Thames Tug Cullamix

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi All

The mast on the front of the superstructure is pivoted and has a counterweight to allow the mast to be easily lowered by hand, this is formed with a square steel bar 3/8" x 3/8" which I squared off in the lathe, anybody thinking of buying a lathe should consider a 4 jaw self centering chuck which I think is more useful than a 3 jaw. 20swg brass straps with rivets each side of the weight.

Regards Ray

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Very nice detail work, Ray

Although, I can't make out a pivoting mast anywhere?

I've not seen a self centering four jaw chuck for quite a few years…….I prefer an independent four jaw chuck for the occasional odd shape

What's all this about a light blue roof on my model?

Bob

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi Bob

The timber mast is fitted, square base also turned round in the 4 jaw, photo tomorrow, I thought you needed some colour on the roofs to break up all that white ? and red oxide anti fouling below the waterline ?

Regards Ray

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi All

Here is the mast above the counter weight, the brass rollers should be toothed pinions, but I couldn't find anything suitable in the scrap box so I'll cheat and file some grooves to create the effect. This mast is purely to mount the navigation lights, and to allow them to be lowered for going under bridges.

Slight diversion for a couple nights building a Romany caravan for my granddaughter as she fancy's painting one

Regards Ray

[BanjomanParticipant @banjoman]

Hello Ray,

Your Cullamix is really coming along a treat, now, and the detail work is looking truly superb! Very crisp paintwork, too, and all in all lovely to behold … 

Mattias

Edited By Banjoman on 22/08/2017 08:45:56

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Hello Ray

Very clever………I can see how the counterbalance mechanism works now

Really ingenious……..Not seen that before

Not seeing a caravan?

Bob

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi Mattias & Bob

Thanks for your kind comments it's been 14 months since I started her ! but I do build 2-3 projects together, I'm enjoying the build and hoping for a launch early next year with luck

Regards Ray

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi All

Latest progress update 4nr Life Rings required, cut from 1/8" ply 1" diameter sanded to oval profile, sealed and painted white, line bound on with cotton and painted red ! Only another 3 to go

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi All

Latest progress update, Anchor davit fitted which is brass rod turned to a slight taper on the trusty lathe leaving a circular end cross drilled for a wire hoop to hang the blocks and tackle from, cheated with the fairleads which are devils to file from the solid, so visited our local boat shop The Dockyard Model Shop at Chatham and bought a pair for £2.50 money well spent. The rear sliding hatch's in place, approaching the point where the hull needs glass clothing on the outside and spraying, I'm on the AMBO stand tomorrow at the Southern Model Show at Headcorn come and say Hello

Regards Ray

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi All

Progress with the bridge area with compass binnacle, engine room telegraphs rather unusual with horizon indicators and handles on the side, and the bridge awning frame for a canvass roof if required, later in her life she had a closed in bridge with a solid roof, I may make that as an option it's nice to be able to see the details on view. The Epoxy resin and glass cloth has arrived from Graham at Bucks-Composites for the hull, this is cheaper than using West Epoxy and plenty of cloth left over for the next project

Regards Ray

Edited By Ray Wood 2 on 15/09/2017 11:14:25

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi All

As Cullamix's hull is only planked with 3/16" balsa I thought a tough layer of lightweight glass cloth and epoxy resin will supplement the internal glass cloth and polyester resin and make her ding proof. The cloth is manipulated to the hull shape and working from the keel down to the topsides brushing the first coat sparingly left overnight to cure the excess cloth trimmed off and the second coat achieves a fairly good surface ready to be lightly rubbed down and ready for priming. The hull now weighs 5 1/2 lbs . Trade mark photo's in wrong order

