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Author Topic: Caldercraft Northlight Puffer with working Derrick Crane  (Read 109697 times)

DarrenCarter2

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Re: Caldercraft Northlight Puffer with working Derrick Crane
« Reply #225 on: July 27, 2014, 06:39:13 pm »

Hi mate loving your build ur a brilliant engineer wish I had the skills u have to machine my own parts, love ur cabin as well looks good how u have done it :)

Did u have trouble with ur hull being wrapped mine was quite bad all so had to get my father to take my hull to work to skim the none needed parts off he works for BMW so has better tooling and space to do it,

I'm going to weather mine and rust mine and then varnish after I found only a few brands that do Matt varnish I brought 3 different types I'm going to do a test with each one before trying it on my puffer

Thank u for your compliment on my weathering and my lady bute she's slowly getting there I have a week off work now so I'm hopping to get cracking with her and hopefully get her done or atleast nearly done
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Corposant

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Re: Caldercraft Northlight Puffer with working Derrick Crane
« Reply #226 on: July 27, 2014, 08:41:10 pm »

Hi Darren

I'm no engineer - I used to be a biochemist! But thank you for your kind words.

Yes, my hull was badly warped but didn't need any bits skimmed off. It responded quite well to being tightly wrapped with strips of cloth and warmed with a hot air gun - my post of 05/04/13 (reply #210) has a picture. It needs to be slightly overdone as it tends to regain its original shape over the subsequent few days.

Amusingly a neighbour came in the other day and was horrified when I told her I was planning to put spots of bird poo on the roof!

Have a great week!

Regards,
               Mike
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DarrenCarter2

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Re: Caldercraft Northlight Puffer with working Derrick Crane
« Reply #227 on: July 28, 2014, 05:01:23 pm »

Hi mate

Haha I was going to do that I have little seagulls that I was going to put one or two on the boat :)

Just to let you no I done 3 tests today with 3 different varnishes and the best one but Sod's law the most expensive one was humbrol Matt varnish spray it's number is 49 if that helps u finding it it only comes in 150ml cans but on my test it come out very well I have now done two coats on my hatch cover very happy with how it's come out :) hope this helps
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Re: Caldercraft Northlight Puffer with working Derrick Crane
« Reply #228 on: July 28, 2014, 07:49:15 pm »

Hi Darren

Thanks for the info about Humbrol varnish - it was on my list to try but everywhere seemed to be out of stock when I tried to order some. However, I have just successfully placed an order!

Lady Bute goes from strength to strength (car looks good too)! Hope your wife enjoyed the lasange  :-) .
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Re: Caldercraft Northlight Puffer with working Derrick Crane
« Reply #229 on: August 23, 2014, 10:39:13 pm »

 Before finishing the wheelhouse (i.e. glazing and fitting the interior), I decided to mount the lum and other bits and pieces on the deckhouse roof. As previously, I found myself struggling with the weight of the white metal castings so the steam escape pipe was replaced with aluminium and the ventilator hollowed out. The oil-drum proved difficult – I had no suitable sized tubing in stock. The chap in the drawing office thought it would be fun to make it from a piece of shim – making the ribs by scoring the back but his underling anticipated a very tricky soldering operation, so the idea was abandoned forthwith.
In the end, I resorted to turning down a substantial rectangular chunk of acrylic material. Holding it the lathe while forming the ridges and ribs proved a logistical headache and, once again, the chap in the drawing office proved useless. Yes, the handle of the drain cock did come off during the process and yes, I did make another one out of brass – the mind boggles!

 
http://s949.photobucket.com/user/photomultiplier/media/DSC05502_zps1c7d1022.jpg.html][/URL]

 
http://s949.photobucket.com/user/photomultiplier/media/DSC05504_zps273ca95d.jpg.html][/URL]

 
http://s949.photobucket.com/user/photomultiplier/media/DSC05506_zps4da4cfd1.jpg.html][/URL]

 
http://s949.photobucket.com/user/photomultiplier/media/DSC05514_zps901dd614.jpg.html][/URL]

 
http://s949.photobucket.com/user/photomultiplier/media/DSC05515_zpsdf590585.jpg.html][/URL]
I'm now struggling over what colour to paint the deckhouse. Caldercraft suggest “teak brown” but looking at umpteen puffer pictures, it seems 50:50 between brown and cream.
And another thing, I thought I might try my hand at a bit of air-brushing but can't get the Spraycraft SP20 (which came as a freebie when I re-subscribed to Model Boats) to work. Not only that, my son's Humbrol double action jobbie (not used for 25 years) produces an intermittent spray.
Never mind, I have a plentiful supply of paint brushes.
Mike
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Re: Caldercraft Northlight Puffer with working Derrick Crane
« Reply #230 on: August 24, 2014, 06:55:22 pm »

A mini update on the tail end of yesterday's post.

