Ranger type yacht by Mark Pearse - 1:12 - SMALL

[Mark Pearse]

Thanks John, & best wishes. I'll put a coat of shellac on the mast soon & we'll see if the glue joint is less visible.

 

I'm starting on the metalwork, beginning with some easier stuff, which reminded me of some techniques, the main one being: capillary action will flow the solder provided there's sufficient heat where you want it to flow to.

 

The four jib tracks are done, & I just had enough of the smaller sections of brass for these. I'm still confounded by the changes in the K&S range, to drop out so many smaller sections. The base part of the tracks was thinned a bit by sanding them - they are still a bit thick but look ok. I'll probably give them another sand later.... The subtle line down the centre lengthways is on most metal jib tracks, & I put it on as one of the "delicate" details. I think that if you include a few of these in a model it can give an overall effect that you think there's more detail than there actually is. More cleaning up later & then the tinning finish (thanks again Wefalck).

 

[wefalck]

I think they put this light groove between the locating holes, because the locking pin would otherwise mar the rails in an uneven way, looking unsightly.

[KeithAug]

I love the precision of the deck woodwork and I am glad to be catching up before the end. I look forward the fitting out. 

[Mark Pearse]

The base has been developing slowly in concept & the base itself. AS per previous posts, the plan is to replicate section of boatyard hardstand concrete, & concrete always has seams for expansion & contraction, with black flexible stuff in it. I replicated the seams by cutting a shallow V from both sides with a knife, with a separation at the bottom if around 0.5 -1mm (x12 for actual size). As the concrete work would have been a bit rough, I allowed variation & one of them isn't straight.

 

The paint is mineral paint, very flat finish & slightly rough. I adjusted the colour, as the concrete would probably have been poured in different batches, & at different times possibly - so the colour isn't the same. The grooves defining the joints were painted with some diluted dark grey paint, & the same dark grey was used to highlight the cracks in the concrete. Then a dusting from some col galvanising spray paint I had sitting there...

 

Below is painted with grey, but before the dark grey highlights.

Highlighted & dusted, 3 photos below.

 

 

 

There will be some spilled paint, oversprays of antifoam, topsides paint, rust stains....all yet to come. But for now I think it's looking ok, certainly it's looking somewhat like concrete. The dark speckles look a bit like the gravel in concrete & help to unify the effect, it was looking a bit patchwork until then.

 

 

 

[KeithAug]

9 hours ago, Mark Pearse said:

But for now I think it's looking ok,

Mark - Understatement, it looks extremely realistic.

[Jim Lad]

Very nice concrete, Mark!

 

John

[Mark Pearse]

Thanks all,

 

As the base will be a scaled section of a boatyard hardstand area, the supports for the model will also replicate a type used at a boatyard. The model hull supports will be 4 of the pedestal supports, & under the keel will be some blocks of timber. This photo shows the supports I'm making, the original yellow is just visible below the accretion of paint on this one:

 

And the swivel head fitting:

 

Mine are from brass solid rod, 2.5, 3 & 4mm diameter. The actual ones are pretty rough, so the workmanship on mine is a bit rough as well. The solder looks a bit like thick, unground welds, so I left some thick solder on the joints. The angled struts are also drilled on the underside of the feet, & perpendicular to the base, so I can glue or solder some 1.5mm rods into the base to make sure they all stay securely fixed to the base. Seen here in approximate position:

 

And here, with the adjustment fitting....and I just realised I need to do the flat plate cleats that take the chains, see the first photo above. You can also see the swivel head piece (below). I'm waiting on some 3mm brass threaded rod to complete them. There will be some fun with paint to come...

 

 

 

[Bedford]

You're going all out Mark, really looking the goods. 

[druxey]

Nicely constructed, Mark. Will they be spattered with paint and antifouling?

[Jim Lad]

They're looking really good, Mark! Perhaps you're going to need a seagull or pigeon to just finish off the effect.

 

John

[KeithAug]

Excellent job Mark, I keep looking at the concrete, it is amazingly realistic.

[Mark Pearse]

8 hours ago, druxey said:

Will they be spattered with paint and antifouling?

Oh yes, & not only spattered, but dripped & drooled ......& of course if the stands are mucky with paint, the hardstand area must also be fouled. But, fun aside, it is important that the weathering doesn't overtake the model itself, so I'll err on the side of caution & take it a bit at a time - which in a way has already started with the grey overspray on the concrete.

 

 

thanks everyone

[Rick310]

This is a really nice build!  Your stands look great!

Rick

[Mark Pearse]

The propeller is a feathering one, & that makes it a bit easier to fabricate accurately, as the blades don't have twist. I think the way they work is that the prop shaft always turns the same direction, but when the engage reverse the blade angle rotates from the 'forwards' position to the 'reverse' position & so opposite thrust for same shaft rotation direction. Incredible pieces of engineering, if you ever get to see inside of one.....

 

Here's the prop itself, with anode at the end & blades feathered:

 

First, the main body of the prop is made from 6mm brass rod, drilled first to take the shaft & then tapered (bow end) by using a drill & rubbing the rod against a file, then sandpaper:

 

 

The the anode shape was done, & the step using a broken piece of craft knife blade, against the spinning rod:

 

 

The blades are from 1.5mm thick sheet, cut with a jewellers saw & the sanded to fine edges but full thickness where the blades meet the shaft. Soldered to the shaft:

 

And cleaned up, & installed temporarily (nb: there will need to be a small washer where the shaft penetrates the keel). 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited 11 hours ago by Mark Pearse

[druxey]

Very neat result using low-tech means!

[KeithAug]

Prop looks great, your lack of machine tools is just an opportunity for innovation. I assume you used soft solder?

[Rick310]

When you used the knife blade on the spinning prop, did you clamp it or hold it by hand?

the prop looks great!

Rick

[Jim Lad]

Very nice propeller Mark, but I have to say that to an eye not used to feathering props, it looks a little odd with those straight fore and aft blades. 🙂

 

John

[Mark Pearse]

2 hours ago, KeithAug said:

I assume you used soft solder?

Hi Keith, yes soft solder & a Dremel brand butane torch.

 

 

1 hour ago, Rick310 said:

When you used the knife blade on the spinning prop, did you clamp it or hold it by hand?

Hi Rick, by hand. It would have been easier if the trigger on the drill could be set, but I had to hold the drill firmly (braced against something), & with a finger on the trigger, then my other hand was free to try different angles with the blade.

 

Hi John, for your interest here's a photo showing the blades rotated, on a slightly different model of the same prop brand. You can see how the lower section of each blade is quite thick.

.