Matt Thor 60" 1/72 Scale Akula II

[eckloss]

Re: Matt Thor 60" 1/72 Scale Akula II

Battery Compartment:

Because I'm using an OTW cylinder, I need to have my battery outside the WTC in its own container.

I'll be using 2.5" OD lexan tubing and custom end caps.

I designed and printed the end caps using my 3D printer. It took me a few tries to get the diameter just perfect enough that the o-rings sealed properly.




One end housed the power on/off switch. The other cap had small holes to run power wire through that will be connected to the OTW cylinder.




I also printed saddles for the battery. I've found that sometimes the battery flops around in the WTC and can make the boat lean to one side or the other.






I also cut from Garolite two saddles for the battery compartment. The battery's cylinder will be kept in place with simple rubber bands.



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[eckloss]

Re: Matt Thor 60" 1/72 Scale Akula II

In order to finely squeeze the hull into the correct shape and alignment, I needed two braces in the upper hull, one at the bow and one at the stern. Next: filling the seam.



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[eckloss]

Re: Matt Thor 60" 1/72 Scale Akula II

I really don't like this part. But the seam must be filled. There is a noticeable gap between the upper and lower hulls.



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[Ralph --- SSBN 598]

Re: Matt Thor 60" 1/72 Scale Akula II

I think we all would rather not have to do the hull matching.

Here's my Revell Skipjack which also required glazing to get the bow and sides to line up.
The photo shows the hull after the third application of glaze and primer.
Took two more times to get it where I was okay with it.


Even after painting the black and red anti foul, I see I still have some work to get the top hull to match up with the tail cone.


I decided to leave it until I was done with the inside. Why, because I have not yet made the parts that will secure the top to the bottom hull.
So the two halves are not pull tight together yet. Maybe I'll get lucky and the seam will close up.

Don't think so.
I beveled the top half with out thinking about the to joints meeting flush.
Not even in the water and retro fitting list is growing.

[eckloss]

Re: Matt Thor 60" 1/72 Scale Akula II

My mental scale is "does it look ok from a slight distance", and yours does. I wouldn't get to bent out of shape about it. At the regattas and fun runs i've been to, i've seen perfect seams, and some really BAD ones, but even with those, once it's on the water, you can't tell.

e.

[Ralph --- SSBN 598]

Re: Matt Thor 60" 1/72 Scale Akula II

You're right.
The 10 foot rule should be our guide.
How does it look at 10 feet a way?
Well, My boats live in the house and you can walk right up to them, so I do try to get things to fit tight.
But some times I get carried away in trying to get that perfect fit.

Example of "Do I really need to get this perfect?"
Ballast tank holes in the bottom of the boat.
Can't see them in the water and can't see them out of the water unless you stand on your head.
Just need the water to drain fast enough when you lift it out of the water.

My Skipjack is good except that top of the hull to tail cone joint.
It's also good except I beveled the edge.
I am going to take that bevel out, just not now.

I am in luck because the repair won't mess up the paint because the boat has not been clear coated yet.

[eckloss]

Re: Matt Thor 60" 1/72 Scale Akula II

Example of "Do I really need to get this perfect?"
Ballast tank holes in the bottom of the boat.
Can't see them in the water and can't see them out of the water unless you stand on your head.
Just need the water to drain fast enough when you lift it out of the water.

Bingo. If you look back on this build you will see that I went with a simple series of quarter inch holes along the bottom rather than scribe in and file out all 64 holes in the lower hull. Only someone that i like to call a Rivet-Counter would really say anything about it.

There are imperfections in the stern of my Akula. Areas that show a scratch or two. Once painted black, though, you'll never see them unless you are nose-close to the thing.

My Vanguard has a serious seam issue. The upper hull is a good 1/8 inch pulled inwards on each side as compared to the lower hull. But as I type this, and it's about 8 feet away, I can't tell. The entire hull is black, and you certainly can't tell when it's on the water. I had one person say something to me about the gap, and yes it got to me, but I also had a few compliments on the boat that far outweighed that one single remark.

e.

[Ralph --- SSBN 598]

Re: Matt Thor 60" 1/72 Scale Akula II

Have you looked at photos of real Russian boats. They don't seem to be worried about perfect either.
Acoustic tiles missing and scared paint jobs.

