Newbie here with lots of Qns on boat building

[Richard]

Hi,

I am new ard here.. and was very interested in RC boats since young and always dun have enough $$ to buy a kit or ready to run set. Browsing through the net yesterday, I saw some masters like Stuka, Seng and many other building boats!! This is my dream!!

I read about how you guys build fabulous boats and is so tempted to try to build one on my own.. I saw like how Stuka build some of the boats, its fantastic!!

So I had some qns to ask, hope you guys dun mind and guide me along!!

1. Where do you guys get plans, designs?
2.What impt tools are usually required?
3.What kind of wood, materials and glue you guys use?
4.Lastly, where you can go and buy this stuff? and is it expensive?

Hehe , sorry may sound stupid qns but i am a real newbie in RC boats.

Rgds
Richard

[stuka]

Hi,

I am new ard here.. and was very interested in RC boats since young and always dun have enough $$ to buy a kit or ready to run set. Browsing through the net yesterday, I saw some masters like Stuka, Seng and many other building boats!! This is my dream!!

I read about how you guys build fabulous boats and is so tempted to try to build one on my own.. I saw like how Stuka build some of the boats, its fantastic!!

So I had some qns to ask, hope you guys dun mind and guide me along!!

1. Where do you guys get plans, designs?
2.What impt tools are usually required?
3.What kind of wood, materials and glue you guys use?
4.Lastly, where you can go and buy this stuff? and is it expensive?

Hehe , sorry may sound stupid qns but i am a real newbie in RC boats.

Rgds
Richard

Dear Richard,

Welcome to the forum and the wonderful world of rc boat building/modeling. Are you more interested in powered boat or sailboat? Anyway, here's my attempt to answer your questions, but do note that my approach may not be the best, I m still learning,

1. Buy, draw your own or download them free from the web. I use Google, Yahoo, etc extensively.

2. Most important tool is your mind, the rest money can buy. .

3. Depend on the type of boat you are building. Many type of woods to choose from for different parts of boat. I use 1/16 balsa for planking in general, it goes about $1+ a piece. CA and epoxy are the common glues.

4. NTC most of the time. Expensive? hmmm....depend on what you want to build and how much you want to spend in this hobby. . Spending $200 on a motor is expensive to me, but not so to some.

In my opinion, the best is to start a project on something you really love to have, get hold of the blueprints...dont know how to start? Come back to this forum, your passion will invite lots of assistance and advices

[X34]

Hi,


So I had some qns to ask, hope you guys dun mind and guide me along!!

1. Where do you guys get plans, designs?
2.What impt tools are usually required?
3.What kind of wood, materials and glue you guys use?
4.Lastly, where you can go and buy this stuff? and is it expensive?

Hehe , sorry may sound stupid qns but i am a real newbie in RC boats.

Rgds
Richard

Welcome to daddyhobby.

B4 u start in this hobby, u need to decide to be what kind of boat modeller u want to be.

Stuka is in a class of his own - everything can type = very rare.

There are many types of boat modeller - race boat(scale) - electric, glo, gas.
Sailboats - one metre class, marble head, scale. Scale boats - man of war, merchant, pleasure etc...

The list goes on and on....

From the list above u have to decide on the direction, after that, the size of the boat. Of course, the bigger the boat, the more likely it will cost more and transport and space would be an issue.

The materials u want to work with also plays an important part in deciding on the tools u need. ie balsa wood, hardwood, marine ply, fibreglass, carbon fibre, aluminium, brass ...

As for the budget, this is the beauty about modelling.... if u built from plans, u can use anything that is readily available to you in abundance. Adapt, modify, improvise (sounds like army ad!) Like Stuka, he makes propellor from al etc. U can use motors from cassette deck etc. The answer to your cost question - up to you.

Feel free to ask

Cheers

[Richard]

Hi Stuka!!

Dear Richard,

Welcome to the forum and the wonderful world of rc boat building/modeling. Are you more interested in powered boat or sailboat? Anyway, here's my attempt to answer your questions, but do note that my approach may not be the best, I m still learning,

1. Buy, draw your own or download them free from the web. I use Google, Yahoo, etc extensively.

2. Most important tool is your mind, the rest money can buy. .

3. Depend on the type of boat you are building. Many type of woods to choose from for different parts of boat. I use 1/16 balsa for planking in general, it goes about $1+ a piece. CA and epoxy are the common glues.

