Gato Parts

[wcb1863]

Any chance that you have a list (even tentative) of those parts or components that you don't provide in the kit, necessary to complete the Gato conversion. For example: stainless wire (total length and size) for rudder and dive planes, servos type and number, battery, speed controller, couplers, etc. Would save many trips to the hobby shop.

Thanks,
Walter B.

[Merriman]

Originally Posted by wcb1863

Any chance that you have a list (even tentative) of those parts or components that you don't provide in the kit, necessary to complete the Gato conversion. For example: stainless wire (total length and size) for rudder and dive planes, servos type and number, battery, speed controller, couplers, etc. Would save many trips to the hobby shop.

Thanks,
Walter B.

Damn good point, Walter.

I'll work up a list for you and the other GATO r/c submarine drivers out there.

Ellie, Rose and I just got back from the Carmel SubRegatta. After two days of running the prototype r/c'ed Revell GATO in the water there I'm pleased to report that the boat performs very well: a tight turning radius and depth control is positive and rock solid. I like this boat!

Run time on a 2000 mAh pack was about thirty-minutes ... not bad!

David D Merriman lll

[Merriman]

Originally Posted by wcb1863

Any chance that you have a list (even tentative) of those parts or components that you don't provide in the kit, necessary to complete the Gato conversion. For example: stainless wire (total length and size) for rudder and dive planes, servos type and number, battery, speed controller, couplers, etc. Would save many trips to the hobby shop.

Thanks,
Walter B.

OK, Walter, here's the basic list of items you'll have to find for yourself to outfit the GATO SubDriver. Some of these items go into the SubDriver and some are there to interface it with the 1/72 Revell GATO kit.

1. R/C System - either the WFLY FT06-C six channel transmitter/receiver set, or the Polk's Hobbies Tracker-3/Seeker-6 transmitter/receiver set. Both of these products listed in the Caswell catalog.

2. Electronic Speed Controller - the Mtronics Viper Sub 10, also available from Caswell. This high performance ESC also features a very robust BEC which supplies current to all electronic devices aboard the SubDriver.

3. Angle Keeper - We recommend the SubTech APC-4, available from SubTech (but be on the lookout, soon Caswell will carry their own angle keeper).

4. Fail-Safe - This device will automatically blow the ballast tank in the event of a loss of r/c signal -- a must-have device aboard r/c submarines! Again, your source of supply here is SubTech.

5. Servos - You'll need at least four mini-servos. I recommend the blue little monsters from Caswell -- very powerful units and the cheapest you'll find anywhere on this planet!

6. Power Switch - I recommend a small sized double-pole, double-throw toggle rated for at least 20 Ampere's equipped with a watertight boot. The boot will permit you to operate the toggle without getting any water into it. Check your local electronic supply houses for this item.

7. Propulsion/Control System Battery - Any 7.2 Volt battery sized to fit r/c cars will do, be it of the Nickel Metal Hydride, Nickel Cadmium, or Lithium Polymer type. Just insure that you also secure a compatible battery charger. I recommend a battery of at least 3000 mAh capacity.

8. Propel - this is also known as 'air brush propellant'. Available through Caswell or your local hobby shop.

10. Pushrod and Torque Tube stock - about three feet of 3/32" aluminum tube (bow plane retract mechanism torque tube), three feet of 1/8" aluminum tube (bow plane pushrod) and two feet of 1/16" brass rod (rudder and stern plane push rod). You'll also need a snap type of clevis for the rudder bell crank, four servo/pushrod collars, and four Du-Bro cup-ball unions to make up the SubDriver pushrods to the boat pushrods.

That's most of the hardware you'll need to outfit your boat with the SubDriver.

David D Merriman lll

[wcb1863]

Many thanks for the list. Feel that I know you somewhat after listening to your DVD's for many hours I screwed up the rudder big time attempting to drill through it -- ordered a new replacement from Revell. Given my proclivity for damage, I'll probably wind up buying another complete Revell kit just for spare parts.

A question:

1- You show the "tacking" of the Bow Planes mechanism but when, if ever, do you glue it finally?

By the by, do you know of any commerciallly available product that could be used as an aid to sawing the boat in half (a magicians trick if I ever saw one)? My nightmares increase.

Walter B.

[Merriman]

Originally Posted by wcb1863

Many thanks for the list. Feel that I know you somewhat after listening to your DVD's for many hours I screwed up the rudder big time attempting to drill through it -- ordered a new replacement from Revell. Given my proclivity for damage, I'll probably wind up buying another complete Revell kit just for spare parts.

A question:

1- You show the "tacking" of the Bow Planes mechanism but when, if ever, do you glue it finally?

By the by, do you know of any commerciallly available product that could be used as an aid to sawing the boat in half (a magicians trick if I ever saw one)? My nightmares increase.

Walter B.

