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ModelHull2

Hull21/20thSkeletonKit

1/20thscale(4')topand1/35thscale(27.5")modelssidebyside.

Hull2SkeletonKitisnowavailableagaininboth1/20thscale(4'long)and1/35thscale(27"long)versions.
IhavefinishedthedesignoftheHull21/20thscaleHullskeletonkitandIhavealsofinishedthe9pagesofinstructionswithlotsofphoto'sabouthowto
buildit,Ihaveincreasedthenumberofpartsto122seethepricelistfordetails.
Basedonmyyearsofresearch,manybooks,photographsandthefewavailableoriginaldrawingsthatIhavemanagedtogetholdofIspentmanythousands
ofhoursrecreatingandredrawingtheoriginalboatplans(whichisanongoingproject)andbasedontheseplansIhavedevelopedthenew,moreaccurate,
1/20thscale(4'or1220mmlong)andthe1/35thscale(27.4"or697mmlong)modelhullsavailableaslasercutribsetsofapproximately122pieces.Please
don'taskmeforAutocadfilesasrefusalsometimesoffends!
Thelasercut1/20thscalekitincludes20ribs,transom,laminatedmainkeel,laminatedwingpropshaftsandseparaterudderkeels,breakawaylaminateddeck
runnerswhichincludesthedeckopeningupstand,motormounts,servomounts,alargebatteryboxandalaminatedstand.Thesepartsarecutfromveryfine
grade2mm(5/64")thickGL3BirchplyfromUPMinFinlandandaresuppliedon8separatesheetsthatare300mmx400mm(1'x1'4"),thismakesa16mm
(5/8")thickstackthatcanbeshippedasaflatcardboardboxbyairmailandwillweigharound1.3Kg(3pounds).ThisisanimportantconsiderationasIamin
Australia!
Thelongkeelswhenmadeup,arelaminatedas4thicknessesof2mmplywith6thicknessesatthepropshaftsandrudders,thedeckrunnersare2thicknesses,
theindividualshortpiecesarefittedtogetherendtoendwithstaggeredjigsawlikejoints.Allindividualkitpartsjointogetherintoslotsorrecessesandmake
foraverystrongbutlightweighthullframethatisfairlyeasytobuild.ThemotormountingboardisdesignedtotakeeverytypeofmotorthatIcurrentlyhave
orhavepreviouslyusedinHull1andcanbesetupaseitheragearedordirectdrivearrangement.
Youwillneedtosupplythelongchineandgunwaletimbersandthehullcoveringmaterialsaswellastherunninggear.Thechineandgunwaleare4mm
(5/32")squaresectionmaterialasfulllengths(1200mmplusor4'plus)ofbalsaorharderwoodsuchasRaminorSpruceandyoucancoverthehullin
whateveryoulike,Iamusing2layersof0.8mm(1/32")BirchplywhichIhavelasercutinto1/20thscale6"wideplanks,justliketherealthingwhichwas
coveredintwolayersof1/2"Mahoganyplankswithwaterproofedmuslinclothbetweenthelayers.
ModelHull2variesfromModelHull1inthefollowingways:
1.Themotorsaremountedclosetotheoriginallocationandaremuchfurtheraft(rearward)thaninHull1,thismeansthatthepropshaftsaremuchshorter
andcanbeboughtascomplete8"typesratherthanhavingtomakethemupyourself.Ihaveallowedforboth6.35mm(1/4")or8mmoutsidediameterprop
shafts.Movingthemotorsmeansthattheboatwillbebalancedbetterasthebatterieswillbefurtherforwardinfrontofthemotors.
2.Thehull2shapehasamuchmoreconcaveprofileinthesidesandbottomwhichisasclosetotheoriginalElcoPT103class80'hulldrawingsasIcanget
it.
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3.ThepropellershaftsareparalleltoeachotherliketheoriginalfullsizeboatandnottaperedoutwardslikeHull1whichgivesmoreroomforlargermotors
uptoSpeed700/775size.Seethiscurrentarticleonmotors:www.rcboatmodeler.com/pdf/MEGA_MOTOR_GUIDE.pdf
4.ThewingruddersaresplayedoutwardsattheafthullbottomangleliketheoriginalElcoboats,thisshouldhelptheboatturnbetterbyhelpingthebowto
not"digin"orhavethesterntryingtoliftwiththeparallelruddersinatightturnduetotheangleofthehullinthewaterasitleansintotheturn.
5.Hull2isveryaccuratelylasercutsothereisaheaplessdrudgeworkinvolvedinbuildingit,forthosethathavenotbuiltHull1thereisaLOTofworkjust
cuttingoutribsandmakingupthepropshafts,gearboxetcandtheendresultshouldbeamuchmoreaccuratelighterand"tighter"hull.ThewholeHull2
skeletoncanbeputtogetherinacoupleofdays!
Iamworkingonthesuperstructurekit(s)currentlyandrevisingthetorpedorolloffrackkitwhichwillalsobeavailableshortly.
Iwilldoanextrememodelsoonish(butpleasedon'tholdyourbreath).Thismodelwillhaveall69+1ribswithVeedrivegearboxesandPackardenginesbutI
mayproduceitasahalfhulltoshowofftheinterior.
Thisisanexampleofthelayoutofthelasercutskeletonkitforthenew'Hull2'at1/20thscale.
(ThereisstillquitealotofwastematerialleftsoIamaddingextrapiecesthatIcanincludethatcanalsobecutfrom2mmply.)

