RN Steam Picket boat (1900) 1/48th Scale

[Guest]

Hello Picketboat

Exciting! I really love it. Would you show us
a picture of your vacuum forming machine, please?
I'm especially interested in the heating element.

Thanks in advance.

Chrischan

[PICKETBOAT]

Crischan

My machine is a very old Formec see http://www.formech.com/

It has a collection of ceramic heaters in three individual thermostatically controlled areas. I'll turn the top over in the next few days and post a picture of the working parts. It's a great piece of simple but effective British engineering.

[PICKETBOAT]

Hi all

I managed to locate a nice little brass stern tube (with push in nylon bearings at either end) which was perfect for this size and scale of model. This stern tube carries an M2 shaft threaded at the outer (stern) end. The picture shows it temporarily in place. I drilled through the hull with a 2mm drill and slowly opened the hole up to 3mm with a rat tail file, using the engine mount as a visual guide for the angle.

On the vac formed sheet I had included a small angle section to act as a support for the inner end of the stern tube. Here it is cut out and again temporarily pushed into place.

The last picture of the inner hull shows a standard servo motor temporarily in place on the mount. Soon after I took this shot I found a much more suitable motor, with just the right amount of revs and torque to propel the model at a scale speed.

The last shot shows this tiny motor along side the standard servo motor to give a size comparison. When the motor was finally installed I fitted a small packing spacer under it to compensate for its reduced size.

I never actually sailed the model with the servo motor fitted. I am sure it would have worked fine, but it probably would have pushed the model along a little too fast (if one got over enthusiastic with the throttle control) and would have drained the batteries a little quick. The drain from the smaller motor is tiny.

I did not glue the stern tube in place until I had located the �A� frame and ensured everything lined up and the shaft ran smoothly.

[PICKETBOAT]

Hi all

The vac formed sheet contained two deck support beams which I now cut out with a scalpel. The deck did not need a lot of support (this is only a small model) but these beams were useful in stopping the sides of the hull flexing too much while I was working on the deck installation. I installed the aft deck beam 95mm forward from the transom.

I drilled two 3mm holes in the aft beam as indicated in the picture. In actual fact I drilled them before the support beam was installed as this was obviously easier. These holes will carry the control cables for the rudder.

I will explain how this all works a little later.

Approximately amid ships I installed the cast resin servo mount. You can see I have measured out the location for this and drawn it onto the inside of the hull. This servo mount had just been removed from the casting base containing all the fittings. It was designed to accept a standard mini servo and has a cut out for the power/activating cables.

The last picture shows the printed 1.5mm thick plastic card deck which I had designed for this model. This had been designed on the drawing board, scanned in and printed onto the plastic using the inkjet printer.

I will deal with the deck installation next.

[PICKETBOAT]

Chrischan (and anyone else who is interested)

You asked about my Vac forming machine. As I promised here are some photos.

Yes it is kind of old but it works fine. The pictures show it in "stored" mode. When in use it's pulled out from the wall and a metal tray with two rails locks into place. These rails carry the top section (containing the heater) when it's pushed back out of the way.

I have tilted up the heater section so you can see the ceramic heaters underneath. These are in three "zones" (for different sized jobs) each one having an individual thermostat.

As I said earlier, using it is more of an art than a science. On repeat jobs an electronic kitchen timer is useful to ensure the plastic is heated to the correct level consistently.

[Folgore]

Hello Picketboat!

Thank you for explaining this great machine.
The modular design of the ceramic heater is
very nice. How are the ceramic parts attached?
Are they clamped?

Looking at my homebrew vac "machine" I feel
like... well... a steam vessel built in 1887...

Concerning the printed deck. Did you have any
problems printing on plastic using an inkjet printer?
I just was thinking about it.

Sincerely

Chrischan

[Folgore]

post scriptum: Just noticed how the single
ceramic elements are controlled...

