USS Tucson

Collapse
X
 
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
  • SSBN659
    Commander
    • Feb 2009
    • 405

    USS Tucson

    When we moved from California to a retirement community in Arizona I donated most of my models and tools thinking my model building was over. A year and a half later I decided to do one more while I still could. I thought an LA class boat would be somewhat easy to do. Our community is about 25 miles north of Tucson so that's the boat I'll model. I found a piece of 3" PVC conduit up in the construction area and that got me started. Then found an interesting article that gave me an idea for shaping the bow. Tried shaping 1/4" MDF sections on the drill press but wasn't happy with result. I had better results using high density pink foam. Much easier but still had to refine the shape. Once I finally get the bow and stern formed I'll cover them with fiberglass and epoxy resin.

    Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_6717.jpeg
Views:	1496
Size:	65.7 KB
ID:	162522Click image for larger version

Name:	Volume of a Nose Cone.png
Views:	1432
Size:	30.1 KB
ID:	162523Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_6898.jpeg
Views:	1429
Size:	59.4 KB
ID:	162525

    Will Rogers
    SSBN 659
    Attached Files
  • SSBN659
    Commander
    • Feb 2009
    • 405

    #2
    Progress on the stern using pink foam sections turned on my "drill press lathe", something I learned recently from the Master.

    Click image for larger version

Name:	Pink foam bow section.jpg
Views:	1354
Size:	80.2 KB
ID:	162576Click image for larger version

Name:	Stern Sections.jpg
Views:	1365
Size:	84.6 KB
ID:	162575Click image for larger version

Name:	Stern in horizontal lathe.jpg
Views:	1369
Size:	87.6 KB
ID:	162573Click image for larger version

Name:	Fine tuning stern.jpg
Views:	1396
Size:	86.8 KB
ID:	162572

    Will Rogers
    SSBN659
    Attached Files

    Comment

    • DrSchmidt
      Captain
      • Apr 2014
      • 919

      #3
      A classic approach to build a master....very good.

      Comment

      • jphatton
        Lieutenant
        • Jan 2021
        • 84

        #4
        Originally posted by SSBN659
        Progress on the stern using pink foam sections turned on my "drill press lathe", something I learned recently from the Master.

        Will Rogers
        SSBN659
        Thanks for posting photo's of the setup used to turn the rear hull master. To sand the foam do you put sandpaper on the edge of the template shown in photo 3, then slowly advance it until you arrive at the correct profile?

        Comment

        • SSBN659
          Commander
          • Feb 2009
          • 405

          #5
          Yes. First 1/2" wide 60 grit then later 100 grit sandpaper glued to the template with 3/4" plywood guides. I don't have a digital printer but this method works well for me.

          Click image for larger version

Name:	Stern Template.jpeg
Views:	1366
Size:	61.1 KB
ID:	162604

          Before doing any topside work I marked and drilled the positions for mounting holes.

          Click image for larger version

Name:	Mounting holes.jpg
Views:	1360
Size:	84.2 KB
ID:	162605

          Will Rogers
          SSBN659

          Comment

          • SSBN659
            Commander
            • Feb 2009
            • 405

            #6
            Fiberglass has arrived but still waiting resin so to keep the project moving forward I cut out templates for the sail, the rudders and the anhedrals for countermeasures. I ordered a new disk sander for shaping these. Then I started looking at rubber for molds and for casting resin. This project is going to take awhile.

            Click image for larger version

Name:	Appendage Masters.jpg
Views:	1324
Size:	85.4 KB
ID:	162669

            Will Rogers
            SSBN659

            Comment

            • SSBN659
              Commander
              • Feb 2009
              • 405

              #7
              New Micro Mark Benchtop Disk Sander arrived today so had to try it out, even though it was over 100 F in the garage. I found something similar to Renshape on Amazon and tried it. So far it seems to work well. The real test will be how well it scribes. Time will tell, but that is months away. The material was crazy glued to an old hotel plastic room key to keep my fingers clear.

              Meanwhile look back at my original attempt at the bow in the first post. I couldn't get the measurements within 2 mills at each point around the bow so I started over. This is the current bow in works. Plywood and pink foam glued to the bow will be glued into the hull to secure the bow to the hull, just as I secured the after end to the hull. Still needs some glazing putty.I hope it works.

              Fiberglass resin has arrived so now to glass the bow and stern. Standby.

              Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_7061.jpeg
Views:	1327
Size:	63.1 KB
ID:	162793Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_7045.jpeg
Views:	1317
Size:	63.8 KB
ID:	162794Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_7067.jpeg
Views:	1311
Size:	61.0 KB
ID:	162796

              Will Rogers
              SSBN659









              Attached Files

              Comment

              • SSBN659
                Commander
                • Feb 2009
                • 405

                #8
                My first attempt at shaping the sail using the pink foam like material did not work well. The problem was not so much the material as much as the method. It was good practice. For the second attempt I used plywood, glued an old plastic membership card to the bottom of the sail and hot glued a square to the side of the sail. Did the starboard side first then reversed sides and did the port side. Looking ahead I drilled holes for mounting antennas and masts. Long way to go before working those items.

                Click image for larger version

Name:	Sail Stbd Side.jpg
Views:	1300
Size:	85.2 KB
ID:	162890Click image for larger version

Name:	Sail Port Side.jpg
Views:	1274
Size:	88.5 KB
ID:	162891Click image for larger version

Name:	Sail Topside.jpg
Views:	1278
Size:	81.3 KB
ID:	162892

                Next step is shaping the rudders. I'll put off shaping the stern planes for awhile and start on epoxy resin and fiberglass for the bow and stern.

                Will Rogers
                SSBN 659

                Comment

                • JHapprich
                  Captain
                  • Oct 2017
                  • 713

                  #9
                  Will, is this going to be the actual sail or the plug for a silicon mold?

                  Comment

                  • SSBN659
                    Commander
                    • Feb 2009
                    • 405

                    #10
                    I'm glad you asked that question because it made me think. I could use this as the actual sail but scribing on wood is difficult. I could make a silicon mold and then scribe. But thinking about this made me look back at the sail I made for my Kilo years ago. There I used the lost foam method and that worked out well. So, to answer your question I'm leaning towards the lost foam method. You really got me thinking - thanks.

                    Will Rogers
                    SSBN 659
                    Click image for larger version

Name:	Kilo Foam Sail.jpg
Views:	1321
Size:	81.3 KB
ID:	162909Click image for larger version

Name:	Kilo Sail.jpg
Views:	1272
Size:	79.7 KB
ID:	162910Click image for larger version

Name:	Kilo Sail Painted.jpg
Views:	1283
Size:	86.2 KB
ID:	162911

                    Comment

                    • SSBN659
                      Commander
                      • Feb 2009
                      • 405

                      #11
                      Quick update. Temperatures in our garage running 100 degrees during the days so this morning early I finally fiberglassed the bow and the stern.

                      Click image for larger version

Name:	Fiberglassed Bow.jpg
Views:	1264
Size:	79.8 KB
ID:	162934Click image for larger version

Name:	Fiberglass Stern.jpg
Views:	1255
Size:	81.2 KB
ID:	162935

                      Will Rogers
                      SSBN 659

                      Comment

                      • SSBN659
                        Commander
                        • Feb 2009
                        • 405

                        #12
                        My first pass at fiberglassing didn't work well, probably because I didn't mix the components well enough. The resin didn't cure completely and was a sticky mess. I spent several days scraping, sanding, sweating in a hot garage until I got all the uncured resin off. Then I started on a second coat of fiberglass and resin. I made cloth templates for cutting the the bow and stern fiberglass pieces. There are still some rough spots to be sanding before I put on anther coat of grey primer. This his taking a lot longer than I thought but I have a lot of time.

                        Click image for larger version

Name:	Cloth Template.jpg
Views:	1262
Size:	75.1 KB
ID:	163125Click image for larger version

Name:	Bow Layer 2.jpg
Views:	1211
Size:	81.1 KB
ID:	163126Click image for larger version

Name:	Stern Layer 2.jpg
Views:	1236
Size:	79.7 KB
ID:	163127

                        Will Rogers
                        SSBN659

                        Comment

                        • He Who Shall Not Be Named
                          Moderator
                          • Aug 2008
                          • 12254

                          #13
                          Adventures in Model Building... ReeeEEEeeee!
                          Who is John Galt?

                          Comment

                          • Subculture
                            Admiral
                            • Feb 2009
                            • 2119

                            #14
                            I use very accurate digital scales when mixing epoxy.

                            If you need to cover a rough surface, best to smooth with polyester putty before priming.

                            Comment

                            • SSBN659
                              Commander
                              • Feb 2009
                              • 405

                              #15
                              The scraping and sanding continues and I think I have most of it done. At this point I would primer it first to spot the places needing the glazing putty, then primer again. Am I missing something Subculture?

                              Will Rogers
                              SSBN659

                              Comment

                              Working...