Experimental hull no3 (the menna-shaped one) gets wheels...

[mjt60a]

Decided to do something with the card/grp hull so made some non-feathering wheels and paddle drums to fit. Am now making a rudder and I have a couple of motors and an ancient (big, heavy) ESC. I've just finished the sub-deck - and this leads to an unforseen problem - but more on that later, probably in 'research'....
 
Here's a closeup of one of the paddle drums, I've no idea if the rivets are correct or if there would be an access hatch just there, I was just playing with some styrene sheet to see if it would look like metal
http://www.btinternet.com/~mjt60a/ubb_link_images/paddledrum_macro01.jpg  (this is a link to my own server as the picture is HUGE - I used macro to show the detail)

[Eddy Matthews]

I'm no expert on tugs Mick, but it looks pretty damned good to me! :-)

[mjt60a]

...made some more parts for this one...

Wheels are off for painting when I took this. I have two 12v motors and a speed control plus a steering servo, also an old trans and reciever somewhere....

[mjt60a]

...it's all coming together pretty well...

[Eddy Matthews]

Just one question Mick, how do you get a wife that allows you to put a model onto a leather sofa to photograph it??? ;-)

[mjt60a]

simple, I don't have a wife...
...alternatively, don't get caught!

*actually, photographing the model on the couch 'pales into insignificance' when compared to soft-soldering on the gas cooker!!!

[Eddy Matthews]

simple, I don't have a wife...
...alternatively, don't get caught!

*actually, photographing the model on the couch 'pales into insignificance' when compared to soft-soldering on the gas cooker!!!

there ya go, I knew I'd done something wrong! :-)

Seriously I can't complain, I have models in every room of the house literally! There are 8 in the spare bedroom that I'm in now, one in the lounge, two in my daughters bedroom, three in the hallway, two in my bedroom, one in the kitchen...... Oh I tell  lie, there isn't one in the bathroom! :-0

[mjt60a]

Now has a funnel, companionway, skylight, glazed portholes* and (led) navigation lights!

*four portholes in the hull can't be fitted until I paint it...

[mjt60a]

...the latest update;

[mjt60a]

well. I've finally attempted making some railings!
they'll do for this model but I'm pleased I didn't build them on Freshwater, as, having both those models side-by-side, they just wouldn't look right. So I'll have to try something else.....Anyway, here's the 'Alumchine' now;

[Walter Snowdon]

Its looking very nice mick, keep up the good work. regards, Walter. PS I am down your way this weekend, sailing on Kingswear Castle on Sunday.

[mjt60a]

I painted the railings white over the weekend and they actually look quite good now  
The stanchions are a bit thick (would have been OK for a 1/24th scale model) but otherwise don't look bad at all. I made them using copper tubing (about 3mm outer diameter - only because I already had some!) for the stanchions which have slots filed in them about 2/3 of the way through. 1mm brass wire is pushed in the slots and soldered in place, any excess solder can be filed away. Finally, I added 'blobs' of 5 minute epoxy resin (like araldite rapid but the stores own brand - wilko rapid epoxy) on the joins and dragged it around the stanchions. When painted, it represents the ball-like structures on the railings of full size vessels. This was an experimental process but with practice, it should be possible to make them a little thinner - maybe use 2mm brass rod instead of the copper tubing.....
...also made the ladders to access the wheelhouse, the plan of 'Menna' (and a single photo I saw online somewhere) seem to show steps up the front of the paddle drum leading to a walkway across to the wheelhouse (or steering position, depending on the year, I suppose...) but as 'Alumchine' the walkways and sponson houses seem to have been removed and, though it isn't very clear on the (other) two photos I've seen, an almost vertical ladder with hand rails is used instead. That is what I tried to replicate but used some guesswork as to the details... :?

[thewharfonline]

You make such great models Mick!

[mjt60a]

Thanks    Lets compare!..................Hmmmm, it's not 100percent accurate, those light fittings over the freight/car deck on the model are way over size and as I said before,  the railings are a little 'heavy duty'  I can't actually make out the way the ladders work from the photos....I think I'll add the mushroom vents (shown on the plan but apparently removed before the photos were taken) and use them to attach the rear deck over where the radio gear will be.....and there's a few more fittings to be made/bought (I have the six lifebelts though...)
But all in all, I'm happy with it.
I intended this to be a very quick build, more or less like the Tipstaff tug in Model Boats magazine but styled as a small ferry like Menna or Cleddau Queen............but I just got carried away with modifications  

[mjt60a]

Time for another update...............
It's almost finished now  
I'm about to try to fit the steering servo and speed controller inside. Spent the weekend (after returning from the 'Lord Mayor of London's show) constructing and fitting the mast. It has a working light and, as it's made from a length of car radio aerial, is also part of the Rx antenna. It is detachable from the superstructure for ease of transportation and electrical connection is by a modified computer processor fan connector. The mast stays are made using thin elastic wrapped with cotton thread purchased from a sewing shop and has hooks from bent brass wire which attach to loops (also brass wire) on the boiler/engineroom roof, and to a hole in the 'stem post'. Also need to 'plank' the area of the cargo deck which is still bare wood, and covers the battery (will be watertight) and a few final fittings (they won't affect its operation - not essential for a test sailing!) Anyhow here's the model now....