Model Boat Mayhem

Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length.
Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 [13] 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 ... 40   Go Down

Author Topic: 3 Lifeboat builds, What goes into a model kit.  (Read 321132 times)

nhp651

  • Guest
Re: 3 Lifeboat builds, What goes into a model kit.
« Reply #300 on: February 23, 2012, 08:34:08 am »

well, I stripped the masking tape off the decks last night and found I'd dropped a b*****s with one section of one of the boats.........I'd not masked it up properly and it had left a small area not painted that should have been, so had to re mask and spray again....after a couple of hours and a quick colour wash job it had blended in with the other areas that had been painted and didn't look too bad, although there was a join line.........I can cover that on the model with a couple of hanks of rope..........so all was not lost.
Also I found that there had been very little weepage under the masking tape of the very thin paint wash and this was soon scraped off to leave clean edged.

I had repainted the kick boards for the Mary Stanford to grey earlier in the day and had  then painted some fairleads in antique bronze and a full 3 sets of kick board brackets in grey.
To end off the day's work I made a mould from 3 old grab rails I had made out of room temperature vulcanising rubber, plastecine and Lego building blocks which I will eventually cast for deck fittings for the mary Stanford and H F bailey.
Logged

heritorasphodel

  • Guest
Re: 3 Lifeboat builds, What goes into a model kit.
« Reply #301 on: February 23, 2012, 06:10:20 pm »

Just a point that you mentioned, Lance..............what was the difference between the Rankin and all the other Barnetts of that class...........would be very interested to know. :-))
neil.

I think I can answer this one. (Dad speaks a lot of it)  :-)
Rankin had an internal rudder, similar to the one on the H. F. Bailey, so the rudder gearbox was further forward than it was on the other boats of the class.
The engine bulkhead was a single piece and was angled, like the later boats, and it never had the breakwater by the forward shelter, so the front of it was semicircular. On the aft shelter, it didn't have the single piece windscreen so the shelter was extended aft slightly, as it had the frame for a three piece windscreen. (but it only had a small square screen on the front section).

And finally I think I'm right in saying that all the previous boats had relieving tubes to get rid of the water through the bottom of the hull, while the two last boats (Rankin and Southern Africa) had scuppers in the sides of the hull instead.

I think Furball put up a couple of photos on his thread, including one of Cavell's model. If I've missed anything else I'm sure he'll correct me  :-))

Andrew
Logged

nhp651

  • Guest
Re: 3 Lifeboat builds, What goes into a model kit.
« Reply #302 on: February 23, 2012, 06:30:20 pm »

thanks andrew.very interesting indeed.............I knew at least one boat had the rudder in the deadwood...............but didn't realise which boat it was.
cheers for the info.
neil.
Logged

nhp651

  • Guest
Re: 3 Lifeboat builds, What goes into a model kit.
« Reply #303 on: February 23, 2012, 09:40:00 pm »

Seem to have made one step forward and two steps back today.

I made a set of moulds yesterday for making some grab rails for the deck, but for some unknown reason ( and I've never had it happen before) the both halves set (at different times) with humps in the centres of the mould........so that when I sandwich them between two pieces of ply the outer edges of the moulds don't clamp up properly and they weep any resin that is poured into the moulds.
So I have had to make the boxes again to fit the mould halves and tomorrow I'll mix some rubber and catylist and pour the rubber into the moulding box, and then place one half at a time over that rubber.......this will then give me some "flat"  surfaces that when sandwiched between the ply backing sheets will give equal pressure all around the mould.
But that wasn't the end of the story..........I bought on line some Polyurethane quick set resin a few weeks ago.
now this stuff is supposed (as I have always found in the past when casting) to remain subtle and not crack or shatter, and is actually carvable even when months old and fully cured.
Well this pack of stuff that I bought from a new supplier ( to me...They've been around some time though) is possibly a bad batch, as the resin shatters even when splitting the two haves of the mould.........it is more brittle than polyester grp resin........

so hopefully the company will be able to give me some hints as to what is wrong with the stuff when I phone them tomorrow....don't know what's wrong with it though.......not the norm as far as I know from past experience.

but at least I managed to get all the kick boards fitted this afternoon...which, after the disappointment of the moulds and resin cheered me up a little ..ggrrrrrr {:-{ {:-{ {:-{

[attachment deleted by admin]
Logged

nhp651

  • Guest
Re: 3 Lifeboat builds, What goes into a model kit.
« Reply #304 on: February 23, 2012, 11:02:26 pm »

anyway, apart from that little debacle.....I at least managed to get some building done and put the kickboards and brackets on to all three boats today, so a litttle detailing has taken place.

