Newbie no more - Building the Revell 1/72 Gato

[matthewnimmo]

:biggrin: Thanks i appreciate that trout. I'm going to have fun with this i'm certain of it...and it's nice to have a solid backbone of others that have "ventured these waters." Hell, I may even submit it to next years 2012 competition.

[trout]

matthewnimmo,
Welcome aboard! I will say this is stretching me, but I have learned so much in the process! I will speak for myself (although I know others here are of the same mind - no not the crazy part, but helpful part) if you have questions or need help, please do not hesitate to ask. Also post your build and inspire others. I have been inspired by those that have built/posted here like Chris (aka oztruck) and his Japanese I-25 or Jay (aka beeryboats) and his Gato build (we have been helping each other out) or David (no aka needed) who is extremely creative and has guided our builds or Mike who is willing to help me (a stranger) to see my sub become buoyant or how about that wild and creative Manfred? Have fun and it is your sub, you will make it your own (McGuivering is a good thing), but as someone offered to me, build from the dvd and you will have a great foundation to begin with.

[matthewnimmo]

I'm going to admit....i'm a little scared Sh@tless about going through this process. I've purchased the conversion kit myself and should be here on wesdnesday. I'll have to assemble the sub-driver myself as the preassembled ones were not in stock; but just reviewing all these gato build documantaries .... seems like you all having to do a lot of McGuivering for these kits, hard to believe these are kits.

@beery & Trout: Reviewed both your guys' build diaries on the site....both have put in a lot of good work and your models are really coming alive:)

[beeryboats]

No, not yet. It takes a week at least. I'm going to pm you....
Jay

[trout]

Beeryboats, I feel your pain. Yes I did get the magnet. It should have been in your kit. Did you get the envelope I sent yet?

[beeryboats]

Oh c#$p! Trout, I'm going to let you get a month ahead of me so I can learn by your build. I put the forward servo arms inboard to clear the rear ones and I had to rebend both those push rods so the receiver will fit. I'm not liking how hard it is to move the push rods. I bend, twist, and tweek the rods and they can still be a bear for the servo to push. Even with a little oil on them. But if you check my post I did get the belcrank for the fore plane retract rod set up. I still need to know what is used to connect the belcrank to the torque rod. Did you get a long magnet thing with your kit?

[trout]

Thank you David! That helps alot!

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

The receiver goes atop the servo foundation, between the servos. The ESC mounts against the forward face of the aluminum device bulkhead, the LPB with attached MPC's goes under the aluminum device tray. The ADF and Lipo-Guard attach to the outboard face of the servos with 'servo tape'.



The spot for the receiver is sized for either the Sombra Labs SL-6 or SL-8 -- these receivers are small, and highly selective; they are the least prone to electrical interference of any receiver I've used aboard a model submarine.

And here's how you mount the servos, install the servo pushrods, get those pushrods in alignment through trial-and-error, and work them with a 'servo setter' to insure you achieve a non-binding linear motion of the pushrods through their watertight seals.

[trout]

I remember doing that for my airplanes way back when. I will stick with this and as David said, I can buy a new boot for it (eBay has multi packs of them).
Began setting up the engine room. I ran into a small bump, the servo was just a little big.

Using s flame bur, ground out the area that I marked. Test fit again and ground again.

Servo is tested to see how the fit is.

Cut off the screw down tab on the sides that will face another servo. and fastened the servos with a zip tie.

Now I have drawn a blank. Is there a standard construction? Where do I put the receiver?

I could put the ESC under the servos....

or I could put in the dual LPB.....

Where do you put in your equipment? I really need some suggestions.


Putting the push rods in, do I need to do anything special? put silicon on first, then thread them through? Polish them first? Unsure and need your help.

[beeryboats]

What about boring a hole for another 1/16" push rod seal and using a rod to push / pull the toggle switch which is mounted inside? Something like that would be very common in scale RC aircraft. Like a push pull RDF antenna for the radio switch.

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

No. I was talking about the rubber boot. The switch itself will be fine.

David,

[trout]

O.K. - so when my switch fails......and it will from what you are saying, then should I seal the hole and put in http://parts.digikey.com/1/parts/159...d311-1015.html ???

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Your worry about the rubber boot is justified -- they will leak with repeated use. I've used CA to plug cracks in the rubber with success. Your fears are warranted. When (not if) your toggle-switch boot starts to leak, you'll find it during your pre-mission checks.

You do pre-mission checks, right?!

David

[beeryboats]

I advocate a larger switch, but that one will do.

The likelihood of the ESC demanding full current at start-up (there is a several second delay as the ESC goes through a start-up protocol), which is the only condition that would demand high current that would ark across -- and damage -- the switch poles, is almost nil.

Closed, that 2 Amp switch can pass 10 Ampere's easy. Switches are rated for the arcing current the contacts can tolerate at the moment of closing/opening, not what the closed poles can handle once all contacts are engaged.

David

I learned something new today! I thought the rating was max load. I'm leary of the rubber boot and silicone leaking after many cycles. I guess not?
Jay

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

You're fine. Go with what you've got.

David