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[MikeA]

Ive taken heed john, hope this works:



its rough but solid 

[MikeA]

Time for an update.

I had a go at soldering brass today, its not the first time ive dont it for a model boat but it is the first time i done so it looks at least prestentable. Using an electric 30w soldering iron i managed to some how make these railings for the turrets and only burn myself a little bit:



just want to point out i modified the deck house a bit so the dash board was slanted, i had to butcher the old one first though:



I cleaned it up with a chisel and emery cloth taking extra care not to break anything else:





Within no time at all i completely remade the dash with some scrap bits left over to a more scale aperance:



Ill do another update tomorow 

[bluebird]

 

[MikeA]

Last nights forum update was feeble because i was knackered so im gonna do it again. The change of the dash was a last minute thing and not worth bothering writing about but the soldering ill cover a bit more.

The soldering of the railings and stuff i have to admit i nearly didnt bother. I have a 30w electric soldering iron with is good for electrical but just doesnt create enough heat for even heavy gauge cable let alone making railings. Previous experience using it to stick a brass rudder on a post has proven its ok as long as you not too fussy about apearance. Bit of filing was needed but any way thats another story. So i went down to the model shop and selected a handful 1 and 1.5mm brass rods.  Firstly i bent the rods to make a ring then using a bit of flux i soldered legs on to the ring. It had quickly accured to me that i hadnt bought enough of the 1mm rod and so they parts were pre cut, some being very short. Soldering the legs i was suprsed at just how fast the heat transfered through to my fingers. Anyway with all 4 legs on the ring i temporarily fixed it with a tie wrap to the top of the turret for a mock up. doing the last bit of soldering was relatively easy from there.

The last part was to fix the brass railings to the turrets, I wasnt sure and expoxy had come to mind but i dont want to spend anymore money at the minute. I think the end solution was best though. simply cutting small blocks of balsa, sticking them to the sides of the turret then pushing the kegs in with some CA proved more than adequate:



Another part was a loop at the back. I dont know a lot about ships but at a guess i would say that these railings were to stop the aa gunners from shooting there own boat. Anyway this was fairly easy to form but a pig to solder:



A view of the brasswork:



I am tempted to buy more brass to do more fitting but the more delicates i attach the easier it will be to break. I have no car and rely on public transport to get to the lake, well see.

[rmaddock]

You're a builder after my own heart Mike and this is a proper job of scratch building you're doing here. There's no shame at all in butchering things and doing them again because you don't like it or you got it wrong. In fact rather the opposite.
I started enjoying scratch building far more when I realised that you could do all sorts of butchery on models and once they were finished and painted they'd look fantastic. I think it's a mistake to feel that everything must slot together perfectly "a la kit".
I haven't done much soldering of brass myself and what little I have done has been worse that yours!  Mind you, I'll need to make up some chainplates for the Nobby soon so I'd better get practising.
With regards to fragile details and transportation, have you thought about making a carry case for the boat? I know that lots of folks on here do just that.
Keep up the good work!
Robert.

[MikeA]

Another part i did was this doodaa at the back. I have no idea what it is:



A bit of googling gave me a better idea what it looked like, still not knowing what it is though for this ill call it a flask. A bit of rummaging though junk i found an old dried up felt tip pen, using what  was left of the chair back spindle i whittled the end with the stanley so as the spindle and the pen fitted togeather:





I then cut off the excess of the spindle with a hacksaw:



Using a knife, a file and various grades of emery cloth i shaped and smoothed the end into ball shape. Once i was happy with it cut the pen down to length according to the plan:



A bottom was shaped and stuck on plus a cup made out of dowel to fit on top of the flask.



Pictures showed a kind of cradle the flask sat in so i got some left over plastic card from another build and made to U shaped cradles. I stuck the cradles to the flask first then stuck the hole thing to stern of the deck:



These fiddly bits are taking ages to make now. It took nearly an hour to make that flask!! coffee anyone??

[MikeA]

You're a builder after my own heart Mike and this is a proper job of scratch building you're doing here. There's no shame at all in butchering things and doing them again because you don't like it or you got it wrong. In fact rather the opposite.
I started enjoying scratch building far more when I realised that you could do all sorts of butchery on models and once they were finished and painted they'd look fantastic. I think it's a mistake to feel that everything must slot together perfectly "a la kit".
I haven't done much soldering of brass myself and what little I have done has been worse that yours!  Mind you, I'll need to make up some chainplates for the Nobby soon so I'd better get practising.
With regards to fragile details and transportation, have you thought about making a carry case for the boat? I know that lots of folks on here do just that.
Keep up the good work!
Robert.