You've probably had enough of my raspy voice by now. When and if Revell comes through with that replacement rudder let the rest of us know the procedure -- I'm sure your not the only one to screw things up on this kit.

Be more careful on the next one, damit! Those kits ain't cheap!

Yeah, I missed filling you in on the final gluing of the bow plane retract mechanism in place. At a later point -- once you're satisfied that the mechanism will operate the bow plane retract struts without binding -- you will indeed goop on significant amounts of gap-filling CA adhesive to permanently bond the retract mechanism to the inside of the bow.

You're looking for a store bought router holder -- but you need one that will hold a moto tools in such a way as to allow the narrow blade to make contact with the hull sides. Nope ... don't know of any commercially available.

Hey: knuckle down and make one like I show you ... why the hell do you think I went to all the time to illustrate how to make the moto-tool holder on the DVD, anyway?

It's not too tough: get some shelving board, some screws, glue and go to town! You'll use it later on the Revell 1/72 Type-7 kit when I get around to showing how to r/c that beast.

David,

[wcb1863]

David,
My wife says that I can have only one submarine in my life. You do use the "steadying" tool on the DVD but do not show how it was made or its dimensions. i just ordered a drill press for the dremel (MB540 VERTICAL DRILL STAND) from Model Expo. With some modifications it might work as a platform for the radical cut I am dreading. In any event it should work for other drilling jobs.

What the devil is an angle keeper? Six channels? 1-Speed, 2&3- Bow planes, 4-Rudder, 5- Rudder, 6-?Angle keeper

I ordered the new rudder from Revell on their web site under services. Will be most interesting to see how long it takes, my guress is four weeks minimum. That's "www.revell.com" Tab "Service and Support" and then select "Need Parts?".

Best,

Walter

[Merriman]

Originally Posted by wcb1863

David,
My wife says that I can have only one submarine in my life. You do use the "steadying" tool on the DVD but do not show how it was made or its dimensions. i just ordered a drill press for the dremel (MB540 VERTICAL DRILL STAND) from Model Expo. With some modifications it might work as a platform for the radical cut I am dreading. In any event it should work for other drilling jobs.

What the devil is an angle keeper? Six channels? 1-Speed, 2&3- Bow planes, 4-Rudder, 5- Rudder, 6-?Angle keeper

I ordered the new rudder from Revell on their web site under services. Will be most interesting to see how long it takes, my guress is four weeks minimum. That's "www.revell.com" Tab "Service and Support" and then select "Need Parts?".

Best,

Walter

Walter,

LOL. I too live under a rule of abject terror as administered by, 'she who must be obeyed!'. So, let's make that one submarine of yours count!

As to the dimensions of the 'sliding router': Just take your moto-tool in hand, measure off two pieces of board of appropriate length (look at the DVD again -- you do have a freeze-frame function on it, don't you?!), mount them together at a right angle, glue #100 sandpaper to the crutch formed between them to keep the moto-tool from sliding around, equip one end of this assembly with a broad bed (that will ride the surface of your work table), secure the motor tool to the correct height on the thing with tie-tie fasteners, and you're good to go. God damn! Hard hard can that be??...

The angle keeper is an electronic device that hooks up in between port #6 of the receiver and the stern plane servo -- it artificially stabilizes the boat about the pitch axis when you're not working the stern plane stick/knob on the transmitter to effect pitch changes. Most of the time you will be driving the bow planes to maintain depth, so don't sweat the stern planes, most of the time their in 'auto' (the APC).

Get the Polk's Tracker-3 r/c system from Caswell and be done with it. All the functions you'll ever need in this life, pal. You only need six channels for this Revell GATO: 1. rudder, 2. bow plane, 3. throttle, 4. ballast system, 5. bow plane retract mechanism, 6. stern plane

Thanks for the info on getting parts from Revell. Let us know when you get them. Four weeks, my ass! Hope not. Let us know.

Now: Stop typing and get back to work! What the hell are you doing on the computer, anyway? Looking into the green-eyed electronic moster never got a model built!

Get out of here, go ... now! Into the shop with you!

... And that goes for the rest of you lurkers out there too!

David,

[wcb1863]

David,

One observation and some questions.

I really admire you "master builders" with all the equipment that needed to build super duper projects. "I just took my Whopper 310 with the left threaded micron head and set it to .000004 tolerance in my Framo 5400 jig flipped the with and Voila a strut is born."
My "shop" consists of a jig saw (small) a Dremel set, a regular drill and some usual household tools.

OK, ok I'll muck along and hope for the best.

Questions:

1- You supplied three bow fin struts -- would it be practical to use one of then as a bell crank for the stern planes? (Incidentally did Mike Caswell relay my email about missing resin Pieces (i.e., both prop tubes and one dunce cap?).
2- Had a very bad time trying to find MG Chemicals Ferric Chloride -- no one in the greater Tampa area has any (most never heard of it.) One group would order it for me for $56.00 for 16 ounces. MG Chem. referred me to Allied who will send the stuff for $6.70. Is there a more common chemical that would serve the same purpose?

