Model Boat Mayhem
The Shipyard ( Dry Dock ): Builds & Questions => Working Vessels => Topic started by: CGAux26 on November 14, 2010, 02:09:49 am
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Here is the build of my MS Loyal Class tender, working name LOYAL VOLUNTEER. I purchased this kit in 2001 from Harbor Models in California, but have only worked on it semi-regularly the past two years. This is my third model boat, the other two being the Springer GINNY D, and the barge HOLLYWOOD BLEVE.
As those who have seen some of my other posts will recall, I have made extensive use of the MEK plus styrene chips glue, as suggested in the MS instructions. And I have found the MS kit, instructions, drawings, and support to be great.
At the point my pictures begin I had already sanded the hull, cut out the freeing ports and other bulwark openings and installed the shaft log and rudder. So these first pictures show the installation of the deck support strips (epoxy) and all the chip clips I could find. Then the hatch coamings were assembled and glued in.
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OK, I am back with more. On the first post I forgot to say I made a motor bed from plywood, painted it, and bedded it in the hull with 3M 4200 marine sealant. I also installed the shaft log with 4200.
My motor is a Robbe No. 4083 gear motor with 6:1 reduction. While it is rated for 12 VDC, I have found the boat is much too fast, so I now have 2 6 VDC SLA batteries in parallel powering it.
I purchased a Prop Shop 4 blade 2.2 X 2.2 inch prop, which was about as big as I thought would fit in the prop opening. I did a float and handling test early in the build, after which I determined a bow thruster would be needed. The BT is a Raboesch 108-3. On an early test run the impeller spun on its shaft, and was replaced with a homemade brass impeller.
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Here are a couple of pictures of the driveline. The batteries are mounted on a plywood platform, glued in with 3M 4200, like the motor mount. These pictures still show the 12 VDC battery, which as I said before has been replaced. In the second picture you see two Proboat ESC's on the port side. I am replacing the one for the main motor with a Viper, for better low speed control. The Proboat that runs the bow thruster will remain.
The next photo shows installation of the bulwarks. And notice how I modified my pocket square to make sure the bulwarks are vertical.
Then we come to the scriber I cobbled up from scrap wood, to mark the waterline. It is adjustable up/down and back/forth, and worked well. Then you see the bottom being painted, with Krylon new dome top paint. No problems with the red color. The black paint on the hull worked fine, but I don't recall the brand.
Once the hull was done I painted the deck with green Painters Touch acrylic(?), with a brush.
Next was the deck house. This is made up of several thick die cut styrene parts. I put a layer of tape around the deck opening to allow a bit of clearance to the deck house. Then I dry fit the deck house and blocked the sides in place before applying the MEK glue with a brush.
Enough for tonight. More tomorrow. O0
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coming along nicely... i have also built this Model
My Loyal (http://www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk/Modellers/Colin_East/1ndex.htm)
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CGAux26 your build is coming along nicely :-)) cant wait to see the rest of it !
Dan
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Thanks for the encouragement, guys. This is easily the most challenging model I have built.
I include the next photo, of the bridge wing support slot in the gunwale, because the instructions only said to slot the gunwale strip to receive the support tab. By the time I read this the gunwale capping strips were glued on and all was painted. Ouch! Being a newbie to this, it took a while to figure out that a thin cutoff wheel in my Dremel would be perfect to cut this slot.
I built the anchor windlass and the cargo handling winch some time earlier, so what you see in the next photos is after they were glued to the deck. The anchors were left unpainted, to simulate galvanizing. They are glued into their ports with CA, and held additionally with their chains drawn tight. I nearly placed the cargo winch too close to the hatch opening, so the hatch cover would not have fit.
Then some time was spent cutting out all the little pieces that make up the deck boxes, life rafts, and ladders. The halves of the liferaft canisters were best fit by cutting them a bit large, then rubbing the edge down with a piece of 180 grit laid flat on the bench. These and the funnel halves are from ABS moldings, so they are a bit different from the flat styrene pieces. The liferaft straps are heavy black sewing thread, contributed by my wife.
Last in this bunch is the repair I had to do on the rudder. In the early part of the build, back in 2001, I installed the rudder fairing piece to the hull in a crooked position. This led to a strain on the rudder post (white metal), which fatigued and broke. Quite a chore getting the mud shoe off the hull. Then I made up a new rudder post and bottom pin from brass tubing and SS wire, and epoxied it all together. This time I took care in aligning it all, so it rotated much more freely.
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This update should bring me up to date on my build.