[PICKETBOAT]

Hi all

Folgore has spotted how it works. The individual ceramic panels (each with an element) are arranged in a pattern which (in a strange way) radiate outwards in rings. Each set of rings is connected to a separate switch/thermostat. For small vac formings I just use the centre heater (the outer two are switched off. A metal "masking plate" is inserted below the heaters which carries the smaller sheet of plastic in it's centre. There are three sizes of "masking plate" for different sizes of plastic.
I hope that makes sense.

[PICKETBOAT]

Crischan

You asked about printing onto plastic card.
You need some good quality A4 size tracing paper (not thin cheap stuff). Work out your design either on the computer or scan it in. If it has writing or left/right handed elements, flip the design over using the computer software. Print it out with an inkjet printer onto the tracing paper.
Put your plastic card onto a non absorbent surface (an old mirror is good) and with a 50mm sort brush quickly paint the plastic with acetone or cellulose thinner. Very quickly place the tracing paper (ink side down) on the wet plastic and roll it with a small rubber roller so that no air bubbles are trapped and all surplus acetone is pressed out. Put the two bonded sheets between two sheets of polythene with a weight on top overnight. The next day peel off the tracing paper and it should leave the inkjet printing bonded onto the plastic. You have to experiment but it can work really well. You can scan wood and print it onto plastic!!!!!

[Goodwood]

So, when are you going to build the 1/48 predreadnought that would've carried this bad boy on her deck?

[PICKETBOAT]

Hi Goodwood

Yes that would be a fantastic project but it would also involve knocking a huge hole in my workshop wall to get the finished model out !!!!!!.
All my models are 1/48th scale so I am kind of limited to vessels up to, and including small light cruisers of the period up to 1906.
I also get a big kick out of taking my models to events up and down the country and sailing them, so transportability is essential.

The next project is moving on. The hull plugs for the Imperial Russian Torpedo Gunboat "Kazarski" (1890) are completed. The pictures show them "captivated" in their walls. I have started to apply the release agent, the blue stuff.

[PICKETBOAT]

Hi all

I thought I should get back to the picket boat model.

The printed plastic card deck would certainly work fine and be perfectly suitable for a lot of models. I experimented on another deck I had printed and I discovered that varnishing it with a couple of coats of matt polyurethane varnish that had had a little spirit based wood stain added gave it some depth.

However I decided to add a strip wood planked deck in this instance. I used the printed plastic card deck as a template and sub deck.

The strips of fine mahogany (3mm by 1mm) had been previously machined and run through my home made combination thicknesser and sander.

The deck planks on these vessels were tapered at the bow and stern and this I did carefully with a small block plane. Each plank was then coloured black on both edges with a DVD marker pen before being glued down to the plastic card sub deck using CA.

The completed planking was even, but looked pretty messy, a result of the glue more than anything. After sanding it level I applied a layer of black acrylic deck caulking with an off-cut of card used as a spatula. This filled any cracks and minor gaps. It was set aside to dry before being sanded again with progressively finer paper.

[doog_k]

Coming to this a little late but she looks good, may wait for the Russian though You know me Steve!

[PICKETBOAT]

Hi all

CAN I POST A QUESTION AT THIS POINT. NOT BEING A KIT BUILDER AND NOT BEING AWARE OF QUITE WHAT IS OUT THERE, DOES ANYONE KNOW OF ANY 1/48TH SCALE PLASTIC FIGURES THAT ARE AVAILABLE, WHICH MIGHT BE FAIRLY EASILY ADAPTED TO BECOME CREW FOR THIS VESSEL. THE FINISHED FIGURES WOULD OBVIOUSLY HAVE TO BE MODIFIED BUT WHAT I AM LOOKING FOR ARE:-

ONE OFFICER (I CAN ADD THE CORRECT UNIFORM)

FOUR ABLE SEAMEN WHO WILL BE GIVEN DIFFERENT POSES (EG HOLDING BOAT HOOKS, SHIPS WHEEL AND MOORING ROPES)

I THINK PLASTIC FIGURES WITH LESS EQUIPMENT WOULD BE BETTER AS ADDING STUFF IS EASIER THAN REMOVING STUFF.

