MODELSVIT USS PERMIT SSN- 594 CLASS Installation guide

USS PERMIT
SSN- 594 CLASS
Model Submarine Hull Kit in 1:72 Scale
Assembly Instruction
Manual

Permit Manual rev-1 5/22/2008
Table of contents:
1. Introduction
2. Background Information
3. Class Specifications
4. Recommended Tools
5. Recommended RC Accessories And
Vendors
6. Recommended Materials
7. Plastic Part Preparation
8. Marking Out Where Everything Goes
9. Z-Cut
10. Registry Lips
11. Registry Clips
12. Drive Train
13. Hull Formers
14. Cutting Out Holes
15. Stern Planes
16. Rudders
17. Sail Assembly
18. Sail Planes
19. Circa 79 Towed Array Assembly
20. Mechanical Linkages
21. Pre-Paint Preparation
22. Paint
23. Detailing
24. Trimming The Boat
25. Credits
26. List Of Parts (BOM)
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1. Introduction
Thanks for purchasing your new model Permit class attack submarine! Your new highly-detailed
model is intended not only to provide many hours of quality RC running time in freshwater
ponds, lakes or pools, but is meant to be a fun and good learning experience while building it
as well. It can even serve as a fine static display model when not in the water. The whole
concept behind the design of this project was to provide the modeler with a kit that requires
very little, if any scratch building to complete it. In this way, even the more inexperienced of
modelers should have little trouble in assembling this model submarine.
2. Background Information
The Permit class of nuclear attack submarines was the result of the US navy’s need for a fast,
efficient, deeper diving, and most of all, quieter anti-submarine warfare weapon platform over
the previous Skipjack class. They were basically the prototype, which laid the foundation for
all nuclear attack subs used to this day by the U.S. The main features in which define this
“modern” attack submarine configuration are: The bow mounted sonar dome, which moved the
torpedo shutters back to amidships to the first time in sub design history. Mechanical “rafting”,
a design technique utilizing rubber washers to isolate vibrating parts from the main hull
drastically reducing the noise level produced from the boat. The whole package was wrapped
up in the revolutionary hydrodynamic teardrop shape taken from the results of studies of
whale’s bodies, and so successfully incorporated into the Skipjack’s hull.
The Permit’s hulls were larger than the previous class, and used the same reactor and drive
system, but didn’t lose any speed due to better design application. They also used HY-80 (High
Yield Strength – minimum 80 000 psi) for the first time resulting in deeper diving capability.
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The first boat in the class was actually SSN-593 USS Thresher, and was lost in 1963 220 miles
east of Cape Cod while conducting deep diving sea trials due to a pipe bursting and shorting out
control systems. The result was a new program called “SUBSAFE” changing fabrication
procedures and standards, thus ensuring that this kind of terrible incident would be very

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unlikely to happen to any submarine after the loss. Although there were 14 boats altogether in
the Permit class, very few of the boats, if any, were identical to each other. Some examples
of this were: SSN-613 USS Flasher, SSN-614 USS Greenling, SSN-615 USS Gato all had 10’ longer
hulls and a longer sail for added SUBSAFE machinery, SSN-621 USS Haddock had a long sail but
regular Permit hull, SSN-596 Barb was the only ship of the class with “puffer fins” added to the
sides of the stern plane stabilizers, and probably the most noted of the class, SSN-605 USS
Jack, is the only American nuclear submarine ever fitted with contra rotating propellers upon a
single axial drive shaft. In the late 1970’s and early 1980’s the US navy added a towed sonar
array to the all the boats requiring a fairing be added to the hull. A GNATS sonar jammer hump
was added to stern as well as the sail was reconfigured to accept a improved BRD mast and an
observation periscope. Even the added modifications were not built to a standard, and could be
found to have variations from boat to boat.
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3. Class Specifications:
• Displacement: Surfaced: 3,540 t., Submerged: 4,200 t.
