Posts : 500 Join date : 2011-06-11 Age : 73 Location : West Yorkshire
Subject: Re: Rhyl Mersey Class Lifeboat Fri Dec 04, 2015 8:27 pm
At the rear of the wheelhouse the metal grills under the raised upper platform have been cut and fitted. These will also allow the sounds from the deck mounted speaker to be heard more clearly.
At the front the upper instrument consoles have been made and fitted ready to paint and detail later.
The trunking for the cables has now been made and fitted to both sides of the wheelhouse. These will be used to pass the wiring into the boat as per the original.
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gribeauval Master
Posts : 500 Join date : 2011-06-11 Age : 73 Location : West Yorkshire
Subject: Re: Rhyl Mersey Class Lifeboat Sun Dec 06, 2015 8:46 pm
The locking mechanisms for the hatches have now been 'welded' in place on the foredeck.
Although they are a little fiddly to operate they do work and hold the hatch open!
At the rear of the wheelhouse the plate decking has been added to the platform and the steps down into the interior.
On the stern of the hull a start has been made on the trim tab ram system.
The wheelhouse has also had a coat of primer ready to fit out the interior.
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Guest Guest
Subject: Re: Rhyl Mersey Class Lifeboat Sun Dec 06, 2015 10:43 pm
Superb build Mike
Guest Guest
Subject: Re: Rhyl Mersey Class Lifeboat Sun Dec 06, 2015 11:47 pm
beautiful work matey......who is this one for.............or are you building it for yourself.
neil.
gribeauval Master
Posts : 500 Join date : 2011-06-11 Age : 73 Location : West Yorkshire
Subject: Re: Rhyl Mersey Class Lifeboat Mon Dec 07, 2015 10:16 am
Damien wrote:
Superb build Mike
nhp651 wrote:
beautiful work matey......who is this one for.............or are you building it for yourself.
neil.
Glad you approve so far guys.
This one is for my young Welsh client Neil.
Mike
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Subject: Re: Rhyl Mersey Class Lifeboat Mon Dec 07, 2015 2:08 pm
he's a very lucky young man.
gribeauval Master
Posts : 500 Join date : 2011-06-11 Age : 73 Location : West Yorkshire
Subject: Re: Rhyl Mersey Class Lifeboat Mon Dec 07, 2015 8:35 pm
As the weather was nice today the deck was given a coat of primer as well as the front part of the superstructure.
The window frames have also been fitted and will be glazed after final painting.
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gribeauval Master
Posts : 500 Join date : 2011-06-11 Age : 73 Location : West Yorkshire
Subject: Re: Rhyl Mersey Class Lifeboat Tue Dec 15, 2015 9:24 pm
Over the past week, amongst having to do "Christmas things" ( Ho sodding Ho) I dug out the mould for the seats and made the several sets needed.
From scraps of styrene I made a jig to ensure that all the seat backs were at the same angle and glued the two parts of each seat together.
A jig was also made to allow the arms to all be bent to the same angle.
Once all the parts had been glued together and allowed to set, the seats were given a coat of primer and a final coat of satin black.
These are now ready to be fitted onto the stands.
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troutrunner Master
Posts : 573 Join date : 2014-01-23 Location : Lincolnshire UK
Subject: Re: Rhyl Mersey Class Lifeboat Wed Dec 16, 2015 8:22 am
This is all looking rather good, I like
Just a question :- How does one learn about the casting of parts like your seats and this question comes from a complete and absolute novice on the subject who would like to learn from the very beginning please.
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gribeauval Master
Posts : 500 Join date : 2011-06-11 Age : 73 Location : West Yorkshire
Subject: Re: Rhyl Mersey Class Lifeboat Wed Dec 16, 2015 12:58 pm
troutrunner wrote:
This is all looking rather good, I like
Just a question :- How does one learn about the casting of parts like your seats and this question comes from a complete and absolute novice on the subject who would like to learn from the very beginning please.
Just do as I did and search google and youtube, there are thousands of tutorials online. Also the suppliers of the materials have tutorials on their sites.
Once you have made masters in wood, plaster or metal etc the moulds can be as simple as pushing the model into plastercine, using plaster of Paris, up to making sectional silicone moulds. Then it's just a case of mixing the resin as per the instuctions on the tin, pouring it into the mould trying to avoid bubbles, letting it set, then removing and clean up the edges etc.
Start with something simple with a flat back like the seat parts and go for it, apart from the smells it's great to make several parts which are all identical every time!
Give it a go as it takes all the boring hassle of making umpteen identical bits and as with all things, practice makes perfect.
Mike
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troutrunner Master
Posts : 573 Join date : 2014-01-23 Location : Lincolnshire UK
Subject: Re: Rhyl Mersey Class Lifeboat Wed Dec 16, 2015 10:47 pm
Thanks for the reply Mike it sounds interesting, I think I will have a bit of a go at it.
