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[Canterbury Coxswain]

Hi Derek, no your eyes do not deceive you.
I'm so pleased that you noticed! As you are from 'down under', and therefore in the Southern Hemisphere, I thought I would include the set-up for your models too, taking the Coriolis Effect [or Force] on water into consideration. Therefore, all Trent, Severn, Mersey, Tamar modern twin shafted propeller type Classes of lifeboat would have their propellers contra-rotating, however, in the Northern Hemi-sphere [us / me] they would contra-rotate outwards, whilst down-under they would be required to contra-rotate inwards. It's the effect the gravitational pull has on the water - North = left to right and South = right to left, 'simples', as the meerkats say!
I had the privilege, some years back now, of standing on the Equator in Kenya and watching water spin in one direction to exit a hole in a bucket when stood North of the Equator and then walk a few metres South and watch water poured into the same bucket exit in the other direction. That Coriolis fella [new word taught me by Martin of Macs Mouldings] certainly has a lot to answer for!!
Kim [C.C.]

[pipster]

Hi Kim,
Prop direction is something I've never got my head around. So looking from the stern, which prop turns clockwise and which anti-clockwise?
Phil

[rnli12]

Hi,

An emotive topic for many, but looking from the stern for forward thrust - left anti-clockwise, right clockwise but saying that i have the opposite on my Solent Lifeboat 

I have found on my other boats a difference in the effectiveness of the rudders due to the prop wash of inward driving props.

Like I said others may have differing opinions/experience.

Rich

[Canterbury Coxswain]

Phil and Rich..........watch this space and let's see the replies - the 'the truth will 'owt' eventually and I will have to 'nail my colours to the mast' - another couple of idioms that Swiftdoc will appreciate![an 'in joke' after our recent get together]. He and his family are at this very moment on the ferry back to the E.U.
However, I can and will answer your replies [and thanks for those]. Firstly, Phil you have got it right - to get the approach right it is 'as viewed' from the stern. When Ted Radstock was 'still with us' his catalogue used to have an explanation in it. So did Simon's at PropShop - is it still there?Then Rich is totally right in the directions for all those boats quoted above. Likewise he is totally correct regarding the Solent lifeboat, as I have quoted elsewhere in these hollowed pages! In my early days of model boat building I had the privilege of meeting Pat Kemp and his wife at the Hop Farm Model Airshow, where I was displaying my Arun Class lifeboat. We got talking as he had heard me say I wanted to build a Solent Class. He invited me to his house, where he had one. Now, Pat was an RNLI engineer / mechanic for the South and South East of England. He had helmed and delivered many of these boats around these shores. The one thing he taught me was...... "the Solent's props always contra-rotated inwards and don't let anyone tell you different; she was a pig to handle and this made it slightly better. Likewise my model, when I did this it had a discernible difference in the handling, even at 1/12th scale.".
So, there you have it - thus far. Please be patient though and await my final piece.
Kim

[Canterbury Coxswain]

To start with, go across to my 1/12th MbD Shannon build thread if you are interested in small detail items to 'upgrade' your model with - hex nuts and bolts, bottle screws and turnbuckles, clevis pins, stranded wire and the like. Good quality materials and products from Prime-Miniatures. I mention this now as they do working brass shackles at three different sizes [I use the two smallest] which are very suitable for the Trent Class versions up until some three years back, when they were updated to a stainless 'snap-shut' type.
This Post deals with the way I made the 'A' frames to hold the end of the propeller shafts in place. I used the lathe and the milling machine here to:

• turn the two round bearing holders which are near scale from the RNLI plans. They are opened at the 'exit' end to accept the 'dry liner' bearings used above in the shaft bearings.
• these I then milled two slots in each to accept the 'arms' and make for a more solid silver solder joint.
• using the milling machine I milled the 90 degree ends to each in one action, then.......
• fixed them so the opposite ends were at the correct angle [from the plans] and milled them in one go too.
• Then I hand profiled each using my Proxxon finger belt-sander, and finished off by hand with wet & dry paper.
• These were then silver soldered, using a large bolt through the bearing holder and into the Skamlex heat dissipation brick material.

All went well, they await fitting into the hull, but another job done.

