today's work

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

A few thought-starters dealing with the technique of metal spin-casting.

[Davjacva]

Nothing to show for our day-long run to North Carolina to City Lake for a club's fun run. Neither Dave or I thought to take photos. Found out the lake was only about 2' deep and dove into the mud a few times. The initial dive of the Nautilus didn't come back up...went to blow...shut the radio off...after a few minutes in came up with a ton of mud. This wasn't even 2'. This happened later in another area and this time it was stuck fast. Finally, a couple minutes after blowing the gas dislodged the sub and it popped up like a cork. Did it again with the 1/72 Skipjack. Resolved to try some other stuff like waiting till Dave went to the bathroom and 'range-checked' his sub :) Got the sucker clear across the lake (just over 1/4 mile) and got it back. Really relaxed fun-run, great weather, only problem was the lake was way down. If it was 2' deeper it would've been great for running submerged. Only worked if you ran a periscope depth, and you probably still were periodically bouncing off the bottom. Try to dive deeper and you're eatin' a mud sandwich. The skegs on the bottom of the Nautilus caught the bottom a lot. Luckily I know the paint and body guy.

[Albacore 569]

And I must say here that Steve's good works during those early days in this game included crafting the beautiful wooden masters of our eventual 1/96 SKIPJACK kit.

Steves' foundational work continuing to this day in the form of the over 100 kits we sold of that kit over the decades -- some of those models still plowing local and far distant waters! Steve Reichmuth is a first-class Craftsman, and very a generous model-builder.







David

Thanks Dave. It's just like the skipper (Dave) said. lol. Dave wanted model in 1/96 scale. I shared back I thought that's way too small, isn't it? Dave said trust me. And Volla!

[Albacore 569]

I recall that gorgeous model, Steve! Featured in Scale Ship Modeler?

The same, shes here at home warm and safe. She is a 1/96 static model. It was what all started my Model sub affliction...lol Plus Dave M. and Marshall Clark.

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

When will the Loyalhanna Kit be ready David. I'd like to have a Albacore Phase IV.

I worked on Asay's Albacore kit contributing a bit too, but we are all aware of the original kits scale issues and some might say it's pressure hull deficiencies' too. The hull master for Skips original was turned to dimensions not aware he was vacu-forming the hull. So we didn't allow making the master a little smaller for the thickness of the plastic then. Embarrassing. Glad your making all new stern planes and scale props. It would be nice to completely rebuild my model and make it as it should be. Mine looks good to the lay person but ...

Steve

And I must say here that Steve's good works during those early days in this game included crafting the beautiful wooden masters of our eventual 1/96 SKIPJACK kit.

Steves' foundational work continuing to this day in the form of the over 100 kits we sold of that kit over the decades -- some of those models still plowing local and far distant waters! Steve Reichmuth is a first-class Craftsman, and very a generous model-builder.







David

[wlambing]

I recall that gorgeous model, Steve! Featured in Scale Ship Modeler?

[Albacore 569]

No.

It was going to be a D&E product, but we got caught up in SubDriver design and production work -- so that project remained dormant till recently.

As I was very much part of the initial SubTech ALBACORE kit -- the plans, resin and cast metal parts were produced here. On my own we created a new 1/60 sail master and associated tooling, as well as masters and tools for the phase-3 and phase-2 versions of the ALBACORE.

All I need to complete to produce kits is to finish the hull master, produce its tools and I'm done. The kit will feature a well engraved GRP hull; resin control surfaces; and cast metal propeller, deck fittings and linkage components (yokes, horns, and the like).

It will eventually be a Loyalhanna kit.

David

When will the Loyalhanna Kit be ready David. I'd like to have a Albacore Phase IV.

I worked on Asay's Albacore kit contributing a bit too, but we are all aware of the original kits scale issues and some might say it's pressure hull deficiencies' too. The hull master for Skips original was turned to dimensions not aware he was vacu-forming the hull. So we didn't allow making the master a little smaller for the thickness of the plastic then. Embarrassing. Glad your making all new stern planes and scale props. It would be nice to completely rebuild my model and make it as it should be. Mine looks good to the lay person but ...

Steve

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Did you originally do the Albacore for a potential Moebius kit?

No.

It was going to be a D&E product, but we got caught up in SubDriver design and production work -- so that project remained dormant till recently.

As I was very much part of the initial SubTech ALBACORE kit -- the plans, resin and cast metal parts were produced here. On my own we created a new 1/60 sail master and associated tooling, as well as masters and tools for the phase-3 and phase-2 versions of the ALBACORE.

All I need to complete to produce kits is to finish the hull master, produce its tools and I'm done. The kit will feature a well engraved GRP hull; resin control surfaces; and cast metal propeller, deck fittings and linkage components (yokes, horns, and the like).

It will eventually be a Loyalhanna kit.

David

[Subculture]

Did you originally do the Albacore for a potential Moebius kit?

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

It seems you only need a very tiny drop of the hardener to start it off. So will try next time I use it. And your other suggestions. Was always afraid of not using enough hardener and be left with some kind of uncured mess.

I think when I used it on the Skipjack you said to coat it with something to seal it? Or something to that effect.

Yes. Once you have the Bondo filed/sanded to a smooth finish, coat its surface with thin formula CA. This produces a tough skin that blocks water absorption and toughens the substrate. Lightly sand the CA 'skin' before further work with putty and primer.






David

[Ken_NJ]

It seems you only need a very tiny drop of the hardener to start it off. So will try next time I use it. And your other suggestions. Was always afraid of not using enough hardener and be left with some kind of uncured mess.

I think when I used it on the Skipjack you said to coat it with something to seal it? Or something to that effect.

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

I see a bottle/can of Evercoat Metal Glaze that you used for filling in the build up of the deck. I have been using Evercoat Euro-Soft for my filling. Love the stuff but it hardens so quickly. It sands very nice. Could it be I'm using too much catalyst to kick it off? You don't seem to need very much for it to kick off.

What would the difference be between the Metal Glaze and Euro-Soft?

And I always need to source/buy an additional larger tube of the catalyst (if I'm using the correct term).

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Yeah, back off on the cream-hardener!

Also.

If you cut this polyester resin filler with a bit of lacquer thinner, that will slow the cure a bit. Or you can thicken it a bit with an inert filler (talc, micro-ballons, wood powder, etc.) which will slow down the exothermic heating which is the mechanism of state change to most two-part systems.

Not enough difference in the hardened properties of the two to get a lather over.

David

[Ken_NJ]

I see a bottle/can of Evercoat Metal Glaze that you used for filling in the build up of the deck. I have been using Evercoat Euro-Soft for my filling. Love the stuff but it hardens so quickly. It sands very nice. Could it be I'm using too much catalyst to kick it off? You don't seem to need very much for it to kick off.

What would the difference be between the Metal Glaze and Euro-Soft?

And I always need to source/buy an additional larger tube of the catalyst (if I'm using the correct term).

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000P6WQVU/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1