Building the little Kilo submarine

[MFR1964]

I still had a Kilo submarine inside the box for some years, but i cannabilised the SD for building the 212, beside some small parts everything has to be remade.



This is the tube i have, naked to the bone.



Made those disks from plexiglas, in total 6, 4 some bigger for the bulkheads and two smaller to create a ballasttank.



Test fitting the smaller disk inside the tube, creating the bulkheads will take some glueing and work on the lathe.


Manfred.

[Das Boot]

This is gonna be a good one.

[MFR1964]

Rebuilding a SD is going to be interesting, learned a lot from David how it has been done, the biggest task will be the bulkheads with the O rings,from that point it should be easier, have all the small bits in the spare department.

Manfred.

[redboat219]

Still going with a gas ( butane/propane) to blow ballast or low- pressure blower?

[MFR1964]

LPB it will be, no hassle with gas.

Manfred.

[Das Boot]

If anyone gets the idea of building one after Manfred gets done, I have one new in the box I’m wanting to get rid of. Check out the for sale section here.

[redboat219]

Made those disks from plexiglas, in total 6, 4 some bigger for the bulkheads and two smaller to create a ballasttank.



Test fitting the smaller disk inside the tube, creating the bulkheads will take some glueing and work on the lathe.


Manfred.

not having a 3D printer and limited access to a lathe I like the stacked disk method of bulkhead fabrication. You can order laser cut discs from sign maker. Making the o-ring groove by chucking the disc on a hand drill and use a needle file.

Here's an idea for you to peruse through.
One that requires minimal machining.

How about making a Sheerline style WTC that use axially sealed bulkheads that abut againsts the edge of the cylinder using outside retaining bolts. There's enough annular space inside the Kilo hull for 60mm endcaps. David's fittings kit come with SD supports . Instead of using them the oversized endcaps support the SD.

[MFR1964]

Glued together the disks which will be the bulkheads and did some work on the lathe



Glued both disks for both bulkheads and let them cure for 24 hrs, less curingtime will give problems with turning them down.



At first i turned them down to the diameter of the tube.



Second run, making them fit inside the tube still without the groove needed for the O ring.





It should fit like this, a little play between the bulkhead and the tube, want to avoid a tight fit, in the end the O ring will seal off the tube.



Fitting the bulkhead and the first part which will form the beginning of the ballasttank.



Both inner disks pre-pared for the conduit which will hold the power cables and the cables needed for the front servo.

Now i have to make the grooves for the O rings, and do some testing to get them just right for sealing off the tube, this will be done step after step, i've got me one attempt to get it right, otherwise i have to make me some new bulkheads.


Manfred.

[MFR1964]

Grooves for the O rings are done, digged in the spare part drawers and got me some usefull parts from the past,



Making this took some time, each time you have place the O ring and to fit the bulkheads on the tube, you're aiming at having that small black line, knowing the seal is good.



Both bulkheads fitted, and the bulkheads placed for making the ballasttank, usually i make a dryfitt time after time before i glue things down.



First step in glueing, the SD had those holes, for screwing down the inner bulkheads.



Those are items found in the spare parts draw, the lever for sealing the ballasttank and the collars to fasten things.



Decided to go the way David did, a simple micro-switch to start the LPB, this way things can be done with one channel instead of two.



Same story with the valve on top of the tank, freshly sealed with RTV, retrieved from the spare parts, i'm that kind of person which like to save things for the future, you can never have to much spare parts.



All components in place, yet another dryfitt, still have to place/glue the cable conduit, in a later stage all will be adjusted to function properly


For now i have to see what else hides in the spare department, need to source a small ESC, E-motor, receiver, LPB and some extra servo's


Manfred.

[redboat219]

How come you opted to glue the ballast tank bulkheads to the inside of the SD than use the retaining screws?

[MFR1964]

Romel,
Saving me the hassle of making more grooves for another set of O rings, due to the design of the SD you can reach everything without removing the ballasttank bulkheads.

Manfred.

[redboat219]

Fair enough. Do carry on.