http://www.ptboat.com/Hull2/Hull2.html

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Thisisthe1/20thSkeletonkitfinished,sandedandreadyforplanking.

FinishingtheSkeletonKitintoaboat

IlookedattheavailableplankingmaterialsandthepriceandIdecidedtomakeupsome1/20thscale6"planking(7.62mmwide)usingthelasercutter,Iwas
goingtousescale0.6mmbirchplybutit'sjustalittlebittooflimsysoIsettledon0.8mmwhichifscaleduptothefullsizeboatwouldmaketheoverall
coveringthickness(twolayers)32mmorabout11/4"thick,whichifyouconsidertheoriginalboathadtwolayersof1/2"plankingandalayerofmuslincloth
andglueinbetweenitwouldhavecomeoutthickerthan1"anywayandwithsomesandingthecoveringwillgetsomewhatthinner.Iget39stripsoutofa300
x400mmsheetandeachstripisaprettygoodlengthtodotwostripsat45degreesorsoonthehullsurfaces,that'sabout15linealmetresor50linealfeetof
plankingpersheet.Iusedabout8sheetstodotheentirecoveringintwolayers.

TheFirstLayer
Plankonesidestartingnearthebow,whereitmeetsthechine,gluetheplankstotheribsandchinetimbersbutNOTtoeachotheronthefirstlayer,thiswill
leavesomeflexibilityfortheplankstomoveinbetweentheribswhenthesecondlayerisaddedlaterattheoppositeangle.Generallyitworksbesttoplank
"upwards"sothatthegluerunsdownonthelastplanksostartnearabottomcornerbutyoudon'twanttostartrightattheboworalloftheafttimberswill
wanttobebenttofitagainstthelastoneasthetwistintheplanksatthehollowbowmakesthemiddleoftheplankseemfatter.Itdoesn'treallymatterifyou
canseedaylightbetweentheplanksonthefirstlayerjustallowtheplankstofindtheirowncurve.Icuttheexcessplankingoffatthechinewithagoodpairof
sidecutters(nailclippersshouldworkalso).Thereshouldbeabout110stripspersidedependingontheangle,Iendedupwith3or4moreononeside,not
importantontheinnerlayers.IletthehullshapechoosetheanglewherethewoodwantedtogonearthebowandthenmadesurethatIcouldgettwostrips
outofeachlengthofplankingwithouttoomuchwaste.Iftheangleischosencorrectlythestripswillbefairlystraightendtoendwithjustatwisttotakeup
thehullshape.Thenfileorsandoffthechinetothebottomshape,thebowtotheoppositesideshapeandthetransomflush.Thevariouslayersofplanking
willalternatelyoverlapatthejoinededgesmakingforverystrongjoints.Iusedmediumsuperglueandpressurefrom4or5fingerstoholdtheplankingin
place.ThereisaLOToftimerequiredherebutveryrelaxing!
Andrememberifyoudon'tglueyourfingerstothehullinlotsofplaces,you'reprobablynotusingenoughglue!

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Sandthechineedgetomeetthehullbottomshape.

Oncethesidesareplankedandedgesanded,startonthebottomplanking,againIstartedfromthelongestpiecesnearthebowandworkedforwardsandthen
aft.
IamveryhappywiththestrengthandtheshapeofHull2,it'salreadylookingfabulous!

Asyougetfurtheraftitbecomesapparentthatsandingthefirstsideplankingofftothekeelangleisnotgoingtoworkontheaftendduetotheshallowangles
involvedsoafterabouttherib25positionIstartedsawingtheplanksthroughusingapencillineandahobbysawandthenusingtheremainingplankhalfon
theotherbottomside,ifsawnthroughcarefullytheresultingbuttjoinisaperfectangle

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Forwardofrib25sandtheplankingofftothekeelshapeandoverlapthekeeljoin.

Asyoupassthevariouskeelcutoutsforpropshaftsandruddersetc.cutsmallerholesoutoftheplankingsothatyouknowwheretheyarelater.Cutthe
propshaftholesmoretosternthanyouthinkortheywillbetoofarforward.

