TYNE Class Lifeboat build

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

BACK TO THE MERSEY for the present,

I fitted the trim tabs this afternoon after putting them together and spraying the other night.

i put some double sided 3mm wide waterproof tape around the [already drilled] backing plates and then mixed some 30 minute epoxy into the middle of each plate surrounded by the tape. peeled the protective outer covering from the tape and stuck the tabs to the stern.i will leave them a few hours this evening and then will drill through with a 0.8mm drill bit and push some framing pins through the holes, with more epoxy on to them , and tomorrow when everything is set, i will back fill from the insides with some polyester resin to seal it all and make watertight.

now that the trim tabs have been fitted semi permanently i can make the hydraulic rams to fit in a neutral position.

simply made from different lengths of plastic tubing, some scraps of plasticard and some copper and brass wire, all the parts are ready for fitting together once painted tomorrow.

I also made the two towing/mooring Bitts for the bow and stern for Mick French's boat. there are two in the parts going to Dave Stavros Jones, so only needed to make these two.

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

Always handy to have a ball of plasticine to stick your bits in whilst the glue is drying.

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

still on the mersey..

piping, and unions added, the rams have now been attached to Mick French's Mersey'.
tomorrow I'll find, and spray the engine exhausts chrome, and then fit them. and then apart from the belting and the bow strops where i have some red cord, unless i sent it to Mick….can you remember old boy, the hull has been finished below deck level.
then time to fit out the cabin, before lastly fitting all the deck paraphernalia and stanchions.

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

Mick's Mersey has had the piping, and unions added to the rams, the rams have now been attached to Mick French Mersey stern

sprayed the engine exhausts chrome, and fitted them. and then apart from the belting and the bow strops where I have some red cord, unless i sent it to Mick….can you remember old boy, the hull has been finished below deck level.

Engine exhausts fitted……

had a bit of a minor problem to overcome.
there are/were circular recesses into the transom that are barely smaller in diameter than the flange on the exhausts are.
and so, I doctored it……I filled the two recesses with milliput to the level of the transom so as to get a level area.
once set, over night, this evening I drilled into both the milliput and the bases of the exhausts and then spread over the base of the exhausts with 5 minute epoxy and glued in place.

the holes in each part of the joint are to make a good purchase and anchor bond, so that they wont drop off.

then I drilled the backing plates for the trim tabs and with epoxy again glued some framing pins through the plates, transom and into the hull……….this I will make watertight tomorrow by pouring some grp resin into the stern to cover those pins, and setting them in place permanently.

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

the two boats, beautifully painted and now ready for fitting out are now safely back home with me.

am i looking forward to getting stuck in………not at the moment more pressing personal matters on my mind.

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

today i spent time making the servo arms of operating the "hydraulic" rams for the trim tabs on the Tyne lifeboat, and fitting the servos into their cradle at the stern.
when trying them out with radio gear installed, i found that the port side servo would only operate in the direction opposite to that which i needed.
and so to resolve this i have sent for two servo reversing leads from China, which reverses the polarity and travel direction of the servo capstan.
once installed, both servos will operate in the right direction to raise and lower the tabs.

i then modified the servo arms by lengthening them, as they were too short and were bending the "snakes" too much….really just trial and error at this point in time.

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

back to my Tyne and setting up the trim tabs.

it has taken some time to get the set up right, and have lost count of the number of times i have disconnected it all from the tabs and taken the servo arms off the servos to get the right lengths and settings for those arms so that the rams run straight inside the boat and don't catch on the inside of the transom or the underside of the deck.

but i have finally got it all right, and a smooth operational run.

i have adjusted the servo capstans so that they are, when boat stationary with tabs up, are both in a position that when tabs in operation they will only push the tabs down from their "locked" position.

to do this, i have [ or will have once the servo reverse lead is set up…i hope] i can use the 6th channel on my RC TX, the potentiometer nob on the top of my TX, and from zero to full, the tabs run down to an angle of around 40 degrees to keep the bow from porpoising on full chat!

I just need to find my very short screwdriver that i won in a set of Christmas crackers a couple of years ago so that i can screw the servo arms onto the capstans now …..AND THEN, job done, hopefully and as soon as I get the servo reverse lead and place it in line and make sure it all works, i can cover in the hatch to semi permanent fixture……

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

i wa sitting doing sod all, as i have done for the last few days on either boat, as it is so cold in the garage, even with heaters on, and i was looking through a few photos on the internet, and i found a picture of the Garside.

the garside was an earlier Tyne than ours, and was fitted with a DF Loop to the port side of the main cabin

i was sure i also have seen a picture of the William Street early on with a DF Loop. it was actually located in a recess set into the cabin top which i cut into the cabin moulding.

the loop was probably removed when the boats went in for the fitting of self righting airbags on the aft cabin, as no photos show of any boat with airbags having a loop also fitted…………..unless that photo was taken at the time of conversion.

