Today’s job is to try and move some projects on a bit. Ideally I want to finish one of them. With nothing special on, this doesn’t seem to be a hopeless cause.
The obvious choice was “Little Miss Minty”, my model launch. She was nearly complete with even the castings painted. A quick session with the superglue and all apart from the captain were fixed in place.
I then turned to the mechanical gubbins. This was a quick re-assembly of the parts I had taken out before spraying. I even fixed things down properly – OK, the receiver was velcroed into position !
With all this done the battery was charged and a trip to the lake arranged. It’s difficult not to be like a big kid in this situation and want to play with the new toy. The weather was nice and at this time of year that means an opportunity is to be grabbed.
On the water the boat worked fine. Engine noise was a problem, sometimes it was quiet, others there was a rattle. This was quickly traced to a wire from the speed controller touching the drive shaft, not everything is quite as fixed down as it needs to be.
The biggest problem was signal reception. Most of the time everything was fine but about three-quarters of the way through a u-turn everything went odd. The motor would stop and refuse to restart for a few seconds. Distance wasn’t an issue so it must be position. I moved the aerial wire from around the back edge of the hull but this didn’t help. Then I wrapped it around the centre bar leaving the end pointing up. This did the job so I know that I need to make this a bit more permanent than the current twisted wire and second hand masking tape arrangement.
Apart from this I’m happy. Just the captain to paint and fix in position to finish this one. I’ve even thrown away the leftover parts already !
Saturday, October 14, 2006
Drowning in projects
Sorry for the lack of posts this week. Too much work. The last thing I want to do sometimes is stare at a screen in the evening. Besides, I haven’t really done any model making either.This is a pity because I am knee deep in projects crying out for my attentions. Getting half built model railway locomotives ready for a demonstration hasn’t helped this !
On the bench at present there is:
“Little Miss Minty” model boat.
Y7, one of the half finished locos.
An O gauge Midland 0-4-4 also half finished. More on this in later posts.
0-16.5 Armstrong Whitworth – This now has castings and can be finished, or at least it will be when all the casting are in my hand.
A 4mm scale mineral tank engine for the Hospital layout. This is going to show next month so I’d like the tank to be ready at least for testing. I’ve said that before though.
Pigeon Pie is nearly finished, just a few castings and a bit of detail to add.
And then there is a GWR tender loco in EM in the queue which I’d really like to get stuck into.
I wonder if I could retire 30 years early to do all this stuff ?
Thursday, October 12, 2006
Wrong
Ignore part of that last post. If you stick the clear plastic into the window with plastic glue, once it dries it falls out again. User superglue like any sensible person trying to afix plastic to painted plastic and resin.
On a positive note, the clear plastic from the collars on Burton's shirts is wonderful glazing material and so much more ecological than throwing it away !
On a positive note, the clear plastic from the collars on Burton's shirts is wonderful glazing material and so much more ecological than throwing it away !
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Glazing
Model boats mean water and that means it’s not a clever idea to sail without some glazing in the windows. With windows the size of the ones in my new launch it’s a job I have to do. Now it’s painted I can’t put the job off.When the windows went in I cut the holes big enough to allow me to stick the clear plastic to the back of the resin frames. It’s not that accurate but good enough for my dodgy workmanship. To get the size the material was placed over the whole and marked with new favourite tool, the CD marker pen.
A quick trim with a pair of scissors and I could stick it in place. Superglue seemed the best bet applied on the end of a small screwdriver but plastic glue worked as well.
Sunday, October 08, 2006
Workbench on tour
The workbench spent today at an exhibition. Literally this time, as I was demonstrating and had a to a work area with me !
The show was the Heathcote Modeller exhibition just off the M1 (the oppose way to Loughborough) at Shepshed. This is a really an O gauge model railway event, but others are catered for. On the Saturday there is a lot of trade. On Sunday some of these don’t come in and are replaced by demonstrators. I’d been invited to attend by Mercian Models and ended up next to Trevor’s stand.
