Jim Wilder tug

[ropanach]

IT finaly got here, the tug I ordered on the 28th of march this is what was in the box. ( jpg) inclosed, It's a plank on plank, and should be fun, Iv'e not planked with balsa wood before but I don't think I'll have a problem with it. I will post as I go along. W.M.L.

[ThrustTugKeith]

:) Look forward to it. Is the kit ALL Balsa?

:cool: Scott

[ropanach]

Yes it is, And it's laminated with bass wood, plywood are the decks and cabin. I'll be starting work on the tug monday.

[ropanach]

:D Ok I couldn't wait untill monday. Iv'e lade out the plans and started putting down the two strong backs that came with the kit, sugjested in the instructions to cut this section of the plans away from the rest but I don't cut blue prents, I've got more than enuff room on my work bench to work it out, here's a pic of the strong backs. it looks like this is going to be a lottttt of fun. ;)

[ropanach]

I'VE LAID THE STERN POST WITH RUDDER TUBE, TO LAY THE POST OUT STRIGHT, FLAT & SQUARE, i PUT IT ON A VERY FLAT SHEET OF 8 GAGE STAINLESS STEEL, IN THE BUILD MANUALE IT JUST SAID PUT IT TOGETHER AND THAT'S IT, BE AWARE THIS IS A THREE PART UNIT THAT MUST BE STRIGHT AND TRUE. i LAID IT OUT WITH A SMALL PIECE OF 60 GRIT SAND PAPER UNDER THE TUBE IT WAS THE RIGHT HIGHT TO CENTER THE TUB BETWEEN THE TWO OTHER PARTS, I PLACED THE SAND PAPER GRIT DOWN SO THE GRIT WOULDN'T STICK TO THE TUB AND COULD BE REMOVE, WITH AN RAZER KNIFE.

[ropanach]

I've set the huul frames, It's stright forward prosess. before you set the keel clean up all conecting points as you can see in this pic they are not all the same, an emery board works great for this, ( don't tell my wife). Dry fit the parts, tap the keel down in gently so not to brake the frames loose from your strong backs, then remove and sand to fit, you don't want your keel to look like a snakes back. when ready glue an clamp. LOL.

[Aerominded]

Looking forward to seeing this one come together, ropanach! :)

By the way, where did you find this one? All of the places I've looked recently show it as 'out of stock' :o

[ropanach]

I got this one from model expo , It was the last one they had. They said the box was damage but contence was ok, or I could wate until april first when they got in a new batch, but I coudn't wate. the price has gone up from $189.00 U.S. to $213.00 U.S. hope you find one the kit, this is going togther nicely, I also ordered a working smoke stack that mounts where the cabin skylight is located, I also ordered a sound system witch make the sound of a steam wishel, and a electric windless wench. hopefuly everything will fit under the decks electricly I mean.

[pete stainton]

windless wench! :confused: is that an out of breath female :D

[Dragooneye]

Looking good Pops...can't wait to see it out on the water...now if I could only get mine going.

[ropanach]

The planks are going on, no problem there, If you build this tug, on the stem post, the build manual said to mesure 1-3/8" from top make a mark as refrence to start your first plank, note in the pic that you need to start your plank under the mark to aline with the stem post mark witch you have covered with a laination of bass wood. Hopefuly this info. will help in your build. LOL.

[ropanach]

the planking is going good, in these pic's you see I am going from one side to the other, insted of doing one side an then the other, because I don't need the hull to bow to one side from the glue drying it will pull, by glueing side to side the hull will stay farly straight.

[ropanach]

The bottom is done and ready to sand. :D
the worst part was the stern, trying to get all those small parts to bend in to place. Will post more as I go. LOL.

[Aerominded]

WOW ropanach!!! You are really flying on the hull build there!!! (almost seems like you have stolen Pat T's fast building hidden elf workforce! ;) ) :D Looks great! :)

[ropanach]

No there not pats elf force. I work a four day week so I get three days to myself. Here are some more pic's. and the build will slow down. I am whating for some things ( the mail is slow) :mad: to put under the deck to make sure everything fits. I've put on the sub deck and coated the inside with 15 min. epoxy just to seal it a bit, I'll be useing 30 min. epoxy for the hull.