The problem with the Spraycraft airbrush turns out to be a split in the connector of the siphon bottle.



And the problem with the Humbrol one is an internal air leak - which when it builds up, pushes a bubble back through the inlet. There is the possibility that an O-ring is missing - but if so, I think the leak would be more dramatic. It is more likely that the joint is an interference fit - which, like me, is showing its age!

Mike
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Re: Caldercraft Northlight Puffer with working Derrick Crane
« Reply #231 on: August 27, 2014, 08:16:31 pm »

Another trivial update - sorry!  {:-{

Firstly the Spraycraft:

After trawling the net looking for a replacement siphon cap, it appears one would have to buy one for an Aztek airbrush. The problem was having to buy the glass jar too which, with postage, made it (in my opinion) unreasonably expensive.

This resulted in the chap in the drawing office getting involved.  :embarrassed: He thought that drilling a 0.4mm hole through the offending split and pulling it together with twisted wire would be the answer. His underling duly drilled the hole but it was immediately apparent that this solution would not be up to the task. So, a suitable washer was selected and, after applying a spot epoxy, was jammed onto the nozzle. (The wire option was also applied for good measure.)



Result: One working airbrush!  ;D

And now for the other one.

I decided that an O-ring was worth a try and a rummage through the collection revealed one small enough. There was the possibility that it would occlude the air inlet but in the event this was not the case.





Result another working airbrush!  O0

Mike
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Re: Caldercraft Northlight Puffer with working Derrick Crane
« Reply #232 on: November 21, 2014, 08:12:27 pm »

First of all let me say this posting this update has proved very frustrating!  O0   I tried two word processing packages (I no longer have the one I used to use in Windows XP) and in both cases the tabbing went awry when copying into the forum. To add insult to injury, the last experimental download posted itself spontaneously - much to my embarrassment!  :embarrassed:   So here it is with no tabs, only spaces. It appears impossible to edit in a tab (or spaces) at the beginning of a line. I'm getting too old!



A progress report on the weathering.

I had anticipated that this was going to be a challenge and, to date, things are going as badly as could be expected.

Two factors have had a surprising influence on the situation.

1.     Getting the 25 year old airbrush to work and finding that, even in my novice hands, it produces a much better result than hand brushing.
2.     The weather. I had assumed that I had missed the summer window of opportunity for spraying outdoors but Autumn held off for several weeks!

The sequence of events is as follows:

1.     I wanted to produce a bleached (but dirty) effect on the ply sheets supplied for the decks. After several disappointing attempts, I settled for diluted white Humbrol enamel, followed by powdered graphite with the excess removed with a wad dampened with white spirit.



2.     Before gluing these in place, the deck-house needed painting. I decided against Caldercraft's suggestion of 'Teak Brown' in favour of Humbrol Cream (103). After masking, diluting the paint 50:50 with white spirit and applying three coats (on successive sunny days), I was satisfied with the result.

3.     After a lot of fiddly masking, I sprayed the stern railings white (this time with a Halfords rattle can).
4.     There followed a brief interlude while the bilge pump outlet was made. (The outlet is directed downwards to avoid the fire-hose effect if it should need to operate.)




5.     All was now ready for the application of a rust coloured wash. I had experimented previously on a test surface, using a brush and found that a 1 in 6 dilution looked OK. Because air-brushing goes on very thinly, I made a 1 in 5 dilution of Humbrol 'Rust' (113). It took all morning to mask off everything but the hull and stern railings. After spraying, it was left overnight to dry. When the masking was removed the following day, a passing Mrs Corposant was heard to remark, “That doesn't look like rust!” Not being too discouraged at this stage, I wiped off the excess with a rag soaked in white spirit – just leaving the crevices etc. Mrs Corposant then made a further comment: “It still doesn't look like rust, it's pink!” It was one of those rare moments of total matrimonial harmony – I completely agreed with her! A scan of  the Humbrol colour chart in search of something browner revealed 'German Red Brown' (160) which, in turn, led to a trip to the local toy shop. All the masking had been removed and the temperature was dropping, so I decided to apply the new colour (also diluted 1 in 5) using a brush and this time, I included the deck-house. After leaving overnight, the result looked much darker than before – not surprising because the brush had deposited more paint.