As it turns out this was very convenient. The first couple of jobs I did were building saddle tanks for locomotives in the range. A bit fiddly for me but quite worrying to the novice builder, hence they took the chance to get me to do the hard work. The first, a Peckett went pretty well and was assembled quickly. I managed to crease the metal in an ill advised attempt to put one of the bends in sharper than it needed but I was able to smooth this out enough not to show under paint. The owner was happy anyway.
The second tank was for a Barclay. These are a pig of a job as there are several fairly sharp bends and a tuck under at the bottom. The former that the tank top bends around has a fault as well – it’s about 1mm too long. I moved this and then gingerly tacked the metal in place. All looked OK except for the bottom. At the front and back it bulged. Normally I am confident I can bodge this away and cover the result with paint. It’s not quite so much fun doing this with people watching and knowing that you will hand it over in the brass. However there was no choice so I proceeded to fill with solder and file away while pretending that this is normal kitbuilding activity. I suppose it is really but don’t tell anyone.
The result was good and another happy punter. A bit nerve wracking as I didn’t really want to wreck someone else’s kit !
The show was the Heathcote Modeller exhibition just off the M1 (the oppose way to Loughborough) at Shepshed. This is a really an O gauge model railway event, but others are catered for. On the Saturday there is a lot of trade. On Sunday some of these don’t come in and are replaced by demonstrators. I’d been invited to attend by Mercian Models and ended up next to Trevor’s stand.
As it turns out this was very convenient. The first couple of jobs I did were building saddle tanks for locomotives in the range. A bit fiddly for me but quite worrying to the novice builder, hence they took the chance to get me to do the hard work. The first, a Peckett went pretty well and was assembled quickly. I managed to crease the metal in an ill advised attempt to put one of the bends in sharper than it needed but I was able to smooth this out enough not to show under paint. The owner was happy anyway.
The second tank was for a Barclay. These are a pig of a job as there are several fairly sharp bends and a tuck under at the bottom. The former that the tank top bends around has a fault as well – it’s about 1mm too long. I moved this and then gingerly tacked the metal in place. All looked OK except for the bottom. At the front and back it bulged. Normally I am confident I can bodge this away and cover the result with paint. It’s not quite so much fun doing this with people watching and knowing that you will hand it over in the brass. However there was no choice so I proceeded to fill with solder and file away while pretending that this is normal kitbuilding activity. I suppose it is really but don’t tell anyone.
The result was good and another happy punter. A bit nerve wracking as I didn’t really want to wreck someone else’s kit !
Thursday, October 05, 2006
Body beautiful
More soldering and I have a locomotive body. Thanks to tab and slot construction assembly is quick and reasonably easy. Even the boiler was a cinch as it’s pre-rolled. With the side tanks in place it sits on fold out ledges. All the parts are the right size and shape – not a given with many kits.
Purists will note that the front buffer beam is in the wrong place. It should overlap the footplate by the height of the valve covers. I fixed this after the picture was taken. Perhaps a little less haste would have been a good idea.
No singed fingers so far though.
Purists will note that the front buffer beam is in the wrong place. It should overlap the footplate by the height of the valve covers. I fixed this after the picture was taken. Perhaps a little less haste would have been a good idea.
No singed fingers so far though.
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
Fast work
I need a half built model railway locomotive in a hurry.
The reason ? I’m demonstrating somewhere on Sunday and it helps the demo if you have a few part built kits on the modelling board. Of course I don’t actually have anything suitable kicking around, especially in 7mm scale so half a day last weekend was devoted to sticking some bits together.
Out of the maturing cupboard came an etched brass kit for an LNER Y7 from Conneseiur (Sorry, can’t spell it and the box is upstairs) Models. A nice simple locomotive that I bought years ago when I fancied building an O gauge layout. I’ve built 3 & 4mm scale versions, so why not get the set ?
The chassis is a simple fold up affair, which took very little time to reach the stage I photographed. The 50W soldering iron was a help here as there is a pretty large mass of metal to soak the heat away from the joins. Powerflow Flux was useful too. It’s nasty stuff that takes a lot of scrubbing to remove but it makes that solder flow. I even managed to get it around the axle bearings properly, not my usual blobby effect.
