Vilthomsen's U-boat room (English)

[Kron161]

On petition from uncle Neal, here's the translation for Vilthomsen's posts with the process for building his U-boat room.

If you want to follow the original post (in spanish) you can do so, here.

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=126984

Originally Posted by Johann Vilthomsen

This post pretend to be a step by step in the process to materialize my dream. Mi home office-model shop-Uboot diorama inside a room decorated like the inside of a U Boot.
Some simmer coleagues already know about my project that dates back to 2003 about making a room look like a UBoot. The idea was born due to my passion for U-boots and models. Owning a model of 170 cm long, I thought I could do a diorama like the one at "andrea miniaturas" and reflecting on the issue, I concluded I was going to wrap the diorama with an unique envirnoment.
First of all, I have to ask to a manufacturer in Peru to ship to Europe some switches and two more lights to lighten the room with blue light when "running silent"
The idea is to start out of this room


And end up in a Uboot, room where I can have my home ofice (I only need my computer, a printer and a file cabinet), the tables to make and paint my models and my u-boot diorama on scale 1:35 over which I will put a berth with its blankets on blue and white squares and the unavoidable light for a kommandant's cabin.
Some building plans:

Sight is Floor plan


Front elevation of the door


Front elevation radiator wall, on the side of the window where will go the table to paint the models.

Front elevation window


Front elevation on the wall where I'll have a diorama and a berth (next to door) on the side of the window that goes from the table for model assembly


Front elevation of door on the outside of the room.


door's detail
This door will be made by a normal door, that will be opened on a few ocassions (to get in or out bulky stuff) and a smaller hatch U-boot like 150x50k, so the hatch will be a door inside the door.

Real scale plan of the shapes to cut the sub's ribs.
By the way, both the radius of the bow and the measure of the ribs as well as the distance between them is exactly the same as on a U-boat type VII C
Now the looks like this:


If you look at the roof, there are some terrible stains due to a water leakage from the roof. This is the reason of not having been able to start this project before, In september I'll have the roof fixed and it's going to cost me a small fortune.
Because of all this, I've profited to install air aconditioned on my daughter's room (right) and the dining room (left) if you see the tubes that protude from the wall, you'll realize that all the drains converge towards the interior of the U-boot room. This is because the compressor for the AC is outside on a balcony that connect to the hole you see on the window's wall on the right hand side, and all the conductions will pass trough there to a split that will be inside the U-boot room.
The condensation water will be pumped up to where you see the flex pipe next to the ceiling and goes to the drain of the toilette on the upper floor, not before going trough a 20 liter diposit ( aprox 5 gallons) to get it accumulated. As you know the condensation water is destilled, so having a deposit allow me to get some that may be used for ironing and save some cents. Is may be a nonsense, but the diposit along with pipes and the lot will give more ambiance to the room.
Let's see if I can get started once and for all!
I publish those shots with the hope of being able to put them on a "step by "step" of the realization of this dream.

[Kron161]

aaaa

Originally Posted by Johann Vilthomsen

The wood pieces that will do the hull's ribs are being cutted with a precission numeric control robot, so all the pieces look alike. They are also preparing me the panels for the bulkhead and pressure hull, and at the same time they will build the double door that will allow to lock the room.


xxx

[Kron161]

aaaa

Originally Posted by Johann Vilthomsen

Let's go on.
Opening on the wall for the exhaust fan of the model paint table.



The worker is opening a hole on the side of the "bridge" (that's how I call this terrace!). in this shot you can see the compressor machines for the AC that will make more comfortable the life in my particular u-boot. Check the hole in the wall left for the conection to the inside machinery so nothing will hang arround to disrupt normal operation on the "bridge"




On 16th october 2007 at 0750, I get the ceiling main longitudinal top stiffener beam. It has nothing less than 4,745 m.
I've used the elevator from the workers that are reparing the roof to raise it to the 15 m of height where the room is.




Getting the log inside the room



Placed on the ground on exactly the same position it will have... once it is located on the ceiling.

Now there are only missing the side panels. The block that will do the access hatch to the room and the circular ribs cut on a precision machine to have them all identical. I guess they'll advise me any moment that they are ready!
.

[Kron161]

aaaa

Originally Posted by Johann Vilthomsen

The panels for the side bulkheads are already cutted, as well as the pinewood supports for the curved ceiling ribs.

Also completed the frame for the hatch. This frame is at its time a big door that will allow to get into the room bulky stuff that otherwise would be no way to get in. The hatch is not installed in this shot, but it has also been cut.

[Kron161]

aaaaa

Originally Posted by Johann Vilthomsen

Finally!!! today they've cutted the curved pieces for the pressure hull (ceiling) in wood panels type DM. The company that have cut them are a very pro bunch with state of the art cutting machinery. This is the diagram i did for the parts.

The pieces layout is being introduced in the machine's computer:

Cutting the parts:


The two halves that will make a hull rib on the ceiling of the uboot room:

Those are the joining parts of the above two pieces. This pieces are needed to join with bolts the halves of the hull's ribs.

[Johann Vilthomsen]

Thank you for your translation Kron 161. Your help is great for me!!!!

THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!!

