General Discussion > Customers Builds
HMS GURKHA Build
StuartMH:
Hi there, my name is Stuart and I am new here. The title might confuse so let me explain. My ZULU kit arrived the other day and I hope, at the end of the build to have converted her into GURKHA, but I have been away from model building coming on 30 years so I have some questions if you don't mind.
I have read Joe's thread on his Zulu build, so during the Hull Preparation I spotted some things.
I have the concave hull bottom and will probably go with gluing wood to the bottom. I am assuming the epoxy used had a long cure time to allow time to get things set up before it set. Any offers on which type to use, I can find lots of quick set types but wonder if I can work that fast. That said if I tried the Heat processes mentioned in the article would I still need to glue something to the bottom?
Also found was the mould marks for the bilge keels, the photos on the CD that came with the kit show hulls with and without and nothing in the instructions mentions them, so anyone got thoughts on them? The photos show a complete lack of sonar so I assume that mould mark is just sanded out?
There are a couple of questions on the Rudders. The real thing had 2, the model has 1, from a model point of view would fitting 2 cause problems of any sort?
The instructions say to drill a hole 45mm from the stern but the mould mark is 85mm from the stern. Again, does it matter? Any thoughts.
mikearace:
Hi Stuart.
For epoxy there are many different makes from commercial well known brands to generic cheap stuff. Personally I go for the better known ones as in my experience these are longer term better solutions - Devcon is my choice but Gorilla also do one. I opt for the side by side tubes that are easier to squeeze the right amounts of two part. There are different setting/working time formula's - for example 5 minutes working time 30 minutes setting or 30 second setting etc. Personally I go for longer working time just in case I need to adjust things.
As to rudders, using two won't be a problem but I'd discard the white metal one and make two that are identical in size and weight so there isn't any bias on rudder action. I did build Mohawk about 16 year ago and from memory the rudder marking was also out. 85mm seems a long way back from the stern. 45 mm would seem right.
As to sonar I don't recall any sonar marks and never fitted one. I did fit one to a type 12 I built HMS Yarmouth, and that hull - not Deans- had no hull markings at all but I went for a lot of underwater detail on that, stabilisers, etch brass water and pump filter intakes etc etc.
Trust that's some help.
StuartMH:
Hi there, thanks for the reply.
I think I have the glue sorted, but I had an accident with one of the weights. My feet have not yet got the courage to try again.
I have decided to go with 2 rudders, have roughed them up today. They and the tiller arms will fit under the well I have yet to cut in the stern to house the aft sonar.
Bilge keels and sonar housings will be worked out when I am further on with the hull. Perhaps yes, perhaps no.
Now I have started building again I am feeling the lack of recent practice, so back to the instructions and drawings.
Stuart
StuartMH:
OK my inexperience is showing through. Having problems getting enough weight to flatten the middle of the hull, might be catching on the sides but I can't take any more off the sides or I will just have a strip down the middle. Will go and think some more on this. ::DD
StuartMH:
Moving on, so long as the hull stays flat when I remove the weights I will be OK. Leading to the next question, what colour to paint the rudders ? I feel they should be red with the hull bottom but the drawings show them in the black boot top line, any opinions??
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