cowls may be ordered from Shapeways, based in Holland, to a design by an American modeller whose shop is hosted by the Shapeways site, please see these websites: http://matthewsmodelmarine.wordpress. com/writings/matthews-cowl-vents-formodel-ships/ and: http://www.shapeways. com/shops/ patmat?url=%2Fusershop&rows=3 wThese are quite the finest, best-shaped and fully functional cowl vents I have ever come across, but beware that you will need a range of brass tubing sizes to extend their height. Of the different finishes and materials available, the ‘white detail’ is probably the best, but expensive. The cheaper ‘white, strong and flexible’ grade has a rougher finish which requires more work filling and priming, though the end result can be just as good and these were in fact what I used. Wattle requires four small and two large cowl vents. They have been designed to imperial measurements so I will quote inch sizes. The

Above: Mast tabernacle and cowl vent construction.

Left: General rear view of the superstructure.

Funnel and vents

The funnel scales to 53mm diameter and you could probably get away with using 2 inch (50.8mm) aluminium tubing. I managed to get a little closer, 51.5mm diameter, by laying up some fibreglass mat and resin inside a scrap piece of 2 inch nominal inside diameter plastic plumbing pipe. I like this method as it means I can incorporate a thick flange on the inside at the base of the funnel. I cut a saw slot most of the way through along the length of the plastic tube before starting so that the tube (with its inside waxed) can be easily split and stripped off the fibreglass once it has set. The flange is formed from disks of glass matt laid up at one end to plug the tube, the assembly

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plan feature

Doors will be fitted as separate items.

A general ‘in the raw’ view with temporary mast fitted.

A first glimpse of the model’s overall appearance.

Above: Preparing the hull for painting.

small ones are the 0.375in (3/8in) tube size and to go with them you need 3/8in brass tube to extend their height. If you want to sleeve the extension to accept the cowl vent, you will also need 11/32in tube to take up the material thickness and 5/16in tube for the joining sleeve. Lengths of the 11/32in tube can also be fitted to the deck so that the cowl vents can be fitted over them. For the large vents, you need the 0.625in (5/8in) tube size, along with these sizes of brass tubing: 5/8in, 19/32in and 9/16in. Alternatively, you could in each case just get the matching brass tube size and join the cowl vent to it by other means, such as a stepped piece of dowel, though the obstruction will be visible through the mouth of the cowl. Note that the large vents have a short fixed section near the base with the remainder able to swivel, whereas the small vents swivel from the base. The large vent stems need to go right to the rear corners of the upper deck; I used a sanding drum in a rotary tool to thin down the inside corner walls of the deckhouse to facilitate this. You will likely find that the funnel still prevents the cowl vents from swivelling to the fully forward position. If so, congratulate yourself on your scale accuracy, for the same is true of the full-size vessel!

Basic painting

At this point I will assume you have the basic structure of the model completed with all surfaces sanded, filled and primed as necessary. I generally make use of an automotive aerosol combined spray putty and primer for this purpose, as it readily fills any visible wood grain and provides a good base for further painting. I used general purpose aerosol cans of red oxide primer and satin black for the hull, with satin white for the main deckhouse and white roof areas. From this point on I had to resort to my airbrush to achieve the correct colours. Climbing over the full size vessel with my

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pockets full of colour chips and tinlets of modeller’s paint, I was able to confidently match un-faded areas of its structure to Revell enamels, No. 364 for the deck and No. 85 for the enginehouse. I wasn’t feeling so confident once I’d applied these colours to my model though, as the green looked far too garish and bright, and I wasn’t keen on the toffee brown either, so what to do? I resolved the dilemma by invoking a modeller’s law that states colours too need to be scaled down on a model if they are not to look too bright and toy-like. So I mixed the

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green with some darker green that I had to produce more of chalkboard colour, and took some of the ‘toffeeness’ off the brown by mixing in a few drops of a dark brown. It’s a personal choice, but I think the model looks better this way. The colours the ship carried in any case had been subject to interpretation by previous restoration teams and may change again before the ship once more takes to the water. The other principle colour is the buff of the funnel and vents, for which I used Revell No. 71. My aversion to the brown also saw me painting the three small aft cowl vents this

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plan feature Far left: The hull, deck and interior in their final colours.

Left: Don’t forget to glaze the portholes!

Colour starts to put some life into the superstructure.

colour instead of the brown they had carried. The worst aspect of the painting was the fact that the deck and the bulwark supports are different colours and this led to several rounds of masking, airbrushing and touching up with a brush. White automotive pin-striping tape, 3mm wide, was used for the colour line running around the hull just above the belting and BECC 10mm white lettering for the name on the sides and stern. To protect these and bring all paintwork to a consistent level of gloss, two coats of satin acrylic spray was applied from an aerosol can.

Davits and ship’s boat

Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water, you find you’ve got all the final detailing to do. Never mind, it’s the final

The windlass is set at an angle - it didn’t slip during gluing.

straight now and these details will breathe life into the model. The largest remaining item to construct is the ship’s boat and its davits. I made the boat by carving it from two balsa blocks tack-glued together at the centreline. These were then separated and had strips of 4 x 0.5mm plastic applied with overlaps to represent the clinker planking before being re-joined each side of a central piece of 2mm plastic sheet that forms the keel. The structure that supports the davits is fairly complicated, the original being constructed mainly of angle iron and looking rather agricultural in appearance. I reproduced it using thin brass angle, 3 x 3mm and 3 x 4mm, made by Ruggi of Germany and available from Bob’s Models Limited of the UK. The sub-assemblies consist of the main

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The davit support frame, tow hook and other scratch-built metal parts.

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plan feature vertical frame, the two angled side arms that carry the swivels, and the davits themselves. Joints within the sub-assemblies were temporarily held together with miniature screws whilst being soldered, with tiny M1 screws used to hold the sub-assemblies together and bolt them to the superstructure. I used the wider-than-scale 4mm flange of the angle where this facilitated easier assembly. The frame components are shown separately on the drawing to aid construction. Note that you will need to scallop out the main horizontal angle member at two points to clear the large cowl vents, just as they had to on the full-size tug. The curved arms of the davits scale to about 4 x 3mm rectangular section with the short sides curved (like a slice through the centre of a circle). Laminating strips of 3 x 0.8mm basswood around a former of 75mm radius would be one way of making these, but for strength I settled for 4mm square brass tube, annealed and curved to shape. Instead of socketing the bottom of the davits into the deck, I supported them on thin brass platforms extending from the bottom of the stairways so that the forward superstructure can easily be removed for access. The doors to the main deckhouse are separate items, planked or framed with plastic strips as appropriate, and fitted with vents, hinges and handles. Two small sets of steps lead up to the bridge deck and these were made from thin ply as left and right units, to suit the roof curvature. The anchor windlass is an assembly of edged plastic side frames with gears and drums from the scrap box and similar construction was used for the column that supports the ship’s wheel. Small strategically placed super magnets were used to ensure the model does not blow its top (superstructure) off in windy conditions!

Mast and lighting

The tow hook detail is best seen before fitting the ship’s boat. Can you spot the mistake?

The mast was made from 8mm hardwood dowel, necked at its lower end to fit the mast tabernacle and tapered using a hand plane, shaving first to a square profile, then octagonal and ultimately sixteen-sided, finally finishing with abrasive paper. Its base or tabernacle is formed from three pieces of sheet brass and a length of brass tube which may, with a little thought, be made to slot together for easier soldering of the assembly. Note the angled base to provide the correct rake to the mast. The lamp attachments consist of short pieces of brass tubing, sized appropriately for the diameter of the mast at their respective heights and fitted with a sheet brass platform, bracing or rigging system for the oil lamps as required. For the guy ring, thicker tubing was used with four attachment eyes, cut from rigging clevises, fitted to its circumference. One further lamp attachment is required for the stern light, fitted to the rear of the

funnel. Here I used 1mm brass rod soldered to the brass lamp platform to form both the bracing and pivot for the pulley used to haul up the oil lamp. For the navigation lights, shading boards were folded up from aluminium sheet with due allowance for the camber and sheer of the bridge deck to which they are fitted. Commercial model ship lamps were used at all lighting points, including the cabin, where two panoramic lamps were fitted under the roof so that the captain would not be kept in the dark. All lighting points were fitted with 12 volt incandescent lamps (they look nicer than LED’s) wired in series-parallel to suit the 24 volt supply. One light was fitted to the toilet (port side, forward) as a cheaper option to buying an extra crew member from Adrian’s Model Figures.

motor position is that I was allowing for a much longer geared motor at the design stage. The low and wide battery installation provides for good stability, leaving adequate room above for a large nebuliser smoke generator (keep its mounting parallel with the water line so that the water sits level in the tank). Items such as the speed controller (an Electronize type chosen for its 24-volt capability), fuses, switches and sound unit can sit on rearward extensions of the battery tray each side of the motor, or on a plate between Frames F and G that can lift out for access to the coupling. Two sockets are provided for the 24-volt battery to be recharged as two separate 12 volt batteries, one at a time, to suit my 12 volt charger. The receiver and its aerial are best kept high up, well above the waterline.

Running gear

Detailing

This has largely been covered already. The reason for the double coupling and forward

The remaining work is quite straightforward and the following notes should suffice:

Right: This view of the wheelhouse shows the electrical control box with a photo of the actual item as an overlay and the method of window glazing.

Far right: Most of the running gear can be seen here, with the smoke generator prominent over the four 6 volt drive batteries.

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plan feature

Left: Wattle and Craig (MM1522)

Gooseneck vents on deck: From soft 3/32 inch (2.3mm) aluminium rod bent around 4.8mm drill bit; two plain (front), two fitted with brass eyelets (mid-ships); two fitted with collars (aft). Railings: Two hole 35mm brass stanchions threaded with 1mm brass rod rails; enlarge the holes in the stanchions so that the rails can run though at an angle and solder. Deckhouse handrails: 1mm brass rod threaded through 1 x 15mm brass split pins and spacer sleeves by Robbe. Steam vent pipe: From soft 3/16 inch (4.8mm) brass tube, bent to shape. Steam whistle pipe: From 2mm brass rod, bent to shape. Both pipes fitted to front of funnel using two of 40mm brass split pins and sleeves by Robbe. Whistle: Turned on pillar drill from 3/16i inch (4.8mm) scrap brass rod, fitted with 1mm brass rod outlet pipe. Tow hook: Length of 4mm square brass tube, one end fitted with hook formed from 3.2mm brass rod curved and filed to shape, other end fitted with 12 x 8mm shackle. Tow hook fitting: swivel rail from 3.2mm brass rod, curved to shape and fitted between two lengths of brass angle; support rail from 3.2mm square brass tube curved to shape and fitted between uprights of davit support framework. Guy wires: 0.6mm galvanized steel cable, tensioned using M2 x 12mm bottle screws, M2 spade fittings used as anchor points. Commercial items included: Three of cast twin bollard on base, 32 x 11 x 16mm; One of 40mm boxwood ship’s wheel; One of 40mm Hall anchor; Two of 30mm lifebelts; One of 80mm bow fender; Fourteen of 10 x 14mm flanged portholes; Three of 8 x 12mm flanged portholes; Lamp fittings.

keel. I did wonder if it was tempting fate to add items intended to sink to a hull that is intended to float, but let it pass. The hull had been baptised previously, but the difference now was that the weight of the superstructure had replaced some of the ballast originally put in it for testing. The higher centre of gravity had the effect of making the model less ‘stiff’, reacting more slowly in the rolling plane, which made it look more realistic on the water. An advantage of larger models such as this is that they are hardly affected by the out-of-scale wind and waves of a typical sailing pond and their greater inertia makes them respond more realistically to the controls. Despite the size, I found the model would still fit quite readily in the boot of my hatchback car and it is about the maximum weight for comfortable carrying and launching by one able person, the overhanging stern providing a convenient means of gripping the hull. Throttled right back, it is almost possible to count the blades of the large propeller turning as the model silently glides past. A touch more throttle provides the best setting, with a bit of a bow wave forming, a nice wake and the smoke generator doing a passable impression of a very clean steam exhaust. The generator produces a constant amount of ‘smoke’ (actually water vapour) that is blown out with more force by a fan as the throttle is opened. This can make the exhaust appear less dense at higher speeds and it can tumble down the sides of the funnel at idle if there is no wind as the vapour is heavier than air. I had to fit a foam collar between the inner and outer funnel flues to prevent the vapour being

re-ingested. The model is over-powered at high throttle settings, but that’s okay as this can be saved for towing a full-size boat or when you need to accelerate out of the way of another craft. Due to the higher voltage, current drain is quite low and averages a little over one amp. On club sailing days, a full battery charge provides around 3 hours smoke-free run time or 2.25 to 2.5 hours with smoke, one intermediate refill of the smoker tank being required over that time. This makes demonstrations throughout the day at a model boat show quite practical. The turning circle is adequate rather than tight, probably due to the narrow-chord rudder, and the model heels slightly when turning at speed. Control astern is marginal like most such single propeller craft, but with the large propeller the model may be ‘walked’ gently sideways when docking if you learn the technique. Acacia pycnantha, The Golden Wattle, is Australia’s national floral emblem so perhaps it’s appropriate that a tug named Wattle, be it full size or model, should stand emblematic of the shipbuilding skills achieved by Australia eighty years ago. Enjoy your hobby - John Parker, Aug. 2013

On the water

With a large model of a stable vessel such as a tug, you need to have made a serious mess of things for the handling to be anything but safe and predictable, and this was the case with the Wattle model, so let me clarify that! I mean it was the case that the handling was safe and predictable, not that I had made a serious mess of things! For the final ballasting, I had to add 930 grams of lead between Frames G and H and 300 grams between Frames F and G. This was in the form of lead sinkers from the camping and fishing section of a department store, trimmed for length and fitted each side of the

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View of davit support structure and boat saddles.

The windlass, nick-named ‘Hernia’!

The Steam Tug Wattle moored at Docklands against the Melbourne skyline in 2005.

GALLERY By Alan Flack Funnel and main cowl vents detail.

Steam Tug Wattle T

hese walk-around photos of the Steam Tug Wattle were taken by Alan in 2005 and show the vessel with all the modifications made to suit it to passenger carrying service at that time, before she failed her annual hull survey. the tug is now being restored as described in the accompanying Plan Feature article by John Parker.

22 Amidships view showing front skylights over the engine room, tow hook and boat saddles.

Wheelhouse and bridge deck with doubled-up railings.

Main deckhouse side.

Upper decks with gangway modification and please note shape of railings.

Davit head detail.

Steam pipes and whistle.

Forward hull and anchor detail.

Rear deck with canopy (when used as pleasure boat) and replacement stern grating.

23 Foredeck detail with skylight and mast tabernacle.

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Figure 1

Tim Fawcett has used ACTion R/C Electronics products extensively in his Tamar lifeboat.

But I don’t understand Electronics! DAVE MILBOURN explains it all

F

irst, a couple of definitions: According to my dictionary, electronics is the technology of electrical circuits which involve active electrical components such as transistors, diodes and integrated circuits. It is distinct from electrical technology which deals with the generation, distribution, switching and conversion of electrical energy into other forms (e.g. light and motion) using wires, motors, generators, batteries, switches, relays, transformers, resistors and other passive components.

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Now read that again, slowly please. It says, in other words, that electronics is the knowledge of how individual components work and how to assemble them together to make a working device, while electrical technology is the knowledge of how to connect together different devices to turn electrical energy into useful stuff like heat, light and motion. When applied to model boats this means that anyone with a basic knowledge of what I call ‘bells, batteries and switches’ can install the necessary electric circuitry to make the model do what he (or she) wants it to do without having to understand how the clever electronic bits in that circuit actually work. I’ve been challenged by the Editor of this magazine to write an article to illustrate and explain model boat electrics for the non-technical reader, so I hope what follows is at least halfway towards that goal. There will be a few slightly technical bits here and there but no complicated mathematics will be used! You can treat this article as a reference work, that is to say, diving into it for the bits of information you need, or sit down and read through the whole thing just so that you know what’s in there for when you might need it later. The very simplest electrical circuit involves a power supply, conductive wiring, a load and a switch. The circuit is dead until the switch is moved, at which stage a current of electricity flows through the wiring of the circuit and energises the load. The load does whatever it does for as long as the power is supplied and can be anything which consumes electrical energy such as a bulb, a sound unit or a motor. When the switch is returned to its original position the circuit becomes dead again and the load stops whatever it was doing. Simple enough so far? Good, then please see Figure 1. So let’s now deal with the elements of this circuit, one at a time.

Battery This is the power source and is essentially a store of electrical energy. It has two poles, or terminals, which are termed negative and positive. The battery has chemicals inside it which react to produce little particles of electrical charge called ‘free electrons’ and shove them all up at the negative pole. This is insulated internally from the positive pole, which has a deficiency of electrons and whose sole function in life is to grab them from the other end of the battery. If a metallic conductor is connected between the two poles then the electrons will flow along it from negative to positive. The conductor is usually in the form of a thin metallic rod called a wire, or a bundle of very thin rods called a cable. The flow of electrons is called a current**. Strictly speaking, a battery consists only of one cell, which has just one pair of positive and negative poles. For most uses this is impractical as the voltage of a single cell is only between 1.2v and 3.7v, depending on the type of battery, so most model batteries are actually packs of cells which are either welded/soldered together in a chain or manufactured together inside the same case. A pack will therefore contain several individual cells, but only one overall pair of positive and negative terminals, i.e. the positive of the first cell in the chain and the

Figure 2 negative of the last one. For the purposes of this article I will use the terms ‘battery’ and ‘pack’ as if they mean the same thing. Any battery is identified by two very important properties. Its voltage puts a value on the electrical ‘pressure’ it exerts between the negative and positive poles, i.e. the higher the voltage then the more electrical pressure it can exert on a load. Increasing the voltage will, for example, makes a bulb glow brighter or a motor turn faster. The battery also has a capacity, which is a measure of how much electrical energy it holds and can supply before it becomes discharged, or ‘flat’. The rate of flow of electrical current along the conductor is measured in Amps; the more amps which a load draws from the battery then the quicker it will discharge. The value of a battery’s capacity is the arithmetical product of the current and the time for which it can be supplied and is quoted in Amp-Hours (AH), or Milliamp-Hours (mAH) which are 1000 times smaller. A battery which can supply one amp for one hour has a capacity of one amp-hour. To give a figure more typical of a model boat application, a 7.5AH battery will supply a current of 2.5 Amps for 3 hours (2.5 x 3 = 7.5). Note that this does not depend upon the voltage of the battery which, as I hope you have learned, is a different thing altogether, Figure 2. There is an arithmetical relationship between voltage and current in a circuit and it’s called Ohm’s Law and states that the voltage across a load divided by the current flowing through it is called its resistance, or R=V/I, where I is the usual symbol for current. For most practical purposes you won’t really need Ohm’s Law but it’s useful to be aware that it exists, if only to know what ‘resistance’ means. For model use there are two types of battery: Dr y batteries, which are not rechargeable and useful really only for low-current applications such as the transmitter. Rechargeable batteries, which we tend to use for everything else. Rechargeable batteries come in various different guises and to describe each fully would take a lot of space and probably bore you rigid. The main types used are Sealed Lead-Acid (SLA), Nickel-Metal Hydride (NiMH) and Lithium Polymer (LiPo). Their names refer to the chemicals inside them (electrolytes) which react to generate the electrical energy, and each type has its use in model boats. Nickel-Cadmium types (NiCad’s or NiCd’s) were popular at one time but have been removed from the market because of the adverse effect on the environment of discarded heavy-metals such as cadmium. SLA batteries are heavy, the ‘L’ stands for lead after all, and cannot generate very high currents, so are used where slower motors are appropriate, and where they can contribute usefully to the total weight of ballast required to get the model down to its scale waterline, e.g. in tugs. The usual sizes for SLA batteries are 6v and 12v, both in many different capacities, although there are also some 2v cells around these days, Photo 1. Nickel Metal-Hydride (NiMH) batteries are generally made up in packs of joined-up cells, each cell having a nominal voltage of 1.2

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special feature volts and the cells coming in different case sizes. The smaller case sizes have the smallest capacity; typically around 850mAH for an AAA pack, while the largest cells, ‘F’ size, go up to 10000 mAH (or 10AH). Packs of these cells are much lighter than their equivalent capacity SLA types and thus suitable for faster models where low weight is more important. NiMH cells can supply a lot more current than SLA batteries and can also be fast-charged at the lakeside from a portable charger. The term ‘nominal voltage’ is used to indicate the voltage at which the pack will discharge for the majority of its discharge cycle. When fully charged, a NiMH cell can have as much as 1.55 volts across the poles. This will quickly settle down to about 1.2v and stay at that level until it is almost fully discharged. At that time the voltage starts to drop quickly and should not be allowed to go below 1v per cell or damage will occur. Finally, Lithium Polymer (LiPo) batteries are the newest kids on the block and are lighter and more powerful even than NiMH cells. Their nominal voltage is 3.7v per cell, BUT they do have to be carefully handled and monitored. Careless handling or overcharging/discharging can in the extreme case, cause them to catch fire and even destroy your model. For this reason it’s always advisable to use a speed controller which will monitor the battery voltage and cut off the power to the motor before it reaches a critically low value, e.g. the Mtroniks Tio range. You can also obtain a stand-alone device to do this, or a simple monitor which just sounds an alarm when the value is reached. That said, LiPo batteries are in use all over the world and instances of such accidents are becoming rare. As regards charging, if you purchase the correct type of balancing charger and follow the instructions, then you will have no problems. LiPo packs come in multiples of 3.7v and are quoted in the form ‘XS’ where X is the number of cells. Thus a ‘3S’ pack is 3 x 3.7 = 11.1 volts. The capacity is quoted in the usual way i.e. mAH, and the maximum current which can safely be delivered is given in the form ‘YC’, where Y is the value of the capacity (confusingly in Amp-Hours). As an example, a 1700 mAH LiPo pack has a corresponding ‘C’ value of 1.7 and so a pack rated at 20C can supply a maximum of 20 x 1.7 Amps = 34 Amps, Photo 2. The only other thing which I should emphasise about any type of rechargeable battery is to use the correct type of charger and always follow the charging instructions. **Please note that unfortunately for some reason the ‘conventional current’ flow in circuit diagrams is always labelled as being from positive to negative, but it’s not important as long as you remember to connect the terminal or wire of any load which is marked with a + sign to the positive terminal of the battery etc.

Polarity As described just now, there is a flow of electric current when a load is connected between the two poles of a battery. Unfortunately some loads are sensitive to which way around they are connected (polarised) while others aren’t. Examples of non-polarised loads are conventional bulbs, relay and switch terminals and fuses. Practically any unit which includes semiconductors (transistors, PIC chips etc.) will be polarised, so make sure that you connect items such as speed controllers, sound units and receivers the right way around. They are usually marked with + (positive) and – (negative) signs/labels or at least the instructions will tell you how to connect them. Yes, it DOES matter! If you

connect up a polarity-sensitive device the wrong way round, even for a split second, then you will probably damage it and often fatally. Those of us who have suffered this fate often then refer to ‘The Magic Grey Smoke’……………!

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Conductors For our purposes, this means wiring and usually of the insulated flexible variety, so that complicated circuits can be accommodated inside complicated hull shapes with lots of bulkheads and electronic gizmos to negotiate. A wire, or cable, is made up of a central conductive core, usually multiple strands of thin copper wire, and an insulating outer sleeve. The sleeve is typically either PVC or a silicone-based compound, which is more flexible and resistant to heat. The most crucial factor as far as wiring is concerned is to use the right thickness/diameter. Too high a current passing through a cable will increase its temperature to the point where the insulation breaks down and melts and the conductor inside can short out against other ‘live’ components. Fires have been caused by burning insulation, too. Model boat circuits come basically in two types; those which include motors and those which don’t. The former will be subject to high currents while the latter will only carry a few amps at most. My own preference is to use thick multi-strand silicone-coated cable for power wiring, and thinner multi-strand PVC ‘hook-up’ wire for such items as sound units and lighting. The gauge of the silicone stuff is usually quoted in AWG (American Wire Gauge) and the following table will be useful when working out what gauge of wire you need: AWG Conductor Max current dia.(mm) (Amps) 10 2.59 55 12 2.05 41 14 1.63 32 16 1.29 22 18 1.02 16 20 0.81 11 22 0.66 7 For other wiring I find that PVC insulated hook-up wire of 7 strands of 0.2mm dia. Conductor, usually termed 7/0.2, is okay up to 2 Amps while 10/0.1 is good for low-current lighting circuits. If you need very thin cable then I suggest buying multi-core alarm cable which contains 4, 6 or 8 different coloured insulated multi-stranded cables inside one outer sheath. Others have used telephone wire or enamelled copper wire, but you have to scrape off the enamel insulation on the latter type in order to make a decent joint.

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4

5

Connectors There are literally dozens of different types of electrical connectors, many of which you will find on model boat equipment. The pictures show the main types in use, with the exception of the familiar domestic electrical multiple screw terminal blocks, also known as ‘choc blocks’. These are fine for their original application, i.e. domestic wiring with single-core copper wire, but if even slightly over-tightened, the screws may secure only a few of the wires of a stranded conductor cable or even cut right through them. Avoid using these if at all possible. The golden rule is that if a manufacturer has fitted a particular type of connector to the wiring on his unit then you can assume it’s safe to use it, so fit the appropriate mate to the connecting cable and all should be well. Where no connector has been supplied, then you need to decide what type to use, Photos 3,4 & 5.