Just one more thing, could you point me in the right direction for a reliable and helpful suppliers website please
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gribeauval Master
Posts : 500 Join date : 2011-06-11 Age : 73 Location : West Yorkshire
Subject: Re: Rhyl Mersey Class Lifeboat Thu Dec 17, 2015 11:59 am
troutrunner wrote:
Thanks for the reply Mike it sounds interesting, I think I will have a bit of a go at it.
Just one more thing, could you point me in the right direction for a reliable and helpful suppliers website please
This one is a good one as they have video tutorials and a forum, but there are others just as good.
http://www.ecfibreglasssupplies.co.uk/
Mike
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troutrunner Master
Posts : 573 Join date : 2014-01-23 Location : Lincolnshire UK
Subject: Re: Rhyl Mersey Class Lifeboat Thu Dec 17, 2015 12:53 pm
Thanks very much for your help apologies for being a nuisance, there might be more questions, hope you don't mind.............
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troutrunner Master
Posts : 573 Join date : 2014-01-23 Location : Lincolnshire UK
Subject: Re: Rhyl Mersey Class Lifeboat Thu Dec 17, 2015 1:17 pm
Ah! I see it all a bit clearer now, I hadn't realised it was fibre glass resin with pigments mixed in to give the colour, I have just thought of a couple of things to make already
Thanks again Mike, I love learning new tricks
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gribeauval Master
Posts : 500 Join date : 2011-06-11 Age : 73 Location : West Yorkshire
Subject: Re: Rhyl Mersey Class Lifeboat Thu Dec 24, 2015 9:53 pm
Take some styrene tube and several hats from lego minifigures.............
Glue short lengths onto the crowns of the hats and remove the peaks............
These now represent the "air blowers" that can be swiveled to channel fresh air to the crew and are fixed to the inner ceiling for the wheelhouse. The large gap is where mountings for the navigation system will be fitted.
All parts painted and the square blocks are the interior lights (leds).
The lights are red for night vision and white for general use.
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Subject: Re: Rhyl Mersey Class Lifeboat Thu Dec 24, 2015 10:40 pm
glad someone else plays with lego mate.......just you are brave enough to admit it, lol........but where did you get 5 of em from, lol
gribeauval Master
Posts : 500 Join date : 2011-06-11 Age : 73 Location : West Yorkshire
Subject: Re: Rhyl Mersey Class Lifeboat Fri Dec 25, 2015 3:38 pm
nhp651 wrote:
glad someone else plays with lego mate.......just you are brave enough to admit it, lol........but where did you get 5 of em from, lol
Useful stuff is Lego! I bought 20 helmets on line for £2-99.
Merry Christmas !!
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Subject: Re: Rhyl Mersey Class Lifeboat Fri Dec 25, 2015 6:46 pm
And merry christmas to yoo too matey......and that was cheap.......would. never have thougght of looking just for hard hats.....amazing what is in offer on ebay.
gribeauval Master
Posts : 500 Join date : 2011-06-11 Age : 73 Location : West Yorkshire
Subject: Re: Rhyl Mersey Class Lifeboat Mon Jan 18, 2016 7:55 pm
Having been out of action since Christmas day until last weekend it is a pleasure to get back into the workshop again and do some building.
Slow start, and the three swivel seat bases have been made and the seats, cast and assembled earlier, have been fitted.
The other two seats have been fitted onto the box structures, again made earlier, and after painting they have been detailed as they are also stowage for equipment onboard the full size boat.
These seats will be fitted into the wheelhouse after the interior painting has been completed.
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Subject: Re: Rhyl Mersey Class Lifeboat Wed Jan 20, 2016 1:43 am
Superb work as usual Mike.
battleshipbuff Gunner
Posts : 174 Join date : 2012-03-16 Age : 78 Location : Cornwall
Subject: mersey Wed Jan 20, 2016 9:14 pm
Great to see you back building Mike, and great stuff again! Err is there a Severn lurking around somewhere? Lol Mick F
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gribeauval Master
Posts : 500 Join date : 2011-06-11 Age : 73 Location : West Yorkshire
Subject: Re: Rhyl Mersey Class Lifeboat Wed Jan 20, 2016 9:34 pm
battleshipbuff wrote:
Great to see you back building Mike, and great stuff again! Err is there a Severn lurking around somewhere? Lol Mick F
Yes
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battleshipbuff Gunner
Posts : 174 Join date : 2012-03-16 Age : 78 Location : Cornwall
Subject: Re: Rhyl Mersey Class Lifeboat Wed Jan 20, 2016 9:58 pm
Like it!
