That is a good way of doing things. Sort of like a build session but with a degree of official sanction.
Trick is, MWC is a national club. We in Region 3 will do a round of testing at regionals (drop test, penetrability down to 1" below, speed check), not to bust people's chops, but to get people used to how ships are tested at Nats, and to find out any unpleasant news prior to going to Nats. But having 'a' technical officerwho certifies ships is not practical because we're so spread out around the country.
The TO position in Big Gun clubs really helps with the headaches of making sure a build is compliant, but, as you said, is not always practical for groups with a large geographical distribution. NTXBG and WWCC in particular (not intentionally leaving anyone out) have monthly events and have members relatively close together to make things easy. Oh, and I want pictures of the finished cannons Please?
What cannons? HAHAHAHAHA I'm still bending the tubing for the magazines, once they're ready, I'll post. Or did you mean the ones I'm doing for Battlestations? They're a ways off, I'm afraid.
The ones you're building for this boat. I have yet to make my own cannons, but have started stockpiling supplies and am fascinated by the seemingly infinite different variations on the same basic design out there.
Yes as a national club it is difficult, however with the help of pictures and the internet.. its not so hard anymore. A good detailed set of pictures with references for size would do just as well. Who knows maybe in the future. Look forward to your progress.
Got the gears on the motors and did testing... the port side driveshaft was a hair too short and the driven gear does not sit squarely on it. I more or less expected it but wanted to see. The stbd drive is awesome and smooth, and after I get dinner with the wife, I'll be making a new driveshaft for port and testing it again. Also going to work on the water channel a bit more amidships; I got the two 'guiderails in the center of the hull done, but no balsa outboard of them.
Got a little work on Malaya this weekend; battle is in two weeks and I have to clear out the termite-ridden back part of the shop, but Malaya must be worked on at least a little! The problem with the port drive was in fact NOT the driveshaft... it was the driven gear having a non-concentric hole! A new gear was fitted, and everything is running fine now! Also got the rudders in, with part of the linkages done, and applied a small part of the port side sheeting. I will pull a few evenings this week putting the rest of the sheeting on, and hooking up the rudders fully, so that float tests, ballasting, and driving in the pool can be done next weekend.
I just came in from the shop; got the port side somewhere between 1/3 and 1/2 way. Going to get the rest tomorrow when I've got more CA glue. On the front porch is a package presumably containing the drill bit I've been waiting on to finish my cannons. So I will feed the furbabies that live ont he porch to appease them long enough for me to grab the package and run inside. The goal by end of the day tomorrow is cannons done and sheeting done. By end of the day on Sunday, cannons plumbed, electrics finished, and able to test drive around the pool. Monday will be to get leftover tasks done, and work on the SS. Pics coming soon. Hustling to make the battle without half-@$$ing the build. Very important. So if anyone coming by the shop this weekend sees me with a Gearing hull (or really anything non-Malaya) in my hands, stop me.
Urg. was working on Malaya's guns, and the drill bit dug into the brass, spun the part, and it whacked my hand pretty good. Annoyed with the whole mess, Malaya went on the shelf, which was safer than where the gun went.
Got back in the shop after getting home from the hospital. Not allowed to lift more than 10 pounds for a few days, so I settled in doing electrical work and Brian worked on cutting out the stbd side of QE's hull. He finished, and I have most of my electrical system done. The MAG throttle is wired and connected to the motors, which on testing actually turned the right way! The pump motor is wired, but not connected to the switch. I also got all my new 550 motors wired and capped so that they're ready for quick changes at a battle if neccesary. Presented Brian with his printed MAG throttles and pump (early Christmas presents), and I am stoked about how easy it is to get good work done with the printer. I definitely need to get printable hulls going, my life would be VERY easy then I still need to work on the CAD files for the superstructure, and try to get Mark's magazines to print for me, so I can get more done on the guns. Pics to follow of the work, this evening.
Finished Malaya's electrical harness, just have to add the switch for the pump (which was successfully tested this weekend!). Once I add the remaining balsa to the hull, it'll be good for sea trials I still have to epoxy my printed SS to the stern deck to cover that big hole between the step and the X turret barbette. But Brian and I are going to run over to the battle pond in December and run the speed course to see if the 550's I've got will do the trick, or if I need better ones, or a different prop. Got a pair of 4-blade 25-pitch brass ones, and a pair of 45mm ring props that we're going to try. If those are too slow, then I'll make adjustments After that, it's just a matter of putting in the gun systems!
SO! I finally got out to the shop and did work on Malaya! I got my two printed MAG throttles installed; one for the actual throttle, and a scond one that is a pump switch that basically has an installed spare switch. So if I manage to burn out a 15A microswitch, I can reverse the channel on the transmitter, and switch the two spade connectors to the other microswitch and throw it back on the water. In a serious pinch, it can be used as a MAG throttle if something catastrophic happens to the main one, with a jumper in the pump wiring to run the pump always on. You can see that a single M3 screw holds the servo in, and the servo holds the switches in place on small pegs. The wings of the mount extend up to shield the switches and servo horn from incidental contact, as well. It's held in place in the ship by a small hole that fits snugly on a 1/8" brass peg sticking up from the water channeling wood. The pic below is the throttle. Below is a pic of the pump switch. the wings don't go up as high on it (it's from a previous iteration before I added the extension). Not going to sell the old ones, but no sense wasting it. The pump switch is under the forward deck where there isn't a lot to hit it anyhow. I also got my pump sorted out It's great! It throws a respectable stream of water, even with the basic 550 motor. For those so blessed as to have seen Casa Tugboat's test basin, the stream went fromt he ladder there to the opposite end of the pool, about 15' above the water at its peak. Almost scared to see what it'd do with a more powerful motor! In any case, it's running a regular old 550 in Malaya. Pic of the pump after testing: Brian was in the shop working on QE, and is finally making progress! He got his driveshafts in, after receiving his Christmas present early!! My new gearboxes!! Note that the motors mount in open-topped channels, which makes it a lot easier to get them in and out for maintenance! I got the idea from Darth Kessler, long may he enslave electrons to his whims... The gearbox is printed in one piece, and fits the BC stuffing tubes. And it's got a cute matching cover! It's important to accessorize! I printed them in gray because that's what I have right now, but more colors are coming. Looking forward to printing pumps in red or safety orange.
Thanks much, I like to think so Lots of work to get there! They also get the motors pretty close to the hull, about 1/4" closer than the older cast gearboxes. Also helps in getting a flatter drive angle!
