Revell Type VII Build advice

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

NO MORE TALK about torpedoes or PE stuff. This is your first r/c submarine. Keep it simple! No detail stuff, no poofy torpedoes, no do-dads!

Crawl. Walk. Then .... run.

You're at the Crawl level pal. The eye-candy stuff can wait.

David

[trout]

Heed the words of HWSNBN - you REALLY do not want to experience his wrath. In the words of a tv robot "danger, Will Robinson, danger"
I wear two sizes smaller shorts because of the buttocks chewing for not listening LOL seriously if you have browsed the web about subs, there are plenty of starters,but few finishers. The advice David is giving you is sound, but also from experience. I can share that there are enough hurdles to get over just to get a working sub that if you throw too much in, you will get frustrated and begin to find other things more fun. I do not know you, but look at the postimgs and you will see a pattern.

[Avera]

Hi Everyone,

From the depth of Poseidon and Davy Jone's locker I concede and recognize the sound advice. It is greatly appreciated (saves money and time too).

Andrew

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

LOL. You take it in the spirit offered, Andrew.

I like you already!

Trout's observations are right on the money. The world is full of uncompleted r/c submarines. And the reason is over-enthusiasm by the beginner; guys who got caught up in this circle of detail, complexity, and capability. They strive passionately to cram into and onto the submarine model so much crap that all too quickly the project overwhelms them and they eventually throw their hands up in defeat.

Your only goal for the moment is this: Assembly the hull, sail and appendages; outfit your SD and get it working; integrate the SD within the model submarine; get it all working as a system; then trim the boat to work in the surfaced and submerged condition.

Let's say, three months from now, you have a working 1/72 Type-7: you can take it to the local lake or pool and operate it with confidence and have become an old-hand at maintaining, adjusting, and repairing it as required. Only THEN should you consider slapping on that PE stuff, giving the model a fine paint-job, and weathering it to look like a museum piece.

Crawl. Walk. Run.

One step at a time, Andrew.

My job is to tell you what you NEED to hear. Not what I think you WANT to hear.

David

[ADDINGTON]

Andrew,
Please know that all of your efforts and patience will be rewarded with a boat that will forever remain one of your favorites, no matter how many other r/c subs you build. The most exacting price all Revell VII captains pay for this pleasure is opening those flood and drain holes. Get a soft old towel spread out on your worktable, and desklamp or other bright bulb.
Use a dremel tool to carefully thin out the backside styrene regions on the inside of the hull. Hold the hull up to the light and observe from the outside to determine progress. Be Especially Careful in the aft skeg region as the plastic is thinnest and will quickly deform from dremel heat. Once thinned, you can attack the holes from the outside with small drills, knives, etc.
I strongly suggest investing in a set of micro needle files!

-Kerry

[MFR1964]

HMM, i did cram a lot into my type VII, added more detail that i can bear, went into overload adding a complete display with the crew and other stuff.
It only took some time, started in 1988 and completed her a few years ago, still adding some things that i pick up from the web.
I know, she is a lot bigger, but building on a smaller scale can take some time too, if you take a look at my 212 build you will see that the principle stays the same, regardless the type of boat you are building.
Like the guys say, one step at the time, don't you ever loose the goal of driving your boat out of sight, my 212 will only get it's paint when she is totally completed with all the do's da's onboard.
As for your choice of the type VII, you got to like and hate her at the same time, complicated boat but when finished all is forgotten, let us enjoy your build and make plenty of pictures to show off.


Greetings Manfred.

[Reckless]

I am finally nearing the end of my Type VII build ... and I didn't have to build the hull! ... there is alot of frustrating portions but taking the time to tweak it all out on setup is worth it over fighting with it 'finished' cause you rushed

I've been yelled at by Dave (won't be the last) ... but I must say theres NOTHING like the feeling of setting the sub in the tub for trimming, and even sitting all un trimmed and wonky .. she sinks below the water... and then comes back up on command... it just gets prettier as the boat gets properly trimmed

[Avera]

Ordered more tools to make the holes and pleasantly noticed that the props are both left and right hand. I am surprised that only one speed controller is used as it would be advantageous to run each motor independently in order to make tighter turns especially in close quarters.

ON a second issue, the area to shave down for the stern plane control is smaller on my model than what is display in the Cabal Report #1(see attached photo). Is this okay and to make the two halves fit the amount of plastic left over in the area is going to be fairly thin.

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Increase the area you're going to grind away aft; make that after cheat-line parallel with the after edge of the skeg.

Yup -- paper thin! Use a back-light to gage your work as you grind away.

David

[Avera]

If I remove more material aft, won't the screw head either bump up against the wall or move below into the skeg causing the magnetic coupler to disengage?

[Avera]

Also is it better to use 120 or 240 grit on the Dremel?

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Thin down the plastic shank of the Kli-Con and it will get down in there to follow the head of the stern plane bell-crank. Use #240 is quick little jabs using light pressure, keep a damp rag nearby and use it to keep the plastic near room temperature.

Get to it!

David

[Reckless]

Ordered more tools to make the holes and pleasantly noticed that the props are both left and right hand. I am surprised that only one speed controller is used as it would be advantageous to run each motor independently in order to make tighter turns especially in close quarters.

.

first.. theres barely enough room in the SD for 1 ESC ... second the props are so close together and the boat reportedly turns so well already that the difference would be minimal

[ADDINGTON]

RE: aft skeg,
Depending on how much material you remove and where, I suppose needs can differ from one build to another, but I will share that I once slimmed down the Kli-Con connector as David described, but I found that it wanted to get stuck if it went down too far into the cavity, and the opening was as wide as I dared already. This may not be the case for you, but in mine the original connector width worked better, as it rides over the top of the skeg opening and never binds. Even tho at full aftward throw the magnet may ride up a bit to the top of the bellcrank screw, there is plenty of throw angle for the stern planes. It may not look like they are moving much, but you will be amazed how effective they are in the water the first time you dial in a little down angle.
-Kerry

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

25-degree up, and 25-degree down from zero is plenty on this set of stern planes.

David