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gribeauval Master
Posts : 500 Join date : 2011-06-11 Age : 73 Location : West Yorkshire
Subject: Re: Rhyl Mersey Class Lifeboat Sun Feb 07, 2016 6:03 pm
Back in the full swing of building again .
The interior of the wheelhouse has been painted and the wooden panels fitted onto the walls.
At the front the reinforcing bars over the window openings have been fitted and the foot rests on the lower consoles added.
The two box seats made earlier have now been fixed in place on the port side of the wheelhouse.
The junction boxes, switches and fire vent diagram have been made and fitted in the rear starboard corner.
The main radio stack has been made and fitted .
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battleshipbuff Gunner
Posts : 174 Join date : 2012-03-16 Age : 78 Location : Cornwall
Subject: Re: Rhyl Mersey Class Lifeboat Sun Feb 07, 2016 6:53 pm
Good to see you back in full swing Mike,which hopefully means you are feeling better.Hope so anyway. As usual,wonderful step by step build. Look forward to the next session as always. Mick F
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gribeauval Master
Posts : 500 Join date : 2011-06-11 Age : 73 Location : West Yorkshire
Subject: Re: Rhyl Mersey Class Lifeboat Thu Feb 18, 2016 7:55 pm
Only a couple of pictures to show for a lot of fiddly building jobs.
The circuit breaker/fuse panel under the table has been made and fixed onto the wall (just visible behind the swivel chair!). The remaining two seats have been fixed in place, the floor storage lockers made and added, more of the instruments made and fitted ( about half of them now done!!), the grab rail bent and added and the bench seat at the rear completed.
I have also started on the modification of the figure for the helm position. He will be inside the wheelhouse because if he was placed on the upper steering position he would be in the way when the mast folds down!
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Guest Guest
Subject: Re: Rhyl Mersey Class Lifeboat Fri Feb 19, 2016 3:05 am
Outstanding Mike.
battleshipbuff Gunner
Posts : 174 Join date : 2012-03-16 Age : 78 Location : Cornwall
Subject: Re: Rhyl Mersey Class Lifeboat Fri Feb 19, 2016 11:41 am
Mike,great stuff as ever!! Could you tell me what or whose figures you use please? I try to use figures of the tv series the A Team, readily available at car boot sales,but find they are slightly to large in general. Cheers, Mick
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gribeauval Master
Posts : 500 Join date : 2011-06-11 Age : 73 Location : West Yorkshire
Subject: Re: Rhyl Mersey Class Lifeboat Fri Feb 19, 2016 1:40 pm
battleshipbuff wrote:
Mike,great stuff as ever!! Could you tell me what or whose figures you use please? I try to use figures of the tv series the A Team, readily available at car boot sales,but find they are slightly to large in general. Cheers, Mick
I just use whatever I come across at car boot sales that are between 5.5 and 6 in tall. I find the A team figures are a little to big and bulky, some of the Dr Who, X files and Startreck figures are a better prospect
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gribeauval Master
Posts : 500 Join date : 2011-06-11 Age : 73 Location : West Yorkshire
Subject: Re: Rhyl Mersey Class Lifeboat Sun Apr 03, 2016 4:32 pm
Easter break over, Arun delivered so it's back to the building here.
Easing into the work I made the radar scope for the front console.
It contains a small led so that when the radar scanner is turning the screen will light up.
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gribeauval Master
Posts : 500 Join date : 2011-06-11 Age : 73 Location : West Yorkshire
Been busy since the last post with lots of small items to complete the interior.
The helsman's console has been fitted out with the switches and dials needed, the compass fitted and the helmsman finished and in his seat.
The rest of the navigation station is now complete, the map on the table is a copy of the Admiralty chart of the coast off Rhyl. The track and blackout curtains are also in place.
Second crewman is also in place, I think he's the navigator.
The upper console has also been done.
The inner roof section is now in place and the wiring, along with the fibre optics, passed down the side supports.
Fibre optics on the roof panel.
I can now seal up the windows and door to concentrate on the outside of the wheelhouse (and keep the dust out!!)
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Roadrunner Forum Overlord
Posts : 1715 Join date : 2011-06-10
Subject: Re: Rhyl Mersey Class Lifeboat Thu Apr 14, 2016 7:33 am
_________________ I'm Not Anti-Social, I'm Anti-Stupid.
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troutrunner Master
Posts : 573 Join date : 2014-01-23 Location : Lincolnshire UK
Subject: Re: Rhyl Mersey Class Lifeboat Thu Apr 14, 2016 7:44 am
Nice detailing
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gribeauval Master
Posts : 500 Join date : 2011-06-11 Age : 73 Location : West Yorkshire
Subject: Re: Rhyl Mersey Class Lifeboat Sun Apr 17, 2016 4:11 pm
With the fine weather over the last couple of days the outer roof panel was made and glued in place, along with the front floodlights. Every opening was then masked off to keep the paint out.
