APA project

[Iceman 29]

Pascal:

Does a warm water bath work well for softening the cured resin?

I read your question too quickly.

Yes it works, hot water from the tap in your house should be enough.

[Fliger747]

Fwd 40 mm tub for the LSM in 1:133. The twin 40 is just a reduction of the 40 mm on Randall. However he MK 52 is s new item as the previous file is missing in action. Printing the holders for the clipped 40 mm ammunition right into the tub wall seems a better solution than fussing with locating a separate item or messing with PE.

For the external hull and the interior of the tank deck I need to get some 0.60 half round to progress. Wondering about the paint scheme, Navy grays or some green cammo setup.

[DrPR]

What is the wall thickness on the gun tums?

What is the thinnest you are comfortable with for printing?

Phil

[Fliger747]

Phil:

On can print the tubs fairly thin but strength of materials is questionable before they cure so distortion is possible. Things tend to tighten up as the pieces dry. The above tub wall measures out at 0.27 mm For 1:96 that works out to a scale 10 lb STS. . If the tub has some strengthening features such as angle reinforcements or 40 mm clipped shell holders, thin works OK.

Tom

[DrPR]

Tom,

Thanks.

10 lbs/sq. ft. or 1/4 inch plating would be about right for the tubs. Not much in a hull or superstructure was made with thinner material.

Phil

[Fliger747]

Phil:

All the important stuff comes after the "however": It is currently not realistic to expect that your beautiful and accurate 3D drawings will automatically translate to printed parts without further adaptation to the foibles of the current technology. I am getting better and starting to mostly get a decent print on my first try. But that's a result of many hundreds of prints and starting to get a feeling (precise engineering term) for what works and what does not. Yesterday I printed the (what Pascal calls) "The Castle". For the LSM that indeed resembles the tower of a keep. It came out acceptably well, but with need of a little TLC.

I also printed the shaft/prop assemblies, both props with the same "hand" as I would guess that Fairbanks Morse or whoever made these units (probably common to subs and railway engines) liked the idea of making a one direction engine? Maybe? Subs using a diesel electric system could easily have opposite handed propellers. On the bridge I printed the central raised grate with compass repeater and pelorous and the forward 16" raised ledge for standing. Many more small details for the open bridge!

Another small part printed this evening is the LSM "Captain's Gig", which is an oar powered 12' wherry. So called because it's wherry wherry small? The plans show a great number of life rings on the life lines, a precaution to the land lubber dog faces (pony soldier?) who were the cargo?

My current take is that there are two skegs and rudders outboard of the tunnel but I saw a nice model online today featuring a central skeg and rudder?

Tom

[Fliger747]

Minor progress on the beachhead shuttle (LSM) great for making quicker work to the beachhead than loading all those vehicles in the hold than the M boats.

The bow doors are printed (last night) and have the minor advantage in that the skin slightly telegraphs the framing behind, a subtle but good effect.

Tom

[BB62vet]

Tom,

Your LSM is coming along nicely!! Those doors almost have the appearance (on the outer skin) of having "oil canning" effect.

Hank

[Fliger747]

Hank:

On these' it's more like the frame telegraphing through on new construction when the steel shrinks a little after welding. But this print had a fairly thick skin, a thin skin (say 0.30 mm or such would look more oid canned.

Tom

[Iceman 29]

Nice Hull, Tom!

Can't wait to see what happens next!

[Song Jung Gun]

Very nice LSM Tom!
I was a crew of LSM about 45years ago.
It's interesting for me.
Best regards; Song

[Fliger747]

I enjoy this forum a lot because of the wonderful, creative and inspiring people who are always offering support or showing the way.

The hull was originally built in (about) 1964 from a sheet of aluminum, cut out with a Dremel jigsaw with the side profiles and hull bottom as one piece and folded at the turn of the bilge, then the bow and stern curved in. The hull at bow and stern was filled in with pieces of wood (scrap plywood?) and faired into the metal. It sat in my parents attic till a few years ago when my parents finally moved after living in that house for close to 60 years.

Next on the hull will be fitting the bow doors, doing any necessary fairing, adding rudder skegs, props and shafts etc. I want to get any major handling of the hull done before adding smashable topside equipment such as the light AA, mast etc. One thing I discovered after printing the tubs integral with the superstructure deck was that the inboard sides were cutdown such that the part overhanging the tank deck could be folded up. I think I can cut them down but it will be a little delicate!

Tom

[Fliger747]

The bow doors added but not yet faired to the hull (or hull faired to the doors). What Pascal translates as the
"castle" sitting in place as well as the fwd Bofors twin. This "castle" actually has that midivil castle keep look, indeed!

The rather wide angle of the eye-phone camera always distorts the rake of the bow. We went from clear skies and sunshine to overcast and building Cu Clouds, maybe a shower in a bit.

Tom

[DrPR]

Tom,

Nice work.

I think you should start a new thread for the LSM. That way others who are interested in modelling a LSm can find it.

I think there was a LSM model a few years ago. Or maybe it was one of the rocket launching boats.

Phil

[Fliger747]

A little progress, the bow doors installed, the ramp and some other pieces in trial fit 12" searchlights on the bridge "wings". The bridge has wings about like a buffalo has wings... The internal ramp has yet to be finished and some changes to the rafts.

[BB62vet]

Tom,

The LSM is really beginning to take shape!!! Good work. You will need to rescale some Jeeps, Dozers, and other materiel for loading in the well of the ship!

Hank

[Fliger747]

Hank:

Thanks! Today I printed and dry fitted the liner face of the bow ramp as well as the sloping part of the deck leading to the ramp. I did knock off one of the bridge signal lamps, to who knows where, so I did a re design of the part and printing now. Making some more 20 mm ready boxes as photos on NAVSOURCE show more sprinkled on the superstructure deck. Also adding a couple of bridge stands for the signalmen and the Log Desk.

There are some unusual "bumper's" I would call them arranged at the edges of the tank deck. So have to figure out this design and installation. On the port side I have the hull external bumper strips installed. The starboard is awaiting some styrene half round Hank is generously sending me. The interior of the tank deck also has some similar reinforcing strips, a bow to the student heavy equipment drivers entrained.

I finally found a photo of the screws, skews and rudders! Something to lead design and construction of the nether regions!

Tom

[Fliger747]

Experimenting with a new lifeline technique? The stanchions are printed and the wire railing is fine sprue. The printed stanchions have small hooks for the sprue to rest in for location and gluing.

Tom

[Fliger747]

Today in the sunshine. For a small ship (barely) a lot of railings. The superstructure deck has two sets of parallel railings, here I have done the inboard ones, outboard ones to go. Printed stanchions with sprue rail/wire.

Tom

[BB62vet]

Tom,

The Elsy Em is really looking good! Your method for the stanchions/rails is very convincing - and seems to be a more practical way of making them. Not knowing the LSM paint scheme, will you be doing any bottom painting or waterline, etc?

I still have all the main deck kit stanchions for my build, but am seriously looking at what you've done here as a more practical solution to using thread, etc.

Later,

Hank