Following my earlier disaster with the drive train, I am delayed yet again in sorting out the hull interior, so have to do things elswhere "untill such time".
So For the mainmast on the wheelhouse roof. I decided early on that i want to be able to include lights and being as this vessel has a multitude of them. I have to really plan ahead to ensure i can pass cables through places you would not normally run cables.
I used some 6mm square section brass tube, slightly larger than it should be for accurate scale, but need the additional internal space for wiring!
the cross bars are 4mm brass tubing, which I intentionall drilled 2 3mm holes in, close to its centre line, to allow the outer mast light wires to run through and "down" the mainmast. I will be using "led's" so using brass as the main body of the build, I simply solder one leg of the bulb to the mast and reduce al the wiring by half in one easy swoop! [forward planning see]. I added the cross bar support angle pieces in a "one job" item, as after trying petiently to add a small triangle of brass to the underside and not having enough hands to hold solder, brass tag and hot iron, i found it easier to make a complete item, clamp in the middle with some small mole grips and solder to my hearts content.
Yes, i did remember to use 2 different heat ranges of solder, using the hottest first for the main work, then using a lower melting point solder to add the ladder rungs and hoops, so at not stage do i melt one thing off whilst adding another.
The mast access steps/rungs were bent out of 0.8m brass rod and the mast drilled to accept the legs for soldering. the same applies to the safety hops for the ladder, these were pre wound round a suitable mandrel, in my case a small mfa motor casing which happened to be exact diameter of the hoops needed. I then just had to add the vertical link rails and the small aerial array to the top of the mast.
I do now admit to this being my first major work in brass construction. It may not be the neatest or tidyiest you will of seen, but im pleased with the result, as I can only get better with more experience and we all have to start somewhere!