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7

Figure 3 8

Soldering For general circuits of less than about 15A (15 Amps), the Tamiya types are very popular. For higher currents then consider the Deans type, or the gold-plated bullet connectors for very high currents. Do make sure that you fit insulation (usually heatshrink tubing) over any soldered joints. Also make sure that you fit the shrouded sockets to the battery as this is to avoid un-insulated plug connections accidentally shorting together and blowing up the battery pack! If your electronic units have screw terminals then you will need to prepare the ends of the cable to suit. NEVER just twist the strands of cable together and stuff them into the terminal. You will inevitably discover one day that there is a loose strand (or ‘whisker’) of wire which finds its way across to a neighbouring terminal, causes a short-circuit and melts or blows up something. At the very least you should strip, twist and tin the strands with solder, then crop them to length, Photo 6. Ideally plain cable ends should be terminated with a crimped bootlace ferrule; the blue and red colour-coded ones are the most useful sizes for models, Photo 7.

Figure 5

This is the single most terrifying aspect to fitting out model boats with electrics, if my correspondence is anything to judge by. You wouldn’t believe the lengths to which some folk will go to avoid soldering, yet it’s very easy if you follow the rules and use the right tools and materials. For general soldering use a 15 to 25 Watt mains voltage electric iron. Fancy little gaspowered torches are barely useful for any electrical soldering except field repairs, but they are excellent for browning crème brûlée! I don’t use one for anything electrical myself. For heavy-duty cable, i.e. anything thicker than 18AWG, a 40 to 80 Watt iron is better, especially if it has a decent-sized flat tip fitted (4.2mm or wider). I have used a soldering gun which heats up very quickly, but is too hot and cumbersome to use for most electrical work. Solder wire comes in two sizes; 18SWG and 22SWG. I prefer to use the thinner type for all joints, as you can feed it into a heated joint without the risk of flooding the joint with excess solder. Choose solder with a lead content, as it’s easier to use than lead-free, and a resin flux core. NEVER use an acidic flux for electrical soldering. The other major rules are: 1) Always make sure that the work is totally clean and degreased before you try to solder it. 2) Wherever possible, hold the two pieces to be joined together with non-ferrous clamps or similar before applying the iron. 3) Never carry solder to the joint on the iron tip. 4) Wipe away excess solder from the tip of the iron with a damp sponge regularly – never take a file to the tip of a soldering iron or you’ll destroy any special coating it may have. 5) Always scrub off any excess flux from the joint afterwards. Methylated Spirits or Isopropyl Alcohol are OK, but a proprietary aerosol circuit board cleaner such as Warton’s Total Clean 200 is best. 6) A good solder joint should be clean and shiny-bright. If it looks grey and dull then the chances are it’s what we call a ‘dry joint’ and will neither conduct electricity properly nor physically hold together for very long. If in any doubt remake the joint.

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Figure 4

Switches

These are devices which are operated either manually or via remote control and are used to turn electrical circuits on and off. In its simplest form, a switch has a lever which moves a conducting piece of metal into a position where it makes contact with another fixed conductor, thus bridging the two and allowing an electrical current to flow between them. Each of these is called a terminal (or pole) and is connected to the wires within the circuit, thus controlling the current in that circuit, Figure 3. Manual switches are used in model boats to turn on and off the power from the batteries to the various loads. Usually these switches have an extra terminal, so that the moving contact is touching one or the other of two fixed terminals at any time. This can be used to divert the flow of current from one circuit into another and is called a changeover (or double-throw) switch, Figure 4. A simple switch which only has one set of terminals is called a single-pole switch, while a switch which can operate two independent circuits with just one toggle is called a double-pole switch, Figure 5. You will find switches referred to by their abbreviations SPDT and DPDT, which are respectively Single Pole Double Throw and Double Pole Double Throw. The centre contact of a set of three is always the common contact. The choice of switch depends upon what you want it to do and also what current it will be conducting, as switches are rated for voltage and current. I recommend a 16A toggle switch for motor circuits and either a 2A or 5A toggle switch for lower current circuits, Photo 8. Note that these ratings are for the ‘switching’ current at a mains voltage, i.e. the current which will flow instantly as soon as the switch is thrown. In practice they are capable of conducting a higher

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current once they are ‘on’. In nearly all cases in a model boat we are dealing with much lower voltages and there will be very little current flowing initially until you actually move a transmitter stick and energise something like a motor. I don’t personally use slide switches, but they are still fitted by radio manufacturers in the wiring harnesses which they supply to connect receivers to battery packs, Photo 9. Switches being what they are, the toggle or slide needs to be accessible from outside the model. This means either leaving it standing proud but in a less visible place (e.g. inside an open cockpit); hiding it under a removable hatch, or modifying a deck feature so that it moves and operates the switch. For submarines none of these options are practical, so you might want to fit a magnetic switch. This is based on a magnetic reed switch and is mounted on the inside of the model, right up against the outer skin. To operate it, you simply ‘wipe’ a permanent magnet along the outside of the skin from front to back of the switch area. This energises the thin reed switch, trips a latching relay and makes the circuit. Alexander Engel KG sell two different types; one for models with a BEC (Battery Eliminator Circuit) speed controller and one for those without, each in either 6v or 12v versions They are however, as the Editor says, not exactly cheap, Photo 10. Remotely-controlled switches do essentially the same job as manual ones, except that instead of moving the slider or toggle of the switch with your finger (or a magnet), you operate a control on the transmitter of your radio which sends a signal to a special sort of switch inside the model to turn on and off the particular load e.g. lights and more about these later.

Series versus Parallel Connection and Loads

At this point I will have to explain those confusing terms parallel and series. There are two very simple rules here. Loads connected ‘in parallel’ go alongside each other in side-by-side (parallel) cables which are then connected at each end, like two sidings along a single railway track. The voltage across each load will equal the total voltage across the circuit, Figure 6.

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8 Loads connected ‘in series’ are connected one after the other along the same cable i.e. like a series of programmes on TV. The voltages across each load will add up to the total voltage across the circuit, Figure 7. As I said earlier, a load can be anything which consumes electrical energy but typically will be a motor of some sort, or lights or a sound effect unit. You can fit such loads in series into a circuit where their total operating voltage equals that of the whole circuit. As an example; two 3 volt bulbs wired in series will require a total of 6 volts across the pair to operate them. This is a good way to combine bulbs of a different voltage, e.g. two 3 volt bulbs and a 6 volt bulb all in series adds up nicely to 12 volts. If you wire two 3v bulbs in parallel however, they will require only a 3v battery across the circuit as each will receive 3 volts. You can combine loads in circuits which involve both series and parallel wiring if you like. Please see the illustration of a typical lighting circuit in a modern tug model, Figure 8. Here the supply voltage is 12v and it’s supplying both a series circuit comprising of 2 x 3v bulbs and a parallel circuit of 2 x 6v bulbs. Note that if one of the bulbs in a series circuit fails then the whole circuit becomes dead, whereas a failed bulb in a parallel circuit has no effect on the other bulbs. You’ve quite likely already discovered this when hanging Christmas tree lights? The terms ‘series’ and ‘parallel’ are also applied to connecting batteries, but beware! While you can connect two batteries with different voltages and capacities in series, you must NEVER connect two batteries of a different voltage in parallel or one will discharge into the other, with potentially serious damage to both batteries and possibly the model. As before, the total voltage of a series pair will be the total of the two battery voltages, Figure 9, while the voltage of a parallel pair will be the same as the two individual batteries, Figure 10. The capacity of a parallel pair will be twice that of the individual batteries. In practice you should always make sure that the two batteries in the pair are the same type (e.g. SLA or NiMH) and the same capacity (e.g. 7AH), irrespective of whether you are wiring them in series or parallel. Ideally you should disconnect pairs of batteries from each other when charging and charge them separately as there’s always the risk that one will charge at a different rate and be the weaker of the two if you charge them together as a pair. If you can’t, or don’t

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Figure 9

Figure 10

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Figure 13

want to remove them from the model, then you can use a double-pole changeover switch to connect them to charging sockets in the model. The connections for series and parallel connections are shown in the diagrams Figures 11 & 12 respectively. Note that the switch in the parallel set-up acts also as the On/Off switch for the whole circuit, while in the series circuit you need a separate On/Off switch (in the positive wire) to do that job.

Figure 11

Planning Before you can plan an installation you need to know the operating voltage and the approximate current drawn by each of the loads. The operating voltage is usually

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specified, e.g. a 12v motor, 3v bulbs etc., while the current is seldom mentioned. You can measure the current drawn by any load by connecting it to a battery of the correct voltage and connecting an ammeter in series with it, please see Figure 13. You need then to switch on the circuit and read off the current. For a motor you will need to simulate the load it will be working, so a main drive motor should be fitted into the model and running with its propeller in the water when you measure the current. Most digital multimeters have a scale which will read up to 10 Amps, while I came across an analogue panel ammeter on the Internet which measures 0 to 15A and cost less than £5, Photo 11. I have found that a cheap digital multimeter like the 318A from Rapid Electronics suits all of my requirements and there’s no need to spend more than around £20 while you can get a very basic type for less than £5, Photo 12. Alternatively you can obtain a special Wattmeter for higher currents. This clever device will also indicate maximum current, voltage and thus power consumed (volts x amps). They can even be fitted into the model if you wish, and cost around £15 to £40 from specialist model suppliers. Examples are the JP EnErG Power Battery Analyser, Photo 13, and the PPWattmeter Budget, Photo 14, but other types are available. Once you know the voltages and currents you can go ahead and plan the installation. For a simple single-motor model with just a speed controller and a steering servo that’s an easy task, especially if your speed controller has BEC (Battery Elimination Circuit). This is a little circuit built into the speed controller which reduces the voltage from the main motor battery and passes it down the 3-wire connection from

14 Figure 12

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Figure 14

the speed controller to supply power to the receiver, Figure 14. When a speed controller doesn’t have a BEC then you can either fit a remote one or power the receiver from a separate 4-cell NiMH pack. For more complicated installations you might well consider using a power distribution board such as the ACTion P92, Photo 15. This takes the power from the main battery and directs it through fuses to five pairs of terminals, all at the same voltage as the supply battery. It also has a reduced-voltage fly-lead with a plug to power the receiver i.e. the BEC device is fitted onto the power board and not inside the speed controller, Figure 15. A similar fused power board, albeit with switches and without the BEC output, is available from Hunter Systems while there is a very sophisticated version from Harbor Models of San Diego which includes voltage reduction for the outputs as well. With this you can use just one 12v battery to power two 12v circuits, two 6v circuits, two 3v circuits and the 4.8v receiver! It does however come with a hefty price tag and because of its size is really not suitable for small models. Note that where you have fitted a BEC speed controller you must NOT also use a separate power supply to the receiver such as a battery pack or the flylead on the ACTion P92. Further, if your model has two or more BECequipped speed controllers then you must disable the positive wire to the receiver on all but one of them, Figure 16. Where multiple voltages are required, a little bit of planning can often resolve the matter down to using one battery. For example, if your main power supply is 12 volts but you want to run a 6v lighting circuit from it as well, then simply have two 6v bulbs in series as one circuit (total supply voltage = 12v). You could incorporate a resistor instead of one of the bulbs, but it will usually need to be of a very low resistance and high power capacity in order to ‘absorb’ the unwanted power. It will, of course, also get pretty hot in operation. In such circumstances it’s easiest to hide the second bulb internally if you can’t make use of it elsewhere on the model. If you do find yourself needing a different voltage for just one circuit then it’s often the best advice

to use a separate battery to supply that circuit rather than mess around with resistors etc. If you really do have problems with planning circuits then you could take a look at the ACTion website, which includes over 170 full-colour wiring diagrams for all sorts of model boats from simple launches to multiple screw warships. See www.action-electronics. co.uk. It is naturally biased towards ACTion’s own products. but the principles of installation apply equally to most electronic gizmos.

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Fuses My friend and mentor, the late Craig Talbot, wouldn’t hear of fitting fuses into a model boat as: ‘They don’t prevent anything from being destroyed by a determined idiot’! I admit that I followed this until I witnessed a fire in a model which could so easily have been prevented had a fuse been fitted. The purpose of a fuse is primarily safety. A fuse probably won’t stop a stalled motor from blowing the output FET’s in a speed controller, but it will blow fast enough to stop cables and contacts from overheating and catching fire. Choose a value which is just a little above that at which you get nuisance blowing of the fuse, e.g. try a 5A fuse in circuit with a 10A ESC (electronic speed controller) and if it continually blows when the motor is at full load, replace it with a 7.5A one or even higher rating if required, but don’t exceed the maximum rating of the ESC with the fuse value. For those who want to know whether to fit a fuse between the battery and ESC or between the ESC and the motor, there’s no harm in doing both, but you must ALWAYS fit one in the positive line between the battery and the ESC somewhere. This is also the place for the main On/Off power switch. For fuse values of less than about 2A you can use those clear glass cartridge fuses fitted to an in-line, spring–loaded holder. These aren’t very useful for higher currents, as the contact area at each end of the fuse is very small which can produce excess heat and melt the holder. I favour the automotive ‘blade fuses’ which go up to 30A, are widely

obtainable, and are not expensive. You can even buy a fuse holder for these with an indicator diode which glows either red or green depending on which way the current is flowing, which is very useful for setting motors up, Photo 16. Finally, don’t fit fuses or fused boards inside a box or have them way down deep in the hull as you’ll need to be able to get to them easily for checking and replacing them.

Figure 16

Figure 15

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Figure 17

Figure 18

17

Motors

Electrically-powered model boats exclusively use Direct Current (DC) motors, although there are thousands of different types and sizes. Essentially they all involve using the power supply to energise a coil or coils of wire inside the motor. These coils form the armature of the motor. The electrical energy creates a magnetic field in the coils which in turn rotates the armature inside the motor. The armature shaft extends beyond the end bearings in the motor case and the propeller shaft is connected to it via a coupling. There are very many websites which show their construction and operation, with both coloured diagrams and animated graphics.

18

19

Brushed motors In what we call a ‘brushed’ motor, the coils of wire are wound around the poles of the armature which is caused to rotate inside a permanent magnet or magnets. These magnets are fixed around the inside of the motor case. The almost-universal way of conducting the electrical current to the coils of wire around the armature is via fixed carbon ‘brushes’, which rub tightly against brass contacts on the armature as it spins around. These contacts form what is called the commutator of the motor. The rubbing action creates quite a lot of friction and heat; it can also create electrical sparks which in turn put out a very messy radio signal. This unwanted radio frequency (called RF) can interfere with the signals received by the radio in your model and cause servos to twitch uncontrollably. This effect is known as Radio Frequency Interference or RFI for short. You can, and should, fit small suppressor components called capacitors to the motor as shown in the diagram, Figure 17, to eliminate the effects of RFI, Photo 17. Motor suppression is not as necessary if you are using a microwave-frequency radio (2.4GHz), but if you are sailing with others who aren’t, then the RFI created by your motor might just be ‘loud’ enough to interfere with their radios. Further measures may be needed if the RF still causes twitching servos in your model. These can include earthing the case of the motor(s) to the propeller tube; twisting the two wires from the speed controller to the motor together and/or passing these wires through and around ferrite rings. A full treatise on suppressing motors can be found on the Internet at: http://www.modelsoundsinc.com/articles/ DavidsOriginalArticles/RFIArticleMarch2006.pdf Brushless motors Over recent years there has been a major revolution in model motor technology with the advent of brushless motors. As the name suggests, these don’t rely on fixed brushes to transmit the power to the central armature. Rather they are made ‘inside out’ with the wire coils fixed around the inside of the motor casing and a permanent magnet rotating the shaft inside them. The power to energise the coils is transmitted by some very clever, fast-switching electronics outside the motor case. Because there are no brushes, these motors are much more efficient than their brushed cousins, so a small and light brushless motor will do the same job as a bigger, heavier brushed one. There are no brushes to replace and so the motors are virtually maintenance-free. They are, however, very hungry for power and so heavy-duty cable and batteries which can supply high currents are required (usually NiMH or LiPo types). They also have a couple of other limitations in that low-speed control is not yet as good as with the brushed types and there are only a few speed controllers available which will allow remote selection of forward and reverse. Because they have no commutator to create RF interference, brushless motors don’t require suppressor capacitors, which should please the ‘solder-phobes’!

Just to muddy the waters a little further, there are two types of brushless motor. Those where the outer casing of the motor is fixed to the mount and the shaft rotates within the casing are called ‘Inrunners’, while those which have a shaft fixed to the rotating outer case are ‘Outrunners’. The latter type is more useful for model boats as they generally have higher torque and lower RPM than the former. In model boats the water-cooling of brushless motors is sometimes necessary; more frequently with the higher-revving Inrunners but occasionally where the load on an outrunner is relatively high. This is achieved by using the propeller to force cold water from the pond through a scoop just behind the propeller blades into a flexible tube. The water passes through this tube into a specially-made motor mount and conducts the excess heat away through a small exit outlet in the side of the hull. In many cases this cooling water also needs to pass through the speed controller, which will have tubes already fitted for the purpose, Photos 18 and 19. At the moment the general practice seems to be to use brushless motors where speed is the main criteria for performance, with brushed motors still being by far the most popular for model workboats, warships and submarines, but like the man says, you pay your money and you take your choice! Just remember that you cannot run a brushless motor using a brushedmotor speed controller and vice versa.

Speed controllers If you want to know how an electronic speed controller works then I’d refer you to the article on the ACTion website as it’s far too long to reproduce here. Please see: http:// www.action-electronics.co.uk/pdfs/ESCs.pdf In the bad old days we used to use mechanical variable-resistance speed controllers, operated by a standard servo, which controlled the speed of the motor by ‘bleeding off’ unwanted power. A contact on the end of a wiper arm moved across a coil of resistive wire like a rheostat, or a miniature electric fire. This was very wasteful in terms of battery power and the advent of the Electronic Speed Controller (ESC) has made these almost extinct. Okay, users of ‘Bob’s Boards’ will object to that statement, but matching the correct resistive board to the motor was always critical to operating the things and few users seemed to manage to do that successfully. The contacts also could work loose in operation, would only handle relatively small currents, and required regular maintenance. The modern electronic speed controller comes in two distinct types, depending upon the motor, that’s brushless and brushed. We’ll concentrate on the latter here, as most of what applies to brushed types also applies to brushless. There are two distinct parts to the inside of an ESC; the logic circuitry and the power circuitry, Figure 18. The logic components are the ones which are connected to the receiver via the 3-wire lead with a plug on the end. Its operating voltage is dictated by the receiver and is generally of the order of 4.8v, but you don’t need to make a conscious

Model Boats Winter Special Edition 2013

special feature decision about that as the receiver will take care of it. The purpose of the logic circuitry is to detect and decode the signal coming from the receiver and to switch the high-speed, high-current semiconductors in the power circuit which control the speed and direction of the motor. The ESC manufacturer will state in the technical information the range of main motor battery voltages with which the ESC will cope, along with what should be a value for the maximum motor current (in Amps) which the ESC will handle under continuous operation. You should be guided by those two values when choosing your ESC, after first ascertaining the working voltage of the motor and its current consumption under load as described earlier. I’ve emphasised the words ‘under continuous operation’, because the current rating often causes confusion and I suspect, involves a little skullduggery on the part of some sellers. When you switch on an ESC and bang open the throttle there will be a sudden inrush of current from the battery to the motor to get it spinning. This will always be a larger value than that consumed when the motor is running at full speed, i.e. continuously. Modern switching semiconductors therefore have two current rating values; one for continuous and one for ‘inrush’ or pulsed currents. The value we should be concerned with is the continuous current rating. Because it is a much more impressive figure, I have long suspected that certain oriental ESCs are rated with their inrush current instead. Indeed, we have handled supposedly 50A ESC’s from such sources which failed consistently at 15A. So, the moral is clear; buy a known unit from a reliable source with a good reputation and a clearly stated service/warranty policy. Popular UK-manufactured ESC’s are by ACTion, Electronize and Mtroniks, while other popular and reliable imports carry the Graupner or Robbe labels. Make sure also that the ESC has both forward and reverse if you are fitting out a workboat like a tug. Many of the cheaper ones are forward-only or have limited reversing capability. Incidentally it’s quite okay to run a low-current motor on an ESC which has a much higher rating, but not the other way around. The power circuit connections of an ESC will always comprise a pair of thick battery cables. These are usually made in red and black, for positive and negative connections respectively. There will also be a pair of cables to connect with the motor terminals, often in blue and yellow, but be careful and check your instruction leaflet first. Brushless motor ESC’s have three motor wires. It doesn’t matter which way round you connect the motor wires to the motor, BUT the battery connections should NEVER be reversed. If you wish to reverse the direction in which the motor is rotating then just swap over the two wires from the ESC to the motor. For brushless motors swap over any two of the three motor wires. Setting up the ESC to operate from the radio can either be a real pain or none at all, depending on the type chosen. Some require you to move the transmitter stick to its neutral and extreme positions while you push a small button on the ESC in response to flashing coloured LED’s. Others have rotary trimmers and slide switches which can adjust the working frequency and the neutral and peak motor speeds. Others, you just switch on, and they ‘Autoset’ themselves! Brushless ESC’s are a law unto themselves and frequently require a separate programming card. The only other variable is whether or not the ESC contains a battery eliminator circuit (BEC – see earlier). If it does, then you must NOT connect an additional power supply to the receiver. Some BEC-equipped ESC’s have

a small slide-switch on a pair of thin wire leads. This usually controls the onward power from the internal BEC voltage regulator to the rest of the radio system and therefore serves as a radio ON/OFF switch. It does not control the power supply from the battery to the ESC, so I would recommend also fitting an addition high-current switch in the positive lead from the main battery to the ESC unless you are in the habit of disconnecting the battery physically each time you remove the model from the water. If you do disable the BEC for any reason, then leave the little switch in its ON position or you may find that the ESC doesn’t work; again, this should be covered in the ESC Instructions. Modellers have complained about the highpitched whine that some speed controllers appear to emit at low motor speeds. In fact it’s the motor which is making the noise and it’s caused by the very high frequency at which the motor is switched on and off. This is usually only audible at very low speeds. If it annoys you, then the only solution is to change to a speed controller which operates at a lower frequency, whereupon that whine becomes a low-frequency buzz. Some ESC’s are switchable between high and low frequency, but that is more because high frequency ESC’s are more effective at low speed control. Whichever type of ESC you buy, read the instruction manual before you do anything with it. Of those units which were returned to us ‘for repair’, at least 50% had nothing wrong with them; it was usually a case of the user thinking he knew more about how the ESC should work than the guy who wrote the instructions. If ever you hear an electronics engineer muttering about ‘Hardware-User Interface Conflict’ then you’ll now know exactly what it means!

Motor Mixers Twin electric motors can be operated by various means. You can run two motors in parallel from one ESC or you can operate two separate ESC’s from one receiver channel. In both of these cases the motors will run at the same speed and in the same direction together. If you wish to do what the full-size boats do however, you can split the two motors between two separate channels and use a transmitter stick to control each one independently. This is called ‘tank steering’ as it’s the way a tank driver controls his vehicle. It allows much better low-speed control for manoeuvring into a dock, and it can also greatly improve the turning ability of a model. However you’ll have spotted that it required two channels for the throttles and it’s also quite a complicated skill to learn. You can alternatively fit an on-board device called a motor mixer, which is coupled to the

Figure 19

throttle and steering outputs of the receiver and automatically slows down or reverses the inner motor in a turn as you apply a steering command. There are several different types on the market (e.g. Mtroniks, ACTion, Hunter) and also a combined twin speed controller and mixer, the ACTion P94. I’d suggest you have a look at the article: http://www.action-electronics.co.uk/pdfs/ Twins%20Ver2.pdf, which explains and illustrates further how these units work.

Radio Control Switches You can’t just connect a load like a bulb to the output pins of a receiver and expect it to operate when you move the transmitter stick, because the receiver is not itself a switch. It puts out a signal voltage pulse through one wire of each channel’s connectors. The length of these pulses is varied by movement of the stick or switch on the transmitter and ranges typically between 1 and 2 thousandths of a second (1-2mS) as you move the stick. The other two wires of the channel’s output are at 0v and +5v all of the time. In order to make sense of this variable signal pulse, the device which is plugged into the receiver needs a circuit to detect it, decode it and change it to drive an output which can be used by the load. In a servo this output drives the servo motor. In a radio-controlled switch it operates either an electromechanical relay or a semiconductor, which in turn, switches an external circuit, e.g. lights, winch motor, sound unit. The original remote switch for model boats was a sensitive mechanical type called a microswitch, mounted on top of a standard servo. The button of the microswitch, or a lever connected to it, was depressed by the rotating arm or disc of the servo, so making the electrical circuit connected to the switch. Figure 19. The contacts are the same as a conventional single-pole changeover switch, Figure 20. Some modellers still cling to this method, largely I think because they don’t understand the workings of a servo-less switch. A simple single-relay switch has exactly the same contacts as a microswitch and is physically much smaller than the servo + switch assembly. It plugs into the receiver

Figure 20

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special feature

Figure 21

Figure 22

exactly as a servo does, and requires no further setting up such as bending levers or repositioning the servo arm to make/break contact at the appropriate point, Figure 21. Radio control switches can behave like a bell-push, where the circuit is live only for as long as you hold the transmitter stick or switch in the ON position, Figure 22. The alternative is that they operate like an Anglepoise lamp switch, where you have to push and let go of the switch to turn it on, and then repeat that action to turn it off, Figure 23. The latter is called a latching switch while the former is, unsurprisingly, a non-latching switch. Each has its place within a model; for example you would use a latching switch for any load which you want to keep on for a while, such as lights, whilst a non-latching switch would be more suitable for a horn or whistle. Some r/c switches can operate up to eight separate circuits from just one channel but beware! Those simple 2-way switched channels on multi-channel radios which are often marked with legends like ‘Retracts’ or ‘Flap’ are capable only of operating a single function switch (i.e. On or Off). Practically this limits them to one lighting circuit, a single sound card or a continually-rotating motor like a radar sweep arm. For two or more circuits per channel, then you need a spare radio channel which is operated either by a stick, a rotary knob or a 3-way switch (Centre = Off). The main selection criteria for a switch is the current which the load to be switched will draw. Typically one Grain of Wheat bulb will draw 60 to 80mA; an LED will draw 20mA; a 12v smoke unit will draw 1 to 2A and a geared 12v winch motor between 1A and 5A depending on the motor size. Calculate the total current for each circuit and then buy the appropriate switch. With relay switches, the voltage doesn’t seem to matter as long as it doesn’t exceed about 30v whereas switches without relays can be limited to well below that value. Again, do some research before you decide. Popular makes of r/c switches include Electronize, Hunter Systems, Technobots, ACTion and Robbe-Futaba.

