Trent Class Lifeboat

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

I never expected to be asked any questions about my models and I really appreciate all the kind words.

[Gary RadfordParticipant @garyradford51412]

Hi Paul. I am also building the model slipway trent,the only problem is, this is my first attempt at an r/c boat and I am finding it difficult to bend the ali rod supplied in the kit.Its o.k over a small radius, but when it comes to right-angles it snaps. How did you overcome this problem, or am I doing somthing wrong? Anyway your kit looks great and very well detailed,I will have to post some pictures of mine so you can tell me if its going in the right direction……. if you would that is.
P.s. I am out of town next week.
Gary.

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

I also had the same problem so I changed to brass rod which is easy to bend when heated and won’t snap like the alloy. Hope this is of some help
Paul

[Gary RadfordParticipant @garyradford51412]

Ya o.k. Paul, Will have to look around to find local stockest. What is you current project? My wife has just recently got me Model slipways AZIZ, this looks a nice kit, not as difficult as the Trent.
Thanks for the info,

Gary.

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Gary
I am building a scratch built 18ft model of the titanic, I know it sounds daft but the bigger you go the more easy the build (but my shed is full)

[Gary RadfordParticipant @garyradford51412]

Hi Paul. This sounds like a massive project to me, bit out of my league. When you say you heated the brass up, is that until it glows red or what? And do you cool it or let it cool on its own, as you can tell I have very little knowledge on this subject.

Cheers Gary.

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Hi Gary
Most brass rod will bend quite tight without heating, but if you have to heat it just warm it a little bit dont let it get bright red or it will melt as soon as you have heated it quench it straight away in cold water then it will bend better.
Paul

[Gary RadfordParticipant @garyradford51412]

O.k. Paul managed to get hold of about 4m of 4.2mm rod at the weekend, will give it a try in the next few days.I will let you know how I got on.

Thanks
Gary.

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Very nice
Bend it around some standard size formers (like washers or ten pence pieces or even rivets for tight bends)

[Gary RadfordParticipant @garyradford51412]

I thought we had got someone else intrested in Trents then.

Gary.

[Gary RadfordParticipant @garyradford51412]

Hi Paul.
How is the Titanic going? Are there going to be any pictures of the build, I have just read your profile and it seems that when it comes to showing or displaying our little masterpieces, we don’t. I too have a shed full of completed kits albeit mine are armoured fighting vehicles, I wonder how many other modlers out there do the same thing. Come on you lot lets have your comments.

Gary.

[Gary RadfordParticipant @garyradford51412]

Hi Paul.
Ya its me again. When you built the Trent, how did you get on with the interior painting?
Did you paint it all, add the glazing, fix the roof and then mask off the windows before painting the outside?
I am toying with the idear of making the roof removable, but I think I may be making a rod for my own back on this one. Also when you built yours were you supplied with thr white metal frams, or did you have to cut out all the individual parts?

Thanks.
Gaz.

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Hi Gary
I also thought of making the trent with a removable roof as I had seen one done like this at a show, however it makes the cabin weaker (on an already very fragile model) so I decided against it.
I did fully fit and detail the interior to the daft point of putting LEDs in the computer/radar monitor as its quite nice to look through the windows and see the complete detail.
I had to tidy up the parts that were supplied before painting and fitting.

The Titanic is something that I have wanted to do since I was a boy, I might post some photos if the model comes up to scratch (if you will pardon the pun)

All the best

Paul

[Mark LeighParticipant @markleigh72576]

    Hi lads

    I’m also building a Model Slipway Trent but am struggling with the sides of the superstructure. Seems to me that this model is built on knife edge joints and fragile is not the word. I too have decided to try the removable roof.