[Kron161]

aaaa

Originally Posted by Johann Vilthomsen

One of the lights that will go inside the U-boot room.

Originally Posted by Johann Vilthomsen

Yesterday we took out the room's heating radiator. The air acondition has heating, so I considered redundant to have a radiator, plus, the radiator was going to be a nuisance when covering the walls with the wood panels.


Finally! has arrived from the carpenter's shop the panels that will do the bulkheads and door of the room.
This is my house dining room. Everything is clustered there and my home office (that was in the room being converted in an Uboot) has had to be provisionally stuffed there.


Upon arrival, and getting everything up, I've placed the door and one of the bulkhead panels, those on the outside of the room. Here you can see the outside and inside of the door.


First we need to remove the original door and its wood frames until there's nothing else than the brick.
Then a special glue and nails is used to hold the bulkhead panels to the wall, some screws are also driven into the wall for this purpose.



Tonight I'll post more pictures, I hope that the door is placed and that it serves its purpose!.
.

[Kron161]

Originally Posted by Johann Vilthomsen

Thank you for your translation Kron 161. Your help is great for me!!!!

THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!!

A pleasure my friend! When you have the room finished... I hope to get an invitation!

[Kron161]

aaa

Originally Posted by Johann Vilthomsen

Setting up the hinges for the big door.


This small wheel will help to support the weight of such a door.


The big door already installed and hanging from its hinges

the outside of the room from right and left



The inside of the room, with the hatch already in place
WHOA !! This is just the beginning!

[Kron161]

aaa

Originally Posted by Johann Vilthomsen

So, today I've spent some spare times to put the rubber carpet on the floor.


First, i've vacuumed and mopped the original wood floor and ensure that the double side tape gets a firm hold. I intend to install everything in this room in a way that if one unlikely day i have to, I can revert easily to the room's original condition (i've even stored in a safe place the original door and its frame).


Then is time to unfold the rubber. (heavy as hell!) and adjust it to the wall


With the first half adjusted and glued with double side tape, I align and adjust the second half, also with double side tape.
.

That's it! now time to vaccuum it and a make a decent mopping to leave it with a terrific look!


Now I install again the computer's internet router and tomorrow, that is the first of a 4 day bank holiday, I hope to be able to work more and advance some with the lining of the walls and the pressure hull construction.

[Kron161]

aaa

Originally Posted by Johann Vilthomsen

This morning I secured to the ceiling the log that will play the role of main longitudinal top stiffener beam of the u-boat. It will support the arches that shape the pressure hull.



now back to work ...

[Kron161]

aaaa

Originally Posted by Johann Vilthomsen

This weekend, I've been able to work on the panels on the hatch's bulkhead as well as the rivets of the hatch, both inside and outside.
I start with the left panel. I find that the floor and walls are not perfect and straight as on the plan and despite having everything very well measured, I have to retouch and cut the base of the panel to keep the verticality at the height of 202 cm, which is the outside measured height of the panels.


Once the first is on place, the second is easier, and I go on with the upper panels which I have to tweak to adjust to a small deformation of the wall. There is a electric splice box and I have to provide access for it. I intend to use the original plastic cover making some holes in the panel identical to the ones of the plastic box. The result is at the last shot of this series... :wink:

After checking photographs from U995 y el U505 I start to put the "rivets"


inside


Outside view, from left, center and right. I think that is does not look bad, aint' it?
Once painted it will look terrific... that's what I hope!




Panels finished with the hatch on place


If I can, tomorrow more!.

[Kron161]

aaaa

Originally Posted by Johann Vilthomsen

Today I finished the panels on the window's side
It's been a complicated task due to the adjustments I've been forced to made. The holes for the connections with the wall holes for the air acondition and the fumes extractor to get rid of the paint vapours (I do models!). Also the indentations for the blinds.
I can't wat to be able to start in a couple of days with the side panels and the hull's ribs!.


finished

[Kron161]

aaa

Originally Posted by Johann Vilthomsen

Today arrived the lights I was waiting for! six red ones and two transparent ones that added to the four I already have will be six of each !!!

Unfortunately one of the transparent ones arrived broken I hope that the company to where I've purchased them will reply to my request for a replacement glass cover.

[Kron161]

aaa

Originally Posted by Johann Vilthomsen

I could not wait to see at least one of the lights installed, so I got a red one and put it on the center top beam.



Right now, it looks more like a brothel than a U-boat... but hopefully, some work will change that :twisted:



Assembly of the arch that simulates the curved ribs of the pressure hull of an U-boat.








Finally, the big moment!! time to see if what I planned years ago is correct. I have to say that despite everthing there is a small error of just 2 mm. I'm really satisfied.








Level and plumg, the unavoidable buddies for this adventure that after 4 years start to become a reality.



Fitting of the rib with the electrical splice box. I must manage somehow so the splice box is accessible. As expected it is just in the middle of the curved section.




Right! Now this is it! aint it? from this side, it does look more like and U-boot! yf you could see it and play "Konvoi" from the DAS BOOT original sound track...Yeah! yesterday I dinned in the room. I did not even want to go to sleep!



When I can... more

Thanks for sharing with me my dream