A year late, the hull molds for the I-400 are finally ready to wax. The hull molds were dusted off last weekend after we got back from the Netherlands and several defects where the gelcoat had "lifted" from the plug service were filled with gelcoat and sanded. After several hours work the molds are as smooth as I can make them. The upper half of the hull mold (portion above the waterline) posed no problems other than filling and sanding a dozen or so tiny bubbles. If I don't go to NB this weekend I-400 hull production will start Saturday. I have orders from Jay, 2 guys from the OAF and 1 in Florida. If Dave and Steve Hill don't want I-400 hulls the molds will be sold after those 4 hulls and one spare are finished. Price will be $80 for Jay, Steve and Dave, who worked on the early stages of the project, and $120 for everyone else (plus shipping if applicable). The hulls are short enough to ship by Canada Post (probably $20-25 for air mail). Bob
Hi Paul, I can't post photos at present. Our old computer loses virtual memory after only 3-4 ebay or internet pages and becomes unresponsive. It has some odd type of memory card that makes upgrading the memory far too expensive for the capacity gained so it's more cost effective to buy a new computer. The Kodak Easy Share system failed 3 months ago so I have no way to download photos and post them. I hope to have a new computer in a few weeks after we decide which Mac model to replace the PC with. Bob
Still no progress since gelcoating the I-400 molds. Kim's been home every day so I can't glass in the basement and it's rained most days in the last week. The rain almost always get's blown across the open sided porch where I work, so glassing hasn't been possible. (Annoying because the rainy weather started as soon as I bought fresh supplies of resin and gelcoat.) Kim leaves for the U.S. tomorrow, giving me 4 weeks to glass inside if necessary. Weekend production will be minimal because I need to go to NB almost every weekend in June and July to get the cottage replumbed and have the grounds repaired after damage from heavy trucks and a crane required to raise the cottage and add a foundation. Bob
Good news: 1) Kim will detour to the cottage and talk to contractors en route to the U.S. so I don't have to go to New Brunswick this weekend. 2) Instead of fiberglassing the first I-400 hull last night I decided to complete the repairs on the 2002 hangar mold. That went more quickly than expected so the mold was fine sanded and rewaxed by 1 AM this morning. 3) With no other committments this weekend I can finish molding all components of the first I-400, which will be Jay Jenning's. I-400 #2 should be done before the weekend of the 25th and is for David in Florida. That weekend and the following week I'm in town and on call, so expect to complete #3 and #4 which are for OAF members. That'll take care of all orders to date. I-400 #5 will be for me. Bob
By the way, we who want to become members of the RC Naval Combat Submarine Service want to thank you for taking charge of a project that would have otherwise taken a REALLY long time to complete and for the time and effort you have/are putting into the plugs and molds. J
The first I-400 came out of the molds yesterday and is quite a nice looking product. It took a lot of time and care to lay up because of the complex shape of the hangar, the slots for the catapult and keel, and the narrow, deep lower hull. The deck catapult has to be solid because it's too narrow to lay-up with matt. It was filled with a mix of resin and chopped matt. We should have made the box keel wider (i.e. 2x scale width instead of 1.5x) because after the slot for it is gelcoated and glassed it is almost full and cannot accomodate batteries or lead ballast without some dremelling. The 'light' fiberglass matt I bought from the new supplier was considerably thicker than expected. I may lay up the keels of the rest of the I-400s with much thinner Canadian Tire matt. It should go over the 90 degree angles more easily and leave some space in the box keel. The new matt is fine for the lower hull but I'll have to reduce the glass to one layer in the hangar and conning tower to make them lighter. The conning tower has so many curves and edges that many small pieces of glass have to be applied. Once in I covered them with larger pieces for the first hangar and tower, but they need some dremelling to decrease the thickness and weight. The alternative is to overlap the small pieces in the first layer and skip the second layer. That'll make the superstructure more vulnerable to BB damage but will reduce the weight by at least 1/3. Construction of I-400 #2 starts tonight. I'll be making 1/week until the first run of 6 is finished. Bob
Jay, I have to cancel Sunday's visit. The new batch of gelcoat is defective with 2 failed attempts to lay up I-400 #2 since Monday. I hope to get a new batch by Friday and try again Sunday night. Looks like your I-400 will not be available until the 23rd. This project took nearly all the time I had for R/C naval combat last year. Because I need to finish the Japanese light carrier Ibuki and the Russian CL Krasni Krim ASAP I'm only making six I-400s (the orders already received). I've asked Ralph to take over production and he might be able to start by mid-July. Anyone else who wants an I-400 will have to order it from Ralph, or wait until I have time to make a couple in October. Bob
More delays, due to having to work late several evenings and to rain. Even though I can lay up the hulls in the basement the fumes are too strong for me to leave the molds inside while the parts cure. I need 2 days of dry weather in a row to lay up the gelcoat and glass and let it cure outside. The third attempt at I-400 #2 will be this weekend, which is supposed to be hot and dry. All the defective gelcoat has been removed and the molds rewaxed. I've persuaded Ralph to take over sub production as I won't be able to finish more than 4 before Kim returns. He should be able to start in mid-July and will fill the other orders. Bob
Hi Jay, Missed your call last evening - I was out until 2330h at a weekly historical wargamers' painting/building session. After nearly a week's delay due to blowing rain, fog, and too high humidity I was able to gelcoat the I-400 mold for your hull yesterday. The new batch of gelcoat worked fine so I'll be able to finish the hull and other components for I-400 #2 this weekend. I hope to get #3 laid up before I leave for a short holiday next Thursday and #4 the following week, then I'm on vacation again. #3 and #4 will go to Ontario. #5 and #6 for David Ranier will be made in early August, hopefully by Ralph who should be have taken over production by then. #2 will have a lighter upper hull and superstructure than #1. I'm going to use lighter fiberglass matt from Canadian Tire for the conning tower and hangar and hope it will conform to the narrow catapult slot (so that won't have to be solid chopped matt and resin), and will allow a deeper recess in the box keel for lead ballast or for AA batteries to fit partly inside. #1 will be an unarmed diving convoy ship (av gas tanker I-402) due to the heavier upperworks. They'll have to be dremelled thinner to ensure stability. Bob
Jay, Your I-400 parts are out of the molds. I-400 #2's components are much lighter than #1's and the new method of lay-up is much faster. The box keel space is large enough to partly accomodate a long battery of AA NiCad cells, with space for a thin layer of lead ballast underneath. Once again I had some gelcoat problems. The new batch adheres to the molds but is more runny than what I'm used to and was too thin in a few spots, allowing resin to penetrate. Before your hull is ready for pick up I have to apply a skim coat of gelcoat over a few defects and sand it. (I'll have to apply a second coat of gelcoat when making the rest of the subs to ensure it's thick enough. ) I'll be away for a few day and will start filling and sanding the gelcoat defects Sunday evening. Your I-400 should be ready next Tuesday. The next two will go to OAF members and should be done by the 23rd. David Ranier's pair will be made when I get back from a longer vacation in early August. I'll continue to make more as time permits and hope to have a second batch of 6 ready for sale by October. Bob
Bob if you want to you can leave the gel coat off my 2 hulls. Frank F says he would rather have it without , and I dont care either way. So what ever is easier for you.
Hi David, I just got back from a short vacation and received your message. I have to use gelcoat on these hull components to help fill in some of the sharp angles and small depressions, especially in the hangar, which has a very complex shape. Otherwise the matt would have voids underneath it. Two more I-400s to make then I can start on your pair. I expect to finish them in early August. Bob
Ok, sounds good. Was just offering if it would help you out making them. Thanks again for making them for me.
