Mintanic

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Mini-Titanic.

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

I thought I would start this as a separate thread just so I can witter on about it and not clog up todays boating.

I was looking on `t interweb at easy build boats, for something to possibly make as a side project with the proviso of being able to fit in a carry-bag and be taken to the pond on my bike. To this end the maximum length, including box if made has to be less than 24 inches.

This came up under a schools project whereby the kiddies had to build a Titanic, from cardboard, and one of the boats caught my eye as being not only wonderfully simple and uncluttered, but looking recognisably like the Titanic (which is handy).

In my possession I have a plastic seaside toy Titanic, which although an obvious conversion of….something else…(see if you can spot it), is a good size and all of a sudden I added two and two together.

You either like this sort of thing or not. It is not even semi-scale, but appeals to me as everyone will know what it is supposed to be and it is a bit of fun. Construction will be 3.6mm ply throughout with a bit of balsa strip inside on the corners and plastic pipe for the funnels.

For those REALLY interested I have made a Mintanic album.

 

Edited By ashley needham on 06/06/2020 09:22:15

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

I think the construction is self explanatory, and the only non-flat bit on the boat, the stern, has been "planked" using vertical strips of ply, trimmed and filled.

I have used superglue and waterproof ordinary PVA only so far but probably the plastic funnels will need some epoxy to hold them in place.

For access, the top deck (roof) will lift off, complete with funnels and this can be turned upside down to lessen vertical height for storage. Masts fore and aft will be plug-in.

Detail items will be lifeboats, cranes and deck hatches only.

Ashley

[The Long BuildParticipant @thelongbuild]

Like it , Not Rc but a bit of fun I had for a few minutes in Lockdown , Look forward to your build.

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

I like it ! and the secret of the Mintanic will be in the detail…or lack of.

There is a fine line between adding JUST sufficient detail to achieve the look, or adding too much on something like this that is blatantly NOT to scale and making it look cluttered or even, worse case, make it look like you were trying to make a detailed model but have messed up the hull (scale wise).

Detail will be almost as above. Cranes, a few cargo hatches, masts, funnels, rear conning walkway and of course the lifeboats. Undecided yet about the form of the lifeboats….too shapely and they will look out of place, too simple and they will look crude. Crudeness is what I am avoiding. Out of scale and simple perhaps, but not crude.

Ashley

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Ashley

I must admit to having a 'Rip Van Winkle' moment regarding this thread as I have absolutely no idea what Mintanic is all about.

Paul

[Dave MilbournParticipant @davemilbourn48782]

Go back to sleep, Doc. It's about a tenth as big as anything that might interest you.

DM

[Chris EParticipant @chrise]

Posted by ashley needham on 07/06/2020 16:59:05:

………………..There is a fine line between adding JUST sufficient detail to achieve the look, or adding too much on something like this that is blatantly NOT to scale and making it look cluttered or even, worse case, make it look like you were trying to make a detailed model but have messed up the hull (scale wise).

Detail will be almost as above. Cranes, a few cargo hatches, masts, funnels, rear conning walkway and of course the lifeboats. Undecided yet about the form of the lifeboats….too shapely and they will look out of place, too simple and they will look crude. Crudeness is what I am avoiding. Out of scale and simple perhaps, but not crude.

Ashley

This will be interesting as "atmospehere" is so difficult. Are you thinking of the toy look with bright pristine colours or something more worn?

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Chris. Well, it will have a “toy “ look due to the proportions, and this is where we don’t want to over-detail the boat too much, or it starts to look like something trying to be a proper model, rather than a bit of fun. If there’s one boat you should not weather, it has to be the Titanic as it didn’t really have time to weather.

Paul. I can hardly believe you could see anything this small, as DM says…

Ashley

[Chris EParticipant @chrise]

Posted by ashley needham on 08/06/2020 10:11:53:

…………………….. If there’s one boat you should not weather, it has to be the Titanic as it didn’t really have time to weather…………

Ashley

A model of the Titanic could be 108+ years old.

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

BUT that would be false weathering as the original was pristine???

More snaps in album. Basicaly the black hull and white has been painted (white drying) and the masked line is very sharp and only minimal retouching is necessary.

Also featured are the "detail items".,such as they are. In point of fact I am leaving a pair of cranes off the aft end as they are bunched up too much in this shortened version and look odd. Items as yet unfinished of course.

Adding the funnels makes the bare hull instantly recognisable.

Still undecided about lifeboat design. I think they may be the last things to be done.

