how do they (sponsons & paddleboxes) attach

[Derek Warner]

on 27/11 - Derek Warner said - About the only good thing with being without a computer for four nights is that I finally got the sponsons constructed, attached and secured to Decoys hull - and it was so simple but is immensely strong

With Decoy being totally scratch, I too did not know how I would attach them - just knew it would happen - then read a posting by one our members questioning "punching some holes thru the hull and securing cross beams etc" and that about all I did - all dimensions for convenience are in mm - Decoy is 1/24 so had to consider suitably sized timbers relative to scale, but also the need for functional strength - glue is simple PVA + epoxy patch for strength, bronze nail pins are 0.8 mm x 10 mm Lng

1) glued & pinned one 12 x 4 wooden stringer 350 long equi-centred with the paddle shaft bearing axis some 12 mm below deckline (in the horizontal plane or parallel with the water) on either side of the hull

2) drilled & filed four vertically rectangular holes a little over 10 x 2 to suit the two 10 x 2 wooden cross beams each 340 total length - centred and pinned the cross beams true on axis etc, then used epoxy patch to cement these into deck stringer - the centre distance between the two cross beams is naturally to suit the diameter of the paddle box

3) when dry carefully, cut the cross beams on centre of hull and inserted one wooden 12 x 4 x 30 support plate each with a pre-cut and filed oversize 10 x 2 slots to meet up with the cross beams - just repeat the exercise with the epoxy patch to cement these with the beams back into the internals of vertical surfaces of the engine room to deck level, again when dry cut off non essential cross beam material

Continued strengthening has been accomplished with 3 x 2 horizontal bracing timbers, with the final decking to be 3 x 1, with possibly
0.5 mm spacings between each timber - so considering the 1/24 scale I don't think I have gone overboard

I hope experienced paddleducks do not take offence at such simple comments as above, however I can only learn from the education by others or my own trials and sometimes my mistakes

regards Derek

[Paulrjordan]

WAY TA GO!!! Isn't it amazing how much quicker models get built
"withoot A POOTER!" ??
BUT...on the other hand, for me at any rate, the research is half the
fun..and that would take SO much longer without one.

Glad you have the sponsons on "Decoy", Derek, and have found a way of
making them so strong. (I'll bet she's beginning to look good) I read
your instructions carefully (although "filing rectangular holes"
really threw me for a loop!) BUT I'd love to see a diagram or
something of your sponson installation. Can you draw a sketch (even
on Paintbrush) and send it to me?

>I hope experienced paddleducks do not take offence at such simple
>comments as above, however I can only learn from the education by
>others or my own trials and sometimes my mistakes

Derek...what you're doing with "Decoy" puts you in the realm of
"experienced"..and my philosophy is, no matter how experienced I might
consider myself in SOME areas.. I am ALWAYS learning something
new...especially from all YOU Paddleducks...so thank you.

PJ