Vic Smeed’s Silver Mist

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Bob

The railing height can be calculated by looking at the picture of Vics original.

The rear railings come up to the sailors waist so a simple measure of your manly physique from floor to belt buckle and a quick bit of mental arithmetic using your build scale will provide the answer.

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Thank you, Paul

The question is……..Was the original boat 48 ft…….In which case, the model is 1/12 th scale making the hand rails, about 3 ft high………3" on the model

But scaling the plan, they are only 2 ft high………They look a bit too low at 2" on my model

It's only a Storm in a Teacup, I know, but it's got you out of bed!

We'll soon find out when installed shortly

Bob

Ps……Just tried the Paul T method and it came to 31"

So Colin is correct with his figure of 33"

Edited By Bob Abell on 17/08/2016 18:11:55

[Ian GardnerParticipant @iangardner62867]

I'd hesitate to call my contributions advice Bob! Merely suggestions for discussion.

You got me wondering about these stanchions so I have just been out, to the boatshed to measure those on my Silver Mist. They are 1.875'' from deck to top of rail and at a scale of 1:16, which is what my boat is, that gives a height of 30''- what Colin initially suggested. Good enough for me and your 31'' will be about right too. Perhaps I went through the same thought processes as you- can't honestly remember now.

Ian

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Thank you, Ian

Apologies to all concerned for going on about such a trivial matter

I can make the stanchions any height within reason, because they are simply pushed in holes in the deck

A collar will eventually be glued or soldered when the debate finally closes!

Bob

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

It's not really a trivial matter Bob. The guardrail height is a significant visual cue on a model and if it is out of scale the model won't look right. I had some brass stanchions I picked up a while ago that I thought I would use on my Fishery Cruiser but they were just a fraction too short according to the plan and just didn't look right. I forked out quite a lot for some alternatives at the correct size and they look far better so worth the extra cost.

Colin

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

That's nice to hear Colin……Thank you

Perhaps trivial was not the word to use……….I just didn't want to bore the readership any more, with the subject

Bob

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi All

Late to the great stanchion debate, mine are as the original drawing and the picture of the Silver Vanity on the cover of Model Maker mag. My stancions are the Caldercraft 35mm which are very nice, the capping rail on the top is 2 laminations of 1mm mahogany with holes drilled in the lower lamination. my problem was threading the copper wire through the holes and end up looking decent.

Regards Ray

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Hello Ray………You've not missed much

It's all your fault though!…….You said my boat was spot on at 1/12th scale……..And thus far, have thrown a spanner in the works!

Only joking, my mate

We'll get there in the end, but it does prove the Colin Bishop theory, that scaling up doesn't always work out!

We have some sort of confliction between, 1/12th scale and Vic's drawing

Have you used the plastic coated brass wire for your rails?……..They always bite at a sharp corner

Bob

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi Bob

I will try that approach with my next set of rails on the little MTB, but we have all been doing this "for a while" and still find the practical issues get the grey cells moving.

Regards Ray

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Thank you, Ray……The lower rails look true to scale, all suitably bent and buckled, after the kids have finished climbing on them?

A little trial run showing the hand rail assembly……

3" long x 4mm dia brass tubes, pushed into the decking and secured at the hand rail with tight fitting brass panel pins

Seems ok to me…….So let`s get crackin`!

Bob

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Well, that didn`t take long!……….I enjoyed knocking the panel pins in!

The swarthy sailor is 5`-10" tall standing on a box

The handrails are 33" to the top of the wooden rail

They look a bit strange at the moment, because the horizontal rails are not fitted

I will have to make a jig to drill the stanchions and then it will look nice………Hopefully

Bob

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

This must be the Eureka Moment of the Century, chaps!

Apologies for being boastful, but this fixture is full of pleasing engineering features!

I needed a fixture to accurately drill about 50 stanchions for the horizontal rails

I first gripped a stanchion blank in the drill vice, as a starting point

Then an idea twigged…….An angled plate, that can be clamped over the tube, with pilot holes

Then wondered how do I get the lateral hole centres…..Dead on?………Mmmmm?

The tubes are 4mm dia……..The holes need to be 2mm away from the clamp datum face…….Yep!

How do I mark the hole centres……Dead on?……..Mmmmmmm?

Eureka!………Use a piece of 4mm hard stainless steel sharpened to a point……As the centre punch!

So there we have it……….And it works well too

In the photo, the tube end would be level with the fixture end

The drill vice has a vee notch on the clamp section

Like it?

Bob

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Very ingenious and effective method for larger scales Bob. The pillar drill is pretty essential though as the holes must be at exact right angles to the length of the stanchion.

Colin

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Thank you, Colin

I'm pleased you have understood the accuracy of the set up

The clever part of the fixture is the method of clamping the tube to the daum side face via the vee block and the accurate method of achieving the pilot holes, using the 4mm dia centre punch!

Very satisfying project

Bob

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Have fitted the minor rails now, just for effect, but the wire is difficult to see at the moment

At least, the holes line up

Bob

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Another quik fix to see how the cabin rails will look at 2" high

Hopefully, I can use the same drilling fixture?

Making my shopping list out now for the Haydock Show

Now that the local model shops are disappearing fast…….The Annual Shows are a real life saver

I know we`ve now got the net to supply the modelling stuff, but 5m of 1/16" is a bit optimistic

Bob

[BanjomanParticipant @banjoman]

Your build continues to look great, Bob, and I was much impressed with your set-up for drilling the stanchions! That one has certainly been fuiled away for future reference …

Mattias

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Thanks Banjo

Hope you can make use of the idea, one day

Engineering problems are great fun

Bob

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Cabin rails under construction……..(Got no brass wire till the Haydock Show)

Ray and Ian will notice that the hand rails are slightly different than the drawing shows

Have taken the rails round the corner for extra support……Nice eh?

Bob

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Hello Captain Bob

The railings look very good……….you could have a nice little cottage industry making these to special order.

Respect

Paul

You won't believe what grandson Ryan came up with last week, his nine year old brain has conceived a machine that can fly like a quadcopter, sail on water like an airboat and travel underwater like a midget sub. The best part is that I cant find any reason why it couldn't actually work.

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Many thanks, Paul

I've always said that handrails maketh the model

But if they are not level and true…….The opposite applies!

Hope to see you on Sunday……..Duckie is coming too now

Bob

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Duckie is coming?

Has there been a change in government or have aliens been sighted over Stockport?

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Hi Paul

Duckie has never been to Haydock and has finally succombed to my exciting stories! of yesteryear

Bob

[Tony HadleyParticipant @tonyhadley]

The railings are looking good Bob,

Earlier in the thread you posted part 1 of the original Model Maker item, parts 2 & 3 were discussed with Ian but never made public. Whilst looking in archive last week, I also came across the two articles from October and November 1958. Thought I would post them as a comparison between your enlarged model and Vic's original 21" (533mm) model.

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Thank you, Tony

Many thanks for the magazine inserts

I'll read them with interest, when I find my magnifying glass!

I too, share your interest in Vic Smeeds models…..He must have been a very prolific model maker

Keep in touch

Bob

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