All soldering was carried out with the chassis upside down on a sheet of glass to keep things flat. It sort of worked but I still had to twist it a little with my fingers. That’s not a trick that you see in proper modelling instructions but it works. Just a gentle twist though, or you end up with a brass corkscrew.
The reason ? I’m demonstrating somewhere on Sunday and it helps the demo if you have a few part built kits on the modelling board. Of course I don’t actually have anything suitable kicking around, especially in 7mm scale so half a day last weekend was devoted to sticking some bits together.
Out of the maturing cupboard came an etched brass kit for an LNER Y7 from Conneseiur (Sorry, can’t spell it and the box is upstairs) Models. A nice simple locomotive that I bought years ago when I fancied building an O gauge layout. I’ve built 3 & 4mm scale versions, so why not get the set ?
The chassis is a simple fold up affair, which took very little time to reach the stage I photographed. The 50W soldering iron was a help here as there is a pretty large mass of metal to soak the heat away from the joins. Powerflow Flux was useful too. It’s nasty stuff that takes a lot of scrubbing to remove but it makes that solder flow. I even managed to get it around the axle bearings properly, not my usual blobby effect.
All soldering was carried out with the chassis upside down on a sheet of glass to keep things flat. It sort of worked but I still had to twist it a little with my fingers. That’s not a trick that you see in proper modelling instructions but it works. Just a gentle twist though, or you end up with a brass corkscrew.
Monday, October 02, 2006
Name that boat
Every boat needs a name. I’ve used vinyl letters before but on this launch I fancied something with a scripty font. Even if I could get this in pre-cut letters, I wouldn’t fancy applying them to a hull as getting nice level text would be a nightmare. It’s one of those jobs that even if it’s slightly wrong, will stand out like a sore thumb.
Since I have used a system that allows production of waterslide transfers from a computer printer for adverts on model building walls, I thought this would be worth a whirl here.
Printing the sheet took a bit of work. The first go went all blotchy but my second attempt was good even if I did print the wrong side of the sheet first. Not sure how this happened as I’m sure I put it in the right way up. The text was laid out in a DTP package (PagePlus) and took only a few minutes.
The hull needed to be painted with gloss so the transfers would sit properly. There was going to be a lot of transfer film showing and this was my best bet of hiding it. Unfortunately even this didn’t really help as you can still see the edges. I think the ink ran a little as well and highlighted the edges.
The effect is pleasing with nothing untoward visible from normal viewing distances. If you can see any problem you have got wet feet !
A few coats of gloss varnish will hopefully keep everything in place. I don’t want them washing off the first time I sail !
Since I have used a system that allows production of waterslide transfers from a computer printer for adverts on model building walls, I thought this would be worth a whirl here.
Printing the sheet took a bit of work. The first go went all blotchy but my second attempt was good even if I did print the wrong side of the sheet first. Not sure how this happened as I’m sure I put it in the right way up. The text was laid out in a DTP package (PagePlus) and took only a few minutes.
The hull needed to be painted with gloss so the transfers would sit properly. There was going to be a lot of transfer film showing and this was my best bet of hiding it. Unfortunately even this didn’t really help as you can still see the edges. I think the ink ran a little as well and highlighted the edges.
The effect is pleasing with nothing untoward visible from normal viewing distances. If you can see any problem you have got wet feet !
A few coats of gloss varnish will hopefully keep everything in place. I don’t want them washing off the first time I sail !
Sunday, October 01, 2006
Fixing Richard's bracket
The guy who sits next to me at work said, “You’ve got a welder haven’t you ? Could you fix a bracket on my bicycle lights ?”. I said I had (can’t hide it, I’d talked about the welding classes I took ages ago to the people in the office) and would be happy to look at the bit of bike to see what I could do. I pointed out that there were no promises, as I’d not actually used the machine yet.
What I got was a bent bracket with two cracks in the metal on the corner nearest you in the photograph. It looks like someone has tried to grab the light and twisted and split the metal. I fancied my chances so took the job on.
This morning I unearthed the welder from the depths of the garage and had a go.