Now for the creation of a very unhappy Corposant! You may have noticed that the purpose of most of my posts is that anyone reading them can learn from my mistakes – and this one is no exception!

I armed myself with a piece of rag soaked in white spirit and started to wipe off the excess brown from the railings – only it didn't happen! After trying several different solvents, white spirit in combination with a mild abrasive pad eventually removed the brown. The snag was that, by the time I had removed enough brown, the white had come off too!  Just to rub salt in the wound, the colour was actually what I was looking for.

Now for the hull. If I had been sensible, I would have used vertical brush-strokes and mopped off the excess immediately. In my defence, the ease with which the air-brushed coat wiped away, led me into a false sense of security. Now, however, I was faced with hours of wiping with white spirit and abrasive getting rid of the excess (and in particular, the horizontal brush-strokes).





After two very long sessions, the hull doesn't look too bad,



although there are one or two spots where the underlying red shows through the black.



The deck-house, however, looked a most peculiar colour




and has had to be re-painted, together with the stern rail. Not only that, the weather broke and it had to be done by brush.



6.     Another problem occurred during this sorry saga. In manipulating the model to get at the deck-house sides for painting (and in particular poking a brush through the railings to get at hinges and fittings etc.), I managed to dislodge the front ends of the top rail from their anchorage in the bulwark capping.




With the benefit of hindsight, I realised I had made a fundamental error when gluing in the stanchions – I had left bending down the ends until afterwards.



This meant that the anchor points were too shallow and the inevitable sequel was that the first stanchion on the port side broke, then the second and finally, the first on the starboard side became loose. I thought “Oh bother.” – or something very similar. The chap in the drawing office suggested drilling holes up into the broken ones and fitting new spigots followed by cutting off the rail ends that had come adrift, drilling half way through the top balls of the stanchions and gluing in longer lengths of wire whose distal ends could be firmly embedded into the bulwark capping. His underling thought these were a silly ideas and favoured scrapping the lot and starting again with brass stanchions – this time bending the top rail ends down before gluing. He did, however, at this stage call to mind the couple of spares in the kit. Then, while driving along the A303 for a few day's break in Exmouth, the chap in the drawing office had an idea for anchoring the existing ends more securely – bash them flat and bolt them in place.






Secured with a 16BA bolt:




7.     I haven't got here yet!

Mike
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Corposant

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Re: Caldercraft Northlight Puffer with working Derrick Crane
« Reply #233 on: February 22, 2015, 04:58:22 pm »

 The last update had me moaning about text formatting and weathering set-backs. Please accept my apologies! Our 12yr old grandson gave me some scenic rust for my birthday – so I'm hoping to do better in future!

Meanwhile, here are some current pics:

Binnacle bits.
http://s949.photobucket.com/user/photomultiplier/media/DSC05972_zpsb24ba3bc.jpg.html][/URL]

You will notice that the chap in the drawing office made me hollow it out and put an LED in it!

In situ:
http://s949.photobucket.com/user/photomultiplier/media/DSC05979_zpsbd583a78.jpg.html][/URL]

Spot the difference!
http://s949.photobucket.com/user/photomultiplier/media/DSC06068_zpse2e0086d.jpg.html][/URL]
http://s949.photobucket.com/user/photomultiplier/media/DSC06077_zpseb921d7a.jpg.html][/URL]

Yes – the voice pipe has a removeable plug/whistle! Who will ever know? You couldn't make it up!

I am greatly indebted to Howard Q for asking about the colour of side light boards and for the answer by Jerry C.

http://www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,49950.msg508989.html#msg508989

So, a couple of dabs of paint to create a pre 1972 model:
http://s949.photobucket.com/user/photomultiplier/media/DSC06115_zps2ebf7d7a.jpg.html][/URL]
http://s949.photobucket.com/user/photomultiplier/media/DSC06116_zpsb6cb3279.jpg.html][/URL]

and one or two more:
http://s949.photobucket.com/user/photomultiplier/media/DSC06122_zpsd738cef9.jpg.html][/URL]
http://s949.photobucket.com/user/photomultiplier/media/DSC06120_zps426c841f.jpg.html][/URL]
http://s949.photobucket.com/user/photomultiplier/media/DSC06134_zps48f182df.jpg.html][/URL]

Mike
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Corposant

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Re: Caldercraft Northlight Puffer with working Derrick Crane
« Reply #234 on: April 03, 2015, 08:12:12 pm »

 A trivial update – while waiting for the weather to warm up enough for spraying.

