Midwest Boothbay Lobsterboat Build

Basic kit evaluation:

It seems from my initial observation that everything is very well laid out for a true novice builder. Actually, I shouldn't put a catagory on this vessle. In the case with this Lobsterboat, it is not at all about a builders abilities, but just having fun building a nice boat that can either be static displayed or having an R/C motor installed. By the way, I will go ahead and mention that the MEPS-III motor from Midwest already has the speed control attached and prewired to it. You will have to have a servo (standard it seems) attached to the speed control. I was thinking that a nice speed control that has a smooth variable spped would be nice, however, this is not what you get with the MEPS-III. It seems rather clunky from the fact that you have two speeds in both forward and reverse. This will do for now as I am not up to researching and buying more electronics for this unit. Maybe in the future.

The wooden parts come in 5 packaged bags which I like, instead of having all the parts thrown into a box. This is a nice departure of what I have seen before. Then you have an accessory bag and a hardware bag - of which again keeps all the parts separated until needed.

Right off, I must say that in bag #3, was some what they refer to as "sub decking" planks that had a slight bow or warp to them. This is really no problem. I just used a non scientific approach and ran some very warm water over the boards just enough to get them wet. I did not soak the boards. I just barely put just enough warm water on them to coat the face and back of boards. Then I laid them on a flat surface with a flat heavy weight on it - like a thick book will do -until dry. I noticed that even after about 5 minutes, the boards were already showing signs of straightening !  Don't let a bowed or warped board get you down or upset, usually this is very fixable.

The manual is the best manual I have seen (so far) in my wooden kit building experiences. But that is not saying much at all, because, I only have one completed wooden ship under my belt. The manual is 95 pages long - not that it is so much a difficult build that Midwest needs 95 pages, but the pages are filled with pictorials and many steps that to some, might be unnecessary, but I like it - I need all the help I can get!

One other thing about the Manual is that the kit came with a supplement that had corrections sheet in it. The instructions are to cut out each correction and place it in the corresponding section. I did this with no problem, and I suggest that this is done first before you do anything, because there are some situations that will cause you some grief if you do not go ahead and make those changes in the manual - beucase, if you are like me, you will forget! 

Well, its about time to check those sub deck planks to see how they are coming along. I can't think of anything else.

I would mention that if anyone wants to offer a suggestion - I do have a question that I do not have any experience with and that is using the "Slow drying Epoxy" or"Polyester Resin"  used to bond figerglass to the hull and water proof the interiorof the Hull. Never done this before!

Thanks for any input,

Donnie 

A very humble beginning !

Donnie 

Hi Donnie,

By no means are you required to use the included motor and speed control. I would opt for a mtroniks viper and a 700 graupner if it were me. Even a 500 motor would be ok. But the speed control doesn't need to be servo operated. In real life these boats get up and run.

You might also try this forum as thye build mostly r/c models.

http://www.rcgroups.com/boats-54/

Tug

Building the frame and laying the deck. I plan to build up my own deck planking.

Donnie 

Frame is completed. I will start with staining the deck with English Oak.

Stain on Deck using Model Expo "Colonial Pine"  # MS4976

Donnie 

Hi Donnie,

Could you tell me about the decking? It looks like the grain runs fore to aft but the lines follow the curve of the beam. Is this the way it is? Did you cut out the planks or is this part of the kit?

Tug

Well,,here's the deal. The laser cut upper main deck portion came in two halves (running long ways). The grain runs full length on these laser cuts. What the manual says to do is to take a pencil and follow the "curve" of the deck. This is opposite of what you or I would find on a typical tall ship as with a typical tall ship ALL of the decking runs straight from stern to bow and usually we will taper or nip each decking plank as it butts into the bulwark. Not so with this Lobsterboat, they want you to "simulate" the planking bending and forming to the curvature of the bow. So this is what I did, however, I took it a step further and took an Xacto knife and simulated my own decking planks. I then took a scriber and ran down each groove that the Xacto knife made to widen the false planking. I then decided to add detail to the decking my adding nail holes and other features to make it look like separate planking was added. I know it looks awkward, but this was decided on based on the manuals suggestions. Appearently, the decking on this type of vessle runs to follow the curvature of the bow, etc. I hope I made some sense out of this response of mine.

Thanks for tuning in to this build

Donnie 

I don't think it looks awkward at all. On the contrary I think you did a great job with the decking. This is what confused me. You did such a great job I thought it was planked using very thin material. It is pretty hard to cut lines across the grain of wood. I remember trying it on a Dumas Victory Tug. I only asked because I wasn't sure how you did it. Thanks for the information. I also agree the lighter color stain is a better look for the decks.