However using my own brand of modelers license i have decided to fit the loop, as well as airbags and sod the rivet counters.

to make them, I annealed a length of brass wire, and wound the soften brass around a bottle top…….

got two rings now that interlock, and will solder them onto a piece of brass tube, and brass flat tomorrow if its warm enough.

amazing the help that an empty bottle of Wolf Blass will give, lol.

[geconParticipant @gecon]

Nice loops Neil! I needed this info when bending a loop (almost round) for the helm/wheel on my Fisher.

A bit late now to fix that, but for future info' how hot does the brass wire need to be to anneal it? Does it need to be cooled quickly after heating?

We all need to 'apply' a bit of modellers licence now and then. Specially if we want to incorporate a bit of gear we like from a previous age. Or to find an excuse for an anomaly in the build.

You could perhaps call your own 'modellers licence' for H-P (Howard-Pritchard) sauce? Spices up your life -and boat…..sorry, I'll log out now… But will note with interest how to anneal brass wire if you wish to advise.

George

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

hi george,

i heat small items like that on my gas cooker hob.

heat the brass wire or rod depending on thickness to a cherry red, and as you progress along the wire just let it cool naturally.

if you quench it in cold water it goes brittle and could break when bent.

 

been called a lot worse than that lol

Edited By neil howard-pritchard on 05/12/2020 13:22:45

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

tonight, I started putting the anchor brackets and anchors together for the 3 boats…….

my Tyne and Micks and Daves Merseys ………….

Dave Stavros Jones there are some parts here that were on the computer desk that I haven't put in to your set of fittings…….when I find them all [ including Daves anchor set I'll send them all together in one guaranteed postage packet,

[geconParticipant @gecon]

Posted by neil howard-pritchard on 05/12/2020 13:17:18:

hi george,

i heat small items like that on my gas cooker hob.

heat the brass wire or rod depending on thickness to a cherry red, and as you progress along the wire just let it cool naturally.

if you quench it in cold water it goes brittle and could break when bent.

been called a lot worse than that lol

Edited By neil howard-pritchard on 05/12/2020 13:22:45

Thanks Neil, I would probably have tried cooling it down quickly in water. Then I would 'google it' to find out what went wrong! I'll have to find a safe way of getting it hot though…no gas in the flat….camping stove maybe?

I wasn't suggesting that YOU were H-P sauce -just that your smart "modellers licence" could be refered to as such.

Anyway, I'll stop the sauce-chat before the 'inuendo police' get out of bed

Thanks again,

George

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

The DF loop……….a delicate little fitting to make, but got there in the end.

with the two brass rings for the DF Loop silver soldered together I could now make the [none] folding base for it that fits into the recess on the top port side of the cabin of my Tyne out of scrap pieces of plastic card, tubing and a little brass wire.

turned out reete gud, as us lankisher folk say.

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

and it fits nice and snugly in its recessed channel in the roof of the cabin.

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

tonight was a mamoth task of silver soldering5 brass fittings together. 4 for my Tyne class lifeboat and one for the two Mersey's of

Mick French

and

Dave Stavros Jones

.

all of the parts had multiple parts and all needed setting up and jigging all parts to hold them whilst soldering.

multiple stupid burns to fingers followed.

1st job, after cutting all parts last night was the cradle atop the aft cabin for holding the self righting air bags. Although the Tyne waS classed as self righting from conception to build AND of course every single one was tested for self righting before going on service, some Tynes were given an engine change mid service and the change in engines gave concern that they wouldn't right quickly enough if capsized because of the geometry of the new engines, and so those boats with the engine change were given the additional air bags. the Boat i am building was one of those, but not all Tynes were given them. 15 parts were needed for this fitting!

2nd job was the safety grab rail that runs around the aft perimeter of the survivors cabin. 6 parts were needed for this to take shape.

3rd job was the centre and starboard part of the flying bridge safety rail and coxs'ns back rest. 6 parts!

4th job was the port side of flying bridge safety rail,

and finally for the Merseys, the hooks to attach the bow tightener to the cradle holding strops.

jobs done!