• Length:
o 278 feet
o 297 feet SSN-605
o 292 feet SSN-613-615
• Beam: 31’ 8”
• Speed: Surfaced 15 knots, Submerged 28+ knots;
• Operating Depth: 400'
• Complement: 143
• Sensors:
o Raytheon BQS-6A or -6B active/passive systems
o BQQ-1 and the Edo BQR-7 passive, conformal array
o TB-26 Towed Sonar Array
• Armament:
o Four 21" torpedo tubes,
forward
o MK 48 torpedoes
o UUM-44A SUBROC anti-
submarine missiles
o UGM-84A/C Harpoon anti-
ship missiles
o MK 57 deep water mines
o Mk 60 CAPTOR mines
• Propulsion System: one S5W
nuclear reactor, two Westinghouse
steam turbines, one propeller
15,000 shp.
• Ship Builders:
o 594, 595, Mare Island Naval Shipyard
o 596, 607, 621, Ingalls Shipbuilding
o 603, 604, 612, New York Shipbuilding
o 593, 605, 606, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard
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o 613-615, General Dynamics' Electric Boat Division

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4. Recommended tools
This list is a compilation of “recommended” tools only. By no means are you expected to go
out to the store and buy everything you see listed here. There are always different ways and
different tools used to accomplish a task. Rather, it would be a good idea to acquire tools you
need only on an “as needed” basis
• Variable speed drill and assorted drill bits from 1/32” to 3/8”
• Rotary tool set with sanding disc, grinding attachments, and various other bits
• Small adjustable wrench
• Razor saw
• Airbrush
• Imperial Allen key set
• Hand clamps or spring clamps
• Phillips and flathead screwdrivers
• Exacto knife
• Utility knife
• Mini-file set
• Small hammer
• Bench vise
• Scissors
• Carpenter’s square
• Torpedo level
• Mini bubble level(s)
• Side cutters
• Tape measure
• Ruler or straightedge
• Face mask for paint and particulates
5. Recommended Electronics and WTC
These are the electronics and the “guts” that you will need to make you boat a fully functional
RC model. Here are the websites of recommended vendors who carry these items. Most, if not
all the required equipment can be sourced from these places:
www.caswellplating.com
www.mikessubworks.com
• 3.5” WTC (D&E Miniatures 3.5 Subdriver recommended)
• 4-channel radio and receiver - It’s always a good idea to get larger capacity radio (6 or
8 channels) for extras that you might want to add to the model later. Retracting
periscopes, dive planes and even torpedo systems are all examples of this. Polk’s
Hobbies makes an excellent 8 channel setup for our purpose, for a very reasonable
price.
• Electronic speed control
• Failsafe
• Pitch control module
• Rudder servo motor
• Stern plane servo motor
• Sail plane servo (optional)
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• NiCad Rechargeable battery(s) and charger

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6. Recommended Materials and Consumables
• Pencils
• Dishwashing abrasive pads
• Sharpie marker(s)
• Masking tape
• 1 hour setting epoxy adhesive
(minimum)
• Thin Cyanoacrylate adhesive (CA)
“superglue”
• Baking Soda
• Pink or blue foam
• Cardboard
• High quality filling and sanding
primer (Dupont Nason Ful-Fil or Fill
‘N’ Sand acrylic lacquer)
• 100,220,400,600,800 grit wet and
dry sandpaper
• Air dry glazing putty (Nitro-Stan or
Evercoat)
• Polyester auto body filler (Evercoat
with miracle sanding)
• Popsicle sticks or tongue depressors
• Paper Dixie cups for mixing
• 12” of 1/8” diameter brass rod or
tube
• Abrasive dishwashing pads
• ‘Woodland Scenics’ Gothic 45
degree white small numbers
• ‘Woodland Scenics’ Gothic 45
degree white large numbers
• ‘Woodland Scenics’ Gothic 45
degree white small letters
7. Plastic Part Preparation
The first thing you’ll want to do when you open the packaging for you new submarine is to
look over all the parts to make sure they are all there as per the bill of materials that is
included. You also want to inspect for any damages that might have occurred during the
shipping of the package. Once you’ve looked over everything and are happy, the next step
will be to clean off all the pieces in warm soap and water to remove any amine blushes or
mold release and the bathtub is the perfect place for this. Keep in mind that the mold
release (PVA) on the fiberglass parts has not been removed purposely to provide a little
more protection to the surfaces for the shipping process. Gently scrub all the parts with
your dishwashing abrasive pad and a little soap so that all the greenish PVA film comes off.