Engine sound units

Figure 23

36

If you wish to add realism to your model, then pretty much the obvious choice would be an engine sound, ideally one which increases in pitch as you open the throttle. Take care that this is a realistic choice however as I doubt ver y much if you would have heard the engines of HMS Hood or the Titanic unless you pressed your ear to the hull and the ver y popular KD Perkasa was powered by three gas turbine engines, not petrol or diesel! Such sound units are available in two basic types; those which simply simulate the sound of an engine by generating and modifying electronic noises, and those which replay digital samples of real engine recordings. In order for the pitch to be varied there is a connection either to the

www.modelboats.co.uk Model Boats Winter Special Edition 2013

special feature brushes of the motor itself or to the receiver throttle channel output, Figure 24. In the former case it’s important to know the voltage of the main batter y, because the sound card runs directly from it. In the latter case the sound card takes its signal and power from the receiver so the main motor batter y voltage isn’t relevant. Sound simulators are generally adjustable for volume, pitch, idle and top speed and some sort of character or tone, e.g. number of cylinders in a diesel engine, while the digital replay types are usually only adjustable for volume. In nearly all cases, engine sound cards will have an amplifier chip built into their circuitry, so the only other item to fit will be a suitable speaker. Make sure you use the correct impedance, which is usually 4Ω or 8Ω, but check the instructions. The exception is the ACTion P100 Noisy Thing, which requires an external amplifier to work. Most sound cards will benefit from the addition of an external amplifier to increase their volume, as few seem to be suitable for all but fairly small lakes. Model Sound Inc’s Shockwave digital system has a very powerful on-board Class-D amplifier which makes it suitable for large model aircraft and helicopters, but a high supply voltage and large speakers are required to obtain the optimum performance from this unit. Note that a straightforward engine sound card doesn’t require a separate radio channel to operate, as it simply uses the throttle channel to vary its pitch. Some units, however, may require a second channel e.g. the Mtroniks unit needs one to start up the engine sound while the P100 carries up to eight other sound effects (horns, bells etc.) which can be activated by a second channel and selector switch. Engine sound simulators are made by Technobots, ACTion, Harbor Models, Robbe, and JoTiKa while the more expensive digital types are from Mtroniks, Benedini, ACTion, Model Sounds Inc. (Canada) and Graupner. Model Sounds Ltd (UK) make a fixed-pitch sound unit called Master Blaster which is switched on manually and allowed to run for the whole sailing session. This is useful for a heavy marine-diesel sound, which varies very little with throttle anyway and other types are available. Note that the digital types can all be programmed with different engine sounds, some by the user and others at the time of purchase. Once again, check out the manufacturer’s website for all the details.

Figure 24

Figure 25

Other sounds and speakers Most of the manufacturers just mentioned, also supply sound units for other ship’s noises, e.g. fog horns, air horns, bells, whistles, telegraph, sirens, destroyer ‘whoops’ etc. These tend to be the synthesised kind that is adjustable by the user as required. Some will be supplied with their own speaker and perhaps a microswitch so that they can be activated by a servo; others will need a separate speaker and some sort of r/c switch to operate them. You will need a spare radio channel for these sounds. You can operate more than one sound unit at a time, but if you are using just one speaker then you must fit a separate audio amplifier/mixer (e.g. ACTion P97 or P101), or fit a separate speaker for each unit. Two sound cards wired directly to the same speaker is almost the quickest way to a blown unit that I can think of and nearly as quick as connecting the power supply the wrong way around! The question of speakers arises. The sound quality from a paper cone is without doubt better than any other type, BUT don’t forget you are only going to hear the sound from

quite a distance, so real hi-fi quality would be wasted. Mylar or polypropylene cones are better for model boats because they are waterproof (or rather, splash-proof), in that they probably wouldn’t survive being submerged while turned on. Speakers do have polarised connections, i.e. there is a +ve and a –ve marked on the solder terminals. If your sound unit or amplifier is also marked with the polarity of the speaker outputs then do connect them up, like for like. However, it isn’t vital that they should be connected like that; you won’t damage anything if they aren’t. Figure 25 shows a siren unit connected to an r/c switch with a flashing light unit wired in parallel. This is popular for fire and rescue models and shows how several of the different items in this article can be operated together. In this case the siren will sound and the light will flash when the switch is operated.

Lights Fitting working lights to a model boat is often not the easiest of tasks. Many are placed in

awkward positions, e.g. at the top of a tall thin mast. This will require good planning and thin cable, and if lights are going to be inaccessible after fitting then you are best advised to include them in a parallel circuit. That way if one does fail then the others will continue to work. One common way of reducing the number of wires needed in a mast installation is to make the mast of brass tube and use it as a common negative connection for every light. That way you need only a separate positive wire for each bulb or LED. You need to plan how many separate circuits you want, because you will need a separate switch for each one. For example, you might want the navigation lights and mast lights on one circuit, while the bridge and interior lighting is on another. This is where twin or multiple switches (e.g. ACTion P44 or P62) are handy, in as much as you can operate two or more circuits from one channel. The question then arises whether to use LED’s or conventional bulbs. LED’s have the advantage of a much longer operating life and lower current consumption (about a

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20

element to produce the smoke. This exits the funnel, either with or without help from a fan, as per the Foggy system. Hunter Systems’ unit works on 12v, but has no fan assist, while the daddy of them all has to be the Harbor Models unit. This 12v ‘squirrel cage’ blower-assisted unit is expensive, but mightily impressive and there is a video on their website. The other pros and cons I have heard, are that the water-based units are ineffective in hot or humid countries, while the oil burners can leave a sooty residue all over the model. Oh, and you won’t get black smoke from either type, at least not safely, Photos 20 & 21!

Other functions The variety of working functions which can be incorporated in a model boat is largely down to the imagination and ingenuity of the builder and the budget available. There are no fixed rules about how these things can be operated, but here are a few suggestions:

third of that needed for a Grain of Wheat bulb), but they usually require a series resistor to make them compatible with the supply voltage and they are only bright when viewed from quite a narrow angle, like in a spotlight. Component Shop’s catalogue has a very informative article on using LED’s as well as a calculator for working out the value of series resistors. Internet tools are also available e.g.: http://www.muzique.com/ schem/led.htm Another option, especially for very small lights, would be to fit a powerful bulb or LED inside the model and run optical fibres from it to the sites of the lighting points.

Smoke For some modellers there is no option but to have a funnel belching smoke as the model steams away from the side of the lake. If you are considering fitting such an effect then make sure, as with an engine sound, that this is appropriate for the type of model, e.g. modern large diesels will give a cloud of dirty smoke on start-up, but then run without any

21

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visible exhaust, while other vessels have exhausts situated below the waterline. Smoke or steam simulators work on two different principles. The first type e.g. Marks Model Bits’ ‘Foggy’ has an internal nebuliser and runs on water. The nebuliser creates a mist of water vapour which is then forced up a short plastic funnel by a small computer fan. This is quite a bulky unit and requires a 24v power supply to run (or a 12v/24v voltage converter). A more sophisticated version is available which has a small speed controller to increase the speed of the fan and thus the volume of smoke as the throttle is increased. The newer Steam Master unit does essentially the same thing, but works on any supply from 6v to 20v. It’s also smaller, but produces greater volumes of steam; has four different, programmable smoke outputs and is nearly twice as expensive. The other type of smoke unit actually does produce real smoke, usually from a commercially-available hydrocarbon-based distillate. This oil is retained in a metal reservoir which also has a wick inside it. This soaks up oil and is ignited by a heating

Bow thrusters: Often incorporated in models of workboats such as tugs and ferries, these are small electric brushed motors fitted inside a tube which runs from side to side at the bow of the model, below waterline level. Water is drawn into one side and expelled from the other, applying a turning force to the bow (or stern) of the model. Typically the motor will run from 7.2v and needs a speed controller which will give equal power in both directions. Connect it to the channel which is operated by a sideways-movement of the transmitter stick and this is usually the opposite stick to the main steering one. Working winches: These use a geared motor run either by a speed controller or a 2-way relay-based switch, with or without limit microswitches to prevent over-running. MFA/Como Drills have a very large range of geared motors and also a selection of plastic gears, chains, racks, pinions etc. to make up a drive train. Doors, ramps, deck lifts, retractable antenna: Either use a geared motor as above, or a suitable servo. ACTion’s P96

special feature ServoMorph is a handy device which can var y the total amount, direction and speed of rotation of a standard ser vo. Model aircraft retracting-undercarriage ser vos will turn slowly, have high torque output and will rotate 180 degrees with a normal transmitter signal. Sail winch ser vos will rotate several times from one extreme of signal to the other. Both types can be adapted for these sorts of function. Gun turrets: Again, use either a geared motor and 2-way switch or a servo. Technobots have a dedicated Servo Position Controller which can be made to move a servo and stop the rotation at any point by returning the stick to centre without the servo following it. This clever little unit can also increase the degree of rotation as well as adjust its speed. It is only available as a kit to build on stripboard, however. Multiple turret servos can be made to rotate together by interconnecting them using Y-leads. Servo rotation can be reversed by either a controller such as the P96 ServoMorph or a simple and cheap reversing lead (available from Component Shop and others).

Figure 26

Suppliers’ website details:

Fire monitors, bilge pumps: Use a geared water-pump suitable for the voltage available (Robbe and Graupner market several) and switched by a high-current r/c switch, e.g. ACTion P91. Note that the motors in these pumps are not often rated for running continuously for more than about 30 seconds at a time. Ignore such warnings at your peril!

And finally: Which channel is which?

ONLINE !

Speed controllers, RC switches, power distribution board, fuse boards, motor mixers, sound units, ServoMorph, Wiring Diagrams*

www.benedini.de

Engine sound systems

www.component-shop.co.uk

Batteries, connectors, leads, cable, chargers, LEDs, ACTion R/C Electronics units*

www.electronize.co.uk

Speed controllers, RC switches, motors

www.engel-modellbau.eu

Magnetic switches

www.graupner.de/en

Speed controllers, sound units, pumps

www.harbormodels.com

Smoke unit, sound units, power distribution board

http://shop.huntersystems.co.uk Smoke unit, power distribution board

All multi-channel receivers have labels to inform you which numbered channel you are connecting your device into, but very few have the corresponding labels on the transmitter sticks. I am frequently asked: ‘How do I know which set of pins to use’? The answer is to experiment, or try it and see. Plug a servo into Channel 1 of the receiver, switch on the transmitter and receiver and wiggle the sticks until you find which movement of which stick moves the servo. Now draw a diagram of the transmitter in the notes section of the radio’s manual and label it. Switch off the Rx, move the servo connection on to Channel 2 and repeat. Do this for every channel and you’ll end up with an accurate picture of your Tx showing the correct stick/switch for each Rx output. Simple, innit - please see Figure 26! l

MODEL BOA TS

www.action-electronics.co.uk

www.jotika-ltd.com

Sound modules

www.marksmodelbits.com

Foggy smoke/steam generator*

www.mfacomodrills.com

Motors, gearboxes, gears, chain, sprockets, pinions, pulleys etc.

www.mtroniks.net

Speed controllers, mixers, motors

www.modelsolutions.ca

Engine sound systems

www.modelsounds.co.uk

Sound modules

www.jperkinsdistribution.co.uk

Power analyser*

www.rapidonline.com

Test equipment*

www.robbe.de

Speed controllers, sound units, RC switchers, pumps

www.steammasterunit.co.uk

Steam/smoke generator*

www.technobotsonline.com

Servo Position Controller, engine sound simulators

www.4-max.co.uk

PP-Budget Wattmeter

*The author wishes to acknowledge these suppliers for the use of their photographic images included in this article. Other photographs by the author, Paul Freshney, Nick Keur and Tim Fawcett. Please also note that all ACTion R/C Electronics products are now only retailed by Component Shop.

Model Boats Magazine is now only a click away! You can find us online at...

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Website content includes:

l A Gallery which features photo albums of models, including some under construction by Model Boats readers and being updated as they progress. l A Forum that has sections for: Beginners, General, R/C and Accessories, Static, Kits, Scratch build, Steam, Vintage, Events and Chat.

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l A Link to www.myhobbystore.com which has over 3000 plans available and numerous modelling items, books and kits. These can all be purchased online.

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39

The Yacht Utrecht, 1746

NEW

Scratch BUILDING the Yacht Utretcht

The Statenjacht Utretcht

By Gilbert “Gib” McArdle

Editor: Ab Hoving Plans: Cor Emke

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$40

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ilbert McArdle has taken the plans from the book THE STATENJACHT UTRECHT and enhanced them by building his model “Navy Board” style. He has also built the interior. When you combine Gib’s framing plans with the set from Cor you can build a beautiful model using Navy Board, plank on frame, plank on bulkhead or solid hull methods.

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By Edward Tosti

Volume I

$75

Oversized 9x12 hardcover w/jacket. 248 pages with over 400 photos and drawings. 14 sheets of 1:60 scale plans in rear pocket. CD of printable frames.

Volume II

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ewly translated from the Dutch version, Ab Hoving takes you through the modeling exhibits in the newly restored Navy Model Room of The Netherlands national treasure, the Rijksmuseum. Ab spent 29 years as head model maker and restorer of this collection and he has picked some of his favorites to show in text and over 350 color photos. Come and see the treasures selected for you from one of the world’s great maritime historians and model maker.

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British Swan Class Sloops of 1967-1780 THE SWAN SERIES VOLUME I ........... $70 VOLUME II .......... $70 VOLUME III ........ $65 VOLUME IV ....... $65

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by Greg Herbert

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olumes I and II take you through the building of the PEGASUS using the frame up method of construction. Volume III covers the building process step by step in photos & captions. Volume IV covers rigging a 6th rate sloop.. Each is 8½x11 jacketed hardcover.

MORE TITLES FROM SEAWATCH The Many Aspects of Ship Modeling by Donald Dressel. 191 models were featured at the 201 Western Ship Model Exhibition, from 1500AD through today. Each is represented with a photo and a caption. 11x8½. 128p. $32. Shipping:

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by Gilbert McArdle Volume I covers building the model through the lower deck. Volume II completes the framing, upper decks, head, stern and other details. 1:48 plans. 9x12 jacketed hardcover. V1: 164p, 14 sheets of plans, CD. V2: 124p, 13 sheets of plans. $80ea

$7US/$14Canada/$20 other locations.

Legacy of a Ship Model by Rob Napier. A camera location recorded almost every minute of the reconstruction process of this model built in 1773. A fascinating 12-minute DVD accompanies the book. 11x8½. 224p. Jacketed hardcover. $58

Warships for the King by Tobias Philbin and Richard Endsor The story of Ann Wyatt, who built a significant part of the British navy. Included is a set of 1:96 plans of Cumberland (80). 11x8½ jacketed hardcover. 188p. Closeout price $48 (was $75)

HMS Sussex

Valkenisse

by Gilbert McArdle Includes a history of the times. Frame plans in ⅛ scale with ¼ scale drawings. 9x12. 186p. 17 sheets of plans. $75

by Rob Napier Learn how one of the best goes about working on a 300 year old model. 8½x11 jacketed hardover. 253p. $68

Ordnance Survey by Richard Endsor and Frank Fox The great guns in the Royal Navy. 9x11 jacketed hardcover. 474p. $95

Waterline Dioramas The Kriegstein Collection by Arnold and Henry Kriegstein New revised and expanded edition. The photos have been reedited, the text revised and 5 new chapters of models have been added. 12x10. 256p. $85

by Justin F. Camarata Creating dioramas that are accurate for the desired weather conditions, and more. Detailed chapters on how to create water conditions for your model. 8½x11 jacketed hardcover. 232p. $55

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kit review

Ranzow TERRY SMALL reviews the Graupner kit

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anzow is a multi-purpose ship designed for operation in shallow and confined waters. She can cope with many tasks, including transport of personnel, equipment and materials, the maintenance of navigation buoys, ice-breaking missions and other maritime related tasks. The vessel is fitted with a remote controlled hydraulic crane for work on deck. The mast can be folded down and the searchlight on the bridge swung forward and down, enabling the ship to pass under low bridges. Twin Becker rudders with a bow thruster provide excellent manoeuvring capability, while electronic equipment allows the crew to operate and monitor all the ship’s systems from two control stations.

The kit Ranzow has been developed from documents supplied by the Fassmer Dockyard and is to a scale of 1:32, making for a model 100cm long and weighing approx. 7.4kg. Graupner recommended accessories are two electric motors, Speed 500E No.1788, and the bow thruster No.1785. Of course other radio control and power items will be required, but

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these are at the model builder’s discretion. The deck-mounted crane is included in the kit and can be made to work in a scale fashion using the separately purchased Expansion Crane Set, Part No.2023, in conjunction with three mini motors Part No.1753, but this is all at the builder’s choice. Parts which are difficult to make, including the hull, deck parts, bulwark, superstructure and bridge, are injection-moulded, so reducing the building time considerably. However, the model is not intended for the beginner, so some modelling experience and assembly skills will be required. Current UK price is around £240 for the basic kit without the optional extras. It should also be mentioned that Graupner at the end of 2012, underwent a change of ownership and it would appear that only now, in the second half of 2013, are supplies into the retail market starting to get back to normal for their product range.

Hull and running gear The hull is a superbly trimmed ABS moulding, requiring just a light sanding on its outside for painting and a semi-coarse sand inside to create a keyed surface for gluing in place the running gear etc. A boat stand from

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CNC cut plywood is supplied, ready to glue together, although for added strength as a personal choice, I used the parts as templates and made another from thicker plywood, leaving the original for display purposes only. To strengthen the hull, an internal framework has to be separated from the excellent laser cut plywood sheets, Photo 1, on which the parts are number stamped, indicating their correct position as shown on the plan and stated in the instructions. For all wood-to-wood joints, a waterproof resin wood glue was used and for wood to plastic, five minute epoxy glue did the job very well. The hull’s internal framework was glued in position making sure nothing moved as the adhesive was setting to avoid any twisting, Photo 2. The plywood motor mount was next to be assembled, unless different type of motors are to be fitted, as then you would be on your own as they say! I used two 545 low drain high torque motors from Howes Models instead of those recommended (which were rather expensive) and they fitted without any modifications to the supplied motor mount. To achieve correct alignment of the propshafts and motors, it’s best to dry-fit everything first before going into action with the glue. The

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propshafts each have skegs and some adjustment may be needed to get everything ship-shape, Photos 3 and 4. The other key point is to make sure that both Becker rudders, when in position, are upright and at the same angle to each other when looking side to side and directly from the stern. All this sounds a lot to do, but is very important for future smooth running of the model. It is a good idea to file a flat section to each drive motor output shaft and the propshafts where the couplings attach, for a much improved securing point. The bow thruster unit, if fitted, is to be located and glued in place at the correct angle centrally in the pre-cut hole as in Photo 5. A bow thruster is not essential, but you might as well include it if you are able to. Once the glue was set, the excess tube outer ends were cut back and sanded to match the hull’s outside curvature. If not fitting a bow thruster unit, then the holes will require internal blocking off using scrap plastic, with filler to smooth the exterior to match the hull, or as an alternative, a dummy tube could be inserted. As they say, the choice is yours! One other thing: The position of the rudder servo mounting was as in the plan, but does result in very little clearance between it and the linkages underneath the deck, so be careful and you might want to change its location.

The deck A one-piece printed planked plywood deck is supplied, Photo 6, on which eventually some areas will need to be painted up to the ‘planked lines’ once it is glued in position. The first task is to carefully separate it from the carrier frame by gently cutting through each of the very small securing pieces with a sharp knife, Photo 7. Next, the underside of the deck (i.e. the side with no printing) was sanded using semi-coarse sandpaper, so as to create a good glue keying surface. It was

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kit review

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offered into position on top of the hull internal framework and just inside the lip of the hull. Only some very slight trimming was required. It was subsequently glued in position with slow-setting epoxy adhesive, tape helping to hold everything in position. Humbrol Model Filler was later applied to make good any small gaps between the wood and plastic hull. The aft crane house vac-formed coaming was then glued from underside as are the plywood strip coamings for the stern hatch including the two rear stairwells either side, Photo 8. Care must be taken not to scratch or sand the printed planked areas at any time. Later, these will require masking and the rest of the deck painted with Humbrol No. 88 Deck Green. A low-tack masking tape, such as that from Tamiya, which comes in different widths, is probably the best for our purposes. The bow bulwark upright and stern vac-formings required the minimum of trimming, if any, before gluing. Square plastic is used for the bulwark uprights, cut and glued in position. The main deck has a number of tie-down or anchoring points, which resemble the tops of cross head screws, printed onto it. Rather, than drill holes and make up something that would ‘do’, the centre cross section of each marking was carefully coloured in, using a black fine tip permanent marker pen, then the outside round area was filled by using a green fine tipped permanent marker pen. Once the whole of the main deck was painted (much later) and detailed, a coat of Ronseal satin varnish thinned 50:50 was applied to seal everything.

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Main superstructure, bridge and its roof

Supplied as clean well manufactured ABS vac-formings with all window and door openings already accurately CNC cut, all that

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kit review

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is required is the removal of any remaining excess material. Photo 9 shows the wheelhouse windows in the foreground untouched, but those on the other side have had the surplus inner par ts already removed. A supplied internal plywood frame is glued in place at the required position to make the bridge ‘block’ more rigid, Photo 10. The lower superstructure section bottom edges have also to be trimmed to follow the deck camber. This is best done a little at a time, as you cannot easily add material if you have taken of f too much! Inside this section, another plywood framework is glued in place, also making this unit stronger. The bridge unit then needs to be glued to the top of this lower main section - in the correct place of course! At this point, consideration was given to adding internal detail inside the bridge, because it will all look ver y empty if there is is nothing to see, From scrap styrene, a map desk with a lamp and other par ts were made. The front and back control desks are also from styrene of f cuts, Photo 11. The map is the bottom half of the UK coastline cut out from a printed adver tisement for maps. The roof vac-forming, Photo 12, was cut on the line (here shown marked with a pencil), trimmed to size and finally sanded

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smooth equally all the way around the cut edge using a sheet of fine grade abrasive paper stuck to a flat surface.

Fittings A selection of aluminium, injection moulded ABS, brass and CNC plastic components make up the fittings set. Bottle screws, lights, bollards, portholes, anchors, lenses, stanchions, deck lights, spot lights, wipers, horn, radar, chain, liferaft canisters, steps, ladders and even netting to be glued to flat plastic to simulate grill vents, are included. Photo 13 is the start of the searchlight/radar platform and Photo 14 is of it well on the way to completion. There are loads of fittings, as Photo 15 reveals and they all need to be painted. Some of the fittings supplied I have yet to find a home for, so a bit of a bonus for later use on another project.

Main mast Aluminium tube forms the main uprights of this, with the plastic CNC cut platforms just sliding over (with a friction fit) into their correct positions and fixed with superglue. The various aerials are cut to size from thin brass rod, with CNC plastic parts for their bases, the lights boxes etc. The hinged base, that the mast is hinged on, is built from the CNC slot and glue plastic pieces. I decided to make it fold backwards as per

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the plan and instructions, thus reducing the model’s height for transport and stowage, Photo 16. This was achieved by using a retractable pin on the rear side of the pivot point - just a length of brass rod removed by hand and I suppose for those so inclined, it could even be lowered using radio control perhaps? Working lights can also be installed, although no recommendations for these and their wiring is made by Graupner.

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Railings Not everyone’s cup of tea to construct, but they have got to be made at some point in the construction process, Brass wire is supplied and you would naturally think brass stanchions would follow. Well you’re wrong, as they are plastic! The last time I used these was when building the Graupner Tito Neri tug model and to be truthful, the combination of plastic uprights with brass rails does work extremely well, a small drop of superglue at the joints being all that is required. The first task is to mark all the required mounting positions of the stanchions, taking the measurements from the plan and using a ruler and dividers to transfer these to the model. The brass rod for the rails was thoroughly cleaned before use with fine grade wet and dry sandpaper, but it was still a very tight fit in the pre-drilled stanchion holes. So these were opened out using a drill 0.1mm less than the rail diameter, so the brass rod became a tight sliding fit, Photo 17. Note that the top rail just clips in place at the top of

each stanchion - a neat touch as more pro-typical than passing through an eye cast into the top of each stanchion. In my experience, it is always best assemble the railings in position on the model, but allow for complete sections of it to be removed for painting off from the model. Where up and down sections are required having no stanchions, the brass wire joints were soldered using a simple ‘hold and space’ jig and/or clips, plus suitable heat shrinks, Photos 18 and 19. It is worth mentioning that the crane has a small railing

assembly for which the rod bending is rather more tricky, but this hobby isn’t meant to be all ‘plain sailing’ is it?

Crane This is a key feature of the model and you have to decide before construction whether to have it working or not, and the decision? Well, it was to be working! An expansion kit is available to do just that; Part No. 2023, Photo 20, but the three micro-geared motors, Part No 1753, are another (and not

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inexpensive) extra, so you may think twice about it. So, here we have a model within a model, and some cross-referencing with the main model kit instructions and plan will be required for assembly. If broken down into unit sections though, all will become very clear. The arm (or jib), Photo 21, is in part a vac-forming, with CNC pre-cut flat styrene parts glued where indicated. The lower part of the crane itself includes a number of small structures as in Photo 22, and eventually it will all look like Photo 23 where the bottom part fits inside the top unit. This all then sits on top of a box-like vac-forming requiring slight trimming at deck level to follow the deck camber and with external detail parts added. Photo 24 is of the inside of this with its connecting wires.