My first mistake was setting the temperature too low. This resulted is hissing and spitting with lumpy weld left behind. It would probably do though so I cleaned the job up with a grinder. I wasn’t really happy with the result so I had another go. This was better but my lack of finesse with that most delicate of tools, the angle grinder had removed some good metal.
This time I upped the amperage a bit to the lowest medium setting and managed a much better result. Quite a good weld pool formed and the resulting lump was pretty smooth. I ground it down and then finished with hand tools to get the final result. Not perfect but definitely stronger than it was.
What I re-discovered was the joy of welding. I’d forgotten how much fun I had when I did my course. I also reminded myself how annoying welding masks are. Mine gradually lowers itself while you are getting ready to work and of course the window is so dark you can’t see where the torch is until you are welding. Them’s the breaks though – and if they are breaks in steel I can probably fix them !
What I got was a bent bracket with two cracks in the metal on the corner nearest you in the photograph. It looks like someone has tried to grab the light and twisted and split the metal. I fancied my chances so took the job on.
This morning I unearthed the welder from the depths of the garage and had a go.
My first mistake was setting the temperature too low. This resulted is hissing and spitting with lumpy weld left behind. It would probably do though so I cleaned the job up with a grinder. I wasn’t really happy with the result so I had another go. This was better but my lack of finesse with that most delicate of tools, the angle grinder had removed some good metal.
This time I upped the amperage a bit to the lowest medium setting and managed a much better result. Quite a good weld pool formed and the resulting lump was pretty smooth. I ground it down and then finished with hand tools to get the final result. Not perfect but definitely stronger than it was.
What I re-discovered was the joy of welding. I’d forgotten how much fun I had when I did my course. I also reminded myself how annoying welding masks are. Mine gradually lowers itself while you are getting ready to work and of course the window is so dark you can’t see where the torch is until you are welding. Them’s the breaks though – and if they are breaks in steel I can probably fix them !
Reflections
How glossy is my boat desk ?
Several coats of varnish sprayed on the wooden deck really brings it alive. Someone has obviously been swabbing this properly !
Several coats of varnish sprayed on the wooden deck really brings it alive. Someone has obviously been swabbing this properly !
Saturday, September 30, 2006
Pain free varnish (nearly)
Just for a change I have managed to spray something without a tale of woe.
By learning from my mistakes, the launch is gloss varnished with no runs and a pretty good finish. All I did was air brush paint on and then go in with a hair drier set to half speed. Thin coat. Hair drier. Thin coat. Hair drier. Repeat until the tinlet of varnish is empty.
Then put it out on the garden table to harden and fail to notice the rain.
No damage done but next time I’ll remember to but the ‘brolly up !
By learning from my mistakes, the launch is gloss varnished with no runs and a pretty good finish. All I did was air brush paint on and then go in with a hair drier set to half speed. Thin coat. Hair drier. Thin coat. Hair drier. Repeat until the tinlet of varnish is empty.
Then put it out on the garden table to harden and fail to notice the rain.
No damage done but next time I’ll remember to but the ‘brolly up !
Thursday, September 28, 2006
Who put that there ?
There is a railway modelling truism that when you are fitting point motors to a baseboard, the cross supports underneath will always be in the way of at least one motor. Don’t worry about planning to avoid this, the track plan will magically adjust itself to make your life difficult.
This isn’t supposed to happen with model boats. OK, the fish in the pond will get in the way and can even divert a small fast boat from its path, but generally they are mobile enough to move.
Get inside a boat though and the same problems start. On my launch I had to cut holes in the side for the windows. With that done I want to tidy up the inside a bit where it can be seen. There is a raised area inside to hold the superstructure in place and keep water out – there is probably a technical name for this but I don’t know what it is. This gets in the way of a clear view in.
My plan was to lower it where the windows are. To this end I drew around the inside of each window with my CD marker pen so I knew where to cut. Then I discovered that the crosspiece would have to be cut away as well. Who put that there ?!
So I’ve painted the bits next to the window black. No-one will notice them really…
This isn’t supposed to happen with model boats. OK, the fish in the pond will get in the way and can even divert a small fast boat from its path, but generally they are mobile enough to move.