The whole structure was then given two coats of white primer/undercoat and, after leaving overnight, two coats of orange topcoat today.
This will now be left for at least three days to allow the paint to harden off before work on the outside is started.
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gribeauval Master
Posts : 500 Join date : 2011-06-11 Age : 73 Location : West Yorkshire
As the weather was very nice today I spent some time masking off the front part of the superstrucutre on the hull and giving it its colour coats.
I also removed the masking from over the windows and was very relieved to find that there was no orange paintr inside!!
View of the two parts together again.
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gribeauval Master
Posts : 500 Join date : 2011-06-11 Age : 73 Location : West Yorkshire
Subject: Re: Rhyl Mersey Class Lifeboat Sun Apr 24, 2016 7:54 pm
Next major build job is the mast.
A block the size of the position of the mast on the rear of the wheelhouse was made to allow the lower mounting to be accuratly made.
The lower mount has been made from styrene welded together with solvent to give it stength.
At the same time the two ladder sections of the mast were also welded together being careful to keep everything square. The sections are hinged together using model aircraft nylon hinge pins.
The bottom plate of the mast platform has also been made.
The two parts now welded into one unit.
The gas struts at the base of the mast have been made and fitted in place.
View showing how the mast folds down.
Mast in the upright position.
Top surface of the mast platform now completed.
Next on the agenda will be the folding upper mast section.
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Subject: Re: Rhyl Mersey Class Lifeboat Mon Apr 25, 2016 12:43 am
davidjt Forum Sponsor
Posts : 534 Join date : 2013-01-08 Age : 72 Location : n wales coast
Subject: Re: Rhyl Mersey Class Lifeboat Mon Apr 25, 2016 2:09 am
great workmanship , but how can you possible put a price on something like this, as it must be hundreds of hours taken, just price less to me.
david
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Subject: Re: Rhyl Mersey Class Lifeboat Mon Apr 25, 2016 2:23 am
Agreed David.
Roadrunner Forum Overlord
Posts : 1715 Join date : 2011-06-10
Subject: Re: Rhyl Mersey Class Lifeboat Mon Apr 25, 2016 8:29 am
Absolutely craftsmanship here boys!
_________________ I'm Not Anti-Social, I'm Anti-Stupid.
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barriew Captain (moderator)
Posts : 2631 Join date : 2011-11-26 Age : 84 Location : Thaxted, Essex
Subject: Re: Rhyl Mersey Class Lifeboat Mon Apr 25, 2016 9:01 am
I can now see where I'm going wrong. My workshop is too neat and tidy More debris strewn around and my build quality should improve no end
Truly amazing!
Barrie
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Roadrunner Forum Overlord
Posts : 1715 Join date : 2011-06-10
Subject: Re: Rhyl Mersey Class Lifeboat Mon Apr 25, 2016 9:22 am
You know get say geniuses are messy!
_________________ I'm Not Anti-Social, I'm Anti-Stupid.
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gribeauval Master
Posts : 500 Join date : 2011-06-11 Age : 73 Location : West Yorkshire
Subject: Re: Rhyl Mersey Class Lifeboat Mon Apr 25, 2016 11:22 am
Glad you like what I get up to guys.
my motto is Tidy Bench, tidy mind...... Messy Bench, busy at work!!
The upper mast section has been made from styrene tube and sheet to keep weight down.
This section is pivoted onto the lower section made earlier.
Mast folded down.
After painting the mast is trial fitted onto the rear of the wheelhouse and the safety rails, which it is fastened to when upright, made and fitted in place.
Again mast in the folded position which allows the boat to fit into boathouse.
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Subject: Re: Rhyl Mersey Class Lifeboat Fri Apr 29, 2016 3:39 am
gribeauval Master
Posts : 500 Join date : 2011-06-11 Age : 73 Location : West Yorkshire
Subject: Re: Rhyl Mersey Class Lifeboat Sun May 08, 2016 5:34 pm
The base for the spray screens has been shaped and fitted onto the roof of the wheelhouse. The main mast supports can also be seen more easily in this picture.
The main screen section made from styrene and hinged in place.
The connecting bars from the screen to the mast fixed in place. These fold the screen when the mast is lowered.
Sucess!! evrything folds without problems.
The smaller screen and its side support made and hinged in place.
All the lights and radar have been fitted and this is the resulting nightmare of a wiring system. All these wires now have to be covered in heat shrink and then fitted into the two condits that run down either side of the mast.
All the wires tamed and in place.
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Subject: Re: Rhyl Mersey Class Lifeboat Mon May 09, 2016 5:38 am
troutrunner Master
Posts : 573 Join date : 2014-01-23 Location : Lincolnshire UK
Subject: Re: Rhyl Mersey Class Lifeboat Mon May 09, 2016 7:32 am