Akula 1/144 Scratch built

[bwi 971]

Fresh & crisp WIP

After making the molds I did some casting this evening...both are done...need to clean up sprue and risers tomorrow

Used some 4min curing resin now.....de-molding after 45min.

Grtz,
Bart

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

You had to squeeze those thumbscrews earlier David.....that is good stuff....I will never return to other materials, I'm sold.
Thanks for pointing me in the right direction as always.

I wouldn’t be on this level without your help sir, I learned so much, you can’t imagine.

Grtz,
Bart

Ben Guenther -- one of the best model builders I know -- put me onto this stuff. He's retired now, but was one of the lead model-builders at the Langley facility. Here is a sample of just some of his prize-wining stuff: http://www.missing-lynx.com/gallery/...ri144bg_1.html

Do a net search for more of this guys work. Humbling!

Hey, others taught me, just passing it on to other sets of good hands. Keep slashing away, friend.

David

[bwi 971]

You even worked in the fillet at the root out of the RenShape look-alike. Damned fine layout, breakdown, and fabrication on display here, Bart!

That stuff is well worth the money. Sugar-Pine used to be the medium of choice here. No more!

David

You had to squeeze those thumbscrews earlier David.....that is good stuff....I will never return to other materials, I'm sold.
Thanks for pointing me in the right direction as always.

I wouldn’t be on this level without your help sir, I learned so much, you can’t imagine.

Grtz,
Bart

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

THAT MOLDING BOERD STUFF IS INCREDIBLE

I fabricated my previous plane out beech wood. Drilling a hole over the entire length and keeping center was crap, the hole was 1mm off.

For the new one I used modeling board, SikaBlock 600, a Renshape 450 lookalike.
Darn It’s like coming home after 6 months at sea.

Rudder is made out of 5 pc, for easy drilling and fabricating, CA glued together.
The clearance overall is 0.5mm.

I had to repair the big plane piece with putty, the bench disc sander tried to eat it.

Grtz,
Bart

You even worked in the fillet at the root out of the RenShape look-alike. Damned fine layout, breakdown, and fabrication on display here, Bart!

That stuff is well worth the money. Sugar-Pine used to be the medium of choice here. No more!



David

[bwi 971]

THAT MOLDING BOERD STUFF IS INCREDIBLE

I fabricated my previous plane out beech wood. Drilling a hole over the entire length and keeping center was crap, the hole was 1mm off.

For the new one I used modeling board, SikaBlock 600, a Renshape 450 lookalike.
Darn It’s like coming home after 6 months at sea.

Rudder is made out of 5 pc, for easy drilling and fabricating, CA glued together.
The clearance overall is 0.5mm.

I had to repair the big plane piece with putty, the bench disc sander tried to eat it.

Grtz,
Bart

[bwi 971]

Materials and tools are coming in......that modeling board stuff is interesting....darn hard but machining this stuff is like cutting butter.....I'm sold.

Next to the board a Dozuki saw......also interesting as the blade is only 0.3mm thick (that less than 1/64").......if I have to cut off her butt this will do the job.

Friday is the pickup day for the bandsaw.

And no this isn’t coming for free…..did all the ironing the last couple of weeks to soften up “she who must be obeyed”…who says modeling isn’t hard work?

Grtz,
Bart

[HardRock]

Planes were cut.... remains grinded off.....all touched up with putty....I used the drawing jig to support the boat during the process.

Now waiting for the modeling board to drop in.

grtz,
Bart

Look at that damn jig - its wonderful. Not only does it rotate about a fixed centre; it has an ajustable height and a clamp to fix it in any radian of rotation. It's brilliant (and I'm going to steal it). BUT of more importance I have noticed that -

the Naaldvijlen are placed right next to the Busters, which is where we would all place them if only we were organised! Curse you Bart, you engineer, you.

[trout]

or trouble resolvers?

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Good sound model-building going on here, Bart. You bit the bullet and did the right thing with the stern problem.

A plan, a proper alignment jig, some determination and it'll go back together better than new. I love watching trouble-makers like you work.

David

[bwi 971]

Planes were cut.... remains grinded off.....all touched up with putty....I used the drawing jig to support the boat during the process.

Now waiting for the modeling board to drop in.

grtz,
Bart

[bwi 971]

Something has to go Scott......I knew this when I clued them in place......didn't expected this but hell......I will start with the diveplanes and see what remains probably not much...I will see.....I will make everthing out of expanded polyurethane board......spent most of the day looking for an Renshape alternative......ordered SikaBlock PUR M600 blocks....also ordered a Dozuki- Japanese Backsaw to make the cut......all will drop in next week.

It will be a good warmup for the VICTOR III.

Grtz,
Bart

[HardRock]

Hold on there Big Fella. Take a step back and use that thing on your shoulders. There will be a simpler way than cutting off the stern of your boat. Think about it for a while first - you're giving me heart burn.

[bwi 971]

Hi Gents, I'm back.

The appetite to build was gone....after a nice holiday in Scotland I'm back on the job.

Fabricated collars and a coupling for the bow plane mechanism

I was installing the rudders, plane and yokes and it became quickly clear that too much accuracy is not always good……the clearance of rudders and planes after painting was to little…. they didn’t move freely…………. had to sand all of them.

Today I was installing the yokes.....that was fun couldn't get the dive planes work properly.....I ****ed op very good.
I knew I had a problem with the stern bud I didn't expected this. I even redesigned the yoke but that failed too.

I was aware of the alinement problem of the diveplane rods but I thought could get away with it but now it seems I screwed up massively.

I can make them work with brute force but eventually that will lead to a mechanical breakdown, so for me that is no option.

What I’m planning now is to cut off the stern completely and make a new one rudders and planes included, everything else will be half assed solutions. Jeez what was I thinking.

Grtz,
Bart
(head hanging in shame)

Collars an coupling bow planes




rudders and planes sanded (Obsolete now)

[bwi 971]

Just to make sure I stay in the top 10 of the hate list.

Work on the SOKS and the Escape and a small valve wheel that goes in the top of the sail.
I made a de-aerating hole in the sail iwo the escape.
I did not like the look of it so I made the hand wheel of the escape too, the hole isn't so pronounced that way and still it matches the original.
NO I will not tell you how long it took me to make it.
Valve wheel with spokes is made from 0.2 mm brass wire and is 2mm in diameter.

Grtz,
Bart

[bwi 971]

Bart must be destroyed!

David

Please queue at the back of the row which is long but distinguished

grtz,
Bart