I ALREADY HAVE A COLLECTION OF "FEET" (now there is a sentence I never thought I would ever type!) IN THE CORRECT SCALE AS SOME OF THE CREW WOULD HAVE WORKED BARE FOOT.

[Folgore]

Hello Picketboat!

I am sure there are way too much to make a complete list!
The first thing that comes to my mind are all the different
1/48 scale PREISER figures. No metal no resin only
plastic = reasonably priced and easy to work with.

By the way, it is not too difficult (after some practise) to sculpt
your own sailors. All you need is a paperclip (for your armature)
some sort of putty (Green Stuff, Magic Sculp or polymer clay, et.)
AND patience. Anyhow it's worth trying. And last but not least
you can incorporate parts of your collection (heads, FEET,etc.).

Regards

Chrischan

[Folgore]

What's about these six guys (search for: Preiser 65337)
1/45 scale should be perfect. Young sturdy sailors

[PICKETBOAT]

Chrischan

Many thanks for these hints. The six mechanics look well modelled and would easily adapt to RN crew of 1900. I might go for these in the end, but I have also taken on board your tips regarding modelling from scratch. I have not sculpted figures before, but I think I might have a go. I think it's important that they look "busy and animated". I have seen some inexpensive figures from an architectural model suppliers but they did look like they had been given "a large dose of strychnine and then run over with a road roller!"

I'll let you know how I get on.

[Folgore]

Hey Picketboat,

look what you can make out of this famous little toy soldiers below -CLICK-



Regards

Chrischan

[PICKETBOAT]

Chrischan

You did a great job, I like it.

I decided in the end to buy some inexpensive 1/48th scale (civilian) figures on line, and re-enact "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" when they arrive. The ladies and children obviously will escape this fate!

This means that the figures proportions are already dealt with and I can concentrate on the detail.

They will eventually be re-clothed with the Officer in charge in a longer frock type coat (not the later 1920's shorter pea jacket), wing collar, smaller peaked cap and possibly sea boots. The crew will be a mix of "square rig" uniform and dirty white duck (stoker/engineer).

I shall post my finished efforts at the end of the build.

It's always a dilemma whether to "crew" a model or not. This model looks very bare without a crew particularly, when on the water.

I have re-modelled some figures before, which came out reasonably well, but they were from an earlier period. I have added a picture of the "Officer of the Watch supervising gunnery practice aboard HM Armed Cutter Speedy 1828."

[PICKETBOAT]

Hi all

Back to the picket boat build.

Before I secured the deck in place, I made up and fitted the prop shaft �A� frame. This was very simple and comprised a short length of brass strip formed into a V, and a small piece of brass or copper tube with an ID of 2mm and OD of 3mm.

Each leg of the �A� frame was 15mm long with an additional 5mm stub protruding through the hull. Having pre-drilled the two holes into the hull to accept the legs of the �A� frame I carefully bent it to shape and soft soldered the short piece of tube in place. This acts as the shaft bearing. Soft solder is fine for this size of job as hopefully, even on a working model, it will not have to endure too much load.

A little careful bending was required to get the correct angle before the �A� frame and stern tube were tacked in place with a drop of CA. I double checked the shaft ran smoothly. I then used epoxy on the inside of the hull to secure both these components permanently, and a little filler on the outside to �fair in� the �A� frame legs and make good any small gap where the end of the stern tube protruded slightly. The hull seam was given the filler treatment too but very little was required other than some along the seam running down the transom.

The plastic sub deck had been previously trimmed so as to fit neatly INSIDE the top of the hull, resting on the two plastic cross members. The strip wood planking was trimmed back so that it overhung the plastic sub deck by approx 3mm.

The deck was then fitted into position having had poly weld adhesive applied to the plastic to plastic mating surfaces. Rubber bands, spring clamps and tape were used to hold everything firmly in place over night.