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kit review

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To control the crane’s mechanics, Robbe duo-switches as in Photo 25 were used. These switch modules control each micro-motor direction in response to a specific transmitter stick movement and are installed under the main deck just above the main drive battery. Power for the ‘official’ crane motors is 6 volts, so therefore comes from a separate battery pack in the hull of the model, as initially the main drive motors were on 12 volts. From the inside of the hull leading up into the crane’s base unit is a multi-pin plug (from Maplins - a UK electronics store chain) that matches the half-socket hanging down to connect everything to the crane’s power controls, Photo 26. To be honest to explain all the intricacies would be an article on its own, so suffice to say, make the crane work if you wish, but nonfunctioning will be a lot less demanding on your time and pocket! I have to say as a final comment that the Graupner catalogue illustrations were in many ways more useful than the instructions and drawings - so the choice is yours. Maybe conventional printed catalogues are going out of favour in this digital online age, but there is still a lot to said positively for them.

Figures A brief word about these now. Ranzow is to 1:32 scale, so figures are not too hard to obtain from a number of sources including Model Slipway, Adrian Clutterbuck (ex-GT Models), Preiser and Caldercraft, but Graupner have five to suit this model, Part Nos. 375.40 to 375.44, painted and ready to arrange. Here in Photo 27 is one of them, No. 375.43, together with three from an old Britain’s Road Working Crew picked up from a car boot sale. So, the lesson is that you don’t need to spend a fortune ‘figuring’ your models if you hunt around and a visit to the occasional car boot sale can turn up all sorts of things at bargain prices.

Painting As usual, Halfords acrylic car sprays were used whenever possible, basically for convenience, speed of application and the overall excellent finish. Fittings requiring the same colour were mounted on pieces of scrap wood and sprayed in batches. The hull initially had the areas that were not to be colour painted at all carefully masked, Photo 28. It was then sprayed

overall in red oxide primer, highlighting any surface problems which could be rectified before applying the top colour coats of the hull’s exterior upperworks. Aerosol Red Oxide primer is in my experience as good as any for the below waterline anti-fouling. However, it must be remembered that the first coat of any primer when applied to any part of any model, is usually redundant as it merely highlights the faults beneath it, which will then need filling and sanding as appropriate. I use far more aerosol cans of primer than the topcoats that follow these undercoat/filling paints. Once satisfied with the basic primer finish, which here doubles as the underwater colour, the waterline was marked in pencil as per plan. There are various ways of doing this, my preferred method being to ‘chock up’ the hull on a large flat surface such as the dining room table, get the actual waterline mark the same at the bow and stern and then with a pencil securely clamped in a depth gauge set to the same height, run the pencil around the hull, thus hopefully giving a straight waterline. As a further tip, if you actually mark the line one or two millimetres within the area to be next painted and then mask the hull parallel to that, no pencil marks will remain visible on the hull as the newly applied paint will cover them. In the case of Ranzow, additional masking will be required to protect the wood and in particular, its planked deck areas. The hull was sprayed satin black above the waterline with the red rubbing strake sections picked out later, once the aerosol spray paint had thoroughly dried, Photo 29. To be honest, if the model still smells of paint, then the solvents have not totally evaporated, so the paint is not really dry, although it may appear so to the touch. The superstructure is white - no surprise there, so once again white primer first, followed by a topcoat of Appliance White. This last colour is rather nice as it mimics ‘white goods’ such as washing machines etc. It is white, but not those weird ‘snow or artic whites’ that some cars are painted in nowadays. In other words, it is a nice wholesome white! The crane was painted in Vauxhall Mustard Yellow which again is not as bright as pure yellow.

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All the other detail was usually picked out by hand, using Humbrol paints, applied using various size brushes. These were: Light Matt Grey No.64; Matt Black No.33; Silver No.11; Satin Signal Red No.174 for the rubbing strakes and rim of the superstructure roof. This last colour is okay, but does seem to need a fair few coats when being applied by brush. A self-adhesive decal sheet is supplied requiring each item cutting out, either as a shape, but still showing the clear carrier film, or you can go into action with a scalpel and cut out each letter separately, particularly in the case of the ship’s name. Tinted clear styrene is supplied for window glazing and injection moulded wiper blades for the bridge windows. Graupner do not supply a template for cutting out each window, which is a bit of a nuisance and something one not normally expect bearing in mind that so many other parts are CNC cut or injection moulded. So, why not the windows? All the glazing was glued in place using Evo-Stik contact adhesive, Photo 30.

Other fittings Workboat and davit These make for quite nice ‘models within a model’ and the basic workboat hull is assembled from two vac-formings that require cutting and trimming, then gluing together with a plastic solvent glue such as Plastic Weld. The small outboard motor, follows the same process, although getting its two halves to match each other required some imagination, Photo 31. The davit is an injection moulded kit of parts and there is nothing complicated with this, Photo 32. It is not designed to work, but could be made so with a small motor concealed to pull or let go the lifting cord and with a small servo mounted under the deck connected to the davit’s base, it could easily be made to turn.

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Buoys These come in all shapes and sizes in real life, but those supplied with the Ranzow kit are quite basic, each being assembled from two half vac-formings that need to be cut out, trimmed and sanded flat at the join mark until the two halves come together perfectly before being glued together and that pretty much is all there is to it, Photo 33. Model Slipway do some rather nice and better detailed buoys, so sourcing from them might be a good idea as an alternative to the kit versions.

Radio control I went to town a bit with this model, using a seven channel r/c system for: Individual port and starboard motor speed control Bow thruster Rudder operation Crane rotation Crane arm lift and lower Crane hook up and down Main power supply initially came from a 12v 7Ah lead acid batter y purchased from Component Shop and it was to the same size and specification as the suggested Graupner item, Part No. 259, but rather cheaper. So, as good a reason as any to go and buy from this UK based supplier. This batter y was located in the centre of the hull sliding into (and along) a tray made from plywood (not supplied in the kit) with the main batter y wires running under the radio tray for ward and aft, so ever ything is hidden from view. Three Mtroniks Marine 15 electronic speed controllers were installed for the port and starboard motors, plus the bow thruster, Photo 34. As mentioned earlier, a Robbe Duo-Switch Module and a Two Duo Switch Module ‘Memor y’ were used to control the crane. Power for the crane motors, which are rated at 6 volts, came from a separate batter y pack, although as you will see later, once the main drive batter y had been reduced to 6 volts, power could be taken from that instead. These switch modules control each crane motor’s direction in response to a transmitter stick movement.

Completed model Ranzow makes up into a nice sized and practical model, Photo 35. Yes, perhaps the detail is not to the same degree as some of the kits now in the marketplace, but there again it is not that expensive, unless you go for the optional working extras and it cer tainly is not a ‘back-breaker’ when launching, which as the year’s progress for me becomes more of a consideration.

Winter Special Edition 2013

kit review

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On the water Ballast will most likely be needed to bring the model down to its correct waterline and this is best done at home in a calm environment, perhaps in the domestic bath, a garden pond, the child’s paddling pond, a plasterers mixing bath or a neighbours swimming pool, Photo 36. Having the main drive battery centrally placed, but moveable forward or aft, will take care of most of the ballast required and some lead shot contained within small self-sealing bags with the weight of each clearly marked, is a simple and convenient way of doing this. If you then draw a plan as to where these bags go, they can later be removed and used in another model. Power was more than enough from both motors and propellers and perhaps too much, but you don’t have to go full speed all the time. The Becker rudders, Photo 37, are a key feature of this model, enabling tight turns with or without the bow thruster and going astern was equally satisfactory. The choice of motors and speed controllers proved quite compatible, giving excellent high and low speed performance, although the model is overpowered so thoughts then turned to trying 6 volt battery packs of a similar physical size. Later with these, everything proved to be just perfect.

Conclusion When choosing a subject to build I always look for at least one key feature from; detail, functionality and building enjoyment. This model actually matched all three with the added bonus that additional detail can be added in due course. Being a flat bottom model with a small draught, I was concerned about weight and handling, which I am glad to say presented no problems at the revised 6 volt operation, as scale speed and control was then perfect. The quality of the parts, instructions and plan are first rate. The kit is

described as an ‘easy build’ taking into consideration all the vac-formings and CNC parts supplied, but it is not a beginner’s model in my opinion. The working features can be as basic or advanced is the builder desires and the crane jib is quite big and dominates the model, so having it all function is a distinct positive feature. This kit came from A Model World and current UK price is around £240. l

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Model Boats Winter Special Edition 2013 www.modelboats.co.uk

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free plan

EE! FRA N PL

Scudder GLYNN GUEST presents an ultra-simple model using the Graupner Mini Jet unit

T

he full-sized world appears to be making increasing use of ‘jet’ power for high speed vessels. The term ‘jet’ in this case referring to a marine propeller which is encased in an internal duct. It propels the vessel with a high speed jet of water emerging from a suitable nozzle in the transom which is clear of the water when at speed. I have read with interest about other modeller’s experiences with such water-jet power and was tempted to give it a try. A little, actually very little, thought convinced me that making my own jet unit was not the way to go. The hydrodynamics of the tube, plus correctly matching it with a motor, propeller and nozzle are quite complex. It would be easy to make something that would get a model moving, but much more difficult to achieve any respectable performance. Rather than spending a lot of time and money in a reinvention of the wheel exercise, starting with a commercial item was the obvious way to go.

Basic requirements Electric power is so convenient and reliable that it was a ‘no brainer’ to use it. Likewise, sticking with the popular and economical 500/600 type of motor and a six cell battery pack was a pretty obvious choice.

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Searching through magazines and the internet showed that the Graupner Mini Jet Unit, Part No. 2349, was the most promising item available. The price, just under £30, seemed to be reasonable, especially as I could see myself spending much more than that trying to scratch build an equivalent and then with no guarantee of success! The order went off to Cornwall Models and the unit was soon in my hands.

Initial hiccup? I was impressed with the design of this item as it was both compact but durable looking. Steering was by means of a movable section aft of the nozzle and even a reversing flap was included. Just reversing the direction of the enclosed propeller would not normally be effective, but lowering this flap into the water-jet should get a model moving astern. However, a separate servo is needed to raise and lower the reversing flap. Sketches for a suitable water-jet powered model were drafted and a problem immediately became apparent. The Graupner unit had obviously been designed to be installed in a moulded plastic hull. This required thin hull bottom material and a flat surface on which to fit the unit. This would not readily match traditional wooden hull construction methods. A period of sketching different ideas followed, but nothing really seemed to work. A couple of ideas almost made it, but they

looked uncomfortable and potentially weak, so I did what has often been done in this situation, put the Mini Jet Unit to one side and built something else! The idea was still lurking in the back of my mind though. When designing the Triune model (Model Boats June 2012) it was tempting to install the unit, but two things stopped me from doing this. First, the slim and deep central hull would have made both installation and then maintenance, quite tricky. Second, being a high speed trimaran and something I’d never tried before, adding the water-jet would make it two big experiments in one model which is never a wise thing to do as one big new idea at a time is a much safer way to go.

Inspiration? The idea of using the Mini Jet unit would not go away and then out of the proverbial nowhere, inspiration struck. If a flat bottomed area of the hull was needed to mount the unit on, why not make the whole bottom flat? This appears to go against the idea of a stable planning hull which usually requires a Vee bottom section, but such a flat bottom had been used successfully before. The Skimmer design was published in the September 2007 issue of this magazine and this model was a small airboat, no doubt inspired by watching too many TV programmes about the Florida Everglades. It featured a simple flat bottomed hull powered by a Graupner Speed 400 type of motor proved to be both fast and stable. One doubt still remained: The Skimmer being an airboat, did not loose thrust if the hull left the water, but I could see the Mini Jet unit powered model having problems if the flat hull allowed any air to be sucked into the intake hole. Visions of the model sort of ‘hiccupping’ across the water came to mind! A working draft of the model’s construction showed it would be quick and cheap to build, so on this basis it seemed worth a try. The original plan was to build a model about 24 inches (600mm) long by 8 inches (200mm) beam. It was then realised that this would

www.modelboats.co.uk Model Boats Winter Special Edition 2013

free plan have so little draught that the propeller would be well above the waterline. I could see the propeller spinning madly whilst failing to self-prime and the model slowly drifting downwind, so the final design was smaller, the hull being just over 18 inches long with its bow strengthening block, but not including the protruding water-jet nozzle and with hopefully enough draught to allow the propeller to find some grip when first starting-up.

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Building materials Hull: Plywood 24 x 6 x 1/16 inches (600 x 150 x 1.5mm) Balsawood 36 x 4 x 1/4 inches (912 x 100 x 6.5 mm) Liteply 6 x 2 1/4 x 3/32 inches (150 x 56 x 2.5mm) Hatch: Built from scrap/spare balsa to suit personal taste. These can be regarded as guidelines only. It would be possible to use different materials provided strength was not sacrificed nor excessive weight added. White wood glue (PVA) was used for all the wood to wood joints. The Graupner Mini Jet unit was secured to the hull bottom with slow setting epoxy adhesive.

Hull construction A numerical construction sequence seems the best way to describe how to build this model and like most things in life, the key to success is to do things in the right order!

2

1) The hull parts were cut out from balsa, plywood and Liteply, Photo 1. The edges needed to be cut squarely to enable strong glued joints to be made. It is also worth checking the fit of the parts, anything oversize can be easily cut down at this stage, if undersize or misshapen then discard and replace. 2) The slot in the plywood bottom sheet was cut so the water-jet unit fitted snugly into it. 3) The hole in the transom for the jet nozzle must be positioned to allow the unit to fit correctly in the bottom slot when the hull is assembled, Photo 2. 4) The two deck parts were glued together. To ensure they remained flat whilst the glue dried, they were sandwiched between thin plastic sheets and pressed down on a flat surface with suitable weights, Photo 3. 5) The balsa hull parts were glued to the underside of the deck and pinned together to prevent any movement, Photo 4.

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Model Boats Winter Special Edition 2013 www.modelboats.co.uk

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free plan 6) The transom was glued to the end of the hull along with some corner reinforcement strips, Photo 5.

5

7) The bottom edges of the sides and bulkhead were sanded with a flat sanding block that would reach from side to side. This was to make sure that plywood bottom piece would have a perfectly flat surface to be glued to. For the same reason, the bottom edge of the bow piece needed shaping to match the curve of the hull sides. 8) The Mini Jet unit was refitted to the transom for any final adjustments before gluing the hull bottom in place, Photo 6. 9) The bottom was glued in two stages. First, the flat section between the front bulkhead and transom, Photo 7. NOTE: Even though the propulsion unit was in place, it was not yet glued to the hull bottom!

6

10) The second stage was undertaken only when the first had fully dried. Glue was applied to the hull sides and bow piece and the plywood bent to shape. Several small clamps held it in place until the glue set, Photo 8. 11) The Mini Jet unit was removed from the hull structure to avoid any damage during subsequent work. 12) A strip of balsa (laminations of thinner sheets could be used) was glued across the bows, Photo 9. When dry this was shaped to blend into the hull.

Surface preparation The external surfaces were sanded smooth using sanding blocks. Care was taken to keep the edges between the hull bottom and the sides and transom as square as possible. Any significant radius at these corners will encourage water to run up the hull sides rather than break away cleanly when sailing at speed. The hull was examined for flaws such as cracks or gaps at joints. Small cracks can be sealed by forcing glue into them. Larger gaps are better filled with a sliver of glue covered balsa. If any are found then the hull must be sanded again. The external surfaces need waterproofing. You may have a favoured method for wooden hulls and there is no one perfect way to do it. You ought to avoid adding too much weight and remember those edges must be square, not rounded. I used cellulose dope and model aircraft tissue. These ought to be readily available from hobby shops or the usual internet vendors. A couple of coats of thinned dope (about 50:50 mixture dope and cellulose thinners) were applied to the outer surfaces with a light sanding after each. Panels of tissue were cut slightly larger than the area to be covered. A spot of neat dope was placed in the centre of the area to be covered and then the tissue laid in place. Using a well loaded brush, dope was applied from this spot forcing it through the tissue and working outwards. The flat surfaces of

7

8

9

52

this model made this task easy but if any creases or wrinkles appear then peel back the tissue and brush it back down again. The excess tissue was trimmed away using a sharp blade. No attempt was made to wrap the tissue around the corners of the hull as this would have rounded them off, something I did not want. The deck had been covered with a single piece of tissue so the material over the access opening was cut away. Likewise, tissue covering the slot for the jet unit on the hull bottom was cut away. The hull was lightly sanded then given a coat of neat dope. This process was repeated two to three times and finally produced a smooth surface for painting, but, before that the coaming strips around the deck access opening had to be glued into place. I used some plywood left over after cutting out the hull bottom, but other materials could be used. It is important that this coaming is perpendicular to the deck as this will ensure that the detachable hatch is held firmly in place when sailing. A couple of coats of dope were used to seal the external surfaces of the coaming strips.

Hatch This could be a purely functional item intended to just keep the water out of the model. However, I wanted to give the model a little character rather than just have a plain box shape. The result was a wedge shaped hatch to which a driver’s helmet could be added and hopefully create the impression of a small racing craft. This hatch was made from some balsa found in the scrap box, but any material would do provided it weighs very little. To ensure a good fit, it was built over the deck coaming, but take great care not to stick it to the model! After sanding smooth, the hatch was sealed with three or four coats of dope. The edges and inner surfaces of the hatch up about one inch (25mm) from the edges were also sealed with dope. Some water is bound to reach the bottom of the hatch and capillary forces will pull this water to the gap between hatch and coaming, hence a little waterproofing in this area is sensible.

Painting A tough and smooth skin can be created on wood models by using Hammerite paint. Being cellulose based it bonds strongly with the dope used previously. It is quite thick and viscous, which combined with its rapid drying nature can make it tricky to apply, but the resulting smooth and shiny finish which can make people think the model has a plastic rather than wooden hull, is well worth the extra effort. The hull was painted bright yellow and for contrast, orange was chosen for the hatch. To give the orange a good base, the hatch was sprayed with white primer. I was using a well known hobby brand of paint and two colour coats usually produce a nice solid colour. However, this particular tin of paint proved to be most disappointing with the first coat producing a very thin patchy effect. A second coat made hardly any improvement and in the end four coats were applied before the tin was emptied. The final colour is far from perfect, but hopefully is not be too noticeable when sailing.

free plan Re-installing the Graupner Mini Jet unit

You could install this into the hull prior to painting, but it seemed easier to do this afterwards. The unit was cleaned and lightly abraded where the epoxy was going to be applied to secure it in the hull. Slow setting epoxy was used for this job as it would make a better bond with the wood and plastic. It also avoided having to rush this job and risk doing a poor job. A downside to using slow epoxy is that it has time to flow away from the joint and possibly end up just where it is not needed. This can be minimised by just using sufficient adhesive to do the job. I tend to apply a generous amount to the joint surfaces and then wipe away any surplus after the parts are pressed together. The nozzle was fitted to the jet outlet then screwed in place on the transom. I could not resist a quick test on the garden pond at this stage, so the motor and battery were installed. This showed three important things. First, the unit worked and produced an impressive jet of water; second, when holding the model you should not point the nozzle at yourself and third, some water was being sprayed sideways from the nozzle/transom joint. After drying myself, the nozzle was removed from the transom and a thin bead of clear silicone sealant was applied to the face that fits against the transom. Fixing the nozzle back onto the hull, the excess sealant squeezed out from the joint could be wiped away. Retesting on the pond, but this time with the nozzle pointing away from me, showed that the sealant had done the trick!

Steering nozzle The steering nozzle fitted onto two pins moulded in the fixed nozzle on the transom. Graupner’s instructions describe gluing a steering arm to this nozzle. I was not too happy with this idea as the steering nozzle is the only vulnerable external item on this model, and sooner or later it’s going to get a substantial knock. After some thought, I drilled a small hole in the nozzle to match up with one of the unused holes in the steering arm. A small self-tapping screw was then driven through the arm and into the nozzle. A thin coat of epoxy over the screw, nozzle and arm area then held everything firmly in place, Photo 10. This photograph also shows the ser vo linkage being made by a stiff wire secured into one of those small adjustable screw connectors fitted on the steering arm. The wire link was run through a plastic tube glued in the transom. By using the longest tube possible and applying some grease, it makes the model if not watertight, at least resistant to splashes. You may wonder what the two pieces of self adhesive tape are doing on the transom either side of the nozzle. Well, they are covering two holes. The electric motor is held to the jet unit by two bolts screwed into the threaded holes in the motor case. This is a neat and secure method but also a devil of a job if you tr y to change a motor after fitting the unit inside a model. Two holes in the transom and a long screwdriver avoid a lot of frustration and probably many rude words.

10

The six cell battery pack could be installed behind the first bulkhead, which left space for the receiver and esc behind it, Photo 12. The battery was secured with two blocks of expanded polystyrene slid under the decks between the battery and the second bulkhead. The receiver and esc being secured into cutouts made in a piece of foam plastic. Another block of expanded polystyrene was placed inside the hull between the second bulkhead and transom on the opposite side to the servo. I hoped that these blocks combined with the sealed bow area would provide enough buoyancy in the event of any emergencies. So far, thankfully, this has not been tested. Ready to run, the model weighed in at a shade over 33 ounces (0.95kg).

Final decoration Even after adding the driver’s helmet, made from a polystyrene ball, the model looked too plain. Some red squares were cut from a

11

sheet of self-adhesive plastic film and stuck to the deck and sides in a diagonal checkerboard pattern. Working from forwards from the stern, the squares were added to the model until I had gone about halfway along the deck. This seemed to be a good place to stop and the effect, at least in my eyes, looks reasonable.

12

Fitting out A standard servo was used for the rudder and the only place for it was to one side of the motor. Two balsa blocks, one glued to the bulkhead the other to the hull bottom, were used to secure it. This allowed a simple straight wire link between the servo and steering nozzle arms, Photo 11.

Model Boats Winter Special

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free plan

Adding some racing numbers and some Model Boats stickers, that came free in an issue some years ago, and the model looked about as good as I thought it ever would. It will never be a thing of beauty, but at least it now had a little character.

On the water The model was given a trial run as soon as possible. The hull was painted, but with no hatch constructed yet the deck opening was optimistically covered with a plastic bag. The motor fitted was a 545 type which on a six cell battery would have a no-load speed of about 16000rpm. The battery was initially placed just ahead of the second bulkhead to ensure that the Mini Jet unit was sufficiently submerged. It was noted that after applying power to the motor there was a short interval as the jet unit primed itself and the model began to move. This was found to be a characteristic of the system and now passes unnoticed when sailing the model. The jet of water emerging from the nozzle looked impressive, but the actual speed was disappointing and the boat ran in a stern-low and bow-high attitude. The battery was moved forward to a position between the bulkheads. This improved the operating trim, but it was still not quite right, so the battery was placed as far forwards as possible, i.e. just behind the first bulkhead. This was much better with the model running flatter and skimming across rather than pushing its way through the water. The speed was improved, but still appeared to be modest. Handling was investigated next and the model proved to be safe and reliable. The absence of a conventional rudder and any keel area means that the model slides around turns. In fact this handing is very similar to operation of a model airboat or hovercraft. There is no banging in full rudder to get you out of trouble as you have to anticipate where the model is likely to be a few seconds in the future. Despite the sharp corners of the hull, the model never showed any tendency to ‘dig in’ when turning.

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As the esc installed in the model was capable of reversing the motor’s rotation, I gave it a try. A certain amount of gurgling was produced, but no significant astern motion occurred. I guess these water-jet units really are for just ahead sailing only. This is no problem provided you avoid sailing into situations that only astern can get you out of. At the end of the first sailing trials I was pleased with the model. It had no bad vices and ran surprisingly straight, although I was sailing on a relatively calm day. I did notice what appeared to be an occasional aeration effect; that is sucking air into the jet intake. This was only a transient thing that caused no obvious problems. A second set of trials was undertaken but with a faster turning motor. Searching through my stock of spare motors I found an MG540. This was bought sometime ago and hence is probably no longer available. On a six cell battery pack it could run at over 20000 rpm, a significant increase on the 545 motor used in the first trials. With this motor installed, the model’s characteristics were unchanged, a short hesitation before the jet gripped the water and began sliding safely through turns, but the model was noticeably faster and still ran straight with no nozzle deflection. The jet spray out of the back was impressive and I really began to enjoy sailing this model. Alas, this probably resulted in a momentary lapse of attention as I took one turn a shade too wide and slid the model into the vegetation along the far side of my sailing water. Now I began to wish that there was an astern option! However, vigorous nozzle movements and full power extracted the model, but the lesson was learnt, look where you are going at all times with this model! In an attempt to tighten the model’s turning circle, two longitudinal strakes were fixed to the underside of the hull about two inches (50mm) in from the sides. No obvious effect on the straight-line speed was noted, but as soon as a turn was initiated, the model slowed. It may have tightened the turn, but the model then had to accelerate back up to speed on its new heading. This was, at least to

me, less satisfying than sliding through wider high speed turns, so off came the strakes. Further testing on a larger water confirmed these first impressions. At full speed the model would run level with surprisingly little disturbance to the water, none of this throwing spray about and creating massive waves! It would also hold its course surprisingly well for a model with no keel or rudder. Not a ‘straight runner’ by any stretch of the imagination, but you do not have to work hard to maintain a heading. Turns were best carried out in a wide sweeping fashion which maintained the speed. The absence of any keel area means that to keep the model in a circular path, the model’s bow has to point into the circle, thus allowing the jet thrust to create the desired centripetal force. This would seem to be much the same as high speed cars, both model and full-size which can be made to drift through corners. Slightly choppy water did not seem to affect the model in any serious fashion. Occasionally there could be the sound of momentary loss of drive, presumably through aeration, but no noticeable momentum was ever lost. Rougher water conditions would probably be more troublesome, but a flat planning hull really needs calm conditions to perform well.