It is important to get all of it off, as any coatings such as filler or paints will not adhere to
the plastic. Also, give all the plastic parts a light scrubbing to clean off any impurities,
which might affect paint or glue adhesion. Remove any seam lines and flashing from the
plastic parts initially scraping it off with you Exacto knife and then cleaning it up with some
220 sandpaper. Finishing doesn’t have to be perfect yet, but all seems and flashing that
interfere with the fit of parts has to be removed. Final finishing and cosmetic filling should
be left to when you are getting ready to paint the boat.
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8. Marking Out Where Everything Goes
A good idea before you start cutting and drilling is to mark out where everything goes. You
can start by taking your Sharpie marker and drawing in all the scribed details in the plastic.
Doing this makes everything easier to see and work with. This will also be able to help
prevent losing any detail in any later steps of your build. A good idea would be to take
your machinist’s scribe and deepen some of the scribe marks in the hull if you want them
to stand out a little more.
9. Z-cut
The Z cut enables the two hull halves to be connected together in a simple, yet effective
way. Two small machine screws are enough to hold the whole thing together!
• Begin by marking out on the bottom half of the hull 3” from the tip of the bow.
• Do the same with the top half but at 3.5” from the stern tip.
• Place the top half on the floor in a corner between two walls that you know is
square in your house with the stern point firmly against one wall and the side of
the firmly against the other.
• Take a block of wood with a hole centered at 3.5” from the bottom that is large
enough to hold the Sharpie pen in place.
• With someone holding the hull firmly in place, carefully and slowly run your block
of wood with marker in it along the wall marking out your cut line. Be careful not
to get any ink on your wall or floor!
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• Repeat this procedure for the top hull half at your 3” line. Carefully run your razor
saw along the line making a groove or “path” that will allow easier cutting, giving
the blade a path to follow when doing your main cut. This is essential to getting a
clean line with the least amount of material being removed.
• Repeat for the other half of the hull you marked out. Sand about a ½” on the inside
around where the pieces will be glued using 100 grit or lower sandpaper and then
clean with lacquer thinner. This allows for proper bonding for your epoxy adhesive.
• With both cut off ends sanded, tape the cut pieces to the other hull half firmly.
• Put the hull halves together and “dry-fit” them to make sure everything fits well.
You should only have a gap about the size of your razor saw between where you cut
the pieces.
• Use a couple of small drops of medium or thin CA, then sprinkle a little baking soda
to instantly catalyze the glue on the inside of the hull where the pieces meet. This
will tack them together in preparation for the more permanent fiberglass tape and
epoxy step coming up in a later step.
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10. Registry Lips
This kit comes supplied with a bow, stern, port and starboard fiberglass registry lips that
will help hold the two hull halves together tightly in conjunction with the provided carbon
fiber spring clips.
• Start with the bow and stern lips and clamp them into place with ½” protruding
with a hand clamp.
• Mark the lines out on the lips where they sit and then remove and sand behind that
line with 100-grit sandpaper and clean with lacquer thinner.
• Clamp back in place.
• Fit the starboard and port lips into place on the bottom half of the hull and check
for fit. You want to see 5/8” of the registry lip sticking up above the hull line and
you don’t want to see any gap between it and the hull.
