Thank you for the confidence vote guys! Yes I am still thinking that I will simply give away my files and 3D model for that Bismarck. I will probably wait a few day to see if there is significant reason prenventing me to do so, but for my part I don't see an issue. (I will need guidance on how to perform the actual archiving in the free plan section.) Now of course, you know the deal: I am the brand new member, doing its first boat. Said boat just got its first plywood cut today and is far from being assembled/completed... Error and corrections are to be expected. Still I am willing to post updated model as I advance in the construction and find those issue. Side issue: The superstructure is not done at the moment. still have a few white night in front of me before I complete this. now on with the progress started the day by double checking my printed plan versus a scrap piece of ply, to test for notches tolerance. Success! If I cut just at the mark, a slight filing will be sufficient to make it stick in place. I glued my plans directly on the plywood, using a cheap and weak glue. That will help me keep aligned while I cut later on. Of course, I did that while optimizing my sheet of wood. Result, All ribs and subdeck fit comfortably on a sheet of 2.5' X 5' 1/4" thick (Half a 5X5, strange format I know). The space seemingly wasted between the ribs at the far side of the sheet is due to me trying to avoid damaged area on the sheet. Then, applied clear tape over the plan and plywood, to protect some more fore upcoming cut. Then same process for my keels, on a 1/2" thick piece this time End of the day, I now possess a coarse looking pile of wood, deserately in need of a finer cut to look nicer! Those will be done on the scroll saw on the next build session. So far, except for me confusing the fore versus aft section on a sheet of subdeck (ultimately costing me 1 hour to repair my mistake) everything went smoothly!
Hey Daniel, McSpuds got me on to that spray on adhesive that you can get at walmart for like $5-8 dollars and if you spray lite it will still stick real nice. I have some pieces that come up while cutting that I can hold down until the cut has been started so it doesn't vibrate and that works. If you spray to much it tends to bubble up or at least did for me. I don't exactly have the warmest of climates to work with in the garage but after spraying last night with the second set of prints and lighter than the first set it came out real good. Looks great so far.
I've done both gluestick and spray adhesive, prefer the spray. I like the packing tape idea to hold the plans in place while you rough cut. For your long middle keel sections i would have suggested using a guide and ripping off the edge of your sheet of ply so you can guarantee keeping them straight without having to do a lot of cleanup work.
I've done a lot of ships with just the glue stick holding the paper on. You get some edge lift but not enough to worry about. I expect that the packing tape will fix it +1 to Nick's suggestion on the keels, I do that because I want that part really straight.
In addition to helping hold the pattern down, placing packing tape over the work has an added benefit of reducing tear out, producing a cleaner cut. Its an old scroll saw trick.
I call this day: Sharing time! I made a decision today. YES, I am sharing freely my model of that Bismarck for all potential builders. I do not know how to include it in the free plan section of this site, so instead I have published it on my dropbox account for the moment. www.dropbox.com/sh/j10z1drqyyohr8u/NsCmawbyWx I have very few request regarding those files: 1) Please do not repost them in modified format or shape. I expect to continue on improving them for a while, and it may be confusing if multiple source for those plan start to be shared, with different modification inside. You are of course fully allowed to do any modification for your own builds of course! That restriction to re-posting may be eliminated in the future, once a first built is completed, but I am not there yet. 2) I would like to be informed, so that I can follow your build thread and steal your secrets! The archive I put online include the 3D model yo have seen so far in the build thread, a DXF file (Which can be altered and then used for exotic cutting methods. droolings...) and a Word document I quickly put together helping find your way into the model. This is what I call a version 1 of the model: The whole SS is absent, and the first build is not completed, so there is strong possibility that there may be some error inside. If you find somes, please advise me and I will try to correct them! Finally, I have invited someone to share this building thread with me. I will keep is name secret for the time being (building some suspense), and let him introduce himself with his project(s). Do not accuse him of stealing my thread, I a sharing type of guy! Daniel
Now back to my own selfish interest! he he. cutting process is well underway for my ribs and hull elements (And will take some time, at my crawling pace). But already I am planning ahead (So that I can order the piece I will need soon) Here is the point: I have no idea what is required for a ship of that size! Props: I am planning on using the 3 props. I heard somewhere someone recomending driving a single prop, with a large diameter, with a 550 size motor and gearbox... That is not really what I want to do. I am aiming for the "hard" stuff. I am thinking of driving the 3 props (Probably a diameter of 1.5 in each) with their own motor each. Problem I do not know which strength I should aim for if I am using 3 of them. And in that case, do I need a gear box? for all of you knowledgeable guys out there, what should be a good RPM of the prop in the water? That would help me understand the proper gear box ratio that is required. Motor: I expect to have to rebuild the propulsion system a few times. And have few spare part at the moment. So I will probably start with good old cheap brushed motor... I know, not top of technology, but I do not want to invest into brushless that may well find their way into a storage box 2 months after... I need to learn, and to learn cheaply for the moment. Battery: Once I know which motor I will be using, I will probably just go ahea with some LiPo or LiFe. I do not know which rating yet, but that still can wait. Servo: I will probably just order a set of multiple model and size, and try them and discover their strength. main concern is how strong should they be to manage that twin large rudder! RC: I am delaying that decision for much later. I have seen the Spektrum 6DXi mode2 that would be sufficient. But if I ends up plugging more gadget in my boat (Since I cannot easily fight with it), then I may need something bigger... Thank you for your help!