I forgot to mention all the troubles with the new Krylon "Sweet Cream" (yellow) color spray paint used on the main cabin and pilot house. Maybe because of all the pigment in it, this paint can be sprayed in very thin coats with a minute between passes, for as many passes as you wish. But even after letting it cure in the warm house for WEEKS, if I tried to do a bit of touch up, the paint would "alligator." Appeals to Krylon were worthless (follow the directions on the can..., which I had done to the letter). From all the bi...ing posts on Mayhem and RCGroups, a lot of others have had this problem. My solution has been to take a part finished with the Krylon spray to my local hardware store and have a quart of latex paint color matched. I use this with a brush for touchups, and in small places where spray cannot be done.
One other discovery I made was the use of Scotchbrite green pads to dull the styrene and give it a tooth for paint. This seems equivalent to 600 wet or dry sandpaper, and lasts longer when used wet. It's best to sand parts before cutting out, particularly for the smaller pieces.
I chose to build the double-walled pilothouse by first erecting the outer panels. Then I spray painted the outside with yellow and the insides of the inner panels with a light tan. These were then glued together with my MEK mix. Window panes of clear plastic were added, with canopy glue, and the windshield wipers were painted and glued with CA. As with all of this kit, a lot of minor sanding and fitting was necessary.
The mostly finished pilothouse has two blind nuts set in plywood, under the "furniture." This will allow me to screw it to the top of the main cabin, so it can be removed for lighting wire maintenance. I also added brass angle stiffeners around the top of the pilothouse walls, to straighten them and to provide a place to add fasteners so the roof is removable, too.
The throttle/gear shift is made from a bit of wooden dowel, brass rod, and beads from a fan pull chain. The compass is from a small protective cap from a piece of all-thread rod. The radar and radio are from the kit (radios were much bigger back in the '70's).
I have made up basic navlights for a vessel of this size and type, from LED's and a 2 AA cell battery pack. It's all mounted under the main cabin, with two switches in a small box by the funnel. I only made red and green sidelights, masthead, and towing lights (forward and aft), since my soldering skills are minimal. The yellow aft-facing towing light is not part of the kit, but research said some of the Loyals had them. So I have made a pole from brass tube that will support the light above the rearmost railing on the cabin roof. The lights will eventually have brass lanterns over them.
My most recent effort over the last few days has been building the railings around the pilothouse roof. The kit includes more than enough of the white metal castings for the stanchions, and maybe enough 1/16" brass rod. I bought more as a CYA, and painted castings and rods before starting to cut and fit. This is very exacting work, made too difficult by the shaky hands, but it came out well with a little help from my better half.
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well what can i say Dave,.
You model looks stunning .. im not a real fan of the buff yellow but after seeing your build i shell consider it for my 1/48 scale loyal once im done with the 1/24th one..
i cant wait to get my loyal done . seeing your pictures is making me jelous {-) ..
keep up the good work my friend . :-)
kind Regards ,
Dan
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yes i have to agree, it looks stunning so far.
I'm getting rather attracted to this kit with the recent increase in various build logs and the few ive seen which are completed.
I might build one some day and no doubt model slipway will make a great job of 'updating' the kit as its currently out of production.
Keep up the good work.
Dan :-))
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Hi Dave
What a super build - doubt you'll need any help as you are doing Great!!! keep it up
sent a post to another Loyal Supporter build - might be of interest
Regards Soldier151 - A lifeboat freaky at Killingworth Model Boat Club
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Very nice neat, clean build. Well done.
John
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Thanks for the kind words, guys.
My latest small accomplishment has been painting and assembling the life rings and strobe lights on their holders. This must be done before installing the lifelines along the top of the main cabin.
I am pleased with how I made the white "canvas" loops on the life rings. I used narrow striping tape, wrapping it around the raised area on each ring. I CA'd the ends down. How have others done this?
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Hello CGA, I simply painted mine. Going well on the build, :-))
Regards, Tony.
(http://s2.postimage.org/qxdm28ro/Loyal_build_15_Large.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/qxdm28ro/)
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Beautiful modeling skills, makes me jealous to look at the pics. But for your interest those plastic type lifebuoys in the mod where not fitted with cloth rings and also only two Man Overboard markers where ever carried, the over two life rings where fitted with a simple small battery operated float light attached by about 2 metres a line. The Smoke markers usually fitted outboard side so when life buoy is thrown they easily pull off their brackets. Sorry if I upset you, but it is better to know now than when you are at a show with your boat. But your construction and paintwork is truly marvelous.
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Liking your build log, its helping me alot with my build. hope i can make it look somewhere as good as yours.
i got the bow thruster in, thanks for the help on that too.
i might try and put a build log up of my own. :o
Stewart :-))
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CGAux26: You have got a "Beautiful Build" going here, with lots of good tips.
Thanks for Shareing. From Sacramento CA (also from the Colonies) Ralph :-))
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Progress report. I have added the railings, with their life rings, around the main cabin top. The aft yellow towing light fixture has been finished and installed, and the light works. The ladder at the back end of the cabin was glued on. I made up the screw-on feature for the funnel, so it can be removed for maintenance.
