A Tug of two halfs

[Eddie LancasterParticipant @eddielancaster]

Hi. Roger, I received 6k. of lead shot yesterday, over half of it is now firmly fixed in the bottom of the hull.

This is what 400 grams of lead sheet looks like against 400 grams of lead shot.

I fixed the shot in place with polyester resin, it's cheaper than epoxy and I had it in stock.

Regards.

Eddie.

[Roger ClarkParticipant @rogerclark]

Hi Eddie, just looks like a load of balls , sorry had to say it!!! Didn't know you could still buy lead shot with all the associated risks of lead poisoning. Hmmm must check on the wife's insurance . My plan is to take plugs of the ballast areas and create sand moulds to cast them.

Made my Porthole borer today:

It's a touch too big but should be fine, done a bit more to the topsides but nothing worth uploading at the mo, just been sorting out my Speedy 5" gauge loco ready to sell.

Model Boat came ashore today, had a quick glance, the Barge looks about the right size for us but J P Woods hasn't really caught up with where we /you are currently .

Have a great weekend (any boating?)

Regards

Roger

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi Roger,

Good work on the tug, yes glad you made the comment regarding Eddies balls 😊 let me know how you get on selling Speedy, I have a couple of locos advertised in the ME this month, did you make your own boiler ?

Regards Ray

[Roger ClarkParticipant @rogerclark]

Hi Ray, Well someone had to, he's got so many . I bought Speedy as it is, the intent being to complete it but it was going to be too much of a project for me and my skills. I bought it at the right price and have put a test certificate for double working pressure on it so any future purchaser can be confident on it's condition.

I am making my own boilers, couple of verticals and possibly 2 or 3 horizontals depending on what I build in boats.

Which is your ad then? The Maidstone ad?

Regards

Roger

[Eddie LancasterParticipant @eddielancaster]

Hi.Roger, Ray, I never thought my balls would create so much interest.Lead shot is used by divers to get them to the bottom.

I was thinking the same that we are ahead of the articles,and that barge will look good behind our tugs.

Another photo of Master Elliott, on the water when the ballast had set,the motor is in but I forgot to put the battery in so it's a bit bows up at the moment, also I have kept back 500 grams of lead from the total required to bring down to the water line, for trimming when it is all finished.

Yes we go boating twice a week,Thur.and Sunday morning,I am still getting to grips with my TSB before I meet up with Ray

Regards to both. Eddie.

Edited By Eddie Lancaster on 03/05/2019 21:10:53

[Roger ClarkParticipant @rogerclark]

And there was me thinking they ate a heavy meal beforehand , don't ask me how they come back up though .

I'm in need of a bit of advice guys, I haven't been able to decide on a sound module yet, I've listened to the Forge one and have to say I'm not impressed, it just sounds like white noise to me! I like the Harbor module but way too expensive for me, there's one at Mr RC World that sounds really good but it doesn't match to engine speed. I just don't know what to do. It might be that I wait and look at building a solution round an Arduino or Raspberry Pi and a single sound snip.

Ray, are you giving up on locos as well now?

Regards

Roger

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi Roger,

Steam has always been a family interest, my grandad, dad & uncle were all engineers as a hobby, all departed now, much as I'm attached to their models, they will be no good to my grandsons as they are the next generation of Xboxers, and much as I love driving steamers I'm more into boats & aeroplanes. The locos seem to be getting heavier & there are loads more !!

Regards Ray

[Roger ClarkParticipant @rogerclark]

My father was an engineer, worked on the Gloster Javelin but like me was late getting a lathe, mainly to build bits for his hobby of Lapidary, sadly passed before savouring too much of his hobby.

I do have my static engines that I'm building and am comfortable with those but really do enjoy my boat building, used to do planes, my first was a Super 60 back when I was still at school, had an ED racer and radio control but then found drink and women…. not necessarily in that order Also found real boating, Only in the small stuff though, Enterprises, Wayfairers and a 'C' class catamaran and then bought a small speedboat that I towed behind my MGB, Aah those were the days, then I got married

I find my hand eye brain co-ordination lets me down a bit now which precludes flying planes and find chuffing steamers around are no longer any fun for me.

Regards

Roger

[Roger ClarkParticipant @rogerclark]

Hi All, a little bit more done today, firstly a coat of sanding sealer on the deck and then some port holing in the superstructure sides prior to sealer, sanding and a coat of primer.

I think it's coming together now, did have to do a mod to the bridge, the back had too much rake on it when 'leveling' the boat to the waterline so that's fixed….ish, well looks a bit better. Had a delivery from Mobile Marine Models today of a ships wheel, binnacle and telegraph to furnish the bridge just waiting for a cap'n and crew to turn up now. see what kind of wasters I end up with!!

Isn't there anybody with some experience of sound modules that can advise me?

Constructive comments would be very welcome by the way.

Regards

Roger

[Eddie LancasterParticipant @eddielancaster]

Hi.Roger, Looking good now I do like that colour for the top works and I like the overhang of the top deck,I have now fitted the motor and finished the steering gear,I have used 1/8"copper tube to route the cables around the deck.

I agree that the Forge Electronics sound unit is not that convincing but what else is there?, apart from a unit from Canada for around 170$

I have now fitted the name boards and cut some hawse holes.

Regards.

Eddie.

