Model Boat Mayhem

Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length.
Pages: [1] 2   Go Down

Author Topic: SS.Moonlight, Restoration 1:24  (Read 8020 times)

Tiny69

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 101
    • Tiny's Modelling Site
SS.Moonlight, Restoration 1:24
« on: January 09, 2016, 09:02:54 am »


The Moonlight was a ship I built some twenty six years ago and has been on the shelf at my parents house gathering dust for quite some time now. I've decided it was time to have a look at what condition it was in and restore the model.


There is quite a bit of work to do replacing some broken fittings but first I will need to remove all the dust that has gathered all over the model.


The removable roof over the rear superstructure as twisted so will need to be replaced as it is beyond repair.


I will be removing all the internal wiring and replacing it with new cables along with new radio equipment and speed controller.


I also want to add a few extra fittings and fixtures to the model from the additional information I have obtained over the past few years.

BFSMP

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1,091
  • Model Boat Mayhem is Great!
  • Location: Knott End on Sea
Re: SS.Moonlight, Restoration 1:24
« Reply #1 on: January 09, 2016, 09:24:07 am »

Beneath the dust it looks a beautiful model with so much detail.

Was it scratch built as it is just superb and well worth restoring back to a sailing condition.

Jim.
Logged
life is like arranging deck chairs on the Titanic!

Tiny69

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 101
    • Tiny's Modelling Site
Re: SS.Moonlight, Restoration 1:24
« Reply #2 on: January 09, 2016, 12:02:28 pm »

I scratch built the model some twenty six years ago.  It won a number of awards back in the nineties.


Have a look at this web page which details how I built it.


https://sites.google.com/site/tinysmodellingsite/Welcome/moonlight


Tiny

Starspider

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 284
  • Model Boat Mayhem is Great!
  • Location: Grays, Essex
Re: SS.Moonlight, Restoration 1:24
« Reply #3 on: January 09, 2016, 08:47:35 pm »

Very nice model, great ebook too
colin
Logged

Norseman

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3,466
  • Location: Huyton, Liverpool
Re: SS.Moonlight, Restoration 1:24
« Reply #4 on: January 10, 2016, 02:43:02 am »

I spent a nice hour going through your build, very enjoyable. It is a model well worth a fefurbishment.

Can I ask if you once built a foundation franklin? I think i remember seeing an old photo at new brighton with your name on?

(Sorry my caps lock has stopped working)

Dave
Logged

Tiny69

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 101
    • Tiny's Modelling Site
Re: SS.Moonlight, Restoration 1:24
« Reply #5 on: January 10, 2016, 09:45:16 am »

Thanks for the comments Dave.  I am glad you enjoyed the read about the original build.  I helped to build the Foundation Franklin with my Dad, Ron Horabin.


I have attached a picture of FF sailing at the old New Brighton lake back in the late Eighties and the second one gives an idea of the size of it.


Tiny

Norseman

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3,466
  • Location: Huyton, Liverpool
Re: SS.Moonlight, Restoration 1:24
« Reply #6 on: January 10, 2016, 10:50:42 am »

Yes that's the photo - thanks Tiny.

Dave
Logged

dreadnought72

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1,892
  • Wood butcher with ten thumbs
  • Location: Airdrie, Scotland
Re: SS.Moonlight, Restoration 1:24
« Reply #7 on: January 10, 2016, 12:29:11 pm »

Can you tell us how the materials, glues and finishes have aged? I hear conflicting reports about the durability of superglue - it'd be interesting to know if we're building 'five' or 'twenty-five' year lifespan models...

Andy
Logged
Enjoying every minute sailing W9465 Mertensia

Tiny69

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 101
    • Tiny's Modelling Site
Re: SS.Moonlight, Restoration 1:24
« Reply #8 on: January 10, 2016, 06:41:43 pm »


Andy

Some of the plastic as gone brittle and easily breaks away so I will have to replace some parts.  I don't remember using any superglue on this model, but the two part epoxy glue I used is as strong as ever and takes some sanding to remove it.  The fibre glass hull and all the plywood are sound.

Today I have spent some time hoovering all the dust off the model and started to remove some of the fittings so they can be repainted. I have also removed the coaming from around the rear superstructure because it was broken in places because the plastic had gone brittle over the years. I sanded it away to give a flat surface for a new coaming to be built on later.

