Advice Needed

[jure george]

Hello

I have a 1/72 VII and it is a Static R.C version. My question for the members here is about the various brass upgrade detail kits. Is it worth buying them and putting them on my submarine and running the sub in the water, will I find the parts after surfacing OR is it just a matter of time before they come lose and disappear in the depths without any collisions just normal running patrols?

If it is possible to keep them attached, can you give me tips on how to properly attach them, I have NEVER worked with these things, nor do I know how to bend them and attach them to each other.

Thanks for your help.

George

[raalst]

Re: Advice Needed

interesting question !
I cannot offer you any advice, but I too am very interested in this.
My Type II has several PE parts, but I wonder if it's wise to use them in a working model.

[bob the builder]

Re: Advice Needed

I've used PE on some of my builds in the past. They hold up fine, provided they are properly prepped and proper care is taken during operation and handling.

Paint: Be sure to use self-etching primer to paint these parts, or else pickle them with acid prior to painting. Otherwise your paint will scratch off with the slightest pressure.

Adhesion: I use fine sandpaper to sand all adhesion points for the brass, providing superior strength for the bond. I then typically use rubber-reinforced CA (my favorite glue!) to bond it to the hull. The rubber reinforcing allows for a little bit of shock absorption to the bond and I haven't had one fail me yet.

Hope that helps!

[jure george]

Re: Advice Needed

Hi Bob

Thanks for the tip, so with ALL that done you have not lost any PE to normal submerged running of your subs? What about joining PE to each other, I read somewhere people solder them together then glue them to the hull????

George

[JWLaRue]

Re: Advice Needed

George,

I have several r/c subs that have PE decks (e.g. Type VIIC U-boats) and/or PE parts. In all cases I have utilized some form of mechanical fastener as a means to ensure that the decks stay in place (e.g. bollards, capstan, conning tower, etc.). This more as an insurance policy. For the larger subs (1/32nd and 1/48th) I do not glue the deck to the fiberglass hull so as to prevent thermal expansion causing problems. It turns out that the fiberglass actually expands more than the brass as the temperature increases....so I wanted to prevent the PE deck from deforming as the underlying fiberglass 'moved'.

For a 1/72nd scale Type VIIC with a styrene hull, I would glue the deck onto the hull but still use some mechanical fasteners...just to be sure. I'm the cautious type!

For the large PE parts on smaller subs I use a rubber-based adhesive similar to what Bob suggested. For things like railings which are very delicate regular CA works fine. Just remember to cover all exposed CA with paint as CA will soften when it gets wet.

-Jeff

[jure george]

Re: Advice Needed

Hello again

Thanks for the tips and I have a pair of 1/72 VII I see on ebay several PE upgrades that caught my eye. Now I know they should hold up to normal use. Thanks for the help everyone.

George

[robert f.]

Re: Advice Needed

Additional: George, there is also industrial type water-resistant CA glue. It may not be easy to find that, though. DIY shops aimed at the general public ("consumers") probably won't carry it, but construction industry wholesalers might.

Regards,

Robert