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[reynard555]

Hi Thank you ,most helpfull  .Regards Roger

[swiftdoc]

I received my slotted screws and completed the small vent.
The VHF aerial was built from styrene scrap. When building it I did not really know what this thing was for. Thank you Kim for explaining that it is an aerial used in an emergency should the main aerials be broken.
On the last photos you will see some 4 mm carbon tubes which I filled with styrene rod using car body filler and sanding to get the slope. The mechanism was built from styrene, using a file to get the slot in and brass rod (0.5 mm for the shaft and 0.9 mm for the cross bar handle). The base plates are made from 0.5 mm styrene.

[swiftdoc]

First I intended to use smd led's of 1 mm length for the deck lights but then Kim suggested to try some fibre optics. I had not used them before but decided to give that a try after Kim had shown me how the light travels even through relatively narrow curves when the fibre optics are bent. I compared both ways of lighting and found the fibre optics much better. Thanks Kim for pointing me into the right direction once more!
I drilled a hole through the shaft of the aluminium rivets and then drilled another at an angle using my milling machine and the adjustable vice. The holes have a diameter of 1.2 mm so that the fibre optics of 0.75 mm slot in easily and can be bent down a bit so that the light points downwards. The hole was closed using car filler. Then I applied Mr. Metal Primer and Revell satin black by brush. I am very happy with the result

[Canterbury Coxswain]

Arno, great........at least I know my idea works!!

After an awful last twelve months - in many ways - I did at last get back into the workshop this afternoon and made a start on the 'gob-eye' fairlead on the stern deck. I will now edit the few photos and make a Post later.

I must say, during those twelve months - when other more pressing matters have eaten up all my spare time - watching and talking with Arno on a very regular basis has kept me both sane and also inspired. That is why I invited him to join me here, as we are not only very good friends, but building the very same Shannon based at Dungeness. That way, anyone following this 'thread' will get at least two approaches on the build as a minimum. Then I am pleased for the few that have also posted their boats' progress - as they say 'there is more than one way to skin a cat'. I hope this has not been too hard to grasp for anyone.

Then on that other superb 'thread' here on MBM [I do not do Facebook!!] there is the wonderful build of the same MbD Shannon by Andy W. [Taranis]. That has really inspired and given me a few ideas to copy also, especially his approach to the hinges for the upper steering position gate! Now why did I not think of that when I made mine. They will be re-made!! Who said that scratch building was going out of fashion and almost dead - bah humbug!!

Kim [C.C.]

[Taranis]

Thank you kindly Kim. This model just keeps on giving and it's great seeing the numerous ways to achieve a similar result.
I hope you have a much better year of 2020
There are a number of tricky items now put behind me but a fair few I have not yet formed a plan of attack for. One in particular is the Radar motor housing and another the camera. For now I'll progress the mast as far as I can until I hit a wall. I'm doing the nav light boxes as I type

[Canterbury Coxswain]

Well, here it is - the start of the stern 'gob-eye' fairlead.


On the actual boat this is 73mm diameter in the lower thick section = 6mm on the [1/12th] model, which allows for the paint to be added later [I jest not!]. So I have used a very good quality brass tube [given to me by Andy G. when I was staying with him back in September] which has 1mm walls [slightly thicker than normal tubing]. Then my process has been as follows:

• heat the section of tube to 'cherry red' in the area to be bent - this time using my cheap little butane lighter fuel torch [while I await the delivery of a Rothenberger replacement to my much larger oxygen/butane brazing set-up].
• then solder a small brass plate across one end and then fill the tube with kiln dried fine sand [the type used to fill in between the blocks on a driveway paved area].
• then solder off the other end.
• bend the tube to the required shape [here using a 5mm peg, which when bent makes the required 6mm diameter bend] as on the plans.
• unblock one end, empty sand back into pot and cut to slightly oversized end lengths.
• put into the vice on the milling machine and machine the ends to the correct length.