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

Onwards and upwards…

tonight i made the beds that are going to put my airbags on.

I presume the actual bags were just strapped to the frames, on top of the aft cabin.

however I thought this impractical as i am going to make the airbags out of either milliput or hi density foam as used in insulating and plugs for grp, etc.

I will experiment with the foam first and if unsuccessful, use the milliput

so I made two plates from 1mm plasticard, cut into the edges the holes that would have been on the airbag casings, and then wound thin twine around the frame and the plates.

These will be the base to put the bags on to.

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

and so………..i thought before i started mixing a couple of lumps of milliput i would attempt to carve a piece of foam.

that turned into a disaster, even with new sharp scalpel blades…..

so i reverted to plan A……use milliput.

took a box and a half to make the two bags but once hard, tomorrow i will carve the creases into the bags, and then sand down.

job done.

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

detailing on the airbags done.

that can, once the milliput has hardened and cured be painted up and fitted to the cabin top.

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

Nice work on the railings and airbags Neil.

I bet it's a bit nerve wracking working on top of that lovely paintwork!

Chris

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

very, but being 2 pac, it is as hard as nails, but i am going to put low tac masking tape onto it to mark and then drill with a new bit…..the masking tape, for those that want to know will help stop the drill bit skimming across the paint.

at the moment though i am casting some of my lifeboat figures for a customer.

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

i ruined two halves of two lifeboat men moulds [seen above] yesterday through lack of concentration and a stupid mistake, so using my original masters i laid the figures into the good side of the moulds that weren't damaged, and using lego to make new casting boxes around them i relayed two new halves this morning. they are now on the radiators to help cure a little faster.

so….

whilst waiting put low tac masking tape on the aft cabin top, marked out the positions og the legs for both the hand safety rail and the airbag cradle.

drilled through and sited the two parts.

once sited, i removed them, trimmed the legs to the same length and replaced.

will paint before fixing permanently.

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

I have to say, that for a "modern" fast afloat lifeboat I am and have really enjoyed building this Tyne, that I bought second hand from ebay.

And although I paid a little over the odds because half of the fittings set didn't pertain to the Tyne, it has given me a great deal of pleasure building the scratch parts for the boat,

's Mersey, as I seem to be building a little of each boat at a time, and progress is slow on both boats.But TBH my workshop is so full of model boat parts and other crap, that I don't know where to turn with the two boats I am now building…….the Tyne andMick French

However adding the rack and air bags tonight has spurred me on!, and even though to is only a small part of the overall makeup of the boat, it has inspired me to make a decision.

However I have sold both of my old classic Watson lifeboats to an elderly gentleman with connections to Cromer in Norfolk where these two boats were based pre and post war and will be taking them to him whilst on business in January.

This will relieve some working space on the breakfast room table, and I am going to bring my Tyne in to place where my Shannon and motor sailor are now, once the Watsons are gone.

Thus giving space for working on the Mersey in my workshop, and getting that finished first, which will then come inside and sit where the Tyne is taking up temporary mooring rights.

I will also after Christmas begin to get rid of a lot of rubbish in the garage that is just hogging space.

Sorted!!! but in the meantime, I might just take all my tools back out in the garage, clean and tidy the house ready for the festive period and prepare for hopefully a new better year to come in 2021.

And so, this might be the last photos of my Tyne [and Mersey] until the new year.

Enjoy it as I do looking at it.

as Arnie said……….I'LL BE BACK!

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

the weather has been too cold in my workshop even with my radiators on full power to keep the place warm, and so for the past couple of weeks converting some old lifeboat figures into 3 new uniformed protective suits.

they are almost finished and when done will make up my full set of 8 lifeboat figures in different poses…..

its kept me busy and happy during lockdown, and tomorrow i pick up a new ceramic heater for the workshop, so outside modelling can resume, especially as from next week, Britain is going to be in the grip of a long spell of minus figures and snow.

The beast from the east is returning apparently.

below, my 3 new figures with one of the originals on the left.

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Happy New Year my mate…..A bit late, but late than never, eh?

Just called in for a look round and I notice that you are back on the job again

I like your pillows and bits and pieces and the crew are looking good to

Will call again shortly

Bob

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

you mean the "pillows" on the aft cabin, Bob.

they are the anti capsize air bags lol..

as for all the other junk in the room……..what my two daughters cant be bothered taking up to their bedrooms….but at least they make the room easier and quicker to warm up, lol.

and a very happy and brave new year to you and all modelers out there, and especially on here too.

all the best for hopefully a better new year.

[Author]

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