The problem that i am faced with is the sides with nothing to shape them apart from the rear bulkhead and forward window structure. I have tried inserting stiffner frames between the sides and the interior pan asssembly. This does improve matters below the  side windows.  I’ve then added a false roof structure above the windows but there is still a slight dishing effect at the window area. Added to this problem is the bottom of the sides don’t marry up to the deck not by a long way. It’s ok the"manual" saying remove only the minimal ammount but if i do this my concern is then the tops of each side will not be level. Thus giving the appearance that model is on the piss. Which in truth is where i feel like going every time i pick this model up!! Has anyone had the same problems and if so how did you overcome them your help would be appreciated.

Many Thanks 

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Hello Mark

Knowing that the Trent was going to be a difficult build I opted to build the cabin in one piece without the removable roof this added a lot of strength to the structure.

The joints are "knife edge" and the only way around this is to get it right first time.

Don’t mention how fragile the model is to build just you wait until you first sail it, I can only compare it to sailing a model made from tissue and just as delicate, I have lost count of how many times I have had to make running repairs at the lakeside as bits drop off.

When building the model I first made 260gsm card templates and constructed the entire cabin out of card as a one off template so that I could get all of the cuts just right.

Hope that this is of some help.

If you are local to Warrington my Trent will be on the Lifeboat stand at the Birchwood show and I would be happy to talk you through the finer bits of the build.

Paul 

[Mark LeighParticipant @markleigh72576]

Hi Paul for some unknown reason i’ve only just got confirmation of your reply. Unfortunately Birchwood has passed me by mores the pity.

I thought i’d got round the problem but was left with one side notsitting on the deck the entire length of the side. To overcome this i decided to cut a 0.5mm thick side out and clad the original. Having glued this to the original i thought my prayers had been answered; the side was sitting on the deck with no dishing effect on the sides.

Perfect, time for a cuppa. One hour later when i returned to the model i found that it looked like the surface of the moon. The glue (plastic weld) had melted the side. This is after i’d removed the 0.5mm cladding. OUCH!!!

Now i’m at square one again. This time i’m building a wooden framework to hold the sides at the correct slant. It occured to me that if the interior was attached to the sides via the retangular piece of plastic supplied with the kit. This is trying to hold the sides at 90 degrees which as you know there not. Hopefully this time it will work out ok. Thanks for the offer of help Nark

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Oh Dear

I hate to say it but we have all been there (my wardrobe is full of t shirts & videos)

"Nil Desperandum" as they say

Paul

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

[eric collinsParticipant @ericcollins99759]

iv all ways wanted a trent lifeboat ..their 2 or more companys that sell them as kits which one is the best to buy……

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Hi Eric

 

If you are an experienced model builder then you can’t go wrong with a model slipway kit but beware as it is a long and difficult build.

 

Paul

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

I’m picking up a 1:12 speedline kit tomorrow morning….will tell you in a few months, lol

[David MeierParticipant @davidmeier28154]

Hey Paul, is this for real that you are building an 18 ft Titanic? Or have I just won “gullible of the year” award? If you are you can’t just leave us curious. More info please. Between you and Bob Wilson I think the two extremes are just about covered.

 

David.

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Hi David

 

The large Titanic was a few years ago and I sold it to a chap in the Florida

 

Paul

[David MeierParticipant @davidmeier28154]

Hi Paul.

Was it radio controlled or was it a model that you got into and sailed? I have seen a model of a war ship like that on the internet.

If you have a photo of your Titanic it would be great to see it.

What did you power it with?

 

David.

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Hi David

 

I built it in sections for ease of transport and it was intended to be controlled from inside and powered by a couple of lorry starter motors, but as with a lot of my builds I got the hull and basic superstructure completed and then had to go away with work and so the bits were put to the back of the workshop.

6 months later when I next got into the workshop I was full of ideas for another model and so Titanic ended up being lost behind all the junk that I collect.

 

It was due to a comment on this forum about building large models that this chap from the states contacted me about buying the beast. The deal was done and he sent a shipping container for it.

 

In all the rush I forgot to photo it before it left, I have got some build photos on a memory stick (but as with most memory sticks this one has been AWOL for over 7 years) which when I find I will post some photos for you.

 

How is the weather down there?

 

Paul 

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