1:75 diving support vessel Well Enhancer

[tweety777]

Finally continued working on Well Enhancer.
I set a target to get the part of the superstructure I'm working on now done in about 6 weeks which should be do-able if I continue the work for at least a few hours a week.
I don't intent to have the lighting done in 6 weeks (still need to learn how to properly solder wires onto a SMD LED) but all other work needs to be done by then.

First edges are placed on the platform, which will be the major work for today.
I will also add frames.

In order to be able to place the platforms (which I'm hoping to achieve today) I'll need at least the wall which is at a 90degree angle on the side wall I was working on so I started making the walls for the wider part of the superstructure.
This is a dry fit showing the placement of the new walls.
I found 1 major issue in my new building method: if 2 walls don't fit perfectly I'd need to apply filler on an already painted wall, then sand it and paint it again so I'd better make sure everything fits perfectly.

Aligned the window heights.

Now on to drilling holes, then cutting the windows out and sand them to the correct shape.

Platform 2 is now also being made.

This platform was one on which a decreasing level of attention could well cause it to be made the wrong way around but I managed to stay focused when it mattered.

Added the edges to the newest platform.

Greetings Josse

[tweety777]

Update:

Drilled the holes for the windows.

Needed to take a wild guys what stiffeners are used under the platforms and decided to go for T-profiles as they would be easier to weld as the flange is more narrow at both sides compared to the L-profile whilst giving a better shortest length over which the profile could break thus making it stronger.

Overall view showing todays work.
I also started adding stiffeners to make a good bond in the rectangular corners.

Greetings Josse

[Neptune]

That T-stiffener is very unlikely, never seen that used on any platform around the accomodation. Reason would be simple, there's no need for it. This platform is only going to support people walking around and the occasional pallet of stores, it doesn't need to support a tank...
I'll go out and take a picture of the lower side of a platform in order to provide you some better source.

[tweety777]

Hi Neptune,

Thanks for the input.

A T-profile is no stiffer then a L-profile as they both have the same size flange.
A flat bar might be a little to weak, especially seeing the fact that these profiles are very low.
As these parts not be seen by close to all who sees this model I'll keep going this way, it feels better to me this way.
My memories of the underside of the platforms is not as good as that of most other parts and I don't have any proof but I recall having seen L-profiles or T-profiles under the platforms.
This matter is not worth rebuilding to me, if it would have been in plane side I would certainly have corrected it.

Greetings Josse

[tweety777]

Update:



Looks like she is in dire need of a fresh paint job but that'll have to wait until I placed the hull markings, inlet boxes, outlet boxes...

Placed a frame in the superstructure.

Starts to look more and more like a superstructure.

Made a new wall which is only to receive some ventilation shafts.

Fits rather well.

First 2 platforms have been placed!!!!
Now on to completing the remaining platform and then start working on the railing and stairs.

Greetings Josse

[tweety777]

Lunch update:

The first side wall and the second frame have been placed!!

The battery needs to keep the frame in place to prevent it from ending up behind a window as there is little room for error here due to the lack of alignment of the windows in these walls.

As the bridge deck was aligned for the old superstructure (which apparently had no straight placed wall at all...) it doesn't fit the new superstructure.
Now I should build a new 1 though this problem might be fixed using some rest pieces and some filler.
This deck will at some point be glued to the superstructure permanently after I made a service hatch in the bottom of the superstructure.

With the newly added walls she looks more like a real ship.
Now on to making the stairs and railings!!

As the front wall only has some ventilation shafts mounted there is no need to wait with placing this wall though the top part can't be placed before the cabins behind this wall are placed and wired as I can't place the interior in this part of the superstructure if I place the top part.

Starts to look huge again, now on to making everything fit perfectly well.

As I want to keep building whilst respecting the drying time of the glue I might well start building the walls that will close this side today as well.

The captain tests a platform.

Greetings Josse

[tweety777]

Update:

First some photos showing earlier progress which I failed to post before.



Just a dry fit.

Well Enhancer under my self-made star sky.

Now on to today's progress:

Future Panama chocks.
These blocks will be drilled to the correct shape when fully hardened.

Made the first interior wall which is dryfitted here with the lights attached.

Last platform has now been placed.

Platform for the Arduino which was originally placed on the future hatch.

Added the first decks to the interior.

Started making the second side wall.
















Greetings Josse

[tweety777]

Update:

I finally filled the new side wall and decided to fill the lifeboat as well.

Also filled the superstructure.