3- Once you glue the stern halves together how is the bell crank attached to the rudder post?

4- Why do you want to sand the hull to the point where the Revell detail is removed?

5- Last question (believe I know the answer but must ask). I live on a salt water canal in Clearwater, FL (My wife and I sail quite a bit – long distance stuff.) Can the sub operate in salt water, I imagine buoyancy would be the first of several problem but I thought I ask just to be sure. See we have a dock in our back yard with extremely calm water when the hurricanes are elsewhere.

All best,

Walter

[Merriman]

Originally Posted by wcb1863

David,

One observation and some questions.

I really admire you "master builders" with all the equipment that needed to build super duper projects. "I just took my Whopper 310 with the left threaded micron head and set it to .000004 tolerance in my Framo 5400 jig flipped the with and Voila a strut is born."
My "shop" consists of a jig saw (small) a Dremel set, a regular drill and some usual household tools.

OK, ok I'll muck along and hope for the best.

Questions:

1- You supplied three bow fin struts -- would it be practical to use one of then as a bell crank for the stern planes? (Incidentally did Mike Caswell relay my email about missing resin Pieces (i.e., both prop tubes and one dunce cap?).
2- Had a very bad time trying to find MG Chemicals Ferric Chloride -- no one in the greater Tampa area has any (most never heard of it.) One group would order it for me for $56.00 for 16 ounces. MG Chem. referred me to Allied who will send the stuff for $6.70. Is there a more common chemical that would serve the same purpose?

3- Once you glue the stern halves together how is the bell crank attached to the rudder post?

4- Why do you want to sand the hull to the point where the Revell detail is removed?

5- Last question (believe I know the answer but must ask). I live on a salt water canal in Clearwater, FL (My wife and I sail quite a bit – long distance stuff.) Can the sub operate in salt water, I imagine buoyancy would be the first of several problem but I thought I ask just to be sure. See we have a dock in our back yard with extremely calm water when the hurricanes are elsewhere.

All best,

Walter

Walter,

Smart-ass!

You indeed could press that extra bow plane strut into service as the stern plan bell crank. I never thought of that ... damn!

Drill out the hole in the stern plane operating shaft to get the bore to make a loose fit to the strut ... er .... bell crank and CA it in place. Neat Idea, Walter. But, be careful: if you stress that plastic piece too much (a tight fit between bell crank and bell crank bore) and the operating shaft will break on you!

Radio Shack (not all stores, however) carry Ferric Chloride acid and supply it for those who cut their own circuit boards. However, if you dunk the metal parts in vinegar overnight you'll get the same pitting we're after.

The rudder bell crank slips on as you install the rudder operating shaft up into the upper bearing -- this is explained in the DVD, no? Or, is that something I should plug into DVD #4? I don't remember.

The removal of the kits weld lines is an aesthetic decision, Walter. You're call.

You can operate the model in salt water, but you'll have to run a significant fraction of the SubDriver's antenna up high in the periscope shears -- you need that antenna in the air as salt water effectively shields against RF at this end of the radio spectrum.

Send me an e-mail with your mailing address and I'll get those parts off to you post haste!

David,

[wcb1863]

David,

Many thanks for the good advice. I'll cut the smaller loop and shave the shaft on the strut to fit, loosely, a hole 1/32 () drilled into the stern planes axle.

I don't remember seeing the final assemby of the stern section. You do very carefully explain how the gadget works but don't (I think) show the actual final assembly. (I did find it easier to cut the lower skeg before glueing the forward portion to the port stern section.) Would it be easier to put the rudder in place and then glue the stern section together around it?

You do mention that the aft end of the skeg is adhered with a type of glue but I can't make out exactly what that glue is -- seems it would have to be a sturdy adhesive as the skeg is keeping the rudder from falling out the bottom of the boat.

You show the 1/16th copper wire used to attach the bow planes but not tacked in place. Are they CA'd or "welded" in place on disk 4? Would there be any great harm in CAing them in place when the halves of the planes are welded? Of course the strut and the axle would have to be attached at that time. My grooves in the planes interior are no way near the beauties that you accomplished so a bandaid might be to CA them in the monster wide gullies I created.

Are there any modifications that must be made to the sail? If not I could put it together while waiting for the new rudder. Saw your mention of an antenna through the periscope shears. How does it get through the tube and what is the diameter? If somewhat thin could it replace the boat's radio antenna running the length of the aft deck. Of course if it's too thick it would really ugly up the boat.

My mailing address is:

Walter Betkowski
306 Windward Island
Clearwater, FL 33767

I know I am getting to be a real pest but can't begin to tell you how much I appreciate your help.

Best,

Walter