Seaview Concept II
09-24-2010, 12:17 PM
#276
Thread Starter
RE: Seaview Concept II
Build up article by David Meriman
Assembling the first Production Kit of the DeBoer ‘Futurized’ USSNR SEAVIEW, Part-3
A Report to the Cabal
The kit hull arrives to you in seven major pieces: the upper and lower halves, which separate at the bilge keels; the superstructure; sail; sail planes; and vertical stabilizers. I assume Dennis engineered the parts the way he did because of lay-up and tool-part removal considerations. Anyway, though the upper hull is open under the superstructure, it's just too narrow an opening to get a SubDriver in there. So, you are compelled to either bond the upper hull and superstructure together, as I'll describe here, or you can work out a system of mechanical fasteners to hold the two parts together. You'll have to secure the two together as one. As designed, access to the models interior is by removing the upper hull from the lower hull, that marriage line running the length of the bilge keels, manta fins, and horizontal stabilizers.
Later I'll show how I came up with a means to index the two removable hull halves together, as well as how I've used little disc magnets to hold the two halves firmly together. I'll detail how I lined up and bounded the two V-oriented 'Cadillac' vertical stabilizers at the stern, and faired in the union between stabilizers and hull with a two-part automotive filler.
And a most important, but all too often neglected or under-achieved task will be addressed: Abrading all surfaces of the kit parts to insure proper adhesion of glues, filler, putty, and primer. How many of you give that job much thought or care?
Below is a sneak-peak at how the model will eventually look like. Is this thing sexy, or what?!...
It's vital that all model parts posses a grease, dirt, and oil free 'scratch' surface. I make it a practice to subject all surfaces to a good scubbing with a heavy slurry of water and scouring-powder applied with a non-metallic abrasive pad, employing plenty of elbow-grease! A job best done outside with a running garden-hose at the ready for rinsing. A stiff brush is used to get the abrasive rubbed into corners and other areas too tight to be gotten at with the abrasive pad.
Don't assume that GRP and resin parts that arrive to you 'clean' are ready for adhesives, fillers, putty, or primer. I can assure you they are not! Once the well rinced parts are dried off you then scrub the parts with a lacquer thinner drenched rag and stiff brush. Work quickly with the resin parts when dealing with lacquer thinner as they well melt if exposed too this very volatile solvent too long. Finally, wet-sand all parts with either #400 or #600 sandpaper. Now things are ready for assembly, putty/filler work, and primer and paint.
Fail to de-grease and scratch the surfaces and your kit assembly job is doomed to failure. You have been warned!
Dennis provides the kit with most of the opening at the top of the upper hull done. But, to get a good re-enforcement between the two pieces when building up lapping fiberglass tape on the inside you must open the hull opening further, till it meets the base of the superstructure piece.
Note the three transverse braces within the upper hull same for the lower hull these are installed by Dennis, and make for a very sturdy structure.
Do not use the forward and after flash lines on the upper hull as reference points as you center the superstructure THEY ARE ASKEW OF THE HULLS CENTERLINE! And must not be used for superstructure alignment.
As you line up the superstructure use the raised 'spine' running up the bow as the forward reference line, and lay down a pencil line aft onto the hull, between the two blisters near the radial intake opening of the pump-jet back aft, as the after reference line.
Secure the superstructure with masking tape to the upper hull. Don't worry about any resin leaching out from the hull-superstructure marriage line as you work the inside later the tape, owing to the negative angular displacement between hull and sides of the superstructure, stands proud of the marriage line, and no resin will smear under any tape as you re-enforce the joint with glass tape and resin from the inside.
Using sanding drums I ground the upper hull opening, widening it, till the hull opening edge just met with that of the superstructures. Work went quickly with the right tools on hand. Note the Dremel tool equipped with a smaller diameter sanding drum this one used for tight areas where the edges met with the transverse re-enforcing bulkheads.
