Hi Tiny Simply superb, one of the best of the genre and it's the live steam that makes all the difference . When will you start painting ?Spray or Brush?
Dave Wooley
When the weather warms up, I usual spray the hull so need a good dry day to do it. I will start with the inside of the bulwarks as they are the same colour as the superstructure. I might hand paint the deck and then mask it all and finish the outside of the hull last using car spray paints.
hello tiny,a great job on the tug .i have a question,is it going to be radio controled and if so what kind of system will it have to control speed.one cannot just shut steam on and off.
The steam engine as a regulator valve on top that can be connected to a servo to give controlled forward and reverse of the engine. The engine is a oscillating type that will self start in either direction once the valve is moved from its centre position. See attached photo.
I have been working on the steering gear and chain channels that run down the side of the superstructure. The channels are 4x3mm U section brass cut to length.
The chain pulleys either side of the rudder quadrant are from sheet plasticard cut into 15x15mm squares with a brass rod placed in the centre perpendicular to the base. Then in each corner a 0.65mm diameter hole was drilled to allow for the simulated bolt to fit in.
Where the chain enters the superstructure I have positioned a pulley with an angled cover made from 1mm thick plasticard, drilled and pinned in place.
I have cut from clear plastic sheet each window and tacked in place with white pva glue. The window surrounds, using 3mm x 0.5mm mahogany strip are the glued in place, first the uprights then the horizontal pieces. I have made the rear window so it looks like it is open. The sliding door is also from the mahogany strip with each piece taped into position whilst the glue dries. Still got to make the four side fixed glazed units.
I have been continuing work on the steering gear by making the roller blocks that are positioned between the steering channels sections. Each one contains two rollers that the steering rods pass through. Each one is 8mm high by 4mm wide with 3mm diameter rollers.
Tiny
Attachments
Single roller block
8 Roller blocks and steering channel sections for one side.
After drawing up the octagonal design I set up the small jig from plywood, drilled the centre boss with eight holes and cut 1mm diameter brass to form the wheels spokes. I superglued the ends of the spokes to the plywood to hold them in place and then soldered the centre boss to hold the spokes. I made three attempts until I was happy with the wheels rim to look right.
After finishing the ships wheel I went on to build the steering chain assembly using some plastic gears, brass sheet, bits of plastic sheet and steel rods. I spent a few hours cutting and filing the 2mm thick brass sheet to make the two supports, carefully drilling the holes to locate the two shafts.