4. NTC most of the time. Expensive? hmmm....depend on what you want to build and how much you want to spend in this hobby. . Spending $200 on a motor is expensive to me, but not so to some.

In my opinion, the best is to start a project on something you really love to have, get hold of the blueprints...dont know how to start? Come back to this forum, your passion will invite lots of assistance and advices

Hi Stuka,

I heard you are the master ard here.. and saw some of your works. It almost made me fell off my seat!!

Hmmm.. I am very interested in powered boats and love your Kyosho Speedster, its a very nice and is as good as the one i saw at Toykar 8 years back.

1.Plans, Blueprints- :Getting started, I've searched high and low in yahoo and couldn't find a decent plan. I notice in all your other threads, you had templates cut of paper? And transferred them on the balsa. I was wondering where you got the these templates and design. If you dun mind can share with me where you got ur blueprints?.

2.By the way, what are CA glues? I know wats epoxy.. but CA??

3. I read about glassing, Is that fibre glassing and where to purchas that?

Thanks for the help!

Rgds
Richard

[Richard]

Hi X34,

Thanks for your advice, I am very interested in power boats. And found that problem in the past when I wanted to make a model, I do not know where to source for materials, blueprints & lack of the tools to do it.

In fact, the most troubling part is, to make a model w/o plans is very risky as it might result in a unseaworthy boat and resulting in wasting $$ and time.

Thats the reason, I came to consult all the experts!! I hope I can get the guidance from all the shifu ard here!!

Rgds
Richard

Welcome to daddyhobby.

B4 u start in this hobby, u need to decide to be what kind of boat modeller u want to be.

Stuka is in a class of his own - everything can type = very rare.

There are many types of boat modeller - race boat(scale) - electric, glo, gas.
Sailboats - one metre class, marble head, scale. Scale boats - man of war, merchant, pleasure etc...

The list goes on and on....

From the list above u have to decide on the direction, after that, the size of the boat. Of course, the bigger the boat, the more likely it will cost more and transport and space would be an issue.

The materials u want to work with also plays an important part in deciding on the tools u need. ie balsa wood, hardwood, marine ply, fibreglass, carbon fibre, aluminium, brass ...

As for the budget, this is the beauty about modelling.... if u built from plans, u can use anything that is readily available to you in abundance. Adapt, modify, improvise (sounds like army ad!) Like Stuka, he makes propellor from al etc. U can use motors from cassette deck etc. The answer to your cost question - up to you.

Feel free to ask

Cheers

[stuka]

Hi Stuka,

I heard you are the master ard here.. and saw some of your works. It almost made me fell off my seat!!

Hmmm.. I am very interested in powered boats and love your Kyosho Speedster, its a very nice and is as good as the one i saw at Toykar 8 years back.

1.Plans, Blueprints- :Getting started, I've searched high and low in yahoo and couldn't find a decent plan. I notice in all your other threads, you had templates cut of paper? And transferred them on the balsa. I was wondering where you got the these templates and design. If you dun mind can share with me where you got ur blueprints?.

2.By the way, what are CA glues? I know wats epoxy.. but CA??

3. I read about glassing, Is that fibre glassing and where to purchas that?

Thanks for the help!

Rgds
Richard

Hi Richard,

You have come to the right forum, but i m not the master, I learnt alot from the gurus here and posted some pics to share my experience, the real masters seldom show up but they are following the threads ...

Thanks for the kinds words for my works . Your are right that there are few decent plans around, unless you purchase them, which can be very expensive. For me, I work with whatever is available and touch up using photoshop to produce a working plan. You are also right about the risk factor, but you can minimize it by testing balance and stability in a fish tank or pool. I have posted a list of FOC plans here some time ago, unfortunately it has been removed during housekeeping.

Here's a blueprints of an EP boat you can try.
http://ferry.student.utwente.nl/mode...at1/boat1.html

CA is super super glue . I buy all glues and glassing materials from NTC.