[CG Bob]

Here's a few pictures of a friends Jim Wilder #2 doing tug work. The pictures are from a Bay Area Electric Boaters Tug Regatta in St Petersburg, FL; probably in 2001. The barge is about 4 feet long and 18 inches wide. We had it ballasted down.

[ropanach]

Nice looking tug, hope mine looks as good. CG Bob do you know if he was running a 12 volt system, if so was it two 6 volt or one 12 volt batteries. If it is a 12 volt battery where did he mount it?

[ropanach]

I got the second layer of the top deck glued into place, this material is so thin and light you need to handle gently, because of the scoreing of deck boards it will split, when you use a razer knife to cut it the knife will follow that score, sanding is also a pain if you use more than a 100 grit paper it will tare this stuff, I used 200 & 400 grit to sand it out and it worked very well. I also laid in my lower fooring decks with motor mount.

[ropanach]

I am on to the cabin know, pice of cake, just sand and put together, but I made a small change. I added a working smoke stack and it looks good dry fitted to the cabin and deck, it's larger than I thought it would be, because of the pic at mack produts .com it just looked small. I think it will make a nice addtion to the boat. I gess I'll have to name her something different like JIM WILDER # 1 :D because it's a steam unit know?

[Aerominded]

Nice progress ropanach! Are you going to detail the interior wheel house? Looks like there is room to do that! :)

[CG Bob]

I don't remember what voltage he was using. I took the pictures 3 years ago when I was stationed in Clearwater, FL.

Wooden Boat Magazine (http://www.woodenboatstore.com/prodinfo.asp?number=200-118), Issue #118, May/June 1994 had an article called "Tugs on San Francisco Bay". Back copies of that issue are still available. The article had a small inboard profile drawing of the JIM WILDER No. 2. There are several color pictures of several other similar gas launches (as they were called locally).

[Dragooneye]

Looking good pops. Can't wait to see it out cruizing the water.

[ropanach]

Thanks CG Bob for the info. :)

I a'm still missing some parts to go in side. but i did get it glassed today. I got my radio control system to day works great static know if it will work in the boat, here's some pic's. Dragooneye: I can't wate!! :D.

As for putting things inside the cabin , If you do this build, PUT every thing in before you install the walls, window plastics helm setting lights, etc. The plan book has you putting the cabin together before it shows you about 10 pages latter to install this stuff. Yes my falt should have looked ahead more than just reading through it one time. :mad:

[ropanach]

I've got the rudder made, I used brass instead of the plywood rudder suplied in the build it was just to thick, I painted the cabin all flat colors, need one more layer of micro-fiber, finish sanding and then paint for the hull. here's some pic's, dry fitted togeth for just to see how it looks sofar.

[Dragooneye]

Looking good pops...Dang going to have it in the water before I get back down there.

[Umi_Ryuzuki]

That is coming together really well, and very quickly.
We'll get to see it run June 12th, at the Bellevue Regatta won't we? :cool:

Umi

[ropanach]

I'm trying to get her ready for the regatta but the things I need to put under her decks are on back order, first time I'v ordered form loyalhanna dockyard, I thought that give it a mounth to arive would be enuff time to get her in the water for tests before the regatta. At this rate dragooneye I don't think so, are you getting the scale worked out on the battle ship.

[Dragooneye]

Scale is worked on drawing I believe, was worried about accuracy but so far as I can tell all the measurements I have taken have been with in 3 inches of the actual size of the boat. Now I just have 17 pages of plans to go through to pull off all the numbers I need. After that it's CAD manipulation and checking.

Boy I make things complicated.

[ropanach]

The cabin is starting to look like it should be on a boat, :D
still working on the insides, installed a map table and the helm need some seating,lights windows, etc.

dragooneye YES!! you do some times, but it works for you, what ever it takes so it will all work out the way you won't it to. LOL.

[Aerominded]

Looking better and better every time I check-in ropanach! :) Your tug will be tugging in no time! :cool: Are you planing on 'weathering' this one?