Get inside a boat though and the same problems start. On my launch I had to cut holes in the side for the windows. With that done I want to tidy up the inside a bit where it can be seen. There is a raised area inside to hold the superstructure in place and keep water out – there is probably a technical name for this but I don’t know what it is. This gets in the way of a clear view in.
My plan was to lower it where the windows are. To this end I drew around the inside of each window with my CD marker pen so I knew where to cut. Then I discovered that the crosspiece would have to be cut away as well. Who put that there ?!
So I’ve painted the bits next to the window black. No-one will notice them really…
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Decking
My boat is white and green and silver. Nicely painted colours but they don’t really grab you. What I need is to paint it red.
This would look stupid however so what I have done is incorporated some redish wood in the construction which is nearly as eye catching, but looks like a proper boat would.
The deck is covered with 1mm thick plywood bought some time ago, probably from a model aircraft shop (they use a lot of that sort of thing) on spec. I made a paper template first as it’s a pretty weird shape and I doubted my chances of getting it right first time. Using the template a deck was cut out of the ply in a single piece.
Plywood doesn’t look much like planks though. Even though most of the model boats fraternity seems to think that drawing some lines on it will make things better, I like to think (stand back, my ego is growing) that I can do things better.
My solutions, developed after several attempts on a bit of scrap wood, involved scribing the plank lines with the back of a scalpel. Then the same blade was dragged sideways down the grove to open it out.
A bit of light sanding made the wood ready for coloured (mahogany) varnish. The first coat looked a bit rubbish so I re-scribed and used a sharp pencil down each line to highlight the line. Another gentle sand in line with the grain and another coat of varnish did the job. You have to be careful that there isn’t dust or air bubbles in the varnish but I managed this by using modelling brush (size 4) to paint the varnish on instead of the proper decorating brush from the first attempt.
This would look stupid however so what I have done is incorporated some redish wood in the construction which is nearly as eye catching, but looks like a proper boat would.
The deck is covered with 1mm thick plywood bought some time ago, probably from a model aircraft shop (they use a lot of that sort of thing) on spec. I made a paper template first as it’s a pretty weird shape and I doubted my chances of getting it right first time. Using the template a deck was cut out of the ply in a single piece.
Plywood doesn’t look much like planks though. Even though most of the model boats fraternity seems to think that drawing some lines on it will make things better, I like to think (stand back, my ego is growing) that I can do things better.
My solutions, developed after several attempts on a bit of scrap wood, involved scribing the plank lines with the back of a scalpel. Then the same blade was dragged sideways down the grove to open it out.
A bit of light sanding made the wood ready for coloured (mahogany) varnish. The first coat looked a bit rubbish so I re-scribed and used a sharp pencil down each line to highlight the line. Another gentle sand in line with the grain and another coat of varnish did the job. You have to be careful that there isn’t dust or air bubbles in the varnish but I managed this by using modelling brush (size 4) to paint the varnish on instead of the proper decorating brush from the first attempt.
Sunday, September 24, 2006
Why is my boat upside down ?
It’s the last round of the Tomkat challenge. My model boat is ready and working. Batteries are charged. I can’t win, but at least I can have a race.
At the lake I do a single lap just to practise. Only one though as I don’t want to run the battery down – need to save all those amps for the race itself.
Heat 1: After a bit of messing around with the wind blowing boats about on the start line, we are off !
The Tomkat surges forward. Half way through the first lap I’m in the lead and running really well. At the end of the lap I’m ahead of everyone else and it looks like nothing can catch me.
Heading for the second corner I clip one of the other boats which is struggling and at right angles to the flow of traffic. This flips my boat over and the view is the one in the photo.
A quick-ish rescue with the rake and I return to the bench. The good news is the driver is still attached and not swimming with the fishes at the bottom of the pond. I play around with the controls, pour as much water out of the hull as I can and with a change of battery we seem to be working again. Not quick enough to get back in the race but I should be OK for the second heat.
