Hi everybody. Y’all remember the “fun” I had about 2 months ago, with the SAR motor issue and the loss of the PT15’s cabin and bridge? Well, I’ve got the SAR fixed, retrofitted a 3530 1700 kv outrunner and a much better coupling, and she runs smooth and cool. So...I decided to go ahead and do some updates and maintenance to my other boats in the fleet, which led me to the PT..I decided to start building the superstructure and get her back in the water. I worked too hard on her to let her sit around and gather dust.
I bought a pack of styrene sheet in various thicknesses, and ordered some sundry items that will be needed from Cornwall Model Boats. While I’m waiting for those I decided to start cutting plastic.
Now, the original structure was comprised of 2 main moldings, some detail moldings, and of course built up detail parts and fittings. All that is at the bottom of the lake, and this boat is way the heck out of production, so I had no choice but to build it up from sheet. Luckily I kept my plans. I traces what I needed to get started from the plans and cut templates. Then I cut my sides and tops.i built the main cabin first. I’m using balsa stock at the joints to allow me to sand a decent radius in the finished cabin(s) as the original had a slight radius at most corners. I also had to build up the entry “buckets” as they were molded parts too.
I got the main cabin built last night, and the sub/aft cabin tonight. I think it looks okay for now, need to finish some sanding and then join the two halves together with a bulkhead and ramps as the original. Still have to do the bridge, the original bridge was molded with the lower main cabin as a unit, and that entire section was molded from tinted clear plastic, you masked off the windows and shot it with paint. I’m going to have to build the bridge as a separate part and glue it on. If I decide to do clear windows, I’ll have to cut the openings, paint the cabin and then glaze the windows before gluing it on, then mask the openings when I paint the final assembly, as I’ll have no access to the inside of the bridge once it’s glued in place. Alternatively, I can just paint the whole thing and paint the windows as they were pretty dark to begin with. I’ll make that decision in a few days, but I’m leaning towards glazed windows as I think it’ll be worth the effort.
Take a look tell me what y’all think, this is my first time scratch building anything in plastic.

LTjg Errol T Cat is pushing me to get this done, as the Texas Navy needs to have a patrol vessel for the night watch...I reminded him that I am the ranking officer, but all I got was this look.....🤣

Got the bridge built tonight, took about 2 hours of cutting, fiddling, sanding, cursing and gluing.😁 need to finish sand everything then assemble the superstructure, plus add the fwd entryway thingy that goes on the front of the main structure. Once all that is done it’s retime for fiddly bits.
I have determined that I’m not cutting out the windows. The originals were part of the entire molding, and that was a very dark tint, so in most light they were pretty close to opaque anyway. My SAR came with tinted windows that I didn’t use, and I THINK I kept them. If I can find them I’ll cut them down and glue on, or I’ll paint the windows a dark gray. There is a fine line between challenging and frustration...and I think once I cut the windows it would really weaken the bridge, so there’s that.

So, today I spent a little time in the shop and worked on the superstructure for the PT15. I had to make the bulkhead and ramps to fit the aft cabin into the forward cabin. Once I had that fitted to my satisfaction, I applied Stabilt Express to the top of the bulkhead and ramps, and about one third of the way down, and jigged the assembly on the deck. This way it would sit on the deck flush, and the glue wouldn’t travel all the way down to the deck, making a bonded mess. Worked almost perfect, got one little drip that pulled a dot of paint off but I can touch that up.
I built the forward entryway with 2 pieces of scrap plura and sheeted the top down to the deck with one thin piece of styrene, then glued it in place. I also found the dark brown tinted windows that came with my SAR, i used clear plastic in their stead on that boat, so I’m going to cut and shape them and glue them on the outside of the bridge. The original molding had the windows molded in such a way that they protruded slightly from the main part of the bridge, I’ll cut small openings to let some light shine through, and the externally amounted windows will look close to the original, and be easier to install. A little filling and sanding and it’s time to start some details.
Cash

So, our county and the surrounding counties are under shelter or stay at home orders. One can go for a walk, walk the dog, etc, but no groups meetings and no gatherings, cinema, etc. Since I’m in an “essential business” (parts department auto dealer) I’m still working. However, I set my vacation up several months ago for this Wednesday till Tuesday next week. Fun. Lotsa fun. Plus, my daughters school has resorted to online class, and my wife is now working from home, and we’re driving the cats mad. They want their privacy back, I reckon. Anyway, built up some of the detail from plastic sheet, wood, legos and zip ties.
I did the exchangers or ventilators, not sure what they are to be honest, out of sheet styrene, and the mounts from styrene covered balsa. Those were fairly simple. The ventilators were another matter, as the ventilator grilles were molded fittings that are now out of production, with the closest set to me at the bottom of the lake making a good home for catfish. So, I razed my daughters old Legos, found a couple that were close in dimension to my original units, shaped them, sheeted the shapes side with sheet styrene. I then cut off the lugs, sanded, then made grilles from cut down tie wrap strip. Finished the rest of the detail with sheet and strip. Not exactly like my former units, but they look the part. I went ahead and gave them a quick coat of paint to see how they turned out, the installed them.
Cash

