Rich404

OK caps...I think I figured it out...

Just to the left of the helm is the extension of the radar unit. Note that it is not deep at all (This should be the tell tale clue) ... It is behind that where the map table case is which can easily be seen to the left of the radar unit....I guess that it is large and rectangular shape..We can however see the entire map case in the black & white photo where the radar was not yet present..

-Rich.

Rich404

I think Billbrushed uponit here..

-Rich.

Rich404

This is what I find amazing about the Dauntless...It always keeps us on our toes.

-Rich.

leebart121

Rich,

Are you going to make the radar move? If so have you looked into using a vibration motor from a cell phone contected to the radar. They tend to run about the same size or smaller as the dowl in the dumas drawings. The dowl could be drilled out to acomidate the motor and depending on the power input the moter will rotate at the speed you desire for relistic effect.

Rich404

Hi Lee... the radar will rotate..I am going to make a housing for the motor to go inside which will look like the one on the full sized vessel. I have a geared unit by Robbe for this purpose. It is called A Robbe Mini geared motor.

Here is a link to it:
http://www.harbormodels.com/site08/motors.htm


Scroll down a bit.

Cheers.

-Rich.

leebart121

Cool. Just thought I would add this little tid bit of info I found out when I tore apart my cell phone with you all on here. It would make a great effect motor that is small and able to be hidden very well.
Lee

Rich404

Hi Lee,

Even though my radar mast is still in rough shape it is already a bit different from the Dumas version. The little rectangular platform seen in the Dumas version is a bit different.. Mine is more triangular shaped as per the original. Also note that the upper part of my mast has a tear drop shaped platform. It is here where it will be built up and the radar bell housing will bolt up to..

Tonight i'm not going to work on it but 'The Boss' gave me the green light for tomorrow night.

-Rich.

Rich404

Your suggestion is a good idea for all to consider...That little geared motor from Harbor was not cheap...

-Rich.

leebart121

Rich,

I wish you well with the work tomorrow night.
I know o' to well about getting the green light from the wife "BOSS".
I have had to put tons of stuff on hold as of late. We are having our 3rd little one on wed. so nesessity have taken priority of fun.

Lee

Rich404

deep sky

hi captains i found a what i think is a easier than dumas when it comes to fighting with the 1/4 x1/4 wood when you get to the splice i used 2 1/8 x 1/4 as you can see then glued 1 then anouther over it as a lamenated beam as a single peaice it bends around nice no fighting the curve im going to resplice the outher side of my hull as well.

rblubaugh

My Feedback: (5)

DS,

That looks like a slam dunk idea!  Was there any bowing (outward) in the area of the splice after the epoxy cured?  Or was the splice cured before you bent the 1/8x1/4 sticks on around the bow and epoxied them together?

Bob

deep sky

i glued the splice first then started bowing it around

leebart121

Rich,

you are so right a happy wife makes for a happy life
I am going to be taking my kids to my work party (go see a Baseball game) to give her some time by her self while she is in the hospital. (She told me it was a good idea)
I have had to put my boat building on hold for 4 years now. It sucks. I wish I had picked up a kit and not decided to just build the hole thing my self now as I would more then likely be done and on the water.

Lee

PS have you heard from Butch??

dauntlessfan

Skippers - Tonight I fabricated the footrests. On Big Dauntless there was a cutout in the center to allow for a structural support rod (or stripper pole as I like to call it ) that was smack dab in the middle of the wheelhouse area, as Bill mentioned earlier. So I was sure to include the cutout on mine. Now need to add the pole!

Lee & Rich, geeky as it sounds I made a spreadsheet of all the tasks I want to do to my boat, along with cost, time and difficulty (1-5). On nights when I get the wife and kids to bed and have quiet time, I pick one to work on. It's been huge in motivating me to work on Dauntless. And I'm actually knocking tasks out faster than when I didn't have any kiddos!

Sound Sailor

DF, Not meaning to be critical, but changing the arm rests on your seats to round stock (such as bent brass rod painted chrome) would be more accurate and I think would look better.

I guess you realize the "stripper pole" was added when the canopy was to support the center beam. Seems there were alot of the poles in various places on the boat including below decks.
Bill

Rich404

I give you credit, I don't know if I could stop any hobbies for four years. I use it as a means of unwinding. I have not heard from Butch. Last I heard he put the model boat down & bought a full sized one. I think he switched hobbies.