The numbers are called for heat 2 so I check the boat again. Everything is fine. So I wander over to the water and launch gently. Then I try the controls. Nothing. Zitch. Zip. Dead as a Dodo that has been hit by a very large lorry and then run over by a steamroller.
So that is the story of my attempt at the Knightcote Model Boat club Tomkat challenge. About 70 quid spent, 15-20 hours painting and working on the boat. Several sessions fixing drive shafts and motors. All this for one-and-a-bit laps.
Somehow I don’t think I’m cut out for racing.
At the lake I do a single lap just to practise. Only one though as I don’t want to run the battery down – need to save all those amps for the race itself.
Heat 1: After a bit of messing around with the wind blowing boats about on the start line, we are off !
The Tomkat surges forward. Half way through the first lap I’m in the lead and running really well. At the end of the lap I’m ahead of everyone else and it looks like nothing can catch me.
Heading for the second corner I clip one of the other boats which is struggling and at right angles to the flow of traffic. This flips my boat over and the view is the one in the photo.
A quick-ish rescue with the rake and I return to the bench. The good news is the driver is still attached and not swimming with the fishes at the bottom of the pond. I play around with the controls, pour as much water out of the hull as I can and with a change of battery we seem to be working again. Not quick enough to get back in the race but I should be OK for the second heat.
The numbers are called for heat 2 so I check the boat again. Everything is fine. So I wander over to the water and launch gently. Then I try the controls. Nothing. Zitch. Zip. Dead as a Dodo that has been hit by a very large lorry and then run over by a steamroller.
So that is the story of my attempt at the Knightcote Model Boat club Tomkat challenge. About 70 quid spent, 15-20 hours painting and working on the boat. Several sessions fixing drive shafts and motors. All this for one-and-a-bit laps.
Somehow I don’t think I’m cut out for racing.
Saturday, September 23, 2006
Spray away
So here is the plan. Instead of using stickers to put the name on the boat, I will print some waterslide transfers using a transfer making kit. This means I can have a fancy scripty font and possibly some clever graphics as well. Obviously I will have to gloss varnish the hull but this isn’t a problem.
Transfers sit best on gloss paint as it’s smoother than matt. So I need to paint the hull with gloss white. This needs to be sprayed to get the quality of finish.
So today and yesterday evening I have mostly been hating trying to get a good finish with the airbrush. I have learned several things:
Sometimes I wonder why I do this.
Transfers sit best on gloss paint as it’s smoother than matt. So I need to paint the hull with gloss white. This needs to be sprayed to get the quality of finish.
So today and yesterday evening I have mostly been hating trying to get a good finish with the airbrush. I have learned several things:
- Do not use old paint. Even stirring it doesn’t get rid of the skin. This then finds its way into the innards of the airbrush and blocks it up. The stuff is a pig to remove as well.
- Dry the paint as soon as it is on the model. Otherwise you get runs. I have learned this before but keep forgetting.
- Tidying up runs is a nightmare. Lots of sanding and hoping.
- I do not have enough patience to paint with gloss. It takes far too long to dry. Stupid paint.
Sometimes I wonder why I do this.
Friday, September 22, 2006
We are sailing
At last – a proper sail !
Yes my new model boat has been on the water and moved around under its own steam (OK, electricity) for more than 10 feet without breaking down. It sailed away from the launch area, circled a few buoys and then came back.
Of course things weren’t perfect. If you going to go for a sail it’s a good idea to charge the battery in the boat properly first instead of relying on the charge that has been in it for a couple of months and made a couple of abortive trips around the boating lake. The speed control spots the lack of charge and stops everything. It restarts a few seconds later to give the eager boater the change to get it within sight of the shore but of course I ignored several warnings like this. Still managed to sail back with no assistance from the various retrieval poles stacked against the clubhouse though.
The thing that really pleased me was how the model looked on the water. Previous sailing’s have taken place with just the basic superstructure. Now I’ve knocked holes in the sides for windows it’s looking pretty good. For a kit I was assembling quickly to give an easy-to-carry model, I think I’m now going to own a very handsome boat.