Onceyouhavefinishedbothsidesandbottomplanking,trim,fileandsandalltheedgestothehullshape.Don'troundtheedges,keepthemreallysharp,
particularlythekeelatthebowaswehavetoputonmoreplankingyet.Ifiledoffoneflatsideofacorksandingblockasaprogressivecurveandthensuper
gluedsomefairlyroughsandpapertoittomakeasandingblockasimilarshapetothebowshape.Iamreallypleasedwiththishull!

Oncethetransomissandedapplyplankingreallyneatly,buttjoinedattheangleshown,Therewillbeonlyonelayerofplankinghereasthereisnoneedfor
twolayersduetothesolidwaterprooftransom.Cutouttheexhaustpipeholesasyougowithascalpel,littlecutsatatime.

LayerTwo

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Oncethebottomandtransomarecoveredwithonelayerofplankingandsandedoffstartonlayertwoonthesides.Startattherearfulllengthandworkback
tothetransomandthenplankforwards.IchosetheplankanglebasedonacoupleofpicturesthatIhaveinbooksandthemovie"GiantKillers",whichisa
movieoftheElcoboatconstructionin1943,anditisalsobasedoneachfullstripbeingabouthalfthelength(~200mm)ofthelasercutstripsthatImadeso
thatthereisverylittlewastage.Thiscomesoutveryclosetotheoriginalboatplankingangle.Runalineofgluedowntheedgeofthelastplankandanother
linejustinfromwherethenewplankwillendandalongthechinejoinline.

Thisisthebowwithbothsidesdoubleplanked,theplankingangleisnotbadbutifthestripswerelongeritwouldhavebeenmoreaccurateatthebow.

Oncethesidesaresandedofftothechineedgeyoucanstartonthesecondlayerofbottomplanking,againIstartedwitha"half'lengthofplanking(~200mm)
nearthebowandIwillplanktothebowandthentothestern.

Thisisthehullalldoubleplankedwithjustalightsand.
Thereareapproximately110stripspersurfaceand25stripsonthetransomsoallupthereareinexcessof900stripsofplankingand2x2ozbottlesof"Flash"
mediumcyanoacrylatesuperglue(NHP322)..

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InordertofillupmostofthegapsbetweentheplanksandregluetheoddstripthatwasalittlelooseononesideImadeupaverythin5050solutionofPVA
woodglueandwaterandpaintedthewholesurfaceofthehull,thissolutionsoaksrightinbetweenthestripsofwood,Ithenmadeupaslightlythicker
solutionandpaintedittwicemore,aboutadayaparttoletthepreviouscoatdryfully.Oncedrythehullcanbesandedagainandthenpainted.Iwillprobably
paintthishull'ForestGreen'asIintendtomakeitintoPT109.IwanttoleavesomeevidenceoftheplankingsoIdon'twantthesurfaceperfectlysmooth,I
wanttobeabletoseetheplankjoinsbutitdoesneedtobewaterproofobviously!Ifyouwantamoresmoothfinishyoucouldmixsomesandingsawdustin
withthefinalPVAsolutionwhichwillactasafiller.

Thisisthehullfilledandsandedandremovedfromtheassemblyboard(left,inmydiningroom)comparedtopicturesoftheoriginalhull(right,inElco's
Factory)fromVictorChun'sbookandItriedrealhardtogettheperspective,anglesandlightingthesame.BasedonthesecomparisonsIreckontheoriginal
plankingwasprobably5"wideandnot6"wide.Itrimmedupthesideplankingaroundthedecklevelwithathincuttingbladeina"Dremel"andthensanded
flushwiththeribtops.Anadvantageoflasercuttingisthatitleavestheedgesbrownsoyoucanseeyou'vesanded.

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Thesetwopicturesshowthebuildingrunnersstrippedoffleavingtheupstandsectionthroughthecenteroftheboat,thedeckingwillgoaroundtheupstand
whichistheretoprovideabasetoholdthesuperstructureonandtostopwatergettingintothehullwhenunderway.

Thisisthe8"propshaftandtheuniversalcouplingsthatIwillbeusinginthe1/20thscaleHull2,thebrasspartsofthecouplingsareavailableineverysize
youmightneedtosuitanymotororpropshaftsize,shownhereare4mm,5mmand3.18mm(1/8")Ibelievetheseareavailableallovertheworldandare
brandedas"RadioActive"inAustralia.