The result is almost OK to the plan. I will await and see what the starboard side piece comes out like, using the same process and at this point decided whether to proceed with these two pieces. If I do, then I will:

• use a small length of 4mm diameter rod and soft solder the two pieces together.
• then, on the lathe, machine up the two bevelled reduction inserts to come back to the 3.21mm rod [1/8"] - again allowing for the undercoat [Belcher Grey Metal Primer] and top coats of paint to be applied and bring the diameter up to 3.4mm!
• then I will make the tubes for the two deck plates, onto which this unit will reside.

This will hopefully get done across the next three days or so..............................


Kim [C.C.]

[17-09]

Great to see you back in the workshop K.
17-09

[Canterbury Coxswain]

The photos here will show the progress - as described above - for the Starboard side. The first attempt did not go well......even with the sand tightly compacted into the tube, it bent! So the second attempt went better and this was then joined, using a 10mm length of 4mm rod, and soft soldered. The end product was almost to the plans - but not quite - however, there were 'dings' from being in the vice and the tubed being annealed [softened] which I used my Proxxon handheld finger-belt sander to minimise and then finished off by hand. This is nearly done, as can be seen. My next job will be to either make the 'feet' or deck plates for this piece to sit on the deck or the two bevelled 'reducers' for the handrail to be attached to. Either way these will all be done across the next few days, as and when time allows.
I have also shown my new vermiculite block - 300mmx400mmx25mm - and sent through the post! This was supplied by FirePlug Fire and Accoustics from Amazon. It was just over £30 including P&P.

C.C.

[swiftdoc]

Sorry for disturbing you in the workshop, Kim

I was not really happy with the screws shown in #851 of this thread as their heads were too big. I have made a new frame and put in those tiny ones from Knupfer. They are not counter sunk but will look to scale in their 1.4 mm holes. They are made from stainless steel and are the smallest I could find.

[17-09]

Hi Arno,
 The screws looked OK to me on the first frame, the second one, again looking good, they do look just a tad smaller?
Beautiful work on all your fittings, well done, pity they need to be painted!
Thanks for everything, Merry Christmas .
Alan......

[Canterbury Coxswain]

Arno,
As I said in the email just sent - I am so pleased that you saw the big difference and made the change for yourself. This looks so much better and a lot more to the scale required. This is a lifeboat with finesse and not a large and beamy affair!
You will also notice that I have had my 'rivet counter' hat on today, on noticing your correction, and the screws are actually just set 'off centre', more towards the outside edge. It's incredible how many little things like this get noticed when you look at someone else's build; Andy W's build has drawn my attention to little areas that have made me go away and look more closely at the way things are made or work............wonderful!
Keep up the good work - did not get into the workshop yesterday or I doubt today......other matters have overtaken the time allocation! So hopefully the gob-eye will get more attention at the weekend.
Kim

[Canterbury Coxswain]

In the long distant past I used to do some art [pictures] and would go to bed, well pleased with my efforts. Then in the morning I would look at the portrait and think 'why is she [or he] 'gotch eyed' or 'why is the parallax on that building out' or even 'how could I have got the vanishing point in the perspective so wrong!'. Well, the same happened today [Saturday]. I looked at the basic bottom section of the 'gob-eye' covered above and thought 'where have all those 'dings' and 'flats' come from, I thought I corrected those yesterday!'. So just over two hours was spent on further refining this piece - it was quite therapeutic and also rewarding. The little diamond grit flat files [red and yellow in the first shot] I came across and had forgotten them. These were ideal for getting the curved surfaces back as they broached the raised humps and got the shape down to the same level. Then I:
[/color]

• [red and yellow in the first shot]found the stern base plates [feet] that I had already made some while back and reduced these by 1/64" all the way around[/color]
• [red and yellow in the first shot]then I used a pair of metal work dividers to scribe a line around the edge and then marked on the bolt holes[/color]
• [red and yellow in the first shot]then using a mechanical centre punch [spring loaded] made the indents[/color]
• [red and yellow in the first shot]then went to mark the centre of the hole for the 'cradles' [one on each foot] that hold the gob-eye off the deck - and lo and behold I had marked one hole on each wrongly, when I looked at my photos. I had assumed the wrong position off the plans, so................[/color]
• [red and yellow in the first shot]I filled these two holes with soft solder, cleaned it back to the brass surface and remarked and punched the new hole[/color]
• [red and yellow in the first shot]after which I drilled them through[/color]
• [red and yellow in the first shot]and then set about marking the two holes for the cradle uprights, which will get done later today [Sunday][/color]

[red and yellow in the first shot]
I hope that all makes sense. You might just be able to spot the rogue centre punch marks filled in!


