To get right up to date I promised a new process I don't think has been used in model lifeboat [or any other types] as far as I know. As I said, it is a 'sledge hammer to crack a nut'!! Here's how it came about.
I was travelling by bus to a model show on the coast in February. Sitting on then top deck a friendly face appeared, with his friend. It was Nick who I haver known for a number of years through initially a 1/12th model of an Arun Class lifeboat. We got talking and he mentioned some bits he was having made by a company that use water-jets to cut metal. I made a note and got in touch with them when I got back from the Dortmund Show. I took my little bollard, featured here, to show them the lengths
some of us will go to, to make our scratch built models. What I had in mind was the Shannon's upper steering position gate insert - all those holes - 154 on the early versions and 151 on the later versions. I produced my RNLI plans and asked whether this would be possible, remembering that the two 'beds' used by them [one shown here] cut through 6" steel and granite!! The answer was 'YES'. So what I have shown here is the machinery, the first two prototypes and then the amended versions with the correct number of rows and with the three right angled corners now machined off.
The process is:
- Draw onto the CAD screen the item with its measurements
- link the holes in the order in which you want them cut
- then programme in the start and end to the perimeter cut.
Each of the 150+ holes takes 1.5 seconds to complete, by first 'punching' a small hole that is then cut to the exact size, with two extremely fast circulations. Each of the gate inserts takes about five minutes.
So I have ordered 8 of each version in brass and for myself too, one in stainless steel and one in aluminium. I have already received interest and orders for 5 of them. How much? Not cheap, but accurate and a little work of art in their own right that can be a talking point when exhibiting your model. Remember, I have had to pay for:
- Some six hours of their time so far on programming and amending the prototypes [they put in two extra lines of holes over and above that on the plans]
- The brass sheet [not cheap these days in small sheets I provided for them to use]
- VAT
- The use of one of these 'beds' for more than two hours in total for this order.
Oh yes -
£15 each plus £1 p&p in the UK - elsewhere
the unit cost plus postage at cost to the address of the recipient. The
engraving shown here on the second amended prototypes was for me to see what it looked like for spacing.
This will not be on those supplied. It did cost £5 though. However, it is not what I want, so I am still working on this in two different directions. The water-jet cutters can only do 7mm and I require 2.5mm.
The sharp eyed amongst you might notice that one of the second amendments had four holes cut at the wrong size when the machine was wrongly aligned. So I soldered these in and then re-drilled by hand to the correct size of 1.06mm. It must also be noted that
I will not be finishing off each unit - this can be done by rubbing with 1200 grade 'wet & dry' paper, when received by the recipients.
Well, there we have it. The story so far. If You would like one then let me have a PM or send me an email and I'll get one to you as soon as I get the payment. You'll also have to let me know which version you require for your lifeboat. I am currently making a researched list of which Shannon had which gate - this might take some time. If you have any queries, just get in touch. However, I hope you like this little venture! I am not saying who the Company is as they requested this - saying, this was a one off Project for them and quite costly timewise, but they wanted to prove a point that it could be done! My thanks to them - Paul and Chris - as it has allowed me to get a small detailed item that would have been hard to produce to such a quality and in the right thickness of brass [to be painted anodised aluminium at a later stage].
C.C.