Building the IMARA TUG

Bunkerbarge · Mar 7, 2013

\ said:
Which ever way you go you have my attention Andy. With the cost involved I can understand the choice of electric.If I can slip a quick question to Richard. Can you run those steam engines on compressed air from a tank and have them able to still push a boat through the water, or would the tank have to be way to big?

Ian M

Hi Ian,

Yes you could run them on compressed air but you would have a very short duration for the size of a compressed air tank that you could get into a model boat unless you were thinking of high pressure tanks with a regulating valve on the outlet. The thing is with steam is that water is your available gas in liquid form that expands around 1700 times at atmospheric pressure so you have an available source of lots of steam, all you have to do is heat the water. With air you only have what you can compress into a pressure vessel, which is pretty limited unless you get to high pressures, then you need high pressure compressors to fill them.

I run my engines regularly on small air brush compressors with the engines above taking only around 15 to 20 psi for a fair speed but getting that into a boat maybe a bit more of a challenge. Of course if you are going to fit real engines you can't not run them on steam can you?

Bunkerbarge · Mar 7, 2013

Andy,

The supplier of the Steam Master Unit can be contacted via their web site:

via e-mail:

steammasterunit@btinternet.com

via phone:

0800 970 0154

or via the following address:

Steam Master Unit

PO Box 3532

Norwich

NR5 5AG

treyzx10r · Mar 7, 2013

Watching from the sidelines and getting ready for yet another masterful build!

spanner570 · Mar 7, 2013

\ said:
Make sure you dont kick Ron in the head Colin

Ok, I'm back now....Sitting in front of Colin, helmet on....so bring it on Andy!

Sky Raider · Mar 7, 2013

\ said:
Andy, The supplier of the Steam Master Unit can be contacted via their web site:

via e-mail:

steammasterunit@btinternet.com

via phone:

0800 970 0154

or via the following address:

Steam Master Unit

PO Box 3532

Norwich

NR5 5AG

Thanks Richard, ill be intouch with them very shortly.

Andy

Sky Raider · Mar 7, 2013

\ said:
Ok, I'm back now....Sitting in front of Colin, helmet on....so bring it on Andy!

I knew i could count on you Ron.

Cheers

Andy

Bunkerbarge · Mar 7, 2013

I'm afraid I haven't added to my very old Ben Ain build thread for a long time now but this is maybe the inspiration I need. The trouble is I spend so much time writing nowadays that something has to drop off at the bottom. I keep meaning to tidy up and sort out the thread and progress it a bit.

Here's the almost finished rear part:

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Sky Raider · Mar 8, 2013

Im glad i may have inspired you to continue your masterpeice Richard. That Ben Ain is something to be proud of in fact you could say that it was you that actually inspired me to move towards boats, there is so much detail work that can be done and you have the added advantage of an RC hobby that will not destroy all your work and pride and joy if you crash it.

Cheers

Andy

Bunkerbarge · Mar 8, 2013

There is the voice of a man who has dug up pieces of model aircraft from a field!!

Sky Raider · Mar 8, 2013

Luckily Richard i never have because i was learing with a trainer bit i have seen many that have and it seems an hit or miss chance one that i would never risk my buids against, just one big reason why boats are more appealing to me.

Andy

Caledonia · Mar 9, 2013

Hi Andy, I will be very interested to see the quality of the white metal fittings on this kit, the ones for my Trawler were very poor quality. Plenty of scope for weathring on this one if you want to. Cheers Derek

Sky Raider · Mar 9, 2013

\ said:
Hi Andy, I will be very interested to see the quality of the white metal fittings on this kit, the ones for my Trawler were very poor quality. Plenty of scope for weathring on this one if you want to. Cheers Derek

Thanks Derek, what i have seen of the fittings so far looks very nice and clean. I will open a pack tomorrow so you can see the quality.

Cheers

Andy

Sky Raider · Mar 11, 2013

Day 2

I finished cleaning up the hull and managed to fit the shafts in place with some waterproofing to.

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Day 3

I finished off the shafts and added a little support timber secured by some matting and synthetic resin. I also filled the shafts with grease and added the props. There is some wood working to do on this model as none of the base fixing is supplied so im having to cut my own and set it in place. Im not too worried about the runs in the resin as i will be painting the inside of the hull white.

I still have to sand down the squadren green once it is dry.

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Cheers

Andy

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papa 695 · Mar 12, 2013

Great start Andy like the idea with the smoke will make it look more authentic when completed and sailing

Sky Raider · Mar 12, 2013

Day 4

A slight set back today guys. Though this kit is in many ways a fantastic and detailed tug there are however some big problems as i see with the production of the parts. I cant say that i am to chuffed that the kit doesnt come with all its parts for mounting motors and controls etc like the Hunter kit did. and with this in mind i think very little thought has gone into how the builder acheives the end result.

Take the pictures below for instance - these are the mounts supplied with the motors, quite how you are expected to fit these in and line up is behond me, see what you think.

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This is what has caused me the set back, i had to make a template that fits in the hull nice and snug and then make a bulkhead to accept the motors bearing in mind that with no pre made parts for this it was critical that i got the alignment perfectly straight, seem like your left out in the cold on this one and if you hadnt the skill to do the job you would be stuffed. Anyway, moan over and i just got on with the task at hand.

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Cheers

Andy

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Jim Scott · Mar 12, 2013

Just caught up on this Andy, this is going to be one nice tug

Sky Raider · Mar 12, 2013

Thanks Jim, as soon as i can get out of the hull the real stuff begins.

Cheers

Andy

Sky Raider · Mar 14, 2013

Day 5

All the wood working for the control gear is now in place and we are ready to paint the inside of the hull. There is a slight angle to the motor bulkhead i know, this is for the slight difference in shaft hieghts and though its only 3mm it looks a lot according to the timber, this will however vanish has the build progresses. Again with no indication and measurements on the plans or in the instructions i was on my own again with this bit. You cant even get a hint from the plans as they are not to scale would you believe. :lost:

Working from front to back we have:-

Two Speed controllers mount here, next are the two 6v 10Ah batteries, just tucked behind them is the receiver battery above next is the receiver, then the two motors and above and behind them is the rudder servo.

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Sky Raider · Mar 15, 2013

Day 6

Three coasts of Flaire Gloss White paint added to give the inside a finished look when the covers are removed also helps to identify the dirt more easily when cleaning is required. Now we can get onto some more serious building.

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Cheers

Andy

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Jim Scott · Mar 15, 2013

You ate really putting this together Andy, watching with great interest

Jim

Building the IMARA TUG

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