Aligning and Attaching Hull Sections Accurately

[biggsgolf]

Guys, do you have any good practices as far as aligning and gluing, epoxying then fiberglassing hull sections together? I find it difficult to get perfect alignment of the hull sections and then upper hull sections aligned with lower hull sections. Example below

[Timothy L]

Not in the last but in the previous two dive tribes David Merriman conducted an excellent discussion about this very topic . It will answer all your questions. You can find the recorded sessions on Nautilus Drydocks.

[biggsgolf]

Not in the last but in the previous two dive tribes David Merriman conducted an excellent discussion about this very topic . It will answer all your questions. You can find the recorded sessions on Nautilus Drydocks.

Not talking so much about upper to lower seam, more about individual hull diction to each other

[Timothy L]

I believe I understand what you’re describing. If I remember there was a little bit of discussion about joining radial sections and radial joints. For myself I use a welding (cohesive) glue and supplement it with fiberglass strips on the interior. Any uneven outside surfaces can be dealt with by using fillers. If you did not happen to follow those two drive tribes, You might want to review them because there is a wealth of information there.

[biggsgolf]

I believe I understand what you’re describing. If I remember there was a little bit of discussion about joining radial sections and radial joints. For myself I use a welding (cohesive) glue and supplement it with fiberglass strips on the interior. Any uneven outside surfaces can be dealt with by using fillers. If you did not happen to follow those two drive tribes, You might want to review them because there is a wealth of information there.

I am a member and have seen them, trying to determine best way to get the sections aligned properly then tack them so I keep that alignment, thanks Tim, hope this makes sense! The sections have a lot of flex, and if not careful, after say all the upper sections are fiberglassed together into one section, it may be way off in alignment to the lower hull sections

[Timothy L]

I started at the bow on my Virginia class and joined the first section with the second section. Then I checked to see how it aligned with the corresponding top hull section. I proceeded this way all the way to the stern and things lined up fairly well. You could proceed in this manner but also clamp each top section in place while you do the weld joint on the lower half. That would assure lining up with the upper half.
My experience was that the radial joints were not a particular problem. However, the long longitudinal seam would require some filling as described in those dive tribe discussions.
I was assembling a print job made with ABS and bits of fiberglass. it does have some flex but not much perhaps as a thinner resin hull. I’m guessing each situation might be slightly different. and I have a hunch that no matter how it’s done some filling is always going to be necessary. Not sure if I’m being helpful but I definitely understand the question and the concerns.
Tim

[biggsgolf]

I started at the bow on my Virginia class and joined the first section with the second section. Then I checked to see how it aligned with the corresponding top hull section. I proceeded this way all the way to the stern and things lined up fairly well. You could proceed in this manner but also clamp each top section in place while you do the weld joint on the lower half. That would assure lining up with the upper half.
My experience was that the radial joints were not a particular problem. However, the long longitudinal seam would require some filling as described in those dive tribe discussions.
I was assembling a print job made with ABS and bits of fiberglass. it does have some flex but not much perhaps as a thinner resin hull. I’m guessing each situation might be slightly different. and I have a hunch that no matter how it’s done some filling is always going to be necessary. Not sure if I’m being helpful but I definitely understand the question and the concerns.
Tim

Makes total sense Tim, thanks,
Bruce

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Not talking so much about upper to lower seam, more about individual hull diction to each other

Ask, and yeh shall receive...

[biggsgolf]

Thanks My Lord! You don't have any old 1:72 Type 212 Periscopes do you by chance?

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Thanks My Lord! You don't have any old 1:72 Type 212 Periscopes do you by chance?

My pleasure, sir.

No. My Type-212's were 1/96 scale and all that tooling went to Bob years ago. Ask him.

David

[biggsgolf]

Than you Sir!