The other thing that happened today was a large parcel arrived from Arno [swiftdoc], which contained the latest batch of laser cut lettering on the gate inserts. Four of these are 'spoken for', so will be got off in the next couple of days, that leaving just four more..........if you are building a Shannon and want one you had better PM me quickly regarding the versions I have left, there might not be anymore made and those that are out there are a very select thirteen [that is with the laser cut lettering on too]. Arno also sent me some mesh goodies [many thanks and much appreciated] and what also looks like some Christmas pressies too!! Those will have to wait a few more days.......................................

C.C.[/color]

[Canterbury Coxswain]

Apologies for the 'typos' above, I 'modified' part of my text and it replicated it all over the main text. I then went back and corrected it several times, but it would not alter and correct as required - heyho, maybe I pressed a button somewhere, but I hope you can just ignore the bits in brackets throughout!
Thanks,
C.C.

[coch y bonddu]

nice to see your build on here cracking workmanship as usual




Dave

[Canterbury Coxswain]

Got into the workshop for awhile again this afternoon and did some silver soldering on the cradles and deck 'feet' [plates] for the stern gob-eye fairlead.


But, before that, just a few words on the production of this item and similar fixtures and fitting in the near future. They do not have to be in brass and silver and soft soldered - those are my preferred methods over many years. I have seen these same fixtures for the Shannon and other lifeboats made of aluminium, styrene and in some circumstances even wood. Use what is best and works for you. Once it is painted you will normally not see the difference! I like brass, ali and stainless steel because I normally enjoy exhibiting 'in build' as it gets more interaction with the visitors and allows the build techniques to be shown. It is slightly stronger and will take the strain when we get a little 'heavy handed' whilst loading and unloading at shows.


Now, back to today. I ........

• cleaned the areas to be joined and then mixed my Tenacity 5 silver solder flux paste
• positioned the parts on the vermiculite / Skamolex boards
• and using 0.5mm silver solder wire from Blackgates Engineering and my small hand held blow torch that uses lighter [butane] fuel made the braze
• then using small files initially and progressing onto 240 and 1200 grade 'wet and dry' paper to finish them off
• you will not that the undersides show no sign of the tube
• that the small soft solder infills to my mistaken bolt hole centre punch marks will have to be re-done at the end - they disappeared with the heat of this process [should have thought that through better!].
• the soldered 'foot' sitting on a small engineers' parallel is to dissipate the heat quickly, so one can move on. Not the best use, but I have a few that I buy up at Shows [cheaply], just for this purpose.

Tomorrow I hope to get the two 4mm pieces of studding made to hold the unit to the deck and then soft solder the 'gob-eye' onto its cradles. The 'tinning' of the parts has just been done, but time ran out to complete.


Kim [C.C.]

[Canterbury Coxswain]

............last couple of photos.
C.C.

[SteamboatPhil]

Nice metal working Kim 

[Canterbury Coxswain]

Thanks Phil,

Coming from you, I take that as a great encouragement as we move into yet another 'modelling year'. I do find it quite therapeutic .......when it goes right! But as they say, practice makes perfect and I would encourage anyone who has not tried soldering to have a go for themselves. Just read it up, ask some questions and putting safety to the very front of your mind - have a go.
There are three main rules:

• make sure all is clean [even clean 'wet & dry' paper can leave residues that will make for a bad joint] and use a good flux for your type of solder
• use the right heat for the right job [normal soft solder for the majority of jobs, low melting point solder in areas where soldered joints are already in place and silver solder [or high melting point soft solder] where normal soft solder is to be used on joints later or where strength is required. Obviously, hottest joints first and working down to the lowest melting point. Heat sinks - most of us use metal 'crocodile clips' do help dissipate unwanted heat away from areas already soldered.
• keep all components rigidly still whilst the operation takes place. Using a 'third hand' or specialist jig does help.

