Today's building

[Albacore 569]

Assembling the Dolphin 2 Battery for the free flood section on the keel midships. Tenergy brand 1.2 5 amph Nickel metal hydrides NIMH. Same battery arrangement built in Argonaute, but with the battery in a single stick 2 x 5. Studied Bob Martins You tube video and it h gave great guidance and instilled confidence. After watching several times, I tried to improve a little by using 1 inch diameter PVC pipe (use schedule 20. Schedule 20 i thin walled & a length (always have to be forced to buy too much) at hardware store is less than $5.00.

The battery test fit in tube worked but was a bit snug and didn't want to force the solder connected connections to be compromised possibly. So I went down t the local auto supply store and for $15.0 bought a simple hydraulic brake cylinder grinding tool &reamed out a millimeter or 2 on the inside and then the battery necklace slides in freely. The tube acts as a splint to protect the battery and the connections. The splint is to be a framework for the battery only not to waterproof. But it could be made waterproof if large diameter heat shrink tubing int available using end caps from plumbing supply made waterproof with rubber sealant too using wires at one end and rubber baffles for the leads.

CA glued the pvc pipes together into a brick & added rubber baffles to the leads thoroughly tested with a Voltmeter (batteries lost a little charge weak out of the shipping box but recharges to 12.5 volts charged. Used rubber silicone sealant on the ends and slide the assembled battery into heat shrink tubing (3-inch diameter from Mcmaster Carr). The silicone sealant dries overnight & ready to trial fit now inside the Dolphin hull. Not pretty but it works, and it will be tucked away in the keel out of sight but easily assessable if needed to inspections. I didn't weigh yet but guess it's about a a pound (16 ounces). 0.45 kilograms.

[Albacore 569]

Latet progress photos. Lining up the WTC to hull.

[Albacore 569]

I received noticfications for my latest post. The unfriendly programing deleted them before I realized how to see them. Sorry I missed who ever and whatever it was.

[Albacore 569]

Not been not posting much lately. Busy in shop. Here are updates. Done a lot of sanding fitting 3d printed parts, so all seems tighter. Coming along great. Will position Dive module in frame mounting rings sliding forward and back to the boats center of buoyancy longitudinally in the Swiss cheese free flooding PVC pipe this week. Its getting there a lot more quickly now!











Heck, I thought that was an irrigation pipe, starting to look like a - dare I say a submarine?










The bayonet rigs were very good, a little trial fitting naturally. insert and a 1/2-inch rotation locks bow into place. Bow section only needed for inserting and removing Dive module after tests and access I learned. so, the aft end with it huge access panels internally only needed for hook up of prop shaft and control linkages.

Epoxied the white bayonet ring several times in the bow. Failed epoxy. Removed cleaned up and re epoxied with a new batch successfully. Sometimes you get this even after following instructions it may still be a failed batch. New epoxy from store in that spot on model now performs super strong as expected.







Before Flank arrays added.

[RCSubGuy]

Looking great! Gorgeous build. I can't wait to see it in the water.

[Albacore 569]

Adding the Nautilus Drydock 3d printed pvc flank arrays now. They are aligned with the bayonet mounted bow section. and the three parts or sections of the printed flank arrays are then carefully aligned, and tack glued with CA onto the PVC 5-inch pipe section. Since the pipe hull and the flank arrays are all made of the same or similar PVC they should have good expansion contraction rates in hot & cold hopefully.

Then holes drilled & counter sunk for the heads (2 holes per section and short 6-32 bolts inserted for assuring a strong mechanical as well as an epoxy bond. Bolts then made flush inside with nuts & ca glued to lock in. Then more bondo. . When dry I will sand and prime.

I really love the access I have into the free flooding hull with top and bottom and fore and aft views & access to the dive module. Hands can easily get inside to make connections. This afforded by the top & bottom removeable casings & Bob Martin's 3 d printed faired in hatches in bottom of the stern and bow sections. Well done Bob.

