Welcome from the Portsmouth Yard, dormant for a few months now as other projects have taken precedence. However, the build is back on!
The first problem encountered this week was this, I am building a Pyrotechnic Effects model, not a scale one! Sounds obvious, but I keep forgetting. Monday was the fitting of the walkway (highway?) from the main blocks of superstructure aft to midships, over the tank deck. This has been detailed in a fantastic build/re-build thread elsewhere on the forum, featuring an RFA Tanker, and whose authors name I cannot remember! However, this aint no scale model, and that sort of super detailing will just get blown to little tiny bits the first time I over stuff one of the charges! In the interest of survivability I have instead opted for...
Only the best quality Aluminium 'U' section cut and screwed and bolted to fit. It is held down with a combination of stainless self tappers and M5 stainless bolts into captive nuts. Todays advice... do NOT fit your captive nuts in place with cyanoacrylate as a) it isnt strong enough for the job, and b) when it drops out of the bottom of the deck it IS strong enough to bond itself to the stainless bolts. The whole assembly now rattling up and down through a hole in the deck. I have invented a whole load of new swear words if anyone wants to borrow them for a special occasion, just drop me a line
Usually, tankers are adorned with large 'NO SMOKING' signs, this one will have 'TRIP HAZARD' at the end of the walkway, due, mostly to all the screw and bolt heads sticking up!
Next was davits, ten in total. These are being made from a material called 'Foamalux' which is used by sign writers. I imagine it is a cheaper alternative to acrylic, as the surface finish is not as good. One advantage is that it is mildly flexible, which is good news for davits. these seem to spend much time being knocked, bent and dented during transport. I have already built a bigger set for the CHANT tanker, posted elsewhere on the forum, and these have proved tough over the summer season. So now was time to scale down.
These are 'in build' at present, cutting two at a time from two sheets of material taped together ensures they are paired and matched visually.
So thats it so far....