George, sorry, I haven't been ignoring you but have been:- getting the caravan ready for Ellesmere Port, rebuilding the steam plant, setting out servos, cleaning "Parat" and "Aziz" and to top it all, the lights in the bathroom all failed last night and it appears I'm going to have to take the ceiling down!
I don't know how others clean their models but I pretend they're the real thing so I sugi them with spray flash and a medium stiff artists paint brush for a striker, then hose 'em down!! I put all batteries on charge and this pm will replace RX in "Parat", test the gear and load up.
So back to the build, three micro servos, the left one operates the regulator the right one operates the reversing gear and the middle one will somehow operate the whistle. I haven't decided how yet as the canopy will need to be removeable. Operating the boat will be a case of:- canopy off, plant out, fuel and hot water in, plant in, connect servo links, connect feed pump suction and bypass overside discharge pipes, flash up, raise steam, warm through, test controls and go???? What did I forget? Defo need preflight checklist for this one!!!
Also made up a skin fitting for the feedpump suction pipe. It will connect to the pump with silicone hose.
Now a walkround the plant, the bypass valve will be replaced by a 90degree valve after Ellesmere Port and the oil separator tank will be replaced by a new larger diameter and lower tank. Until I can get the 90 deg valves at the show I don't actually know the height required for the tank.
I also have to make a new, improved, safety valve blow off pipe to divert excess steam above the canopy. The cap needs to be secured to the safety valve body, possibly with a bayonet fitting. Any suggestions? And finally Do I really have to keep polishing all the copper and brass or is there a good lacquer available?