[attachment deleted by admin]
Logged

Martin (Admin)

  • Administrator
  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 23,359
  • Location: Peterborough, UK
    • Model Boat Mayhem
Re: 3 Lifeboat builds, What goes into a model kit.
« Reply #305 on: February 24, 2012, 09:44:10 am »

Sorry Gentlemen,

I've accidentally deleted some photos, please can you repost them and I'll move back to the right place.    :embarrassed:
Logged
"This is my firm opinion, but what do I know?!" -  Visit the Mayhem FaceBook Groups!  &  Giant Models

nhp651

  • Guest
Re: 3 Lifeboat builds, What goes into a model kit.
« Reply #306 on: February 24, 2012, 10:50:19 am »

no probs martin, will repost it when the repairs to my mould are finished, lol.in the meantime........a thanks are needed.

Well Guys, many thanks for all your help and advice about the polyurethane resin which I also spoke about on this topic..
the problem is now sorted.
I rang East Coast glass fibre supplies this morning and spoke to the technical advisor called Martin......and he couldn't have been more helpfull and apologetic for my dilhema and totally understood what I was trying to do..........in their defence the technical data sheet says that the minimum thickness for a mould is 3mm, and I was trying to mould 4mm thickness so was right on the edge.
Martin agreed with me that the resin was not suitable for what I was wanting to do, and as such said that if I reurned the twin pack of resin to him he would give me a full refund for the product, even though I had opened the tins and used a little.

I CANNOT ASK FOR BETTER SERVICE THAN THAT, and my thanks and praise go out to East coast fibreglass supplies....many thanks.
neil.
Logged

nhp651

  • Guest
Re: 3 Lifeboat builds, What goes into a model kit.
« Reply #307 on: February 24, 2012, 12:51:49 pm »

after sorting out my resin and rectifying my mould( I hope so anyway), I spent an hour cleaning up the "gobeye" faileads on all three boats....all a little different, and this one in the picture has a roller set outside similar to the old Anne Letitia Russell.
Also added the bracket to hold the rope fender in place.

The photo behind is from the bow of the H F Bailey.

Now a question for the Judges at show level
If I were to enter these models in show I would put them in scratch section.
However some would say that some of the fittings were from the kit Anne Letitia Russell.......correct I say, but as I designed these fittings years ago, and are from a stock that I had set behind to give future lifeboats some detail...........would they be classed as scratch or part kit........

I'd like to see what judges like Colin Bishop have to say on this matter.................as we all know what people think about putting commercial fittings on "scratch build" models in a show..........
just interested.
neil.
Logged

nhp651

  • Guest
Re: 3 Lifeboat builds, What goes into a model kit.
« Reply #308 on: February 24, 2012, 07:20:42 pm »

I have never known one single mould cause me so much hassle and bother..........firstly as I said in a previous posting yesterday, the mould for the hand rails came out with a hump on each reverse side (i.e. the back of both halves.)

and when I tried clamping together the outer edges sprang open..the only way to correct these was to make a box for each half...lay some rubber into the bottom of the boxes and them lay each half back into the box with the back face making contact with the new rubber............and no release agent between the new rubber and the mould..........the idea being thet the new rubber would adhere to the old mould...........normally without rubber this would happen..............not with this mould for some reason.
firstly the rubber, which had set yesterday within a couple of hours...............took the heat from the radiator all day to go off...........and then when I took the lego away from the newly "repaired" moulds, sod me if the rubber had stuck to the lego but not to the old mould...........I just can't believe that the same rubber from the same tin, with the same amount of catylist can behave totally diferent on two separate days............
I have made hundreds of these rubber moulds over the past 20 years, and never ever have I had so many problems in such a short time.........it has stumped me..............if it don't work this time then it'll be the bin and start again.
Logged

furball

  • Guest
Re: 3 Lifeboat builds, What goes into a model kit.
« Reply #309 on: February 24, 2012, 08:11:29 pm »

You made the fittings originally, so to me they're still scratch built - for you.

