Jules Verne's NAUTILUS

[modelnut]

After years of drawing and redrawing, whether on my crappy computer or on paper, I finally have a plan that I am happy with.



This is Greg Sharpe's plan but I have made quite a few changes. Don't get me wrong. I love Greg's design! But there is already one like it in the world. I want to build something that is more like what I have in my head when I read Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea.

Sadly, I heard that Greg's Deep Sea Designs is no more. I am glad I bought the plans when I had the chance.

So I have the plan --- and I have the propeller. Now I need to start cutting plastic!

- Leelan

[brucethebrush]

Re: Jules Verne's NAUTILUS

Hey Leelan,
How big ya gonna make her? Can't wait to see the in-progress shots. When will the kit be available?
Bruce

[modelnut]

Re: Jules Verne's NAUTILUS

Hey Leelan,
When will the kit be available?
Bruce

Yeah. Right!

Sorry. This will be a one shot. I am a newb when it comes to RC subs, an innocent bystander. I live vicariously through the SCR and this forum. Like when I was a kid, I bought the Estes rocket catalog and dreamed but never bought any. Like the old Sears Christmas Magic Wish Book, I would just turn the pages and drool.

I have been working on this project for about ten years now. There have been four attempts to build her so far. This will be the fifth. The first developed a warp that my friends and I couldn't figure how to fix. The second I tried to make a master out of foam and Bondo. That one was too dusty for my one-room apartment. The third I don't remember what went wrong. The fourth, I tried to cobble together two Graf Zeppelin kits. But I had to put so much putty on them to make them round and symmetrical that the model wouldn't be able to do anything but sink.

I really had high hopes for that fourth.

This time I am going to do what Steve Neill did: CLICK HERE.

If I can find my circle cutter I will start this morning. Oh! Like Steve, I have a 4.5 inch cylinder as the basis for my boat that will dictate my scale, 1/70. So the hull will be one meter long. The ram and rudder will add to that length though. So far I have a propeller.

- Leelan

[brucethebrush]

Re: Jules Verne's NAUTILUS

Hey Leelan,
Just wanted to see how the Nautilus is going. Last post was in May. Got any in-progress shots? At least in the Midwest, 'tis the season - to be indoors and build.
Bruce

[modelnut]

Re: Jules Verne's NAUTILUS

Well . . .

I cut plastic two weeks ago. But preparations for Christmas and other assorted real life issues have kept me from doing more. But I have the rest of this week off so I plan on cutting bulkheads tomorrow. I am going plank-on-frame and hoping the lamination will hold.

- Leelan

[modelnut]

Re: Jules Verne's NAUTILUS

I'm currently laying in supplies to have another go at the NAUTILUS. After a bit of discussion with a good friend I am going to carve the hull out of foam and then glass it.

I wanted to get the cloth locally but it seems that no one carries more than one or two weights of cloth. Nor do they sell it in the small quantity that I will need. So I may have to just order online.

As soon as there is progress I will start a builder's thread.

- Leelan

[brucethebrush]

Re: Jules Verne's NAUTILUS

Leelan,
If you're going to make her solid, might I suggest using urethane foam (12 lb. should do). Messy to carve and sand but alot less prep work. It can be primed and painted as is. If you need a hard skin, I usually paint the foam with Envirotex casting resin. Soaks in and dries hard. Patch with Bondo. Also can get it in the Lowes paint department. Same stuff people use to coat bar tops.
Bruce

[brucethebrush]

Re: Jules Verne's NAUTILUS

Oh, by the way, not the spray foam. You can get it in different thicknesses and densities as sheets. Jiffy Foam was one I used many years ago.

[modelnut]

Re: Jules Verne's NAUTILUS

I know. Great Stuff can get messy!

I was going to use the sheets of foam that I have waiting patiently for the project.

But. I have another idea. It came top me last night. There is a paper model that has just become available. Look here. If I can get it printed close to 72 scale (with a few percentages taken off to allow for the thickness of the fiberglass) I could use that to glass a hull.

Once I have the card-stock hull assembled I could cover it with duck tape and then start adding the layers of glass and resin. Once cured and sanded smooth I could make the Z-cut etc etc etc. That would save the mess of foam dust that would have accumulated otherwise.

BTW where can I get the glass cloth in the quantities I need? My local boating supply store will only sell them in 150 yard rolls. If I have my figure correct I only need one layer of 10lb cloth, two 6lb, two 4lb and one 2lb. That's Brad Thor's advice if I recall correctly.

- Leelan

[brucethebrush]

Re: Jules Verne's NAUTILUS

Hey Leelan,
I know we sell it ay Lowes. I'm sure most home improvement stores will sell smaller quantities for you. So, it's gonna be like 3 feet long or so? Why not get a big pine or basswood log and carve it down on a humongoid lathe?
Bruce

[bob the builder]

Re: Jules Verne's NAUTILUS

I wonder if you were to fill it with spray foam on the inside and let it cure if it would be solid enough just to lay up over top of. Being paper I could see the shape get a bit distorted on you during the taping process. By filling with the foam, you'd have a completely rigid model to lay directly up on.

Just a thought...

[modelnut]

Re: Jules Verne's NAUTILUS

Hey Leelan,
I know we sell it ay Lowes. I'm sure most home improvement stores will sell smaller quantities for you. So, it's gonna be like 3 feet long or so? Why not get a big pine or basswood log and carve it down on a humongoid lathe?
Bruce

The ONLY power tool I have is my Dremel. I don't even have a workshop. Just the spare bedroom that the wife insisted I turn into the Man-cave.
I do have a covered back porch ready for the glassing of the hull though.

- Leelan

[modelnut]

Re: Jules Verne's NAUTILUS

I wonder if you were to fill it with spray foam on the inside and let it cure if it would be solid enough just to lay up over top of. Being paper I could see the shape get a bit distorted on you during the taping process. By filling with the foam, you'd have a completely rigid model to lay directly up on.

Just a thought...

I were to do that I might as well glue together sheets of insulation foam and carve the hull. The spray foam tends to inflate whatever you put it into even if there is a easy open escape route for the excess. I think that if I reinforce the card-stock by doubling the layers the duct tape shouldn't cause too much trouble.

- Leelan

[modelnut]

Re: Jules Verne's NAUTILUS

I have the card model kit enlarged to the right size to lay up a 72nd scale fiber glass hull. I am two thirds through assembly.

- Leelan

[modelnut]

Re: Jules Verne's NAUTILUS

I have started a Builder's thread for this boat. You probably already know this. But WTH.

- Leelan