I'm pointing to the marriage line between superstructure and hull. Note that there is some day-light between superstructure and hull in a few spots between the forward and center piece of masking tape here not a big deal, these gaps will close up once fiberglass tape is built up on the inside to lap over the joint between the two parts. Further, capillary action will drive the resin evenly through the entire length of the marriage line, making a pretty even fill of any gaps that resulted from over-aggressive sanding as I brought the hull opening wider to meet with the base of the superstructure piece.
Good old West System epoxy laminating resin was used to saturate the re-enforcing fiberglass tape used to secure the superstructure to the upper hull.
I mixed up a bit of laminating resin, brushed it onto the areas I would lay lapping tape, then laid on the pre-cut lengths of two-ounce fiberglass cloth. As each piece slowly sucked up resin and snuggled tightly up against the inside of the hull and superstructure a bit of resin was added atop each piece to completely wet it out. Excess resin was later wicked out of the cloth in order to keep the topside weight down and make a clean job of it.
Once this work had progressed where the resin was tack-free to the touch I brushed on more resin and built up a second laminate of glass cloth, this one make up of 4-ounce glass.
Preparing to bond the port vertical stabilizer to the hull. Note that I've ground out an over-size hole in the hull under where the lower end of the encapsulated conduit tube (within the stabilizer) terminates. It's through this hole and tube that the leads of the stern-light will run.
I've test fit the stabilizer to the hull and held it in place with the provided nut, driven tight onto the stud set into the stabilizer. While so attached, I marked out, with pen, the outline where the stabilizer meets the hull. The hash-marks indicate where I'll rough up the hull under the stabilizer with #100 sandpaper this will give the tooth to the Cyanoacrylate adhesive needed to better bond the stabilizer to the hull.
By tightening or loosening the internal locking nut I was able to alter the angular displacement between the tip of the stabilizer and the bottom plane of the upper hull. Getting the two stabilizers to the same measurement seen here assured angular symmetry. A quick spot gluing with thick formula CA adhesive followed up by a deep fill with baking soda, shocked to a solid with thin formula CA, achieved a nearly un-breakable joint between stabilizers and hull.
Excess CA adhesive had to be removed with files. To insure I did not accidentally dig into either GRP hull or resin stabilizer during the filing I first smeared on some Sharpie ink to those two surfaces, on and around the joint line. I then worked the files at the seam to knock down excess CA. When ink is ground off it reveals the white colored parts, telling me to stop
I used the Evercoat Metal Glaze automotive filler, a two-part polyester system. You can get just about anything from the Evercoat line from Caswellplating.com This outfit will also supply you the abrasives, solvents, cements, tools, and just about any other model build/kit assembly tools and goodies you need.
I used this stuff to fill any remaining gaps between vertical stabilizers and hull and the marriage line between superstructure and hull. Note that I limited the amount of excess filler that would come into contact to the hull and superstructure by apply two strips of masking tape, above and below the marriage line. Controlling where the filler will make contact with the model parts this way greatly reduces the clean-up task later a great way to protect detail items on the models surface that would otherwise be obliterated by the filler as you attempt to file, sand, and grind the excess filler away.
Assembling the first Production Kit of the DeBoer ‘Futurized’ USSNR SEAVIEW, Part-3
A Report to the Cabal
The kit hull arrives to you in seven major pieces: the upper and lower halves, which separate at the bilge keels; the superstructure; sail; sail planes; and vertical stabilizers. I assume Dennis engineered the parts the way he did because of lay-up and tool-part removal considerations. Anyway, though the upper hull is open under the superstructure, it's just too narrow an opening to get a SubDriver in there. So, you are compelled to either bond the upper hull and superstructure together, as I'll describe here, or you can work out a system of mechanical fasteners to hold the two parts together. You'll have to secure the two together as one. As designed, access to the models interior is by removing the upper hull from the lower hull, that marriage line running the length of the bilge keels, manta fins, and horizontal stabilizers.
