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Layup and completion of the castings
Disney Nautilus Gallery and Resources
Check out the refurbishment of the hull and lighting (Summer 2006)
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| Hull |
Free-flooding fibreglass hull created from wooden master and rubber mold. |
| Electrical |
12V DC |
| Water Tight Cylinder |
Highly modified D&E Miniatures WTC3.5MOD2 |
| Propulsion |
12V fan motor from automotive cooling fan |
| Speed Control |
Modelcontrollers 25A |
| Pitch Control |
Modelcontrollers automatic submarine trimmer |
| Failsafe System |
ThorDesign Micro Failsafe (AFS) |
| Ballast System |
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| Blow / Vent controls |
servo operated |
| Main tank |
Liquid gas (tetraflourethene) 4OZ capacity |
| Depth Controller |
automated via Modelcontrollers automatic depth keeper |
| Accessories |
controlled by Subtech SES-II electronic switch |
| Lighting |
High-output LED lighting at all applicable points (31 bulbs) |
| Transmitter |
Airtronics VG600 6-channel radio and receiver with servos |
| Batteries |
(1) 12V-12 Ah battery |
| Video System |
Draganfly Innovations 2.4Ghz full color |
| Operational Weight |
37 lbs dry |
| Displacement |
To Be Determined |
| Top Speed |
approximately 5 mph or 8kph |
| Thrust |
To Be Determined |
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My dreams of owning a Nautilus resulted in the creation of this model. The master took a total of one year to complete, working an average of a half an hour per day. I'm sure that I could do it much faster if I were to do it again (which I'm hoping to), with the air of computerized cutting of the framework templates. A skin of brass or aluminum would be my next preference, and my next Nautlilus will be made from water-friendly materials so as to eliminate the need for molds.
 I was originally inspired to attempt this model when I found Vikki Ford's website chronicling her own attempts at modelling this challenging subject. Her own project ended in a less than satisfying way when her fibreglass molds fused to her fibreglass casting. Unfortunately, in the process of molding her model, her master was destroyed. 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.
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| I used birch plywood as the material only because it was on sale, and was easily sanded and finished. The first step was to print the blueprints in 1:1 scale. I asked a friend who works at an oilfield supply company to plot the blueprints on his plotter. That done, I transferred the templates to my 1/4" birch plywood to cut out the framework of the Nautilus. The ribs, keels and rakers were then cut out using a jigsaw. A scroll saw would be a far better tool for the job, but as I didn't have one, I made do. |
 Once the parts were cut out, they were sanded of all rough edges. That done, I test fit all of the parts for alignment. 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. Very satisfying. |
 Once the alignment was ensured, I began glueing the parts using thick CA glue. 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. The main framework completed, I then turned my attention to "skinning" the hull. 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. My hull plating runs from tail to nose, ten pieces in all. I did this primarily for strength, as at the time I was intending this wooden hull to be laminated in resin for watertightness. An added bonus is that the hull is smooth and streamlined. If I were to it all again, I would have utilized 1/16" modelling plywood for the hull plating, as the 1/8" birch that I did use was extremely tough and resisted curving. |
 With the hull plated, I began work on the main deck. I traced the deck from my blueprints and then transferred it to my 1/8" birch plywood. I then cut it out using a jigsaw. 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 set up spacers on the superstructure to ensure proper alignment, and then glued the deck in place. |
 I then decided to tackle the wheelhouse. This was fairly straightforward, with no unforseen difficulties arising. The next (very tedious) step was to add the deck skirting. I chose to use a series of plywood strips, approximately 3/4" wide to do so. I wasn't too worried about looks at this point, as I knew that I was going to use filler to smooth things over later. This is where the 1/8" inset helped out. The pieced fit snugly into the upper deck lip and were glued directly to the hull at the bottoms. |
  Next step were the so called "alligator eyes". My blueprints called for larger structures meeting in the center. A smaller model of mine showed them more streamlined with a space in the middle. I took some artistic liscence and decided to go with the more streamlined eyes. I have since taken some flak from Nautilus purists, but comparing the eyes side by side, I have to say that I like the way that I modelled it better than the larger ones. Also tackled at this point were the breather flaps behind the wheelhouse. They were made from 1/8" plywood cut to shape. |
 The salon windows were my next project. I cut out the facing from 1/4" birch, aligned them properly with spacers, and then glued them in place. I then decided to try 1/16" balsa to form the curved shrouds rather than the series of small pieces like what I did with the deck skirting. I worked extremely well, with my only complaint being the strength of the material. I then cut the pieces to represent the breather panels behind the wheelhouse. Each piece's trailing edge sat on the piece behind it, creating the stepped structure.