I have cases and boxes, when i go sailing i take my son with me in his pushchair, quite handy cos i get get a fair few boats on it but this one is my largest boat yet so i dare say ill be taking as many once this is complete.

[bluebird]

Another part i did was this doodaa at the back. I have no idea what it is:
have a look at this 

http://www.hnsa.org/doc/smoke/index.htm

aye
john

[tt1]

  A cracking scratch build Mike, have never tried one myself, but really have admiration for the model your producing and the way you've done it. Hats off and full credit to you  - your a true ambassador to the hobby me thinks.

                   Regards, Tony.

[LarryW]

 hi not bad soldering ,   i use copper wire pre stretched using a drill ,  fix one end in vice , the other end in drill ,switch on drill gently pull pull as power up ,
  you will now you now have ridged piece of wire ., bend to shape ,  steel wool to clean or brass wire brush , flux and solder, clean of item before painting,job done
  the source of wire power cable all grades and diameters , free from shop refits or skips , or the odd car boot. ........LARRY

[john44]

Hi Mike I use brazing rod instead of brass rod, its a lot cheaper, and its easy to solder.

john

[MikeA]

  A cracking scratch build Mike, have never tried one myself, but really have admiration for the model your producing and the way you've done it. Hats off and full credit to you  - your a true ambassador to the hobby me thinks.

                   Regards, Tony.

Building rc boats is something ive wanted to do since i was a kid, it wasnt till last year that i actually started the hobby. I cant afford a kit so scratch building was/is the only option for me in order to do it. I dont know why ive left it this long because ive had money in the past and wasted countless thousands on beer and other ****

If i had the funding like i use to id buy some kits but considering how far ive come scratch building id do better with a scroll saw  Im not sure swmbo would like it on the dining room table though!

[MikeA]

Another part i did was this doodaa at the back. I have no idea what it is:
have a look at this 

http://www.hnsa.org/doc/smoke/index.htm

aye
john

ah i see, and i suppose then the boxes near the rear AA mount are not packed lunches then. Thanks for the educational info.

[rmaddock]

....id do better with a scroll saw  Im not sure swmbo would like it on the dining room table though!

 
I'm with you 100% there Mike!

[tt1]

 Hi Mike, started a BIT late myself, had to build from kits cuz new nothing about boats but more so - wanted to see a few finished results while I've got time! 

           I think your doing grand, and with limited facilities to boot - true dedication. Ten out of ten

[mikearace]

Its a lovely bit of work Mike

[LarryW]

HI mike , 
            spoken like a true modeller ...... Larry

[MikeA]

HI mike , 
            spoken like a true modeller ...... Larry

who are you refering too? me or mikerace

[LarryW]

    HI MIKE ,
 YOU of course ,     silly question time whose plan are you using?........Larry.....

[MikeA]

Now its really starting to get somewhere. The detailing is getting small and fiddlier, put on the starboard/port lights yesterday plus some other small bits n bobs,  but most of all i got the cowl vents made.

Most of the time i can allways find something to make what ever part but a cowl vent?? nope NOTHING:



Not little cowl vents anyway!! I reckon these wouldve worked on a 1/24 scale model, just earbud head phones available from poundshop, wliko, on the floor, dustbin whatever.

Nope i had to made my own!! Sandwhiching 8 peices of balsa togeather with CA i made four blocks and cut the corner of the first one:



Using the trusty stanley i picked off a bit more;



and gradually with the stanley and emery cloth;



I whittled a cowl vent:



It took ages like at least 45 minutes to an hour to make but its the right shape and scale to the drawing, I stuck it down with CA. Only 4 more to go!



few glad thats over!



Actually wasnt that bad, I got to slouch!

