SB-101 'Building MN Edgar Quinet'

RE: "The Cheapest Point of Entry"
So, among many other things today, I got the stern subdeck fitted and played with stringers. The first step of making the stern subdeck is measuring how wide the gap is between the sides of the last frame holding up the main subdeck. Then, on a piece of wood big enough to span your stern frames (big enough to fit across them), cut a notch that fits into the gap between the last frame of the main subdeck, like below (mine was ~3 7/8"):

Okay, so the back end of the main subdeck blocks your view... you get the idea? Obviously, this view shows the rear subdeck already cut out. This is because once you have the part that slots into Frame 5 cut, you insert that into frame 5 such that the board that will be the stern subdeck is laying flat acorss your aft frames. Trace the outlines of the frame tabs onto the bottom of the stern subdeck exactly like we did for the forward subdeck, and cut it out likewise. Should look like the view above. Where should the subdeck END? Right above the tippy top of the stern keel. The back end is literally a point point. Leave a bit of excess so that we can sand it to a good, clean point after we attach the wood for the stern solid area below the subdeck. For the next step, you will need a 1/4" square piece of wood about 7" long, which can be seen below. Oh, draw a centerline down the middle of the stern subdeck piece.

This thin piece will be epoxied in between the stern subdeck and the main subdeck, as pictured below. Slide it into place, and mark it so that you can cut it clean where the main subdeck edges are.

Now, just as we did on the main subdeck, lay out the lines where you're going to cut out the access hole. It's best to use measurements from the centerline to keep it symmetrical, as we haven't sanded down the outside to an asthetically pleasing symmetry. Remeber that we need to go a bit aft of Frame 1, as the rudder post is just aft of Frame 1. We want to be able to access the rudder controls!

After you have all this done, cut out the center of the aft subdeck, fit it in place, and see if anything needs a little file work here or there. It should fit up pretty easily. Before you glue it in place, make double doggone sure that the stern part of the ship lines up with the centerline of the front part! If you've paid attention to detail in your work, it should without any messing about. If it doesn't, do what you gotta do to make it line up straight. If you are in doubt, take a pic of it and post it here with your question on what to do! Before you start mixing epoxy: Make sure the hull is sitting on a piece of wax paper to catch drips, and have a small clamp standing by; once you spread epoxy in where the 1/4" square piece goes, and slide that piece of wood into the gap between the subdecks, you need to put a clamp on the subdecks to hold those 3 pieces of wood together!! In any case, once it's fitted and lined up, you may apply the epoxy of your choice. Below, you can see the Pillar of Autumn with after being glued up. I love her lines; once we get the edges of the subdeck sanded fair, it's going to be rediculous!

And just because I can, here's a shot looking after from inside the bow, as the epoxy cures...

Until tomorrow, Ztudentz!! Hail Fluegel!

 

RE: "The Cheapest Point of Entry" Cut them flush, it'll be fine.

The bottom of the forward keel DOES curve upwards. I'll have to go out and measure mine.

The full size plans are STILL uploading. 45MG file cause not everyone can view compressed tiffs.

 

RE: "The Cheapest Point of Entry"
J, that's the original plans... not the cleaned-up, scaled to 1:144 scale plans that I'm posting.
Here is a link to my under-construction Vietnam War webiste, where I've posted the plans for a short period On the lefthand list of links 'Study Areas', the top option is 'Edgar Quinet Plans'. Click to download the file. The side view is mostly cleaned up, but the top view isn't, yet. Not particularly cruicial at this point, though. I will be posting plans for the superstructure and stacks at some point further into the class.
http://www.myfatherswar.org/

 

RE: "The Cheapest Point of Entry" Nice work, Joker! As you get ready, remember that (at least for class purposes) the bow gun will be in the forward stbd casement, and the stern gun will be in the aft port casement. Also, the top deck is supposed to go over the SS aft of the step deck, which is kind of triangle shaped. You can do it differently, but that's the plan. One minor point (which I was going to discuss in the next lesson), the two areas where there is a casement deck and a stringer BOTH... are illegal under MWC and IRC rules as they currently stand. Only one stringer can exist between any two frames. If the 'casement proposal' passes voting later this year, it will be legal in the MWC, but you'll need to sand 1/8" off the bottom of the subdeck in those two small areas (so that total hard area is no more than 1/2"). I am confident that the proposal will pass, based on the Nats captain's vote (I think 22 For, 2 Against)*. I will ask/adivse you not to do anything permanent with the casement areas, as there is more to it than gluing in the wood!

Nonetheless, my ztudent... a Gold Star for you for the day! Very nice indeed!


*Anyone in the MWC who wishes to discuss/argue about the rule proposal, DO NOT DO IT HERE... There is a 'Rules List', similar to the 'Member's List' (but without unicorns and rainbows), which is the proper forum for such things. This class is a build thread, and I mention the proposal only as it relates to the Edgar Quinet aka Edie aka The Pillar of Autumn aka The Whatever Cool Name You Are Calling Your Boat**.
**Anyone who has a cool name for their Edgar Quinet (The Pillar of Autumn is taken, yo), post it for everyone's enjoyment!

