jim_smits

Hello all!
 
The rumours of my death have been greatly exaggerated!
 
Its been a busy year with wedding, honeymoon and then Christmas and a new job. Most of my free time has been absorbed in working on our garden, which is getting an extensive landscaping, and we still have stuff everywhere after well over a year in the new house!
 
Got round to having a tidy up of the kitchen table and made some room to work. The Hood is so large that it needs a fair amount of room!
 
I've started to lay down the 7" armour band using polyethylene sheet on the port side of the ship.
 
Also glued in place two sheets of brass etch on the super structure.
 
I'll try and ensure some better progress going forward.
 
Still looking for issue 119 btw....
 

And onto the second of my completed build posts!
 
The last part towards completion was the case. I've hinted that I was going to try something a little different and I'm immensely happy to say that I managed to complete the case without any mishaps. And here is the final result:
 

 
I ordered a wooden base and acrylic case from a supplier and also a sheet of blue acrylic. The sheet of blue acrylic was to simulate water level and I measured up the approx. dimensions of the ship at the water level and then deducted a few mm to be safe. I then cut out the approximate shape of the ship from the acrylic sheet. Then spent a long while iterating towards a good fit, using a dremel and then files, so that the ship rested in the acrylic sheet at the water line.
 
Once this was complete (and I polished out the scratches I accidently made), it was onto the main case. I need to drill four small holes to fit 10mm lengths of 3mm diameter acrylic rod through each hole to act as a rest for the waterline sheet. This was the most tense section as I could easily write off £80 worth of acrylic case. Stacked a load of old paperbacks and a piece of wood to brace the acrylic against. Then VERY carefully drilled a 1mm pilot hole by hand. Using the pilot hole I then used the dremel at its lowest setting to drill 2mm and then 3mm.
 
Everything worked out well and I'm very pleased with the final result.
 

 

 

 
Thank you to everyone who has followed the log and provided encouragement and support. Now I really must get back to my Snake build.....!!

Bulkheads attached. Glued with a spot of cyano and set to the correct position using the false deck. I have then added PVA and smeared into the joints using cotton buds. I will let these cure while I treat myself to a carvery...!!

Jason - The Ballahoo/Haddock build will provide a change to the rigging on the snake and keep me fresh, although once my repairs on the Snake are complete, I will not have too many ratlines to complete.
 
The instructions are around the same level as the Snake instructions although obviously more simplistic due to the nature of the ship being built. Couple of minor improvements; the eyelets on the deck have been specifically labelled as such. They were very simple to overlook on the Snake. Also, the mast plans also show the cleats to be attached. These were only shown on the belaying plan for the Snake.
 
Eamonn - The build area has now been fully 'upgraded', there will be no more feline / heavy object relating incidents....!
 
Patrick / Sam - Good to see you both on board. Hope we can all learn from each other.
 
Today's progress has been to make a build board for the keel. The keel is not warped at all and is one less thing to worry about, Waiting for my Dremel to recharge and will make a start on bevelling bulkheads.

Repeated the boot polish treatment on the calibration ring and again happy with the results. The black really picks out the engraved details nicely.

First step I have decided to take, after looking at some advice on Sky at Night forum, is to use boot polish to colour the etched markings in the base plate so that they stand out nicely.
 
Bought a tin of black kiwi polish, and using my finger gently rubbed the polish into the engravings in the baseplate. Once an initial coverage had been applied I gently used a rag to wipe away the excess polish. I'm please with the result but I think it will probably require a couple more 'coats' to get full and proper coverage and get the best detail to stand out.
 
 

The package I picked up yesterday contained the first three issues and an introductory issue. Each issue comes with a selection of parts that gradually build up the orrery over the year, like the partworks Victory and Bismarck models.
 
All the parts are either solid brass or brass plate, with a few plastic washers and clips. So far looks really good quality.
 
The parts I have received are the baseplate and calibration ring, the central column and drive shaft, the Sun and the start of the drive section for Venus.
 