Last thoughts The model in its final form works far better than its simple appearance would suggest. The large jet spray and wide sweeping turns are a mixed blessing. On the one hand they make an impressive sight that never fails to attract interest and excitement. On the other hand, it makes the model unsuitable for small and crowded waters, plus those modellers lacking in both anticipation and quick reactions. In this respect it is similar to its cousin, the Skimmer airboat design. A thought is that several such models, racing around an oval course, could form part of a club’s public display. They would certainly attract attention from the general public and who knows, perhaps a few new members? In addition, from a safety aspect, having the propeller hidden inside the water-jet unit makes it a safe model when inquisitive fingers are around. No doubt some will be tempted to install a brushless motor and LiPo cells to achieve much higher rpm. This could be interesting, but it might exceed the limits of the Graupner unit and this simple hull’s stability. As for me, I will just enjoy scudding about whilst waiting for inspiration for the next model to strike. The final word must go to my dear wife, who tolerates this hobby and might even welcome it when it keeps me out of her way. She does however have a knack of sometimes coming up with a witty but painfully accurate description of my creations. In this case, the Scudder was described as: ‘That model that looks like a butter dish’. So, alas, the image of such a dish will not leave whenever I now sail the Scudder! l

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card modelling

US harbour tug with its deck coaming, funnel, bulwarks and bulk of superstructure from card.

Confessions of a Cardholic Modeller By GLYNN GUEST

W

hen fellow modellers find out that I often make extensive use of cardboard in my radio control model boats, their initial reactions can take two quite different forms, but both are based on the perception that this material is cheap. Some say that it’s a pity that I cannot afford to use proper materials with which to build my creations, card being so obviously cheap and inferior, but others react with a comment that it’s a good idea since card works and is very cheap, perhaps being even free?

Assorted bits of card, mostly free!

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My personal approach to the selection of any material is that it should do the job without being excessively demanding in terms of construction time, effort and cost. This ‘cost’ word including both the initial price and maintenance factors, when the latter can sometimes be forgotten until you are faced with a model that is in a permanent state of repair. On this basis, cardboard looks decidedly unpromising for a model boat as after all when it gets wet, cardboard turns into a soft mushy state, doesn’t it?

First steps Fortunately, as a young and inexperienced schoolboy in the 1960’s, I was ignorant of all this. A friend passed to to me a few copies of the magazine Model Maker, the forerunner of this publication and included was the December 1963 issue which included the plan and construction details for Philip Connolly’s HMS Diamond. This was enough to expand my modelling activities from building (and inevitably crashing!) aircraft into attempting a model boat. The first model was something of a mongrel, combining features of the Daring and Battle class destroyers. Although construction and scale differed from the Philip Connolly model, I did copy one idea of his and that was to ‘plate’ the hull’s exterior with thin overlapping pieces of card stuck to the actual wooden hull, using contact adhesive. This plating effect probably did little to improve my first nautical attempt, but it revealed that this card surface did toughen a balsawood hull, which was a very useful discovery! It was also realised that covering the curved underwater hull surfaces with card was a tedious, if not a painful experience. As this section of a model boat cannot be seen whilst sailing, it’s something that has usually been omitted in subsequent models.

A few years later, a copy of G. H. Deason’s book ‘Cardboard Engineering’ was seen and promptly purchased. Although it now might seem very dated as it was published in 1958, it contained a wealth of information on how to use card when making all sorts of models. Since that time I have often made use of card in my model boats, but unlike Mr. Deason, I’ve never been brave enough to make all of a model from card, preferring to use wood for most structural parts. However, card has been widely and successfully used for detail parts and surface finishing.

What is card? This is not the place to go deeply into the different types of card products and their manufacturing processes, however a little basic knowledge can go a long way towards understanding how to use card successfully. Most cards are made from an organic base, wood being the common one. Wood is broken down into fibres by a chemical or mechanical means to produce wood pulp. At this stage it can be mixed with recycled pulp and additives to produce the desired properties. Pressing and drying then follows to give the final product. Thus ‘card’ has a structure based on interlocking fibres, the density of which can vary from being an open flexible structure (think blotting paper!), to a highly compressed and much stiffer form. Also, dependent upon how it was made, the preferred orientation of the fibre can give card the equivalent to a wood grain structure with different properties in different directions. To be honest, this effect is not something that has ever given me any problems to date.

Card life One of the supposed weaknesses of card is that it will not last as long as proper model building materials. It is true that card, like most paper products, will deteriorate when exposed to the elements and a common effect is ‘yellowing’ when left in strong sunlight. Water is readily absorbed into card resulting in both its weakening and subsequent swelling, but some card types can be treated to have a water repellent surface. This sounds ideal for our models, but is likely to give you problems when trying to glue such a card into place and may also make painting difficult. Luckily, we modellers have got into the habit of waterproofing and painting our creations, so assuming that you exercise reasonable care in building and maintaining a working model boat, any items

www.modelboats.co.uk Model Boats Winter Special Edition 2013

The Noggsund Free Plan model used card for its hull plating, superstructure and decks.

card modelling

made from card ought to last. I have a destroyer which incorporated quite a bit of card in its construction when built 40 years ago, and it’s still in good working order! All of this neatly leads into the subject of storing card prior to use. Clearly it ought to be kept in a dry place to avoid absorbing water. It is also a good idea to keep sheets of card flat as unsupported sheets can sag under their own weight. Flattening them out by placing under suitable weights or even some judicious bending in the opposite direction can be later applied, but it seems more sensible to avoid the problem in the first place.

Card stock: Coverstock (or Pasteboard)

This is the type of card that I have found most useful for covering a wood structure. It could be to suggest the steel plates on a hull, panels on the superstructure or even if I’m totally honest, to hide my poor construction and assembly mistakes! It is thicker than paper and is widely used for things like business cards, anniversary cards and postcards. The thickness of card can be quoted in different ways: The good old Imperial measure is the weight in pounds of 500 sheets of size 20 by 26 inches. A tad more logical is the grammage value, which is the weight of the card in grams per square metre. Card stock usually falls in the ranges 50 to 110 pounds or 135 to 300 gm./m2. Our American cousins may well measure card thickness in ‘points’ (pt.) or ‘mils’, which is the actual card thickness measured in thousandths’ of an inch. Thus, 10 point card = 0.01 inch (0.254 mm) thickness or about 250 gm./m2 This is all very interesting, but if we are not using card for structural purposes, is somewhat irrelevant. It might be helpful if you have to buy your card supplies, but you quickly develop a sense of what type of card is useful for our hobby.

Sources of card Well, you could march into an art shop and ask for Bristol Board, a type favoured by artists and illustrators. It is excellent quality and with a grammage of 220 to 250 gm./m2, ideal for our hobby, but it might prove expensive although this could appeal to those modellers who like to equate the cost of a model with its superiority! Suitable card can be bought quite economically from high street stationery chains. Another source can be the craft and hobby stores that cater for things such as knitting, sewing and a whole range of domestic and leisure activities that I was unaware of, until my wife dragged me into one when searching for more wool! They usually have an art section and suitable card can often be found there. To be honest again though, most of the card I use is free. It seems like very little these days can be sold without including some form of card packaging. It matters not whether it is a shirt or a box of chocolates, any card that comes into the house is usually examined and if suitable, saved for potential model use. Places of work can also be a source of card, but I’m not suggesting you raid the office supply cupboard. Things like card folders which might get thrown away can be recycled into our models. So what, if it has ‘ACCOUNTS OVERDUE’ written across it, as by the time we have stuck it to the model, sealed and painted over it, nothing will be visible! The sheets of stiff card at the back of writing pads are worth saving. They may not have the perfectly smooth finish of other card

A small destroyer with lots of card used in its construction.

types, but they have the stiffness to make up decks and superstructure blocks on smaller models. Another idea is to ask anyone who mounts pictures what they do with the offcuts of mounting board. I had an uncle who was a keen photographer and I’m still working through a pile of such board that he passed to me some years ago! Some card surfaces feature a textured effect. This can be useful when you want to represent a less than smooth surface on your model. I used card with a fabric effect on one model to suggest a well worn steel hull. Another use could be to create the non-slip surfaces found on some decks, but clearly your sealing and painting techniques need to be appropriate to avoid loosing sight of these effects. Cardboard of the packaging variety, might not seem to be very useful. The internal fluted structure, whilst giving it toughness and strength, could be a problem in a model boat. It would be very difficult to waterproof these internal surfaces and should any water enter them, perhaps though an accidental scrape or impact, then getting the water out before things turn ‘mushy’ will not be easy. Well sealed and well above the waterline and you could get away with using such cardboard, although regular checking for any sign of swelling would be essential. So, having been rather negative about this type of cardboard, I have to admit that I still save it. It may not get built into my models, but it makes cheap and perfectly acceptable templates for marking out parts to be cut from wood. With care you can even use it as a guide for cutting around, although do not expect it last for more than one or two models!

Looking at my stock and I can see pieces of greeting cards, calendars, etc. Just keep your eyes open and you ought to be able to amass quite a pile of card suitable for building our models with.

Tools for card Geoffrey Deason’s book that I previously mentioned, was entitled ‘Cardboard Engineering with Scissors and Paste’ but then went on to explain that scissors were far from the ideal way to cut card! Scissors achieve their cutting effect by shearing, which involves one blade supporting the card whilst the other literally tears the card away. Using a correctly set up pair of scissor blades this can produce a neat cut, but, as you might well expect from the term ‘tears’, it can be a somewhat vicious process. The result is that an edge cut with scissors can be stressed and deformed, even to the point of it no longer being straight, so cutting card with a sharp blade on a suitable surface is to be preferred. However, a good pair of scissors is still worth having as it can be handy for cutting card to convenient shapes prior to final trimming with a blade. So far, the best way to cut card that I have found is to use a sharp blade, steel rule and one of those plastic self-healing cutting mats. A small craft knife with replaceable blades, plus the willingness to replace them as soon as they fail to cut easily, should cope with most of the card thicknesses you are likely to use. Any heavier card might be best cut with a larger knife and one of those with a snap-off blade to refresh the cutting edge is more than suitable.

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card modelling A light fleet carrier, its hull sides are plated with card and gun sponsons covered with card.

If circles have to be cut from card then a circle cutter is hard to beat. You can buy expensive cutters, but a modest plastic one is usually adequate. I’ll confess that until I bought such a cutter, card circles were cut using a suitable round object and an ordinary knife. This was as you can probably imagine, fraught with difficulties, first finding something of the correct diameter to cut around and then making a neat job without cutting myself, so a circle cutter is well worth the price!

Cutting techniques

The light fleet carrier superstructure island is built-up from balsa and ply, later covered with card.

Thin card can be cut with one pass of the knife, but only with the proviso of a sharp blade and suitable cutting surface. Thicker card might need to be cut using a few light passes. This will minimise the risk of the blade wandering off course and maybe into your fingers? Using a circle cutter successfully will probably need a little experimentation to find the best technique. The plastic cutters can flex if excessive force is applied and result in the blade missing the original starting point when completing a rotation. For this reason I have found that circles are best cut out using several light cuts. In some situations the cutter has been held stationary whilst the card itself was rotated under the blade. Fortunately card is cheap, so it is not too painful financially if it takes a few attempts before you discover the best way to use a circle cutter.

Gluing card

The light fleet carrier superstructure island now has some of the card parts added.

Above: The light fleet carrier superstructure island now ready for painting. Right: The light fleet carrier superstructure island finished.

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Card, being a porous material into which glue can penetrate before setting, should produce strong glued joints. One characteristic of good card joints is that when overstressed, the card around the joint will fail before the actual glued joint does. Many commercial adhesives can make successful joints with card, but there are a few points worth considering. Since water can make card swell, any water based adhesives, such the white woodworking types, need to be used with care. I did once plate the hull sides of a model with thin card using such a glue. Halfway through the job it was noticed that the cards were trying to expand and producing a wrinkled surface rather than the smooth steel plate effect I was hoping for. Luckily as the glue dried out the cards shrank back to almost their original size. In fact the final slightly rippled surface, although not

planned, was actually realistic for a welded steel hull, but this was pure luck and should not be relied upon in future I decided. The woodworking (PVA) adhesives do have a lot of good points, so I do use them with working with thicker card, about 1/16 inch (1.5 mm), at card to card and card to wood joints. The trick is to make good close fitting joints, apply only just enough glue, and after pressing the parts together, wipe any excess away. Keeping them pressed together for at least the minimum recommended time is essential. When dry, my instinct is to apply a bead of glue along the joint and produce a smooth fillet with a fingertip which ensures that there are no open gaps at the joint which would weaken the structure. Contact adhesives such as Evo-Stik, can make excellent glued joints with card and such glues are my favoured way of sticking card plating on to hull sides and superstructures. However, one drawback can be the instant bond created which requires that card is placed perfectly the first time the parts are pressed together. To allow a little ‘shuffling time’, I usually ignore the recommendation to apply the adhesive to both surfaces, then let it dry and press together. The glue is usually applied to just one surface, spreading it evenly and then quickly pressed into place which gives me a few seconds to make any adjustments before the solvent evaporates and the glue starts to set. Solvent free contact adhesives are available, but I prefer to use the smelly ones which I know will give me a lasting strong bond. As a result this is a job for a well ventilated space if not actually outdoors. Balsa cement can be used with card successfully, although it might be harder to obtain and it does have a strong solvent smell. This glue will produce a very strong bond with card as it readily penetrates before setting hard. It does offer some ‘shuffling time’ before it sets, but does usually become completely hard in minutes which is handy. There is however a serious problem in that balsa cement tends to contract when it dries and can therefore distort thin card sections. The trick here is to use the minimum of balsa cement to make the glued joint. Then a second, but still thin coat to avoid distortion, can be applied to strengthen the initial joints, its solvent softening the previously applied balsa cement to create an excellent bond. It is possible that you might need to attach a metal item to or through a piece of card. In this case I would be inclined to use a slow

card modelling setting epoxy so as to give it the best chance to penetrate into the card’s structure before setting. Naturally, the usual precautions of having clean and oil/grease free surfaces are still needed for the strongest final epoxy adhesive strength.

A US Navy tug with its deck coaming, funnel, bulwarks and bulk of superstructure from card.

Shaping card Thin card, being flexible, might seem to be willing to take up any shape you might desire, but in fact it is reluctant to change from a flat shape into anything else except a cylinder, Figure 1. Luckily this still offers us a range of shapes that can be used in our models as it will also form pointed and truncated cones which can often be very handy, Figure 2. Burnishing card by rubbing it over a suitable curved surface can make card take up a more complex shape as what you are doing is gradually moving the fibre strands relative to each other, but this takes time and requires continual checking until the desired shape is achieved. For us modellers, this technique is probably only suitable for the thinner grades of card as the stiffer thicker grades would require larger forces and likely produce unwanted creases. Card will also accept being twisted with little resistance as in Figure 3. This is helpful when plating the sides of a hull with card where you often encounter compound curves that a large piece of card could not accommodate. If the card plates are glued to the hull in the form of individual strips, then they can usually be persuaded to twist to fit the hull shape. Tricky areas, usually in the bows and around the stern, might call for cutting the card plates with curved edges rather that using simple rectangles, but at least you can afford to experiment with this cheap material. Flat card can actually be drastically reshaped if required by using the fact that its structure is one of fibre strands which are simply compacted and mechanically held together. If the strands can be ‘loosened apart’ by dampening a little, then the card can be deformed into the desired shape. As mentioned previously, water will cause the card to swell and will, if not controlled, loosen the fibres to the point where the card loses all its rigidity. The trick then, is clearly to dampen the card just enough to allow it to deform into the desired shape, then be allowed to dry and shrink back to recover its stiffness, but now in the revised form. I’ll confess to limited experience at moulding damp card to shape and can only offer the following guidance: 1) If you over-wet the card so that it falls to pieces when you try to use it, just leave it to dry out a little then try again. 2) Pressing the damp card over or into a suitable mould is the only way to achieve consistent results. Suitable forming shapes

can often be found in the home, but it might be best to ask first before covering them with damp pieces of card! 3) Leave the card to totally dry out either on, or in, the mould. Removing it too soon might not result in it collapsing, but it could still change shape before becoming totally dry. 4) Be prepared to experiment and learn from mistakes. So, by one means or another, card can be encouraged to change from its original flat shape into something appropriate for our creations. The first method you try might not work well, but the next could be perfect and at least card is cheap, so you can afford to experiment.

FIGURE 2

Card corners Rather than applying separate pieces of card to each side of a structure, it can be more convenient and probably neater to wrap one strip around it, Figure 4. This obviously requires the strip to be the right height to match the structure and long enough to wrap around it. Perhaps not so obvious is the need for the card to be bent so as to match the structure’s corners before it is glued into place. The best way to bend such corners I have found is to fold the card over, using the hard straight edge of a steel rule. Once a right angle bend has been created in the card, the rule is removed and the card folded flat,

FIGURE 3

FIGURE 4 FIGURE 1 59

card modelling Card is so easy to use around superstructure upper platforms.

FIGURE 5

FIGURE 6

Figure 5. This will ensure that the final card covered item has the sharp well defined corners that you expect to see. A word of warning here as this technique of bending corners in card works well with thin card but thicker card may be troublesome. The inner side of the card is subjected to a compressive force and as a result will tend to buckle, which can lead to the card delaminating at the corner, Figure 6. If you need to make a corner using thick card, then a glued butt joint together with a piece of internal reinforcing strip is a better way to do it as in Figure 7.

Bulwarks It is a simple task to produce a bulwark around a superstructure block by extending the card facing strips above the deck level, Figure 8. The same method can be used to make bulwarks around the edge of the decks with the card hull plating. Many vessels have platforms, around which bulwarks are fitted, gun and searchlight platforms on warships being common examples. Again, card can be used to create the desired effect. The card strip can be pre-bent, as described previously, so that one

FIGURE 7 Above: Card has been extensively used for the deckhouses and to plate hull sides on this turret ship. HMS Mandate, a small destroyer model with a significant amount of card in its construction.

FIGURE 8

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card modelling

FIGURE 9

Card plates have been stuck to the hull sides above the waterline on this model destroyer.

length of card can be fitted to make the bulwark in one go as in Figure 9. This method is usually much easier than using separate panels and can save a lot of aggravation. Circular platforms are even easier as no pre-bending is required, only make sure that the card is long enough to do the job and has an overlap for gluing the ends together. Quite often the upper edge of a vessel’s bulwarks feature some reinforcement. This can be suggested by simply gluing card strips along both sides of the top edge of the card as in Figure 10. Likewise, any rubbing strips along the hull sides can be made from card strips. If the rubbing strips need to be thick, then building them up by gluing laminations together will avoid any problems of bending the card.

Funnels These items can be ideal for forming out of card. A purely circular section funnel could be made using a cardboard tube around which some, usually a domestic product, had been wrapped. Toilet roll and kitchen towel inners spring to mind here. Assuming that a tube of the required diameter and length can be found, it will however need some work before it can be placed on a model. These cardboard tubes are often made using card strip in a spiral wound fashion. Inevitably this spiral is visible and would remain so after sealing and painting the tube. For this reason it has always seemed a good idea to glue a single piece of thin card around the tube. If no suitable cardboard tubes can be found, then one could be rolled from thin

card. This can be done freehand so to speak, but it is far too easy to crease the card and produce a misshapen item. A better idea is to make the thin card tube around a suitable former. This could be a length of dowel, metal pipe or plastic tube, but of course care must be taken not to glue the funnel to the former! Many funnels are oval or even ‘teardrop’ in section. It may be possible to carefully squeeze a round cardboard tube into an oval shape, but squeezing into a teardrop section is asking for trouble. I have found that wrapping thin card around two suitably shaped pieces of balsa sheet gives good results, Figure 11. Making a crease in the card to locate the rear of the formers helps, and it also creates a neat gluing surface when joining the ends of the strip. Using a slightly longer strip makes for an easier life and the excess can be trimmed away after the glue sets. The lower former should be at the bottom of the funnel to provide a large gluing area for fixing it to the model. This former can also be angled if the funnel is to be raked aft as in Figure 12. I tend to recess the upper former a little as this avoids the final funnel having an unrealistic solid appearance. Full-size funnels often have bands around them and these can be suggested with thin card strips, using sufficient laminations to create the desired thickness.

FIGURE 10

Deck coamings A neat way to secure a detachable hatch or superstructure block over a deck opening is to use a deck coaming, Figure 13. This is no more than a vertical strip stuck around the opening over which the detachable piece can fit. By making it a snug fit, which means

FIGURE 12

FIGURE 11

FIGURE 13

Model Boats Winter Special Edition 2013 www.modelboats.co.uk

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card modelling Plating hull sides

Above: WW2 CAM-ship. The hull above the waterline is plated with thin card.

With some models this is best done by gluing individual card plates to the hull. An original drawing (plating expansion plan) may show the plate sizes and their shapes as used on the original vessel. If not, then some idea of the typical plate sizes and their layout can often be found from reference books or the Internet. To ensure that plates are secure, a degree of overlap between adjacent plates is needed. Using contact adhesives I have found that an overlap of 1/8 inch (3 mm) is usually adequate. It is important that no gaps appear between plates so the glue must be applied carefully and the joints firmly pressed together. The card plates can be applied in a bricklaying fashion with their vertical joints being staggered. Some hulls were built with a distinct ‘in and out’ run of plates in which case single longitudinal strips of card running from bows to stern might be more appropriate. The external armoured belt that older warships might feature is easily suggested by using a thicker piece of card. It is worth looking at full-size vessels and thinking about which method will create the desired impression. Even modern all-welded hulls can show obvious lines along the hull sides which a strip of card can realistically suggest. Rivets can be simulated on a plated hull quite effectively. You could use something like the heads of suitable pins to add each rivet individually. A less tedious method can be to use spots of glue, but this will have to be done after sealing the card surfaces to avoid sanding the rivets away. It is possible to emboss rivets onto card plates by pressing into the rear face of the card with a suitable tool. If lots of rivets are required, then something akin to a gearwheel could be used to run along the inner surface of the card and emboss a line of rivets. One tip that I have been eternally grateful for, is to always start plating a hull from the stern and work forwards. This ensures that any overlapping joints face to the rear of the model. Thus, when the model is moving ahead, which they normally do most of the time, water flowing along the hull sides does not tend to peel the joints apart.

Sealing card The porous nature of card might, at first glance, seem to be a serious drawback in this hobby. In fact, it can be used to our advantage as any sealant applied prior to painting will be able to penetrate into the card. This ought to produce an excellent bond and usually a noticeable strengthening and stiffening effect. I have successfully sealed card surfaces using domestic primmer/undercoat although

Above: Building the card superstructure over the card deck coaming. Right: The completed fireboat model has card bulwarks and rubbing strips around hull.

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‘secure without being overly tight’, such a coaming will be both secure and reasonably water resistant. Unless the detachable piece is very heavy or subject to large forces, I have found that stiff card can make excellent coaming strips, the flexibility of the material being very handy when the openings have curved edges. Successful coamings do however require that the strips are fixed perpendicular to the deck surface with no gaps at the joint through which water can enter the hull. The detachable piece is often best made over the coaming to ensure that it is a good fit and it ought to go without saying that care is needed to avoid gluing this piece to the coaming or the deck!

card modelling Now almost 40 years old, but HMS Lagos is still serviceable with its card parts and Indeed, it has probably lasted longer than the full-size vessel.

my favourite is cellulose dope. I favour this due to its quick-drying nature and the fact that each coat seems to soften and dissolve into the previous one to produce a solid rather than a laminated effect. Dope does have a couple of potential drawbacks which can fortunately be overcome. Cellulose dope, or more correctly the solvent in it, can soften contact adhesives which use similar solvents. Having once had an elaborate length of card bulwark around a gun platform decide to become un-glued, I now glue such items using a small amount of balsa cement which can better resist the solvent. As cellulose dope can also shrink when drying, it is possible to warp thin unsupported pieces of card when using it, but the trick in this case is to start off by applying only very thin coats of dope. There are other sealants available which would probably work just as well. It might, however, be best to try them out on a scrap piece of card before working on your model. My technique is to lightly apply thinned coats of the sealant to the card surfaces, which allows it to penetrate into the card and also dry reasonably quickly. Between each coat a light ‘rub-down’ is applied using fine sandpaper. This removes the, for want of a better word, surface ‘fuzz’ that the sealant has now made rigid. After a couple of coats of thinned sealer, the neat stuff can then be applied, but again in light coats and sanding between each coat. Also, after each coat, it is worth checking for any gaps or defects and correcting them before applying the next coat.

The total number of sealing coats is up to you. If the surface was sound to start with and only very light sanding was needed, then 3 to 4 coats might be enough. I stop when the surface has a smooth sheen and it reflects light. It might be worth adding that before ‘plating’ a wooden hull with card, I usually commence the sealing process. The external surfaces of a hull are treated with thinned dope and sanded between each coat, working up to a couple of coats of neat dope as described before. This provides a good base to which to glue the card using a contact adhesive. It also means that in the event of any light damage to the card whilst sailing, this will not allow water to soak into the wood. I have read about card being sealed and strengthened by allowing superglue to soak into it. This is something I have never tried, but it would seem to be an expensive way to treat large areas and if you are sensitive to the fumes, it is likely to be highly unpleasant.

