TYNE Class Lifeboat build

[Richard SimpsonParticipant @richardsimpson88330]

Then you’ll find the missing one !!

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

Posted by Richard Simpson on 27/02/2021 20:45:46:

Then you’ll find the missing one !!

always the case Richard, lol…always the case,

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

I don't know what the RNLI or the builders of the Mersey call it, but I will call it the "Utility frame!", that contains the horn, loud hailer and anchor bracket for the forward safety line are all attached to this framework, has been fitted in place, along with the windscreen wipers and the screen washing tubes……….

things are taking shape on the cabin at last and rather than just being an inanimate object it is beginning to look purposefull and fun to look at.

tomorrow, the front hatches.

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

a little more detailing tonight, both fore and aft of the cabin.

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

Another small detail added, the covers to one of the side recesses [god knows what is behind them as I'm not ofe' with the Mersey, and half the time I'm working blind and on instinct, half the timeI'm just making it up, or making cock ups.

Then I consulted all the overhead views of a mersey that I cold find, as once had a look on board RNLB Her Majesty the Queen when based at Lytham St Annes station and I remembered the matt black anti glare paint behind the windscreen on the flying bridge.

There were a number of different versions, and so I decided the easiest of them to do, shown on two boats.

Sorry if they are wrong for your particular boat Mick French, but I presumed that you wouldn't have a shot of that part of the boat, and so painted it black over all.however, as there were at least 4 different versions from what I could see in photo form, I took the easiest, and painted by brushin Humbrol matt black.

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

these are just copies, of what came off Micks mersey and ammended a little yo look like the controls on the flying bridge.

i have to mend the throttle leavers which came apart when i pulled them all off, and then all will be painted up.

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

Instruments now painted and fitted to the flying bridge.

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

next job, tomorrow!

i cut the chequer plate to fit the deck of the flying bridge some months ago in 3 parts to fit around the access hatch in the deck, the protruding angles and the rear shape of the F/B and also the supporting brackets for the mast rear ladder section.

it also allows me to locate that bracket exactly for the mast uprights.

the plating will be painted alluminium, and then, after the mast bracket has been glued and screwed into permanent position, be glued into place using evostik contact adhesive, along with the hatch cover……

hopefully i'll get that done before lunch time.

[geconParticipant @gecon]

Most impressive they way you make all the details yourself Neil. Though you haven't much choice I suppose. Don't recon the 'right' instrument panels, hatches and fittings are available commercially anyway.

George

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

Posted by gecon on 04/03/2021 06:25:24:

Most impressive they way you make all the details yourself Neil. Though you haven't much choice I suppose. Don't recon the 'right' instrument panels, hatches and fittings are available commercially anyway.

George

they were on the model when it arrived for restoration George, but havent a clue where they came from……i just recast them in plasticine moulds and adjusted them accordingly.

[Tim RoweParticipant @timrowe83142]

Lovely work Neil.

Just a quick question. Are the RNLI really that anal that they colour code the engine controls.

Tim R

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

Posted by Tim Rowe on 04/03/2021 15:14:40:

Lovely work Neil.

Just a quick question. Are the RNLI really that anal that they colour code the engine controls.

Tim R

they have been known to do, lol.

just my choince to enhance it more, lol.

but dont forget, these are old boats in comparrison the modern shannons, and coxs'ns will  have added their own little touches over the years.

i dont think any Shannon has suffered that ignominy as yet. lol. 

Edited By neil howard-pritchard on 04/03/2021 15:51:58

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

The flying bridge deck has now been assessed after gluing the lower fixing bracket for the mast in place.

I am leaving the glue [cyano] to set rock hard for the next hour and then going to drill it and screw into a fixed and permenant possition [knowing what a clumsy sod its owner is] so that it will withstand knocks and bumps

Then I will glue the chequer plate and the access hatch in place using evostik contact as stated last night.

for anyones information i bought the chequer plate from here some years ago. **LINK**

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

Well, the mast bottom bracket has been screwed permenantly in place, the deck has been done, and so I slotted the mast into its retaining holes,

and i'm quite pleased with the outcome, but it is so tight in the sockets, I WOULD NOT suggest by any way that it is a removeable mast…..think the layers of paint have added to its tightness,,,,,,,,,,,so let it be, in the immortal words of John Lennon.

and the crew eager to get back on board after its long refit.

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

Hand rails both on the flying bridge and the cabin top now added.

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

finally finished the "flying bridge" part of the cabin, with the addition of the crew safety rail, the ships wheel and the mast.

the areals will be painted later and be able to be removed for transport.

and the bow loud hailer attached to the "utility" frame. the rest i shall do on the cabin, probably tomorrow.