-Rich.

Rich404

Great job Dauntlessfan!

A spreadsheet is a great tool for goal setting! I could not do what I did without it. Last I checked I completed 67 out of 90 items on the list and since the exhaust items are complete that is a few more off the list.

I think that even though I got kiddos i'm still on track. The night thing works well but sometimes I hear it from 'the boss' in the morning..

-Rich.

Rich404

The stripper pole was actually around before the shelter and formal canopy was put up. There were a series of overhead poles that started from the stripper pole and went to a few corners around the bridge deck. (I wish I had a picture to share with you all) I think theymay haveput a tarp over the bridge when they weren't using the boat but who knows. It looked pretty surreal with those overhead bars going around the bridge. The stripper pole was mainly used as a grab pole for the captain or anyone nearby to grab while underway.

-Rich.

dauntlessfan

Bill - Great advice, I like your thinking and had planned to emulate the round chrome stock of Big Dauntless. Problem is the arm rests these chairs came with are actually holding the back rests in place. So it's going to be easiest to just scratch build new chairs later on.

I'm hoping to have all my essential "to-do's" in place and get her back on the water before Sept. Then I can slow down and work on my lengthy list of Duantless upgrades for years to come .

Rich - I totally understand as I've heard a few wife comments the next morning especially if I had the Dremel going the night before .

Rich404

Hi captains,

So here's my update...I continued on the radar mast last night. I worked on the top teardrop platform. I set up and epoxied a the main bracket in place. Then I cut and shaped the piece that attaches to the back of the bracket. That was also glued in place.

Then I cut a circle from wood that will be the foundation for the radar head. I used the cyliner shaped tube for mighty putty, placed it on the wood and drew a circle with a pen. Then I cut out the circle using dremel etc. The circle was then epoxied just in front of the bracket so it used part of the teardrop platform for stability and backs against the bracket.

Afterwards I began on the radar head. After measuring the height needed I Took aluminum and wrapped it around the mighty putty cylinder to get the shape, and cut. I went to my computer and looked at the main Dauntless photo and zoomed in on the original radar. I noted that on the original radar head it looked like a section was cut out near the center and it went around. So I drew it on the aluminum sheet and proceeded to remove two sections leaving the center piece whole at 3/8" wide. Now it looks like the picture. I also noticed that this radar head was different from the one used later on.

So because there is a section cut out it may be possible to see the motor inside the unit but it could also be useful for cooling the unit.. To further dress it up I happened to see a metal mesh pencil, supply caddy near me. So I picked it up looked at it and noticed how cool the metal mesh looked. It reminds me of the lower grills used on high end sports cars. Sooo I grabbed heavy duty food scissors and cut out a section, This will line the inside of the radar head so that you can't easily see the motor. Even though this may be a little out of lines it will look great! now that i'm thinking of it it is in the same pattern as the bars behind the radar...hmmm..we may have a match.

I did run into one roadblock though..I forgot that I melted some plumbing solder in the top of the main mast tube. Between this and the copper plate under the tear drop platform it was impossible to drill out. Actually I broke two drill bits in the process. So no wires will come down the inside of the tube...Then I studied more pics and found that there was a tube that was behind the main mast and it was likely used to run wires so I will do the same.

-Rich.

Rich404

I think your chairs are good enough for gubment work...I say leave e'm be they look nice.

My wife's comments usually are: "I can't believe you went to bed at 2AM..I don't want to hear it that you're tired!!"

-Rich.

Rich404

I think this is the beauty of the Dauntless...She is a hobby if you let her..

-Rich.

Sound Sailor

DF when you get a round tuit you can still use those seats and just make a brass triangle to look like the corner brace on the big one. That will hold the back to the bottom securely. I agree they look good though and just was being picky.
I work on my boats as you are planning on doing. I run them and in between add or change details. Best of both worlds! I get to enjoy running them and have things to do and fill free moments. I usually sit, look at, and decide what I want to add next. No spread sheet guy and always hated perp charts.
Bill

deep sky

well captains today i finished glueing the chine together and got the lower bottoms on also the backing strips for the forward bottom planks.learning from my mistakes ill not use the thin 5 min epoxy on the bottom as it wants to run all over so anouther trip to the store for some thick 5 min epoxy.