3D printed 1/48 Thresher

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Assuming the anti-foul red is there to retard the marine growth I am less clear on how long it might take to foul. My guess is that it would not be nearly as bad as the upper part of the hull?

Yes, not to the degree of the unprotected paint, but some. Don't leave the red pristine.

Excellent job so far. See. Not as hard a technique to get your teeth into as you imagined. Right?

David

[JHapprich]

A very impressive model! Well done!

[SubDude]

I just took off the masking and I think it has turned out pretty darn good...I am planning to paint some more of the tan onto the red and I have some touching up to do as well as adding the white edge to the waterline but I am liking it so far. I did mist on some black to subdue it and then hit it with a very light dusting of the light tan which made a huge difference. This is the appearance that I wanted to try to achieve in my head.

[CC Clarke]

It's all about location, location, location. --And available diving services. In Guam, our boat sat in nasty, warm water but the marine growth was manageable. In Pearl, it only took a couple of months and these foot-long, green, hairy-looking things would start growing at the waterline, followed by all kinds of green and gray marine growth below that. Periodically, civilian divers with large, rotating brushes would clean the hull over a several day period. The clean-up was good for about three or four knots.

In Mare Island, tied up in the muddy, brackish Napa river, we had minimal marine growth and the hull was cleaned in drydock at longer intervals - usually before a mission. Visibility for divers in the Napa river was by braille only.

At Bangor, WA. where the water is very cold, clean, and clear, the marine growth build-up wasn't too bad. Every Trident had its hull hydro-blasted, followed by media-blasting and painting during a scheduled refit drydocking every eighteen months. Organotin was a highly toxic paint used for hydrophone fairings to minimize critter build-up. The traditional red lead lower hull paint was done away with in the late-eighties, when an all-black paint scheme was employed to meet a federal compliance act. Trident hulls below the waterline in drydock were usually a light greenish-white color when dry, and a dark grey in the water.

Here's the text of the law that began the Fed's big push back against organotin: Digest of Federal Resource Laws of Interest to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Organotin Antifouling Paint Control


This Act, Organotin Antifouling Paint Control (33 U.S.C. 2401), as amended -- Public Law 100-333, approved June 16, 1988 (102 Stat. 605) prohibits the use of antifouling paints containing organotin (TBT) on vessels that are 25 meters or less in length, unless the vessel hull is aluminum.

The Environmental Protection Agency is required to certify that each antifouling paint containing organotin does not release more than 4.0 micrograms per square centimeter per day. Additionally, EPA was to issue final water quality criteria for organotin compounds by September 1, 1988.

Five years after enactment of this law, the agency is to report to Congress concerning the effectiveness of this law, compliance with water quality criteria, and recommendations for additional protective measures.

Over a 10-year period and in cooperation with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, EPA is to monitor organotin concentrations in aquatic organisms and water column sediments of representative U.S. estuaries.

The Navy is required to periodically test waters serving as the home port for any Navy vessel(s) to determine the level of organotin contamination.

The Navy and EPA are directed to cooperatively conduct research on chemical and non-chemical alternatives to organotin antifouling paints, and to provide their findings to Congress 4 years after enactment of this law.

The Act allowed the sale of existing stocks of organotin paint up to 6 months after enactment, and the use of existing stocks for up to 1 year. The Act also establishes civil penalties for violation of this law.

Public Law 104-106, approved February 10, 1996, (110 Stat. 445) provides that the Secretary of the Navy, in consultation with the Administrator of the EPA, develop and implement a program to monitor the concentrations of organotin in the water column, sediments, and aquatic organisms of representative estuaries and near-coastal waters in the United States.

[SubDude]

Now mist on some black and you're there. Why didn't you hit the anti-foul red?

David

Assuming the anti-foul red is there to retard the marine growth I am less clear on how long it might take to foul. My guess is that it would not be nearly as bad as the upper part of the hull?

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Now mist on some black and you're there. Why didn't you hit the anti-foul red?

David

[SubDude]

Ok, after some thought and a little research it sounds like bio-fouling can happen relatively quick all things considered. I know that THRESHER spent about 9 months in a post shakedown availability prior to her fateful voyage. That being said we don't know how long it was in the drydocks and how long it was dockside prior to sailing. This is 5 layers of three different colors of tan paint. I can certainly add more but wanted to get an opinion on it at this point. I still need to address the waterline scum but wondering if this somewhat simulates say perhaps several months of being dockside?

[Das Boot]

Wasn't that an AKULA, Casey? The weathering on that thing took me back to school. It was believable!

David

Well hell. I got the Rooskie boats mixed up.

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Bob had a Russian Kilo at the fling last month that was awesome as far as green grunge. It looked just like the boats they ran and thick too.

Wasn't that an AKULA, Casey? The weathering on that thing took me back to school. It was believable!

David

[Das Boot]

Bob had a Russian Kilo at the fling last month that was awesome as far as green grunge. It looked just like the boats they ran and thick too.

[SubDude]

I'm gonna try one more thing.

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

The toothpaste and water you mentioned on your weathering and markings thread. Using a piece of sponge.

Excellent!

[SubDude]

The toothpaste and water you mentioned on your weathering and markings thread. Using a piece of sponge.

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Now you're cooking with gas. What kind of masking agent are you using, and how are you applying it?

David

[SubDude]

Something more like this?





Natural light...