Princess Elizabeth build...

[mjt60a]

almost finished the fore-mast now, still work to be done on the main mast. I got some connectors from a broken toy (robot/homer simpson thing) and used one to make the mast removeable but allow electrical connection for the light...
...hopefully I got the angle right so they will be at the same angle of tilt as the funnel but I won't know for certain until the deck is fixed down - and I need to fit the mast socket and wiring before that...

[mjt60a]

...the bits of tube at the base and wires to the navigation light (on the outside of the mast) are 'inspired' by the ones on waverley (though the tube I used is out of scale really but is all I had that the wire would go through) A picture showing Princess Elizabeths main mast shows a similar arrangement...

[mjt60a]

...fitted the mast socket into the hull this morning then tried comparing it with the funnel (no pictures unfortunately) , the mast was leaning back far too much - how could I have got that so wrong? I was sure I'd measured it correctly!
had a look at some photos of the ship and the terrible reality hit me..... now, I don't have any plans for the ship but had worked out the positions of various deck structures from photos and drew them on the deck, then drew on the planks and stained and sealed the deck.... I'd cut out the hole for the mast around the now barely visible mark - or so I thought - a look at the photo showed there was a cowl vent and companionway in front of the mast! I'd fitted it where the cowl vent should have been 
fortunately I hadn't used 5 min epoxy so was able to remove the socket and refit in the correct position - which just left repairing the large hole in the deck forward of the mast (already mostly done) and with the mast in the correct place the angle is just right
this is the down side of working from rough sketches on the back of old gas bills!

[mjt60a]

...here it is....

[mjt60a]

about half way through building the main mast now, construction is much the same as the fore mast. I never did cover how the mast stays are to be attached and although I'm sure everyone knows a way (possibly a different one) I'l try to quickly explain what I'm doing...
First I stripped the insulation from some single core electrical wire (found on the ground near a telephone line connection box) and twisted it around a very small screwdriver to form a loop then cut it off with about 2 inches spare wire still attached (make as many of these as will be needed)
Then I took a length of brass tube that fits over the mast but quite closely at the point where the stays will be. (may need smaller diameter tube for the top ones than the 'middle' ones) and drill 1mm holes around one end.
The 'tails' are then fed through the holes and out of the end of the tube, where they are twisted together and bent as necessary to keep the loops close to the tube.
Then the end of the tube is covered with solder. I used 'radio' solder and a 25W electric iron. The wire is not too strong but will only have thin cotton covered elastic (shiring elastic?) tied onto it and if accidentally hit by anything the elastic will just stretch and not break the loops.... I hope 
Once soldered, the wire tails are cut off, any excess solder outside and inside the tube filed away carefully (in the case of the last one I made, used far too much solder and had to drill it out just to get a file inside!) then ensure it can still pass over the mast up to the point it will be fitted.
If all OK, cut the tube just below the wire loops and file smooth then glue onto the mast, either 2-part epoxy or superglue should work.     

[mjt60a]

well it's been a while since the last bit of progress, just been making some bits and pieces and preparing the promenade deck - ie. cutting out holes where the engineroom skylight and main mast will go...
...Engineroom skylight. This would cover the main 'on/off' switch and other switches for lighting so would have to be able to open....I thought that would take about half an hour tops... three weeks and several failed versions later and this is what I've come up with...

[PeeWee]

    that sounds so like me on most items i make.  i apologise up front but your comment did make me chuckle

[Spankbucket]

...we are not alone!!...

[mjt60a]

...sometimes it just turns out that way 
this mornings 'quick sub-assembly before I have to go out' went without any problems, built the crew companionway on the fore deck. mostly styrene sheet in varying thicknesses but veneer doors with track pins for doorknobs, all from the scrap box. it'll do. especially as I couldn't find any pictures showing it in detail...

[PeeWee]

I like the door handle idea,  must remember that one.

[mjt60a]

did a little more this morning but nothing 'visible' from looking at the model, it was all wiring inside and as I have 3 days leave to use up before may 1st (starting tomorrow) think I'll have a go at one of the larger jobs - fitting the servos etc inside the hull.
so, first thing I suppose will be to cut a piece of ply to mount the servos in........
...more on this later in the week - if I'm successful

[mjt60a]

well I only seemed to have time to get the wiring in the 'front bit' done.
been working on how to get it through/past the detachable join without the wiring being visible and without cutting through the watertight bulkhead - would have been a lot more strightforward if the hull was in one piece!

[mjt60a]

...fuses for the mast light and interior light are fitted in the hull so they will run from 12 volts, connector pins recovered from an old circuit board should allow the hull sections to be linked using cables (which I haven't made yet but I'm fairly sure this will work  )

Idiot aren't I! I mean RESISTORS are fitted in the hull, fuses will be fitted nearer the battery in the aft section of the hull....

[mjt60a]

last weekend no progress was made as I had to go out for the weekend, today I glued the box with the connector pins to the underside of the fore deck then glued the deck in place... hopefully the electrics are all still in working order as it won't be possible to remove it without some serious cutting 
I'm sure it will be fine...no pictures though, there really is nothing different about it except it can't be removed now
...oh, one other thing, I did drill/file the holes for the anchor chains which I'd forgot to do before painting the hull, unfortunately,  and started preparing a length of chain to use on the model (most pictures I have show no chain in either of the holes, one picture shows one on the port side only - and an anchor-handling davit on the same side so I'm going with that)

[mjt60a]

....and started preparing a length of chain....

I couldn't find any chain in a suitable size in the spares box so had to buy some. All I could get was either brass or nickel plated mild steel so went for the latter. It's a very glittery silver colour as supplied (for hobby jewelery making?) so I cut a suitable length put it on a sheet of medium grade wet-or-dry and, using fingertips, rolled it around for about 20 minutes to try to remove or damage as much of the plating as possible.
then I put the chain into a plastic container (lid from a coffee jar or a spray can would do) and half filled it with water, added a used brillo pad (steel wool with a little of the powder bleach stuff left in it) and left it on a window ledge until the water had evaporated, this took a week. Then refilled the container and left it another week.
It is now quite rusted!