Regards Ray

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Nice scratch build, Ray

The cabin bits and pieces are nice too

Pleased to see the roof covering

Bob

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi All

At last I have reached the painting of the hull, with the deck access masked and the waterline boot topping masked with Tamiya 6mm tape, the whole thing sprayed with red oxide Halfords primer, I didn't get carried away ! I'm using an old Mirror dinghy red sail as a dust sheet in the shed. The next stage I have finally found a use for the Daily Mail newspaper ! and masked the main hull and deck areas for the spraying with Halfords satin black topsides, once touch dry I took the masking off leaving the white boot topping line to be hand painted at the next stage with a long haired brush. Now I'm looking to source some lead to cast into ballast weights

Regards Ray

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi All

The paint shop crew have been hard at it again this time with the boot topping on the waterline with white paint and the line around the bulwarks with a Beugler pinstriping tool which isn't perfect (the pixels make the photo look worse than it is) but the crew had a few the night before

Regards Ray

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Looking very bright and colourful, Ray

It's a difficult decision, but the weathered look may be a suitable alternative?

Bob

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi Bob

I gather from the "Tug Men" at our Chantry MBC many of whom knew her on the water say the Portland Cement fleet were well turned out and painted a variety of colours on the superstructure to test paints, I've painted her buff but many she was also cream and a light blue during her career. I have one photo from 1978 just prior to her scrapping at Gravesend and she is not looking very happy LJ39 is looking good by the way.

This is a picture of Ron's Cullamix at Chantry as she was cream.

Regards Ray

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi All

With the end in sight I splashed out on some BECC's self-adhesive lettering for her name, so next is the closed loop steering from a servo under the bridge ! (hope it works)

Regards Ray

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Hi Ray

Cullamix looks lovely and sparkling……….Well done

I fitted closed loop steering to my Slo Mo 2 speed boat, with servos on the rudder and steering wheel with a puppet type driver and it worked quite nicely

Bob

Edited By Bob Abell on 09/10/2017 17:15:28

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi Bob

Slow-mo-2 looks like good fun

Captain Haddock is showing the crew round his new command, bit where is Tintin & Snowy ??? Off to the Tintin shop in Covent Garden to to sort out this issue on Wednesday.

Will be turning some brass pulley for the steering system tonight, had a good sail yesterday at Bluewater with my HMS Diamond & Kit's HMS Tiger both at 1/96 scale they look a treat together

Regards Ray

[BanjomanParticipant @banjoman]

Hello Ray,

Your Cullamix is coming along a treat, and looks absolutely stunning with the paint on!

I'm afraid I have to tell you, though, that your crew seems to have been moonlighting on other ships when your back was turned:

**LINK**

**LINK**

**LINK**

…

Mattias

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Thanks Mattias

They are really cost effective If slightly larger than 1/24th scale, but I do need somebody at the helm

Turning some pulleys for the cable operated rudder, brass rod centre drilled and drilled out clearance for 1/16" rivet, move the tool round to cut the V in the pulley and parted off, my decent parting off tool is so wide but cuts true. 3 different diameters, deck mounted sheaves next thinking about press/jig to form the double bend required.

Regards Ray

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi All

Making the rudder work at the stern from a servo under the bridge using Stainless steel plastic coated fishing trace  works, I hav'nt tried it in the water with the power on but it's lookin positive so far with free movement achieved The Meccano pulley was the easy option as the quadrant The timber grating is going to be removable in case of problems. Tornado just passing !

Regards Ray

Edited By Ray Wood 2 on 25/10/2017 17:05:22

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

That`s a nice idea, Ray

How about Meccano Chain, as a suggestion?

I like the Tornado passing too!

Bob

[BanjomanParticipant @banjoman]

That looks very nice indeed, Ray, and functional too! From a purely esthetic point of view, it might perhaps be worth the trouble to try to find a slightly less visible grub screw for the quandrant? Maybe one of those sunk, headless wee jobbies that take an Allen key could work? Of course it will be mainly hidden under the grating, but still … ?!

Mattias

Edited By Banjoman on 26/10/2017 06:16:48

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi Bob & Mattias

Thanks Bob, I was born apparently born with a Meccano spanner & screwdriver in each hand

Mattias

No sooner the word than the deed

Regards Ray

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