Nick: Yes I fully plan on using my table saw and a guide when I get it back to cut my Keel. I want it straight too! SwissCheeze: Nice trick with that spray glue. I may try it next time. I do not live much the stick glue. You apply on the wood and the paper do not hold well... You apply on the paper and the paper warp... still, I will keep using the packing tape method. It help when doing the final scroll saw cut.
If/when you do order LiPO or LiFE batteries, don't order them from the US. Because of the way their postal regulations are, if the lithium battery is not installed in a device, it must be shipped to a foreign country (like Canada) by a carrier that handles dangerous goods, which is most often UPS. Not only will there be a dangerous goods surcharge, but UPS charges the highest brokerage fee for bringing stuff across the border of any courier. I prefer to order my LiPO batteries from Hobby King - http://www.hobbyking.com in Hong Kong (just make sure you choose the International Warehouse) and have it delivered by EMS Express courier.
Daniel, the reason we almost always drive only the center prop is not complexity, it's that having one drive prop and two drag props gives you the most thrust over the rudders, giving much better handling. I aim for around 3,000 rpm on the prop. If you're using one servo per rudder, standard servos will do just fine. Are you going to use solenoid valves to fire your gun, or poppet valves? If poppets, standard servos are again just fine. And THANKS! for posting your work online
I am thinking of a single servo plus gear system for my two rudder. Or push rod if the angle prevent me the use of a good gear system (8 degree from the vertical) Daniel
Ribs cut is now well undeway In fact, that is what a Bismarck would look like if put into a press! Still have to cut-out the notch for assembling of course! Question: Any one tried to use one of those spring loaded latch to tie down the deck to the sub-deck/hull? www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewitem.asp I imagine it would be easy to attach a strong wire to the release rod, and bring that wire to a hole inside the Superstructure to have a single Release knob I can pull on. That would make a quick release of the deck possible, while keeping the whole assembly totaly invisible. plan would be to epoxy those latch horyzontaly under the deck reinforcement, and would extend the rod under the subdeck to lock in place. Next step, cutting the Subdeck to fine edge. Main issue: My scroll saw get in the way, I do not have enough travel length when close to the middle of my subdeck area...
For your subdeck issue, have you thought about cutting as far as you can with your scroll saw, then cut what's left with your jig-saw leaving a little extra and then sand down to the lines? Keep up the amazing work! Beaver
For the large/long ships, I stopped trying to cut with the scroll saw (mine doesn't turn sideways), and just use the handheld jigsaw with a little bit of gap between the cutting line & blade, then just use a mouse sander to fit.
The handheld jigsaw trick + sander work nice. I had a 1/2 gap between my scroll saw cut on my aft deck. A quick jigsaw run and I was through it. Thank you. And NICE I. Got my table saw back today. Will be able to work on my keels this weekend... Too I do not have a sled to go with it... Looks like I am gonna build a jig this week. Main objective here is to cut a straight keel (not so hard I think) that end at the bow/stern in steep curves( harder to do with my current hardware/knowledge).
I broke down and built a sled for my table saw when I started work on a proper wood toolbox for my battling stuff. Next up is a jig to do tablesaw finger joints
Argh! Three keel went straight to the garbage bin today. I was simply not satisfied with their "straight" lines... I have to figure out a better way to feed-in into my table saw for better cut of such narrow parts...
Cut close, then tape big pieces of sandpaper to the tablesaw top, and rub the bottom edge of the keels flat
Perhaps it would be better to buy a long strip of wood either square or rectangular peg cut to act as your keel aside from a piece for the curvy bow, and another for the stern sections. That is what I did for my wooden Dunkerque.
