I am the MOB

On the bench this time were the MOB (man overboard cranes).  I used the 4mm styrene tube as per the kit instructions and the plans are spot on.  As a belt and braces though I used brass rod to pin the parts together.

I also made up the retaining brackets which hold the cranes to the side of the cabin when not in use using reference photos.  I'm not sure they're 100% accurate but close enough.  This is a photo or one crane nearing completion and the parts cut for the other.

Although I'm not entirely sure, the cranes appear to have a moving stay behind to secure the crane in position when deployed.  I simply glued brass rod to the back of the cranes to replicate this.  I also glued .25 styrene to the bottom of each pivot bracket.  This serves 2 purposes.  First it gives a larger and more secure gluing surface for attaching the cranes.  Secondly, it makes painting the cranes easier as I won't have to fill the ends of the vertical tube and go can insert brass rod in one end as a handle while painting.

Next job, is the flying bridge and rear of the wheelhouse.

Basket Case

My soldering skills have been steadily improving so I decided it was time to tackle the fender basket.  I first soldered the sides and base together flat and then bent the completed assembly around a former.  Next I soldered the middle and top parts into which the fenders fit.  A little filing of some excess solder and hey presto!

Next up was the flybridge rail which runs up the starboard side of the step and then to the back of the flybridge.  I used some left over aluminium rod for the stair rail so that it could be drilled to pin the pieces together.  From my reference photos, I also spotted that the rail is a slightly different shape to the kit plan; the two vertical ends and top rail are all one piece.

This meant several attempts were needed to form it into the right shape so several pieces of ali rod ended up in the scrap bin!  Hopefully the photos show how it all went together.   The rail along the back of the flybridge is styrene tube with brass rod inside.

I'm planning to finish off the back of the wheelhouse next.

Safety First

I've continued with the wheelhouse exterior while I steel myself to finish off the crew seats and rest of the interior.

First up was the rails along the cabin side.  Unlike the Trent, these run along virtually the entire one length.  Also unlike the Trent, there are no marks on the cabin sides showing where the bases go.  So, I marked up the cabin side using the RNLI and kit plans as a guide.  One point to note is that the rail bends upwards about half way along, not much so easy to miss at first glance but enough to be noticable.  Also, at least on the Pastow boat, at the front the rail runs closer to the lockers than the kit plans show.

Having marked up the position of the rail and bases, I used the 1.6mm brass rod and soft soldered (low melt solder) this to the bases in situ on the model.

I then turned my attention to the safety wire.  The anchor points will be glued on prior to painting, but as they're fragile, I'll leave that for now.  The guides were made from 4.8x3.2 strip in the end.  I used 3.2mm square strip at first, as the kit instructions would suggest, but in comparison with the photos and plans I have, these were too shallow.  Both are shown below for comparison.  I also used 0.5mm strip as a base plate.  These are painted orange on some boats, including the Padstow boat, rather than left as wood, so were glued in place.

Next up is the stairs and rails I think.

Fill 'Er Up

I've now turned my attention away from the cabin to the outside of the wheelhouse; I felt I needed a change.

First up was the fuel fillers as the production boats seem to have a slightly different arrangement to the kit.  I think, though I may be wrong, that the fuel fillers have a lockable cover on the production boats and the pipe forward of the fuel fillers is a cabin vent.  So having cut a much smaller hole and filled the remaining CNC groove, I got started.

The filler cover is simply 2 laminated pieces of 0.25mm styrene, one with a notch cut out.  The vent pipe is a 3.2mm styrene tube, running into a 6.4mm square styrene tube with the ends capped.  The collar is a 7.2mm disc punched from 1.5mm styrene.  The vent opening is 3.2mm brass tube.

Then, I simple made the recess box to take the vent from 0.75mm styrene.  The top of the recess box is not square but at an angle which make fitting the vent a little less straightforward.  Anyway, here's a pic  of the finished parts;

Stretching the Point

Frankly I'm questioning the sanity of my project to enhance the wheelhouse interior.  It feels like I've been doing it for ages!  Anyhow, to coin a phrase I've started so I'll finish.

This time, I've been working on the framework behind the cox's seat - the front part of the stretcher island.  From what I can tell, the rear section is a removable low frame.

I started by cutting back the seat base to an angle to match the front part of the seat frame.  This is at the same angle as the other seats but runs to the cabin roof.  The front of the frame is just 3.2mm styrene tube with square tube towards the top in to which the stretcher frame attaches; though it is braced with 1.6mm brass rod.

The frame was then made with 3.2mm styrene, with the braces from 2mm brass.  The photos show how it all goes together - the the coin is just to stop the whole assembly toppling backwards.

Turning the Tables

I've not posted for a while because first, work on the Tamar slowed for a while and secondly because my camera broke so I had to get a new one.

The reconstruction of the coaming and cabin floor is coming on.  The floor is nearly done and the coaming cut down and now needs capping.  I was a shame to cut out what was a nice coaming molding but needs must.

I've also been carrying on my upgrade of the wheelhouse detail.  Work on the seats continues, as does work on the armrest controls for the SIMS system and the throttle and steering controls for the helm and cox's seats.

I have though finished the navigator's table, as shown below.

This is a little guess work with the table top measurements taken from the RNLI plans but the rest was guess work from photos.  It's probably not 100% accurate but it's a reasonable guess.  I've got a chart to go on after painting as well!

Next up is the framework behinsd the cox's seat.

In the Frame

My production line of seats is taking far longer than I anticipated.  I now have one complete, or nearly complete crew seat and am working on the other 6 but progress is slow.

So, to progress, and since the update on my last post, I've butchered the floor former for the cabin.  That's involved removing the sides and front with the lock tabs for the cabin floor.  I've also cut new pieces to fit and secure the lowered floor.  Next stage is the reconstructive surgery to fit the new parts.

I've also made the first seat frame which will I think be for the crew seat on the port side at the rear of the cabin.  The two forward posts fit through the seats and are 3.2mm tube.  The tops are 4.0mm alloy tube and the side braces are 2.4mm brass.  I've used the RNLI plans for the frame size rather than the instructions.  All that's left is to finish the shock absorber on the centre seat back.

Here's a pic of the (nearly) finished seat.