Papier-mâché Whilst working on this article I came across this subject. Papier-mâché which is French for ‘chewed paper’, is sometimes written as ‘Paper Mache’ in English, but I am sticking (pun there!) to the French spelling. It raised memories of long past art sessions in school

where we all struggled to make something out of a very messy mixture of glue (usually wallpaper paste) and paper strips. This method is not strictly within the area of cardboard modelling, but has some potential uses that are hard to ignore and after all, where paper stops and card begins is somewhat nebulous anyway. For those readers who have never enjoyed working with papier-mâché, it simply involves

Model Boats Winter Special Edition 2013 www.modelboats.co.uk

Above: Papier-mâché, starting to lay glue soaked paper strips inside an unused plastic hull mould. Below: Virtually everything above the deck level is made from card on this LCM featured in MB a few years ago.

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card modelling

Above: Adding balsa stiffening pieces to the dry paper-mâché hull. Below: As first removed from mould and looking ‘orrible!

Above: Now the papier-mâché hull looks more ‘hull-like’ having been strengthened on its top edge and trimmed.

Right: Not looking too bad now and serviceable as a model boat hull. Cost? Well virtually nil! Below right: The papier-mâché hull needed some filling, sealing, sanding and then a bit more filling.

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soaking paper, usually in the form of strips, in a glue then forming them into or over a suitable mould. Layers of paper can be applied until the desired thickness is created then left to dry. Done carefully, this can produce an accurately shaped article, which by reusing the mould, can be reproduced as many times as required. In this respect it is similar to techniques such as casting in resin, but using readily available and cheap (if not free?) materials along with the resulting lightweight end product, might make it more tempting in some situations. I had never actually tried to make any part for a model boat by this method until now, so a suitable use was needed. The answer came in the form of an old plastic hull moulding that had been purchased with a view to building a model from it. Alas, it had spent maybe three decades wedged in the garage rafters before I now got around to using it, not as the basis of new model but as a mould for a papier-mâché hull. It seemed wise to have a trial run and make a couple of ‘test coupons’ using paper (from a free car sales magazine picked up at a supermarket) with either wallpaper paste or wood glue as the adhesive. These were made by soaking the paper sheets in the glue then pressing them firmly together on the workbench to avoid

any bubbles between the layers. Fortunately my workbench has a non-porous surface so when dry, the coupons could be lifted off. They had thicknesses of around 2 mm and proved to be remarkably stiff, so thus encouraged, I started to make a paper hull. The plastic mould would produce a hull about 30 inches (75 cm) long with a beam of 4.5 inches (12 cm). The bow section had quite a fine entry and looked like it would make a good test for this material. I decided to go with the wallpaper paste as a glue on the grounds of economy. Another couple of free car sales magazines were picked up from the supermarket and construction of a very messy and ‘hands on’ type of hull was started. As this work was being undertaken in an unheated workspace during the winter months, I found that only a couple of layers of paper could be added every day or two. This gave the paper time to dry somewhat before the next layers were added. Eventually a hull thickness of around 2 mm was produced and was left to dry out thoroughly. Prising the papier-mâché creation from the mould produced a surprisingly accurate model boat hull, but it did seem rather more flexible than you might care for. Gluing some balsa strips inside what would be the top edge and then trimming, greatly stiffened it all. Checking the outer hull surface revealed a few places where the paper had not been pressed firmly to the mould, but no serious flaws could be seen. The inner and outer surfaces were then treated with some yacht varnish left over from a domestic painting job. The first few coats just disappeared into the porous hull, but eventually the varnish began to build upon the surface. Sanding revealed numerous irregularities, but luckily the application of domestic ready mixed filler, then more sanding and varnishing, produced a smooth and apparently quite tough surface. I’m going to have to give the use of papier-mâché in our hobby more work and consideration, but it clearly does have some potential. With the decline of the traditional local model shop, some people might find this technique to be a handy way to continue with their hobby?

Card conclusions If you did not already make use of card, I hope that this article has opened your eyes to its possibilities. It may require more effort than modern materials such as plastics and the like, but it is cheap, if not free. Yes, I keep repeating this, but ‘free’ is the one price that doesn’t rise with inflation! Finally, if you still doubt the potential for card use in our hobby, just look at a few of the card modelling sites on the internet. Some of the creations are amazing and you could easily doubt that they started out as flat pieces of card. If you have saved the May 2006 copy of the Model Boats magazine then also look at the card model of HMS Sheffield that Michael Tunnicliffe made from a Polish card kit. Good luck! l

Winter Special Edition 2013

1907-2011 1907-2011 1907-2013

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13th – 15th December 2013 • Sandown Park Racecourse

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Deadline for early bird tickets is 29th November 2013, tickets will be dispatched 2 weeks prior to the event

To help you get the best from The Model Engineer Exhibition These notes are written purely for guidance. Full information is contained in the Competitors’ Information booklet which is sent to every entrant as part of the information package. If you have an item and are unsure as to the Class into which it should be entered, leave that section blank and we will take care of it. The Judges have the right to move any competition exhibit into another class if they feel that by doing so its chances of gaining higher marks or a more appropriate award are improved.

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f the item is offered as a Loan exhibit please indicate this by writing Loan on the form in the box identifying the Class. Loan models are not judged but carry all other privileges associated with competition entries. Part built models are particularly welcome in the Loan Section; visitors like to see work in progress, and entry does not preclude the item being entered in competition when completed. The classes listed below are those associated with mainstream model engineering.

Club exhibits

Where a club is exhibiting, each model should be entered on a separate entry form and clearly identified as a club exhibit by entering Loan/Club in the class section box. This ensures that we have a full record of all models on display during the show and facilitates matters of administration and insurance.

Additional forms

If you do not wish to deface your copy of the magazine we are happy to receive photocopies of the entry form, one for each model. We will be pleased to send out extra forms if required, so if you know of a modeller who is not a reader of one of our magazines but who you think may wish to participate, please advise them to contact our Exhibitions Office, or simply photocopy the entry form for them. The success of the show depends largely on the number of models on display. Your work could well be the stimulus which inspires someone else to start in the hobby. There can be no doubt that this event is our showcase on the world of modelling in all its aspects. Every modelling discipline needs more and more participants, and it is by displaying not only the crème-de-la-crème, but also examples of work of a more achieveable standard, that people are encouraged to join into the wonderful world of modelling, in whatever aspect. We look forward to seeing a sample of your work at the show!

Engineering Section

A1 Hot air engines. A2 General engineering models (including stationary and marine engines). A3 Internal combustion engines. A4 Mechanical propelled road vehicles (including tractors). A5 Tools and workshop appliances. A6 Horological, scientific and optical apparatus. A7 General engineering exhibits – not covered by the above

Railway Section

B1 Working steam locomotives 1” scale and over. B2 Working steam locomotives under 1” scale. B3 Locomotives of any scale, experimental, freelance or based on any published design and not necessarily replicas of full size prototypes, intended for track duties. B4 Scratchbuilt model locomotives of any scale, not covered by classes B1, B2, B3, including working models of non-steam, electrically or clockwork powered steam prototypes. B5 Scratchbuilt model locomotives gauge 1 (10mm scale) and under. B6 Kitbuilt model locomotives gauge 1 (10mm scale)and under. B7 Scratchbuilt rolling stock, gauge 1 (10mm scale) and under. B8 Kitbuilt rolling stock, gauge 1 (10mm scale) and under. B9 Passenger or goods rolling stock, above 1” scale. B10 Passenger or goods rolling stock, under 1” scale. B11 Railway buildings and lineside accessories to any recognised model railway scale. B12 Tramway vehicles. B-K1 Working steam locomotives built from a kit. B-K2 Working locomotives other than steam powered. (Any model locomotive in class B-K1 and 2, built from a commercial kit, entered into these classes will not be judged in the medal classes but can receive commended certificates and an award from a trade supplier).

Marine Models

C1 Working scale models of powered vessels (from any period). Scale 1:1 to 1:48 C2 Working scale models of powered vessels (from any period). Scale 1:49 to 1:384 C3 Non-working scale models (from any period). Scale 1:1 to 1:48 C4 Non-working scale models (from any period). Scale 1:49 to 1:384 C5 Sailing ships and oared vessels of any period – working. C6 Sailing ships and oared vessels of any period – nonworking. C7 Non-scale powered functional models including hydroplanes. C8 Miniatures. Length of hull not to exceed 15in for 1:32 scale, 12in for 1:25 scale, 10in for 1:16 scale; 9in for 1:8 scale. No limit for smaller scales. C9 For any model boat built from a commercial kit. Before acceptance in this class the kit must have been readily available for at least 3 months prior to the opening date of the exhibition and at least 20 kits must have been sold either by mail order or through the retail trade.

Scale Aircraft Section

D1 Scale radio control flying models D2 Scale flying control-line and free flight D3 Scale non-flying models, including kit and scratch-built D4 Scale flying radio controlled helicopters

Model Horse Drawn Vehicle Section

G1 Carriages & other sprung vehicles. (Omnibuses, trade vans etc.) Wagons, carts and farm implements. Caravans.

Junior Section

J1 For any type of model, mechanical or engineering work, by an under 14 year old. J2 For any type of model, mechanical or engineering work, by an under 16 year old. J3 For any type of model, mechanical or engineering work, by an under 18 year old. All entries will be judged for standard of craftsmanship, regardless of the modelling discipline, i.e. a boat will not be competing against a military figure. Providing a model attains sufficient marks it will be awarded a gold, silver or bronze medal.

Model Vehicle Section

K1 Non-working cars, including small commercial vehicles (e.g. Ford Transit) all scales down to 1/42. K2 Non-working trucks, articulated tractor and trailer units, plus other large commercial vehicles based on truck-type chassis, all scales down to 1/42. K3 Non-working motor bikes, including push bikes, all scales down to 1/42. K4 Non-working emergency vehicles, fire, police and ambulance, all scales down to 1/42. K5 Non-working vehicles including small commercial vehicles (e.g. Ford Transit,) scale from 1/43 or smaller. K6 Any available body shells including Concours, in any scale or material, to be judged on appearance only. K7 Functional model cars/vehicles which must be able to move under their own power of any type. Can be either free-running, tethered, radio controlled or slot car, but must represent a reasonable full size replica.

DUKE OF EDINBURGH CHALLENGE TROPHY Rules and Particulars

1. The Duke of Edinburgh Challenge Trophy is awarded to the winner of the Championship Award at the Model Engineer Exhibition. 2. The trophy remains at all times the property of MyTimeMedia Ltd.

3. The name of the winner and the date of the year in which the award is made will be engraved on the trophy, which may remain, at the discretion of MyTimeMedia Ltd., in his/her possession until required for renovation and display at the following Model Engineer Exhibition. 4. Any piece of model engineering work will be eligible for this Championship Award after it has been awarded, at The Model Engineer Exhibition, a Gold or Silver medal by MyTimeMedia Ltd 5. A model may be entered more than one year but if the model wins it will be permanently retired. 6. Entry shall be free. Competitors must state on the entry form: (a) That exhibits are their own bona-fide work. (b) Any parts or kits which were purchased or were not the outcome of their own work. (c) That the model has not been structurally altered since winning the qualifying award. 7. MyTimeMedia Ltd. may at their sole discretion vary the conditions of entry without notice.

COMPETITION RULES

1. Each entry shall be made separately on the official form and every question must be answered. 2. Competition Application Forms must be received by the stated closing date. LATE ENTRIES WILL ONLY BE ACCEPTED AT THE DISCRETION OF THE ORGANISERS. 3. Competitors must state on their form the following: (a) Insured value of their model. (b) The exhibit is their own work and property. (c) Parts or kits purchased. (d) Parts not the outcome of their own work. (e) The origin of the design, in the case of a model that has been made by more than one person. NOTE: Entry in the competition can only be made by one of the parties and only their work will be eligible for judging. 4. Models will be insured for the period during which they are in the custody of MyTimeMedia Ltd. 5. A junior shall mean a person under 18 years of age on December 31st in the year of entry. 6. Past Gold and Silver medal award winners at any of the exhibitions promoted by MyTimeMedia Ltd. are eligible to re-enter their model for the ‘Duke of Edinburgh Challenge Trophy’. Past winners at any of the exhibitions promoted by MyTimeMedia Ltd. will not be eligible for re-entry into the competition unless it has been substantially altered in any way. 7. MyTimeMedia Ltd reserve the right to: (a) Transfer an entry to a more appropriate class. (b) Describe and photograph any models entered for competition or display and to make use of any such photographs and descriptions in any way they may think fit. (c) Refuse any entry or model on arrival at the exhibition and shall not be required to furnish a reason for doing so. 8. Entry into the competition sections is not permitted by: (a) Professional model makers. (b) Anyone who has a financial interest in the direct supply of materials and designs to the public. NOTE: If unsure, please contact the Competition organisers prior to the show. 9. The judges’ decision is final. All awards are at the discretion of the judges and no correspondence regarding the awards will be entered into. 10.  Exhibitors must present their model receipt for all models collected at the end of the exhibition and sign as retrieved. 11. The signed release for each model must be presented to security staff when leaving the exhibition complex with display model(s) after the close of the exhibition. IMPORTANT NOTE: PLEASE MAKE COPIES, INCLUDING PHOTOGRAPHS, OF ALL INFORMATION RELATING TO YOUR MODEL, AS MyTimeMedia Ltd WILL NOT ACCEPT LIABILITY FOR ANY LOSS.

CLOSING DATE 29th NOVEMBER 2013

The Model Engineer exhibition 13-15 December 2013 ENTRY NO.

Please return completed form to: Mr Mike Law, 12 Maple Drive, Elkesley, Retford, Notts DN22 8AX

OFFICE USE ONLY

CLASS

ENTRY FORM - COMPETITION & LOAN MODELS

ENTRY NO.

PERSONAL DETAILS (Please print) Surname _________________________________________________ Forename(s) _________________________________________________ Age ___________ Address _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________ Post Code ________________ Email __________________________________________________________________ Home Tel No _______________________________________________________ Daytime Tel No _________________________________________________________ Model Club or Association ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ How many years have you been a modeller? ________________________________

MODEL DETAILS – PLEASE TICK BOX IF MODEL IS FOR LOAN

❑

Entry Class (competition entries only) ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Model Title (to be used for catalogue and display card) _________________________________________________________________________________________ Model Description (to be used for catalogue and display card) __________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Model Scale ___________________ Length ____________________ Width ____________________ Height ____________________ Weight ____________________ Type of construction _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Parts not made by you and commercial items _________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Please supply a photograph of the finished model for insurance purposes. Are you supplying Judges Notes? Yes

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No ❑

Value of Model (MyTimeMedia Ltd will not insure the model unless a realistic value is entered) £ _______________________ I have read the rules and conditions of entry and confirm the information is correct to my knowledge and I accept the conditions of entry. Signature ___________________________________________ Information about entries included on or with this form may appear in MyTimeMedia Ltd publications and on our websites. Other than entrants name, no personal information will be published. Mail Order Protection - By supplying your email/ address/ telephone/ mobile number you agree to receive communications via email/ telephone/ post from MyTimeMedia Ltd and other relevant 3rd parties. Please tick here if you DO NOT wish to receive communications from MyTimeMedia Ltd: Email ❑ Phone ❑ Post ❑ or other relevant 3rd parties: Email ❑ Phone ❑ Post ❑

Photocopies of this form are acceptable N.B. Please make a copy of this form and any photographs enclosed for your own reference. Please note that MyTimeMedia Ltd will not accept liability for any loss of documents or photographs submitted with this form.

MB-magazine

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Some of the fittings the author has produced using the casting techniques which he describes in this article.

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Resin Casting DAVE WOOLEY investigates

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he Editor suggested that for this Special Edition I discuss the process of making a master, then a mould and from it a resin (urethane) casting. This is something that is increasingly popular, because it enables the model builder to replicate an item easily, rather than perhaps scratch building 20 identical ammunition containers individually. I was enthusiastic about this, as I have always wanted to have a crack at developing this skill, but there was one problem and to be honest it was that this would be a steep learning curve for me as I tend to scratch build everything nowadays, even multiple identical items. So, as you will no doubt have appreciated from Range Finder in the regular issue of Model Boats, I enjoy developing methods to create repeat fittings without recourse to casting and as such during the course of my model construction projects have used jigs to

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manufacture such components, rather than making moulds and going down the casting route. In fact, thinking about it, the jigs referred to in the HMS Daring project described in Range Finder in the regular issue of MB are great for preparing and cutting raw material, but perhaps are not always the best solution for replicating numerous finished items, so that is why I am writing this.

Where to start? Generally most practical tutorials on the subject deal with the process of making the mould and then making castings from it, so okay, you may ask what more is there to know? Well, here I am going to go back to the very start of it all, in other words producing a fitting that is suited for resin casting rather than use an existing item, thus all the trials and tribulations of the process will be more clear. In this article we will see how well tried methods were used for producing two single moulds and a two piece version, then gravity casting from them. I am not covering the use of a vacuum casting tank, because the vast majority of readers will not want to invest in one of these machines which for example enable the complicated fully detailed one piece model tank bodies to be produced such as those by Accurate Armour and Kit Form Resin Vehicles, website: www.kitformservices.com. There is of course a huge amount of information in books and on the internet, so what is written here is my own personal experience of this subject and is in no way definitive.

Masters (or patterns)

Whilst in conversation with Paul Beckley (sadly now demised) some years ago when he was the proprietor of Sirmar, I often remarked on the quality of his resin castings, many being quite complex in form. On one occasion I asked what makes for good fittings and his answer was quite straightforward, namely ‘a good pattern’ (master). This may seem obvious, but basically the quality of the original will determine the quality of the fitting cast from it. Paul was well suited to the task of producing fittings for model warships as his background was from pattern making and his material of choice was often Jelutong, a well known fine grained timber, or he would use metal in its various forms as these usually have good surfaces from which to create a good mould. For the purposes of this project, I decided to combine Jelutong and litho plate, both materials with which I am well acquainted. For those unfamiliar with litho plate, it is an aluminium type of thin sheeting used in the offset-litho printing process. Use sheets can often be obtained as scrap and can be easily cleaned back to the clean base material by domestic solvents. I would also use styrene sheet and strip, to ascertain the results when developing a two-part mould. For the one-piece mould, the fittings are those on the 1:72 scale HMS Daring as in Photos 1 and 2. Like so much on HMS Daring, the fittings such as the various lockers, differ from those used on previous warships. Both the selected fittings have sloping sides and the core of each was formed from Jelutong, Photo 3. For those unfamiliar with this timber, it is perfect for producing patterns as it has a close grain, can be easily cut and shaped, but more important, it will create and retain sharp edges. The next step was to clad the outer surfaces with 0.5mm litho plate. This material is almost as workable as styrene and does have a true metal surface, ideal for being reproduced from rubber moulds, Photo 4. Referring back to the very first picture, the second litho plate clad pattern is formed using two separate Jelutong timber parts, each of these providing the former for the litho plate cladding, Photo 5.

www.modelboats.co.uk Model Boats Winter Special Edition 2013

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Litho plate glues well with cyanoacrylate (superglue) metal adhesive and will fix well to the surface of Jelutong. Cladding the wooden former takes only a few minutes, but care must be taken when using superglue, as there is very little time in which to make any adjustments. With the cladding in place, any additional features such as access hatches, ribs, catches or clips can then be added. Depending on the scale and the dexterity of the modeller, patterns (masters) such as these can be made quite complex. However, for this project, both fittings are reasonably straightforward with the clips just represented with narrow strips of litho plate, but even so the results were quite satisfying, Photo 6.

The mould Basically a mould box can be constructed from any material that retains the rubber whilst it cures around the pattern (master). It is worth mentioning that the rubber being used here is ‘cold-curing’ and the setting time can be more than 24 hours depending on the ambient temperatures. Manufacturers making masses of components may well use vulcanized moulds which require heat to cure the rubber and this is not covered here, as once again the vast majority of model makers will not have access to, or want the expense of, the necessary equipment for that process. For this project, I chose to make a simple mould box from discarded pieces of 2.5mm styrene sheet, all temporarily fitted to a plywood base. For this, modelling clay was used to secure the sides and allow for easy dismantling, once the rubber had cured. The clay is readily available from W.H Smith (a UK high street newstrade retailer) and costs around £3, more than enough for the task in hand. The great advantage of this material is that it remains pliable and does not harden, Photo 7. An alternative is to use Lego bricks in all their various shapes and sizes to create the box, but once broken down, it cannot usually be exactly replicated and a dedicated box will often be handy to retain the moulds’ outside shape, the rubber being quite soft. The process is simple, but every gap has to be sealed so no rubber can escape and this involves ‘thumbing’ the clay around all the base and side joints. This not only seals them, but also holds the sides of the box firmly as in Photo 8. The final task before pouring the rubber into the box, is to place the two patterns (masters) into the bottom of the box. I found it is useful to fix these on a piece of flat styrene sheet, which ensures that they are held in place and will be easy to remove whilst providing a good flat surface on the underside of the mould, Photo 9. These masters (patterns) are, as I said earlier, relatively simple having no significant undercuts, so removing them from the mould (and the subsequent castings) should not present any problem.

Mixing the rubber and creating the mould

There are a number of excellent suppliers in the marketplace and for this article I used products from Sylmasta and Alec Tiranti, who both offer a range of rubbers and urethane casting resins. I must make it clear that these rubbers and resins are all cold-cure, that is to say no heat is required, although the urethane resin can become hot as it cures, usually within a few minutes of mixing depending on the ambient temperature.

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The mould rubber and casting resins have a ‘shelf-life’, particularly once a can is opened, so I would suggest initially purchasing a Sylmasta Starter Kit, to see how you get on, or the smallest can sizes of rubber and resin from Alec Tiranti. Photo 10 is of what I initially purchased from Alec Tiranti in ‘rubber’ terms, namely a 1kg of T20 rubber, its catalyst, a spray release agent that is required when making a two-part mould and some mixing implements. Sylmasta sell very much the same types of rubber etc. in a range of can sizes, shore ratings and at similar prices. Shore rating relates to the point at which rubber will split if being pulled apart. Higher shore rated rubbers tend to be harder and better suited to white metal casting for example. For resin casting with subjects that have undercuts, you need a flexible (but still firm to the touch) rubber and this T20 ticks the right boxes. Measurement of the weight/volume of the silicone rubber and catalyst is critical. It is no good adding excessive amounts of catalyst to the rubber (or guessing it) to speed up the curing process, as the reverse may occur, so the instructions have to be followed precisely and this should be undertaken with care to ensure the correct results. So, accurate kitchen scales will be required to measure the weight of the rubber being used and to make sure the right amount of catalyst is added, a syringe or small graduated measuring beaker/pipette is ideal and these are available from the suppliers and are included in the Sylmasta Starter Kit. Disposable gloves are also not a bad idea and spatulas (mixing

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sticks) for stirring are handy. Wooden stirrers from Starbucks will do….. The first task is to pour the rubber from the can into a disposable container (clear plastic drink party glasses from Poundland are as good as any) whilst noting the weight of the volume you have decanted. From that it is easy to determine the volume of catalyst required which will need to be stirred into the rubber and the whole lot then thoroughly mixed, Photo 11. Now clearly you don’t want to have more catalysed rubber than necessary to fill the mould box, so a bit of guesstimation is needed, but usually the amount required will be more than you expect! The stirring/mixing process will create air bubbles in the rubber, but don’t

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worry as what happens is that because the curing process for the rubber can be 24 hours or more, the bubbles inevitably rise to the top surface in that period after the rubber is first poured into the mould box. Anyway, having thoroughly mixed the rubber and catalyst, which should take a few minutes, pour the rubber into the mould box over the object to be moulded, Photo 12. If the item has undercuts, then initially brushing the rubber into those areas will ensure no trapped air pockets, thus possibly comprising the mould. There isn’t much one can do now, except leave it in a warm dry place and wait! So now a day, or even later, the rubber mould can be extracted from the temporary

box, Photo 13, and the master item should be intact, with the mould being a perfect representation, Photo 14, and here lies the rub as it will be a perfect copy, so any faults on the master(s) will also be perfectly reproduced, so getting this right before making a mould is essential. In this last picture, you can see a small circular air pocket in the rubber. This is not a disaster, as all it means is that when using this mould, there may be an extra small ‘blob’ on the final resin cast item, which in practice can usually be easily sanded away.

Casting in urethane resin The urethane resin Biresin G26 used came from Alec Tiranti, Sylmasta also selling an

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identical product, Photo 15. This is very easy to use, the two parts simply being mixed in equal volumes. Once again, clear plastic beakers are ideal for this as one can confirm by eye that the two volumes are identical in the beakers. Mixing should be done in a way so as to avoid creating air bubbles and the resultant mixture poured into the mould. Pot life is usually no more than four minutes or so, so speed is of the essence when gravity casting, which is what we are doing here, Photo 16. There are substances one can buy from the suppliers that will help retard the curing process. There is a distinctive change in the resin’s colour as it cures, Photo 17. This stage can be rapidly reached in a few minutes, but DO NOT remove the items from the mould just yet as one should wait at least 30 minutes (an hour is better) for the resin to set properly hard, Photo 18. Here in Photo 19 are three castings from the mould and in fact, as my skill improved, so did the castings with no bits missing from the most recent ones, because of my earlier haste when pouring in the resin and not making sure it was into ever y nook and cranny.

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Another example? Photo 20 is of two small stowage lockers for personal survival suits on HMS Daring.

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Two part moulds

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commercially, because it cures with a dry clean surface that needs no preparation (apart from washing perhaps) before painting. Beware of cheap alternatives, since these can be ‘seconds’ and perhaps not cure as well. As before, thorough mixing is essential to ensure a good mix, which as it so happens is easy to determine because the mixture will have a uniform colour when it is ready to pour into the mould. Anyway, Photo 25 is of the end result of some stowage lockers for HMS Daring.

Jelutong blocks, Photo 21, sheathed with litho plate rapidly became the masters, Photo 22, and a rubber mould was made in the same way as earlier. Photo 23 is of them in the mould box, which is probably bigger than is really needed. For this mini-project I used the Sylmasta Starter Pack which includes everything you need, which is a good way ‘to test the rubber’ as it were. Making best use of the volume of a rubber mould is essential to avoid waste, and here you can see another couple of items in the rubber mould, Photo 24.