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• You might have to trim some length off each to achieve a good fit.

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• Mark along the bottom of the lips along the length of the hull and then sand
between them below that line and the hull edge with 100-grit sandpaper and then
clean with lacquer thinner.
• Mask off all the surfaces that are not to be glued on the lips. It might be a good
idea to mask of the outside of the hull as well
Note: It is vitally important that you don’t get any excess glue curing on those
surfaces. If you have any squish out onto the tape, be sure to wipe it off.
• You can now glue all the pieces into place using your epoxy adhesive and clamp
into place with hand clamps.
• Once the epoxy is cured, you can now permanently adhere the bow and stern to
their adjoining halves using fiberglass tape saturated with epoxy along the seam
line inside the hull.
• Put the hull halves together ensuring that they fit well.
• On the bottom half put a mark ¼” back from the Z-cut edge
• On the top half mark a ¼” up from the stern Z cut edge. In this case you will not be
able to center the mark exactly on top of the hull, as there is a MBT detail that
lands too close. I recommend offsetting the mark so that when you mount the
screw it will look similar to the finished MBT vent and could pass as it’s twin
• With the hull halves still together in the exact position that they will be when
finished, drill a 3/32” hole where you marked both halves through both the hull
and index lip
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• Disassemble the hull halves
• Hacksaw some grooves and scour the surface of the provided 4-40 stainless nuts
• Grease the two 4-40 by ¼” long machine screws provided with Vaseline
• Tighten the nuts (on the insides of the bow and stern lips) through the lips to their
screws and epoxy the nuts in place. Try to cover the nuts with filled epoxy so that
you don’t see any steel showing through
• After the Epoxy has cured, remove the screws from the lips.
• Countersink the upper hull holes with a ¼” drill bit. Do not go too deep as you just
want the top of the screw head to be flush with the hull surface
• Fit the hull halves back together and you now will be able to fasten them together
by threading the machine screws into the now stationary nuts
11. Registry Spring Clips
Enclosed with the kit comes 10 carbon fiber spring clips. The purpose of these is to hold
the bottom registry clips tight against the upper hull for a tight, clean fit between the
halves.
• To begin, start by marking lines on the upper hull 3” from the stern cut-off and the
bow part that was glued on.
• Between those marks you can then mark out 4 evenly divided spaces.
• On these marks you can use your rotary tool to rough up the fiberglass in about 1
square inch patches about 1” from the edge of the hull lip.
• Rough up the back of the contact surface with your tool or sandpaper and clean all
the surfaces to be glued with lacquer thinner.
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• You can now epoxy the clips into place and hold them there temporarily with
masking tape. When looking from the side of the hull you will want to see about ¼”
of the clip protruding past the edge

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• Once cured, you can now fit the two hull halves together and check for fit
12. Drive Train Installation
The drive train includes mounting the included forward bearing supporting bulkhead
and an aft 3/16” Oilite bearing that supports the drive shaft and lubricate it as well.
These are not your typical bearings as they sintered bronze bushing impregnated with
oil, a far more “maintenance friendly” configuration than ball bearings, but could use a
drop or two of oil before every run.
The propeller comes provided with a stainless steel setscrew that should be sufficient
on it’s own when tightened, to hold the propeller in place when running the boat.
However, this part is definitely something you don’t want to take chances with slipping
off when in the middle of a pond or lake. Some precautions you can take is to notch
the drive shaft where the setscrew contacts to make a ridge that the screw fits into
that will prevent the propeller from sliding off if the screw loosens. Another precaution
would be to scour the shaft where it contacts the propeller hub and then use small
amount of epoxy to create a permanent mechanical bond between the prop shaft and
propeller. You can even use a combination of the all the above procedures.
• Ensure that the prop hub fits properly on the stern of the hull by loosely
putting it into place. If the hub is slightly larger than the hull at that point then
you can block sand the taper down a little. Don’t take much off, maybe a
1/32” at a time until the prop hub and the hull match exactly.