 
I had been putting off mounting the horizontal steering chain blocks. The reason being that I designed them to be secured with 10 BA nuts and, for this pair, access below the deck was going to be extremely limited.
http://s949.photobucket.com/user/photomultiplier/media/DSC06344_zpsunbdkrgk.jpg.html][/URL]


 
Mrs Corposant said “Why don't you just glue them in place?” This, of course, would have been the sensible thing to do! However, in my experience, it is extremely rare for something that has been fixed never to need un-fixing at a later date.

 
So, this device was fabricated:

http://s949.photobucket.com/user/photomultiplier/media/DSC06332_zps55dwgz8d.jpg.html][/URL]
http://s949.photobucket.com/user/photomultiplier/media/DSC06337_zpspibxcomg.jpg.html][/URL]

 
It enabled the nut to be positioned under the hole in the deck and the block screwed onto it. The length of spring enabled the nut to be twizzled tight.

 
View, using mirror, showing the port side hole.
http://s949.photobucket.com/user/photomultiplier/media/DSC06360_zpss4t76rrb.jpg.html][/URL]

 
and the block secured - including a locknut!
http://s949.photobucket.com/user/photomultiplier/media/DSC06389_zpsaixrk5ey.jpg.html][/URL]

 
http://s949.photobucket.com/user/photomultiplier/media/DSC06398_zps0o3ojpe5.jpg.html][/URL]
http://s949.photobucket.com/user/photomultiplier/media/DSC06400_zpsuqkbkofw.jpg.html][/URL]

 
The stage is now set for re-installing the steering mechanism – which, in turn, highlights the need for the rudder stem to be removable (so that the prop-shaft can be withdrawn when maintenance calls).
http://s949.photobucket.com/user/photomultiplier/media/DSC06401_zpstsc6jvvf.jpg.html][/URL]

 
Our grandson's rust seems to work well, although I have found it needs careful judgement to avoid overdoing it.

 
Before going any further with the weathering, I need to apply the decals. They appear to be the waterslide type (I've never done this before!) and I'm hoping they go on as words rather than individual letters!

 
Mike

 
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Corposant

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Re: Caldercraft Northlight Puffer with working Derrick Crane
« Reply #235 on: October 31, 2015, 09:26:01 pm »

 The current sequence of events:
The weathering,by and large, went well – one can set up practice pieces and experiment. It is easy to overdo it.
I had no experience of applying decals, so searched the Net and, from the large amount of advice (often conflicting!), opted to use white vinegar in place of “Microset” (which was said to smell of acetic acid) and the result showed a slight amount of “silvering” but I assumed the addition of a few extra rust spots and a coat of matt varnish would camouflage this. (But vide infra.)
I have to say, having also sought advice from this forum, that “Stan” is your man when it comes to sound counsel on such matters. Sadly his response came after I had “done it my way”. With the benefit of hindsight, I would use Microset, as recommended by Stan. The decals being fifteen years old may have been a factor in all this – Jotika say they can supply replacements.

 
Before varnishing the decks and superstructure, I decided to mount the fittings on the foc'sle, starting with the companionway. There followed a lengthy period of conflict between the chap in the drawing office and Mrs Corposant He contemplated the block of wood supplied and thought, “You can't just stick this on”. She kept saying, over the next few weeks of the underling's frustrations, “Why don't you just stick on the block that came with the kit?”

 
The chap in the drawing office thought it would be interesting to give it doors and a sliding roof section. Making it removable would enable it to be made “on the bench”. To prevent it being easily washed overboard, it was given a deep box section (which could be used as a mini storage area).
His deliberations went something like this:

Thin brass was chosen for the sliding cover and wood veneer for the fixed area (on the basis that the latter could be easily bent and glued). The chap in the drawing office then went into overdrive trying to think of a way of preventing the sliding cover from falling open. Obviously some form of spring was needed and, after a multitude of rejected ideas, the decision was made on the basis of being simple to make, not able to fall out and freedom from corrosion. Hence thin stainless steel wire.
The door hinges were of simpler design than those of the wheelhouse door and mounted within the structural layers (glued into the doors and push fit into side walls).