Take care

Don

Thanks !

I wish to desribe one other method on this. When the laser cut Upper deck pieces were removed from the parts package, it left (as a template) the curvature of that upper deck. THe directions wanted me to use that scrap piece (as a template) to lay in place and take a pencil and to trace that same curvature along the decks surface. This is how I maintained the "same" curvature is using the left over stock (of where the deck was taken from the stock).

To make sure the Xacto did not slip (and it did at some locations), I used clamps to clamp the scrap template down to the upper deck. This way I could rest the Xacto up against the scrap template and make sure that the knife followed along nicely. Then I would unclamp and move the scrap template about 1/4" up to the next false planking should be. That upper deck is made from Plywood about 3/32" thick which I could get by with a nice deep cut.

The lines of the planks show up only becuase I had used that dark stain to begin with. I couldn't get the stain out of the crevices and nail holes of the planking, so it came along as a blessing in the end. Sometimes I have found that mistakes can work for you in the end!

This kit had alot of warped wood. The flooring or subdecking is almost horrible. It is good that I am armed with alot of clamps - and to whoever esle buys this kit - get alot of clamps! 

BTW - thanks for your compliments

Donnie 

Hi Donnie,

What I have done in the past with another companies warped wood was to lightly soak it in water and sandwich it between 2 pieces of waxed paper until it dried with weights on top. Thanks for reaffirming that it wasn't just me that had problems keeping the xacto knife on track in this type of process. It is difficult but you have done very well in it. I wish I had a template to use. Next time I will make one up and remember this process.

 The dark stain looks real good between the planks. A new technique I just read about involves using a powered paint, mixing it with white glue and injecting it with a hypodermic needle in between the planks. I haven't tried it myself yet but those that have seem very happy with the finish look. It sands easily retaining the color. I haven't yet tried to search out the powered paint they talk about. The process sounds promising I have a F/G hull lobster boat 36" long to build and will try it out on the decks. Good build so far I look forward to more posts.

 Don

Donnie wrote:

Thanks ! ... The lines of the planks show up only becuase I had used that dark stain to begin with. I couldn't get the stain out of the crevices and nail holes of the planking, so it came along as a blessing in the end. Sometimes I have found that mistakes can work for you in the end! This kit had alot of warped wood. The flooring or subdecking is almost horrible. It is good that I am armed with alot of clamps - and to whoever esle buys this kit - get alot of clamps!  BTW - thanks for your compliments Donnie

 I was going to mention that the dark stain worked to your advantage and looks great between the planks, ...

 But you already noticed!!

Rough outlines of the hull are coming together.

Donnie 

Got the hull done with the supplied balsa. Even though the directions do not say, I had to really wet down the balsa to make it fit the curves. You had to glue two sheets of balsa together and take this large sheet and glue it down. Yep, it saves a lot of time in (not planking), but dealing with large sheets of balsa has its own problems.

What you see here is starting to fiberglass the hull halves. 

Donnie 

Hi Donnie,

I wondered what weight cloth you were using the 3/4 oz or a bit heavier? When I planked my hull I used 1/32 plywood making a template first of card stock. I remember those curves quite well. The work continues to look real good.

Don

Well, I have zero experience up until now, using Fiberglass. The parts list that came with ship only says "microglas cloth". There is no designation as to the weight. What I can do is give you a picture - all I can say is that I do not have any previous knowledge to know if this is really thin or what - but I can say that whatever weight it is - it is very thin and shear !

Donnie 

One picture is worth a thousand words as they say. It looks like what Midwest sells as 6/10 or 3/4 oz cloth. It is pretty nice to work with. I have been using a bit heavier cloth now 2 oz it seems to follows curves better.

Donnie wrote:

Got the hull done with the supplied balsa. Even though the directions do not say, I had to really wet down the balsa to make it fit the curves. You had to glue two sheets of balsa together and take this large sheet and glue it down. Yep, it saves a lot of time in (not planking), but dealing with large sheets of balsa has its own problems. What you see here is starting to fiberglass the hull halves.      Donnie

For future reference, have a spray bottle full of water mixed with vinegar and spray the sheets as you curve them around the contour.  I have used this technique many times on the three F4U Corsairs and other scale RC planes with a ton of sheeting that I have built.

On laying the glass, some prefer the static electricity method where you rub the glass cloth over a wool cloth in order for it to stick to the balsa via static electricity.  I prefer to use 3M adhesive spray for large radius contours.  The tackyness of the spray allows enough hold to be able to stretch out any wrinkles and roll out the air bubbles with a small ink roller.   It also makes it easier to apply the resin by eliminating the risk of the cloth lifting during the cure.