 

RE: "The Cheapest Point of Entry"
For those curious, the deck sections will be:
#1) Stern to step deck (Stern SS walls attached to this deck)
#2) From the stern end of the main deck (i.e. the top of that triangular piece aft of the step) forward exactly 24" (since we're using a 24" long piece of 1/8"ply)
#3) From the front end of the big deck piece above, to the bow of the ship.

#1 and #3 will screw down to the subdeck, as they will not normally be removed during a battle
#2 will be easily removable for rearming and battery changes. The bulk of the superstructure will be attached to it, including the parts of the forward SS that overlap deck panel #3. Kapisch, mein ztudentz?!?! Schnell! Zaw sweeftly like zee broken vind!!

 

RE: "The Cheapest Point of Entry"
Zo, Ztudentz!! I haff not ze posting images on zis nacht... Inztead, I vill presnt unto you... a zhopping lizt!
In the near future, you will be needing this stuff, especially if you are not a seasoned junk collector veteran builder with such things laying around the shop...
Tools:
180W Soldering gun from Harbor Freight. You will need to solder to get a boat on the water (hey, I rhymed!). This gun will do nearly any task you will need to do for RC Naval Combat.
http://www.harborfreight.com/weldin...-4328.html
Electric-start propane torch, which will allow us to solder brass for a propeller and a pump impeller. No, the soldering gun above won't do THIS particular set of tasks. The small propane tanks for this torch can be bought at Lowe's or the Home Despot.
http://www.harborfreight.com/electr...91061.html
Cheap chinese one-speed (16,000 rpm) version of a Dremel tool. You can go spend $60 on a Dremel, but for the cheapest point of entry... less than 10 bucks, and it comes with accessories (and fits Dremel accessories, too!)
http://www.harborfreight.com/power-...97626.html
Materials:
1/8" I.D. (Inside Diameter) brass tubing (NOT the soft kind also sold), which will give us stuffing tubes for the rudder and driveshaft.
http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bi...9&P=ML
1/8" solid brass rod, which will give us a shaft to build a rudder on, and a propeller shaft (aka propshaft).
http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bi...56&P=7
One sheet of 0.064" x 6" x 12" brass, from which we will make a propeller, a pump impeller, and a few other things... It is spendy(~$24 at Tower), but still cheaper than buying props and a pump. If you want to take a less-time, more money approach, buy a half-unit pump and 1.5" prop from BC or Strike. I won't say bad things about you, but I'm doing the low-dollar approach as much as possible. Also, you will likely have enough material to make 2 props and 2 impellers.
http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bi...2&P=SM
1/8" brass collars, which are going to see duty in both propshaft and rudder shaft and pump. You can get them in 4-packs, or 12 packs. Below is the 12-pack. Cost per collar is cheaper, and unlike some other brands of collars, you get an allen wrench for the setscrews! Don't lose it!
http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bi...06&P=7
Two (1) 1/4" dowels. Oak is nice, but whatever you can get your meathooks on will do... these will make masts for the superstructure, and more importantly, drag props. For those who are new to the hobby, a 'drag prop' is an unpowered propellor used to create drag. This is desirable because with more drag, the powered prop (the one right in front of the rudder) can make more thrust without speeding up the ship. More thrust on the rudder = better turning. It is legal to simply run a disc-shaped piece of wood as a drag 'prop' (vice using expensive real props), and this is what we will be doing. No linky for these, get them at a hobby store, home improvement store, or cousin Mabel's trash can.
There will be more shopping later, but I wanted to post this list to give people with long lead times time to buy their school supplies

 

RE: "The Cheapest Point of Entry"
Hey Joker, I wasn't criticizing!
You can build it as you like, I intend to put in the stringers in those two locations that I spoke of, and if the rule doesn't pass, then hey, I have an $8 jigsaw to cut them out with! The deck you can either change to match the class shape, or you can just do a triangular shaped deck that stays attached to the aft SS and just have a tiny line in the deck that won't be visible from 10' when it's sailing around.
I DO like the fiberglass, very swanky.

Here is the plan view of the stern part of deck #2:

http://www.rcnavalcombat.com/Portal...aft_SS.jpg
Keep in mind that when I printed it, it came out too large, even after I told my verdamnt printer NOT to enlarge it(the printer has not been nice to me lately). So measure it when you print it... look at the two arcs that show the casement gun arcs of fire. The two origins should measure a hair less than 4.25 inches apart when properly scaled.

 

RE: "The Cheapest Point of Entry" I am planning on 550 motor DD to a 1.5" prop. Buy one, or wait for the making a prop lesson. The 550 drive motor will allow us to use a 550 motor for the pump. Even though we're limited to a 1/2 unit restrictor, the bigger motor will still give us more oomph and thus allow us to be a thorn in the enemies' side longer!

After the collosal nightmare I've had tonite fixing Lil Scharnie, I am reconsidering deploying Musashi and just sticking with cruisers. Or alternatively, only doing wood hulls. What a hassle, I almost quit the damn hobby after that mess. No, I don't feel like sharing right now. And YES, I kept turning to the Pillar of Autumn and wishing I was about a month further along on it.

 

RE: "The Cheapest Point of Entry" The deck that covers the subdeck is 1/8" ply. A 12" x 24" piece should do all your deck, plus have scrap left over for casement decks, which are not terribly big.

 

RE: "The Cheapest Point of Entry" Ah, grasshopper, you have learned (at some point in life) a great thing... McMaster-Carr is your friend!