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ShipbuilderMN

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Everything posted by ShipbuilderMN

  1. Thanks for funnel grid explanation - makes sense. Most of the funnels I sailed with had a deck inside the top of them that you could walk on, and the exhaust gases came out of individual pipes. That was in the motor ships. But I never looked in the top of the funnels of the seven steamers I sailed in. I have asked ex RN men about them in the past, and this is the first time anyone has known what they were for. But it also suggests that they didn't know because the canvas covers were seldom used on the ships that they sailed in. Yes, in the MN, we did tend to spend most of our lives at sea and on the move, but cargo ships were often in port for a week at a time, and I was on one general cargo/log carrier that spent about five weeks in Abidjan first discharging general cargo, and then loading a full cargo of logs every voyage. In the Union-Castle liners, we spent about ten days in Southampton each voyage, but the funnels were certainly never covered up during that time. Anyway, my knowledge has increased - Thanks again for the explanation of the use of the grids in RN ships.
  2. Here is a drawing that makes the whole thing a lot clearer - https://www.shipsnostalgia.com/threads/titanic-lifeboat-question.78170/page-6#lg=thread-78170&slide=1
  3. The lines from the end of the davits were used to stay the davits and stop them moving when in position. The actual lowerimg lines were separate and went through the blocks down to the hooks, but were in practically the same location. Here are some lifeboat pictures that show the set-up a lot clearer - https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/lifeboats-in-atlantic-convoys-during-wwii/58760
  4. Very nice model. The lines from the deck to the davits are for lowering the boat. They go through a block at the top of the davit and down to a hook that is hooked into the boat. The span between the davits has vertical ropes with knots ever few feet that hang down into the boat. When the boat is down, anyone left aboard, such as those who lowered the boat, can slide down the knotted rope into the boat. The knots make it a lot easier to get down and stop one sliding down at top speed and burning hands. As for the funnel grill, I doubt very much if the Knight Templar had one. It seemed to be a fitting confined to warships, and I have no idea what its purpose was. It would certainly not stop a bomb or a shell going down! I sailed in 19 merchant ships and none of them had funnel grills, and I have never seen any on detailed plans of merchant ships.
  5. You are welcome. I was amazed at the response and active participation when I first set up the group, and I don't dominate it in any way. The main rule is merchant ships only, but fleet auxliliaries and fishing boats etc still come under the "commercial" banner, so are welcome as well. Some members advertise their models for sale, and that is OK, although I don't myself. The fact that it is confined to merchant ships, means I am not "stepping on the toes" of other maritime model forums who mainly prefer ships of war!! Bob
  6. Hello Andreas, Thanks. I don't have any problems with parts because I make all my own. I rarely come on model ship forums these days, mainly due to lack of interst in models of merchant ships, My main activities are now on Facebook with my "Merchant Ships in Miniature" group that now has over 3,500 members and is thriving. As I get older, (now 76) I find that it easier to move onto a slightly larger scale such as 25 feet to 1 inch (1/300) or even larger for smaller ships. Currently building a 900-ton barque at 20 feet to one inch, hull length about 7 inches. This one, the barque Gulf Stream, shown on UTube, was badly damaged on its way to Belgium last year, and although I have repaired it, it has limited my activities greatly, because I am no longer prepared to send them out by courier, following a number of breakages. https://youtu.be/RkzuzNRI2Qw Consequently they are starting to pile up, so when we run out of space, that will be the end of it all, but that is a while off yet. Bob
  7. How can it be hacked if it is still working? πŸ˜•
  8. Just saw the comment on Facebook that Britmodeller has been hacked. Can only say that for me, it is still working! 2nd August 1406 BST
  9. Hi Steve, Thanks, You had used several methods that I had not seen before, and I liked the bit about fishooks etc!πŸ˜€ Best wishes Bob
  10. Very nice buld, with some handy tips in it. Not many merchant ships ever get modelled for reasons that escape me, so it is especially pleasing when they do appear - Bob