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 The next step involved fattening my rakers. I layed 1/8" thick strips of balsa against the hull on the rakers along the entire length, and then added a 1/16" balsa layer on top of that. I probably didn't need to do so, as bondo or wood filler would have done a fine job, but it made for a nice intermediate step, even if I could have safely skipped it. This was done to the side rakers, keel, upper rakers, and tail fins.
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  Filling and sanding followed. This step turned the rough Nautilus hull into a sleek vessel. I found that bondo works by far the best of all of the product I tried. Wood filler actually softened up with prolonged sanding with a mouse sander, causing gummy holes to appear after a few seconds. Bondo seems to have been designed for this application, and works far better. I hindsight, I'd have been a lot more careful in the application of my CA glue that I used to glue my hull together, as CA does not sand well. |
 I decided I needed a little break from the main boat and took on the skiff. I built the ribs from 1/16" balsa and then simply filled in all of the gaps with good wood filer. A crude, but effective solution. The skiff actually turned out very well. |
 After all of the sanding and filling was complete, I primed the model with red oxide primer. This layer of paint showed all of the minor imperfections nicely, and allowed me to fill and resand any hiding problem areas. |
 After the primer came over four cans worth of high gloss black spray paint. By the time I was done, you could literally see your reflection in the hull surface. The reason that I went with gloss paint was so that the rivets in the next step would bead nicely and sit up as high as possible. Flat finish paint simply absorbs the glue and spreads the rivet over a 1/4" area. Not good at all. |
 After the painting was completed, I began the task of scribing the hull for panel lines. William Babington generously supplied the blueprints for this step, which included all of the panel lines and rivet patterns. A sharp utility knife was used for this task, used reversed to make a sharp, but visible furrow. The knife was very hard to control in places, and if you have access to a scribing tool, by all means utilize it.
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 All of the smaller details were then added using strip styrene. The reinforcement bezels and grating outlines were all added using half round and flat styrene strips and thin CA glue. The skiff top and breather flaps were the most time-consuming (particularly the skiff top). Each strip was added individually by hand. Next time I think I'll spring for a computer laser cutter to get the job done. |
 At this time, I concentrated on my propeller. I took Will's propeller drawings and redid them in CorelDraw. I then got my brother-in-law to cut the entire prop silhouette using his CNC cutting table. I used 1/16" thick aluminum plating for this, as I liked the light weight, and the thin material. I really wanted to go with the classic "sledgehammer" design of the original over a more modern four or five-bladed prop. My research has determined that the overall performance will suffer, but not by too great a degree. |
   Next came the monumental task of riveting the entire hull. There are well over 20,000 rivets, and each one was individually applied using a thick solution of epoxy and thickener and a soldering application tool. This process took about two months of working about and hour a day. As the job progressed, I became faster and faster, and the rivets became more uniform and better shaped. This was lots of work, but is absolutely necessary for the full Nautilus effect (in my opinion). |
My next project was to fashion the raker teeth master and the dorsal fin. I used the birch plywood for this, as it is a fairly hard wood, yet is easy to shape and sand.
  That done, I created molds using a sample kit of Smooth-On's PMC30 rubber. There was more than enough to create the molds. The teeth were cast in clear casting resin. This process went very well and I averaged five teeth castings per day. The Nautilus takes 32 teeth in all (my dorsal fin was created in one piece, including the teeth there). The teeth were then secured to the hull using JB Quick Weld (I absolutely love this stuff). |
| The rivets along the base of the teeth were then added, and the large retaining bolts for the teeth were added using small "google" eyes, which I will also use for the lenses on my floodlights. The entire model was then primed with automotive primer to seal the hull. This is when all of my hard work really solidified. The rivets accented the hull perfectly, not too large to overwhelm the model and not too small to fade away when you look at it. |
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Go To:
Construction of the Master Hull
Construction of the Rubber Molds
Layup and completion of the castings
Return to top of page |
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| The Nautilus Molds |
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