[pipster]

Thanks both (Kim and Rich) for your replies; I'll go and check my set up. 
Phil

[swiftdoc]

Those A-frames look much more realistic than the Raboesch ones I used for my Bigliani build. The Bigliani boat has only a single frame on each side. I cut them off and sanded them a bit to give it a bit more realistic shape. I was careful not to remove too much of the plastic material as they are quite fragile. Your parts really look excellent. A lathe is on my wishlist...

Please give us more information about your soldering. Do you use a soldering iron or a burner? So far I have only used soldering as you do for electronics.

Kind regards

Arno

[Canterbury Coxswain]

Hi Arno,
The Bugliani looks good and those type of shaft / bearing supports are what we normally call 'P' brackets, because of their shape.
Regarding my soldering methods, I use:

• A Weller 350 Watt trigger twin heat soldering gun for most normal 'lead / tin' soldering jobs and larger cable / wiring for electrics and their plugs.
• Then I have a variable heat soldering iron station unit where you can 'dial in' the heat required for normal lead / tin cored flux solders. This is quite useful when using low, mid and high melting point solders for complex builds.
• Then I have the small Antex 18 Watt and 25 watt small soldering irons for smaller electrical work and small etched brass work.
• I have a main Walkover 555 Oxy-Butane brazing torch with the two bottles [Oxygen and separate Butane gas] with normal nozzles and also 'micro' nozzles which I use mostly. This I use for my silver soldering of pulpit rails [see #26 of this 'thread' where the soldering is exposed and not cleaned up and then a few photos later all is neatened off and clean], stanchions and stern railings, telecomms towers and 'A' frames etc.,. This is going to be replaced with an Oxy-Turbo 1000 in the next few weeks, as you cannot now get the oxygen cannisters for the Walkover 555 on a safety issue. The Oxy-Turbo will not normally be cheap [£185], but I have sourced the unit for £147, well worth a small amount of time searching the internet. I like to make the above types of fittings in brass or stainless steel for strength, I am not in favour of plastic, resin, white metal or Myzak fittings here as I want to reduce the chance of breakages. That said, I know of many modellers that do use these and make them work fo them. I just want to manage the risk of easy damage when either loading / unloading the car and for 'little fingers' at Shows. You can see my Walkover 'ringed' in yellow on the far wall of my workshop.
• I also have a small hand held soldering torch which uses lighter fuel and lasts long enough to do small silver solder joints. For these and at 4.] above I use 0.5mm EasyFlo wire sourced from Blackgates Engineering.
• Lastly, I have a Dremel butane fuelled soldering torch too, but as yet I have not tried it.

I really enjoy silver soldering, it [like all soldering jobs] needs a clean joint, the right temperature and both parts being joined held absolutely steady. I use Tenacity 5 solder flux powder, which I mix with de-natured water [tap water can be used, but I prefer to keep this 'pure'.
I hope this long diatribe helps.
Kim

[Starspider]

Hi CC


That is a very clean and well organised workshop, you ought to get a couple of builds on the go lol 


Colin

[david48]

Morning
 What has appeared in the local garages round my area is a company called HOBBY GAS  are thy nation wide (UK) and you can get gas easily from the garage ,not like the old BOC thy did not like big OXY/ACCET bottles in domestic properties.
David

[Canterbury Coxswain]

Good morning Colin and David.
Colin - Yes, it does look clean here, but not at the moment! The 'bridge', as I call it, is cluttered with Shannon build tools and parts, whilst the worktop is full of recent acquisitions and an air-compressor and a large helicopter! As you will see from my 'threads' there is steady, but slow, progress with the Shannon, as well as the little Severn RC conversion and some preparatory work on the Atlantic '21. All of this because of a calf muscle problem that has slowed me down considerably and also due to the fact that I have a Concert in the Cathedral this weekend and I am heavily committed to rehearsals [the English Chamber Orchestra are our orchestra on this occasion] and the marketing side of the Canterbury Choral Society. What with RNLI youth and Safety work too, the modelling side of life is quite small. But thanks for the compliment, I will now go and tidy it up due to a pang of conscience!
David - It's all down to the bottle connectors and 'O' rings at this size and the oxygen supplies - the butane bottles are not a problem. I would rather spend the money and do it safely, than forge ahead with unproven [guaranteed] methods - it can be so dangerous. But thanks for the 'heads up'.
Kim

