Model Boat Mayhem

Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length.
Pages: [1]   Go Down

Author Topic: Caldercraft north light clyde puffer  (Read 8213 times)

Darren

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 27
Caldercraft north light clyde puffer
« on: January 30, 2013, 06:03:09 am »

Hi I'm thinking of buying this kit, my father had the original one in the 80s he said they were a very good kit but had some of the castings wasn't great, he says he believes they have recently revamped the kit just wondered if any of u no what this is like and any info on the modern one would be help full looking at buying from Cornwall model boats retails at £258 thanks guys
Logged

Neil

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1,334
  • Location: near Fleetwood
Re: Caldercraft north light clyde puffer
« Reply #1 on: January 30, 2013, 07:55:09 am »

it's what ever you want from a kit.......
do you want one that goes together like an Airfix/revelle kit. or do you want one that will enhance your skills a little and give you some experience of thinking through slight problems and dealing with them.
I do believe that the plans still are not to scale which can cause some problems with beginners, but the Northlight was and is a little beauty of a model to build and gives so much scope for super detailing work, and if you fancy one, then the foibles of a "cottage industry" 1980's generated kit are easily overcome by the total enjoyment of getting over the problems and building a superb little boat with plenty of inherant detailing.
 
As for costs........I bought mine when it was £98.00 brand new, but would have no probs or qualms paying the asking price today...I look at it this way...think of the hours of fun building and then sailing against the amount of pints of beer for the same outlay, and what you have to show for that at the end of your drinking time.............no comparrison.
 
go for it.....a great little model and a wonderful kit.
 
neil.
Logged

Darren

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 27
Re: Caldercraft north light clyde puffer
« Reply #2 on: January 30, 2013, 09:09:01 am »

Well what it is I'm looking for a new kit to build I have built a couple of billings kits which yes the instrutctions r rubbish but they do build up to good kits they were plank frame kits just I'm stuck between the north light and a model slipway kit, only things that put me of model slipway is 1 the amount time u have to wait for the kit ( I no it's bit bad of me not to wait but if I'm paying £200 or £300 for a kit I want it now not in a months time ) and 2nd thing is model slipway stuff is styrene my past experience with styrene hasn't ended well u can't sand it very well and it's not as giving as wood I'm just stuck the model slip way kit is the bout layer taskoa think that's how it's spelt I love detailing kits and these two kits are the same scale 1/32 or there abouts I'm just stuck
Logged

Neil

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1,334
  • Location: near Fleetwood
Re: Caldercraft north light clyde puffer
« Reply #3 on: January 30, 2013, 11:13:08 am »

I can't comment on the pro's and cons of Caldercraft Vs Slipway as I haven't ever built a Slipway kit,but have built many Caldercraft ones but have always fancied building the Slipway Maggie M, MBE, but both manufacturers are light years ahead of Billing in their instructions and plans and quality of materials, and Slipway is/was Light years ahead of Caldercraft towards the end of the recent decades in their products, as far as many modellers would have one believe, so don't expect Billing quality with either of these, or any modern manufacturer.....if you do, you will be very very pleasantly surprised with what you get for your money.
neil
Logged

Corposant

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1,627
  • Location: Hampshire UK
Re: Caldercraft north light clyde puffer
« Reply #4 on: January 30, 2013, 11:47:26 am »

Darren

I too can recommend Northlight - especially if you have some experience. Although the castings need a bit of attention with scalpel and file, their definition is excellent. Mine was purchased in 2000 (still not finished - but the delay is all down to me!).

Mike
Logged

Darren

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 27
Re: Caldercraft north light clyde puffer
« Reply #5 on: January 30, 2013, 12:09:56 pm »

I think to b honest I am going to go for the north light so many things u can do to detail this kit like smoke genorator stuff like that may I ask what motors u guys have fitted in yours dad had a decaperm in his but I haven't got that sort money to spend on a motor back in day dad said they weren't even half that price
Logged

Corposant

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1,627
  • Location: Hampshire UK
Re: Caldercraft north light clyde puffer
« Reply #6 on: January 30, 2013, 12:23:49 pm »

Darren

I've fitted a Mabuchi 385 in mine - which didn't cost me anything because I removed it from some scrapped equipment. I think it's designed for a nominal 12 volts (6 - 18) but I'm planning to run it on 6v to make an attempt at "scale speed". I cannot say whether this will work in practice as the model is still some way off it's maiden voyage! (Looks OK in the bath. :-) )

I'm sure Neil will give you better advice.

Mike
Logged

Neil

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1,334
  • Location: near Fleetwood
Re: Caldercraft north light clyde puffer
« Reply #7 on: January 30, 2013, 12:45:52 pm »

I had a little Monoperm in mine....sailed beautifully with that, until I entered our regatta towing contest with it......towed a 7' destroyer round the course........did ok but for burning the motor out.......refitted a 385, as Mike had in his...........and she sailed for rears after that with no problems.
so, like Mike, I'd recommend a 385........In those days though, I only used 6v batteries.
 
neil.
Logged

Darren

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 27
Re: Caldercraft north light clyde puffer
« Reply #8 on: January 30, 2013, 12:50:42 pm »

Ok cheers guys for all your help get paid next Friday but the car got have its mot as well next Friday so if it passes I will order one :)
Logged

Darren

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 27
Re: Caldercraft north light clyde puffer
« Reply #9 on: February 04, 2013, 05:53:07 pm »

Sorry guys to ask another question can u remember with your caldercraft clyde puffer did u get a propshaft with it and what size size was it also what size prop do you run thanks
Logged

Corposant

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1,627
  • Location: Hampshire UK
Re: Caldercraft north light clyde puffer
« Reply #10 on: February 04, 2013, 09:27:59 pm »

Darren

My Northlight came with a 4mm steel propshaft in a brass stuffing tube (8mm x 8"). The prop was a 40mm three blade white metal casting.

