Model Aeroplane Notes The Tauranga 7-Footer.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 230, 28 September 1935, Page 3 (Supplement)

Model Aeroplane Notes

The Tauranga 7-Footer.

PART 11. Well, we have now been out shopping and managed to get enough of the materials to go on with. We have to lit up a building template some time, so we might as well do it now. As the shaping of the underneath part of our yacht depends entirely 011 this we must be careful and get all fair lines and

curves. A good stiff board is best, though the keel template can be built up from odds and ends of scrap material. Figure 3 shows the exact shape to cut it away to, and Figure 4 shows how to set it up. The big part of the construction and the part which is likely to give the most trouble to beginners is the setting out of the bulkheads. Note that in this craft the bulkheads are not temporary, they stay "put," being integral 'parts of the construction of the hull, thus making the hull easier to build and immensely strong arid providing watertight compartments. But we are getting a bit ahead. Figure 2 gives the half breadth measurements or the bulkheads. For instance, take No. 1 bulkhead; it is 13in half breadth, giving us 20in right across the boat at this point. Taking the measurements given, draw out bulkhead No. 1. Now, one thing that may at first puz/.le you. The dotted lino in Figure 3, which extends from end to end of the drawing, is the

cliine line. It is actualiv the shape of the side board of tie boat. At bu'khead No. lit is 9-iln wide. Therefore we must cut buikliead No. 1 o;]*; of a board (or boards built up), 2Gin wide by 14Jin deep. Cut all the bulkheads to the correct shape. As you will not gut boards over 12in wide, be sur<; to join up the boards which form each bulkhead with good, clean joints, preferably glueing them as well as nailing or screwing. They are cut from the • 12in by gin kauri specified in the cutting list given last week. The best way to . get these bulkheads, or moulds aa they

are sometimes called, accurate is to fold over a piece of paper and then draw out the half view shape and cut it out. When opened out this will give the full size of the bulkhead required. Leave the cut out at the bottom centra where the bulkhead fits over the keel until you have the main construction jig set up. The reason is obvious, for the bending upwards of the keel fore and aft will necessitate a slightly bevelled cut in the various bulkheads near the bow and stern, in order to get a really neat (it. Those near the centre are practically at right angles, so you can fit these any time. Now, Just a general word about glueing. If you use marine glue, the correct way of using it will be given on the package. I always use casein glue or cement myself. There are

two kinds, one that stains the wood a bit, because it lias lime left in it I think is the reason, and the other is stainless. Now, I fancy the first type myself, because I think it holds more tightly. It may be only fancy, but I have used it on full-sized gliders, and after a smash lip the wood was all torn and splintered, but every glued joint held. Casein must be mixed well. I use an egg-beater for the job, until the egg-beater is very hard to turn. The consistency of the mixture is then-like fairly thick cream. Leave it at least half an hour before using, to allow chemical changes to take place, and never use it when it is over twelve hours old. It's cheap, throw it away, and don't try to save it. Now for actual construction. We have fitted up our template, or jig. and the next thing is to lit the keel (Bft x 4in x lin length kauri). This will bend into the shape, but it might be as well to screw it down and cover it with rags soaked in boiling water. It will then get a permanent set and not be trying to spring back all the time. Fit the noso piece. Fig. 7 showing this clearly. Then cut out the rebates where each bulkhead fits the. keel and temporarily line the whole shape up with long strips of wood. It may be found at this stage of the proceedings that one or more of the bulkheads may have to bo moved a frac-

tion one way or the other in order to get the lines all fair, and no humps in them. It is marvellous how easy it is to get out a bit in your measurements and cutting, and so render this necessary.

j SPECIAL "STAR" SERVICE; ! In order to help those who are j ■ not expert craftsmen, "Propeller" ; ' has prepared templates—full-sized ■: 1 paper patterns —of all the bulk- j. [• heads. As these are of paper and | exactly the right size, you can | J paste them on to your boards and ;• J when cut you have the exact J; ! shape. For this special service J; ! for builders of the Tauranga !; ! 7-footer a charge of sixpence will !■, ! be made to cover cost of cutting !' ! and posting. j

Next week we will continue the construction of the Tauranga 7-footer, and I have no doubt that by now many of you have got that itch to start cutting up things in-order to feel that you are at least on your way to being a ship owner. AKARANA YACHT CLUB. A FINE OFFER. I have good news for those l>oys (and girls) in or about Auckland who have deckled to make the Tauranga 7-footer, and I think perhaps the best way to explain it all is to quote from the letter I received the other day from the chairman of the sailing committee (Mr. T. McKnight) of the Akarana Yacht Club. Dear "Propeller,"— On behalf of the above club I have to thank you for your efforts to foster a love of the sea and sailing in the younger generation. To encourage the building of 7-footers of the type now being described i:y you. the club will hold a race on its ciip day this summer for the class for boys or girls under 3 0 years of age. There will be a championship cup to be won outright. Then follows a number of proposed rules to govern the race, which wili be published later on. and an invitation for intending builders TO COME AND HAVE A LOOK AT ONE OF THESE CRAFT which is in the clubhouse. Now I think that Is a great start off, and if you fellows do not make hay while the sun shines I will be terribly disappointed in the lot of you. I thought that you would want to make one just for the love of building It and for the fun of owning and sailing a yacht however small, but with this very kind offer—well, ask yourselves. AIR MAIL. Thames, writes a long, chatty letter. He is an expert modol builder ana will i)e a great help to his younger brother, who Is also interested. They have a small crystal set, with which they can hear IYA programmes easily. R B.| oT Qisborne, sends along plans or a canoe-dinghy lie designed and built himself". It Is interesting to see readers are keen enough to tell me what they are doing'. You know wo «iro 311 onG l)is' clux) of model craftsmen. We might call ourselves rhe League or Fellows Who Make Tilings," mightn't we? Randall sends up plans and sketches, and I am sorry that space will not permit me to reproduce them.