Custom replicas nautilus submarine9/13/2023 I set up spacers on the superstructure to ensure proper alignment, and then glued the deck in place. A duplicate deck that was inset exactly 1/8" from all edges was created and glued to the bottom of this deck to help with skirting later. I traced the deck from my blueprints and then transferred it to my 1/8" birch plywood. With the hull plated, I began work on the main deck. If I were to it all again, I would have utilized 1/16" modeling plywood for the hull plating, as the 1/8" birch that I did use was extremely tough and resisted curving. An added bonus is that the hull is smooth and streamlined. I did this primarily for strength, as at the time I was intending this wooden hull to be laminated in resin for watertightness. My hull plating runs from tail to nose, ten pieces in all. I would like to say that I used a series of highly complex mathematical calculations to do so perfectly, but the truth is that I was pretty good at "winging it" and used a lot of trial and error to get the shape right. The main framework completed, I then turned my attention to "skinning" the hull. By utilizing a series of clamps and bars, I was able to ensure that the side keels, main keel, upper raker, and tail were exactly in line. Once the alignment was ensured, I began gluing the parts using thick CA glue. This step went very well, and was probably the most rewarding step of the model to date, taking a collection of two dimensional pieces, and making them into a three dimensional model in the course of a few minutes. That done, I test fit all of the parts for alignment. Once the parts were cut out, they were sanded of all rough edges. A scroll saw would be a far better tool for the job, but as I didn't have one, I made do. The ribs, keels and rakers were then cut out using a jigsaw. That done, I transferred the templates to my 1/4" birch plywood to cut out the framework of the Nautilus. I asked a friend who works at an oilfield supply company to plot the blueprints on his plotter. The first step was to print the blueprints in 1:1 scale. I used birch plywood as the material only because it was on sale, and was easily sanded and finished. Learning from (some) of her mistakes, I utilized Tor Jensen's blueprints (posted on Vikki's site) to begin the construction of my own Remote Controlled Nautilus. Unfortunately, in the process of molding her model, her master was destroyed. Her own project ended in a less than satisfying way when her fiberglass molds fused to her fiberglass casting. I was originally inspired to attempt this model when I found Vikki Ford's website chronicling her own attempts at modeling this challenging subject. A skin of brass or aluminum would be my next preference, and my next Nautilus will be made from water-friendly materials so as to eliminate the need for molds. I'm sure that I could do it much faster if I were to do it again (which I'm hoping to), with the aid of computerized cutting of the framework templates. The master took a total of one year to complete, working an average of a half an hour per day. My dreams of owning a Nautilus resulted in the creation of this model. The dates in this posting will be somewhat muddled, as it was done prior to me dating my work. The completed model is 1:32 scale, measuring approximately 66-1/2" from ram tip to tail. This model was created from blueprints done by Tor Jensen, and supplied by Vikki Ford in the UK on her website (now defunct). This model brought me into the world of R/C submarines, and I've been hooked ever since. Much of the time was taken in trial and error, as this was my first venture into the world of RC and also my first scratch-built model. This project was started in November of 2001, and took nearly three years to complete. This page is dedicated to the construction and buildup of my scratchbuilt 1/32 scale Nautilus from Disney's 1954 classic, "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea". Disney Nautilus in 1/32 scale - Scratchbuilt R/C
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