Moebius (Revell) Skipjack Build

[secrtwpn]

I like it. I'm gonna drag out my Skipjack and start it again.....

[trout]

Excellent, we will run them together, we will have Will’s Skipjack too!

[trout]

When David gifted this hull to me, he drew in some bits and pieces. There were some custom hatches he had on round disks.


The openings for these were not obvious and took a little research (I was not sure why these were included, but assumed David was not crazy).
In the released kit the hatch is a solid plate. On David there is this triangle opening. A little research and I confirmed it was as he modeled it.


When I put the hatch under that location, very little is seen around the hatch. I removed excess material hoping that doing so may help in air escaping.
Began by cutting notches into the disk.


Then cut in-between the notches.


Next it was time to do a little dry brushing to make parts pop. Dry brushing is a technique where you dab a little paint on a brush then remove what seems like all the paint off the brush onto a paper towel. You can vary how much paint to remove, but the more you do, the more subtle the effect will be. Next take your brush and swish it (could not think of a better word) back and forth over the part (hatch in this case). The more you do it the more pronounced the paint deposited is.
(note the 3 holes - that is heavy application - I test there before doing the hatch. I used black gray, gray, silver, white - I will do a light rust mask at the end of the assembly.


To secure the hatches on, I made pins from extruded sprue material and bonded the pins to the hull.

Added the hatches
and touched the three corners with CA.
Here is the hatch assembled.

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In the bits and pieces were two sacrificial zinc parts. The kit uses 4 so I went ahead and cast two up since I was making some molds for the navigation lights.

Legos are great for small molds.

The holes that the pieces go into needed to be drilled out. Layers of paint had narrowed the opening.


Here would have been a step by step photo of painting up the zincs, but somehow I misplaced this section.
Here is what I did, I began with base coat of black. I washed a coat of the hull red. Then painted each zinc silver.
Then using a wetter dry brush applied a light gray streaking the paint in each square (vertically if the zinc was installed).
Followed that with some white dabs and some very dry brush for the edges. Then lightly applied silver in small splotches.
The final finish was a black wash.

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The prop uses 3/16" shaft, I had a length from McMaster-Carr that I used for the Walrus. I placed the prop on to see how far it went on and marked that location.


Then marked where the set screw would sit and notched out the shaft.


3D printed a bulkhead that will hold the bearing and shaft. I did this because I did not want a super long dog bone shaft. There are two indentations that are to catch the pushrod if it disconnects from the WTC. The hope is the next time the magnet passes by it will reconnect.


Waiting for parts before I can move forward. In the meantime, there are some touch ups that need to be done. The prop had some paint chip off and there are small areas on the sail that the paint chipped off near the top

[rwtdiver]

Hi Tom,

Really like what you are doing to your Skipjack! The linkage in the stern for dive plains and rudder look great, and very professional! I have been so involved with all the 3D printed Subs, That I put my Skipjack to the side until I watched a few more being built before I attempted to even start on mine!



I even went so far as to purchase the 3.5" SD (before I even knew what a SD was) from Bob Martin along with everything else needed for the build!



I have looked at your complete blog, and it is going to be a great help when I get started on mine. I really jumped to quick and did not take the time to learn a lot more about Sub building! I like lot of people just getting started put the cart before the horse thinking this stuff is easy! HA! Lesson learned! So it sits, but I will get started on it soon!

Your build is looking great! Keep the photos and info coming!

Rob

"Firemen can stand the heat"

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Rob,
My first sub, I did not complete, was over my head (1980), but when I restarted, I also did not do a easy beginner's sub either. However, this time I had a different mindset. I guess what I am saying is subs did not get easier with time, just my determination to complete made the difference. When you are ready, we are here to help you!

[rwtdiver]

Tom,

Thank you very much for offering up your expertise and help! I am looking forward to starting my build on the Skipjack!

Thanks,
Rob

Tom! A question for you? Do you use an airbrush in doing some of your finish work? If so what type of equipment do you use? Thank you!

"Firemen can stand the heat"

[trout]

For the longest time, I used a Paasch airbrush (I also own a Aztec airbrush). I have used my Pashtun for four decades. When I built most of my subs, it was at a house where most of my stuff was packed. I used rattle cans and hand painted weathering. Now I am back to using whatever I want or I should say all means are available to me.
peace,
tom

[rwtdiver]

Tom,

Thank you for your input on the Paasch airbrush, that seems to be the one everyone is using! OK! One more question? Are you using a small hobby type compressor and if so, with or without the tank? For the amount of airbrushing I would be doing, I am not sure a tank type compressor would be necessary!? Thanks Tom, sorry for jumping your build blog and being such a pest a on this!

Rob

"Firemen can stand the heat"

[trout]

That question can open up a whole can of worms. Out in the garage, I have a CO2 tank and a 20 gallon compressor (cheap and loud). In the hobby room, I use a Badger 180-11 diaphragm compressor (3+ decades ago) it is quiet and for most detail and painting it works great.

The CO2 was recommended when I did competition and garage kits in the 80's and 90's. It is quiet and the thought was your paint does not dry as quickly (I do not know about this - personally). I always worried about CO2 replacing oxygen and passing out (hence why it is in the garage). Needless to say, I do not use it that much anymore. The big compressor I use for pushing a lot of paint or bigger jobs. That being said most of its use is for pressure pot or dusting off a piece.

[Scott T]

Tom I prefer to drink my carbon dioxide.

[trout]

LOL - I understand Scott!

[trout]

For the past, year or so, I have been working on a piston WTC. A lot of 3d printing and ideas went into this. Some ideas I really liked, others just plain sucked. Name a portion of this WTC and I can tell you the horrors and successes. Anyways, I am thrilled to be past this portion. Now on to installing it to test performance. Here it is placed in the Skipjack

Now on to connecting the motor shaft to the propellor shaft.

[trout]

Not everything needs to be 3d. In fact, I needed to make a saddle for the WTC because I shifted the cylinder forward to move the ballast tank to central to slightly forward's of mid point on sub.
Looking at the plans of the skipjack the sections are mostly round.I figured where I wanted the next saddle to be placed and measured the distance across the lower hull at that point (diameter of the circle). I had a sheet of PVC and scribed the diameter of the hull. Then I know the diameter of my cylinder, but where do I put it on the PVC? I used a level and made sure the hull was level and then made the cylinder level. The cylinder lined up with the prop shaft. Happy how it sat, measured the distance from the hull to the bottom of the WTC. (Smidge over 7mm) that is the distance my WTC needed to be lifted from the hull.


Then used a deep throat coping saw or jeweler's saw to cut it out.


So here is how the WTC sits


On my first trim session, I ended up with two pieces of lead in and two foam blocks. Unfortunately this test tank is too shallow, so I will need to redo this in the bathtub.