Hi just joined What about S boats?

I've been interested in model submarines for some years as an ex submariner I suppose this comes as a natural!
OK introdductions out the way. I have a dismembered type IIA my first boat and was till a year ago, working on a Sheerline type VII U boat. Why a year ago? Well we lived in the south of France for 10 years so loads of time for hobbies we decided to move back to the UK and now live in Cornwall. Why did we move back? Dunno bad move I guess cos its done nowt but rain!!
Anyway I need help with my type VII its marrying the two halfs is causing me stress to the extent I'm thinking of selling it and starting anew. So anyone built an S class Brit boat the WWII S boat. They were beautiful boats (good looking is what I meant) So if anyone has had a go at building one I'd appreciate some help or advice.
Thanks Fred

Richard(Admin) wrote:Hi Fred, and welcome to the forum..

I believe there's a couple of the lads who have built, or are building an S class, but before we spend your hard earned, what exactly is the problem with the Type V11? Maybe a couple of pictures would help us to sort your problem out?

Regards,


Richard

I can't get the two halves to marry up without a gap.

Richard(Admin) wrote:Always a problem, that..you can try using brass pegs, or another favourite is to use magnets, they will often close a gap nicely.

Done the using magnet thing but I still have a hair line crack. I'm hoping after a year the grp will have settled!!
Fred

I am sure somebody can help with the "hull gap" problem but maybe you will have to live with the hairline gap?

S boats seem to have been rare in the last few years. U class boats 2 a penny! I take it you have S class drawings etc?

David

david f wrote:I am sure somebody can help with the "hull gap" problem but maybe you will have to live with the hairline gap?

S boats seem to have been rare in the last few years. U class boats 2 a penny! I take it you have S class drawings etc?

David

No drawings but thats not a problem I'd like some instruction in building a grp hull though!

Polycell wrote:

Richard(Admin) wrote:Always a problem, that..you can try using brass pegs, or another favourite is to use magnets, they will often close a gap nicely.

Done the using magnet thing but I still have a hair line crack. I'm hoping after a year the grp will have settled!!
Fred

Hi,
grp moldings often change their shape while stored unless braced or left in the mold, however the simple single skin/coreless type such as we use for boat hulls wether molded in epoxy or polyester can usually be brought back to shape quite easily. May I suggest that you brace the two halves internally to prevent crushing, locate the halves corectly possibly with pegs as suggested, then bind them together with light bungies/rubber strips so as to keep a constant tension. Now wrap the assembly in an electric blanket or somehow heat-a very hot waterbath is ok-it for a couple of hours and allow to cool before untying. Usually any reamaing gaps are simply due to the original mold inaccuracies and can be dealt with using the appropriate filler materials.
I hope that this may help, it is a method that has been successfuly used on motorcycle/car moldings that have been badly stored under heaps of other stuff or left in the summer sun[ho-ho!] for lengthy periods.

Trevor

Thanks Trevor good tip
Fred

Looking at the AMS Facebook page, I'm reminded that, of course, Paul C built HMS Satyr - an S class.

This is written up in the Traplet book - I think it is Simply Model Submarines. A good article but I'm not sure that I would recommend using a compressor system nowadays. (A bit complicated.)

David

talking of pauls cooks HMS Satyr paul did a great DVD could RC Submariner from traplets

http://www.trapletshop.com/gb/p/13087/rc-submariner

it has a good detailed video of it on how he made it plus some excellent footage of paul sailing HMS Satyr
there is also 9 different subs on the DVD as well well worth getting
geof