I have also removed the toilet block to replace the main door which had wrapped.

Then I started to remove all the hatch planks and scrape the paint of the tops of the girders so when they planks have been refurbished they can be glued back in place.

Tiny69

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 101
    • Tiny's Modelling Site
Re: SS.Moonlight, Restoration 1:24
« Reply #9 on: January 17, 2016, 07:09:44 pm »


Update 3: 17/01/2016


This week I have been concentrating on installing the new radio and electronics into the model. I ordered a new 6 channel futaba T6K transmitter and receiver combo and a number Action electronic units. Whilst waiting for them to be delivered I removed all the old radio equipment that was still in the model and accessed what could be reused and what needed to be discarded. Next I started to plan how all the equipment would fit into the hull and design an equipment tray to mount the items on.


Using some 3mm thick plywood I positioned the electronic units and battery and marked out the positions. Then I cut out the hole for the main battery. Then I built plywood surrounds for each of the units to hold them in position before placing the tray inside the hull. Now I could start to connect up each of the units starting with the switch and power board to the main battery via a relay unit. Then I connected the speed control unit to the power board and motor.


At this point I decided to try out the main motor using the transmitter so I connected the leads to the receiver and the 5v supply from the power board and switched everything on. The system worked with the motor turning both forward and reverse with the rudder swinging left and right. I haven't finished connecting everything together yet but here is a list of all the components.


Action Electronic units
P79 Speed control 10A
P29 Steam Whistle
P56 Compound Steam engine sound unit
P44 Double switch unit (2 off) For winch and derrick motors
P92 Power Board with 5v BEC for receiver supply


Other items
Main Switch
12v 12Ah Battery
12v Relay and Base Unit
2.4 Ghz Receiver
Servo unit with two micro switches for light circuits

ballastanksian

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 6,447
  • Model Boat Mayhem inspires me!
  • Location: Crewkerne
Re: SS.Moonlight, Restoration 1:24
« Reply #10 on: January 17, 2016, 08:48:43 pm »

I love to see a well designed layout for the Gizmos and this is pretty tidy Tiny!

Your topic is very interesting.
Logged
Pond weed is your enemy

Harquebus

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 187
Re: SS.Moonlight, Restoration 1:24
« Reply #11 on: January 19, 2016, 05:28:14 pm »

The model is great and has a nice aged patina which gives it more realism--I would try to preserve the patina has much as you can. If it were a 1/1 boat, it's possible it could have been retired for a decade + in a boathouse actually gathering a layer of dust...


What type of plastic was it that went brittle?
Logged
~Harq

Tiny69

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 101
    • Tiny's Modelling Site
Re: SS.Moonlight, Restoration 1:24
« Reply #12 on: January 19, 2016, 08:18:09 pm »

The plastic was probably from a railway stockist such as Slaters plain white about 0.5mm thick.


Some of the later photo's I have of the actual ship show it in a more deteriorating state up until it was scrapped in 1970.

Nemo

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1,837
  • Location: Sussex.
Re: SS.Moonlight, Restoration 1:24
« Reply #13 on: January 19, 2016, 09:07:02 pm »

Tiny. Many thanks for posting such an interesting history and build report of your wonderful 'Moonlight'.
My father was employed on many Ross & Marshall puffers and most of the 'Lights'. My Uncle Dan was skipper of the 'Stormlight' at one time. Many weekends my Dad would take me as a small boy up to Glasgow Docks and we would cross the decks of many puffers tied up there side by side and I have no doubt that 'Moonlight' was one of them. I have found a photo of 'Moonlight' in my collection where she is approaching the Dunardry Lock on Crinan Canal (below). My history states that 'your' 'Moonlight' was the third boat to be so-named. The second 'Moonlight'  was originally the Larne-built  'Ormsa' on which my father was Mate back in the 30s. Small world, the puffer world!  :-))
Bob.
Logged

Arrow5

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3,873
  • Location: Scottish Highlands
Re: SS.Moonlight, Restoration 1:24
« Reply #14 on: January 19, 2016, 10:33:08 pm »

Nice picture but it seems to be printed(?) wrong way round (flipped) ?
Logged
..well can you land on this?