Later I'll show how I came up with a means to index the two removable hull halves together, as well as how I've used little disc magnets to hold the two halves firmly together. I'll detail how I lined up and bounded the two V-oriented 'Cadillac' vertical stabilizers at the stern, and faired in the union between stabilizers and hull with a two-part automotive filler.
And a most important, but all too often neglected or under-achieved task will be addressed: Abrading all surfaces of the kit parts to insure proper adhesion of glues, filler, putty, and primer. How many of you give that job much thought or care?
Below is a sneak-peak at how the model will eventually look like. Is this thing sexy, or what?!...
It's vital that all model parts posses a grease, dirt, and oil free 'scratch' surface. I make it a practice to subject all surfaces to a good scubbing with a heavy slurry of water and scouring-powder applied with a non-metallic abrasive pad, employing plenty of elbow-grease! A job best done outside with a running garden-hose at the ready for rinsing. A stiff brush is used to get the abrasive rubbed into corners and other areas too tight to be gotten at with the abrasive pad.
Don't assume that GRP and resin parts that arrive to you 'clean' are ready for adhesives, fillers, putty, or primer. I can assure you they are not! Once the well rinced parts are dried off you then scrub the parts with a lacquer thinner drenched rag and stiff brush. Work quickly with the resin parts when dealing with lacquer thinner as they well melt if exposed too this very volatile solvent too long. Finally, wet-sand all parts with either #400 or #600 sandpaper. Now things are ready for assembly, putty/filler work, and primer and paint.
Fail to de-grease and scratch the surfaces and your kit assembly job is doomed to failure. You have been warned!
Dennis provides the kit with most of the opening at the top of the upper hull done. But, to get a good re-enforcement between the two pieces when building up lapping fiberglass tape on the inside you must open the hull opening further, till it meets the base of the superstructure piece.
Note the three transverse braces within the upper hull same for the lower hull these are installed by Dennis, and make for a very sturdy structure.
Do not use the forward and after flash lines on the upper hull as reference points as you center the superstructure THEY ARE ASKEW OF THE HULLS CENTERLINE! And must not be used for superstructure alignment.
As you line up the superstructure use the raised 'spine' running up the bow as the forward reference line, and lay down a pencil line aft onto the hull, between the two blisters near the radial intake opening of the pump-jet back aft, as the after reference line.
Secure the superstructure with masking tape to the upper hull. Don't worry about any resin leaching out from the hull-superstructure marriage line as you work the inside later the tape, owing to the negative angular displacement between hull and sides of the superstructure, stands proud of the marriage line, and no resin will smear under any tape as you re-enforce the joint with glass tape and resin from the inside.
Using sanding drums I ground the upper hull opening, widening it, till the hull opening edge just met with that of the superstructures. Work went quickly with the right tools on hand. Note the Dremel tool equipped with a smaller diameter sanding drum this one used for tight areas where the edges met with the transverse re-enforcing bulkheads.
I'm pointing to the marriage line between superstructure and hull. Note that there is some day-light between superstructure and hull in a few spots between the forward and center piece of masking tape here not a big deal, these gaps will close up once fiberglass tape is built up on the inside to lap over the joint between the two parts. Further, capillary action will drive the resin evenly through the entire length of the marriage line, making a pretty even fill of any gaps that resulted from over-aggressive sanding as I brought the hull opening wider to meet with the base of the superstructure piece.
Good old West System epoxy laminating resin was used to saturate the re-enforcing fiberglass tape used to secure the superstructure to the upper hull.
I mixed up a bit of laminating resin, brushed it onto the areas I would lay lapping tape, then laid on the pre-cut lengths of two-ounce fiberglass cloth. As each piece slowly sucked up resin and snuggled tightly up against the inside of the hull and superstructure a bit of resin was added atop each piece to completely wet it out. Excess resin was later wicked out of the cloth in order to keep the topside weight down and make a clean job of it.
Once this work had progressed where the resin was tack-free to the touch I brushed on more resin and built up a second laminate of glass cloth, this one make up of 4-ounce glass.