Just found a rather nice Akula propeller displayed.

[eckloss]

Re: Matt Thor 60" 1/72 Scale Akula II

Have you looked at photos of real Russian boats. They don't seem to be worried about perfect either.

Ain't that the truth!

Here's a pic of the prop i'll be using for this boat. It's a biggin'...70mm diameter. The nose cone is removable...I"ll be fabricating a more realistic cone on my 3D printer to include the features of the one like you showed above.



e.

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[Ralph --- SSBN 598]

Re: Matt Thor 60" 1/72 Scale Akula II

What surprises me about the real propeller is how steep the angle is at the hub and how flat..in fact reversed it is at the tips.
Your propeller looks like it will fit the project just fine.

[eckloss]

Re: Matt Thor 60" 1/72 Scale Akula II

Here's a first draft of the prop cone....





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[eckloss]

Re: Matt Thor 60" 1/72 Scale Akula II

Ralph...are those bullet presses I see in the background?!?

e.

[Ralph --- SSBN 598]

Re: Matt Thor 60" 1/72 Scale Akula II

Yes, there are.
Three Dillon 650 presses with case feeders.
Lots of conversion tool heads.
There are presses for small and large primers.
Pistol and rifle and there is a 12ga shotgun press.
My real life up to last year was as a commercial reloader for cowboy action shooters.
Smokeless and real black powder and BP substitutes.
I was averaging 460,000+ rounds a year. (that's only 2500 per day or 4 hours working)
Nothing modern. All the calibers are 1880s.
32-20, 38spl, 357mag, 38-40, 44spl, 44mag, 44-40, 44 Russian, 45 Colt 444 Marlin & 45-70 calibers.
With the ammunition shortage that started a few years back, parts started getting harder to get.
I made my own projectiles os bullets where not an issue. (lead bullet casting)
What I couldn't get was powder.
I had place an order for 400 pounds of 5 different powders.
16 months later I received 8 pounds of my #3 choice.
Basically not being able to get powder closed my business.
Ya see, 8 pounds lasted 6 to 9 days in my shop.
I could not promise delivery to any of my customers.
I also competed in the competitions and would deliver to the matches every Saturday and Sunday and pick up brass to be reprocessed for the next weekend matches.
So, after a little calculating, I decided to close up shop and sign up for retirement/Social Security.
It's not much but it pays all my bills and leaves a little left for me.
Over the years I set myself up to live on as little as I could.
I don't make payments on anything.
Have just water, electric and phone bills.
Any way. I got my monthly requirements down to $350/month.
My house is 3 bedroom and I am on 10 acres about 7 miles out of town.
1.2 mile to nearest paved road.
Problem is I now have neighbors within that 1/2mile.
So, I am working on house to sell and move to most likely to central Arizona.

If your interested, here is a web site I maintain for one of the clubs I shoot with.
Double R Regulators, also know as RRBar
And an all black powder group. Brimstone Pistoleros
Some of my stuff can be found here, including submarine projects Cliff Hanger's Hideout

[eckloss]

Re: Matt Thor 60" 1/72 Scale Akula II

A man after my own heart.

I have three Lee presses, two progressive and one not. That one has a dillon motorized cutter/resizer on it. Everything is set for .223 ammo at the moment. When the ammo shortage hit I was able to get the per round cost to 42 cents vs the one dollar plus retail price. I ran into the same powder shortage you did. It became a daily waiting game.

erich

[Ralph --- SSBN 598]

Re: Matt Thor 60" 1/72 Scale Akula II

As a federally licensed ammunition manufacturer, I could buy direct from distributors and some manufacturers.
They were not delivering, much less the local wholesalers and retailers.
I was trading primers for powder and decided it was time to close.

My last primer delivery was 100,000 small pistol primers.
Took 7 days to get it.
I traded all but 10,000 for various powders and some large pistol primers.

And that 8 pounds I finally got, I kept it for myself.

The current run on .223 ammunition must be a nightmare due to government .....crap.

I am partial to 1800s guns. But I have absolutely nothing against those who enjoy the modern guns.
Be safe and have fun.