Southampton Harbour Board Triton

For my next project I am going to build Richard Webb's model of Triton. I had the plans and David kindly scanned the pages from the original magazine article. This should be a fairly simple build all in plasticard.
I have cut out the main pieces from 1 mm plasticard, now the most tricky part of the build, fitting them together - there are no bulkheads in this, the pieces are just glued to each other. This does make a strong hull, but does require quite a bit of fiddling to get it right.
Power will be a 385 motor and an Mtroniks esc, or possibly one of the 10 amp Chinese jobs.
Barrie



 

This will be an interesting build  Barrie 

How will you build it Barrie, from the keel up or from the deck down ? not sure I would know where to start.

I'm watching with interest

Paul

Basically you stick all the pieces together - it makes a very strong hull -- if you get it right  I've built other models by the same method. My next photos should show you what's involved. The key is getting the two bottom panels identical.

Barrie

Thanks Barrie   my eyes are peeled and waiting for your progress

Well, as I said above, this is the tricky bit  , so you have quite a wait.

Barrie

Ok,

These are of my first attempt. As you will see, there is a problem at the bow - and this is after re-cutting one side  The transom came nowhere near fitting.
 

So I removed the tape - this build is good news for the masking tape suppliers  - and trimmed the bottom panels, and started again. After remaking the transom (twice) I think this is about right. Most of the joins have been glued using a mixture comprising chips of plasticard dissolved in liquid polystyrene glue. I still have the joints between the sides and deck to do as these are a bit tricky to get to - a cut down paintbrush will be needed I think. 



Once its all glued up, it will be quite rigid and the coamings will also help.

(only one photo - the others were out of focus!)

Barrie

you never cease to keep me engaged by your builds barrie. each and every one is different and full of great information for both starters and more experienced to the hobby in the way you tackle them and they always keep me interested. thanks

look forward to seeing this take shape.

neil.

Thanks Neil and Damien. I don't have any interest in warships, so am always looking for something a bit different to build.

I think I should have at least tacked the deck to the sides yesterday. When I started this morning one side had come adrift from the deck, and took a lot of persuading to go back.  I did get it back as I thought it should be, and tacked it then fixed it with the mixture, however, I'm not sure something hasn't twisted out of line. I need to let everything harden and then look again. I did add the coamings to add a bit of stiffness, and I've trimmed most of the joints, just some work to do on the transom.

Barrie

I've had similar problems with bow panels not quite meeting up square or sides that are clearly  misaligned it's one of those things I guess, keeping bulkheads and stringers perfect is quite a tricky thing even after years of practise, my more recent mess up was with the Jenny and the only way to fix her was to sand through the hull panel, p38 the bow dead straight and then glass over to fix the now broken panel, a very awful experience when you got the model so nice but when u see somethings that far off you have limited options, leave it or butcher to fit and repair best you can  

Just thank god this time hull is painted and not varnished!

Aron

This one has no bulkheads  It relies on the accuracy of the panels. I'm sure it was correct last night, but I didn't glue it then, just left the tape to hold it. The actual bow line can be fixed, I'm not so sure about the twist I think is in the hull

Barrie

I've had issues with just panel builds too, its not just your barrie! 

Only suggesting i can make is to flip it upside down and use the flat surface of the worktop to keep both sides down flat best you can while you curve the panels around the base shape, or failing that, you could tack with super glue which allows the panel to break off easy if its not right, and once you have the hull as you want, run a bead of glue, down the seam and then tack with tape until dry.

looks like you have a good handle on things mind.

Aron, unfortunately there is a camber on the deck, so can't keep it flat on the work surface  However, I have now done a bit of tweaking, and I can live with the result. 
 I am having problems getting in-focus shots of the hull  so this is the best I've got.
I need to further strengthen the joins, so have some more mixture brewing  Ideally I would like to fill the bows with something to strengthen and ensure no leaks.

Barrie

I have decided to halt work on this for the time being. I am not too happy with the hull, and I have just realised that to complete it I need an awful lot of stanchions, which is going to be expensive
If I leave it for a while I will probably be able to think of another use for the hull, just not the Harbour Launch.

I have just bought a Billings ST Canute kit off Ebay at a good discount, so that will keep me occupied. I was quite atracted to an Atisiana Latina trawler kit, but looking at the masts and rigging I decided it was not for me

Baarrie

Well, I thought I had a bargain on eBay, turned out the seller was not quite honest  Advertised as a new Billings Laser Cut kit, it arrived as a die cut old kit with the pieces needed to make half the hull missing  On complaining I got a load of abuse and threats, so I am now waiting for eBay to sort him out  If he had offered me a discount I could actually still make the kit as the two sides are identical, and I could have made new pieces - now only a full refund and cost of returning the kit will do

So whilst waiting for my alternative next project to arrive, from Cornwall Model Boats this time, I thought I may as well at least complete the hull of Triton. So the propshaft is installed, a rudder has been made (and would have been fitted if I hadn't made the hole for it too big ) and I found a motor mount which can be made to work for the 400 size motor,  I am just trying to decide if I can fit a standard servo, or if a miniature one would be easier to fit, and also where the battery pack will go.

Barrie