Yes my new model boat has been on the water and moved around under its own steam (OK, electricity) for more than 10 feet without breaking down. It sailed away from the launch area, circled a few buoys and then came back.
Of course things weren’t perfect. If you going to go for a sail it’s a good idea to charge the battery in the boat properly first instead of relying on the charge that has been in it for a couple of months and made a couple of abortive trips around the boating lake. The speed control spots the lack of charge and stops everything. It restarts a few seconds later to give the eager boater the change to get it within sight of the shore but of course I ignored several warnings like this. Still managed to sail back with no assistance from the various retrieval poles stacked against the clubhouse though.
The thing that really pleased me was how the model looked on the water. Previous sailing’s have taken place with just the basic superstructure. Now I’ve knocked holes in the sides for windows it’s looking pretty good. For a kit I was assembling quickly to give an easy-to-carry model, I think I’m now going to own a very handsome boat.
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Windows
While I wait for the next trip to the lake for testing I might as well get on with the rest of the model boat kit. Next task on the list is to fit the windows.
These come as a series of resin castings. They suffer a little from flash but this is very easily removed with a sharp knife. The sort of job that I’d rather do myself than pay the manufacturer to do for me. This is after all a kit that requires modelling skills, not a plastic kit that can be stuck together by a three-year-old. Not that it is difficult, just that you need to engage your brain before grasping the sharp end of the knife. Always grab the blunt bit kids ! (That was a public service announcement for the terminally dim).
Anyway, the window frames are fitted on the outside of the superstructure. First though you have to cut away the plastic so the windows are open. I marked the holes to cut by holding the frame in place and then running a fine CD marker pen round the inside. These pens came from a pound shop in a CD marking kit – 3 colours, two of each, What a bargain. A special pen is needed because pencils and normal pens won’t mark the very shiny surface of the vac-formed plastic.
The holes were then cut oversize to allow for glazing to be glued in to the back of the frames and flush with the plastic superstructure. Superglue attached the frames and coated my finger tips but it seems to have held.
Only ones I had the funny shaped side windows in place did I notice the nearly imperceptible mark on the surface where I am supposed to put them. I’m not worried, they look OK to me.
These come as a series of resin castings. They suffer a little from flash but this is very easily removed with a sharp knife. The sort of job that I’d rather do myself than pay the manufacturer to do for me. This is after all a kit that requires modelling skills, not a plastic kit that can be stuck together by a three-year-old. Not that it is difficult, just that you need to engage your brain before grasping the sharp end of the knife. Always grab the blunt bit kids ! (That was a public service announcement for the terminally dim).
Anyway, the window frames are fitted on the outside of the superstructure. First though you have to cut away the plastic so the windows are open. I marked the holes to cut by holding the frame in place and then running a fine CD marker pen round the inside. These pens came from a pound shop in a CD marking kit – 3 colours, two of each, What a bargain. A special pen is needed because pencils and normal pens won’t mark the very shiny surface of the vac-formed plastic.
The holes were then cut oversize to allow for glazing to be glued in to the back of the frames and flush with the plastic superstructure. Superglue attached the frames and coated my finger tips but it seems to have held.
Only ones I had the funny shaped side windows in place did I notice the nearly imperceptible mark on the surface where I am supposed to put them. I’m not worried, they look OK to me.
Monday, September 18, 2006
Drive shaft
Every time I take my latest boat down to the lake there is a problem with the drive. The model travels about 20 feet and then the neopropaline tube that accts as the coupling between motor and drive shaft slips off. This is annoying and more importantly, embarrassing when it happens in front of other people.
I think that the drive shaft is too thin for the tube. If it were fatter presumably the tube would be stretched and grip properly.
My solution (I hope) was to take a bit of brass tube and ream the inside so the shaft would go inside. Needless to say this wasn’t easy (the simple looking jobs never are) as holding a tube is difficult. I tired pin vices and clamps with varying degrees of success. I don’t own a 1.6mm diameter drill bit either, hence the reaming.
After nearly an hour I had a short tube that would slip over the drive shaft and with the aid of some superglue, stay put.