First stage.


Veneer.


Showing slots for hinges.

Showing slits for springs.

Final spring design.

Showing springs in place.

Hinges.

Doors.


Doors with hinges in place.

Edge strips formed by bending 0.8mm ply.

Finished.

Showing spring.

In situ.



 
The passage of time (a lot of time!) since applying matt varnish to the hull has revealed an interesting phenomenon. No change to the stern decals but those on the bows now show significant silvering and the varnish has lifted in a band below them. It looks as if something used on the decals has run down and affected the adhesion of the varnish – but all I used was water and white spirit (which were also used on the stern).

 
Pictures taken  22nd May.


Pictures taken 4th October.



 
Next instalment: The chap in the drawing office is thinking ahead!

 
Mike
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Re: Caldercraft Northlight Puffer with working Derrick Crane
« Reply #236 on: January 03, 2016, 08:42:23 pm »

 As promised, the chap in the drawing office has been thinking ahead. Every picture tells a story!


Wherewithal for a level footing:
http://s949.photobucket.com/user/photomultiplier/media/DSC07809_zpswvpwomap.jpg.html][/URL]
http://s949.photobucket.com/user/photomultiplier/media/DSC07824_zpswxcecvqy.jpg.html][/URL]

 
Regretted using teak – not easy to work at this scale!
http://s949.photobucket.com/user/photomultiplier/media/DSC08071_zps8b5fo1qr.jpg.html][/URL]

 
Yes, it's going to be bucket & chuck it!
http://s949.photobucket.com/user/photomultiplier/media/DSC08085_zpsbehc2lvo.jpg.html][/URL]
http://s949.photobucket.com/user/photomultiplier/media/DSC08117_zps6t85isxo.jpg.html][/URL]

 
Bending the back to shape was a bit tricky.
http://s949.photobucket.com/user/photomultiplier/media/DSC08130_zps5tuysvbq.jpg.html][/URL]
http://s949.photobucket.com/user/photomultiplier/media/DSC08135_zpscrpgddzi.jpg.html][/URL]

 
Trimmed up:
http://s949.photobucket.com/user/photomultiplier/media/DSC08141_zpsryv8b9r4.jpg.html][/URL]
http://s949.photobucket.com/user/photomultiplier/media/DSC08145_zpsd8fflacq.jpg.html][/URL]
http://s949.photobucket.com/user/photomultiplier/media/DSC08159_zpshkwxvgtx.jpg.html][/URL]
http://s949.photobucket.com/user/photomultiplier/media/DSC08194_zpstqdruyzq.jpg.html][/URL]
http://s949.photobucket.com/user/photomultiplier/media/DSC08200_zpsq78jdn1t.jpg.html][/URL]

 
In situ:
http://s949.photobucket.com/user/photomultiplier/media/DSC08231_zpsjjhphje0.jpg.html][/URL]
http://s949.photobucket.com/user/photomultiplier/media/DSC08232_zpseu8ssc6s.jpg.html][/URL]


I wonder what the chap in the drawing office has in mind now? - Not a lot!
 
Mike
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Peter Fitness

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Re: Caldercraft Northlight Puffer with working Derrick Crane
« Reply #237 on: January 03, 2016, 09:39:09 pm »

Beautiful work Mike, I love the attention to detail O0  I hope you're not going to model the contents of that bucket :o {-)


Peter.
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Re: Caldercraft Northlight Puffer with working Derrick Crane
« Reply #238 on: January 03, 2016, 10:56:10 pm »

Hi Peter,

I must confess it had crossed my mind  :embarrassed: - but fortunately only briefly!

The chap in the drawing office keeps nagging me to add some bits of newspaper hanging on a string and a lantern (for night-time visits) but these will be tricky at 1:32 so will have to wait til later - much later!

A very happy new year to you!

Regards,
               Mike
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Re: Caldercraft Northlight Puffer with working Derrick Crane
« Reply #239 on: May 15, 2016, 07:09:24 pm »

 A few more trivial bits:


The winch has been in bits since July 2013 – ready for painting! I had sprayed it with primer but it needed brushing, so it could be done indoors and I have finally got round to it.


I had got fed up with the reversing lever getting bent, so the first stage was to cut it off and make a brass replacement.


 Painting completed:


 
Fortunately I had taken some pics when I dismantled it!

 
And it went back together without too much trouble.
 