Tiny69

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 101
    • Tiny's Modelling Site
Re: SS.Moonlight, Restoration 1:24
« Reply #15 on: January 20, 2016, 08:08:12 pm »

Bob,


That's a picture I have never seen before.  You must have had an interesting childhood amoungst all those little ships.


Tiny

Nemo

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1,837
  • Location: Sussex.
Re: SS.Moonlight, Restoration 1:24
« Reply #16 on: January 20, 2016, 09:11:53 pm »

Bob,That's a picture I have never seen before.  You must have had an interesting childhood amoungst all those little ships.Tiny

I sure did. I spent a month on a puffer when I was 10 yrs old. Can't remember which one but may have been the 'Jennie'. We cruised/Dad worked, around the Clyde and the Kyles of Bute and were allowed to steer at times - a great thrill for a wee lad - although I had to stand on a box! I remember the smell of that ship to this day and can still picture the large cooking range in the 'galley' which never went out!  'The Maggie' is my most-watched DVD.
 :-)) :-)) :-))
Logged

Tiny69

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 101
    • Tiny's Modelling Site
Re: SS.Moonlight, Restoration 1:24
« Reply #17 on: January 21, 2016, 04:55:38 pm »


I spent a week on board the VIC 32 back in 2012 and had a great time sailing around some of the Western Isles.  I enjoyed having a go at steering the little ship in a bit of a swell on the only rainy day of the whole week.  It is great onboard because you can really get involved with the running of the ship. Click on the link and have a read all about my holiday on board and watch the videos as well.


https://sites.google.com/site/tinytravelstheworld/Home/trip-11-vic-32


Tiny

Tiny69

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 101
    • Tiny's Modelling Site
Re: SS.Moonlight, Restoration 1:24
« Reply #18 on: January 24, 2016, 07:46:49 am »

Update 4: 24/01/2016
I have been continuing on with installing the rest of the elecronics in to the hull. I made two C Cell battery sized boxes from plywood and positioned then either side of the Action P44 modules and wired them together to power the winch and derrick. Each motor will run on just 1.2v through a gearbox giving a slow movement. With that complete I then made two servo mounted sets of micro switches to control the steam whistle module and light circuits. With these two units wired in place to complete the the system the speaker for the sound module was mounted under the rear superstructue and connected to the unit.

With the electronics complete I could now start to renovate the model starting with replacing the coaming around the rear superstructure. First the old broken plastic was removed and the base sanded to give a flat surface. Then four 9mm wide strips of 0.8mm thick plastic were cut to make the new coaming. I placed the superstructure in the correct position on the deck and working from the front started to measure and glue the 9mm plastic in place. To strengthen the joint a strip of 2.5mm angle plastic was glued in place along with triangular uprights at regular intervals.

With the coaming complete the steps removed from the old one were glued back in place to line up with those on the superstructure.

ballastanksian

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 6,447
  • Model Boat Mayhem inspires me!
  • Location: Crewkerne
Re: SS.Moonlight, Restoration 1:24
« Reply #19 on: January 24, 2016, 03:03:56 pm »

She's coming along fine! Again nice to see tidy electrics.
Logged
Pond weed is your enemy

Tiny69

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 101
    • Tiny's Modelling Site
Re: SS.Moonlight, Restoration 1:24
« Reply #20 on: January 31, 2016, 04:55:06 pm »


Update 5: 31/01/2016

The roof of the rear superstructure was the next item to be made starting with a sheet of 2mm thick plasticard the shape was marked out using the old banana shaped one as a template. Then it was cut to the rough shape and placed onto the superstructure to check it fit correctly. With a bit of filing the final shape was achieved. Next a 5mm deep plastic strip was glued around the outside edge of the 2mm thick roof to form a coaming to hold it in place on the superstructure.

Some of the window frames in the wheelhouse had broken so they were removed and new ones made from 0.5mm thick plastic sheet and glued in place. Now a base coat of grey acryllic paint was applied to the new coaming, toilet block and roof ready for the top coat later. The whole superstructure as also been given a light sanding with a 400 grit wet and dry paper ready for repainting later. I spent some time scrapping of the old black paint from the handrails and re-soldered the broken rails/stantion joints before repainting them white as shown in a colour photograph I had found of the ship on the internet.

