MechTech

Thanks for the update. These look good so far. - MT

That looks really good! - MT

Nice recovery indeed and a good "push" forward with the deck - which also looks great! - MT

YA-MA-TO!!! That came out awesome Arbit, especially for a project that small! Congrats! That's some serious paint NZEOD! The paint probably weighs more than the plastic. - MT Got the running hardware DONE! The rudders now have a "bulb" on them to improve the flow and hydrodynamics. They will probably stay paintless since the paint will get water blasted off eventually anyhow. I also found a bad solder joint on the starboard side rudder so fixed that too. It just won't be as "clean" as the other side. On to the hull and topside now. - MT

That scheme looks good Chyll! It adds a modern touch to it. The Yamato is coming along Arbit! Hopefully you have a safe place or case to put that in. The rudders are finally done - except for the tear drop shaped fairings that will cover the hole in the middle. The photo is deceptive, but that's a micro servo. I tried to build everything so there is no play in the rudders. The rudders sit in the jet flow so any slight moves equate to big course changes. The rudders are also nearly round to fit right up into the nacelle jets for extreme deflection. A water jet drive style nozzle wouldn't fit here so the rudders were the next best thing. - MT

That's too bad Pengbuzz, it looked like you were making good headway and that you were fixing some of the issues with the kit. Don't give up, just replace the bad parts with better (like you've been doing). - MT

Maybe Arbit. The 1/350 kit is still small though in that area. I think it would be doors or lift, not both because of size. I think it looks good Chyll. Unless you're going for a "non-canon" scheme. Chronocidal, what work are you doing with a laser on them? It's tough to see in these bad photos, but half of the nacelle is still round while the other half that is exposed is actually nacelle shaped now making it hydrodynamic. I got the rudder shafts in, but no photos yet. Still working on the final design. - MT

The new programming looks great Arbit! I REALLY got to get into Ardruino - on top of everything else! - MT

WOW, this is looking awesome! I could never get one, it would scare the crap outa my children AND cats! - MT

That's really cool Nyankodevice! Nice touch! Galactic Diva, that's why I'm building this. I no longer have any functioning R/C boats (sold the Daedalus a year or two ago). Arbit, I couldn't even do that with an electron microscope But I could probably make one fire off like a dart Thanks for that animation. I've never actually seen how that is all supposed to work. It's impractical and an engineering / maintenance nightmare for just one jet (or two). - MT

Your mech is looking awesome Nyankodevice! It's got a good look to it and plenty of armament too! Thanks guys, I appreciate it! I wouldn't go that far! I haven't rebuilt a plane tossed across the room, but I did rebuild one my daughter "played with" to pieces. It never was the same if it makes you feel better :^) I've been building R/C boats for a while (working in a hobby shop back in the day helps too). Basically I took Voith's design and modeled it (guessing about dimensions and stuff). Here's more if you're interested (movie and booklets): http://www.voith.com/en/products-services/power-transmission/voith-linear-jet-40389.html So that's what's in the nacelles, a five bladed impeller and seven stator ring. It's a water jet but with more low speed efficiency, more power and reverse without a reverser bucket (and another channel / servo / more weight). They are in tunnels in the hull to make the draft (depth) of the boat shallower. Less stuff hanging down to drag the boat back too. The motors are just brushless outrunners and two two brushless speed controls coupled to two transmitter control sticks. That means I can use one motor to save battery or use both to haul butt! It also means I can reverse them for tight turning in place like a tank. The metal ball and cups are what transfers the power to the nacelles. I waited YEARS to get a lathe, but it was well worth it! They say you can build just about anything with a lathe and a mill - it's nearly true. They're expensive, but the Sherline lathes and mills are HIGH quality and rock solid - no play and no calibrating or clean-up needed. My Chinese mill has had A LOT of work on it, and it still doesn't compare or work as well and has lots of play in the movements still too. But it works! If you guys are serious or curious, drop me a PM and maybe I can save you some hassle and research I had to go through. Next step is to get some rudders going. - MT

Your print turned out great! You can use the rough texture of the Zentraedi ships to your advantage. I'd use a textured paint to give it depth and cover the print alias.- MT

Nice Chyll, that new head has great detail on it! Got on the lathe and mill to make half drive dogs , with 3mm set screws to lock them. Then machined a motor mount out of aluminum. I could have made a styrene one in half the time, but I don't know how hot the motors will get and the aluminum will also act as a heat sink (and can easily be removed). Filled the tub with only 1.5 inches of water and it was more than enough! This design has a shallow draft. Both motors running on high equate to about a pound or two of thrust! I had to back off to keep water from flowing back up into the hull! Next step will be to design and make some rudders. As best as I can tell from the tub, the jets are flowing smooth and straight. The lake will tell! Sorry, the server keeps randomizing the photo orders despite my attempts to fix it! - MT

Cool NZEOD! I'm looking forward to a video or something. By the way, we love Weatabix! The pipes are filled with oil or grease. I've never had one leak on me yet. The shaft sits in a bearing which sits in a tube. The space is filled with grease / oil and seals it off while lubricating the bearings. Going for motor mounts and connectors today. - MT

Thanks! Great scratch building if that's the case. - MT

The good ones get framed! I've got all my old box inserts framed too. I've also got Tenjin's Super VF-1S wall scroll hanging up. Models make the best decoration fodder! - MT

The valk looks great! I think it's one of the more accurate versions I've seen! - MT

That's a good build! Was that a resin kit? I think I missed that one. - MT

Nice effects Lt Zombie; styrene guts n all! @NZEOD - "Men, blow up the Scentsy box - it has to go!" My model got shafted, er ah shafts - dual prop shafts. The prop shafts are now are installed. I built boxes around them and poured silicone RTV into them as a water seal and to absorb vibration helping keep them quiet. In the last photo you can see how the props blend nicely into the prop shafts. Still need to shape the protruding rims of the nacelles. The grub screws will also be ground down so they are flush on the props. - MT

Thanks Milo, good to know! I've had to do the same - combine boxes and sprues. Box art is for people who can't read instructions- MT

Thanks Micky G! Cool mods Electric Indigo. Yeah Arbit, R/C. I mentioned to you before about some guy using Arduino, but he just used it to alter receiver signals. He had 3 motors and speed controls using Arduino to tell only one control to go in reverse. I"m using one brushless outrunner motor per linear jet. I have two sticks coupled together and two speed controls so I won't need all that extra aggravation. - MT

Thanks guys! I still need to get on the 3D printer band wagon. For now, it's faster to do it "old school." - MT

Great work guys, I gotta give you props, so here's two!!! First the hubs from last week slit to accept the blades at the correct angle. Then the blade template printed and pasted (rubber cement), then the blades cut and rough filed. Finally the prop hubs were turned to blend into the prop shaft and the blades were soldered, then shaped and angled with a jig. The blades have an airfoil (hydro foil) cut into the leading and trailing edges. The props and pods are ready for the prop shafts to be made now. 3mm set screws will attach them to the prop shaft. I can almost taste the water! - MT

The lighting REALLY adds life to it Arbit - congrats! - MT

The fan racer turned out great! - MT