Building the Zero Bubble Model Design 1/120 Mike SSN

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  • JHapprich
    Captain
    • Oct 2017
    • 715

    #61
    Hello everyone! It has been long since my last report so it is time for an update on the Mike. After priming I figured there were some spots presenting a dust-like surface.Beeing an airbrush-newbie, i found the noozle that had been used was too narrow for the primer, that should have been mixed with thinner too. So i wiped down those spots and achieved a smooth surface. Then mixed 3 parts flat black with one part flat light grey to get my dark grey hull colour and painted the opper hull after taping along the centerline. I used my common spraycan-nitro colours as i have some in stock and am used to that kind of paint. The paint had been filled in to glasses and left to release the propellant gas for some time prior to usage. Click image for larger version

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    Afterwards i again taped the centerline, but now upwards, in order to apply the red antifoul. Again, i used flat red 3:2 mixed with grey for a faded colour shade. For some reason (i suspect because the red is from a different manufacturer) i got an almost terracotta-like surface, although the paint had an nice thin milky consistence. Super-flat, worn look. Oh boy... Send pictures to DavidH. Reply "Don't overdo the Airbrush! Keep it!" My wife looking at it saying the same. So i kept it that way. Right decision. After wiping off the dust - voila like on the dock photographies!
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    • JHapprich
      Captain
      • Oct 2017
      • 715

      #62
      In the meantime the ZB-1 cylinder arrived! Test fitting looked promising. Click image for larger version

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      • JHapprich
        Captain
        • Oct 2017
        • 715

        #63
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        Attached Files
        Last edited by JHapprich; 02-24-2021, 01:48 PM.

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        • He Who Shall Not Be Named
          Moderator
          • Aug 2008
          • 12255

          #64
          Each new project is an improvement over the last. You're turning into a force to be reckoned with, David!
          Who is John Galt?

          Comment

          • JHapprich
            Captain
            • Oct 2017
            • 715

            #65
            Thank you! But it's Jörg, not David.

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            One step back: The control surfaces had been prepared and painted as well. Notably adjusting for symmetrie and filling.

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            • He Who Shall Not Be Named
              Moderator
              • Aug 2008
              • 12255

              #66
              Oh! Hell! I'm sorry. But the complement stands, sir.

              David
              resident idiot
              Who is John Galt?

              Comment

              • JHapprich
                Captain
                • Oct 2017
                • 715

                #67
                Never mind, Sir! As can be seen, i was unable to produce a sharp-edged waterline. This might be caused by the fact to have used the pen instead if spraying, but mostly by using improper masking tape. I need to order that 3M stuff...

                So i then again masked the waterline, covering the line entirely right below the uneven level, and sprayed over with flat dark grey.voila a nice clean line drawing. I left the rest as-is on the lower portion as it will hopefully create a good transition to the scum line.
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                Last edited by JHapprich; 02-24-2021, 06:11 PM.

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                • He Who Shall Not Be Named
                  Moderator
                  • Aug 2008
                  • 12255

                  #68
                  Yeah, you pulled paint and primer. GRP substrate preparation is everything. Before you put down any putty or primer scrub all the GRP surfaces with an abrasive pad and a slurry of cleanser, rinse and dry. Then scrub everything with lacquer thinner. The objective is to scratch the surface up good to rid all part-release oil and wax. It's part release agent picked up off the molds that is giving you the weak bond between GRP and primer/paint.


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                  This prep work extends to the resin pieces as well.

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                  Who is John Galt?

                  Comment

                  • JHapprich
                    Captain
                    • Oct 2017
                    • 715

                    #69
                    Some minor details were added afterwards, i.e. the small grills besides the conning that were originally only depicted by 2 squares. They are still rough by now as you will see in the most recent pictures. I will see if i can refine them. A maintenance hatch amidst the bow tubes was scribed in and some more hatches on the conning ( the designers back then did not care much about flow noise i guess, there are SO MANY in comparision with Western Boats). The draft markings were scribed in after developing a proper mark scheme from both plans and pictures and white paint was applied with the mentioned needle by letting it flow into the cavities. David M., i know the brass tool you showed in your KILO build, will make such thing for the next project. I also discovered the floodholes port/stbord of the conning not beeing symmetric so i filled one and opened another one with the Proxxon and files. This happened yesterday. I also tried myself in wheathering by using Revell enamel paint, "Gunmetal" and dry-brushing. That beeing done on the floodholes and some sharp-edged spots. Will make the scum line by spraying, next.


