Revell Type IX C (U505 Late) 1/72nd

[steveuk]

I love how the brown of the wood deck is still discernible under the dark coloured deck paint.

[salmon]

Things sometimes go sideways on you. While connecting the planes to WTC, I glued the rudder foundation down. The CA seeped all the way to the rudder shafts locking my rudders solid. I was able to break the rudders free, but it was really stiff. Then when I tightened set screws, one rudder gear broke the set screw......I must have over tightened it.

I used some CA and Baking Soda to hopefully keep the rudder connected to the gear. I kept working the tightness adding grease to help it move. Slowly, got it to move better.

The rudder resistance was greater than the Klik-on connectors. So, I made one set of connectors with stronger magnets. To make sure it still will not separate, I made a removable connector to hold both magnets together.


It turned out I got the travel of the rudders to work without the connector, but I will use the connector anyways.
The bow connection and aft planes were set up and did not need anything to hold the magnets together. I like the way David designed the front dive plane connector.

I ended up straightening the bow pushrod, I had too many bends which allowed the pushrod to bend rather than directly transfer the movement to the bow planes horn.

The battery connector (a knockoff Dean's plug) woill break connection when the two halves are pushed all the way together. If I wiggle it apart 1-2 mm it makes connection. I need to replace this with XT60 connectors. The XT60 connectors are becoming the standard as I look at batteries to buy.

[crueby]

Acetone can soften/remove super glue, could try that as long as it wont attack any of the materials the other components are made from.

[X Bubblehead]

Another alternative I've used with success: https://bsi-inc.com/hardware/un_cure.html

CCC

[salmon]

Thank you both for the suggestions. Right now, I will go with my hack of a repair and see how it goes.

[salmon]

Thought I would begin trimming. Well that did not happen much. I put it in the water and the aft end went down. I have never seen that much of a drop except when I left the end cap off. That realization made me pull it quickly out of the water. Nope the end cap was on. So I put it in again, same thing happened. Went to blow the ballast tank and it sank quicker. Dog gone it, I must have reversed the leads to the motor. To test it, I crossed the hoses at the top and that was it. What to do. I will see if it makes sense to re-solder or cross the hoses internally. Still need to see why the aft was so heavy.


The other thing that popped up, literally, was the deck. I am not sure what is causing it to bow upwards (almost as if the front and rear came closer by a couple of millimeters). It might be the hoses (not after crossing them, but before). I will need to play with that.

Anyways, when I brought the sub in and took the cylinder out, there were weights lining the channel at the bottom, boy do I feel silly. I must have dropped in the aft area just to see if it fit or something. That is why it was so aft heavy. Will try again tonight.

[salmon]

There are two areas I need to come up with a work around to get the deck to sit correctly, the hoses going to the manifold and the hose going to float valve. The hoses kept pushing against the deck and causing it to lift. The hoses on the top of the tube going to the manifold needed to be moved to either side. This will lower the contact the hoses will have. Here are the hoses as they were.....


And now with a 3D printed hose redirection .......


The float valve is another story. I created an extension to move the hose to the side, but I may want to redo the way this float valve sits.

I would like to move the valve higher in the tower, not much space, but I might be able to do something. I need to ponder this a little more.

[salmon]

I hope this works. First was remove the float valve from current location.


The new location Moves the valve forward on the sail with the float now going aft.


The reason for getting it higher in the sail is I will not need to get much out of the water for the valve to open and when trimming the sub can sit lower in the water when ballast tank is flooded.
This new configuration means the rod that holds the float needs to be cut down. This reduces the leverage I get with the longer rod, hopefully the lift and ability to drop the float and open valve will work. I need the float to close the valve prior to the water getting to the valve opening.

I also need to add a little distance from the top of the sail to give a little more room for the float arm.
With the foam added, it looks like this:

As the bow is angled down to dive, the float will need to remain sealed, I will need to test, but I may have to bend the rod so that the seal over the valve intake seals way before the water gets to the brass tube intake. Am I making sense?

With a test fit, I need to shape the float a little more.

Both the front of the valve and the foam need to be shaped.

[coryhenry]

I would agree you need the float to bend down lower to prevent the vent tube from taking water before the float is activated.

[salmon]

Cory, yeup, it does.
The shorter length of the rod did not hamper the opening or closing of the valve. That was a good thing, but even with the extra bends I think it needs a little more foam below to give the extra lift.

Most of the block will be cut and sanded away. I will let it dry for a day.
The front was rounded to fit closer to the front of the tower.

[salmon]

Float was trimmed and shaped.There is plenty of clearance for the float to move up and down. I think this will work.

So much of this is guesstimating for me, I simply think it will work and if it does, well I am just......If it doesn't you can point and laugh.


I ordered some LEDs for the sub. I like lights working on my subs. I still have nightmares of soldering smd LEDs on the Gato. This time I purchased pre soldered lights.
This is the Pico size (yes that tiny blob at the end of those wires).


However, for its small size it puts out decent light.


I have to think about how to connect the aft light to this grouping. The aft light is on its own section of deck. It is all an adventure.............

[scott t]

Would magnets conduct electricity or there plating. How about a apple charging cord for the led connection.

[salmon]

Scott,
Thank you my friend! Merry Christmas. I played with those ideas, the magnet still would need to be sealed because of corrosion. Is there any micro waterproof connectors?
Peace,
Tom

[scott t]

Encapsulate your magnet in silicone. Then attach your wire contact surface to the silicone.
When your magnets snap together they hold the contacts together.
These cables are pretty cheap and you probably have some in you parts box.

[secrtwpn1]

How to you power the LED's?