Bunkerbarge

This must be quite a popular kit and interesting to see another one go together. I think Engels engineering has an extreemly high reputation and thier kits seem to be suprb. I am in the process of saving up for the new type VII but I want to finish my steamer first. That will be a couple of years away at least!

__________________

“Dirty British coaster with a salt-caked smoke stack, Butting through the Channel in the mad March days"

Screw Loose

Well just to keep up to date I have been on with the water tight container on the typhoon tonight.



The body of the container is very heavy and very thick, so I can believe the 10M maximum diving depth that they can take. Not that I would like to try it to be honest!

Apart from some carefull measuring and checking it has went pretty much straight forward. But like others on here I have noticed the slot in the opening seems to be a little on the narrow side. So might prove to be a bit of a squeeze getting all the components in like the tanks etc.

Only had one problem really, in that the 4mm Dye I was using is on the way out, so made making the threads difficult to cut in the top.

But on the whole the container is a far better quality than some others I have bought, where the mould is a bit wonky and the seams are very weak and leaky if not modified. My T class had awfull problems with the drift in the mouldings. Think they had been overused.

The only thing that seems to becoming apparent with the Engel kits is you need to have the correct tools for the job, like anything else I suppose. Now I know most on here will have, but unless you have things like tower drills, dyes and such they might prove to be tricky.

One other thing that helps is an understanding spouse, mine has not yet started the full scale moaning but I am sure its on the way, the whole " I am just going to do a little bit!" and 2 hours later ......

Paul

Mankster

These are the mission critical steps, measure twice....
Flip the middle deck over and lay it on a flat surface to make sure the top of the middle deck is entirely flat and not warped a little (mine was, and I had to take it into account when measuring the holes to be drilled out for the shafts etc..). Measure the distance between the two output shaft on the drive gearbox, mine did not match the dimensions in the drawings used to mark holes to be drilled in the middle deck.

Screw Loose

Funny you mention that, the middle deck protrudes 5mm extra over the lower hull than its supposed to. It all fits and the upper deck still fits but I better check the dimentions tommorrow, thanks !

Screw Loose

Well everything was going ok with the build, been on holiday so had a week off. Sat down tonight with a new tap wrench and got to work on the middle deck. Cut the first hole with the 4mm tap and CRACK, the tap snaps like a carrot. Back to the tool shop in the morning me thinks !!!

I dont know what they made those metal inlays out of but its damned hard stuff .

Mankster

I didn't tap mine, just drilled a 4mm hole and resined the head in place. Works just fine. As I enlarged the lid, some of my bolts didn't even go through the inlays, just the FG.

ajg141

I tapped mine - but I broke a couple of taps in the process too. Had sore hands for weeks afterwards. It's all a labour of love but the end result will be worth it. That's what I keep telling myself anyway.

Screw Loose

I know the feeling. I was using old taps, which to be honest werent the best. God knows where they came from, got them from my father and they where in with BSF, BSC and allsorts of odd sized stuff ?

One thing I have noticed is its just as well I have plenty of odd sized drill bits. All the openings in the inner deck are all 1/2 sized it seems.

But it all fits together very well, the Germans really know how to build things !!

Screw Loose

Well been on drilling out the holes for the prop shafts and control arms tonight. Well for 2 nights actually. Talk about "check twice cut once". The dimentions for the holes dont exactly match the inner deck that they sent.

They are off by approx 2mm. I know that sounds insignificant but with those tricky retractable planes, and not needing the hassle of tight prop shaft bearings, it has to be exact!

So last night was down to marking up the holes while looking at the motors and mechanisms, and tonight it was putting the marks right and drilling the holes.



and the other end......



As you can see by my scribbling, it took a few attempts to get the holes alligned correctly. But everything now fits and seems to be in ok ?!?!?

Talk about twitchy bum when making the first drill holes

Screw Loose

Just finished on the instruction of my better half, something about "Spending too much time in that garage!"

So this is how far I have got.

The inner deck has taken up a fair bit of time, due to the fact that it is slightly warped at one corner. All the way around the deck you have to have an exact measurement of 26mm from the top of the watertight box to the lid of the lower hull. ( I know I had to read it a few times as well ! ) So to straighten it out was a case of gentle persuasion and cuts along the length of the lid.

Anyways it went in eventually. The resin that Engel supply smells quite similar to normal car body fibreglass resin, but with the addition of the microbaloons, or bulking agent, it dries as hard as rock and makes an excellent filler. But what is apparent is ALL the measurments have to be EXACT ! As became apparent when I had finished tonight by putting in the shafts.



Then the motors were loose fitted and both shafts were able to turn freely, any hesitation will cause wear on the motors and increased power consumption and less life for the battery.

The Stern holes for the prop shafts were drilled out, and the nylon bushes added. All must line perfectly again, then the mounting bushes for the motors are glued in to the inner deck and all prop shafts and couplings put on before final glueing takes place.

So far so good !

So after the glue has dried I have put some leads onto the motor and turned it over connected to a multimeter, its only pulling just over 1amp. So the shafts turn with fingers freely and seem to be running freely.



Again



So back to reality now, and to get her a Southern Comfort and a box of Maltesers as a peace offering! Might buy another few hours tommorrow