Model Boat Mayhem

The Shipyard ( Dry Dock ): Builds & Questions => Working Vessels => Topic started by: Alan McL on January 10, 2012, 10:36:54 am

Title: Building The Lady Wooes
Post by: Alan McL on January 10, 2012, 10:36:54 am
I have just joined the forum and am about to start building The Lady Wooes from MMM. I purchased the complete kit and am looking forward to making a start. I would welcome any help or advice as I progress with my construction. I will include some photographs of the model at various stages. Looking forward to the Forum as much as I am to the mode.
Title: Re: Building The Lady Wooes
Post by: barryfoote on January 10, 2012, 10:50:09 am
Welcome Alan. There are several of us who have built models from MMB, including the Lady Wooes, so I am sure you will get all the advise you need.
Title: Re: Building The Lady Wooes
Post by: Tug-Kenny RIP on January 10, 2012, 11:13:55 am

Hi Alan and welcome to Mayhem.

I have built the Lady Wooes and not quite finished her yet. There is a blog on here of the work so far.

My reason for writing was to say that it's a great looking tug and full of detail. Just take your time and measure twice (or six times ??) before cutting anything. The drawings are not to scale which means fabricating any thing is very difficult. The idea was to use the drawings as a  'what went where'  indication and it assumes that everything will fit.  Well it don't. !!  so be careful.  Photocopy the  'Jigs'  to use as masters as they might need trimming to fit etc.

We look forward to your build and plenty of pictures and questions please.  :-))

Cheers

ken

Title: Re: Building The Lady Wooes
Post by: LarryW on January 10, 2012, 12:21:31 pm
WELCOME ALAN,
                     A good start using mayam , TUG KENNY is the man on tugs , as for advice theres plenty on the site. 
                     as for starting any prodject , seek history have a dummy run though on every thing you do and if you do mess up ,
                     try again , ITS A LEARNING CURVE   i am no expert only in 2nd year of modeling boats and you learn some thing every day ,
                        so good luck with build , remember if it looks rite it is rite  ......LARRY....
Title: Re: Building The Lady Wooes
Post by: Alan McL on January 10, 2012, 12:46:42 pm
Thanks for your reply. I always enjoy reading about members experiences, and I am sure I will be able to get a lot of help.
Title: Re: Building The Lady Wooes
Post by: Norseman on January 10, 2012, 02:00:53 pm
Hi Alan and Welcome.

I'm really looking forward to your build. :-)

Dave
Title: Re: Building The Lady Wooes
Post by: Alan McL on January 10, 2012, 05:18:53 pm
Can anybody tell me how they get the rivet heads to look so realistic on the superstructures of the tug models. I will be building in plywood and would love to obtain this amount of detail.
Title: Re: Building The Lady Wooes
Post by: LarryW on January 10, 2012, 08:20:07 pm
HI,
    on ply wood,   a pipit filled with pva , and controlled spacing on a datum line , practice on a scrap piece first.
       or thin styrene sheet again on a datum line use a spring loaded centre punch equal spacing then contact adhesive to ply
      some modelers use a dyno letter tool.     will try  and post some pics of these metherds i have used all of mentioned........LARRY..





Title: Re: Building The Lady Wooes
Post by: Tug-Kenny RIP on January 10, 2012, 09:00:03 pm

Talking to you made me think of mine.  I have a problem with the steering which I've posed on the tugs section which you might be interested in.

cheers

Ken
Title: Re: Building The Lady Wooes
Post by: Alan McL on January 10, 2012, 09:32:01 pm
Thanks for this advice Larry. I an nowhere near this point with my model but was curious as to how it was done. Thanks again.
Title: Re: Building The Lady Wooes
Post by: Alan McL on January 13, 2012, 07:11:52 pm
Second day of building having previously cut out the wash ports.  I put the filler on the inside of the hull to the areas between the deck and  handrail position. I don't know the technical term for this part of a boat. I put too thick a layer of filler on resulting in a huge amount of dust when I sanded it off. I used a Dremel with a small sanding disk. Looking forward to installing the running gear.
Title: Re: Building The Lady Wooes
Post by: LarryW on January 13, 2012, 08:28:13 pm
hi alan,
       can you post some build pics, ? it wuold help ........LARRY...
Title: Re: Building The Lady Wooes
Post by: Norseman on January 13, 2012, 08:49:09 pm
Hi Alan

