today's work

[Das Boot]

It’s a 1/72 Moebius Skipjack.

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

is that a 1/72 scale Alfa? I’d swear if looks like my old boat from the spray and fittings inside the hull.

Nope. Casey was kind enough to send his almost completed SKIPJACK kit to Jake. We're currently fixing it up for next years boating season. We retrofitted the proper propeller -- Casey had to go with an after-market screw whoes propeller hub did not continue the taper at the stern -- which compelled Jake to tighten up the demarcation plan between the face at the stern that meets the face of the propeller hub.

Some pictures to demonstrate what the proper propeller, matted to the Moebius SKIPJACK, looks like -- some of these pictures are of the test shot the Chinese sent us to validate/correct the eventual production tooling (notes we placed on the corrected test-shot model to remind the toolmakers of specific items that needed change:

[redboat219]

David,
with the styrene kit conversion, do you practice washing mold release agent off the model prior to commencing any work?

If you do, what do you use?

[Das Boot]

David,
with the styrene kit conversion, do you practice washing mold release agent off the model prior to commencing any work?

If you do, what do you use?

I can answer that one. Warm dishwashing soap and water.

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

David,
with the styrene kit conversion, do you practice washing mold release agent off the model prior to commencing any work?

If you do, what do you use?

Any styrene plastic model kit fresh from the box MUST be degreased, and roughed up to receive adhesives, putties, primers, and paints. Failure to clean the surface of the model kit parts will result (possibly) in poor adhesion between the substrate (the surface of the kit parts) and the mediums laid upon it. An unwelcome artifact of the injection process is the use of part-release agents applied to the tools, goo that is transferred to the parts tree. You gotta scrub that **** off from the kit parts!

I aggressively dissolve such part-release agents from styrene parts with soaps and abrasives. Here you see scouring powder slurry applied and scrubbed over the model part with a 3M scrubbing pad -- a fiberglass abrasive brush is used to dig into recesses the abrasive pad might miss. After the scrubbing the model is thoroughly rinsed with warm water and dried.







Cast resin parts must degreased with abrasives after a brief soaking in lacquer thinner.

[Das Boot]

I forgot the Comet.

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

[Das Boot]

Dave on your Chinese boat, can you advise me what you’re doing here?

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Dave on your Chinese boat, can you advise me what you’re doing here?

After splitting portions of the upper and lower hull and joining them to the opposed halves I found that the assembled hull went 'bannana' i.e., it was bent, not straight. The Bondo work was performed to straighten the hull as best I could.

[redboat219]

Mine also has the same gap but not as bad.

would try coaxing the bowed hull piece with hot water then secure it against a flat board to cool. Hopefully straighten it.

[Das Boot]

I’ll look at mine today to see if there’s a gap, as I’m starting on it tomorrow. Already talking to Bob about the new 2” cylinder sans ballast tank.

[biggsgolf]

I’ll look at mine today to see if there’s a gap, as I’m starting on it tomorrow. Already talking to Bob about the new 2” cylinder sans ballast tank.

When's it going to be available?, price range?

[redboat219]

You going with a dynamic diver or a different ballast system? Bob's new 2 inch cylinders are scaled down versions of the R&R system with a gear pump and vented tank.

[Das Boot]

You going with a dynamic diver or a different ballast system? Bob's new 2 inch cylinders are scaled down versions of the R&R system with a gear pump and vented tank.

Dynamic. First one, but less of a pain.

[Das Boot]

When's it going to be available?, price range?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B079VLT8R6?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title