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[Voyager]

I have been looking at getting a quick build Robbe or Graupner kit, as i have projects on the go that are going to last me months, if not years, so it was time for a break. The one i wanted was the Graupner Bremen, but at £190 just for the kit, it was decided to look at something cheaper...ok alot cheaper :) I knew it had to be a Police or Fire boat, so i managed to find a Graupner fire boat on ebay, but i was outbeaten by Stavros by something like a £1 >:( Thanks Stavros! So in the end i settled on the Robbe Dolly, odd name tho, i just have to be careful to say it nice and clear to fiends or itends to come out as Rubber Dolly....but that's another story . The boat was ordered from Germany and came within 4 days of ordering it. The boat is designed to go together with ease with pre cut plastic parts, clear canopy, moulded roof, multi-multi sticker sheet with a huge variety of different named vessels, and not to mention the most easy to follow instructions i have ever seen. The norm for German made boats is that the kits come without fittings..well this is no exception, so a couple of days later a fittings kit arrived. I began construction a couple of days ago, following the large step by step diagrams i glued together the inner sections with plastic-weld, so far so good. Next it was time to drill a hole for the oiler tube, this was done and soldered to ensure a strong fit. Next on the list was to assemble the rudder, holes drilled with a reamer, plastic rear support glued and rudder now in position. Now it was time to fit the top deck, as all the parts are pre cut i assumed that everything should be the right size or over sized, how wrong i was. The top deck was glued with the usual plastic-weld, but at the front there was a fit issue going on. This will have to be glued from underneath with Stablit-Express and filled on top with P-38, just a soon as the order arrives from Westbourne Models.

More to come as soon as my order turns up!

Voyager.

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[Stavros]

Hi Voyager maybee we should gte together and have our own fire boat monitor fireing competition,or should it be soak each other!!!!looking forward to seeing the build,oh not fair I have had to spray mine I see yours came pre coloured---cheat

[Voyager]

That would be fun!..we can call it rain coats at dawn . Yup pre-coloured, but having said that i'm still going to spray it! Found a couple of nigley things wrong with it, deck fit at the front, but that's easily corrected, then the plans and box show three life rings, yet the packet is factory sealed and it only comes with one...Mmmm, last of all no motor mount screws in the kit, fittings or with the motor >:( Just gone and ordered the Graupner Shark Submarine, so i will start another thread when i'm ready to start building it.

I'm looking forward to seeing what your performance will be like in the water, when your Graupner Fire Boat is all finished.


Regards:Voyager.

[Stavros]

Going to be out this weekend,OK not exactly finished but cant wait,got to soak those lads!!!!performance it should fly as I have fitted the one I prepared earlier it is one of those sexy tunable motors that I believe came out of a car so I hope it will fly,will let you know on sun night if it does,will try to video it with diggy camera and post it on relevant thread

[uboatbuilder]

OH! THATS the dolly I was expecting a rubber blow up one!!!!

[Voyager]

Just because you have a fetish for latex, you dirty little Uboatbuilder

[Youngat65]

get in touch with Del-Boy think he has a job lot he is trying to get rid of  ::) ::)

[biggles1]

Im also half way through building a Dolly, had same trouble as you with deck The engine and battery base ,when glude in pushed out the hull sides so made up new deck from obbechi. Did you change the kit prop and shaft?  i have as it loooked far to small.Shant be joining you in water fight as mine is to be a sea fishing launch   Dave

[Voyager]

Nice to know these things don't just happen to me, reffering to the fit of the deck. Only just had my delivery of bit and bobs for this boat, now i have the Stablit Express i should be able to crack on. As the instruction tell you to cut down the shaft, which i did, it all seems to look just right now. I am a little unsure with the recommended method of connecting the shaft to the motor, but as both are perfectly aligned with the rubber tubing, then it should work ok...still time will tell in the end.
Would be nice to see how your boat looks, your more than welcome to post some pictures on this thread. Did you experience any other problems in your build, or make any changes to the instructions recommendation?

Voyager.

[biggles1]

hi no problems apart from deck am using 380 7.2 motor and the supplied tubbing between motor and prop shaft. enjoying the build first boat i have built for years , i normally build free flight model aircraft.Are you fitting working
lights  searchlight dont quiite understand wirring looks like connected to receiver dave

[Voyager]

Yeah i'm enjoying it too! Yes i am going to use the lights included in the fittings, but i am going to run them off a seperate 6v power supply, runing a 6v pump and lights off one 6v battery, not to mention the motor and rudder will be to killing.

Voyager.