Yes, we are all addicted to pics here - all pixel junkies just looking for the next fix O0 {-)

Dave
Title: Re: Building The Lady Wooes
Post by: Alan McL on January 13, 2012, 10:10:33 pm
I would love to post some pictures but am trying to find out how to compress them into a size that is acceptable. At the moment I don't  know how to do this.
Title: Re: Building The Lady Wooes
Post by: LarryW on January 14, 2012, 09:29:54 am
HI ALAN,
        There is a page , set up by martin  on resizing and posting picures on the mayam , and its easy to follow :-))LARRY...
Title: Re: Building The Lady Wooes
Post by: Alan McL on January 14, 2012, 10:13:22 am
Thanks Larry. I have located the article you mentioned. The instructions do look very clear indeed and I will have a crack at it later today.
Title: Re: Building The Lady Wooes
Post by: Alan McL on January 18, 2012, 12:17:14 pm
I have purchased the radio control equipment, two lead acid batteries,a speed controller, a smoke unit and a sound generator for whistle sounds. I need to think about where these items will be positioned in the boat before I crack on with construction. Still struggling with resizing photos but will post some when I know how.
Title: Re: Building The Lady Wooes
Post by: Alan McL on January 19, 2012, 01:05:36 pm
I have hit a snag. In order to get the prop shaft horizontal, the end that is inside the hull is very close to the botton of the boat. By the time I have fitted the electric motors the shaft will not be perrfectly horizontal. Its not a long way out, but I have visions of the bow of the boat being pointed towards the sky when under power. I will have to give this some carefull thought.
Title: Re: Building The Lady Wooes
Post by: Tug-Kenny RIP on January 19, 2012, 02:49:45 pm
Hi Alan.

I have this problem and was advised to raise the shaft beyond the indicated extrusion. I shall be sanding the original position and re-doing the hole further up the boat.

I found the prop tube was too horizontal to allow for a motor inside the hull, so mine is tilted  (at the moment).  I shall be removing the whole assemblies and relocating them higher up.

At the moment her sailing abilities are severely crippled, because the props are out below the line of the rudder which doesn't steer very well. You may also have to increase the Prop's diameter.

Hope this helps before you go too far with the assembly and it's associated problems.

Here's a picture of mine at the moment.

regards

ken

 
ps.  the white bit is a  'Mod'  I was going to do but that idea is now cancelled.

 ken


Title: Re: Building The Lady Wooes
Post by: Norseman on January 19, 2012, 04:22:13 pm
Hi

Have you thought about having a belted or geared type of set up?
The motor isn't then so low. I am sure you will know what I mean
even if I have said it poorly.

Dave
Title: Re: Building The Lady Wooes
Post by: 787Eng on January 19, 2012, 05:41:03 pm
Like this...
As posted in another post, this was my solution to the low shafts in a Wooes...Works really well, and she spins on her funnel.

(http://s15.postimage.org/pzv3qv2dz/IMG_20120112_00002.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/pzv3qv2dz/)

(http://s18.postimage.org/dhqygx791/IMG_20120112_00001.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/dhqygx791/)

(http://s18.postimage.org/4hmcwqb5h/IMG_20120112_00004.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/4hmcwqb5h/)

Respectfully
Mark
Title: Re: Building The Lady Wooes
Post by: Alan McL on January 19, 2012, 10:12:40 pm
Thanks Ken, Mark and Dave. I will study the different choices tomorrow.
Title: Re: Building The Lady Wooes
Post by: Alan McL on January 27, 2012, 05:43:16 pm
I have installed the running gear and was not surprised to find that it was a bit tricky. Today I floated the hull in a tank was was dismayed to find two small leaks, one where the shaft passes through the hull, and the other one at one of the prop shaft supports. I have resealed both of these and will test it again tomorrow.
Title: Re: Building The Lady Wooes
Post by: Norseman on January 27, 2012, 07:26:57 pm
Good luck tomorrow Alan - what's your test tank then?