Hi Scottrc,

I have heard about this glue down the cloth method before. I have always worried that by gluing down the cloth you are putting up a barrier for the resin to adhere to the wood. I have never used this method as I was afraid that I wouldn't get 100% absorption by the wood from the resin. I don't like the ocassional bubbles you get but they can be cut open when doing the next layer. Boats take about 3 to 4 coats of resin unlike planes. I guess this is why I haven't used your method yet.  I am not saying it doesn't work just asking if it works 100%?  I can see how nice the cloth will lay around those pesky curves being glued down.

Well, I certainly appreciate both of these tips. I have already finished with the Fiberglassing - just following the directions in the book. I have found however, that even though I am getting really good results, that the finished hull seems to have (in places) a strange orange peel surface which is brought on (in my opinion) of the Fibergalss being way too thin. I mean this stuff is really thin and shear. Let me add that the "coat" of resin looked kinda skimpy, and this might be some of the problem. Even though it seemed at the time, I was using alot of resin, perhaps it soaked into the wood, etc and left the small amount of orange or lemon peel effect. I did lightly sand down the hull with some 220, but that grit didn't seem to phase it at all. Then I thought about just simply putting anothe rcoat of resin on the entire hull. That seemed to do the trick in getting rid of that orange peel look. So, it might be that perhaps even one more light coat of resin might make things really smooth.

BTW- Unless I am missing something, I am not having much luck with this 220 grit. It just slides right along, not making any type of progress.

Donnie 

You have enjoyed your build up to now. This is where we seperate the men from the boys as they say. Any sanding you do should be done with wet sandpaper. If you are going to do more than the one coat of resin probably you should plan on 3 coats. Sanding will thin out what you have done in a hurry. The end result of all this sanding will be a smooth as glass finish. You will be able to eye ball it with light reflection and not see any distortions.

Starting out with wet 220 is ok you will end up with maybe 400 grit. I sanded on my hull for quite a while smoothing out all the imperfections. I kept handy a rubbermaid type container with water and placed the hull on a old towel to soak up the run off and dipped the sandpapaer in the water. Have lots of sandpaper on hand you will use it. You will know when it is done by the flat finish. Don't be surprised if you don't still have to spot putty some imperfections. Paint will reflect any imperfection not fixed. A spray coat of primer will show much. A trick I learned was to spray 2 coats of different primer colors. That way when I sanded I knew when I was at the base surface.

I would give the hull at least 24 if not 48 hours to dry and degas  before I did any sanding.

The orange peel is the cloth still showing through the resin. If you sand this it will go to wood very fast. This is why I say 3 coats of resin. You want the coating to remain after sanding.

 Have fun and let us see the finished pics of the hull.

Tug Guy - you are not kidding when you say that the gray primer will show imperfections ! man oh man! Well, I thought I had done some sanding up until now, ofcourse, I am a little hard on myself. Well, lets see, to be honest - don't know much about wet sanding - don't even know what kind of paper to get - but off to the Lowes to see what they got and I will of couse follow your suggestions.

"This is where we seperate the men from the boys as they say"

you aren't kiddin' (and I hate sanding !!) Oh well - the life of modeling.

Donnie 

ps - thanks again for your suggestions and tuning in to this build. 

Sanding one of these glassed hulls out is a bear to be sure. When you are done though you just can't beat them. If you haven't already done so apply a cost of sealer on the inside as well. This will insure protection on both sides on the hull.

Keep the paper wet when sanding and you will do fine. The water keeps the paper from clogging up so fast and the ehat level low from sanding on the glass.

Wet sanding is the only way to go.  Also have a tube of Spot Glaze Putty to fill pits, dents, and pin holes as you find them.  It is better to fill them or else you might concentrate on trying to sand them out, thus creating a low spot and a wave effect along the side of the hull.

This is my day to be stupid. What kind of sand paper do you use for wet sanding? 

Everybody now can beat their chest laughing !!!

Donnie :-)

Donnie wrote:

This is my day to be stupid. What kind of sand paper do you use for wet sanding?  Everybody now can beat their chest laughing !!!   Donnie :-

Not stupid at all.  Using just any sandpaper, since it could fall apart, will cause scratching, scoring, and leaves grit that must be cleaned off.  I prefer to use plastic backed automotive sandpaper for wetsanding.  I used paper backed and cheap sandpaper before and after a few minutes, ended up with a mess.