[Eddie LancasterParticipant @eddielancaster]

Hi.Roger, Looking good now I do like that colour for the top works and I like the overhang of the top deck,I have now fitted the motor and finished the steering gear,I have used 1/8"copper tube to route the cables around the deck.

I agree that the Forge Electronics sound unit is not that convincing but what else is there?, apart from a unit from Canada for around 170$

I have now fitted the name boards and cut some hawse holes.

Regards.

Eddie.

[Roger ClarkParticipant @rogerclark]

Hi Eddie, I know yours is looking really good but posting it twice??? I see you've used the same idea I've got in mind with 1/8th copper tube for the leadout but I think I'll try and machine some brass pulleys, I'll get a piece of hacksaw blade and profile the end and put it in my parting off tool, that might just be big enough to create the channel in the pulley.

I got some Rustins light oak woodstain so hope that'll do for the decking

I think I've settled on a name for her now, I'm going to call her Miss Ellie, this is after my first rescue Scottie, she was a breeding bitch in one of those puppy farms and not at all well treated. I have another rescue Scottie, Robbie, he's from a broken home and we had him from 11 months old, he's daddies boy so I guess a Clyde Puffer has to go on the list , that's after the barge for the tug, a sailer of some kind, oh did I mention HMS Crane? Ooh I need something for the missus, guess that'll have to be a fairy something after Ray's comment , that might actually be a kit.. Oh I need a bigger workshop!!!

Anyway I think I've wittered on enough now

Regards

Roger

[Eddie LancasterParticipant @eddielancaster]

Hi.Roger, I don't know what happened there,I must have nodded off with my finger on the button. I like your new name, no upsetting any of the family. I lost my 15 year old Cavalier King Charles a month ago so a boat in her memory must be on the cards.

A Clyde Puffer now there's an idea and there's to be one in next months MB.

I forgot to ask what scale figures have you found and where from?

Regards.

Eddie.

[Roger ClarkParticipant @rogerclark]

Hi Eddie, it could be the drink you know or just old age!!!! If I build a puffer it has to be big enough for live steam, I have 2 twin oscillator kits, one part built so stop start and reversing not a problem.

The scale…ish figures I've bought are the Italeri PT boat crew, firstly they are yanks, secondly they have good poses and reasonable dress to pass as tug boat crew, well I think they have possibilities.

Regards

Roger

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi Eddie, does that steering layout work ? The theory should be the arm on the servo and the round quadrant on the rudder, as the cable at the stern stays the same length when moving. If it works as is happy days 😀

Regards Ray

[Eddie LancasterParticipant @eddielancaster]

Hi. Ray, Yes it seems fine,at the moment I have put 120 percent travel on the servo to make sure there is enough movement at the rudder, I can then adjust it later if needed.

I can also go to the layout that you suggest as I have made a quadrant for the rudder.

How did your first two barge races go? I hope to get to the Malden meetings and the Hearne Bay meet,

I will be down to Broadstairs next week and I will take the barge to sail at Hearne Bay.

Regards.

Eddie.

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi Eddie,

I have only been to the Bluewater match and all went well, Gertrude my 30" cleaned up winning both races and Veronica managed a 1st & 2nd 😁 I didn't manage to attend the Silvermere match as I was on grandad duties ☺next meeting at my local lake Mote park Maidstone, I will have to miss the Monaco Grand Prix, but we all have to make sacrifices 😃

Regards Ray

[Roger ClarkParticipant @rogerclark]

Lovely photo Ray, is that Gertrude or Veronica?

Regards

Roger

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi Roger,

This is Gertrude the 1/32nd scale 30 " barge she is based on Giralda a very successful full-size barge.Regards

Regards Ray that's my grandmother Gert at the helm 😀

[Roger ClarkParticipant @rogerclark]

I didn't realize she was one of the little people

How difficult, or easy are they to build Ray? The model I mean

Regards

Roger

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi Roger,

The hull and spars are basic stuff you would enjoy the metalwork fittings, the sailmaking takes things to the next level 😀

Couldn't master the sewing machine 😮 but hand sewing is very therapeutic .

Regards Ray

[Roger ClarkParticipant @rogerclark]

Hi Ray, I have ordered the dvd from Sarik, along with some other stuff, that was 3 weeks ago, giving it another week and then I'll start chasing. But I do like the lines of the barge and quite fancy the build, especially as I have come to know a couple of very knowledgeable experts…… Ray, Eddie

Regards

Roger

[Eddie LancasterParticipant @eddielancaster]

Hi.Roger, I'm not sure about the expert tag for me, except that ex is something that has expired and a spert is a drip under pressure.

Regards.

Eddie.

[Roger ClarkParticipant @rogerclark]

Haha, Eddie you do yourself a disservice, how many boats have you built? I reckon at least 4, currently that's 4 more than me so you have had at least 4 more chances of learning from your mistakes so in my eyes you are more 'expert' than me!

I love logic, you can prove anything

Regards

Roger

[Roger ClarkParticipant @rogerclark]

Ahoy shipmates My new crew arrived today:

They were in bits when they saw their new boat:

I shall have a think about their new persona and roles on the tug. Could be interesting…. Could be a Roger made disaster

I'll have fun

Roger and out.

Edited By Roger Clark on 07/05/2019 12:48:30

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