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

now that the bases of all the deck fairleads have been made from plasticard, they can be mounted on some masking tape sticky side up and sprayed with primer and then grw tomorrow………

bit fed up playing with the cabin at the moment so am going to do the deck of the Mersey over the next few days and finish the cabin towards the end of the week.

got loads of bits to go on the deck so may as well get them all sprayed up as one job lot and glued on, and once the cabin has been finished……….there's just the stanchions and toe boards to paint and fit and a bit of red cord that Mick French is supposed to be sending me and its done and ready to sink………………….errr i mean sail at Fleetwood for a trial lol.

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

been sorting the fittings today…cabin in one box, the deck fittings stuck to a spray board with masting tape.

and then sprayed with filler primer.

then tomorrow those fittings will be sorted into those needing spraying chrome, grey and black, before sticking them to the deck.

then, given the choice of his own cabin spots or some newer ones with supports,

Mick French

chose his existing spots, and i just made som plasticard mounts to hide the soldered shrink wrapped wiring.

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

i did some moulding and casting over the last couple of days, a] to try out a new supplyers tyope of RTV rubber and b] to use up at the end of its decent shelf life some resin that i needed to cast………….

and so i made moulds for parts for both the Mersey and tyne lifeboats that i am building and also for the Tyne lifeboats air bags [the larger rectangular castings]

people keep asking me if they can buy them off me, so am preparing some sets for the Tyne whilst doing some for the mersey,

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

bit of fiddling with an old radar tonight, forget what it was off……….possibly the old Clyde that I did, many moons ago, but it's the length and size now for the Mersey.

the radar box is ready, and i bought a mini motor for it, and my Tyne………………but at the moment cannot find them.

i shall put the radar onto the boat as a last item, giving me time to find it, once the model has been "finished" and stored indoors, giving me space to look for the motors once all the tyne fittings are laid out.

i am loathed to buy two more, as even though inexpensive i'll probably never need two more mini motors once they are found……so will hang on.

the radar unit and scanner are shown on the Tyne's mast.

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

onwards and upwards….

I have now decided not to waste valuable silicon rubber on making a mold for the small foot switch for the Mersey and Tyne capstains, and so just dtilled the fitting from underside, glued in a piece of 1.2mm brass wire and then impress the master into plasticine , I can then mould 5 at time instead of one with all the waste that goes with it.

Then it was a case for making the mold boxes for the bow and stern towing/mooring bollards, for Mersey and Tyne and the capstain for the Mersey.

As usual i used my box of Lego for the boxes, and put the base of each item hard up to the wall of the box. with the cross bars lying horizontally to the level of plasticine, thus allowing the mould when split to show the bar easily extractable i encased all 3 masters up to half way around the full perimeter of each master.

i made track marks with a pencil lead in the plasticine to make life easy to trace and cut out for any trapped air as the resin is poured in, and undentations in the mould for corresponding locating pegs once the second half is cast………….

and got down to casting them……however not before putting some risers on the underside of the mold base to raise one side.

the mold will be much thicker at the top of the mold because of the base, and so not to waste rubber where it is not needed, i canted the molds raised so that the rubber running paralel to earth will cover both ends with equal amounts.

BROUGHT them in from the garage now to hasten the curing and setting time, and just maybe i'll get the second halves moulded tonight ready for casting some tomorrow…………dying to try out my new type of resin tomorrow morning.

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

i layed up the second halves of the moulds this morning, AFTER i painted on to the existing surface of rubber a very thin layer of petroleum jelly [vaseline] to act as a release agent between the two faces of the mould halves, this allows them to separate very easily.

i opened up the split moulds this afternoon after the rubber had cured in front of a heater, and looked at them……..was most satisfied with the outcome.

and so i cut out all of the track lines for both pouring the resin, and the air escape holes .

hopefully tonight i'll open up my new batch of polyurethane resin, and try a test cast……..might be able to show the results tonight.

in the mean time here are the split moulds.

 

 

Edited By neil howard-pritchard on 14/03/2021 17:50:23

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

the final act in this little job of moulding, was actually casting the two part polyurethane none shatter resin parts.

as i said, not wasting rubber on small surface parts, and the windlass motor off/on foot switch was just pressed into plasticine.

have to say, all parts cast well, even those into the plasticine….i am very pleased, and just have to clean up the flash marks and airhole release tracks from the split mould castings.

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

They have come out well Neil.

Chris

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

very pleased with them chris

they cleaned up well, of all the flashing.

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