[Canterbury Coxswain]

The anchor chain access [aperture to the chain hold in the fore-peak] is the same on the Trent and Severn Classes of lifeboat, so a couple of years back I did a little measurement and photo shoot at the end of an Open Day attendance at Newhaven RNLS. You can see my drawing below and then my progression through the making of said item in aluminium. I have made a little 'cap' plug and this has a recess beneath the top of the lid, which takes an 'O' ring, just like the real thing - to seal off the access hole. It will eventually have a little threaded eye-bolt attached to a chain. It was fun making it and I hope it will encourage others to have a go - I know one gentleman that is seriously thinking of going 'down this road'!! I have to admit, to learn something different [for me in retirement] that I did not do in work life is wonderful. So, thanks to all the 'real' engineers that have helped and encouraged me along the way.
The last photo shows the product sprayed, and now I know what people mean when they say [quite often at shows] - 'it will be a pity to paint that model'............hmmm..........that's the way I feel looking at it now. It will get stripped and repainted in a 'not so quite' black at a later date!
C.C.

[Canterbury Coxswain]

The final photos.
C.C.

[Starspider]

That bow area is looking very good CC nice work 


Colin

[swiftdoc]

Those parts really look amazing. That gentleman has ordered a lathe and will order some really useful boxes to tidy up his workshop before you will visit it .

[derekwarner]

CC.....that billet of aluminium you have used must be a very suitable grade for machinability ......

'especially using a flat faced carbide insert without coolant 


Finished work on the railings, tie off  T post & windlass is absolutely lifelike 

Derek

[Canterbury Coxswain]

Derek, good to hear back from you and thanks for insight [coolant, flat face carbide tips etc.,.], I know those 'real' engineers out there must cringe at some of my approaches, but most of the time it works and I do use coolant [as stated before] on the larger jobs and cuts - honestly!
Now, it is getting near the weekend and I have a Concert to sing in Saturday night and Sunday will be spent recovering [a rehearsal in the Cathedral in the afternoon and then the actual thing in the evening] - it is demanding, even with 120+ in the Choir. Look up the English Concert Orchestra's website and look under 'About Us' and their 'Recordings' headings and you will see why we have to get it correct!! Also a rehearsal tonight. So, why all this? Well, I was feeling in an 'impish' mood when I wrote my reply to your 'contra-rotating' propeller question and the bit about the 'Coriolis' effect was fictitious as far as boat propulsion, although it is true in general. You were obviously too polite to mention it, so I hope I am forgiven by your good self and also by Phil and Rich. The outward turning and inward turning explanations are all true though! They were just slid into position in the shafts for the photos - so one set up was wrong in one photo - just temporary.
Well, back into the workshop, as I am working on the Shannon's two main aerials at the moment.
Kim

[baloo]

Chocolate cake just been ordered

[Vickers 38]

Hi Kim your boat are very impressive lots of hard work and a nice big work shop, can I have the measurements between the window frames please I can start building the wheel house please
Regards lee.

[Vickers 38]

Hi Kim you’re got some nice models I’m really struggling with the build is there any chance you could give me the complete measurements of the wheel house and the flying bridge please? Thanks lee

[Canterbury Coxswain]

Hi Lee,
Yes, I will send them later in the week as I have quite a lot on this week and need to get the RNLI plans out on a large table to read them off. I have put it into my diary to do on Friday [2nd March]. I have only just noticed your requests, it's better to send PMs [personal messages] as they come through direct on an email and I view these at least three times a day.
Hope this will do, sorry there will be a delay.
Kim

[Canterbury Coxswain]

I just answered an enquiry regarding this build, so might 'resurrect' this 'thread', as some of the processes and techniques used here are also appropriate to those building their Shannons, as shown on my other 'thread'. I hope it might help some folk either move forward or else get inspired to semi-scratch build a model lifeboat for themselves!
Here is 'my 14-02' at 1:1 scale alongside a Relief Mersey class lifeboat at Ramsgate, before the new approach to 'colour schemes' took place.

Canterbury Coxswain

[Kevin Sage]

Some truly amazing engineering!