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looking very good. keep it up :-))
Stewart :-))
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Looking great CGA.
It shouldn't be long before you are on the water by the looks of it !
laurn :-)) :-))
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I am getting down to the very short strokes, as you will see in this set of pictures. "Jewelry" (ventilators, bollards, spare anchor) has been added around the main deck. "Furniture" and jewelry (liferaft containers, deck boxes, water tank, binnacle) have been glued onto the cabin and pilothouse roofs. The mast with its lighting has been installed, and the pilothouse roof and funnel are on for good.
The second picture is of a jig I made to help install the safety bars across the wash ports. The idea for it came from a Loyal build log by Balders.
Radar, cargo boom, decals, batteries, flags, and ballast yet to go.
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Very nicely done, Dave! :-)) This is a lot of boat. :o
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Beautiful job, well done. :-))
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like the jig, i was thinking of doing something like that. very good build log. lots to help for a begginer like me. :-)) :-))
stewart
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A little help, please. I am at the point of rigging the cargo boom. The sheaves in the blocks are about 2-3 mm wide, so a line or cord of about that diameter seems appropriate. As we are likely simulating steel cable, what should be used? Color? And where does one find it?
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Is this the sort of thing?
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Stew49, that may be what I need. Where did you get it? Does it come in black? Thanks.
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Hi CGAux26, dont think it comes in black. have a look. http://www.cornwallmodelboats.co.uk/acatalog/graupner_rigging_cord.html
hope it helps.
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what about this one, its from Robbe fittings
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Here is my solution to the crane rigging line. I found some black braided nylon, about 1.5 mm diameter at my local marine chandler. It's sold for making and repairing fishing nets.
Note on the last of today's photos that I made detachment between the cargo winch and the corresponding block on the sampson post with a magnet pair. A tip of the hat to Harrin, :-)) who first showed that idea in his Loyal build log.
I have also completed two flag hoists for the main mast. These are courtesy flags of the US, where I live, and Canada, where I often sail on Como Lake or at Burnaby. No pictures yet.
All that's left are the decals on the sides, fenders, and installing the batteries and ballast. :P
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I like that thread. Nice and neat with no fuzzy bits.
John
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That is a great looking model, superb.
Bob
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This should be my next-to-last post to this build log. I have the British RMAS ensign in place, on a removable flag pole. The mast halyards have been rigged for the courtesy flags of the US and Canada. Navlights all work as they should, one switch for running lights and another for towing lights. And the MS heavy metal radar has been replaced with an enclosed FERANO antenna.
With some help from my First Wife, I put the boat in the bathtub and adjusted the ballast. I had to take out 3 lb of lead shot since I last float tested it, before the cabin was detailed. She is on her lines, at 23 lb displacement.
Wishing for some good weather tomorrow, so I can give LOYAL VOLUNTEER her sea trial. I am waiting for the post to bring a new set of (vinyl) decals from Laurie at MS. The original waterslide decals crumbled when I tried one out; they were well beyond their shelf life.
I have 950 hours construction time in this model. Probably a lot, but it's my first seriously complex build. It is almost 10 years to the month since I did the first steps on this boat. A great challenge and a lot of satisfaction. Thanks again to all who have helped.
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You should be very pleased with yourself CG, It really looks smart.
Geoff
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Very nice build. Well done.
John
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Underway at last, at Como Lake in Coquitlam, BC. Photos are courtesy Ginny and my friends and expert photographers Joe S. and Laurn R. Volunteer handles well, with a lot of momentum. She turns tight with little heel. She will pivot on her beam ends using the bow thruster. And she backs predictably. I can hardly wait for navigation season.
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She looks even better on the water, superb model!!
Bob
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Looks Great, cant wait to get mine finnished. hope it looks as good as yours. how much ballast did it need? and how did you cut the V in the samson post ?
whats the next build lol.
Stewart :-))
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Stew49, I have about 7-8 lb of lead shot ballast in my boat. It's in 3 Ziploc bags, two next to the battery (just forward of the motor) and one just aft of the bow thruster. I cut the V-notch in the Sampson post with a Dremel cutoff wheel and a sharp knife.
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Beautiful Model Mate!
I was looking at a real one yesterday and they seem to 'squat' at speed
Never seen one with tyres as they all used 'pussers' basket fenders which were about 4ft long sausage shaped woven cane with a loop on each end so they
could be hung horizontal or vertical.
Ned
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nice build :-)) just one adjustment needed ; on the radar i think it must be FERUNO not FERANO :D
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You caught me, Maffen. "FERANO" is a play on "FURUNO," based on my last name, Feray. And welcome to the Mayhem.
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I received my nice vinyl decal letters from Callie Graphics yesterday and put them on. A great system she has, with the sticky side of the letters mounted on stiff paper and a light tack carrier on the visible side. They went on easily, and then I overcoated them with Krylon Matte Finish. Looks good. Pics to follow.