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                    Attached Files

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                    • JHapprich
                      Captain
                      • Oct 2017
                      • 715

                      #70
                      Originally posted by He Who Shall Not Be Named
                      Yeah, you pulled paint and primer. GRP substrate preparation is everything. Before you put down any putty or primer scrub all the GRP surfaces with an abrasive pad and a slurry of cleanser, rinse and dry. Then scrub everything with lacquer thinner. The objective is to scratch the surface up good to rid all part-release oil and wax. It's part release agent picked up off the molds that is giving you the weak bond between GRP and primer/paint.


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                      This prep work extends to the resin pieces as well.

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                      Yeah, although i hot soap-washed the hull, then sanded with 800' and cleaned with alcohol. Did not use thinner as the hull already comes with grey primer on it. But i found the acrylic pen color to dissolve the paint and primer on application. I did not have any damage on purely nitro-painted surfaces. Altogether ill not use that paint pen anymore.

                      Jörg

                      Comment

                      • JHapprich
                        Captain
                        • Oct 2017
                        • 715

                        #71
                        Hello! Today i managed to paint the scum line and do more weathering. I started by masking the upper hull after sanding the hull in that area with 1200' and cleaning with alcohol.
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                        I then mixted up the paint from red, grey and white in order to achieve a decent look. No extreme effect needed as the boat had only a short service life. Then sprayed with the airbrush.

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                        i also added more highlights by dry-brushing the edges with gun metal enamel and different shades of the basic colour. Applied wash effects to the limber holes and a slight algae rim by mixing light blue and brown. I will take a look at the model at daylight tomorrow before finishing the job with a clear topcoat.
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                        Last edited by JHapprich; 02-28-2021, 02:29 AM.

                        Comment

                        • He Who Shall Not Be Named
                          Moderator
                          • Aug 2008
                          • 12255

                          #72
                          Not bad. Not bad at all, sir.

                          David
                          Who is John Galt?

                          Comment

                          • trout
                            Admiral
                            • Jul 2011
                            • 3545

                            #73
                            You fixed the bleeding from the white paint and tape and incorporated it into the weathering! Very good work!
                            If you can cut, drill, saw, hit things and swear a lot, you're well on the way to building a working model sub.

                            Comment

                            • JHapprich
                              Captain
                              • Oct 2017
                              • 715

                              #74
                              Thank you both! Yes, it worked well. Hard to find reference.Even the latest wreck footage does not show much marine growth so i think less is better.
                              Jörg
                              Last edited by JHapprich; 02-28-2021, 08:35 AM.

                              Comment

                              • JHapprich
                                Captain
                                • Oct 2017
                                • 715

                                #75
                                Good day, everyone! A lot has been going on with the MIKE since my last posting here and i am now concluding this build report with the last posts to come as the boat is finally beeing in her element under power. After finishing the paintjob i turned my attention towards thoroughly testing and outfitting the ZB-1 Dive Module. That procedure essentially consistet of full disassembly, tuning and reassembly of the provided cylinder in close contact with David Hughes to provide him with both customer point-of-view information as well as feedback on the design itself. As mentioned before, i am very meticolous when it comes to precision, symmetrie and quality of the work that has been done. Furthermore, i wanted to add some own ideas to the cylinder that deviated from David´s original design. Should anybody be interested in that "surgery" i performed, i am willing to share the information, otherwise i will go not much into detail here but rather deal with the Mike kit until its completion. Let´s just say both the ZEROBUBBLEMODELDESIGN ZB-1 and ZB-1/2 dive cylinders are rough and simple, yet very relible and versatile products that allow for easy assembly, modification and maintenance. I finished my ZB-1 two month ago and did NOT follow any post-run procedures at all. I did not experience any leak, nor did i see any indication for deterioration or wear in it. Opened it up yesterday and it was all dry and shiny, no smell of corrosion etc.. It works.

                                Back to the boat.

                                After painting, i installed the rudder and plane shafts using 2mm stainless steel rod and cutting out recesses for setscrews that run all through the planes, beeing covered with nitrofiller. Next i produced the horns from ball bearings but those were still too large. I then made the rudder horns from brass sheet and brass collars that were soldered together. I made several attemps due to the tight space confinements in the stern before i had a working design. Again used 2mm stainless for pushrods.

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                                Next i installed the magnetic couplers provided with the ZB-1. however i did not simply glue them onto the rods, but intalled an reduction tube with a setscrew. the ZB-1 itself was temporarily installed in order to determine the correct placement of the linkages.

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                                With those linkages installed i only had to install a bearing block for the propeller shaft to prevent slipping off the Raboesch coupler and securing it to prevent vibrations and bending on full revolutions. The stern tube is rather short with its forward end in front of the plane axes. So i made a block from brass profile, glued that in place and press-fittet an appropriate Oilite bushing and a wheel collar to keep the shaft in position.

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