A two part mould is used for items that would prove difficult to remove from a one piece mould. For example, items with deep undercuts, round or complex shapes and delicate parts with extensions, and I soon found out that there is no real substitute for experience. I should mention again here that commercial manufacturers will usually use vacuum casting chambers for these complex shapes. With these machines, the resin filled rubber mould is put in the chamber and the air is drawn out. This forces the urethane resin into every nook and cranny of the mould, thus totally filling it and all the complex surface shapes within. An example of these are the complex vehicle bodies moulded by Kit Form Services, mentioned earlier and on their website you can see the complex shapes successfully moulded, but this is not what we are doing here as we are relying just on gravity. The whole process is actually similar to that for a one piece mould, but it will be in two halves and the easiest way to do this is to half-embed the item to be moulded into soft clay (or plasticine) in the lower half of the mould, pour rubber over it all, allow to cure,

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Casting This followed exactly the same sequence as with the Tiranti Biresin G26 urethane resin. It is worth mentioning that there are different types of urethane resin which have different hardness and curing features and also different colours, so it is worth checking our the websites. However this G26 type would seem to be that which is widely used

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remove, and with the master still in place, invert and make a mould of the other half. Okay, not quite as simple as that, but that’s the plan! The clay will need to be laid as flat as possible in the bottom of the mould and the item to eventually cast is part embedded in it, Photo 26. For the purposes of this moulding exercise, I made one of the large decoy dispensers which are basically a tube mounted on a U section support at each end. What you will notice about this picture are the plasticine ‘tails’ which are there in the mould so that when the two moulded rubber halves are put together, the urethane resin can be easily poured in and equally important, the air

inside can escape! Also, please note that the air escape tube and the filler hole are both on the same side, because clearly we don’t want the resin to simply pour straight through the mould and out the bottom when filling it! Photo 27 is of the first volume of rubber being poured into the mould box. Note that there is an indentation (repeated on each corner) in the clay. This will create a positive location later for the second half of the rubber mould. As before, the rubber needs to be left for at least 24 hours to properly cure. Photo 28 is of the rubber and clay removed from the mould box prior to separation, and after carefully splitting, we are left with a rubber half-mould as in

Photo 29. On the left is a little tubular device, that will have to be glued to the main body of the decoy dispenser that is being moulded at the same time. The inlet cavity and venting tract need to be refilled with clay for making the second half of the mould. The box was reassembled around the half mould section as in Photo 30. Now, you cannot simply pour the rubber in again, because it will stick to the existing half mould, so a spray release agent is required and this was (is) R5 available from Alec Tiranti or under a different name from Sylmasta, Photo 31. Following the same procedure as previously, catalysed rubber can be poured

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into the mould, Photo 32. Once again, leave for at least 24 hours, after which the outer mould retaining box can be removed and the two halves split apart, Photo 33. This may all look rather grotty, but in fact is a decent enough two part mould of this component and its accessory fitting.

Two part mould resin casting

The mould is now ready for use, so the two halves can be put together, and the locating ‘pimples’ should ensure they are a perfect match. Elastic bands are as good as any way of holding it all together with strips of styrene on the sides helping prevent the rubber, which is relatively soft, from distorting, Photo 34. Following the same procedures as earlier, the resin was mixed in a 1:1 ratio and carefully poured into the filler opening. Although there is provision for venting

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any air that remains within the mould cavity, a few taps of it will assist in freeing trapped air so as to avoid air cavities within the casting - hopefully! It took a number of attempts before I was able to get it right, Photo 35, and this picture is of a poorly moulded first example. Anyway, things got better with practice and Photo 36 is of a completed unpainted example that ‘will do’ as they say.

Conclusion There is no doubt that practice makes perfect. Once one appreciates the limitations of gravity casting, then actually quite complex items can be successfully cast and if you need ten of something, then resin casting is as good a way as any. So in summary, for those of us who need multiple identical parts from a scratch built master, resin casting is a practical way of achieving this. On a final note, urethane resin cast fittings are quite light and size for size much less in weight than an equivalent cast in GRP resin. For me, this has been a useful extra skill learnt and it clearly has numerous applications in my future model ship building. Mind you, whilst writing this I have read the article on 3D printing in MB August 2013, Page 56, and recently there have been several programmes on TV about this, so as that technology develops perhaps that is something that will become more common in our hobby, but for the moment mould making and resin casting requires nothing more than a well-made pattern, rather than in-depth computer skills. l

References

Sylmasta Ltd Halland House, Dales Yard Lewes Road Scaynes Hill West Sussex RH17 7PG United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0)1444 831459 Email: [email protected] Website: www.sylmasta.com Sylmasta Starter Moulding Kit is around £36 at time of writing. Alec Tiranti - mail order, showroom & technical enquiries 3 Pipers Court Berkshire Drive Thatcham Berkshire RG19 4ER +44 (0)845 123 2100 Email: [email protected] Website: www.tiranti.co.uk Biresin G26 Urethane Resin is £38 for two litres at time of writing. This quantity will be more than enough to cast all the fittings for an average size of scale model. Alec Tiranti - London Shop 27 Warren Street London W1T 5NB Check website for opening times.

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modelling techniques

Full Metal Anorak! RICHARD SIMPSON looks at metals and how to work with them in our model boats

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ast year in the MB Winter Special Edition we had a look at what metals we might find available to us as modellers; what their individual properties are and how we can work with each type. This time I thought it might be an idea to build on that and look a bit closer at why different metal types lend themselves to the various uses we want to put them in our model boats and steam installations, and look a bit more closely at some of the metalworking techniques that are available to us. Let’s start then with a very brief overview of the main groups of metals we discussed in 2012 and identify their basic properties.

Ferrous metals

Ferrous relates to the group of metal alloys which use a base of Iron, so it includes all the family of metals from Cast Iron through Mild

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Steel to Stainless Steel and all the huge variety of different alloys in between. Ferrous metal has one main disadvantage to the marine engineer or model boat builder, and that is the fact that it readily returns to its oxide state, i.e. rusts under the influence of moisture. Even stainless steel is only in reality stain resistant, with this resistance depending on the quantity of chrome alloyed with the steel, so this whole family of metals finds limited use for the model boat builder. Interestingly enough of course, steel as a result of its ready availability and relative low cost is widely used in the construction of ships, but to prevent the corrosion process we have to apply costly paint systems and even impressed current cathodic protection (ICCP) systems to maintain the quality of the structure. Consequently, although this family of metals is relatively cheap and easy to obtain, we will probably only come across stainless steel in our model steam plants and boats, usually in the form of stainless steel fastenings and fittings. Stainless steel does have a high strength and abrasion resistance, so this combined with a nice bright finish when polished, makes it ideal for screw fastenings, boiler bandings and the internal components of various valves and fittings, although possibly the most common application is for propeller and motor shafts, Photo 1.

Aluminium

A typical steam engine crankshaft using stainless steel for its manufacture. Note also stainless steel used for the fastenings, whereas all the bearing surfaces are brass.

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The big advantage of Aluminium is the fact that it is light in weight, however difficulties with machining and ‘hot working’ tend to limit its use. Even drilling presents challenges with the swarf building up on the cutting edge, so working aluminium is certainly not straightforward. It is of course very light, so makes a good material for manufacturing frames for stiffening structures and its good heat transfer properties enable it to be used as heat sinks. Aluminium does cast very well and is now also being used as a material for 3D printing, so quite complex parts are being manufactured as parts of more complex

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Aluminium can be worked into the most intricate shapes and designs, however it remains a very difficult metal to work with for the average modeller. This shows just what can be achieved with a huge amount of patience, experience and a lifetime of spare time!

equipment. The difficulty of machining and hot working though does tend to limit the versatility of the material and restricts its use as a model making material, Photo 2.

Brass

The family of Brass Alloys is also a wide ranging and extensive group of metals with the basic Zinc and Copper base metals being added to with a whole range of additional metals. Brass is however a very versatile metal and does a wide range of jobs very effectively. It can be easily machined; can be hot worked in a variety of ways; is strong and resilient enough to be threaded and even has very good thermal and electrically conductive properties. It is very corrosion resistant and can be polished to a beautiful shine. This all makes brass a very useful material in model boating as well as model engineering and of course it is used extensively in steam plants, both for boiler fittings and engine manufacture, Photo 3.

Copper

The reason we add Zinc to Copper is to produce the metal Brass with its aforementioned wide range of very useful

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Far left: The Graham Industries TVR1A engine uses aluminium, stainless steel and brass in its construction. The brass is not only functional, but also polishes up very well and is very attractive when combined with gloss paintwork.

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Copper, as well as being a perfect metal for boiler shells, looks superb when used in conjunction with polished woodwork as this home built steam plant clearly shows.

properties. Copper itself however actually does a few things significantly better than Brass, so it is also a useful metal in its own right. It tends to be a bit more focused however and has a few extremely useful properties rather than a wide range of not so positive attributes. Two of the main positive properties are its ductility (softness) and therefore its flexibility, which combined with excellent electrical conductivity, make it a perfect metal for electrical cables. In fact the electrical conductivity properties make it a very useful metal in all sorts of applications and you will find it in many conductors, contacts, switches and printed circuit boards. The ductility and thermal conductivity attributes also make it an excellent material for boiler shells with the heat transfer through the shell being very effective and the ductility allowing the shell to flex as a result of the effects of heat and pressure without adversely affecting its strength. This very softness however means it is not a good material to thread fittings to, so we have to attach brass bosses to mount the fittings with a much more resilient thread cut into them. The ductility also makes it a very useful material for pipework as it can be bent fairly easily into complex shapes, as long as it is regularly stress relieved by heating to remove the effects of work hardening. The softness of the metal however again makes it unsuitable for the pipe connections so we have to attach brass fittings to enable the pipes to be connected together. Of course, copper polishes beautifully, so also makes for a very attractive installation in conjunction with some varnished wood and brass fittings, Photo 4.

White Metal and Lead

It is probably worth clarifying first just what we mean by White Metal, as this does seem to get a bit confusing at times, particularly as it can be similar in properties to pure Lead, especially as we see it in the model boat world. White Metal is a term that unfortunately seems to be used nowadays for alloys of both Lead and Tin, which end up with quite different properties. The alloys of Tin are often used as the base metal for silverplated table ware and are obviously fairly hard. The alloys using Lead as a base tend to be quite similar in their properties to Lead itself and are extensively used as bearing surfaces, fusible plugs, cast figures and fittings. We obviously come across the Lead based White Metals in modelling as it is used very commonly to produce the white metal detailed parts and figures offered by a number of model manufacturers. Both lead and lead based white metal are dense metals so are actually very useful for ballast, as for a set required weight, you have more room left in the model for other things. Both metals are

also very ductile, which can be useful when you want to shape a piece of lead sheet to fit the bottom of your hull, but which can also be a bit of a challenge when the white metal fittings on the model get knocked out of shape! It is also a point worth remembering that bent white metal fittings might be easier to rectify than a split piece of decking or structure, so the ductility of lead fittings can also be an advantage, Photo 5.

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Metal working

There are many ways in which we can ‘work’ metal, some more practicable than others, but with a bit of creative thought it is surprising just what we can do with our normal everyday modelling tools and equipment. Not only will this help us with modifying and assembling a steam plant, but incorporating metals in general into our model construction can significantly improve their looks and their life. Knowing a bit more about their characteristics (as discussed last year), also helps us to understand which processes are more appropriate to each type, so we can start to get a better feel for why we use certain metals in certain situations, Photo 6. The following therefore are descriptions of the most common and available means of working with metal without going into the depths of lathe work or milling techniques, but are the sort of methods that modellers with very modest tool and workshop set-ups can consider.

Adhesives

Never underestimate the power of a tube of glue! When we are considering it for metals

White metal fittings are often supplied with kits nowadays. This winch unit is a kit in its own right and consists of a number of cast white metal parts as well as rod and tube. Epoxy glue was used to assemble this winch.

however we do need to take a bit more care over the type of glue we use. As a rule of thumb, you should always be looking for an adhesive that is stronger than your material when it has set. Most water based adhesives, such as PVA glues, are designed to soak into the surface of the materials being joined to form an incredibly strong key to the material, so generally water-based glues are not strong enough for metal adhesion as they cannot soak into the surface, so tend to be of very limited value for this purpose. The only glues of any practical real value are cyanoacrylate

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The hull and superstructure of this scratch built tug by Keith Hayes of the Kirklees Model Boat Club is actually clad in printers litho plate. This enables a very realistic riveted plate effect to be achieved but care has to be taken to ensure the plate is suitably bonded to the wooden hull.

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Epoxy glues and cyanoacrylate adhesive work well with metals and even epoxy filler can be used in some circumstances.

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A typical multimedia assembly using white metal kit parts modified with wood components. A slow setting epoxy was used here to enable all the items to be perfectly aligned while the glue set.

types (superglue) and epoxy adhesives, Photo 7. The former can be purchased in thin, medium and thick consistencies and they form an incredibly strong bond between two materials. Cyanoacrylate is actually an acrylic resin, which you would normally expect to find as a two part adhesive with a base and a hardener and this is surprisingly still the case, as the hardening agent is water. When the glue is placed on the material, moisture from the atmosphere immediately starts the chemical reaction and

This model was built by a traditional engineer who used a large number of metal components in its construction. Even the window frames are brass extrusions, which makes for a very realistic look.

the adhesive starts to set. It also generates heat as it does so, which increases the speed of the reaction. An interesting tip with cyanoacrylate glues is that if you are working in a very dry atmosphere and the parts you are trying to glue are very dry, try breathing on the parts before joining them. The moisture in your breath will act as the hardening agent and start the process off, making for a stronger bond. This is also why it can be such a challenge if you get it on your skin as the moisture in the skin starts the reaction off very quickly. Sticking your finger (the affected part perhaps?) into water to relieve the pain, only makes it worse. This is also why you simply MUST NOT get it into your eyes. These glues work well with most metals, but have limited grip on metals that flex a lot, such as lead and copper. They also work better with smooth, polished surfaces rather than the more normal roughened-up texture, but contrary to popular belief they do not actually fuse with the surface of the metal. Photo 8 is of a model where superglue has been used extensively to hold metal fittings together, including the stanchions and railings. Epoxy resin adhesives actually give you the two parts of the reaction in two tubes and are usually intended to be mixed in a one-to-one ratio. Mixing the base resin and the hardener starts off the chain reaction which can be completed in around 5 to 10 minutes in the case of the rapid types or a number of hours in the case of the slowsetting versions. Epoxy resins are a lot thicker than cyanoacrylate and can even be made into a paste by the mixing in of a powder called ‘micro balloons’, which is then extremely hard when set and can even be

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Soft soldering

This is often only thought of as a means of connecting electrical cables, but soft soldering is also a very useful means of joining brass and copper in a wide range of uses. It can also be used to join tin and ferrous metals, but as we rarely use these in our modelling we will leave them out of this discussion. Soft soldering brass tube and rod to make mast arrangements and handrails will produce neat and robust structures

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These handrails on Stan Reffin’s model were joined with soft solder, assembled on the model, then subsequently removed for painting. A fast means of attaining the required temperature was needed, so a small hand held flame burner was used.

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machined. Epoxy resins bond to most metals, but will soon come loose from lead or copper due to the ductility of the metal and movement as a result of temperature changes combined with the extreme hardness and inflexibility of the adhesive. It is always worth thinking of how you can actually capture a metal fastener such as a screw or a nut to form an extremely effective bond with a parent material, which can then be used to attach other metallic components. Embedding nuts into a drilled surface or holding a screw head between two beams achieves this very effectively and then gives you a wooden surface to bond into your boat with normal wood glues. It should also be remembered that cyanoacrylate and rapid epoxy adhesives may deteriorate with prolonged contact with water (depending on the type), so a suitable protective coating may be required in these situations. Also, although the rapid type is far more convenient for the progression of a project, usually the slower setting types are actually harder and so form a stronger joint. They also of course give you plenty of time to set up the joint with clamps to get perfect positioning while the adhesive sets, Photo 9.

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Any soldering, soft or silver, requires the metal to be cleaned back to bare. If you don’t, the oxide coating on the surface will prevent the solder from spreading over the joint and it will remain a blob of liquid metal sat on the surface, no matter what the temperature.

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Although multicore solder contains flux it is regularly well worth considering using additional flux to keep the surface clean during the heating up process.

A typical hand-held petrol burner provides enough heat to raise the temperature quickly and efficiently and is very easy to use.

which will be far more resilient and reliable than any glued connection and the low temperatures used make for a quick and convenient means of joining these metals, Photo 10. You even have the option of reheating the joints to separate them if you get it wrong. Soft soldering, as with any heat process, is all about the control of heat. You need to heat the joint up quickly to the required melting point of the solder so you can add the solder and let it cool quickly. Struggling with a heat source that is too small will always lead to heat going off in the wrong direction, so select an appropriate sized heat source for the job. Don’t go too big though and then lose control at the other extreme! First, the job must be thoroughly cleaned, degreased and abraded to bare metal, Photo 11. Whether you are soldering handrails (or wiring or anything else) the heat of the parent metal must melt the solder and not the flame or the soldering iron. This ensures that the parent metal is at the correct temperature for the solder to flow over its surface and capillary action will take it into the joint. It is always worth using a spot of flux, even if you are using multi-core solder, to thoroughly clean the surface of the metal before heating, Photo 12. Note that for electrical connections you should not use the acid type of fluxes as is mentioned elsewhere in this issue in the ‘But I don’t understand Electronics’ article. Heat the job quickly with your heat source, apply a spot of solder to the now hot job and allow the solder to seep into the joint. Remove the heat source quickly and the job will cool down allowing the solder to solidify. I like to use the small petrol burners for brass handrails and mast structures as the heat is perfectly controllable and heats up the job quickly, Photo 13. It also avoids actual contact with a soldering iron, which can move the job around and mar it with solder from the tip of the iron. Handrails and mast structures can be done very quickly and easily with soft soldering and far more effectively than you could do with any glue. When you are finished it is always a good idea to degrease the joint to clean off the flux as the residue might cause staining and corrosion in the future. An electrical spray degreaser is easy and quick for that purpose.

your pipework around and reuse the pieces, there is never going to be a danger of mixing up silver soldered joints and soft soldered joints. Silver soldering, in exactly the same way as soft soldering, is all about controlling the flow of heat. The process is basically the same: Clean up the joint; arrange the job in a hearth to prevent heat from escaping; then heat the job to the melting point of the solder and apply first the flux from the rod if it is coated, Photo 15, or from the tin if not, then touch the rod to the joint. Again it is the heat of the job and not the flame that should melt the solder to ensure that it will flow over the surface of the metal and by capillary action flow into the joint. When the job has cooled down it should be cleaned to remove the flux and then polished to give a nice bright pipe and fitting. The most common challenges with silver soldering are not getting the parent metal hot enough to melt the solder so you end up with a spherical blob of molten solder sat on top of the job, or not cleaning the surface prior to soldering, so the oxide coating on the copper pipe prevents the solder from flowing and again you get a blob of solder sat on top! As with soft soldering, choice of heat source is important as you do not want to get too big and damage the parent metal and not big enough will never achieve the temperature you need. Silver soldering will produce a very strong joint in copper and brass, which is resilient to the effects of temperature as it requires a much higher temperature to melt the metal. This makes it ideal for boiler shells and steam pipework and even cold water feed lines that

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Silver solder is a very expensive commodity, but a bulk packet from an industrial supplier can be shared amongst a number of modellers and coated rods such as this make for a very convenient medium.

water feed lines, it is better to stick with silver solder, Photo 14, because a leaking clack valve could still subject your feed line to boiler water and if you ever decide to change

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Silver soldering

Apart from safety, the next main consideration when silver soldering is comfort. You will never get a nice even joint if your arm is shaking because it is tired!

Because model boilers and associated pipe work could get very close to the melting temperature of soft solder, especially if you ever let your boiler run dry, it must not be used to build them. Even though it may be tempting to use soft solder for such things as

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Get everything right and joints like this are easy to achieve. If you remember all the important considerations, good solid joints such as this are achievable by anyone at home.

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Forming, as most of us will have experienced it, is when we simply bend copper pipes to fit the various components of a steam plant. Regular annealing and correct tools are required to prevent creasing of the pipe.

may be subjected to higher temperatures in the event of a failure of a feed clack valve, Photo 16.

Forming?

Forming metal is basically bending it into a shape, possibly quite complex, by nothing more than the action of forcing it around a solid object or former. It can be assisted by heat to soften it, or it could even be simply cold-formed. Obviously the more ductile metals lend themselves to this technique such as Lead, where we may be forming it to a shape to fit into the bottom of a hull as ballast, or Copper, where we may be bending it as pipe or forming a dished end of a boiler shell, Photo 17. Metal can be formed into quite surprising arrangements of complex shapes with patient work, remembering of course that all metals are malleable to varying degrees. I once made a ring as an apprentice by very gently tapping the edge of an old two shilling (10p) piece on a flat hard surface. After many hours of slowly rotating and tapping, the edge flattened out to around a quarter of an inch wide and the coin reduced in diameter. The centre was then be drilled out and I was left with a smooth silver ring with the wording that used to be around the edge of the face around the coin now on the inside edge of the ring - I wish I still had it! We are more likely to be involved with forming copper pipes that are bent into shape to fit our steam plant and boiler end plates that we want to be dished in shape for increased strength. To dish a flat plate of copper requires care and patience as the

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Boiler ends are regularly dished to give additional strength. A common method is to simply beat them with a planishing hammer on either a former, or a sand bag, with regular heating to anneal and soften the metal.

copper is slowly beaten on a bag of sand with a curved headed hammer known as a planishing hammer. As has been mentioned, Copper ‘work hardens’ more noticeably than most metals which basically means that it becomes harder under deformation. Planishing a dished shape will require regular reheating to maintain the ductility of the copper and prevent cracks occurring and with regular heating, the edge of the dished boiler end can actually be bent completely over to form a flange without any creases. Similarly with a pipe, if you use a small pipe bender and carefully feel the resistance of the copper tube as you roll the handle you will quite noticeably feel it increase. You need to stop when you feel the resistance getting too much to prevent a kink forming and reheat the pipe to red heat. This relieves all the internal stresses that you have created by bending it and allows the pipe to be gently bent a bit further. Ninety degree bends can often take two or three reheats to get the pipe to shape and then it is always worth a final heating to relieve any stress that remains in the copper, Photo 18, otherwise this (stress) could lead to cracking later in life as a result of flexing with heat or even manual movement.

General rules of machining

A lot of modellers think of machining as lathe work or milling (or ‘shaping’ if you are really old fashioned) and forget that machining covers all aspects of cutting metal from simple drilling and tapping to even sawing it. Not surprisingly, similar rules apply to all

these procedures, because all involve the action of a harder and sharper material being drawn across the surface of the metal to remove part of it, namely the swarf. Machining ease and quality will always depend on the following few simple criteria that should be remembered. Secure the job The number of times I see people sawing, drilling and even tapping a piece of work that is being held in their hands is worrying. At the very least you will almost certainly end up with a cut, a hole or a thread that is poorly aligned, but you also run a very high risk of having a lump of one of your hands removed as well. Always secure the job by either clamping it to a secure table or holding it in a vice, Photo 19. It actually makes the process of machining so much easier and it amazes me the number of times modellers do not realise this. Remember the safety aspects Wear goggles, Photo 20, to keep the swarf out of your eyes and never disable or remove machine guards. Stand with your feet secure to ensure that you are properly balanced and you are comfortable. Never reach across rotating machinery and ensure that loose clothing and jewellery is secured and always ensure that the area is well lit. All common sense stuff, but things that still leads to accidents nowadays when insufficient attention is paid to them. Always use a sharp tool Whether we are talking about a saw blade, a drill bit or a lathe tool, you are going to struggle if the tool is blunt. It will generate

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A bit obvious this, but perhaps the most essential tool of all is a vice!

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Model Boats Winter Special Edition 2013

modelling techniques excess heat as a result of the higher frictional forces involved and will probably end up with a poor finish on the cut. Use new tools or at least tools of a proven sharpness and do not hesitate to replace or re-sharpen when you suspect that things are becoming worn. Drill bits can be re-sharpened, but surprisingly few modellers know just how to do this and you run a very high risk of making things a lot worse if you get it wrong. If you know exactly how to manually sharpen a drill bit then please go ahead, but for the cost of a new bit it is probably not worth it, Photo 21. Ensure the appropriate tool shape The cutting angle and clearance angles of many tools are dependent on the metal being cut, but frequently tools get misaligned as a result of poor sharpening. Drills are the favourite and it only takes a slight imbalance between the two cutting face angles to end up with the drill tip describing a circle on the job and a hole bigger than the diameter of the bit. Lathe tools require a degree of understanding as regards what angles should be appropriate for what metals and what cutting speeds, so I would advise using indexable bits until you are competent with tool sharpening, Photo 22. As with sharpening generally, if the tool shape is inaccurate the best remedy is usually replace the tool, be it either a saw blade, drill or lathe tool, and throw away the old tool to remove the possibility of using it again. Cooling the job It seems to be a bit of overkill for many modellers to have gallons of coolant splashing around the workshop, spraying up the walls and liberally coating the floor. Most modelling jobs, if sharp correctly shaped tools are being used, will not require coolant. Coolant is too often used to compensate for poor tools when a new bit, a slightly slower feed and less repetition will make life far simpler and less messy. Only if you are into mass production is coolant a major concern and then only for sophisticated machine tools. Some modellers seem to think that a spot of light oil or neat cutting fluid on a saw blade or a tap is beneficial, but I tend not to bother and rely on good tool quality to keep the temperatures down. Having now looked at the aspects of machining that apply across all different machining let’s have a brief look at more specific considerations that apply to the main areas of machining that we might want to consider using in our modelling. Sawing This is probably one of the most frequently used processes for the metalworker and one of those classics that if you take a few precautions

Goggles or safety spectacles should be handy in everyone’s workshop. For the sake of a couple of pounds versus possible terminal eye damage, I’m sure there is no need to explain much more.