Preparing to bond the port vertical stabilizer to the hull. Note that I've ground out an over-size hole in the hull under where the lower end of the encapsulated conduit tube (within the stabilizer) terminates. It's through this hole and tube that the leads of the stern-light will run.
I've test fit the stabilizer to the hull and held it in place with the provided nut, driven tight onto the stud set into the stabilizer. While so attached, I marked out, with pen, the outline where the stabilizer meets the hull. The hash-marks indicate where I'll rough up the hull under the stabilizer with #100 sandpaper this will give the tooth to the Cyanoacrylate adhesive needed to better bond the stabilizer to the hull.
By tightening or loosening the internal locking nut I was able to alter the angular displacement between the tip of the stabilizer and the bottom plane of the upper hull. Getting the two stabilizers to the same measurement seen here assured angular symmetry. A quick spot gluing with thick formula CA adhesive followed up by a deep fill with baking soda, shocked to a solid with thin formula CA, achieved a nearly un-breakable joint between stabilizers and hull.
Excess CA adhesive had to be removed with files. To insure I did not accidentally dig into either GRP hull or resin stabilizer during the filing I first smeared on some Sharpie ink to those two surfaces, on and around the joint line. I then worked the files at the seam to knock down excess CA. When ink is ground off it reveals the white colored parts, telling me to stop
I used the Evercoat Metal Glaze automotive filler, a two-part polyester system. You can get just about anything from the Evercoat line from Caswellplating.com This outfit will also supply you the abrasives, solvents, cements, tools, and just about any other model build/kit assembly tools and goodies you need.
I used this stuff to fill any remaining gaps between vertical stabilizers and hull and the marriage line between superstructure and hull. Note that I limited the amount of excess filler that would come into contact to the hull and superstructure by apply two strips of masking tape, above and below the marriage line. Controlling where the filler will make contact with the model parts this way greatly reduces the clean-up task later a great way to protect detail items on the models surface that would otherwise be obliterated by the filler as you attempt to file, sand, and grind the excess filler away.
03-07-2011, 12:50 PM
#280
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RE: Seaview Concept II
Hi guys been away for a while. Just getting back to see what's up. The Seaview Concept Looks fantastic with the 8 windows as well. I would have both versions for sure. They both look great!
03-07-2011, 07:25 PM
#281
Thread Starter
RE: Seaview Concept II
Hi Guys, Its been awhile since I posted on the concept II I have been working on it the last few weeks.This eight windrow seaview is scaled quite a bit bigger than the four windrow verson.The figures had to be a little smaller than N scale,but N scale figures will still work just fine.I,ll be posting some surprise pictures of what I have been working on,later this week.I hope you guys will like what I done to make the eight windrow a little more excitiing.I really like the eight windrow verson as the complete ship looks a lot bigger. Dennis.
03-08-2011, 11:04 AM
#282
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RE: Seaview Concept II
Ah, this is what I've been waiting for.
With apologies to those who favor the 2-windowed version, I much prefer the original "movie-style" window configuration. Seems more elegant somehow.
Thanks for the update, Dennis. I very much look forward to getting my hands on one of these. Having had the chance to inspect Kozicki's unbuilt kit I can certainly vouch for the quality and craftsmanship.
Please keep us posted re: the 8-windows' availability.
Oh, and thanks once more to D. Merriman for yet another informative build article. Seems no matter how many of Dave's how-to's I read I always learn something new.
With apologies to those who favor the 2-windowed version, I much prefer the original "movie-style" window configuration. Seems more elegant somehow.
Thanks for the update, Dennis. I very much look forward to getting my hands on one of these. Having had the chance to inspect Kozicki's unbuilt kit I can certainly vouch for the quality and craftsmanship.
Please keep us posted re: the 8-windows' availability.
Oh, and thanks once more to D. Merriman for yet another informative build article. Seems no matter how many of Dave's how-to's I read I always learn something new.