The neoprop tube seems to fit nice and snugly and certainly looks like it will stay put. I suppose I’ll have to take it out on the water to be sure.
The curse of the camera strikes again by the way. The shaft and motor are lined up a whole lot better than they appear in the picture, although I admit they aren’t perfect.
I think that the drive shaft is too thin for the tube. If it were fatter presumably the tube would be stretched and grip properly.
My solution (I hope) was to take a bit of brass tube and ream the inside so the shaft would go inside. Needless to say this wasn’t easy (the simple looking jobs never are) as holding a tube is difficult. I tired pin vices and clamps with varying degrees of success. I don’t own a 1.6mm diameter drill bit either, hence the reaming.
After nearly an hour I had a short tube that would slip over the drive shaft and with the aid of some superglue, stay put.
The neoprop tube seems to fit nice and snugly and certainly looks like it will stay put. I suppose I’ll have to take it out on the water to be sure.
The curse of the camera strikes again by the way. The shaft and motor are lined up a whole lot better than they appear in the picture, although I admit they aren’t perfect.
Saturday, September 16, 2006
Tomkat's ninth life
Hooray – The Tomkat is working again !
Since I still feel rubbish for not making Shipley, I thought I ‘d do one of those jobs I didn’t want to do in way of atonement. Stupid really but I digress. The job was removing all the useful bits from the boat before it made a voyage into the bin.
Pulling it apart I found a loose bolt stuck to the motor but this didn’t look like the problem. Removing it and connecting the terminals to a battery still gave short – or that spark and crack that indicates there is one. I twisted the shaft by hand and tried again. This time there was life.
Sooooo, I reassembled everything and still had no luck. Then I tested to see if there was life from the speed control. According to the meter I connected up the power coming out was reversing even though the voltage didn’t. Good news so far. Still nothing when the motor was connected.
Next I removed the speed control from my new boat and wired it up with the aid of crocodile clips and bits of wire (very useful things croc clips). Everything seemed fine.
The Tomkat control was wired into the new boat (are you following this) and worked. Intermittently. A little experimentation and waggling of wires indicated a loose connection in the plug. At last – a problem I could fix !
So the Tomakt now works with the motor to speed control plug & socket replaced with a chocolate block. A trip to the lake had the boat whizzing around as much as two nearly flat batteries allowed. Enough to show that we might be back in action though.
Fingers crossed, the last round of the competition is next weekend and it would be nice to take part in one leg.
Since I still feel rubbish for not making Shipley, I thought I ‘d do one of those jobs I didn’t want to do in way of atonement. Stupid really but I digress. The job was removing all the useful bits from the boat before it made a voyage into the bin.
Pulling it apart I found a loose bolt stuck to the motor but this didn’t look like the problem. Removing it and connecting the terminals to a battery still gave short – or that spark and crack that indicates there is one. I twisted the shaft by hand and tried again. This time there was life.
Sooooo, I reassembled everything and still had no luck. Then I tested to see if there was life from the speed control. According to the meter I connected up the power coming out was reversing even though the voltage didn’t. Good news so far. Still nothing when the motor was connected.
Next I removed the speed control from my new boat and wired it up with the aid of crocodile clips and bits of wire (very useful things croc clips). Everything seemed fine.
The Tomkat control was wired into the new boat (are you following this) and worked. Intermittently. A little experimentation and waggling of wires indicated a loose connection in the plug. At last – a problem I could fix !
So the Tomakt now works with the motor to speed control plug & socket replaced with a chocolate block. A trip to the lake had the boat whizzing around as much as two nearly flat batteries allowed. Enough to show that we might be back in action though.
Fingers crossed, the last round of the competition is next weekend and it would be nice to take part in one leg.
Friday, September 15, 2006
Shipley no show
After all that effort, thanks to transport problems (which aren't even old VW related) Flockburgh won't now be appaering at Shipley because we can't get there.
I feel terrible about this as this leaves the manager with a hole in his show and public who see one less layout than they have paid to see.
I feel terrible about this as this leaves the manager with a hole in his show and public who see one less layout than they have paid to see.
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