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HO/OO Windmill +++ COMPLETED+++


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I got some work done yesterday - but got to engrossed to update here.  I started with a 'thorough' clean of the work bench...

 

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...if you ever get the chance to cover your bench / desk with toughened glass - DO IT - it is so easy to clean and comes up like 'brand new every time.  I used 3 pieces of 4mm with the edges polished - if one does get broken I'm not replacing the whole thing.  Oh - and it's nearly 8ft long - so I never would have got that weight up the stairs...

 

With the spray booth cleaned and new filter and liner added I was finally good to go...

 

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I even turned the cutting mat over - so it looks 'clean' :D

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The first job was one we are all familiar with - inspecting the parts and finding the flaws.  As a lot are finding - this is a major task with these 'vintage' Airfix kits.

 

First up was the 2 main side pieces or 'fuselage' of the windmill...

 

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As you can see there is no 'detail' inside - but with the tiny windows you wouldn't see any detail anyway.  I'm sure there are some control freaks - sorry control 'enthusiasts' out there that might have spent a month scratch building an entire interior - before sealing it up - never to see the light of day ever again :mental: :lol:

 

I'm more concerned with having fun - so let's not dwell on it eh :whistle:

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The sprue gates are generally massive...

 

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and many needed 'carving' out - also I  found loads of what you might call 'voids' - where connection points actually come all the way through to the outside to leave a hole...

 

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I did think the windmill had an aerial on the top too - as these 2 pieces of flash 'matched' each other 'exactly' - right on the apex...

 

WIND_023.jpg 

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The first 'real job' yesterday was altering the connection hole for the sails - to make room for my motor spindle...

 

I needed to make this hole bigger - as the spindle is 3mm and the existing hole was only 1.8mm...

 

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I bought this drill bit set off amazon around Christmas time and it really is paying for itself.  If I remember rightly it wasn't much over a fiver and has hundreds of bits...

 

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I was really worried about sticking the face of the motor to the plastic - in case I glued the spindle fast - but I got round that - I'll explain later.

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I knocked one of these up years ago for my son. He still has it now he has moved away. We actually visited the post mill at Avoncroft Museum in Droitwich a couple of weeks back. They do tours and grind wheat as well. The sails are being overhauled at present. There is another at Saxtead, about 20 miles from me. That is in working order too.

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OK - I've had my tea and the bins are out - so time for more progress...

 

More on those dreadful sprue gates and other circular 'imprints'.  Here is the roof - the gate right on one of the few bits of detail...

 

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Lovely eh...

 

The kit is 'riddled' with these circles too - many of which show through on the 'face' sides...

 

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Oh well - I guess we have to expect this with a kit that originated in 1959.  What did I do with those sanding sticks...

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The brick side walls of the base are generally quite nice - except for at each end - where the brick pattern fades to almost nothing and the gates have ripped themselves away leaving nasty holes...

 

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Ok this is officially the most esoteric Britmodeller build ever. 🏆I love this sort of thing. Brilliant! And you’re a brave man for motorising it.

 

As for Cambersick Green/Trumpton, I always think of Life on Mars’ take......

 

 

Trevor Hunt

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Hey Trevor / @Max Headroom - I think that's a compliment - but you can never be sure on here ;) so let the fun continue...

 

Flash - argh argh - it's incredible...

 

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the doors are quite nice - but will need a little 'shaving...

 

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The windows are a little basic - this is the inside and the previous picture is the outside - you can tell by the window sill - which is at the sprue point.

 

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the 'panes' are about 1.5mm square - a little 'snug' for filing - but we will get there.

 

 

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Here are the sails - a few imperfections :doh:

 

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I haven't bothered ringing them all - you get the picture.

 

These are the joining pieces - I need to drill more 3mm holes throh them - after I have 'polished them up a little'.

 

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and here are the rear steps - again plenty of extra plastic...

 

WIND_041.jpg

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5 minutes ago, Lawzer said:

as ever - you WILL overcome Steve!!!! 👍

YES - I WILL - if I ever stop taking pictures and actually get some work done :whistle:

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“A few imperfections “! Should be added to one of those ‘when a Brit says X Athen really mean Y’ things that crop up online from time to time.