Dave
Title: Re: Building The Lady Wooes
Post by: Alan McL on January 27, 2012, 10:12:41 pm
I have just retired as Chief Pilot flying a business jet out of Hawarden airport near Chester, but work part time for the same owner. This allows me the use of our own aircraft hangar which is well equipped with workshops, one of which is for my sole use. The tank is a very large stainless steen sink , about five foot long by 3 feet wide. It's about 18 inches deep.  I will post some pictures very soon.
Title: Re: Building The Lady Wooes
Post by: Norseman on January 27, 2012, 10:39:07 pm
Colour me green Alan ........... very green.
Yes I know Hawarden but have never been sure how to pronounce it.

Dave
Title: Re: Building The Lady Wooes
Post by: Alan McL on January 28, 2012, 03:20:38 pm
Although I have the facilities I am sady lacking in modelling skills.
Title: Re: Building The Lady Wooes
Post by: Alan McL on February 01, 2012, 11:58:31 am
Aty last I have stopped the leaks from the prop shafts and the A frame supports. The rudder has been built and I can now press on and fit the two electric motors. Pictures to follow ver soon I hope.
Title: Re: Building The Lady Wooes
Post by: Alan McL on February 04, 2012, 01:31:59 pm
Can anybody please advise me as to how the handrail is built at the stern of the model. The radius looks too tight to steam a timber section to that shape. Is is fitted using many much smaller lengths?
Title: Re: Building The Lady Wooes
Post by: Tug-Kenny RIP on February 04, 2012, 02:06:15 pm

Do you mean the wood top to the hull ?

On mine I drew around a sheet of plywood and cut out to the width.

Hope this helps

ken 

Title: Re: Building The Lady Wooes
Post by: Alan McL on February 04, 2012, 03:52:32 pm
I was thinking about the handrail that runs around the entire length of the boat and sits on the very top edge of the hull.
Title: Re: Building The Lady Wooes
Post by: Netleyned on February 04, 2012, 04:02:42 pm
Handrail?
Do you mean the bulwark capping?

Ned
Title: Re: Building The Lady Wooes
Post by: Alan McL on February 04, 2012, 04:45:32 pm
Bulwark capping it must be then. It makes sense now. You must forgive me as I have just hung my flying goggles up having been flying aircraft for 40 years and just getting used to nautical terminology rather than aviation terms.
Title: Re: Building The Lady Wooes
Post by: Tug-Kenny RIP on February 05, 2012, 12:55:38 pm

I was referring to this part of my build.

I found the hard part was making those spring hoops.   %)

ken


Title: Re: Building The Lady Wooes
Post by: Alan McL on February 06, 2012, 04:46:28 pm
Thanks Ken, yes that was the part I was thinking of.
Title: Re: Building The Lady Wooes
Post by: Brian Roberts on February 06, 2012, 08:08:24 pm
Thanks Ken, yes that was the part I was thinking of.


Alan, just had a look at my Perseverance and the topping on the bulwarks seems similar to Ken's, a piece of preformed ply.
Going from memory I think mine was already pre cut, so I was lucky!

Brian
Title: Re: Building The Lady Wooes
Post by: Alan McL on February 07, 2012, 02:17:13 pm
Thanks Brian. Cracking photograph. Yes I will try the plywood idea.
Title: Re: Building The Lady Wooes
Post by: Alan McL on February 07, 2012, 02:19:54 pm
Brian. Your detail looks amazing. I would love to see your model sometime.
Title: Re: Building The Lady Wooes
Post by: Alan McL on February 18, 2012, 05:22:03 pm
I have installed the rudder and given the hull the first coat of primer. Tomorrow I intend to give the hull it's first coat of red paint. I have been working out of sequence by building or assembling to funnel. It looks amazing. I have also started putting the steam winch together from the MMM kit of parts. This is also enjoyable. I will have to put these items in a safe place 'till they are ready to be installed on the model.
Title: Re: Building The Lady Wooes
Post by: Netleyned on February 18, 2012, 05:33:48 pm
Find a safe place  :-)) :-))

All too often I have made a little detail for fitting later
and it has got lost on my very messy workbench and
bent to hull and I have to remake it.
I now have a shelf for all the little bits already made.