  11. If it isn't fun, maybe best to just go back to what you do like building!
  12. I quite like scale of 32 feet to 1 inch (1:384). They are small enough for normal sized houses or flats, and don't require any high degree of patience to build. This on, the steamer Politician, is shown in a Utube presentation from block of wood to completion. It took a total of 58 hours to build, spread over a few weeks. All timed on a stopwatch. Building costs, virtually nothing. But being scratchbuilt, it would not be a popular choice for a model, but I was never much good with kits! https://youtu.be/dbKlh_aa9r4
  13. Stuart, Several of them give the methods, but it is against the rules to advertise! Bob
  14. From block of wood to completed model - 32 feet to 1 inch - 1:384 - Bob https://youtu.be/LEuoD6klIY4
  15. Yes, I drew it on a large piece of white card using rulers, French Curves etc. Then photographed it and coloured it in using the computer. Bob
  16. Yes, I drew it on a large piece of white card using rulers, French Curves etc. Then photographed it and coloured it in using the computer. Bob
  17. Palermo - 1938 - Elleman Wilson Line general cargo -
  18. Thanks, It has always surprised me that they are not very popular amongst model shipbuilders. The main reasons given are because the rigging is too difficult and they don't carry guns beng merchant ships). Neither argument is remotely valid as the rigging is the easiest part as it is just wire glued on in short lengths with no knots anywhere. The fact that it doesn't have guns (the ports are just decoration, painted on) surely makes things simpler, as you don't have to make what is not there!πŸ™‚ As for the hulls, a sailing ship is infinitely simpler than a steam ship or warship because it has fewer deck with not many rails, ladders, lifeboats, deck machinery etc. If it is the missing war aspect that bothers you, that is also invalid, because when wars occur, merchant ships are invariably dragged in as well, whether they like it or not! Example, Jervis Bay (Below) Now, that was a complicated model, and her name has gone down in history for her heroic deed in WWII! of drawing a German battleship away from a convoy, resulting in her loss, but allowing the convoy to escape. Bob
  19. Thanks Steve., So sorry to hear of your loss. I knew I could repair the Gulf Stream, it was just the thoughts of doing all the work again so soon that wore me down, and I didn't even make a start for many weeks, but when I did, I soon put it to rights. Bob
  20. I am not in a rut at allπŸ™‚ The problem is that there is no safe and suitable way of transporting them now, as I am not prepared to go through that lot again. I have built so many, we haven't room to keep them all, so they must be sold. This makes collectors think that I am a business, where I am not - it is just a hobby, and they are continually asking what the next one will be, can they reserve it etc. I have even had unsolicted "deposit" cheques sent to me that annoy me no end! ☹️ or offers to "pay in full" before I even begin. I may increase the writing, that is already surprisngley successful, because everyone then has access to the end result, and I don't get any pressure. Bob
  21. Thanks, it is only minor things that are wrong with it, such as bits of glue that I couldn't remove fully from various spars and sails, but not really noticeable. But it is a great weight off my mind to have it back in one piece again, as for the past few weeks, I found it very depressing to look at the remains, and feel that I had to do it all again. Then finally, I started, and worked very hard in order to sort it all out and put the whole affair behind me. But it is no longer for sale, after all this, we don't really want to part with it, so it will join our permanent collection. Bob
  22. I have now laboriously restored the Gulf Stream. Not quite as good as it was, but acceptable, and must confess that I am now quite fed up with the whole show of model shipbuilding!😐 Bob
  23. Thanks - It is a lot more difficult to build a passenger ship than a sailing ship because of all the doors, windows, portholes, lifeboats, rails, deck machinery, etc. A major part of the problem though, is over when you decide to start building one. Most ship modellers just decide they could never do it, so never try. This is one of my best, it took just over 100 hours to build, and that included the display case and carrying case. Not as good as one may produce from a kit maybe, but all my own work - the whole lot! RMS Carmania. For those who think merchant ships are boring, Carmania sank a German cruiser during World War I! Bob
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