GATO! (It has begun)

[matthewnimmo]

Modern masters rust paint that you can get off amazon. Dont by he activator all you need is vinegar:)

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000I1RVR6/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?qid=1396271402&sr=8-3&pi=SY200_QL40

If you want more than just an orange rusting pile the stuff on thicker to areas you want more color

[trout]

Matthew,
Nice, I like the rust. Is this Metal Masters paints that gave you the rust? I think the Type XXIII would benefit from that technique.
T

[matthewnimmo]

More progress on the painting.

1) Got all my base coats on (lot of flat black, silver, and steal)


2) Now, i know this looks a little extreme; but hang with me as it does get better:) I used my rust paint (which i activated via vinegar). Started with the entire bottom of the sub. The bottom will have a lot of rust for sure. When it finishes drying, I will go over all of it with steel wool to reduce the rust foot print.


3) Added darken'd areas to the sub due to stress/oils/etc over time. plus adds more depth to some areas that have nature bends/raises to.


4) Reattached the top of the hull to the bottom (i've evened out the rust on the bottom "which I'll show later when all done"). Now, what you all see is the first stages of rusting on the top portions. Yes, it will look worse in the beginning until i'm done with it. Also, you may notice some runs on the sides ... that's because before i applied the rust i went ahead and applied a lacquer wash on each side ...allowing it to run down the model (this created nice channels for my rust to follow and pit in the small areas with some nice dark colors).


5) Some details of the guns


6) Model has been reduced down via steel wool from rust and first coat of flat clear coat applied. Next step will be to go over and add other weathering smaller details with other colors. I plan on using some ground up pastels that i'll lightly paint on to specific areas for some greens, browns, etc.


It's getting there!!

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

In submerged trim, half the sail sticking in the air. Dial the throttle end-points back to 30%-30%. And do your pre-mission, and mission checks carefully!

God speed.

M

[crazygary]

Look forward to a positive outcome from her sea trials!!

Hang tough, Matt!!

CG

[matthewnimmo]

Next time you run electrical wires to external items like the lights think, 'armature wire'.

Yes, the silver undercoat should push high detail out real nice. A tricky technique, but stunning if executed well. Looking good. Keep at it.

M

Ahhh...yes, I completely forgot about using that stuff. Oh well, these are hiding nicely behind the paint, rust, weathering, ugliness:)

[matthewnimmo]

When ya gonna get her wet???

CG

soon....oh very soon:)

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Next time you run electrical wires to external items like the lights think, 'armature wire'.

Yes, the silver undercoat should push high detail out real nice. A tricky technique, but stunning if executed well. Looking good. Keep at it.

M

[crazygary]

When ya gonna get her wet???

CG

[matthewnimmo]

So, as i promised you all...one MAJOR update.

Last time i updated my "Captain's log" i can't remember were i left off; but what i remember was my next steps that I did wanted to do while i was this involved with the model was to try my hand out with a lighting system...and that is exactly what i had done! I've reviewed some posts in the past on how this was done and i liked how some things were presented, but i hated the fact that many were using a separate switch and battery source. So, I wanted to come up with a system that will allow me to use another channel from my remote and the same power supply for the lighting system. Furthermore, i wanted to connect all of this via magnets (which i plan to oil up nicely before submerging).

First thing was first, I need to either by or make a switch. Since i really didn't like all my electronic switch options i opted for making my own switch from a servo. For all of you wondering how to do this, I will outline all the steps, and it truly does work out nicely.

Making your own switch from a servo

1) Get a servo and begin taking out the control board (please try to keep all wires attached)
2) Unsolder the connections to the motor (including the ground if there is one ... you may even clip the ground as it wont be needed)
3) Two, options for the little mechanism that calibrates the motor. You can leave it as is (just make sure you have it calibrated the way you want it...which is typically the default setting). Or, you may opt to cutting it off and replacing it with two 2.2 amp resisters in an "M" configuration were one end of both resisters are together while the other ends are separate giving you three points of connection on to the board. I opted to keep the mechanism for laziness.


