USS Plunger 595

[Slats]

Awesome Bruce

Don't get me started on the engineering award!!!

Cheers

J

[greenman407]

John, I have an old SC Report magazine, Issue 57, June 2004, where you did an article on the "Ships and Things" Permit, frequently asked questions. It also referenced another one in Marh of 2003. Point being, its quite obvious, you love these Permits.
In the 2004 issue , its there described about the hose pinch method of pump ballast system. How did it work? Well? How do the Sub-Drivers, SAS or otherwise differ in outright performance and reliability? Just wondering?

[greenman407]

Somebody did a USS Jack several years ago, on the forum but I dont think that it was powered. The later versions with the taller sail and the Jack with the two props would, for me, make the most interesting build.Especially if it was Big....like.....Big.

[greenman407]

This is not the one I was looking for but itll do.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jn9rNxMw3mo

[Slats]

John, I have an old SC Report magazine, Issue 57, June 2004, where you did an article on the "Ships and Things" Permit, frequently asked questions. It also referenced another one in Marh of 2003. Point being, its quite obvious, you love these Permits.
In the 2004 issue , its there described about the hose pinch method of pump ballast system. How did it work? Well? How do the Sub-Drivers, SAS or otherwise differ in outright performance and reliability? Just wondering?

Hi Mark
the hose pinch - described first in Norbet Bruggen's book, works well - but I found it needed a grunty ball raced servo. The system I found to be hardly maintenance free so despite its ability to hover the boat at neutral buoyancy, I dropped it. Its a high current, voltage dependent dive system. Think separate BEC for the pinch servo too.

SDs far better - reliability - leak free - lower cost of outlay and efficient operation.

J

[Slats]

This is not the one I was looking for but itll do.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jn9rNxMw3mo

Joel's boat in that you tube.
His Jack is awesome.
IMHO:-
Joel is number 1 for GRP kits
David is number 1 for the innards of of what makes a sub function
Combine those two talents and you have an awesome package.

J

[Slats]

The build starts with a wash down of the hull to rid it of PVA and other afterbirth material left from the mould. The ultimate weapon I use is a little detergent laced water with wet and dry sand paper. Note the trust ironing board portable work station.





To keep the hull true during transport and storage, Joel hot glued (temporarily installed), the WTC saddles and hull formers in place...Joel thinks of everything!


Next job is to drill and sand out the flood holes - you'll need to add more than what this class of boat had. Its handy to have the boat drain quickly when you pull it from the water. Key is try and make it pretty.


Z cut needed some adjusting. Joel in a rare moment of showing he's human - had a misalignment of the lower sonar dome demarcation. Line went askew to one side




Some co-ordinate geometry and I worked out where I needed to make the lower bow cut to fix the issue

[vital.spark]

Great Paint stand!

John,

I want to thank you for showing us all the best use of an old ironing board!! How did I ever paint 4 subs without one!!

Kind regards,

Myron

[Slats]

Lower bow cut off and roughed up. This is tacked in place to the upper hull half's bow with CA glue and then I applied to layers of fibreglass tape with resin.
The same technique is applied to the stern cone.







Indexing lips for the hull sides are supplied which contour to each hull half. These are roughed up as is the inside of the hull and expoxied in place along with the bow indexing lip, and stern cone lip.



Titan bond epoxy type glue is applied to the stainless steel nuts that affix to the hull (bow and stern) that take the screws that hold the upper and lower hull half together. The nuts are roughed up with a hacksaw and installed with the screw penetrating the hull. The screw is coated with silicon grease. The idea is you want the epoxy to bond and encapsulate the nut and allow free movement of the screw. Note you only do this AFTER - you are happy that the upper and lower hull halves meet true and have no gaps or deviations.





Next
its a joy to have a son!
Born on Merriman's day, now 5, and in the thick of things in the shop. Lesson 1 maths, and cleaning.

Here is James hard at it - goal is a boat stand

[Slats]

Some more Stadnick perfection: - re the indexing lips that I installed -
Note the engraved torpedo positions on the longitudinal lips - these make positioning of the lips EASY - thanks Joel



Like I said he thinks of everything!

[Slats]

One of the biggest concerns I have with this class boat is the application of SAS and in particular, the SAS snorkel head valve.

This boat's sail is 50% that of a Skipjack. The real estate in her sail is cramped and the size of the foam float to successful shut the head valve will be interesting to get a proper seal. As I await for my 3.5" SD for this boat I have been testing options for the positioning of the head valve and the route for the foam.
Its not looking good. I'll certainly try the SAS - it is a great system - but I think its prudent to purchase a small gas back up brass bottle just in case. The problem I see with the positioning of the valve and the foam to activate it, is that it might have to be lower down in the sail just at decks awash and in doing so I might being having to rely on the air in the SD a lot earlier than intended. The SAS system, using the internal SD air is not designed to surface the boat completely, just get the boat broached so the snorkel head can take over. David also has a 593 class boat to do in 1/72 so no doubt we'll swap notes.

David if you're reading this - flicked you an email today that bounced back from you and Mike - not sure if you have any small gas backup bottles in stock, but if so I'd like to buy three (preferably if you have them that are the vertical kind). Please put these in with my order.

Here you see the sail and the limited space, note how high up the sail planes are:

[Subculture]

Servo operated snorkel perhaps?

[Slats]

Servo operated snorkel perhaps?

indeed Andy- I've been think of a servo activated snorkel line valve. It need not be a snorkel head valve - anywhere in the snorkel line above the distribution point to the secondary valve that goes to the SD air and the air pump would work. You could even just run the snorkel line through a point where servo activation pinched /squished it shut. The valve is not That said as David pointed out in the development I think its prone for operator failure, hence why he went for a vent valve that works automatically on the the water level.

J

[Slats]

John,

I want to thank you for showing us all the best use of an old ironing board!! How did I ever paint 4 subs without one!!

Kind regards,

Myron

Glad you found good use it in Myron
J

[trout]

John,
James looks like a great helper! Your hull looks real nice and well made. The demarcation line are you going to fill and re-mark the line?
Peace,
tom