Topic: First build (Read 15539 times)

Ralfred · « **on:** December 12, 2014, 12:45:52 pm »

hi, just starting my first model for over 50 years

good old Airfix.
Haven't got a clue so you will have to give me a lot of leeway, as a kid I lived in Runcorn right on the Manchester ship canal, Grandad was a master on one of the canals workboats the MSC Gowy (bucket dredger).
Often when visiting him on the Gowy, a launch would be tied up next in the old key yard, having researched the interweb!! The launch I think was called the MSC Sprite, designated as the chairman's launch she was used as a limo on the canal (can't think of a better description).
I have found a drawing plan and an old picture of her being scrapped, looks like she was converted to a dive boat with ply wood covering the old cabin, a sad ending for a beautiful boat.
Using the plan I have started, here are some pix of the build so far, please remember I am a complete novice.

TailUK · « **Reply #1 on:** December 12, 2014, 01:22:14 pm »

Sprite was one of 3, the others were MSC SYLPH, MSC SYRINX.

Ralfred · « **Reply #2 on:** December 12, 2014, 01:35:46 pm »

Hi Tailuk, yes thats correct, have tried to find more pictures of these but to no avail, there is a small amount of info on the net i.e. Builder and basic size but thats all, sorry about the very poor picture, will have to master how big the pictures can be.

TailUK · « **Reply #3 on:** December 12, 2014, 01:49:08 pm »

Is that your build? Looking pretty good if it is!

Ralfred · « **Reply #4 on:** December 12, 2014, 02:17:56 pm »

Thanks for that, found a hull on fleabay nearly the right size and shape, managed to get a screen save off the net and with a set of dividers and a steel rule worked out the approx size of the cabins, a few mistakes but its my representation of the boat not a exact copy.

Tug-Kenny RIP · « **Reply #5 on:** December 12, 2014, 04:41:24 pm »

Hello Ralfred,

Welcome to the forum.

You've certainly made a good start. Well done on your build ,so far

Cheers

Ken

Neil · « **Reply #6 on:** December 12, 2014, 04:46:01 pm »

funnily enough, I have after been scratch building for 50 years, gone back today to the equivalent of an airfix plastic kit.......a little Alanger model lifeboat, and enjoying it immensely.

your model looks great. neil.

Netleyned · « **Reply #7 on:** December 12, 2014, 04:49:11 pm »

Hi Ralfred, welcome.
That has the makings of a well proportioned
model.

Ned

Ralfred · « **Reply #8 on:** December 12, 2014, 06:56:27 pm »

Thanks for all the comments, it is tricky getting the scale right, couple of cabin sides ended up in the bin.
Have had a go at planking the deck with mixed results, the main planks are mahogany and the infill is med grade balsa, there lies the problem, looked great until I started to sand down, the balsa is way to soft and will tear up easily still in the end taking it very easy and 9 coats of clear varnish it looks good.

jenga · « **Reply #9 on:** December 13, 2014, 11:13:42 am »

welcome to this great site, you have made a good start to your build. You will find that any questions you ask on here will receive a good response from the very knowledgable peeps how lurck here. the reason I gave up model boat building years ago was that sites like this didnt exsist and I was on my own, now with the advise readily available on here I feel cconfindent to start again. jenga

merseyferry · « **Reply #10 on:** December 13, 2014, 11:47:48 am »

hello ral i was wondering if you had seen this. www.flickr.com/photos/39245032@N08/7574125932/ nice build you have there

Ralfred · « **Reply #11 on:** December 13, 2014, 12:07:34 pm »

Thanks for the welcome Jenga, yes a great site with a plethora of knowledge to be had, building one off bikes was my hobby until it's a struggle to lift engines anymore, a mate who builds and sails model boats invited me for a look see and the bug bit, hope you start up again, thanks.

Ralfred · « **Reply #12 on:** December 13, 2014, 12:15:38 pm »

Hi Merseyferry, thanks for taking the trouble posting, yes that's ware I got the info and the drawing from, unfortunately you cannot download the drawing as it must be copyrite but I screen saved it and you can get a very poor quality greyscale print, out came to drawing pens and french curves and I redid the drawing sufficiently to get some scale sizes from, you have seen the drawing, is the model anything like drawing?

merseyferry · « **Reply #13 on:** December 13, 2014, 12:20:00 pm »

id say your doing great esp 1st build and without proper plans keep up good work

Neil · « **Reply #14 on:** December 13, 2014, 12:21:58 pm »

ral.........if you do a deck like that again........use sycamore in between the mahogany.......similar colour to Balsa, and similar density and grain structure to Mahogany and will sand at the same rate, and the denseness of the grain will give a beautiful lustre to the varnish and the finish of the whole deck....Twig folly supplies it in most sizes. neil.

Ralfred · « **Reply #15 on:** December 13, 2014, 12:27:29 pm »

Hi Guys, MF thanks, much apreciated, Neil, thanks for the info, will use sycamore next time, in the end it turned out OK but it could have been a disaster just as easily.

Mad Scientist · « **Reply #16 on:** December 13, 2014, 10:11:00 pm »

For anyone who looks at the Flickr photo in Merseyferry's post (Reply #10), it's part of an interesting album - all sorts of fascinating items, from the Battle of the Falklands to plenty of present-day photos of assorted RNLI boats, and some models, too!

Tom

Ralfred · « **Reply #17 on:** December 14, 2014, 06:09:26 pm »

Main deck now glued into place, can start working on the hull fittings now

Ralfred · « **Reply #18 on:** December 17, 2014, 06:08:02 pm »

Just spent all afternoon cutting, rebaiting and fitting the deck runners, absolute nightmare

Ralfred · « **Reply #19 on:** December 23, 2014, 12:20:23 pm »

Working on the stearing gear,

Ralfred · « **Reply #20 on:** December 23, 2014, 02:55:40 pm »

I'm making all the above deck steering gear, lights, bollards and sundries out of brass, how do I keep them looking good without having to clean them with brasso?

Ralfred · « **Reply #21 on:** December 23, 2014, 02:57:11 pm »

Will have to start using that spell check

boat captain · « **Reply #22 on:** December 23, 2014, 04:11:04 pm »

Hi
For my brass fittings I use Rustins metal lacquer.

Ralfred · « **Reply #23 on:** December 23, 2014, 04:26:56 pm »

Thanks for that Boat captain, I will get myself some of that.

Ralfred · « **Reply #24 on:** December 29, 2014, 03:57:35 pm »

Been busy over Christmas, hull is 95% finished and will be by end of play today.

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Author Topic: First build (Read 15539 times)