 

as Lawzer says, you’ll overcome, and I think you’ll do it brilliantly.

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3 minutes ago, zebra said:

“A few imperfections “! Should be added to one of those ‘when a Brit says X Athen really mean Y’ things that crop up online from time to time.

 

as Lawzer says, you’ll overcome, and I think you’ll do it brilliantly.

Thank you my stripey friend - I hope you don't mind but I've just remembered an old joke...

 

Q - What's black and white and 'eats like a horse'...

 

A - A zebra :lol:

 

Sorry - I  couldn't resist that - the old ones are still the old ones as they say.

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In between taking pictures of flash and cracking childish jokes I did manage to slightly neaten up some of the parts...

 

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The ridged piece bottom right is the cover over the door and yes - that hole shouldn't be there.  The 2 pieces of nondescript plastic middle right are the supports for the cover - that took a while to figure out.

 

On the subject of the windows - take a look at this...

 

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The window on the right - fitted to the outside is 'correct' - but I have found I can fir them 'back to front' - from the inside - as shown on the left.  I  think that looks much neater - so sod the instructions - let's go 'off piste'.

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6 minutes ago, Max Headroom said:

Hi! It certainly was a compliment😊

 

What other Airfix/Dapol buildings are there?

 

Trevor

Well thanks Trevor.  I recently built their church...

 

 

I know they do a cottage too and some kind of a shop - not to mention a railway station.  I have yet to see a decent version of the cottage - it's 'orrible', but I have bought another church - which I have figured I can turn into a house at some point - with a little 'fettling'.

 

All good fun...

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Anyway - back to the build - I did finally get the glue out...

 

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...and after it had dried I drilled out the spindle hole...

 

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...quite neat - for me :D

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With the 'prop' completed it was back to the 'engine room'.  Not wanting to apply too much glue or any at all if possible - I needed to stop it from spinning itself around.  It needed a sturdy 'shell' around it.  I had some chunks of 4mm x 4mm styrene  from my failed attempts at making a radio for my PSC Universal Carrier.  It took me a bout 10 attempts before I cut a piece to exactly the right size. - so I was left with these 'lumps'...

 

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Once these blocks had set the motor was tightly wedged in position - without a drop of glue touching it.

 

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Looking good so far despite the best efforts of the kit!

 

The solution for the motor is genius.

 

Loving the fact you're motorising it. What next - the village pub with working beer pumps?

 

All the best

 

Ben

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Next up was getting the main body together...

 

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To be fair it didn't put up much of a fight and all the 'planks' on the outside lined up as they should.

 

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so it was on to the front...

 

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So - bringing everything completely up to date - this was the last job for this evening.  Getting the walls and roof together for the base.

 

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The sides were a bit 'springy' and needed clamping until they had set.  Once they had set it was time for a quick 'test fit'...

 

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So that's all for today and I'm now up to date with the last 2 days work.

 

I'm on holiday now - so we should make good progress tomorrow - unless SWMBO finds some jobs for me to do...

 

Thanks for looking in - Steve

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Looking at the flash you've almost got 2 kits for the price of one there!!!

 

So the whole of the "upstairs" moves round with the sails?

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What, no perspex? Crumbs, no warping at all by the looks of it! If, as you suggested, you use an mp3 for the sound effects, don't forget to scale the sound down to HO/OO!

 

I built the thatched cottage way back in my 'yoof', and if I put all three of them on here (sadly I still have them!), you STILL would not see a decent version!

 

Looking forward to seeing this progress, all the best,

 

Ray

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33 minutes ago, Lawzer said:

So the whole of the "upstairs" moves round with the sails?

I have been doing my research and yes - once the stairs go on at the 'back' - it has a lifting arm.  The idea was that you lift the arm and 'man handle' the top of the mill - to get the sails pointing into the wind.  Thinking ahead - this means the ground all arround the mill would have a grassless track just out from the edge - where poor old windy would have to lift and move everything.  It's no wonder he drank so much cider.

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