[bobk]

Nice bit of problem solving work there Mike.  Although at the time it may sometimes feel frustrating, achieving neat solutions to these challenges must be one of the key joys of building boats 

Keep up the good work.  Coming on well 

[MikeA]

    HI MIKE ,
 YOU of course ,     silly question time whose plan are you using?........Larry.....

oh  (Slow moment)

also these plans, pt 109 semi scale:

http://www.building-model-boats.com/model-boat-plans-store.html

The designer is very helpful bloke, thanks Petter if your reading this

[LarryW]

Hi mike ,
         hope dont mind a little tip ,  i  would start to paint the bits of deck parts , before final finish , stops . a of lot of masking .
         still a good job  BUT think ahead ........... Larry..

[MikeA]

normally i would but 99.98 of the boat is green!! things like the AA guns and the helmwheel etc ill do seperatly and fit them last after ive painted it, i leave small unpainted marks for fitting them of course, but ive got to make the torpedos yet (been holding them off to be honest) which have to be attached to the deck

[MikeA]

New update time. A slow steady advance has been made although not as fast id like but meh what can you do. The first of 4 torpedoes has been made:



Taking the best part of 5 hours to make one!!! im afraid its going to be a while before i make another update. On another note the bottom of the hull has been painted in what was suppose to be oxide red or at least a good match for oxide red, apparently  It looks like brown to me, but its going to stay as my budget is now getting tight and its below the water line. I can allways change it later if it bothers me too much.

[rmaddock]

...what was suppose to be oxide red or at least a good match for oxide red, apparently  It looks like brown to me...

Well, if you will buy spray paint made my Addidas, what do you expect? 

[bluebird]

hi Mike

Just as a little note the hull bottoms on these boats were mainly painted black like Mick Jaggers door ; but hey ho - can you tell I have just been listening to my wife woffle on

anyway

35 years of marriage and this is where you end up .......

right

serious head on

These hull bottoms and on these type of boat were painted black on a lot of PT boats apart from those which had a striped camouflage.   I wonder, for topedo tubes, have you thought of using 'old felt tip pen cases' I think crayola make the larger ones - just raid the kids old pen box - or the next time you might see them in the £1 shop.

Just food for thought

aye

Now I am off to take me tablets and listen to the Rolling Stones again.

aye

john

[MikeA]

I had a right rummage threw everything, couldnt find right diameter. in the end i bought some balsa (sacralige)

I asked the designer what colour to paint the hull he said oxide red. i think i will paint it black though im not keen on poo brown

[MikeA]

Well, if you will buy spray paint made my Addidas, what do you expect? 

actually the paint is humbrol suggested by the bloke who owns the model shop

[bluebird]

hi ya Mike

I am having a look through a book its by John Lambert and Les Brown ISPN NO.978-1-84832-060-4 - "Allied Torpedo Boats" - its a good book.   In there there are a couple of pics of a 1:24 scale PT-109 and the guy Alec Cap has painted the hull and deck a green colour but the bottom he has painted, what appears to be 'grey/off white colour'.    The majority of colour photographs of the Elco-Higgins craft seem to have either a white or black hull bottom.   The only one I can see in this book with a red oxide painted bottom is the Atari PT-147 at 1:35 scale and the guy has painted it striped camouflage.  Must admit this camouflage looks good - might be a bit difficult to do - but worth it.

aye
john

[MikeA]

ill do it black then. im not a good painter and dont like doing it either. Ill do my best still

[riggers24]

Have a look at PT boat

[bluebird]

oooo Riggers man, if mad Mike takes a look at that website his heed will explode he will be in a state of 'nervous disposition'

aye

john

[MikeA]

Ive had a browse through, you all have to bare in mind i bought this as a simple beginners semi scale build. Its not suppose to be 100% accurate and there are parts of the boat tjhat are not and i think a mishmash of different types of elco 80's.

Im still a beginner but one day ill pro like you lot

[MikeA]

Been very busy today and made loads of progress. Firstly the torpedoes are finished!!  Im rather glad about that i they were a bit complicated:



well not complicated but time consuming, there were many parts to be a made which im afraid to say i didnt log, not only that but i found NOTHING i could use to make it simpler. 

Anothering thing i did was make some cleats, i did manage to take some photos of how i did them though:

first up i drew out a simple T shape on some plasticard:



cut them out with the stanley, nice n easy after the torpedos:



rounded them off with a file and emerycloth



stuck a base to the bottom of the T peice:



Then stuck them to the deck, 5 in total, it was quite fun making those little bits:



I wasnt going to bother but somehow had a change of heart, it just seemed worth the effort. Anyway this is as it stands at the minute:




Going to be painting tomorow