The lifeboat is placed with the ugliest side to the viewer but it looks much better yet though this is still far from done.

The filled and now also sanded side wall.

Also did some filling and sanding on the stern though I'm far from done here.

Greetings Josse

[tweety777]

Update:

Overview with the new side wall in place.



Started filling with polyester filler.

Location of the pumps, for 2 of these pumps the inlet and outlet holes have been drilled in the hull.

This pump will not yet be placed so no holes have been drilled here.

This is how I will cool the pumps.

Greetings Josse

[tweety777]

In the last week I tried several times to get the laptop control to work a lot faster in order to get the system to work as reliable as a normal transmitter would do.
Though I didn't (yet) manage to get it to work as fast as a normal transmitter I did manage to get it to work a lot faster.
Right now I can type at a little slow rate (say every 0,2seconds 1 key press I estimate) to get to the desired speed or course.
That is a large improvement as it used to be 1 key press every second or so.
That makes it much more pleasant to sail in a tight bassin which I will be doing tomorrow with the model club.
So I may well post some sailing photos and videos in the near future.

Greetings Josse

[tweety777]

Update:

Started drawing which part is to come where.

The tablet will the placed in the upright part of the consol.

Glued the sides on so now it really starts to show just how big this transmitter will be.

Today the ordered 10-rounds potmeters, potmeters and the battery holder came in so now work can really get started.


Greetings Josse

[tweety777]

Update:

The most important panels have been added, tomorrow I can start making the throttle sticks and the parts their placed on.

Groetings Josse

[tweety777]

Update:

Here the 2 discs which will be turned around to change the angle of the schottel and which will also hold the throttle stick.
Below a photo showing what the joysticks will look like when finished:


Greetings Josse

[tweety777]

Update:
Today I decided to take the boat out for a sail and decided it would be best to use the old transmitter again as that has worked relatively well when I used it.
This time even the transmitter turned me down, fortunately before the boat was put into the water.
That means that Well Enhancer has only sailed 2 or 3 times this year which is way too few to my taste...

Though I took the most straight plate it still isn't straight by any means and therefor the entire console had bended which off course isn't what I want.
Here I�m placing the first 2 parts of the frame that will pull the console in a straight shape and which will also strengthen the console so the legs can be attached later on.

A few moments ago I also fitted the front part of the frame.

Greetings Josse

[tweety777]

Update:

Made some room on the inside of the discs for the wiring, might need to make more room though, it needs to deal with the wiring for 10 turns.

This shows a bit better what it will look like.

The size of the console compared to that of the model.

Greetings Josse

[tweety777]

Update:

Primer-ed the disc for the throttle and rudder control.

Also primer-ed the entire console though this will require some more filling and sanding and a better layer of primer...

Greetings Josse

[tweety777]

Update:





Made some more room for the wiring.
At some point I will make some holes for a pin which will make sure there will be no slipping in the steering and also to make sure disc stays attached.

Made a container for the throttle pot meter.

I did need to make some room for the throttle pot meter.

Greetings Josse

[tweety777]

Update:

This starts to look more and more like the real thing.

Making the first throttle stick.

After having cut in a finger and then also sawed in another finger I now have 2 throttle sticks roughly in shape ready to get the final shape.

Greetings Josse

[tweety777]

Update:

Started shaping the first throttle stick.



I staid with a friend the last 2 days and together we got quite some work done on the console.
I adopted his idea of making legs out of 2 pieces of PVC tube of which the slides nicely over the other.
The legs could be adjusted in height by moving the connection piece up and down so the console can stand as level as possible even on rough terrain.

The end caps for the PVC legs have been glued in place.

First test with the legs but it pretty much failed due to poor supports which do not keep them from wobbling and standing at an angle.

Made the bottom plate and the rear plate and attached them such that I can remove them for wiring or maintenance purposes.

My friend started making some new throttle sticks.

The antenna, battery holder and Arduino Mega have been placed.

2 new throttle sticks are being made.

In order to keep the PVC tubes standing straight and keep them from wobbling I decided I'd attach 61cm high plates to the bottom of the console and attach wooden blocks with holes for the PVC tubes.

More plates are being prepared.

Glued the first wooden blocks onto the plate.

Greetings Josse

[tweety777]

Update:

The fuse has been connected and the power supply is ready for action.

The sheet light of victory!!!
This is prove that the Arduino indeed does power up on just 7,2V from 6 rechargeable AA batteries.

The 10-turn pots have been connected as well.

Still a lot of wiring to go but there now is a start.

Greetings Josse