[Voyager]

Not had alot of time to work on my Dolly until now, so here goes. I ordered some Stablit Express to add strength to the inner battery and motor mount, at £14 a box it's bloody exprensive stuff, but it works very well so i can sort of justify the price :-\. After fitting the deck i notice that it had the tendancy to sink inward, so i had to glue supports underneath to raise it to the required level, sadly this in turn pushed the side wall of the hull outwards (pitty the hull was moulded so thin!). Well after faffing about for ages, the deck is more level although the sides have been effected (Any recommendations chaps? ???) Next on the hit list was to glue the rudder and prop shaft in position, at least i had no problem there! The front gap on the deck was also treated with Stablit Express and now requires sanding down flat. Next on the list is the inner side walls of the deck, and then start work on the superstructure.

More to come!

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[Voyager]

Latest work undertaken, info to follow!

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[Voyager]

and some more pic's!

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[Voyager]

So far i have been very happy with how the build has gone. The pre-cut plastic parts have saved time in the long run, although you still have to take your time, more so with the badly fitting deck ::) The quality of striped two tone wood for the wheelhouse deck is very nice, i used Ronseal satin to seal the wood on mine. The only major problem i had was with the deck, ok the front was out and had to be filled, but the main problem was that the deck was bending in the center ??? The only way i could fix this was to put supports underneath to try and bring it all up level, which then had a tendancy to distort the thin hull ??? Anyway after much faffing about, i was finaly happy with what i was seeing The superstructure was a doddle to put together, making sure at each step everything was all level and correct. Next on the list was the fire monitor, which again thanks to the quality of parts went together very well. I used  plastic-weld for the monitor and the boat, this stuff is the best around in my opinion! The clear cabin was cut out and sanded before being sprayed with Halfords Nissan RED, the kit included pre-cut window masks that fit the windows exactly for this job. I am still in the process of filing down the edges on the superstructure so as to hide the glued sections , but the end result will be a cleaner looking boat. Now going back to the monitor. The monitor is designed to be made into a working unit which can pan and tilt, but do to an already over stretched budget and limited space, i am only making the monitor tilt/fire and not pan. The contents of the monitor included a small spring which enables the monitor to move up/down, it's at this point i have a problem! as i had to use the spring on my Dusseldorf ??? And now i am on the look out for a replacement? I don't want to pay another £11:50 for another monitor set so as to just use the spring! Any ideas chaps...co's i'm fresh out!!!
Hope your enjoying the build so far, might have some more done tomorrow so will keep you all posted.

[dougal99]

Voyager,

What size spring are we talking about? I have a collection of springs from Draper, (bought to help my son's GCSE project 2 years ago) you are welcome to one if I have a suitable size.

Cheers

Doug

[Voyager]

Hi Dougal99,


The spring i need measures 8mm long and 2mm wide, and at each end there is loop (Does that make sense?) I have had one break on my Dusseldorf, so i phone Westbourne and it's regular thing with the Robbe monitors.

If you can help i'll be much oblidged, if there is anything you require in return, just say the word!


Regards:Voyager.

[Voyager]

This is what it looks like as of tonight!

Today was all about just tidying up the superstructure and the deck. The Superstructure required some filler in places, some of it will be dry for sanding tomorrow. The section of deck that was filled at the front has been sanded down flat, and is ready for painting...weather permitting tomorrow :-\ The rear monitor was measured out and fitted on, also the hull was drilled out and a brass tube fitted to supply water to the pump. The top roof was sprayed, but the finish could have been smoother, so that was lightly sanded down with wet/dry and re-sprayed. looking much better the finish now.


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[cbr900]

VOYAGER,

From the size you quoted for the spring, if you have any springs taken from you throttle lever for centering, I think you will find they are exactly what you are looking for...


Roy

[Voyager]

Thanks Roy,

I did already check on my Robbe, and those are too big.

[dougal99]

Voyager

That's a very small spring. Sorry, but mine are all bigger thean that. The smallest I have is 5mm wide and 14mm long plus the end loops making 22mm.

As it's an extension spring I don't suppose you could cannabalise a ball point pen?

Best of luck

Doug

[Voyager]

Wow...that's a great idea! I will look into that, thanks for that

[flybobby]

Wow...that's a great idea! I will look into that, thanks for that

Voyager, I have recently built the same monitor but built it fixed rather than moving up and down, so I have a spring not doing much.  However the spring measures 16mm long, 2mm wide with a loop at each end, which is longer than the one you are after.  I am sure you could cut it down to size.  If its any use to you, you are welcome to it. :)
Gav

[Voyager]

That would be smashing! I will pm you my address, and many thanks!!!

Let me know if there is anything i can do for you in return? Do you need any soft rubber fendering, or small nylon gear parts sets? Let me know?


Regards:Voyager

[flybobby]

That would be smashing! I will pm you my address, and many thanks!!!

Let me know if there is anything i can do for you in return? Do you need any soft rubber fendering, or small nylon gear parts sets? Let me know?


Regards:Voyager

Not a problem, I am happy to be of help. pm your address and I will send it off to you.  Thanks for your offer but I am ok for those,  I am sure you have given me more than a stamps worth of advice in the past.  Its what the forum is about