[ropanach]

I'm not sure at this point, I've done a little of both to see what she'll look like, as you can see in these pics I've painted the doors gloss white and yet I've keeped the brass ladders rught, no the brass ladders did not come with the kit, it just looked like they were needed to work the boat, there will be a sherch light on the top of the cabin by the brass steam whistle, witch allso did not come with the kit, I allso added brass water pipeing on the tanks behind the cabin, I thought it looked better than not haveing any, most of the paint is flat red and flat white, I'm sure I'll figure it out before it sails. If I keep this up it will not be the jim wilder any more. :o

[Dragooneye]

Looking good pops. Well if its not the Jim Wilder anymore just go for the gusto.

[ropanach]

I finaly got a coat of paint on the tug, after two layers of micro-fiber and lots of hand sanding. Here's some pics, It dosen't look like it in the pics but she is flat black. I am not sure rather to paint the water line red or copper, I'll need to look at so photos of other tugs to see what might look best for this tug.

[ThrustTugKeith]

:) Doing some good work there! Cant wait to see it in the water (my boat too!!!)

Scott :cool:

[ropanach]

Thanks Thrust tugkeith, I am trying to get it done before the north west regatta but I don't think it will be done in time, I'll just take the others and have fun. Still waitting for parts to come in there on back order, but I just got the lighting, some quick pics on how they will look, just wired them up to see them glow.

:) What boat are you building?

[Aerominded]

Nice, ropanach! What are you using for lights? A kit or are you making your own?

[ThrustTugKeith]

:cool: " What boat are you building?" said Ropanach.

I'm building the Dauntless, remember? Its in the Scale section. :confused:

[ropanach]

Sorry Scott :o

Dauntless was the boat I would have liked to built if it hadn't been so big, no room to store when it was done.


Aerominded:
No its not part of the kit, I ordered the lighting from MACK Products, they are 3.5 volt and I run them on 4.5 volts, it makes them a little brighter but they don't burn out.

[ropanach]

This is how I setup for my scuppers before cutting them out too make sure they were stright across from each other. I setup my work table with a tee square & a stright ruler witch I had marked the postions of the scuppers, from the stright ruler with the tee square I marked with a #2 pincle the postion of the scuppers across the table about 14" to make sure I could set the boat so the lines would go from one side to the other of the boat, I used a machine squre for my upright to mark the postion of the cut outs. They laied out perfictly. :) Hope this helps some one else in there build. LOL.

[ropanach]

I set up the electroics for some of the running gear, still wateing for the sound system to get here so I can fit it in, witch needs another servo to find room for. Not much room under these decks. I could not find any lead for my ballost so I bought some ankle wights and removed the packets and set them in side thy didn't fit to well so I cut them open and installed the black sand through out the hull and got the wight just right, I sealed the sand with polyurethane spray to start with just to keep it were it was then after it dried I saturated the sand with polyurethane one spoon full at a time. hope this don't cause me problems latter on.

[ropanach]

I've added three more servos,one for lights, one for horn witch I am still waighting for, one for the smoke stack, don't need it to burn up when I run out of smoke juice. heres some pics.

[ropanach]

I took here out for her maiden voyge today after I got the servos installed, it was a bit rainy but thats the north west for you, the pics arn't to good but she floats and runs great, :D know back to the work bench for bumpers.

[ropanach]

Things are looking up I got the smoke stack working,

( those who buy this working smoke stack from mack products should know, that the instruction say to start with about 1/2 once of oil :mad: but it runs out the bottom into your boat :mad: just put 4 or 5 drops in at a time untill so the swab in the lower end can soke it up and it will work properly for you. )

The captin and crew has even jumped on for the smoker test, the only thing I have to do is install the sound system when it gets here, yes I am still with out,!! boy is the mail slow, need to blame someone right. :rolleyes:

[dash8man]

Your Jim Wilder Tug looks great. Hope to start one in a couple of weeks. Can you tell me what sound unit that you're planning on installing in the tug? A Mack product? Cheers.

Bill.

[ropanach]

Yes it is a mack product,It finaly can in. I got the ram 80 old time steam whisle, no room in the boat so I installed it next to the smoke unit in the cabin area, it only had a 2" speaker so it just fit, it wasn't very loud, so I used a empty toilet papper rool sliped the seaker into the end of it, this all most dubbled the sound, I run the tug out about 100' and you can hear it just great. Ill be posting some more pics when I get all the other bits mounted on her.

[ropanach]

I've add pike poles one on each side, door hinges and knobs, and a company logo.

[ropanach]

Too build or not too build that is the question.