So there you have it. Thanks Phil for your encouragement and may you have a 'very straight running' New Year!! Hope to see you at Alli Palli in January.
Kim

[Canterbury Coxswain]

If you are reading this 'thread' for the first time - 'welcome' - and a Prosperous and rewarding modelling New Year to all those that are regular readers.

So, prophetic or what......'practice makes perfect' I said above! I'll let the photos do the talking, but the sequence was:

• after dry fit in last photo above, draw lines onto soldering board [vermiculite / Skamolex] and tin the areas to be joined
• set to upright [90 degrees]
• WRONG - after soldering items and then putting unit on stern deck I noticed that the angle of incline was 95 degrees........
• day wasted, so next day de-solder items and clean up
• re-solder
• then add the two side braces - heat sinks used here [crocodile clips] to stop the gob-eye coming away from the silver soldered cradles below
• 95 degrees works so much better
• braces cleaned and tidied up

I wanted to put the upper steering position back together, temporarily and in doing so noticed the Port side aerial needed tightening on its pivot - needed a 2mm spanner! Found these from Knupfer, which I had purchased some six years ago at Dortmund......I knew they would come in handy one day!


It's been so nice being back in the workshop, even though it does need a bit of a tidy up! Maybe the build momentum will gather pace now!


Canterbury Coxswain

 

[Canterbury Coxswain]

.......last few.


C.C.

[derekwarner]

Hey Kim.....if you need a hand with KNUPFER M2's ....just give us a yell & I'll get my little Mate on a flight for you  ......Derek

[Canterbury Coxswain]

Not a pretty sight!! I got into the workshop for a short while this afternoon and decided to make and then solder on the two small supporting 'fins' on the gob-eye fairlead. I used plenty of solder at this stage, hoping it would make a good bond and not have to be done twice! Then other 'duties' had to be attended to, so there the unit sat in its 'warts and all' stage.
At midnight, and being committed to family matters tomorrow, I decided to go back into the workshop and remove the residue of solder. It was then that I noticed how loud the Proxxon finger pen sander is!! Even though I am in a detached premises I thought the new neighbour [no longer a student let premises] might not be too impressed with the sound of an enraged dentist next door! I can hear his Kango hammer, as he has demolished the interior, and gone about a complete refurbishment of his property, so thought prudence might pay off in the long run....................
However, thought some of you might just appreciate what things look like, before being tidied up........maybe it will encourage some newcomers that their 'offerings' are not as bad as they thought!
As I say to the 'Doc' sometimes..................'gently, gently catchy monkey!'.


C.C.

[BrianB6]

Sorry CC
My father taught me that the less solder on the outside of the joint the better.  Think of how much solder you need then halve it.
Clean both sides of the joint and 'tin' them.   Sometimes that's all that's needed or just a touch of solder and let it flow into the joint.   Very little cleaning up needed.

[Canterbury Coxswain]

Thanks Brian,
Been at this for many years, but agree with your father for most joints. Here I needed to get the heat up [having already tinned exactly as stated] and then not undo the soft solder joints in the cradles - remembering that the bottom joints were silver soldered, so could take the heat. This way the solder has - just - flowed and then I have moved down with 'touched' amounts added to complete these thin 'fins' with so much metal to dissipate the local heat applied. Once cleaned it will have achieved what I set out to do. Hopefully it will add to the various techniques I used to teach on my courses.
Appreciate the input and would agree that in most cases - least is best.
Kim

[Canterbury Coxswain]

Today, 'fins' cleaned, then:

• cleaned out the underside of the footplate holes with a 4mm drill, by hand
• using 4mm brass rod cut an M3 thread on two small lengths
• then faced the threaded ends
• and parted each, leaving a small non-threaded length left that will be Araldited into place tomorrow.

Next will be the hex headed bolts and washers for the footplates and then turning the two reduction cones to take the start of the stern handrails.


C.C.