03-12-2011, 06:52 PM
#283
Thread Starter
RE: Seaview Concept II
Heres a few pictures of a interior project that I made for the eight windrow seaview,Of course there are two decks,the bottom deck has a new style stairs with railings. A new flying sub pressure door is located in the port side of the room.This will lead out to the new design flying sub. Lounge chairs are also on the bottom deck.On the top deck,are the control room located behind the crash doors.I thought the top deck could be used for the science lab, and navation aera.With the two top decks installed inside the nose.I have to make new steel beams for the top deck as the nose has a little more slope than I thought.I will make these next week. I have to clean up the interior some what,but the pictures will give the viewers of what the decks look like.Dennis
03-14-2011, 03:40 AM
#284
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RE: Seaview Concept II
Looks like a lot of fun dennis. Are you going off available photos, just clips from the show, or just doing however you darn well please??
03-14-2011, 05:58 AM
#285
Thread Starter
RE: Seaview Concept II
Most of it is my own ideas,but some of the shows designs are in there to Rogue Sub.This interior is just a protype for now.I have to make all new windrow beams that really look like steel beams. These beams on the pictures look plane and im not happy with them.This interior will be upgraded on the next molding.Its been fun,but at times a really pain in the but to build.Got to make a vacuform windrow skin to go into the windrows frames next. Dennis.
03-14-2011, 09:23 PM
#286
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RE: Seaview Concept II
Now you have me really confused, Ialways loved the TV version.But Dennis you have read my mind in the nose interior, the layout and chairs, conference table is what was in my mind's eye for it. A STNG look , yet very "comfortable" I really love it! Still trying to get my collection down and been putting extra cash for my kit. BTW will you be offering this nose interior as part of the eight window version?
03-15-2011, 04:50 AM
#287
Thread Starter
RE: Seaview Concept II
Yea,I plan on making the interior available for the conceptII. Im glad that you like the design spaceranger01.The pictures that you see above are just the proptype and is just a test fit in the boat.I made a new windrow beams over the weekend,and I think it looks 100% better. I will also will improve on the looks of the interior on the next molding.The stairs was taken from a idea used on our large trident subs,were they use large wide stainless stairs in there subs. The spiral staircase looks neet,but if people needed to move fast from level to level I would thing a wide staircase would be better. Thanks for the nice complements on the interior,I post more pictures on the improvements as I make them.Dennis.s
03-18-2011, 07:34 PM
#288
Thread Starter
RE: Seaview Concept II
Here is a picture of the new steel beam design fot the eight windrow seaview,top of picture is the new beam design,old design on bottom.
03-20-2011, 08:59 AM
#290
Thread Starter
RE: Seaview Concept II
I had a few people email me on what plan that I used on the concepts interior design.I just drew up a rough plan on paper a few months back.The real model nose looks a lot better than the plan,But it will give the viewers a idea what I had on paper.And once again thank you the viewers for the nice complements on my work! Dennis
03-20-2011, 09:02 PM
#291
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RE: Seaview Concept II
Well you made up my mind on the last post. The eight window is the way to go. Your design looks more feasible for a Flying Sub hanger also.
The nose interior is also more like a a observation/lab/command center/ captions prerogative! You looking to do any type of trading , Star Trek model kits and space items for the eight window display kit when ready?
The nose interior is also more like a a observation/lab/command center/ captions prerogative! You looking to do any type of trading , Star Trek model kits and space items for the eight window display kit when ready?
03-24-2011, 02:07 PM
#292
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RE: Seaview Concept II
I am a dye-hard for the 2 window but after seeing this and the interior I got to say I prefer the 8 window version and I love the interior nose layout. Looks fantastic. An incredible piece of work this Seaview Concept II.
03-24-2011, 04:47 PM
#293
Thread Starter
RE: Seaview Concept II
Glad you like the interior of the eight windrow verson guys.I have been busy this week working on the" sierra" drive system on the concept II this week.I,ll post pictures soon.Mr merriman said he was going to ship out the wtc at the end of this week,which I should receive next week.This would work out great as I can finally get the diving system finished! I,ll post pictures when I get more done.Dennis.
