Ray Mason Nautilus Build

[Davjacva]

The forward hatch needed the most work as the wheelhouse is going to be removeable, I didn't want the hatch coming off, so the hinge mount is mounted to the wheelhouse, and the hatch is mounted to the hull, but made so that the wheelhouse can be removed without removing the hatch. Have more cleanup and of course re-create the detail that was lost. Getting down to brass tacks with this project, I think there's 5 things left prior to painting.

[Davjacva]

Installed the lower hatch. Each hatch had to be handled very differently. I'm going to put the handwheels on when the hull work is completed.

[Davjacva]

Today's Flail-Ex is updating photos of the stowage/ travel box. What you see is what's done. Still have to gloss-coat the top and do some other painting that will be revealed later...AND measure and cut the foam for the top of the submarine. I used 5/8" plywood for the bottom as I figured it needed the strength, and it's not at all heavy, just tall for it's length.

[Davjacva]

Finished installing all the windows. Each one had to be sanded and hand-fitted. This resin that Ray used to lay up is about 1/4" thick and incredibly tough. I had machined a cutting bit for a drill to bore it out, but the resin was too damn hard for it. So took it up with Merriman and he said with that resin it was too hard and would just round the machined cutting ends down, so he did one out of the back end of a drill bit as something out of tool steel was required. I finished the last 10 of the smaller holes in a couple of hours, even after final fit-sanding in contrast with the first two that took a couple hours each.

[Davjacva]

Did some more wheelhouse work, as it's the circus where all the roads are meeting up forward, and the proper seating of it is causing a major traffic jam with everything else that involves the wheelhouse. Fault was that after the bondo and CA work on the interfacing surfaces...it just got worse, so much that you could see light half-way around. So I worked on other stuff, then spent a week digging and smoothing the lower surface on the superstructure, then went at it again and finally got it. I'm trying a 1157 yellow bulb from a car to do the lights, and I don't really like it, so I'm going back to the asylum and think about this all over again. Also completed all 5 of the windows and filled the gaps.

[Davjacva]

I haven't taken updated photos of this, and there's a lot more bracing in it, and it's all done except for the top foam. Did this at the wrong time, as after I got started it rained on most of my days off, so I started cutting foam. The Proxxon made it infinitely easier to do this. Wouldn't have needed it so much for a 'round hull' boat, but it really came in handy for this. Incidentally, if you've seen my posts in 'Crossdecking' where I'm making the Leopard turret out of foam...well that was 1996 and this is the rest of the sheet of foam that's been laying up in my attic.

[Davjacva]

This is from the combined 'Flail-Ex' over the last month. Completed the rudder work. Replaced the lower port brace for the screw guard out of brass in order to be able to pass a 1/16" brass control rod that attaches to the brass control fitting on the rudder itself. Cut some more brass and made a 'U-piece' to interface with the rudder. I have a brass wire in holding it now, but I'll peen a brass pin when it's all said and done. Got about 30-35 degs travel both ways (5 degs more to stbd for some reason).

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Look'n good!

David

[Davjacva]

Been making the travel/ storage box for the Nautilus. Weird, but it's taken over half my shop. 3 separate counters, a set of saw horses, another table for the Proxxon wire cutter. The Proxxon makes this job infinitely easier. The bottom is just about finished, and getting ready to move to the top. Weather's not been playing, so doing most of it inside, which really sucks with the urethane.

[Davjacva]

Using an incandescent 1157 yellow car bulb for the lighting. I absolutely hate seeing the white LED lights and I asked Ray what he had used for the lighting of his. Haven't lit it yet, but should be great. Not sure about the heat problem, but I'm only running 7.2v so shouldn't get too hot.

[Davjacva]

Rudder control work.

[Davjacva]

Installing rudder and finishing head valve work. Also got a Proxxon hot wire foam cutter in preps to make the carrying box for the sub. I'm getting paranoid with all the attachments on it each time I carry it around while traveling to Dave's and back. Part of this was that previously I've been pretty easy moving it around or if it got knocked over as this thing is made of some incredibly strong resin. Ray told me that it was a type they use on F-14's, and it's thick. Hope to get the wood cut this weekend.

[Davjacva]

This weekend: the both fish eyes were fitted and glued; the screw guard was installed along with creating a brass one for the rudder control to pass through; the SAS head valve was installed (finished next week). Rudder work next week.

[Davjacva]

So for the 'Flail-Ex' today, I havent posted in a bit, so this covers getting the wheelhouse mounted, and filling some voids...AND getting almost all the raker work done. I used 'Bog-Glue' the rubberized CA, and the next morning Ray Mason was describing how he had mounted his...with JB Weld which was my original plan until someone told me CA would be fine. I went to Lowes to get more JB Weld as surprisingly I keep running out due to making rivets and what-not. So I get back and try to pull the rakers off and only the top set come off. SO!!! I proceeded for the next 6 hours filling gaps with baking soda/CA, then following that with Bondo. Today, I'm taking a break. Back at it tomorrow for some touch-ups on the rakers and this weekend going to start on on the screw-guard stuff. Oh yeah, I got my 1/48 scale Nautilus from Bob and Jason last week and did a size comparison. This one is intended to have all the bells and whistles for a display piece.

[Davjacva]

Got this one from Bob yesterday right before a model meeting. Got to spend some time with it today. Looks awesome. This one's going to have a fully interior, bells, and whistles.