Ray Mason Nautilus Build

[Davjacva]

Okay, first post on this forum...lets see what works, and what doesn't. I've started working on my Ray Mason Disney Nautilus after a long hiatus. Originally, it was given to me back in '06, and I got to work on it for a while. While I stopped working on it, I never put it away. My main model gig are RC tanks (see last photo), and I've got a ton of them. I just completed a grueling build that kept getting worse. Parts couldn't be delivered for 5 months, blah, blah, blah. Nautilus looked better and better to tackle. Back in '06, the first thing I tackled was replaced the cast flood grates, so I did this with my resistance solder rig and made short work of that. Fast forward to this year and Dave Merriman is giving me a big hand getting it RC'd and some other issues. Currently, I'm cleaning up where the hull had been cut and re-creating detail with auto-body filler, and CA/baking soda with JB Weld for the rivets. This has been a big hurdle, but it's moving forward nicely. I haven't got those photos downloaded on to this computer yet, but will do so this weekend and get some more posts out.
Jake

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

https://youtu.be/uyU52o0M50c

[RCSubGuy]

Perhaps a better option than the glue dots (been there, done that and got the t-shirt) are escutcheon pins. The come in varying shaft and head sizes and are nice, 1/4 domes, just like a rivet head. Just drill a pilot hole, drop them in and lock in place with a drip of thin CA....

[Davjacva]

Dave,
that's great, because Michael Myers, Jason, Jack the Ripper, and the rotting corpse of Jeffery Dahmer are looking for a party too :)

Bob,
Originally, I bought bags of brass ones. I'm still trying to get the size right to duplicate what Ray did. A while back, I'd seen where Scott Brodeen was mixing and applying them. I haven't got the JB Weld/ Acetone to look right or come out with a uniform print.

[Davjacva]

In his last life, Dave was a battlefield surgeon and they only gave him two tools, a hacksaw and a bucket of tar...

I'm playing catch up here of what's been conducted over the last few weeks while trying to keep it coherent. Here Dave's cutting the backend of the upper hull and later I'm glassing it in. For those that haven't been in Dave's shop, it seems narrow, but it's all very ergonomic and utilitarian. Very well thought out, and has to be from someone that's paying bills. For most of us it's just a hobby. I had to build one as my wife couldn't take vapors anymore, so I had a shed built and did my own. Still trying to get ideas of setting up and organizing. Anyway, enjoy.

[Davjacva]

Dave had made a front hold-down on the bow of the hull. I really needed this in order to recreate the detail and fill in the massive gaps that were created when cutting the top from the bottom hulls. The orginal brass piece for the ram arm was sleeved, and it kept coming apart, so I later machined a new one out of a solid piece of brass, with a nice taper.

[Davjacva]

Here Dave's scratching out a WTC/ Sub-driver. I've seen him do it over the last 20 years a zillion times, and caught a lot of the mods as they came out, but it's still incredible to see such an involved electro-mechanical device that is so involve and all in a tight package. This is really what separates the RC sub hobby from the others, is not just simply having a hull that dives beneath the surface and usually have one more surface, but to encompass a far larger realm of technology depending on who's putting it together. Add bottom sounders, missile, or torpedo systems all in a tight package and it really separates the degrees of insanity. Enough for today.

[Davjacva]

Forgot, the last photo above, there were some raker teeth missing and I asked Dave if he could make me some. I waved a wand, and there they are, made out of Alumalite.

[Davjacva]

Latest work: planes, rivet replication, recreating detail lost through sanding.

[Davjacva]

Making a mess.

[Davjacva]

Yes!!! More bodywork!! Here is seam filling, correcting seams, filling holes, and finally finished the bow hull cut detail. Filled, created new rivets with JB Weld, textured with Nitrostan, primered, then had to go back and clean the area up. Now ready for primer. Luckily, it's getting down to final detailing, so I should just be having a rivet making/ texturing party next week. Getting ready for some pieces/ parts installation.

[Davjacva]

This is what the bow looked like before.

[Davjacva]

Out with the old and in with the new. My 20-year old kit of automotive primer (Dupont 131s) finally gave me the family friendly middle finger and went to ghost...so I got to spend money on a new kit. Great stuff. I used it the next day.

[Davjacva]

I'm playing catch-up as I didn't have access for the last while or so, anyway, this is the continuation of recreating hull detail and then primering over it all with the express purpose of revealing flaws for...more body work!!! Luckily there wasn't much, just some minor casting bubbles. I also corrected a lot of mismatched seams like on the bottom of the hull and along the salon window area noticeably, crap-ton of other seams you'll never notice. Enjoy.

[Davjacva]

Somehow these didn't load for the last post.