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[dan]

not lookin to bad at all ken 

[Netleyned]

The future's bright  The futures ..............!

Great work Boyo

Ned

[Tug-Kenny RIP]

Thanks guys. Much appreciated.

No work today as I've been assembling IKEA furniature for the children. (to much of a challenge for some eh!!)

ken

[Tug-Kenny RIP]

Back to the boat with renewed vigour.

As I'd had problems obtaining the rubber bumper bar to go around the boat, I decided to make my own. To this end I have used a plastic water tube which was 18mm diameter.

The first picture shows the bisecting operation on the trusty band saw. The edges were cleaned off and the heat gun applied to a test piece to check the viability of setting a bend, longways. This proved OK as shown in the picture.

It was then on to fitting the cut length to the boat. I drilled some holes into the plastic and screwed the tube to the sides. As I progressed up the length, I applied the heat gun to shape it to match the curves encountered. I then undid the screws and applied superglue to the edges and re-screwed the shape onto the sides.

I shall be removing the screws and filling the little holes to make a smooth finish later.

I then made some cabinets for the upper deck and these are shown in the picture. The little man seems to be getting smaller.     I do have to make a slatted floor for him to stand on, but he still need to be bigger.

Ken

[DickyD]

Coming on nicely Ken.

[Tug-Kenny RIP]

Thanks Dicky, trying to keep the costs down. I can't wait to get 'Glassing' but have to wait for warmer weather to assist the drying.

The window frames present the next set of problems. I believe there are sets of professionally made ones, but I shall go the 'cheap' route just for the fun of it. All the money I save will go towards the proper lecky stuff from ACTion.

ken

[Tug-Kenny RIP]

Spent the day on WINDOWS 2010

Here are a sequence of pictures on how I am making my 15 windows out of plastic.

First I cut the outline shape, followed by the inside glass opening. There are various sizes of window in batches of  'same sizes'.  I put the same shapes together and cut out the holes in one go so that they all look the same.

I then cut a long thin band of plastic and ran it around the inside of the window and glued it in place.  While the glue was drying, I decided to seal down the rear deck.  This has presented me with another problem, in that the inspection hatch (being flat) does not follow the curve of the deck.  I shall have to do some more 'inventing'   

ken

[Tug-Kenny RIP]

The time has come to do the bolts around the windows and side panels.

This involves the use of the 'beads' I've recently purchased, a lot of patience, and no windy workshop. I set out a cloth on the house table and proceeded to glue each one on by hand.

Talk about tedious and labour intensive, it was a very long job. I felt like a dressmaker making a wedding dress.   

The following pictures show the way I did it. When dry, I silver painted the windows and it doesn't half look so bad. Quite a good illusion now. 

I then moved on to the side panels, where I glued the miniature 12BA nuts all around the frames.  In all, I reckon on fitting about 200 with super glue. These will be painted the same colour as the cabin although they look flashy at the moment in chrome and stand out.  I had considered not painting them but this would have meant fixing them on top of a painted cabin and they might have come loose.

ken

[Brian Roberts]

Ken, if you can avoid painting the chrome bolt heads please do so (except on the window frames) because this is how it is on the real Severn. You'll find that you're going to need 1600+ by the time the boat's finished! A real test of patience.

She continues to look good, and your work rate is amazing!

Brian

[Tug-Kenny RIP]

Yes,  I did want to show the chrome, but I've glued them on now and would have to paint all round em all. I'd never get it perfect now.

I have a picture of the real ship and when they showed as the same colour as the cabin I thought this was how it was.

I could chisel them all off I suppose but, as they seem to be slightly larger than the original ship, I thought the paint would mask this discrepancy.

I'll sleep on it and have another think.

Cheers

ken


modified news

I've enlarged the ships photo's on the computer and they are indeed unpainted. 

Out with the chisel

[furball]

When I built the Rother, I bought a hex punch set to do the heads of the bolts that hold the superstructure down.

...there's about 300 of them... 

Lance

[Tug-Kenny RIP]

Thanks for the idea, Lance. I have been shopping again to look around for ideas and shapes and sizes.

I'm going to remove ALL I've done as it doesn't look right. I'm going to re do the white side panels. I've removed one of the plastic doors from the plywood cabin and it pulled a layer of wood off with it.    

Good stuff, this super glue onto ply. Ah well,  bite the bullet.

Ken

[Tug-Kenny RIP]

Well, that's the little bolt heads gorn.   