Ned
Title: Re: Building The Lady Wooes
Post by: Norseman on February 18, 2012, 06:50:43 pm
Biscuit tins - after Christmas is over I gather them up and put them in the shed.
A little packing and even a drop/knock won't harm the contents.

Dave
Title: Re: Building The Lady Wooes
Post by: Alan McL on February 19, 2012, 06:14:44 pm
The tins sound a good idea. I think I have at last cracked the method of resizing photographs so I will try taking some tomorrow.
Title: Re: Building The Lady Wooes
Post by: Alan McL on February 22, 2012, 04:40:07 pm
I have painted the hull having plucked up the courage. I read with interest on the forum how model makers have managed to tackle the waterline marking. I went down the laser route. I marked the waterline position at the front and back of the hill and then adjusted the laser so that the two points matched up. I secured the laser to the top of my photographic tripod which allowed for small adjustments. The attached photo shows the set up. I don't spray the boat in the office by the way.
(http://s18.postimage.org/yfn0l0mth/SAM_0089.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/yfn0l0mth/)
Title: Re: Building The Lady Wooes
Post by: Alan McL on February 27, 2012, 06:40:56 pm
The motors are now installed (MMM T12) and given a test run in the hull. One of the motors started to run more slowly and eventually stop. Only then did I twig that there should be grease in in prop tubes. An application of aviation grease did the trick. They run smoothly now.
(http://s17.postimage.org/88houpyob/SAM_0093.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/88houpyob/)

(http://s14.postimage.org/hjmqutwh9/SAM_0090.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/hjmqutwh9/)
Title: Re: Building The Lady Wooes
Post by: Brian Roberts on February 27, 2012, 09:11:49 pm
Hi Alan

Good to see you're making good progress with the Lady Wooes aided by some nice pictures!
Just one point to be wary of, I see that you're using safety couplings complete with brass shear pins. A very good idea and I use this arrangement in my tugs but unless the pins are secured in the coupling they're going to fly off sooner or later (probably sooner). I got around this potential problem by trimming the pins flush with the rubber coupling and winding some insulation tape around the ends.
Simple, neat and peace of mind!

Brian
Title: Re: Building The Lady Wooes
Post by: Alan McL on February 27, 2012, 10:53:44 pm
Yes the pins have flown off already. It could have caused a nasty  accident. I will try your idea off cutting the pins flush and wrapping tape around them.
Title: Re: Building The Lady Wooes
Post by: Alan McL on March 05, 2012, 07:24:15 pm
I have used some cardboard as a template for the fore,aft, and side decks, and  trimmed them to fit before cutting the plywood. I read about this tip on the forum and it has saved my a lot of bother. I purchased some speed controllers and brass propellers  at the Ellesmere Port Model boat show this weekend. I hope to crack on with the build this week and will post some more pictures.
Title: Re: Building The Lady Wooes
Post by: Alan Mcl on March 23, 2012, 09:54:28 pm
The rudder servo works a treat, but I can't get any power to the motors. I have connected one of the speed controllers to the receiver but don't seem to get any power output other than to the rudder servo. I am popping over to the local model shop with the bits in my hand to see what I am doing wrong.
Title: Re: Building The Lady Wooes
Post by: Norseman on April 24, 2012, 09:05:15 pm
How's it coming along Alan?

Dave
Title: Re: Building The Lady Wooes
Post by: Alan Mcl on April 25, 2012, 09:06:01 pm
It's coming along rather slowly but steady. I have been completing the deck house and engine room. I hope  to make and fit the doors tomorrow. I will take some pictures and post them tomorrow, Thursday  26th.