Hi y’all, real quick update. I modified a Robbe venturi vent into a hailer/speaker by sanding the bell down and installing a rivet into the rear, made the wind break from a modified LEGO, sheet styrene and styrene rod, added an antenna and made a few rails. My care package from Cornwall Model Boats arrived today with some stanchions, ladders and portholes, so I’m set. It’s wide open throttle from here on out!!😁

Cash

So, did a little more today, the escape hatches at the bottom of the superstructure and the side rails. I found that the mouthpiece of my vape mod was the exact diameter of the hatches, so I used it as a template.🤣
Hopefully I’ll have enough of the proper size of brass wire to do the upper rails or I might have to scavenge thru my unbuilt kit stash!! Can’t just bop on down to Hobby Lobby right now😮
Cash

Hi y’all. Last day of vacation back to work Tuesday, so I gotta as much done this morning as I could. Made some holes in the back part of the bridge, these will let some light shine thru the tinted windows I will install later. I did the aft ones as access will be limited by the rails and mast. I just did holes in the very back and rectangular cut outs in the aft sides. I was going to forego this and just paint or decal the windows, but someone ( cough,cough,FLEET! cough,cough) convinced me otherwise.🤣
Anyway, got that done, then dug into my Cornwall care package and brought out the stanchions I ordered. They are Caldercraft units, look almost exactly like the originals, but the are just about a hair thinner, and the corresponding holes in the balls are smaller. Luckily I had some brass and piano wire the right size. I also ordered some ladder stock which I used. I loosely built up the rails, attached the stanchions and wires in their drilled holes, and made sure everything looked good before I ca’d the mess together. Where the upper rail, it down stanchion and ladder rail meet I soldered and put a drop of ca on to be safe. I then built and installed the two mushroom ventilators.
That’s almost it, save for a few things. Lights, mast, etc. a few things that aren’t supposed to be grey will be added last. I’m very close to the first coat of Tamiya AS26 grey, once that’s on I can judge what needs a little more sanding, filling, and touching up before the second coat. Think I’ll have her done by late next week.
Cash

Hi y’all. Got some really fun news Thursday. I’ve been furloughed 😮! The company will keep paying my insurance, and I lose no seniority, but they are making temporary cuts across the board...so basically, I have a 30 day unpaid vacation. They want to try to get me back on board after that. We’ll see. Luckily I don’t have a lot of bills, house is paid for, got a small improvement loan and the normal lot of utilities so we’re okay, and I have one more check coming on the 10th. Soooooo....I’ll have plenty of time to spend with family, get some rest, and oh...BUILD😊
So, since this is the first time I’ve been unemployed, temporarily or otherwise, after I came home and commiserated with my wife, I decided to go to the bench and abuse some brass and plastic 😂
I did what I did with the original mast, substituted a 6 mm piece of CF tubing for wood. My main yardarm is a slight bit thicker than the first mast as I had to raid my stash for brass tubing. Took a couple of hours to cut, bend, fit, glue and solder but it’s about halfway there. We binge watched “The Marvelous Mrs Maisel” till 130 am, so I’ll be getting up about 9 am and start on finishing the mast tomorrow. I’ll post my progress.
Cash

Hi ya’ll. Before I go on, I just want to say thanks for the support, comments and ideas. Really helps especially with what’s going on now. Again..thank you.😊
So..got up this morning and did a little more work on the mast assembly. The original fittings kit had brass standoffs for the mast lamps which were made from the brass parts and brass servo grommets. I have grommets galore, but my brass stock was either too thin or too thick. So, I used cut down servo arms for the bases and the grommets for lights. I then turned my attention to the upper radar doohickey on the upper part of the mast. In case y’all are wondering, “doohickey” is an accepted technical term here in Texas. Anyway, the best way to make this thing up is to make up a jig from a piece of 1/4 inch soft balsa sheet. The object is to bend the unsoldered end down to press into the wood to keep the wire steady while soldering. I went one step further and tacked that end with a little CA, once done I cut the radar loose then proceeded to measure, cut and bend the wires to shape.
The lower radar and housing is made up of modified legos, the bar from sheet and rod, and the small support is brass wire with nylon tube over that. I then made up and soldered/glued the tip aerials on. I need to ad the main lamp and horn, then a little going over with fine sandpaper to clean up and paint.
Cash