31" nautilus

[chips]

Spent some time in the paint shop yesterday and today. Using Alclad II lacquers. First was the Black Primer Micro Filler (ALC-309), followed by a base coat Dull Aluminum (ALC-117) airbrushed over the whole model. Followed up with random spraying of Steel (ALC--112), Burnt Iron (ALC-121), Exhaust Manifold (ALC-123), and Pale Burnt Metal (ALC-104). I'll follow up with a few coats of the Aqua Gloss Clear (ALC-600) in a few days.

The video you posted on Dec 1 was good. This last video was more helpful with the prop set up.

[steveneill]

I built the same prop set up for my 66 inch Nautilus and it works great for pitch. Love the paint job!

[bigdave]

Yes, very nice finish Bob.
My Ray Mason kit is kind of a s-it brown. With all the rivits painted rust.
I am still cross eyed from that one. Lol BD

[chips]

Thanks for the feedback on the paint. I'm happy with the paint job, I figured I'd paint NAUTILUS as a fairly clean boat.. I made up two clear rudder extensions. I added a little humor to one of the rudder extensions - Nemo was a pain to fillet.

[bigdave]

Now that is cool.
You will find without the extension it (at least mine) turns like SHIP!
Sadly my extension was lost in the Carmel sea. (Reflecting pond)
I have working scale bow and stern planes on mine but they do less than the rudder. Lol
Depth control by ballast only. Luckily the hull design is supprisingly stable. BD

[bigdave]

Here is my Nautilus.
Photo taken years ago at a meet in York PA.
You can see the dive planes, but my clear rudder extension is a water only option. Lol BD

[chips]

The first coat of clear gloss has been applied. I got my order of LED's yesterday; 3 mm LED's for the pilothouse and chip LED's for around the salon windows.

[chips]

Lighting going in. 3 mm warm white LED's in the Croc eyes; 3 mm blue LED for the depth tube; and 3 mm red LED's for the pilothouse. Warm white chip LED's around the salon windows. I'm using some canopy glue to secure the chip LED's.

[chips]

More lights installed and tested.

[chips]

Painted the details inside the pilothouse.

[bob the builder]

Looking great!

[chips]

I made a display stand from a piece of mahogany veneered plywood. The name plate was made from brass stock. The letters were cut out with a jeweler's saw and soldered to the brass plate. The plate was aged with some heat from a butane torch and a soak in some ammonia soaked paper towels. The lettering was then polished and the plate was clear coated.

[bigdave]

That looks great Bob.
Interesting process. That is a lot of cutting with a jewelers saw.
I have two of them and can never seem to keep the blades from loosening.
What thickness did you use for the letters? BD

[salmon]

Your name plate came out really nice. It is an extra touch to your base that makes it stand out. I am inspired to try this some day.

[chips]

That looks great Bob.
Interesting process. That is a lot of cutting with a jewelers saw.
I have two of them and can never seem to keep the blades from loosening.
What thickness did you use for the letters? BD

I used .032 brass sheet. It took about 2 hours and 3 blades to cut the letters. In the past I've used ferric chloride (PC board etching solution) to etch the name plate. My first attempt for the NAUTILUS used ferric chloride, but the bottle I had was about 5 years old, and didn't give me the depth I wanted. Cut and solder brass was my second option.