Lance
Logged

Norseman

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3,466
  • Location: Huyton, Liverpool
Re: 3 Lifeboat builds, What goes into a model kit.
« Reply #310 on: February 24, 2012, 08:24:41 pm »

I have made hundreds of these rubber moulds over the past 20 years, and never ever have I had so many problems

 {-) Have you considered you might just be losing your marbles mate %% %% %% {-)

and I agree with Lance - when you use them they are scratch built - can't be anything else.

Dave
Logged

nhp651

  • Guest
Re: 3 Lifeboat builds, What goes into a model kit.
« Reply #311 on: February 24, 2012, 08:26:50 pm »

{-) Have you considered you might just be losing your marbles mate %% %% %% {-)

and I agree with Lance - when you use them they are scratch built - can't be anything else.

Dave
I would agree with you guys........but would a judge???
as for losing my marbles..........think I lost them years ago when I got married, {-) {-) {-) {-) %% %% %% %%
Logged

irishcarguy

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2,371
  • Happiness is running from a grizzly and escaping
  • Location: Calgary N. W. Alberta, Canada
    • Britishcars International. org.
Re: 3 Lifeboat builds, What goes into a model kit.
« Reply #312 on: February 25, 2012, 09:06:23 am »

Hi Neil, there are rumours about that you never had any marbles to start with. LOL. Mick B.
Logged
Mick B.

nhp651

  • Guest
Re: 3 Lifeboat builds, What goes into a model kit.
« Reply #313 on: February 25, 2012, 10:22:12 am »

Thankyou for those words of support matey....... {-) {-) {-) {-) {-)

I'll have that put on my headstone, %% %% %%
Logged

Norseman

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3,466
  • Location: Huyton, Liverpool
Re: 3 Lifeboat builds, What goes into a model kit.
« Reply #314 on: February 25, 2012, 12:50:43 pm »

Will that be scratchbuilt?

Dave
Logged

nhp651

  • Guest
Re: 3 Lifeboat builds, What goes into a model kit.
« Reply #315 on: February 25, 2012, 05:09:47 pm »

Will that be scratchbuilt?

Dave

Out of ployester resin dave, lol

anyway, to today's little foray into modelling.
spent some of the afternoon sorting out some deck fittings that I cast earlier last year for the three boats.....some fairleads, cleats and some filler caps and bilge pump caps..........also made up three compass binacles and wheel sets, but the initial  coat of primer is drying at the moment.
here are the fittings which now need cleaning up,  and a little sanding and getting rid of resin globules formed by bubbles in the rubber.
Logged

heritorasphodel

  • Guest
Re: 3 Lifeboat builds, What goes into a model kit.
« Reply #316 on: February 25, 2012, 05:52:38 pm »

May I ask what the rectangular frames are in the second photo?

Andrew
Logged

nhp651

  • Guest
Re: 3 Lifeboat builds, What goes into a model kit.
« Reply #317 on: February 25, 2012, 07:25:30 pm »

Hi Andrew.
yes, they are the frames for the surrounds to the deck lights set into the decks.......under them will be some coloured plastic to represent the glass for the "lights"

they all look a little shabby at the moment, with all the flash on them, but all will look well, and clean when the masters go to Dave for casting.

neil.
Logged

nhp651

  • Guest
Re: 3 Lifeboat builds, What goes into a model kit.
« Reply #318 on: February 25, 2012, 11:19:06 pm »

well, the paint dried and  they don't look too bad........need painting in final colours of light grey and brass but that'll come later.

9 seperate little mouldings and 6 short brass pins go to make up the ships compass binacle for the Mary Stanford and the H F bailey..the Field Marshal and Mrs Smuts has a seperate wheel standard and compass on gimballs similar to the Anne Letitia Russell.
Logged

nhp651

  • Guest
Re: 3 Lifeboat builds, What goes into a model kit.
« Reply #319 on: February 26, 2012, 09:48:38 pm »

Was a bit of a mish mash day today.......I didn't really know which way I was going, and had already got out some of the deck fitting which needed painting and fixing.......and so went down that direction............i realised from the start that I hadn't, before fitting the deck, cut out the rectangles for the deck(dead)lights, so had to do this in situ using a craft knife and chisel..so that was the first task on two of the three boats H F Bailey, and the Field Marshal, as the Mary Stanford is not showing any on plans.

Secondly I painted the fairleads with Antique Bronze Humbrol metalcote ( which is a brushed finish once dry), and the deck filler caps with metalcote Polished Steel, again a brushed finish.