 
And it still works!

 
It was not anticipated that the galley flue would present any problems – so here they are!
Firstly, it was going to have to be removable – because the winch is removable and comes out with a twisting motion. A bayonet fitting was designed to facilitate this.

 
Secondly, using the aluminium supplied was not a success (at least not in my hands!). It's softness made it difficult to make neat joints. Epoxy failed to hold them together!

 
The third problem – a bit trivial this – no brass tubing of the right size in stock. I had to buy some!
Fourth problem – creating joints tight enough for soldering in thin wall tubing. At last, something for the chap in the drawing office to get his teeth into!
Result:

 
Success:


Painted and in situ:

 
Time now to re-assemble the steering mechanism. I decided to simplify it by dispensing with a couple of pulleys and making a new servo arm. (With the old one, the chain went a bit slack on the non-pulled side at each extremity – so springs were added.)
I started to make a set of shackles, got fed up because it was proving very fiddly and taking too long  so ordered some from Component Shop – which were very well made. The snag now was that, while waiting for them to arrive (24 hrs!), I finished making my own and so was faced with the dilemma of choosing which to use!


 
In the end, I chose the homemade.

 

 
At this rate, I'll be bringing her up to Wicksteed!!
Mike

 
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Re: Caldercraft Northlight Puffer with working Derrick Crane
« Reply #240 on: May 15, 2016, 08:40:11 pm »


 Work of art sir!   O0
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Corposant

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Re: Caldercraft Northlight Puffer with working Derrick Crane
« Reply #241 on: May 15, 2016, 10:51:21 pm »

Very kind of you to say so, Martin - but I think your trip to Specsavers is overdue!  O0

Mike
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derekwarner

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Re: Caldercraft Northlight Puffer with working Derrick Crane
« Reply #242 on: May 15, 2016, 11:03:25 pm »

A true inspiration in what can be achieved in scale Mike :-))

Have been back to post #1 :o... but cannot see the reference to the number of turns on the steering wheel drum......I tried to count them, but the speed is too quick

Have you considered some sort of slowdown for the servo drum?

Again congratulations on brilliant scale detail converted to realism  ...... Derek
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Re: Caldercraft Northlight Puffer with working Derrick Crane
« Reply #243 on: May 16, 2016, 12:13:28 am »

Hi Derek

The steering wheel drum has always had a diameter of 6mm. There have been two or three changes to the servo arm (length and shape!) and the current arrangement turns the wheel approx. 2 1/2 turns end to end (1 1/4 centre to port or starboard). Control on the water seemed OK when I took her to Wicksteed a couple of years ago (apart from going astern!  :D ) so I don't think a change in servo speed will be needed. I think your problem with counting the turns was because the servo is jittering badly - and ferrite beads don't seem to help.  :((

Thank you for your kind words (although my pedanticism evokes very different comments from Mrs Corposant!).

Mike
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Re: Caldercraft Northlight Puffer with working Derrick Crane
« Reply #244 on: May 16, 2016, 01:43:52 am »

Interesting Mike.....when I re watch the video...I count approx. 4 + a bit seconds from hard over to hard over, however from hard over to mid ships is quicker that 1/2 of the  4+ a bit <*<

As you say. may be the jittery servo....... but this is only watching in detail...I am sure on the water such matter would pale into insignificance  %)

Another question with regard to safety.....is the steering chain of fused link construction?.....have you established the breaking load for the chain?.....

Derek
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Re: Caldercraft Northlight Puffer with working Derrick Crane
« Reply #245 on: May 16, 2016, 10:49:59 am »

Derek

Another factor is the poor focus of the video!

The steering chain is fused link silver (obtained from a jewelry supplier). No, I haven't assessed the breaking load - how can I live with myself?  :o
It is attached to the springs with elongated hooks made from 0.6mm brass wire. The springs seem to cope with the task in hand!  O0

I did make the mistake of painting the chain, to give a rusty/oily effect - big mistake! It took ages to loosen the links enough to get it running freely through the pulley wheels - I should have just left it to tarnish!

Mike
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Re: Caldercraft Northlight Puffer with working Derrick Crane
« Reply #246 on: November 26, 2016, 09:00:39 pm »

 The trip to Wicksteed went well.

The temporary thread used for the slewing guys, which had survived the rigors of development for the last four years, decided to give up the ghost just before Martin arrived to take some  action shots!
The video shows the moment it parted!