All the fittings had been removed at the startof the project so I decided to repaint those that didn't need any repairs doing to them. First they were hand painted with the base grey and then given the applicable acryllic top coat colour, mainly black.

Starspider

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 284
  • Model Boat Mayhem is Great!
  • Location: Grays, Essex
Re: SS.Moonlight, Restoration 1:24
« Reply #21 on: January 31, 2016, 08:26:52 pm »

looking good  :-))
Logged

Tiny69

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 101
    • Tiny's Modelling Site
Re: SS.Moonlight, Restoration 1:24
« Reply #22 on: February 07, 2016, 04:39:54 pm »

Update 6: 07/02/2016

This week I have been working on renovating the main winch to working condition. First the broken pieces were removed and the rope from the main drum. One of the plastic piston conrods had broken so using the other as a template I made two new ones from some aluminium which is much stronger but still very light. Next the electric motor was refurbished by cleaning the rotor brushes and removing the green gunk that had built up on the contacts. A new brake pedal was made from brass and the band that wraps around the main drum cut from some thin brass sheet and is held in position by the new brake pedal.

To finish of the repairs a new reversing gear lever was made from plastic and glued in place. Then I airbrushed the whole assembly in a matt black acryllic paint and finished it of by painting the ends of the warpping drums white as indicated in the photos I have of the ship. Using some white paint I dry brushed the cog teeth to highlight them so it looks like the paint has worn off the teeth. Lastly the rope was wrapped back onto the main drum ready for installation into the model.

Whilst studying the new colour photgraphs I found I noticed that the rear superstructure roof was painted all black as well as the skylights and water tank along with the deck at the front of the wheelhouse. So I glued into position the skylight housing, the water tank and small mushroom vent then airbrushed the lot in flat black as well as the deck in front and behind the wheelhouse.

To finish off the rear deck I painted the superstructure coaming flat black and the deck a brick red. The rear quadrant was repaired and painted black and glued on top of the rudder boss. The steering chain pulleys were placed onto the freshly painted bosses and the chain routed around the deck. Then the bollards and mooring cleats were glued back in place over the steering chains. The wooden quadrant cover was glued back in place as well as the two freshly painted cowl vents.

Tiny69

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 101
    • Tiny's Modelling Site
Re: SS.Moonlight, Restoration 1:24
« Reply #23 on: February 15, 2016, 04:35:57 pm »

Update 7: 15/02/2016

I have been concentrating on preparring the superstructure for a fresh coat of paint. The top coat of varnish was sanded back and the wheelhouse and painted black areas were masked off before a diluted mix of half white/half brown acryllic was airbrushed over the superstructure. Then a top coat of Humbrol No. 9 Brown was applied.

Now the areas either side of the steps were masked off and given two coats of matt black and the treads dry brushed with silver to add some wear and tear. The wheelhouse window frames and roof were then hand painted with Humbrol No. 10 Dark Brown. New coal bunker boards were made by cutting 8mm wide strips of 3mm thick balsa and cut to length. At each end a hand hole was cut into the board and a brass rod inserted.

Each board was then stained with a mahogany varnish along with the two wooden doors. The freshly varnished name board and brass plaque was then glued back in place on the front of the superstructure.

derekwarner

  • Full Mayhemer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 9,464
  • Location: Wollongong Australia
Re: SS.Moonlight, Restoration 1:24
« Reply #24 on: February 15, 2016, 10:38:15 pm »

Tiny....we see in your first post MOON-0005.jpg one of the stern deck ventilators as originally installed.....and again in the later image.....wouldn't they be 9/10's of ineffective unless the was a breeze athwart ships or from the stern & the vents angled toward the breeze?.....

In earlier times, it was the fireman's job to go up deck to ensure the ventilators were angled toward the prevailing breeze

Still a great restoration & images :-))......Derek
Logged
Derek Warner

Honorary Secretary [Retired]
Illawarra Live Steamers Co-op
Australia
www.ils.org.au
Pages: [1] 2   Go Up
 

Page created in 0.11 seconds with 22 queries.