03-27-2011, 07:13 PM
#294
Thread Starter
RE: Seaview Concept II
These pictures shows the prop installed in the stuffing box.A stainless steel shaft and connectors have to be ordered tomorrow.One picture shows the prop and drive system installed in water flow housing.Two control rods will control the water jet flow,from up and down,and side to side.The rear drive toke a few days to make,but now that the molds have been, I can make a running hardware kit in a half a day.Everything is ready for the WTC that I will receive next week.Hope you guys enjoy the pictures.
03-30-2011, 07:08 PM
#295
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RE: Seaview Concept II
Just awesome Dennis!Will this be included in the R/C version of the kit? So theway it seats in the hullthe WTC will just be attached to it, correct?
And once you have finished the design for the eight -window version , will the interior be able to withstand the the use in the R/C version ( wear-water etc)
Thanks
03-31-2011, 05:40 AM
#296
Thread Starter
RE: Seaview Concept II
The rc verson will have the sub driver unit,with the pump jet available as a option,as some people might have a sub driver all ready on hand spacerangero1.David Merriman has sent me pictures of the SD and pump jet that he is making this week.Its a very compact and clean looking drive system.The ballast tank looks big enought to keep the nose up in the water.I should have mine in around a week,when I do I,ll take a lot of pictures of the unit.His pump jet is made to just fit nicely into the rear of the boat,with a molded in saddle base for the unit to set on.It looks to be a very well thought out idea. The interior could be used in the water,but a small bead of silcone would have to be put around the outside of the base to seal it up.The windrows are going to be a one piece unit that will cover all eight windrows,this again would have to have a small bead of silcone to seal it up.This window mold has been all ready made a couple of weeks ago,and will make the first one as soon as the sub is painted.also the same windrow mold will be used in the four windrow verson.I,ll post more pictures soon.Dennis.
03-31-2011, 09:49 AM
#297
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RE: Seaview Concept II
HI,
I very anxious to see what are the next surpices on thees!.
Please DO NOT forget : do as manny picture as You can,and post them heare!.
MARIUS alias "bijou".
I very anxious to see what are the next surpices on thees!.
Please DO NOT forget : do as manny picture as You can,and post them heare!.
MARIUS alias "bijou".
04-01-2011, 04:54 AM
#298
Thread Starter
RE: Seaview Concept II
I will make sure to post pictures soon bijou.Thanks for your interest! David merriman is getting the sub-driver built,his rear power unit is looking really nice.It looks to be lighter than my design and just as strong,which is better to save weight. Im going to finish up in the next two days on the two hull halves matting surfaces,to make sure the seam is nice and flush.Next will be the priming and paint.slow but sure getting there.Dennis.
04-02-2011, 08:29 PM
#299
Thread Starter
RE: Seaview Concept II
Todays work,shows full shot of eight windrow seaview. close up of new style searchlight. A shot of underbell screws that hold the two halves together.Im thinking about making working front diving planes. Some ideas and work for next week.
04-11-2011, 07:56 PM
#300
Thread Starter
RE: Seaview Concept II
Well guys,I received David Merimans Subdriver today.It came well packed in a strong tube.I looked over the unit and it looks to be very well built,with all of the electronics installed! I layed the unit into the lower hull of the concept II ,and it fit perfect.The Subdriver comes with the prop and prop housing,also nicely made brackets are furinished to hold the prop and drive,I would have used Davids unit,but I already had my unit installed and glued in the boat. His prop drive is molded to fit nicely into the bottom of the hull.Also two bladed and up to four bladed props are furnished. Daved has thought of everything to make this this installation very easy! Also nicely made instruction are provided with pictures.I,ll post more pictures soon as I progress with this build.Thanks David for the providing me with this great Subdriver.Untell later.