4) Now, solder whatever connection you want to the free ends from were the motor use to attach to (in this case i solder them to two earth magnets so i may connect later on outside of the WTC).
5) Connect the receiver end to either your receiver or even to a servo setter (i'd recommend servo setting just in case you have something crossed at first) and use a volt meter to check and make sure you are getting a current.


6) Once you are satisfied, you may heat shrink your connections and now you have yourself a wonderful switch that will draw power from your batter attached to the receiver and that you can control from your remote



Now, continuing on with my progress

I ran an extension receiver connection from the aft chamber of my WTC to the bow chamber through the same pipeline that i ran the power through. It was so squished in the back that I didn't want to have the electronic switch live in the back among the other things. So I opted on having the switch in the front along with my battry. Below you will see that I've drilled out two holes on the front bulkhead of the WTC and used RTV to seal in my magnet connections.


Now, i moved on to my tower and rigged up the LED's were i wanted them. I didn't bother with concealing them like some of the others (I could have, but i'm lazy and the wires will be painted and will blend in enough with the placement i have chosen to be ok for my liking). I haven't glued them in place yet, but i have them all leading wires down through the same hole to reduce the amount of drilling and wire exposure as much as possible.


I made sure that the polarity was correct with EACH LED! That's important, otherwise your switch will turn on some LED's one direction and others will be lit from the opposite direction lol. Below, i have all my LED's with the correct polarity and you can see the test results via magnet connection.


Now, i only had two more LED's to setup. I wanted one on the far Bow on the top of the deck and the other on the far aft on the deck as well. All are connected (soldered together to more magnetcs underneath to the magnet structure that holds the conning tower onto the sub system. I've covered the magnets with RTV to protect those connections more. Below you will see all the lights lit up.


Last remaining styrene pieces glued to the model that I wanted and sub fully together right before more primer


All my LED's covered and the sub has been primered again to prep for the final coats


Started on my first base coat (My sub will be a USS NIMMO class lol...it will not be the stock paint choices) What i plan on doing is giving the lighter gray areas more of a metallic feel, but black dirt weathering to follow the weld lines. Then the bottom part of the hull will still be the nice flat black. I with then trace all the weld lines with more darkening. Then I will add real rust paint all throughout the model. I will apply more rust to the back and bottom of the sub and along some of the weld lines. That should fade some the metallic shine but still expose some shine. Then i'll use some chalk pastels for some more weathering and seal everything up with a flat clear coat.


The mechanical connections. They are all completed as well! I think i shared some of those pictures already. After painting is completed, I'll trim it out to my liking and see what other small things i need to do. While at the same time i'll be building the sub box for transportation and storage:)!!!

Enjoy everyone,

[matthewnimmo]

Lol the extra postings dont bother me. They are fun to read:)

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

First off, my apologies to Matt for letting his thread get so thoroughly high-jacked; and off-topic. Let this be the last comments here off-topic ...

... Nicole and Chuck are obvious cat lovers. But, no, no more understudies. Did it in the past, but I simply don't have the time (or room) to foster an apprentice. It all dies with me, guys! But, as a poor substitute, I write as much as I can about techniques and projects I feel will enhance the skill level of the bum's who hang out here and at other sites.

It's a burden, sometimes, being so damned good!

M

[greenman407]

Question is, how did she get along with the cat?

[herrmill]

AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!

I got a big warm & fuzzy one after reading that post, David. Once again, the offer is still open for Nicole to come be your unpaid understudy. She loved your shop not to mention meeting you & Ellie.

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

I was thinking of Chuck (herrmill) as I was composing that rant.

Recently he and his lady visited us while they were making the rounds while in the States. During a delightful dinner Ellie and I were able to get a better insight in the virtues and problems of being an ex-patriot over there in China. To my way of thinking, Chuck is an businessman of the first order: he has the guts to take informed risks; works hard; surrounds himself with smart, industrious people; and is a problem solver. So is Nicole. She's smart, observant, grounded, and knows the culture over there as no round-eye can. The perfect pair to make it big in China. Ellie and I were delighted to meet and talk things over with them.

Albion: I would promote running with scissors as a mandatory pre-school activity -- would thin the herd of future welfare recipients, idiots and no-accounts.

M