I duly mounted this arrangement in the model but, after only two initial "sea trials" in the domestic test tank, the propshaft went rusty and produced a "crunchy" noise when turning the prop. Yes I had greased it thoroughly!

In consequence of this, I replaced the fittings with a 7" stuffing tube with stainless steel M4 shaft, together with a 40mm four bladed brass prop. All these bought from SHG Model Supplies (£20.20 in Aug. 2010). If I were to repeat the exercise I would probably opt for a stuffing tube with a fitted oiling tube.

I must stress that my Northlight was purchased in Jan. 2000 and the later ones, supplied by Jotika, may have a better quality prop and shaft.

Hopefully you will get some feedback from someone who has experience of the more recent kit.

Mike
Logged

mikearace

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2,381
  • Location: Yate
Re: Caldercraft north light clyde puffer
« Reply #11 on: February 04, 2013, 10:03:50 pm »

I am currently building the Northlight but its an older version thats been put to one side for a while.  It does have a number of issues with some of the sizes of the wood parts and one or two of the castings etc and not to mention the plans.  But there is nothing there at all to put anyone off and these minor issues aside its still a lovely kit with plenty to recommend it for. 
Logged
Not just two wheels...........and never trust a hippie

Neil

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1,334
  • Location: near Fleetwood
Re: Caldercraft north light clyde puffer
« Reply #12 on: February 05, 2013, 08:33:50 am »

the only thing I ever had problems with, in the running gear department was in the steering gear, as in the rudder stock..........it had a propensity to rust with the mild steel that was supplied and would jam up after every sail.......
had I been building one thse days I would use brass rod in some way and make new brackets and probably a plastic or wooden rudder to go with this in order to make a "none stick" set up.
 
neil.
Logged

derekwarner

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 9,463
  • Location: Wollongong Australia
Re: Caldercraft north light clyde puffer
« Reply #13 on: February 05, 2013, 10:14:42 am »

Guys....there is also an issue with the depicted steering chain straight line atwart ships about the rudder as opposed to the arc of radius of the chain to the Port & Stdb chain rollers relative to the rudder pintal axis arm which moves in a secondary arc to the rudder post  >>:-( .......
Pretty simple when you view & consider the geometry.......I documented this some years back here on Mayhem............
Having said this I still consider a model of the North Light Clyde puffer to rate in the Top 10...in simplistic beauty of model vessels  :-))  .....Derek
Logged
Derek Warner

Honorary Secretary [Retired]
Illawarra Live Steamers Co-op
Australia
www.ils.org.au

Corposant

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1,627
  • Location: Hampshire UK
Re: Caldercraft north light clyde puffer
« Reply #14 on: February 05, 2013, 12:20:38 pm »

Darren

What Derek is saying is that the steering mechanism as portrayed in the model is inefficient - and he's right!

Here's a picture from a real Puffer  (the VIC 56 at Chatham dockyard).



Which looks pretty crude to me!

Unless you plan to do as I did and operate the rudder using the chain (which I would strongly advise against - unless you've got lots and lots of patience!), then using a servo with a rod won't cause you any problems.

Mike
Logged

Neil

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1,334
  • Location: near Fleetwood
Re: Caldercraft north light clyde puffer
« Reply #15 on: February 05, 2013, 01:12:35 pm »

Mike.....it's a different set up on the VIC to a genuine Puffer.
the Puffer had it's steering stock post actually attached to the stern post, and not as a VIC under the counter of the stern as on narrow boats, and therefore the steering head on a puffer doesn't come through the deck like on the picture of the Vic you have shown, but is attached to the after end of the boat,  and being on the stern post it makes it even harder to make a true steering system, and as such atristic and modellers licence is even more important to the modeller.
If i remember rightly I made a small tiller arm glued to the top of the rudder shaft and ran through two tubes in the deck, some cord linked to two springs which in turn were linked to the double servo arm..the springs allowed self centreing but were strong enough to turn the rudder for control.
on deck I ran dummy chains around the quadrants and tunnels as artificial rudder steering.
 
neil.
Logged

Corposant

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1,627
  • Location: Hampshire UK
Re: Caldercraft north light clyde puffer
« Reply #16 on: February 05, 2013, 05:01:43 pm »

Hi Neil

Yes I know! O0 Not only that, the VIC 56 is one of the later larger VICs. (Although the VIC32 has the arrangement you describe.) I chose that picture because it showed clearly what Derek was talking about and I thought Darren might think it would cause a problem with the model.

The advice in the kit is for a single servo driven rod to turn the rudder stock (not moving the white metal tiller arm). If Darren is prepared to take the trouble, he would do well to use your arrangement (but not mine!).

Mike
Logged

Neil

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1,334
  • Location: near Fleetwood
Re: Caldercraft north light clyde puffer
« Reply #17 on: February 05, 2013, 08:05:56 pm »

Hi Neil

Yes I know! O0 Not only that, the VIC 56 is one of the later larger VICs. (Although the VIC32 has the arrangement you describe.) I chose that picture because it showed clearly what Derek was talking about and I thought Darren might think it would cause a problem with the model.

The advice in the kit is for a single servo driven rod to turn the rudder stock (not moving the white metal tiller arm). If Darren is prepared to take the trouble, he would do well to use your arrangement (but not mine!).

Mike

I thought your arrangement was superb Mike, and if I ever made another would like to do that.......I will be adopting something with pulleys on my two lifeboats when getting round to ut....so won't be two far removed with moving parts in different directions...it's going to be a night mare, lol
Logged
Pages: [1]   Go Up
 

Page created in 0.242 seconds with 22 queries.