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Nice to see a RMAS flag on a RMAS vessel, very nice model and yes the real thing turns on a sixpence so you must have got it right well done, splendid sight.
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Dodes, thanks so much for the confirmation on the RMAS flag. Being a Colonist I had an awful time figuring out which was the right flag. :-))
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Here are the pictures of the Callie graphics lettering on the boat. Also pics of the way I installed the lead shot ballast. The ballast ended up in vacuum sealed bags and is fastened in the hull with Velcro. About 7 pounds total, plus the two 6 VDC 4.5 Ah batteries.
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CG This is a beautiful build - you should be very pleased with it.
Geoff
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Sorry to upset you old mate, I thought it was a RMAS vessel when I saw the her colours, but now you have named her, the loyal group of F/T's where operated by the RNXS, which had a blue ensign which is not commercialy available. Change the name to one starting with M for the RMAS and it will be okay, still a lovely model though, your mistake on hull colour is quite common though.
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Dodes,
Oh well, does "Close enough for government work" apply on your side of the pond as it does here? :D As I may have said before, I spent a lot of time researching the Loyals, but the info I could find remained fuzzy on the distinction of RMAS/RNXS. I picked the Volunteer name to echo my many years in the volunteer US Coast Guard Auxiliary.
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Hi mate, no I am just feeling picky the other day. Your model is extremely well made , which you deservedly should be proud off. Yes you are right the RMAS look after these RNXS boats for em, maintained them , cleaned them and bunkered /watered them for the RNXS staff to step aboard and take them away. The RNXS where volunteers, who in time of war had certain duties to carry out for the RN, whilst the RMAS was a form of a small vessel department operated by the RN. The RMAS operating every type of harbour craft to ocean going cable repair ships and ocean going research vessels.
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Here is Loyal Volunteer with her tire fenders added. She is now "COMPLETE," so any more work is maintenance. The tires are Intaleri, from Jackson Models in UK.
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Liking the stand, could do with a swish one like that for mine (bought not built I quickly add!)
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The stand is made directly from the instruction manual. I like the design, too.
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Hi
I've really enjoyed your build log and the pictures are great - really crisp. The buff yellow is spot on and I think it adds some real warmth (if that makes any sense) to the overall vision. You mentioned early on you use styrene a lot - I've been looking for some resource on building with it but not found what I need yet. Can you point me to anything suitable - best thicknes, shaping, glueing etc? I hope you don't mind my asking.
Regards Norseman
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We are on opposite sides of the Pond, so I'm no help in sourcing styrene on your side. Over here there is Evergreen Plastics and such. As to shaping styrene, You can mark straight cuts, then score the line 2-4 times with a sharp knife, then snap the pieces apart. Clean up any roughness with a bit of sandpaper.
As to gluing styrene:
Buy a can of MEK (Methyl Ethyl Ketone) from your hardware store (about $9 a quart in NW Washington). Get a small glass jar with a tight metal lid, such as pickled artichokes come in. Make 1/4" hole in the lid, of a size for which you have a tight fitting plug. Screw the lid on tight.
Pour in about ¼ cup of MEK. Cut up a teaspoon or 2 of styrene into chips and put in it the jar. Install the plug. Go have a cold one, or wait until tomorrow (gives the styrene a chance to dissolve). You now have enough cheap styrene glue to build the Queen Mary at 1:24. Apply with a small brush or a syringe or a dropper. This can be used to fill very small gaps in styrene, too.
My Loyal Volunteer is built this way. This technique is given in the kit's instructions, from Model Slipways.
Good luck. :-))
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Thanks for the quick reply. Just one further question what thickness styrene would you use for say a wheelhouse? I've seen Styrene up to 2mm thick.
Regards Norseman
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The wheelhouse sides on the Loyal kit are 1 mm. But they are made by sandwiching 2 pieces together. You can see this fairly well in my pictures 28.1, 28.3 and 28.5 above. The double thickness may have been used just to give the windows their shadow effect, but the sides tried to bow inward before I added the brass angle sitffeners, too. The decks and main cabin sides are thicker, about 1/16".
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Mister, this is one of the best looking models I have ever seen, your patience, creativy and skills are admireable.
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CGAUX, after seeing your model I knew it was a MUST build for me ...
After MONTHS of searching, I looks like I have finally found one of the last ones around - in Australia.
I am inspired by your attention to detail and will try to do my best on this one ....
Tim
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Does anyone have a copy of this article? Kit Review Ivor Warne - Model Boats ............ /Apr/May 96 Loyal Moderator -David Metcalf - MB Dec 1981 Loyal ......
I have tried to buy it on EBay UK however the seller won't ship to USA.
Thanks
Ed