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For cutting mild steel, the angle of the two cutting faces should be 118 degrees. Add to that there should be a clearance angle on the trailing cutting edge and the two cutting faces should perfectly meet in the centre and it is easy to see why effective sharpening of drill bits is not something that many hobbyists get right!

will help tremendously. Starting off with the obvious stuff in the general section, the other single most important aspect of sawing is your stance. Your sawing arm should be in line with the cut and at such a height as to allow easy free movement of your arm back and forth, Photo 23. Any deviation from this will almost certainly lead to a cut that drifts off the line that will require a lot of dressing up afterwards. Don’t forget to tension the blade correctly and make sure it is fitted the correct way around! Finally if you are going to use a general purpose saw such as a junior hacksaw, make sure you are using the correct type of

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blade. Blades designed for wood will only last a few minutes when cutting something as soft as even copper. Filing This is another black art but again stance is one of the key factors, Photo 24. Long strokes are a better approach and regular cleaning of the file with a file card is worthwhile. You used to be able to buy files for particular metals, but that all seems to have gone by the way now, so softer metals such as copper will invariably clog up the file very quickly. I frequently use emery cloth or wet and dry paper attached to a solid backing as an alternative, which can then be disposed of when worn, so maintaining a good cut rather better than a clogged file.

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Use a vice, adopt a firm comfortable stance and ensure the job is at the correct angle and height as well as a sharp blade, correctly tightened. You are then in with a fighting chance of a clean straight cut that doesn’t wander off line.

Model Boats Winter Special Edition 2013

Tool sharpening is almost as much a black art as drill bit sharpening, so indexable tips make a lot of sense for most modellers.

Using a file is a very underrated art, but can be an extremely useful skill. Once again, a good stance and holding the job firmly is critical.

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modelling techniques Drilling It is surprising just how much there actually is involved with drilling, but starting with the correct sharp tool is the first priority. I also use a drill press wherever possible and that can be something as simple as a Dremel type of tool in a stand or even an old Black and Decker bench top drill press, Photo 25. Manually sharpening drill bits is something best left to the experts, however you can purchase clamps that fit to your grinding wheel that rotate the drill in the correct angle and attitude. The trouble with these is that they soon wear the same area of your grinding wheel, so are not the best way forward if you are endeavouring to sharpen a lot of drill bits. It is surprising though, how long good quality drills can last if treated with respect, so it is well worth investing initially in a good set and then looking after them. I always replace mine in their pouch to protect the tips and always use a gentle feed that doesn’t overheat their tips. Rotation speed is also important and is dependent upon the material, so if you want to do it correctly look up a set of drilling tables to get the correct speed. Tapping Before you even think about tapping a thread, the hole has to be of the correct size and the temptation for many is to use the nearest size drill they have in their old biscuit tin of ‘used but good’ drill bits and hope for the best! If your drill is slightly too small, the tap will be tight and you run a real risk of it breaking and the mess involved with trying to remove the pieces. If the drill is slightly too big the resulting thread will be sloppy and the fit with the screw you are going to put into the thread will be a poor. It is worth looking up the correct drill size you need for the thread you want to cut and then I would recommend that you purchase the correct item. It is surprising just what a huge range of drill sizes are available from machine tool stockists and how reasonably priced they are. If you want a good strong thread without any play, get the correct drill and drill the hole with a drill press. Then turn your attention to the taps. Taps traditionally come in a matched set of three, including a taper tap, a second tap and a bottoming tap, Photo 26. Nowadays however, a lot of sets, particularly modelling sets, only include the taper tap and the bottoming tap. I would always look for a way to hold the tap square, be it in your drill press or a modelling lathe, as it is so easy for the tap to wander off-line if held by hand, Photo 27. The tap can be rotated by hand

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Even a simple drill press accessory for an old drill can improve drilling accuracy and is well worth getting set up properly.

and gently fed into the job with your other hand, or perhaps even allowing the thread to pull the tap into the hole as it cuts, Photo 28. Always ensure that the machinery is

Above: Traditionally, taps would come in a set of three and should be used in the order of the taper tap, then the second tap and finishing off with the bottoming tap. A tap wrench is a common means of driving the tap, but looking for any means of holding the tap square such as in the lathe is well worth it.

Taking metals to an extreme is this amazing fully functional model made entirely from brass by Harry Barrow, again demonstrating the amazing flexibility of metals. He has previously made a landing craft in exactly the same style outstanding!

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Using the three taps in the correct order and all the relevant precautions keeping the thread square is still a challenge.

Model Boats Winter Special Edition 2013

electrically isolated when you do tasks such as this. In the case of a Black and Decker tool (or similar) in a drill press I would always recommend that you remove the mains plug from its socket. Put the taper tap down first to centralize the thread and start the cut and ensure that you run the tap through as far as possible. In a blind hole you will be limited by the depth of the hole, which is why you should always run the bottoming tap down afterwards, even if you don’t think you need to. I always rotate a tap by around 180 degrees then back it off a few degrees to break the swarf and keep the flutes clear.

A lathe makes for easy accurate tapping in circular jobs, but even a drill press can be used to help create accurate threads.

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modelling techniques Left: Taking a bit of time getting the wooden pattern right is well worth the effort, as it will form the mould that can then be used to make as many castings as you want.

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Right: The two halves of the mould with a funnel shape cut into the top. An additional option is for a separate small vent to prevent air bubbling up through the poured metal. Left: G cramps make for a quick and easy means of separating the two halves of the mould as well as holding them back together for the next casting.

Right: It is relatively straightforward to make your own castings with a bit of common sense and some basic tools. Just take all safety precautions seriously and wear protective clothing and use appropriate equipment.

Casting

The mould

Many model boat kit suppliers nowadays include fixtures and fittings made of cast white metal and while we may consider it beyond our abilities to create our own castings, it is actually something that we can all do at home, for example enabling us to make for instance tailored ballast weights and keels for yachts. With this in mind I thought it might be worth describing the process of casting and pointing out some of the pitfalls. Taking the simplest component I can think of, which could be a model yacht keel weight, the first part of the process would be to determine the size for the model you are building. If you are building from a plan, this will usually include the required ballast weight, but if not, then you are going to have to determine this yourself from stability trials in the bath (or test tank). Once you have established the amount of lead required, it is then necessary to calculate the approximate shape of the weight and then manufacture that as a former (pattern), usually from wood, Photo 29. This wooden ‘pattern’ is then used to make the mould. The challenge here with describing home moulding techniques is that there are many different variations of the process. You could be using a high temperature silicone rubber mould or a compressed sand mould or a Plaster of Paris mould and the pattern could be made of wood, acrylic, brass, metal or styrene. Dave Wooley elsewhere in this issue is discussing resin casting using cold cure flexible rubber moulds and some of the principles from that article apply to casting items in metal. Most kit manufacturers use a centrifugal machine for their cast white metal parts as this tends to be a labour saving tool and lends itself to mass production. What I will do here is explain a simple method that most people can try at home with the minimum of tools and materials to make a keel ballast weight.

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This will consist of two halves that are held together for the pouring process and you will need to put a lot of thought into how you want to arrange the pattern to ensure the halves can be separated and the air can be vented from the casting void as the metal is poured in. The wooden keel weight plug (pattern) is usually finished with a couple of coats of varnish and then a simple MDF (or plywood) outer box must be made (usually with two matching hollow trays like shoe box tops within it), overall being around 25mm wider and 12.5mm longer than the pattern. One of the trays is now almost filled with plaster and the greased pattern pressed into it until it is at exactly the centre longitudinal line of the pattern and perhaps some temporary means of preventing it sinking into the plaster will be needed. The volume of the pattern will force the plaster up and out of the mould tray if it is overfilled. It may be worth inserting some wooden pegs into the plaster which will later assist with the correct registering of the two halves when making the casting. When the plaster has set, a surrounding box should be placed around this filled tray with the pattern still in it, and the second half tray frame (no bottom to it at this stage) inserted. The wooden pegs should be varnished and greased if they are being used and a layer of cling film over the surface of the first plaster half should prevent the second half sticking to it (we are not looking for perfection with making the keel weight). The mould box can now be filled with plaster to the very top and put away to completely dry for at least a couple of weeks in a warm dry place, such as an airing cupboard. I have read that the temperature should be slowly taken up to 100 degrees centigrade, but this could cause cracking and warping of it all, so may well be best avoided. My advice is to let nature take its course! It is however, absolutely critical

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that the plaster has dried out thoroughly and naturally before being used for casting. This cannot be hurried as a damp mould (i.e. one still drying out) will cause molten metal put into it to spit. Once the mould is totally dry, the outer box can be removed and all being well the plaster block will split along the centreline, the cling film having prevented the two halves becoming one, as it were. With the pattern removed (you did remember to thoroughly grease it didn’t you?) a funnel shape will need to be filed into the two plaster halves to enable filling and perhaps also a vent hole (not shown here), Photo 30. The two halves are relatively brittle so will need to be carefully handled and care must be taken when holding them together as they obviously cannot be simply gripped in a vice. Photo 31 shows how it was done here with the plaster halves also retained in their wooden trays. The white metal (or lead) should be heated in a suitable container with a proper handle to ensure firm control over the pouring and should never be heated over a flame source that is not secure. White metal (and lead) gives off obnoxious and poisonous fumes when heated, so best to do all this in a well ventilated area or outside in the open air. A small old traditional saucepan is ideal, but it must be safely positioned on the heating ring. A word about safety here. Molten metal of any sort, will severely burn you if it comes into contact with your body. Safety goggles are essential and protective gloves and clothing. It is no good wearing goggles and gloves if you are otherwise in a T-shirt and shorts whilst wearing sandals! Spitting lead or white metal, usually because a mould is damp, is a sure-fire way of being personally hurt, so be careful. When the metal is liquid it can be poured carefully and slowly into the funnel shape of the pouring hole. You obviously need to pour

Model Boats Winter Special Edition 2013

modelling techniques

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Metals not only allow us to enhance detail but also allow us to make considerably more robust and reliable models. This is another shot of Keith Hayes’ Moorcock tug showing how metals have been used for the superstructure fastenings, to provide strength for the towing bollards and to strengthen the rudder stock linkages.

quickly enough to ensure the metal does not solidify prematurely and slowly enough to let the mould fill evenly and completely. This is why a vent hole (which can be no more than a very fine drilled pin hole in the side of the mould) is a good idea as it allows the air to escape from the void, but is not essential for this keel, as the weight and volume of the casting metal will force out the air. You do not want a large vent hole at the bottom of the mould, as otherwise the molten metal will go straight through and end up on the ground, or even worse, on your feet (remember, no sandals?)! The process is usually more difficult with the first ‘pour’ as the mould is cold and will therefore cool down the metal more quickly. Almost certainly you will be unsuccessful at the first attempt only creating a ‘part object’, but at the second attempt you should end up with a useable cast item as in Photo 32. Lead and white metal can be re-used, so there is actually no wastage. To secure this keel weight to the wooden fin, we need to cut a slot into the top of the weight either with a milling cutter or by chain drilling, but this slot then be undercut to produce an internal dovetail shape and drilled right through to enable screw fastenings to be used. The slot can then be filled with an epoxy adhesive before screwing in place to the wooden fin as in Photo 33. Finally the weight can be cleaned, fared with car body filler, primed and painted to match the model as a whole, Photo 34. A final point on this subject, is that quite

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A keel ballast weight can also be assembled ‘bread and butter’ fashion from sheet lead using templates. Once all glued together, it can be properly shaped after covering with car body fibreglass filler.

often plans include sections of the ballast weight to enable the modeller to make the ballast weight from sheet lead rather than a casting. These sections can be made from card and used as templates to mark them out of a lead sheet, Photo 35. Lead sheet can be cut easily and the lead sections can be glued and clamped together to form the rough shape of the weight. This can be smoothed off with a rough file and finally prepared in a similar way to the cast item. Lead sheet is available from DIY stores and builder’s merchants as ‘flashing’ and a roll will probably last you a lifetime.

Slots with an undercut, epoxy adhesive and fasteners ensure a secure joint for the lead weight to the fin.

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Putting everything into practice?

I thought that to conclude ‘Full Metal Anorak’, it might be interesting to just have a look at a very simple project and see how much of our metal working techniques we might find incorporated within it. Here, this is nothing more complex or involved than a radio controlled conversion of a plastic kit so for this purpose, I decided to use a Revell Type VII U-boat. Even with a project as simple as this, the following metals and metal working techniques were used in its construction: 1) Lead ballast was fitted into the keel to enable the model to float at the correct waterline. Cut strips of lead, Photo 36, here from a roll of domestic lead flashing as mentioned earlier, were formed to match the keel space and held in place by pouring epoxy resin over it to fill the void underneath.

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2) I wanted the model to look as perfect as possible and so wanted to avoid external switches and an obvious means of holding the top down, so I devised a fastening that was located below the deck gun. This required a transverse beam to be fitted across the hull with a brass BA nut bonded below it. The deck was also fitted with a transverse beam and a brass BA screw was turned down in the lathe to make it fit through the deck gun location, Photo 37. The deck gun locates over this

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Sheet flashing lead is still available from builder’s merchants and can be cut with a pair of substantial scissors.

Model Boats Winter Special Edition 2013

The finished item should be firmly attached and a compliment to the model. Once you have mastered simpler items, you may be tempted to try slightly more comple x designs?

Metal fasteners allow you to make modifications that would otherwise be unavailable, but care should be taken with how you secure them.

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modelling techniques Left: A bit of brass photo etch can make a huge difference to the overall level of detail in a model. It must be well secured though, usually with cyanoacrylate glues of various thickness grades.

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Right: I always strive for accuracy so exposed shafts plus the original rudders were an aim for this conversion and metal parts enabled this to be achieved.

screw by a firm enough fit in the hole. 3) The Photo Etch (PE) set from White Ensign Models was used to enhance the detail around the model and consisted of a number of pieces of brass that were glued to the plastic parts with cyanoacrylate glue. Both thin and thick adhesives were used depending on the gap available. The bridge area in particular benefitted from this extra detail, Photo 38.

Below: Bushes will improve the life of the A-frame bearing considerably, as long as they are fitted concentrically and made of the right metal.

4) One of the biggest modifications was to the propulsion system, so 2mm stainless steel diameter shafts, 12 inches long, and 4mm diameter tubes 10 inches long, were purchased. This ensured that the tubes could be fitted to the hull with the external shafting being exposed outside the hull, as per the original, Photo 39. With tubes of these diameters and lengths, alignment was absolutely critical, so the entire alignment of bulkheads, motor mounts, hull openings and the A-frame brackets was ensured by using a length of 4mm diameter stainless steel rod with a 2mm diameter end turned down to fit the A-frame. Once all the parts were aligned and glued in place the steel rod was removed. Next, the tubes were loosely fitted and the location of the oiler tubes was determined. The shafts were removed and the oiler tubes were fitted by soft soldering short lengths of tubes to the outside surface of the propshaft tubes then drilling through inside with a hand held drill in a pin vice, Photo 40. The insides of the shaft tubes were cleaned out with a Riffler file and final cleaning was with pipe cleaners, before refitting the propshaft bushes. Finally, the tubes were bonded in place with a two part epoxy adhesive. When the actual shafts were inserted, they both rotated smoothly.

as luck would have it a very generous fellow modeller who had done the same modification sent me a couple of lovely brass bushes to fit to these frames. The frames were slightly over-drilled and the propshafts inserted before bonding the bushes in place with epoxy adhesive, allowing the shafts themselves to correctly centre the bushes, Photo 41. Brass propellers with a thin brass lock nut were fitted, and the motors mounted in their wooden bracket. Again, clamped together by a brass screw bonded into the lower clamp and a nut and washer fitted to the upper one.

40

With long shafts and small motors, keeping the resistance to a minimum is very important. Consequently oiler tubes were fitted and the shafts filled with very light oil.

6) The rudders also needed to be significantly more durable, so their plastic shafts were removed and a length of brass tube bonded into holes drilled into the rudder blades. Alignment was assured by making a plaster copy of the original and using this to set the correct attitude of the brass tube. The hull was also drilled to take a larger diameter

5) Having the shaft rotate in the plastic A-frame would not have lasted very long and

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Model Boats Winter Special Edition 2013

modelling techniques rudder stock tubes, Photo 42, which were bonded in place with a slow setting epoxy, with the rudders in place to ensure the correct positioning of the tubes. The rudders stocks were later fitted with servo arms, also bonded in place with slow setting epoxy adhesive, Photo 43.

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7) To minimise excessive wiring which would affect the trim of such a delicate model, all wiring was trimmed down to a minimum and connectors soldered appropriately. 8) The final bit of detail to bring the model to life was a Heckler and Goros U-Boat crew cast superbly in white metal. The figures were drilled out under their feet with a small drill held in a pin vice and then dress making pins were cut down and glued into the holes with epoxy adhesive. After painting, the figures were glued in place after pushing the ends of the pins into the wooden decks, Photo 44, with another spot of epoxy. Despite all this I still lost a figure on the way to a show one year!

Brass and copper tube is normally available in sizes that slide inside one another. This is a very useful attribute for the making of sleeves, pipe reducers and rudder stocks and tubes etc.

Attaching plastic parts to brass tubing requires the tube surface to be roughened, the fit to be tight, and epoxy adhesive used to bond them together. Attaching white metal figures to a wooden deck requires a bit of help, so dress making pins help to keep them secure as well as the epoxy glue.

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Conclusion

Hopefully, reading through this will tempt you to extend the use of metals in your model making. It doesn’t have to be a complex steam plant, but just improving a kit or converting something to improve its operating endurance, can be hugely satisfying. Don’t be scared of metalwork, it gives you a whole new world of opportunities to improve your model making, as long as you are aware of their properties, strengths and weaknesses, all of which leads us to Photo 45 of the aforementioned submarine heading out on patrol! (Additional casting material and pictures by kind permission of Alan Wyatt of Kirklees MBC)

Useful contacts for modelling metal suppliers Name Telephone Website Albion Alloys: 01202 511232 www.albionalloys.co.uk Alec Tiranti 08451 232100 www.tiranti.co.uk Blackgates Engineering 01924 466000 www.blackgates.co.uk Chronos Ltd 01582 471900 www.chronos.ltd.uk CUP Alloys Ltd 01246 566814 www.cupalloys.co.uk EKP Supplies 01598 710892 www.ekpsupplies.co.uk Forest Classics 01594 832797 www.forest-classics.co.uk M-Machine 01325 381300 www.mmachine-metals.co.uk Noggin End Metals 01782 865428 www.nogginend.com RDG Tools Ltd 01422 885069 www.rdgtools.co.uk

Converting a plastic kit to a radio controlled model can be very satisfying and produce an excellent level of detail in the model. A good knowledge of the metals involved, how they behave and how they are all best joined to each other and the plastic, will be very useful.

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Model Boats Winter Special Edition 2013

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special feature

The basic design of a simple Bench-top Hot Wire Cutter.

Homemade Hot Wire Foam Cutters By RON REES

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I

have been ‘Messing About’ again recently, making model boats out of blue foam (July 2013 MB) and skinning them with nylon stockings and resin. This method is quick, cheap, easy to do and produces very light and tough model boat hulls. The off-cuts also make brilliant seats, figures and lightweight bases for awkward things like gun turrets etc. which can be sheeted over with styrene card or given a thin coat of epoxy resin for a final finish. As I’ve become more adventurous, I have experimented by trying to make more and more complicated shapes and this has required the use of more unconventional modelling methods. Until now, most work on foam blocks was done using a bandsaw, my wife’s’ best breadknife and all sorts of weirdly shaped blocks covered in silicone sanding paper. The latest experimental model needed something more precise and in fact, a lot more finesse all round for its construction, so this led me to start looking at shaped hot wire cutters.

I had used this technology before when I used to manufacture kit r/c planes and making wings out of polystyrene white foam was common practice in the aeromodelling hobby. When more recently teaching technology, we used large floor-standing hot wire machines for foam projects and a glance through some catalogues showed that these now cost over £800! This is way too much for a tool to support my hobby, so further investigation and an hour on the Internet told me all that was needed and off to the workshop I went.

Test tool What was needed was a cutter that could slice large blocks of foam, possibly up to 12 inches thick, but the test tool was only capable of six inches. The wire itself and the power source to make it hot needed a bit of research, but I soon found that fine Nickel/Chrome wire (Nichrome) could be bought easily enough, but more important was the fact that guitar strings are also made of a similar material. By

coincidence, some redundant strings were in the ‘bits drawer’, so ‘playing’ commenced, but not of the musical variety! Anyway, after making a single bar electric fire on the workbench, the voltage was scaled down a bit, as the workshop was getting rather hot! The mains to DC power supply was delivering 13.5 volts at 16 amps through the six inch long piece of guitar string, hence the electric fire effect and not really a very good idea at all. After a bit of fiddling around, it seemed that one volt at 1.5 amps would heat a one inch (25mm) length of wire hot enough to cut blue (or any other type) of foam quite quickly. An old NiCd pack was therefore dismantled and the decent working cells (they were 25 years old) made into a 4.8 volt 1.2 amp/hr pack. A quick re-vitalising charge on the fast charger and then it was tested on the six inch wire which was now looking a bit sad and twisted having overheated the workshop. It now worked okay, so the proper much larger bench-top cutter was immediately planned and designed.

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Top left: The complete Bench-top Hot Wire Cutter. Left & above: The top of the vertical support post and the pivot point. The ‘hot Wire’ is tensioned by a small ‘wire rope’ tensioner available from Screwfix Direct, or other DIY stores.

Bench-top cutter

Blocks of foam up to ten inches thick needed to be cut at an angle of two degrees from the vertical, however they also needed to be cut vertically, so some form of angle setting device was needed. Industrial units have a tilting table, but that was more work than

could be justified. Consideration was given to putting angled bits of wood under the foam as it was cut, but that could never be 100% foolproof. In the end, a series of holes in the top beam that could be chosen as required and held with a bolt for a pivot, tilted the wire at progressively increasing angles, so that’s

what was made as in the Diagram printed here. As you can see, by moving the pivot point on the top beam, the Hot Wire will move out of vertical and the tensioner is easy to adjust to ensure it remains taut. When tested on some ten inch thick blue foam, the cut was smooth and clean, provided a firm

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special feature continuous pressure was exerted on the block as it was pushed past the Hot Wire, with cut marks only appearing if you stopped. The length of the throat of the device is not a problem, as the wire cuts in any direction, so long lengths and curves can be cut by pushing the foam block through from the side rather than the front. Cutting was ver y fast in cheap white polystyrene foam and only a bit slower in the Styrofoam block (Blue Foam) used for the model boat hulls, because this latter material has a denser consistency. The pores of the cut foam were actually also sealed ver y nicely by the cutter, leaving a slightly shiny surface.

Hand-held cutters Smaller cutters were needed to make slots, recesses and cut-outs in the foam blocks inside the hull. An example of this would be cutting out a servo mounting hole in the foam, but a guitar string is not rigid enough

Above: Underneath the chipboard platform is the bottom securing point for the Hot Wire. Below: The business end of the top arm. The metal ‘mending plate’ that holds the end of the Hot Wire is a standard fitting available from DIY stores.

A hand-held Hot Wire cutter can remove large sections of foam to a set depth.

A hand-held Hot Wire cutting device used for ‘scooping-out’ sections of foam.

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to do this. In fact a semi-rigid shape needs to be formed in a wire that can be cut and shaped to a specific size of hole or opening. Therefore, a thicker type of wire was required and this was found in the Hobbies catalogue. A couple of metres were ordered and when it arrived it did indeed stay in shape when hot, but was also easy to bend into the desired shape with pliers. Two small handles were made with terminals from electrical connector blocks which allowed for different shaped wires to be selected and fitted to do different jobs. Sticking to the previously tested 5 to 6 inches of wire and plugging into the pack of

four sub-C NiCd’s (4.8v), this rigid wire worked ver y well. The two hand-held cutter tools needed switches and these were fitted so they could be switched on/off quickly with the push of the thumb. In use, a cutter drew 2 to 3 amps from the NiCd pack and it needed to be re-charged following intermittent use after about 30 to 45 minutes which was more than adequate for my needs. The thin wire on the bench cutter left a very small cutting slot (Kerf), but the thicker wire on the hand-held cutters burnt a kerf up to 3mm oversize, so this has to now be taken into consideration when planning a cutting job.

Conclusion

Hot Wire cutters are a handy addition to the workshop for many different hobbies, but especially when using foam in our model making. They are simple and very cheap to make and the ‘hot wire’ is easy to obtain. If you buy two metres of it, then it will probably last a lifetime. For those who fancy making hot wire cutters, I am listing a number of contact addresses. Have fun……………………. l

Above: The author’s completed model on the water, it’s hard to believe that the hull is constructed from blue foam.

Useful addresses

1) The mounting points were three inch long straight ‘mending plates’ and together with the tensioning device, which was actually a ‘wire rope’ tensioner, these were all bought from Screwfix Direct, website: www.screwfix.com or tel: 0500 414141 for your local store. 2) Hobby’s, website: www.hobby.uk.com, tel: 02087 614244, supplied the stiff Nichrome wire used for the small handheld devices. Part No. 124200, £2 for a one metre length. 3) Cables, on/off switches, heatshrink etc. all came from Component Shop. 4) I used a top ‘E’ string from a guitar for the large cutter, and this can be bought for approx. 99p from any music shop, or you can order the proper Nichrome stuff on a roll from Technology Supplies Ltd, website: www.technologysupplies.co.uk, tel: 08455 670000.

Another hand-held Hot Wire cutter with a different shape of wire, for cutting out servo mounting holes.

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