July saw me thinking “I really must have a go at using the Sylmaster casting kit” - a Christmas present from two years ago! I had long felt that the white metal crew members, although good castings, were too heavy. Keeping a weather eye open for resin equivalents failed to meet my requirements.
The first stage went well, only requiring a trip to the local charity shop for some Lego and following the instructions.

Fitting the moulds together with inlets and outlets proved a bit tricky. The first attempt, using just rubber bands to avoid distortion, produced an excess of flash. Bubbles were also a problem.


Using metal plates and higher pressure solved the flash problem and a more sophisticated inlet and outlet system reduced the number and size of the bubbles.




However, the increased pressure resulted in distortion! After several attempts, usable results were obtained. In all this, my biggest problem was the resin going off in about 45 seconds – and I don't do fast!! The bubbles were filled with Milliput (which included fashioning new thumbs!).



My attention now turned to the hatch cover.
Unfortunately the piece of material supplied with the kit was wide enough but slightly too short. It also seemed too stiff and I didn't like the colour. I am indebted to Barriew for his idea of using a cotton handkerchief instead (dyed olive green).


http://www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,9767.25.html
Reply #29



Decided on a timber load:


The printed deck lights had always bothered me so I inserted pieces of microscope slide:





Finally, the saga of the skipper's right trouser leg.
Painting the crew started with a coat of Halfords grey primer. I must confess the skipper's cap and jacket seemed a bit implausible for a Clyde Puffer – perhaps he has delusions of grandeur! The picture shows my choice of colours (Humbrol enamel). There is however an exception – the skipper's trousers. I liked the primer's shade of grey and had no Humbrol equivalent, so I decided no further coat was needed.
The final application was a diluted black wash, mostly brushed off with white spirit when just dry.
The weather by now was cold but I felt I could get away with a coat of matt varnish. With the spray can in the airing cupboard, the figures were set up in the greenhouse, resting on a piece of kitchen roll. After spraying the backs, they were put immediately in the airing cupboard. All went well and when dry, the process was repeated with the figures facing the spray. This time things did not according to plan. I got the spray can a bit too close and therefore added rather too much varnish. Not only that, they fell over! This led to the discovery that Rust-oleum matt clear coat dissolves Halfords primer, with the result that the skipper's right trouser leg ended up with a bare patch. I thought “Oh bother” (or something very similar).
Undaunted, I set about removing the varnish from his leg. Alternate washings with IPA and white spirit seemed to do the trick. After capturing some of the primer in a pot, I brushed a new coat onto the denuded area. After drying, a dark wash was applied as before. However, this time  there was a delay, it got too hard and his right trouser leg was much too dark. Trying to remove the excess resulted in – yes, you guessed it – wiping off areas of the primer. I thought “Oh bother” (or something very similar).


The third attempt went according to plan!


Every picture tells a story (but this one has hidden depths!)



Mike

 
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Re: Caldercraft Northlight Puffer with working Derrick Crane
« Reply #247 on: November 27, 2016, 10:42:50 am »


Terrific work.   Well done.      :-))

I am into painting little figures and can never do a realistic looking job. My colour always looks too rich.  Thanks for the tips.

ken
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Re: Caldercraft Northlight Puffer with working Derrick Crane
« Reply #248 on: November 27, 2016, 02:15:28 pm »

Thanks Ken

You're probably like me - finding the old eyesight is not what it was! I certainly found the eyes a bit tricky. By the time I got the brush to the pupil the paint had dried! In the end I found a finely sharpened cocktail stick, pre-wetted with white spirit, worked best.

Curiously, I have found acrylics to dry even faster - which, being water-based, surprizes me. (And, as I pointed out, I don't do fast!)
I also find acrylic colours a bit bright for many small scale modelling applications - but obviously opinions vary on this!

Regards,
               Mike
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Re: Caldercraft Northlight Puffer with working Derrick Crane
« Reply #249 on: November 27, 2016, 07:55:50 pm »

You can always dull paint down either by mixing another colour into the paint or as you did by applying a wash or drybrushing a lighter coat of the original colour on top. Reds are horible to wether as they tend to go over pink in places (assuming you don't want fading as opposed to colour graduation).

I learnt recently that adding some grey to yellow improves its coverage and also takes some of the brilliance out of it. I read it in last month's Military Modelling I beleive.

Your figures came out really nicely and the efforts to get the trousers right despite everything ganging up on you worked great!
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