12247.zip

[bun]

Hi Richard,

You have come to the right forum, but i m not the master, I learnt alot from the gurus here and posted some pics to share my experience, the real masters seldom show up but they are following the threads ...

Thanks for the kinds words for my works . Your are right that there are few decent plans around, unless you purchase them, which can be very expensive. For me, I work with whatever is available and touch up using photoshop to produce a working plan. You are also right about the risk factor, but you can minimize it by testing balance and stability in a fish tank or pool. I have posted a list of FOC plans here some time ago, unfortunately it has been removed during housekeeping.

Here's a blueprints of an EP boat you can try.

http://ferry.student.utwente.nl/modelbuilding/boats/boat1/boat1.html

CA is super super glue . I buy all glues and glassing materials from NTC.

Hi stuka

I'm Bun from BKK, I just know this forum for a week and saw alot of your work . AMAZING stuka and i like them so much and i like to ask u where u get the plans for sailboats 1930 Classic J-Class? i seach at yahoo, google and ECT, i did not find.

Many thanks


i'm sorry Richard for disturb your thread

[stuka]

Hi stuka

I'm Bun from BKK, I just know this forum for a week and saw alot of your work . AMAZING stuka and i like them so much and i like to ask u where u get the plans for sailboats 1930 Classic J-Class? i seach at yahoo, google and ECT, i did not find.

Many thanks


i'm sorry Richard for disturb your thread

Hi Bun,

Got a similar plan here for you.

http://www.daddyhobby.com/forum/showthread.php?p=75846#post75846

Happy building

[Richard]

Hi stuka

I'm Bun from BKK, I just know this forum for a week and saw alot of your work . AMAZING stuka and i like them so much and i like to ask u where u get the plans for sailboats 1930 Classic J-Class? i seach at yahoo, google and ECT, i did not find.

Many thanks


i'm sorry Richard for disturb your thread

Nah..
Its ok.. I wanted this thread to be a beginner's discussion thread.
We are all trying to learn from each other!!

Btw, Welcome to the forum and this thread!!


Stuka, i downloaded the plan and their some parts i dun understand.

The bulkhead 3th from the right is os a odd shape, y? Den how do I print the drawings in 1:1 scale?

You mentioned 1/16" for planking? so wat about for bulkheads and internal frame work?

And how do you join the Mabuchi Motor to the propeller? I saw you used some like a adaptor? What is that called and where to purchase that?

CA glue, how does it look like? When I go NTC and just mention it, will they know?

Sorry for so much Qns..


I intend to go NTC this weekend, what time are their opening hours during weekends?

[stuka]

Nah..
Its ok.. I wanted this thread to be a beginner's discussion thread.
We are all trying to learn from each other!!

Btw, Welcome to the forum and this thread!!


Stuka, i downloaded the plan and their some parts i dun understand.

The bulkhead 3th from the right is os a odd shape, y? Den how do I print the drawings in 1:1 scale?

You mentioned 1/16" for planking? so wat about for bulkheads and internal frame work?

And how do you join the Mabuchi Motor to the propeller? I saw you used some like a adaptor? What is that called and where to purchase that?

CA glue, how does it look like? When I go NTC and just mention it, will they know?

Sorry for so much Qns..


I intend to go NTC this weekend, what time are their opening hours during weekends?

Dont worry about the odd shape, just redraw it...like I mentioned before, FOC plans are never perfect, you will need to touch it up. Anything u see that is illogical, strange or dont like, just redraw...

First thing before u start building, ask yourself how big u want the boat to be, then scale the draw accordingly. I wont be able to show u how to do this cos I dont know the software u are using.

Generally, i use 1/16" for planking, 1/8" for bulkheads and 1/4" center spar if needed. If not enough wood, then I anyhow mix ...the bulkheads will be removed anyway...

I got the motor adaptor and join from Rotor.

Yes, NTC staff will know, just tell them u want thin CA (pink bottle, my preference). Note there r 3 types in general, thin (pink bottle), medium (green bottle) and thick (yellow bottle). The thinner the faster it bonds.