Propshafts,newcaststrutsandcastruddersfitted,therewillbethreemorestrutsfurtheruptheshafts,fittedlater.Icutthepropshaftoutertubesdownto
110mm(4.33")long,droveoutthebearingfromtheshortleftoverendusingthebluntendofadrillbitthatjustfittedtheinsideofthetubeandpresseditinto
thenewshortertube.Iwasgoingtomountthemwiththepropshafttubeendsstickingoutoftheboatwithsquarecutendsandnotfittheextrastrutsbutthen
decidedthatthatwouldlookcrap,soIthenpushedthebearingsfurtherupthetubesandcutthetubesatanangletomatchthehullopeningssothatthebrass
tubewouldbeflushwiththehull,easierthanIthoughtactually.IthenfittedthestrutsandtubesoneatatimeusingAralditeandinsertedalongpieceof4mm
diameterstainlesssteelpianowiretolineupthestrut,shafttubeandthroughthemotormounttokeepitallinlinewhilethegluecured.Thecentrestrut
neededalittle"fitting"intothehullasitsanglewithrespecttothehullisveryslightlydifferenttotheoutsidestruts.
Makesureyoudon'tepoxythetemporary4mmshaft!!!
YoumayalsonoticethatIhavethreedifferentpropellersfitted,twodifferentshape35mmtypesanda40mm,allRaboesch,Ihavefittedthemwithalocknut
astheyarealllefthandpropellersbutonceIhavedecidedonthetypetouseIwilluseananaerobicgluetolockthemontotheshaftsandgetridofthenutas
itjustdoesn'tlookright.

Ihaveboughtsomenew40mmprops,twomoreofthe15606whichistheclosestshapetotheoriginalboat,a4bladedtypewhichRaboeschrecommendfor
fastboatswhichisaRHtypeasIwanttotrythecenterproprotatingintheoppositedirectiontotheoutsidepropsandIalsofoundacutelittle4bladed20mm
propforthe1/35thHull2modelwhichhasanM3thread,thereisalsoa3bladedversionbutthebladearealookedabittinysoIwilltrythreeofthesefirst!
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ThehullcoveringhasbeenslightlycountersunkandthenrepaintedattherudderholesastheruddertubeshaveOringsthatIwantedtokeepinplacebetter
thanjustsquashingthemoutofshape,particularlythemiddleoneonthemainkeel..

Testmotorsanduniversalsfitted,threedifferentmotors,twobrushlessandone700sizebrushmotor.

Allthreeruddersfittedwithtillerarmsconnectedwithuniversalcouplings,threadedrodandadualballcouplingatthecentrearm.Istillneedtocouplethe
servototherudderlinkageanditwouldbereallyhelpfulifthetillerarmshada'T"shape,ImayhavetomakeupsomethingasIdidinboat1.

Adrawingandphoto'softhepropshaft,Imademinefromthe8"long"RadioActive"onesthatIbought(photodoesnotshowthecorrectlength,justatrial).
ThebrasstubeMUSTcomeoutthroughthehullplankingsotheopeningcanbesealedproperly,fromasandingandfinishingperspectivethebrassis
probablyeasiertosandthanthebirchply,soitcanbesandedflushoryoucanfillthegapifitisslightlybelowthesurface.Thecentretubeneedstobefiledto
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anangleoneachsidetomaketheshapeofthekeel.

17thJune2005Hull2Inthepoolwith3AXIBrushlessmotors

That'ssomeseriouswater

TheseshotsarewiththreeAXI282010brushlessmotors,two40mm3bladeLHpropsandone40mm4bladeRHprop,twoJiaBao40Abrushless
controllersandoneKontronic40Acontroller,sonoreverseyet.
Iamverypleased,thisboatisveryhardtoholdandIhaveafeelingitisgoingtogolikeabatoutofhell!!!Thatroostertailistwiceashighastheboatandit
tookmeawhiletomopupthemess!

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Thisiswhatmadeallthemess,Imadeafanononeofthemotorsbuttheydon'tseemtogethotanyway!

BobKoskisentmeapictureofhisfullyplankedHull2beingthoroughlyscrutinisedbyhismarineinspector"Mippsey"
BobisintheUSandforcoveringhebought0.8mmFinnishBirchPlyfrom"AircraftSpruceandSpecialties"andusedastandardBalsasplitterwitha#11
ExactoBladetomakethestrips,heglueditwithmediumCAandalsousedanoldmonokotehotirononmediumheattoirontheplyintoshapewhichhesaid
relaxesthewoodandallowsittofiteasierandkeepsmuchoftheglueoffyourfingers.

Nowthedecktoplankornottoplank?TheElcomovie"GiantKillers"oftheoriginalconstructionshowsafullhalfwidth,80'lengthofscarfjoinedply
sheetbeingbroughtinbyoveradozenmenandlaiddownontheboatsdeckandthenscrewedintoplacewithmanythousandsofscrewsbutmanyphoto'sof
theboat'sdeck'sshowlineslikeplanking.AlsothereisapictureinVictorChun'sbookthatseemstoshowplankingonan80'boat.Wasthedeckplankedover
theplymaybe?

(C)Copyright2004,2005JohnDrain

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