Princess Elizabeth build...

[mjt60a]

made a test piece of styrene (a leftover scrap, scored to represent planks) and painted it with white, yellow-ish (sailcloth?) and brown paints then covered some of it with woodstain/varnish...the brown with varnish looked best to me so painted the interior floor with that...

[mjt60a]

...going to have a few passengers in there so started on some of the 2nd hand preiser ones I got at the model rail show (wish I'd bought more of these while I had the chance) they're already painted but in gloss and not very well, also have bits stuck on them where they would have been superglued to a station platform but they clean up OK with a small file.
I didn't try to remove the gloss paint first as they will be inside and not easy to see but I read on another site that can be done by soaking them in automotive brake fluid and it won't harm styrene but removes any type of paint (that last bit is true, as I found out when I spilled a bit on my car when topping up the brake cylinder... wiped the stuff off after it had been there about 20 mins to reveal shiny clean steel!)
I carefully drilled into one or both legs of the figure and glued in a short length of wire through the bottom of the foot/feet. This can then be stuck into a scrap of balsa or an eraser to hold the figure while painting, and afterwards used to attach to the deck.

[mjt60a]

I fitted some passengers yesterday, drilled a hole for the wire, countersunk it a little then pushed the wire through and filled the countersink with superglue. Once set, cut the excess wire off and filed it more-or-less level. It'll do but if they come loose I'll replace with araldite.
This morning I spent hours making the staircase and interior walls inside the rear doors. Still have to make the actual steps but to sum up I cut a piece of the ladder used for the forward stairs in two (along it's length) and fitted the halves in the stairwell. Now intend to cover it with strips of styrene to create a new wider ladder...

[Talisman]

to sum up I cut a piece of the ladder used for the forward stairs in two (along it's length) and fitted the halves in the stairwell. Now intend to cover it with strips of styrene to create a new wider ladder...

Great idea Mick will use it in the future I'm sure.
Regards,
Kim

[mjt60a]

I've now completed the stairway, will show a picture once it's painted but for now, how it looked partly complete. Styrene strips cover the remains of the original steps and also the spaces between each step and the next, this is partly because they're supposed to be that way but mainly because you could still see the halves of the original ones underneath...

[Stuart Badger]

Lovely work Mick - can't wait to see it finished.

Stuart

[mjt60a]

now painted the stairs, not perfect but they can't be seen all that clearly on the finished model so will be sufficient

[mjt60a]

Made the 'centres' for the wheels, each has a meccano collet inside a close fitting styrene tube with two more lengths of styrene tube which fit inside the first to provide a larger area for gluing the rim assemblies on to it (when I've made them that is) the brass collet is scratched up a bit first then fitted using araldite to prevent it turning inside the tube, if I decide to use grub screws instead of the cheese-head ones in the picture.

[mjt60a]

Started to build the 'deck shelter' structure that goes over the stairway (I assume it does anyhow) it's made from clear styrene from a CD case, thin (.5 mm) black styrene sheet inside with windows cut out and painted, need to cover the outside with thin wood next. 

[djcf]

Hi Mick,
Good idea using the cd case, that must give a good solid structure, and saves having to glaze the windows later on.
I think you will be correct about the stairway going down inside the shelter. I have noticed that some older paddlers (on the Clyde anyway), were built with "open" conpanionways going down, but were later altered (either moved or had a house built over the top)....seems more sensible than exposed to the elements!
 I like all the interior detail you have been doing, looking great!
regards
Clark
 

[mjt60a]

I've now finished covering the outsides with wood. It's the same as is used for the deck but coloured with ronseal wood dye before gluing in place. All was going so well until I added the final piece, I hadn't noticed that I'd got some superglue on my fingertip - until I got stuck to one of the door windows! Managed to get it unstuck but made a mess of the window so I could either...
Cut out the door and replace it   
Start over, new deck shelter 
Attempt to 'repair' the damage 
nothing to lose so I superglued a piece of fairly fine wet-or-dry to a strip of styrene and sanded down the inside of the window, then polished it with toothpaste on a cotton bud (metal polish would work better I think - if I had some) doesn't look too bad so I might leave it as it is - or might get some brasso and try with that.
Picture shows how it looks now, will be better when it's on a wood deck, not black styrene!

[mjt60a]

bought some bits I needed to continue with the wheels...
It occured to me that the most important thing about this is that all the holes line up, and with the way I'm making these frames there's a good chance they wouldn't! so I'm making the outer rims on top of the inner ones, drilling the holes for the shaft and the feathering floats and putting lengths of brass tube in them to see that they're all parallel before the adhesive sets solid. Hopefully the bits of cling film should prevent the whole lot becoming fused together   

[Stuart Badger]

That's a VERY good idea Mick. I have minor descrepencies in my wheels because I DIDN'T do that!. They look to be coming together very nicely

All the best

Stuart

[mjt60a]

I have minor discrepancies in mine too but didn't want any more if at all possible!
One frame is now almost complete, I just have to cut six (four more) identical lengths of brass tube for the bearings and to strengthen the frames a bit more, then it can be painted. Also I have to complete the other one.... then make the floats and the movable bits that attach them to the frames.... then the feathering gear....
The full size Medway Queen might be finished before this model!

[mjt60a]

This is how I see it when assembled, track pins or bolt/screws from walkman-type device would be set into the smaller diameter, inner brass tube using araldite. This would allow the short pieces of larger, outer tube to rotate independently of the long piece which is 'araldited' to the frame of the wheel but would be difficult to disassemble if it becomes necessary. Very long 11BA bolts would fit all the way through the inner piece and could be tightened against it without interfering with movement but I don't know if such a thing is available or how much it would cost....