I've sanded them off and cleaned up the floor !! What a mess. Today I found the answer. I've bought some hexagon 2.3mm plastic bars and will be cutting over a thousand pieces to form imitation hexagon heads. The test results are very satisfactory so it's onwards and upwards.

I've also bought the copper tubes necessary for the bridge aerial masts. Spent the rest of the day cutting them to shape with my miniature pipe cutter. This makes a superb end to the tubes. I've soldered them together with my cake decorating welding torch and learnt a bit of welding techniques along the way. Doesn't copper get hot ... ouch !!

Here's a few pictures of my efforts. It should look good when painted black. The hollow tubes are ideal for inserting the wiring for the lights and radar.

ken

[DickyD]

Very impressive Ken

[Tug-Kenny RIP]

Thank you Dicky.  I found it quite an expensive enterprise. Copper prices are quite something these days.

ken

[dan]

do you think that soldering/welding technique would work with 1mm wire ken?

[Tug-Kenny RIP]

Hi Dan

Yes it is possible.  My first reaction was "What are you soldering it too?" and and my second reaction was, if you hold the blow torch on the wire for too long, then it will disintegrate.  The secret is to heat the copper, then remove the torch, then apply the solder and watch it 'Flow' around the joint. 

If you'd like to pop around then I can give you a few tips on how not to burn your finger.
(been there, done that)   

Ken

[Tug-Kenny RIP]

Today I painted the structure with red oxide primer and put it out in the Sun shine.  (yes, it did shine  today).  When dry, I sprayed it with Black silk aerosol paint and also let that dry before giving it a second coat.

On to the windows, I have cut out the plastic from CD cases and glued them to the backs of the previously made frames with super glue. This material did not bloom as does the lighter plastic I normally use, so there's a plus.

The plan is to fit these when the cabin has been painted.  I have just noticed that there is one more window in the stern section so I'll have to go through all that again.    (all them rivets are driving me mad !)

ken

[dan]

Hi Dan

Yes it is possible.  My first reaction was "What are you soldering it too?" and and my second reaction was, if you hold the blow torch on the wire for too long, then it will disintegrate.  The secret is to heat the copper, then remove the torch, then apply the solder and watch it 'Flow' around the joint.  

If you'd like to pop around then I can give you a few tips on how not to burn your finger.
(been there, done that)    

Ken

thanks Ken, its the mast wire work ill be doing, im fed up of sticking my fingers together or the metal rod to my hand using glue, so im thinking solders the way to go  

[Tug-Kenny RIP]

It would certainly be stronger and neater to do. A powerful soldering iron might do the job perfectly.

ken

[Tug-Kenny RIP]

Regarding the bumpers around the edge, I have found some more plastic tubing, only this time time it's in black.

I've made the final pieces to go around the boat. I had thought of ripping off the white strips but they wouldn't come off very easy without damage, so I've left them on. It's all going to be painted anyway so won't show up in the end.   The easiest way to get the curves is to bend the tube with a heat gun, before cutting them down their length. I'm even more pleased with the result.

I have also made the 4 life canisters and started painting them. They are placed on the model just to get the effect at the moment.  I then cut out the inside face of the rear section and fitted a rope drum which actually revolves.

I have been experimenting with bending copper pipe in readiness for the railings, but not having much luck. It tends to kink so I'm thinking of using solid copper/brass instead.  I don't suppose the extra weight will be noticed on a boat this big.   

ken



 

[DickyD]

Looking great Ken, you'll soon be sailing her.

Are you still sending your good lady down the gym to do her weight training ?

[Tug-Kenny RIP]

Every time she comes in with a fresh cup of tea I say, "look what I've done, dear",  she gives it a cursory glance and does appear to be dreading the launch day.   

ken

[Tug-Kenny RIP]

Today we continue with the brass work.

As there are a lot of railings on this craft I thought I might get into pipe bending seriously. To this end I went to "Help section" for information on benders and how they worked.

My thanks to everyone who responded and I came away with all the answers to assist me in my build.

I have constructed a pipe bender mechanism to handle up to 5mm pipes and show pictures of my construction attempts. It is a mechanical lever which rotates the pipe around a wheel and can be stopped at any angle to suit. Some of the forces necessary in its manufacture resulted in metal springing off and slicing the back of my hand.  (see blood picture!)

In use with my 3mm pipe which is required for the Severn, the forces are quite gentle so no more worries of risk there.

I have completed the bow railings and show the pictures of them temporarily in place. This assembly has cost £20 so far, with the brass and lead etc.  Just have to go all around the boat now with the rest of the railings.

ken

 

[Mat_B]

Looks 
Blood adds to the model makes it feel like you have put more into it