• Gouge the 3/16 I.D. flanged Oilite bearing in x-type patterns around the
outside diameter of it using a triangle shaped file. Because the bearing is
impregnated with oil, we have to put these gouges in to give us a surface that
can be bonded to with epoxy in a mechanical fashion
• Place the bearing bulkhead as far to the rear in the bottom half of the hull as
you can. You want this part to be in just snug and not prone to moving. Don’t
put it in so that it is too tight that it starts to bow the hull out in any way. You
might have to also trim a little of the plastic to get it to fit around the hull
index lips that were glued on earlier
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• Grease the 3/16” stainless shaft provided with the kit with Vaseline

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• Slide an Oilite bearing flush with one end over the shaft and place the other
end of the shaft through the back of the boat so that it slides through the
3/16” bearing that is cast into the bearing bulkhead
• Fit the flanged end of the bearing so that it is flush, or even sticking out about
1/32” from the stern taper end
• When centered exactly, place a small drop of CA on the bearing and catalyze
with baking soda to tack into place.
• When the bearing is centered where you want it in the hull taper you can put a
larger drop of CA between the hull and bearing. It should wick around the
diameter of the bearing and you can fill with baking soda to make a seal.
• Tape the bottom of the bearing (with the greased shaft still flush in place and
wrap it up around the hull, sealing any gaps that might still be there. Keep in
mind this has to hold curing epoxy from leaking out
• Cut a hole in the tape to allow the drive shaft to go through
• With the shaft inserted, tape it to the bottom of the taper as well so no epoxy
can come out
• Measure from the back of the taper 1/2” in the middle of the bottom of the
hull and drill a 5/32” hole on this mark
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• Lay wax paper on the floor and suspend the hull upright over the paper so that
the stern is pointing straight down. You can clamp or tape the boat in place if
you’re able to, so that it doesn’t fall over. Use modeling clay around the base
of the taper where it touches the ground to help seal in any epoxy that might
try leaking. For further piece of mind, put the taper in a small disposable cup
and rest on the ground to catch any leaking epoxy
• Mix and pour unfilled epoxy down the inside of the stern, you will know when
to stop pouring when the epoxy starts dripping out of the 5/32 hole. Let cure
fully before going to the next step.
• After the poured epoxy has cured, mark out a line where the bearing bulkhead
meets with the hull and remove the bulkhead.
• Scour the surface where you traced the line about half an inch on each side
with your rotary tool or heavy sandpaper and then clean with lacquer thinner
• Slide the bulkhead back into position, tack with CA in place and then put a nice
¼” fillet of filled epoxy around the joint and let cure.
Important note: When you are tacking the part down, be sure to not put any stress on the
shaft whatsoever. The purpose here is when the epoxy has cured the shaft should not bind
and be very easy to rotate. Any hindrance in movement can cause overworking of the
motor and cause excessive battery drainage and bearing wear.
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13. Installing Hull Formers (WTC Saddles)
Hull formers, or otherwise known as WTC saddles, pretty much do as their name
implies. They are basically a bulkhead that adds strength and rigidity to the light
fiberglass hull shell, and provide a way to mount your watertight container inside the
boat in perfect axial orientation.
• To locate and install where the WTC will go, your drive train should be
installed. This means the rear bearing has been suspended in cured epoxy and
the bearing bulkhead should be in place.
• Install the drive shaft with all its components: propeller and dunce cap should
be on with setscrew tightened. The shaft should be slipped through its
bearings, with the propeller flush to the hull taper end
• On each side of the bearing bulkhead should be a tightened 3/16” ID ring collar
that will allow approximately 1/32” of play if you try moving the shaft back
and forth
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• At the end of the shaft is the universal joint coupling with its setscrew
tightened

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• Cut the hull formers at the designated cut lines (It’s possible this might already
be done). The bottom formers are designated by the little wart located on the
side
• Place the WTC with the nylon dog bone connector in place in both the drive
shaft universal socket and the WTC universal socket. You should allow a little
play in the shaft so that the dog bone will be able to move freely.