Please see album for a few more snaps. Ashley

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Not that the bits have arrived yet so I can put the motor/shaft in, but…

after a small amount of retouching the black bits I may paint the bottom. It should be red-oxide, but I still have some gold Rustin's external acrylic paint left from the London, and it would add a bit of bling to the boat when out of the water.? Either that or gloss red perhaps, would look nice?

Unfortunately the two Humbrol tin lets of no 121, pale stone (that the big Titanic's decks were painted with) have dried up, so I will have to mix something up for the Mintanic decks, which is not a problem, but when later you have the need to do a bit of repainting it is almost impossible to recreate the same colour exactly. I don’t want to send off for one tinlet!

The gloss white on the top has dried nicely with no dust/flies or hairs on it…result.

Ashley

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Running gear fitted but not connected up yet.

Snaps show layout of said bits, close up of my silicone tube u/j replacement and lastly painting the underside gold.

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi Ashley,

I think you studding for holding that poor little motor in maybe On the small side ??? 😄😎⛵

Regards Ray

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Nah, its a 900 watt 3560Kv motor Ray….

Ashley

(on 6s obviously)

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi Ashley,

You have got me there 😄 what do all those numbers even mean ??I

Is it something to do with the periodic table 😉

Regards (keep it simple) Ray

[Trevor HollowayParticipant @trevorholloway99134]

Ray, I saw the boat today (at a safe distance).

The motor specifications can be translated as "enough oomph" for reasonable "whoosh" !

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Yes.the motor has a nice goldish colour and looked pretty, so I fitted it.

30mm prop fitted, 35mm will go if I need more  oomph assuming the pretty motor is capable of spinning one. Room for an 8 cell Nimh also, for extra ballast and extra oomph

Paint paint and more paint now. Lifeboat solution brainstormed yesterday, as usual the easiest methods are the best.

Need to find two suitable bent 5mm bamboo skewers for the masts. There is method in my madness.

Ashley

 

Edited By ashley needham on 11/06/2020 10:34:19

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Whoops crossed threads….portholes on side not going well and am going with sticky black dots.

Snaps…progress so far, bits on very top not glued on, bits on fore/aft deck are glued on.

Internal layout shown, and proper Titanic also for good measure.

Flags, masts, lifeboats to be made, portholes and other windows to be done.

Test float in garden pond with battery on board…1/2" short of notional waterline.

Ashley

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Well. Sides repainted to get rid of the offending dots.

Masts furnished with lookout position on fore-mast and flags. White Star line flag a bit big, union flag at front even bigger! but I fancied using one of my cocktail stick ones…

Union flag of course correct for the Mintanic, sailing as it will be in a circular cruise pattern in the U.K.

Funnels glued on and drilled underneath for reinforcing BBQ skewer pegs.

Everything connected up and tested, motor smooth and vibration free. Barbers poles inside hull are paper straws to hold the RX Aerial wire.

Good to go barring portholes and windows on bridge.

Ashley

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

looking great Ashly………so simple but so effective.

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Thanks Neil. Trying to keep it simple!

the lifeboats are in place now and they have busied up the top deck nicely. Resisting the urge to add more stuff however the fo’c’sle looks a bit too bare and perhaps I might make two anchors to put on deck, as the original had two spares one right at the bow and one stbd side (from memory, but you can just about make them out on the Titanic snap). Copper wire, soldered, painted black. I know it’s not much, but the eye will be drawn to them as they will be prominent..black on the light brown deck.

Only the portholes and square windows to do now. Looks like a nice day so I will take the plunge and spray them on in the morning.

Ashley

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Deep joy, the portholes have arrived.

however I am jittery regarding spraying the square windows using the square-hole metal plate I have.

it is one of those things..get it just right and it will look ok, but it could be ‘orrible and smudgy requiring another repaint….

What to do?. I may try the masking strip tricks and painting on black lines.

Ashley

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Almost finished now. In fact I have done a tiny bit more to it since the snaps were taken early afternoon.

The black holes went on very easily using a pair of very sharp tweezers and masking tape as a guide. It has to be said they are a bit big but that's just how it has to be. On the water they will sort of merge together and give the right porthole-y appearance. I have varnished them with clear gloss varnish to stop them being washed away.

The bridge windows will be squared off a bit with the delicate application of some white paint and that will look a bit better.

Last snap, sorry Colin, I know you liked this ship, but it seemed rude not to make an alternative top….

Ashley

Edited By ashley needham on 15/06/2020 17:37:23

[Chris EParticipant @chrise]

Very impressive. Keel laying to ready for sea trials in little more than a week.

Portholes are one of the things that has always put me off passenger ships.

Edited By Chris E 1 on 16/06/2020 08:33:00

[Author]

Posts