I suggest u study the plan and think thru the entire building process first before jumping into buying things. Cant build a boat overnight anyway, so break up the project into several steps and think thru how to go about doing it and the sequence of work. Most of the time, I build in this sequence,

1. build hull
2. make rudder
3. make strut
4. make drive shaft/stuffing box
5. make propeller
6. trial fit rudder
7. trial fit motor, drive shaft/stuffing box and prop
8. install water pickup for motor
9. install stuffing box
10. waterproof inside of hull
11. plank the deck
12. install hatch
13. install waterproof the deck
14. install rudder
15. install motor and prop/drive shaft
16. test leakage, stability, CG, balance in water
17. test propulsion, water pickup
18. build superstructure on deck and detailing
19. paint the boat
20. final test in water.

[Richard]

Dont worry about the odd shape, just redraw it...like I mentioned before, FOC plans are never perfect, you will need to touch it up. Anything u see that is illogical, strange or dont like, just redraw...

First thing before u start building, ask yourself how big u want the boat to be, then scale the draw accordingly. I wont be able to show u how to do this cos I dont know the software u are using.

Generally, i use 1/16" for planking, 1/8" for bulkheads and 1/4" center spar if needed. If not enough wood, then I anyhow mix ...the bulkheads will be removed anyway...

I got the motor adaptor and join from Rotor.

Yes, NTC staff will know, just tell them u want thin CA (pink bottle, my preference). Note there r 3 types in general, thin (pink bottle), medium (green bottle) and thick (yellow bottle). The thinner the faster it bonds.

I suggest u study the plan and think thru the entire building process first before jumping into buying things. Cant build a boat overnight anyway, so break up the project into several steps and think thru how to go about doing it and the sequence of work. Most of the time, I build in this sequence,

1. build hull
2. make rudder
3. make strut
4. make drive shaft/stuffing box
5. make propeller
6. trial fit rudder
7. trial fit motor, drive shaft/stuffing box and prop
8. install water pickup for motor
9. install stuffing box
10. waterproof inside of hull
11. plank the deck
12. install hatch
13. install waterproof the deck
14. install rudder
15. install motor and prop/drive shaft
16. test leakage, stability, CG, balance in water
17. test propulsion, water pickup
18. build superstructure on deck and detailing
19. paint the boat
20. final test in water.

Hi..

I have redrawn it.. seems ok to me now. You mentioned the motor adaptor and joint, is that the name for it? I meant I go rotor they will know what is it, just by telling them that? I hope dun haf any technical aspects to it.


Haha.. Thanks for the advise!!

[Richard]

Ya.. Stuka..

1 more qn, what tool did you use to cut the bulkheads when you need to install the motor?

And how do you prevent the water from seep back in the hull from the motor drive shaft?

Rgds
Richard

[stuka]

They wont know what you are talking about even if you tell them the right name... , just ask them to show u the Traxxas section.

X-acto knife with #11 blade is what u need most of the time to cut balsa or lite ply.

I use silicon oil in the stuffing box to prevent water seeping back.

It's very easy to buy the wrong thing, so plan first, dont rush.

BTW, I havent built this boat, you will be the first in this forum.

Happy building.

[Richard]

They wont know what you are talking about even if you tell them the right name... , just ask them to show u the Traxxas section.

X-acto knife with #11 blade is what u need most of the time to cut balsa or lite ply.

I use silicon oil in the stuffing box to prevent water seeping back.

It's very easy to buy the wrong thing, so plan first, dont rush.

BTW, I havent built this boat, you will be the first in this forum.

Happy building.

Thats abit risky.. what kenna chop $$.. haha

Stuffing box? whats that? and silicon oil? is it those type pple used for suspension in RC cars. Do you have any picture to show me what you meant by stuffing box.

[stuka]

Thats abit risky.. what kenna chop $$.. haha

Stuffing box? whats that? and silicon oil? is it those type pple used for suspension in RC cars. Do you have any picture to show me what you meant by stuffing box.

Actually it's shaft housing, here's one in the making,

http://www.daddyhobby.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5170&page=4&pp=15

Yap silicon oil for those suspension in RC cars, can use grease too.