• When you have the WTC in position, slide two bottom saddles under the WTC
roughly an inch away from each end and mark. The middle saddle will be
mounted when it’s time to install the WTC.
Note: Keep away from spring clips you installed earlier. You might have to
trim some of the formers to accommodate the registry strips that you
installed earlier in your build.
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• Take the WTC out and draw lines where you want your formers to go, around
the whole half of the hull inside
• Take the formers out and grind and scruff the area that the formers will be
bonded to. A half an inch on each side of the line is more than sufficient.
Important Note: Be careful not to scuff too deep so that you grind through the
hull itself!
• Scuff the hull formers where they will connect to the hull and clean both
surface with lacquer thinner
• Tack the formers into place with small drops of CA in strategic places, just
enough to hold the former in place
• After the CA has dried, you can now apply a thickened epoxy paste (I
recommend West system 401 Adhesive filler) In a nice filleted bead around the
edges of the hull and the former that are in contact with each other
• You can now install all three of the top halves’ formers in the same way at
even spaces, but be sure to stagger them so as they don’t interfere with the
bottom formers as this will create problems with final hull fit
• To lock the positioning of the WTC in place first start by locating the 1/8”
registry hole (provided on the Subdriver 3.5 by D&E miniatures) on the bottom
of the ballast tank section.
• Insert the brass pin extruding from the registry part into the WTC hole and then
fit its female part to the corresponding male wart on the remaining bottom
saddle. Be sure to dry fit first to ensure fit
• Wick CA in the joint to adhere
• With the saddle taped in position on the wtc, fit the drive socket back onto the
dogbane shaft and put in place once again, marking out where the saddle ends
up on the hull
• Remove the WTC, scuff the area where the saddle will go and clean with
lacquer thinner
• Tack the saddle in place with a few drops of wicked CA and let dry
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• Remove the WTC and epoxy fillets around the base of the saddle and let cure.
This should give a perfect fitting WTC every time you take it out for
maintenance and put it back in

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• To hold the WTC in place, there is no limit to the options that one can take.
Some have used Velcro glued to the hull and had Velcro belts hold the WTC
down. You can drill holes in the top of the bottom cradles, thread bolts in and
run an elastic or small bungee hanging on the bolts cord across to the other
side of the cradle.
Note: You can always drill more holes in these formers to allow for water and
air flow passage later for better performance. When doing so, be sure not too
drill too big or too close to the inside edge, thereby weakening the bulkhead
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14. Cutting Out Vent And Drainage Holes
Holes need to be cut out on the hull to allow for air to escape out the top and water to
flow in and out of the bottom for RC operation. This probably is the right time to do
this, as there are no appendages to get in the way of turning your hull to proper
position to cut the holes out. It is also a good idea to add another couple rows of flood
holes in the bottom of the hull where the WTC ballast tank holes are located. See the
picture for a recommended flood hole pattern. This pattern isn’t set in stone, as you
can choose however you would like it to look. The objective is to allow easier water
flow for better response from your boat.
• Mark out all the applicable flood holes on the bottom of the hull with your
sharpie marker
• Drill out the middle of each marked flood hole with a 3/16 drill bit
• Machine out the holes with your rotary tool using a grinding bit to get as close
to the line as you feel comfortable with. You don’t want to grind outside the
lines
• You can then finish up the holes by using different shaped mini files to clean up
the edges.
• For the top half of the hull we have to drill 1/8 holes in the middle of the
ballast tank vents if you are not going to apply the photo-etch details over top.
If you do plan on installing these details you can go a little larger with the hole
you drill, say up to 3/16. Do not apply the photo etch details yet though, as
you should wait until after paint to do this
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