[Albacore 569]

AIP Bottom fairing now in faired blended. Secured with 4 flush bolts. Solid & easy to access. Next stop blocks for positioning the dive module fore & aft. Adding prop shaft sub-assembly & adjusting its length. Adding control linkages & moveable surfaces. Insert Bow plane waterproof servo. add mast sockets in sail, detail the navigation light on sail, Mount sail with bolts for under the top removable casing - the standard method. Looking at parts left in 'the model kit box'...lol...not many left - means it is time to paint finally! San Francisco subcommittee sub regatta September 28-29 approaching. On a deadline now!

Isn't she gorgeous? Off to Autobody supply shop now open after holiday for more primer.

[Albacore 569]

Sail fin stalled aligned and bolted on. drilled holes precisely for sockets to four masts. Added internal framework which has 2 mat sockets already 3 d printed in. **** its hot. Work in the mornings till noon fans circulating. dragged myself back in late afternoon till dehydrated and retreated o air-conditioning, and lots of ice water. Making dramatic progress now

[JHapprich]

Boat looking great - and great! Thats some funny mast to the bow, whats its purpose?

Jörg

[Albacore 569]

Thank you Jörg.

I believe based on its relative size and shape; it is submarine HDR (High data rate) satellite communications mast like current American & British submarines use too.

The Sub HDR connects submariners to the above-sea world by giving them high-rate data multi-band SATCOM capability. Submariners deploy Sub HDR by raising a mast-mounted antenna above the ocean's surface, while the submarine remains submerged at periscope depth where the boat is difficult to detect. The satellite / submarine communicates via lasers directing its signals to broadcast its signals very narrowly discretely.

The system can send and receive mission-critical information such as secure wideband multi-media, voice and data traffic real time , imagery, and video teleconferencing. Sub HDR enables underwater forces to participate in coordinated fleet battle group operations.

[Albacore 569]

More details of sail before painting. the counter measure ejectors already made and painted. Just waiting installation after sail pant.

Apology for Pictures being out of sequence.

[Albacore 569]

Test fitting 12 volt 5 amph nicad waterproof brick battery in 'keel troff' as I call it. Good clearance (phew) for dive module above it. Dive module slides in smooth and easy. Next is making the end stops for longitudinal positioning.

[JHapprich]

Cool solution! Did you use that kind of "wet" battery pack before? Any long-term-effects/-issues?

Jörg

[Albacore 569]

Cool solution! Did you use that kind of "wet" battery pack before? Any long-term-effects/-issues?

Jörg

Credit goes to Bob Martin who employed a wet Nicad battery successfully in my 1/32 scale French Argonaute submarine. So, I am duplicating building my own battery same way with a different configuration. I rearranged my battery in a 2 x 5 single stick brick pattern. Bob in the Argonaute Nautilus drydocks he built for me is also 2 x 5 batteries, but they curve up each side around the saddle tanks between te outer hull and the dive module mid-ships on the CG (center of gravity)

If this Israeli sub design didn't have those large AIP fairings along the bottom with ample extra useful space - I could not have gotten away with it applied this way. What is also nice is access to the battery is easy either by reaching into the free flood hull area from forward after unlocking the bow section and pulling out after removing the dive module, or simply remove the 4 strong flush bolts on the bottom of hull and drop the battery out the bottom like a cannon ammunition pack on a Hawker Hunter jet. The battery has been water tested & it stays dry & provides the boat with its power. Scroll back a few pages in this tread for battery construction. 12 volts 5 amph. same as Argonaute's. This makes safe recharging of both boat since they both have the same recharge settings. Planned it that way for what it's worth.

[Albacore 569]

Painted (blacked out) the inside navigation light areas in sail. Hand sanded carefully polycarbonate Plexiglas clear windows for the lights & added C A ed in place. added light fixtures carefully without gumming up windows. Take your time here.

Added air vents (holes) in casing under sail and on deck. These vent holes will be less conspicuous once the deck is painted black soon.

Shop is looking like someone's building a sub...lol. A work of art somehow miraculously emerging from a messy sea of chaos. Laments from another of the fellow afflicted. lol.