The inside of the recesses were first painted also with polished steel and allowed to dry before brush polishing and allowing a little darkened residue to overflow onto the surrounding deckwork to "weather" it a little.and the deck filler/bilge pump caps were finally set into place in the recesses already cut into the deck.
Logged

furball

  • Guest
Re: 3 Lifeboat builds, What goes into a model kit.
« Reply #320 on: February 27, 2012, 09:30:03 am »

To be strictly accurate, the pump deck plates and fuel fillers are bronze as well, although they tend to go green/black fairly quickly as you can't easily polish between the grooves in them (guess how I know this... %)).




If you  can see it, this one's in the cabin of a 46'9" Watson, but the pump deck plates didn't change for decades

Lance

Note to self - I must get photos of all these fittings on t'interweb so you can all see what the real things look like.
Logged

nhp651

  • Guest
Re: 3 Lifeboat builds, What goes into a model kit.
« Reply #321 on: February 27, 2012, 12:44:51 pm »

cheers lance.......much appreciated.
neil.
Logged

nhp651

  • Guest
Re: 3 Lifeboat builds, What goes into a model kit.
« Reply #322 on: February 27, 2012, 11:56:37 pm »

Today was predominantly spent putting the stanchions and bracket plates together for the three boats..........over 80 in total plus some spares should I break any lol.
Firstly needed to pilot drill the plates with a 1.5mm bit and then enlarge this to 3mm.tricky as the casting is only 4mm in diameter, so no mistakes here...well one ot two went off course and had to be thrown away, but only half a dozen or so.......well I was getting pretty pee'd off with them after 160 holes drilled...each plate being held in snub nosed pliers whilst drilling in a pillar drill.
then I had to sand down the shank of each stanchion to fit into the 3mm diameter hole............

once this was done, I glued each stanchion into its mounting plate with cyano.

Then, because the holes in the balls of the stanchion leave the generic fitting from the Rother class boat from the Metcalf Mouldnings range a little weak I put pre cut plastic tube inserts into the holes and glued with cyano again.

Tomorrow when the cyano has set rock hard, I'll trim the surplus plastic tube from the balls of the stanchions, and then drill through the back of the plates with another 1.5mm drill bit to take a pin for holding the plates and stanchions to the kick boards.

Meanwhile, I took two plugs that I had made some years ago for the large and small ventilation cowls for the class of boats, and using my dremel dril with a dentist's drill burr I reamed out the inner part for the vent cowl in order to cast.

Lifeboats of the older classic type that carried these vent cowls splash guards  fitted into the bell mouth of the cowel, so that in heavy weather if the boat took a heavy sea, the cowl would not let water flood down the hole in the bell mouth to the lower boat,but down the side of the vent tube and into the outlets at the base of the cowl trunk. As these were rather intricate, to try to copy them in a fitting would be impossible so a near representation to the real thing is only possible and this I represent with a piece of tubing, and some Milliput epoxy putty to form the correct shape of the vent interior.....this will be sanded tomorrow also, and then put into a rubber mould for casting replicas for the models.
Logged

nhp651

  • Guest
Re: 3 Lifeboat builds, What goes into a model kit.
« Reply #323 on: February 29, 2012, 09:18:02 pm »

yesterday i spent tarting up those cowl vents shown above and today I spent some time putting them into moulds.

so in quick succesion here's a photo record of laying them up through taking the plastecine off for the second half, to splitting the finished mould......the cylindrical objects in with the moulds of the cowl heads are the trunks for the cowl..It was easier to make these than go hunting at a later date for dowel of the correct diameter to mate up with the cowl head trunks.
Logged

nhp651

  • Guest
Re: 3 Lifeboat builds, What goes into a model kit.
« Reply #324 on: March 01, 2012, 08:03:48 am »

Yesterday I started putting the miriad of fittings together...they are minature kits themselves.

The first of them was the Cable cutter......a devise for quickly cutting a veering anchor cable should the boat need to break away from it's veer down onto a casualty in an emergency.

All the fittings that I am now putting together were made in masters moulded and cast anywhere between 2 and 15 years ago, and I am now only just getting to grips with them.

So the cable cutter. I can only find evidence of this on the Mary Stanford boat.

This was made from a plasticard set of masters and moulded in rtv30 rubber and cast in polyurethane resin.
Logged
Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 [13] 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 ... 40   Go Up
 

Page created in 0.092 seconds with 21 queries.