 
 

Hi there
I’ve come back to the thread very late!
glad you got your gearing problems sorted. 
Jim

In the meantime here is a picture of the second model that will be made.
 

Hi there
I’ve come back to the thread very late!
glad you got your gearing problems sorted. 
Jim

Hi there
I’ve come back to the thread very late!
glad you got your gearing problems sorted. 
Jim

Hi there
I’ve come back to the thread very late!
glad you got your gearing problems sorted. 
Jim

Hi there
I’ve come back to the thread very late!
glad you got your gearing problems sorted. 
Jim

The package I picked up yesterday contained the first three issues and an introductory issue. Each issue comes with a selection of parts that gradually build up the orrery over the year, like the partworks Victory and Bismarck models.
 
All the parts are either solid brass or brass plate, with a few plastic washers and clips. So far looks really good quality.
 
The parts I have received are the baseplate and calibration ring, the central column and drive shaft, the Sun and the start of the drive section for Venus.
 
 
 

Hi,
 
I'm rapidly nearing the end of the build now. Had a two months of magazines delivered in one go and this has brought to within one issue of completion. All the planets/dwarf planets/minor planets are now in place with the final addition of Eris after Pluto.
 
Also received the motor and gearing system, brass casing and three legs. The only piece now missing is the adapter and plug socket to actually get the unit powered up.
 
It looks cracking though at the moment even when it isn't moving. I will probably disassemble the entire thing and tweak fitting of the plastic washers and gears to ensure smooth operation.
 
Once I have received the adapter in a week or two I ill upload a video for your viewing pleasure.

Finally received a replacement allan key to refit the planetary arms. Pugged the orrery into its power source and presto!
 
www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRJ2Gw2hY8g
 

Finally received a replacement allan key to refit the planetary arms. Pugged the orrery into its power source and presto!
 
www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRJ2Gw2hY8g
 

In the meantime here is a picture of the second model that will be made.
 

Sorry for the minor tease but no video for a couple of days. I stripped the entire model to sort out any loose fittings and my cheap nasty Allen key stripped slightly and so I can't fit the planet arms back on.
Most of the mechanism can be made with the decent screwdriver Allen and torx adapters that I have but they are simply to short and fat to reach the inner mechanism to fit the planets.
Mail order on its way......

Thanks for likes everyone. I'll post a video tomorrow of it working, just go back from my stag.
 
Also just received the first new parts for the second model in the series, which is a luminary and looks excellent.
 
John - not sure where you are but often kits are sold on eBay in partial or complete sets.
 
Druxey - it will eventually have its own dedicated shelf put up but I don't think a case will be made as the circumference of the model is enormous!

Hi,
 
I'm rapidly nearing the end of the build now. Had a two months of magazines delivered in one go and this has brought to within one issue of completion. All the planets/dwarf planets/minor planets are now in place with the final addition of Eris after Pluto.
 
Also received the motor and gearing system, brass casing and three legs. The only piece now missing is the adapter and plug socket to actually get the unit powered up.
 
It looks cracking though at the moment even when it isn't moving. I will probably disassemble the entire thing and tweak fitting of the plastic washers and gears to ensure smooth operation.
 
Once I have received the adapter in a week or two I ill upload a video for your viewing pleasure.

Hey,
 
The 'instructions' to set the dates are actually engraved planetary positions on the base plates.
 
To do a birthday I would find an online planetarium site and plug in the dates and use that as a guide.

Hi,
 
Next update finally! Next set of gears have been added and therefore I can add the planet Uranus (no jokes please....) to the Orrery. The gearing ratios are really kicking in and the last couple of planets are barely moving. It will be interesting once the motor has been added and I can playing around with the speeds.

Yes, staying in Bristol. Moving out of rental house in Bradley Stoke and buying house over in Willsbridge. It's got a 2nd garage/car port which will be getting converted to man cave/workshop.
 
Reserves are taking a hammering! Getting married in September as well.....

Haven't thought about where it will live but purely because we are hoping to move house in the next three weeks. Will be able to find a decent spot after that!