Steve D Posted July 16, 2020 Author Share Posted July 16, 2020 Back and safe, great break. The guns arrived while we were away, ordered way back in March... These 2 pdr barrels are just over 2 inches long in cast brass, I'm pretty pleased with them, though the trunnions would have been better slightly longer. The frame on the load side is for the ammunition box, which I intended to print in resin, way too hard to make in brass.. Sitting working on the etching drawings for the mountings, the ones I drew before I left are too fin I think, too fragile and trying to hard, some work to go before they are done I think... This is a consistent problem, you try to make everything a accurate as possible, but then you need to allow for the material limitations at scale Steve 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beefy66 Posted July 16, 2020 Share Posted July 16, 2020 Amazing miniature engineering there Steve Stay Safe beefy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve D Posted July 16, 2020 Author Share Posted July 16, 2020 1 hour ago, beefy66 said: Amazing miniature engineering there Just great to be able to do this in metal, let's see how it turns out Cheers Steve 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Courageous Posted July 17, 2020 Share Posted July 17, 2020 Nice bit of weaponry there Dave. Stuart 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve D Posted July 18, 2020 Author Share Posted July 18, 2020 17 hours ago, Courageous said: Nice bit of weaponry there Dave Who's Dave? 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve D Posted July 18, 2020 Author Share Posted July 18, 2020 Too nice a day today to spend it staring at a computer screen trying to wok on the etchings, so I made the two Ensign staff's, one for the coach-house roof and one for the stern (on the right) These are hinged at the base and fixed with 16 ba screws and nuts, the cap is drilled 0.5 mm to take the line for the flag, smallest scale you can do this detail, all in brass of course I'm struggling a bit with the 2 pdr etch drawings, I think i'm trying to be too ambitious with the rivet detail, always a challenge.. Steve 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve D Posted July 21, 2020 Author Share Posted July 21, 2020 Checking out what is possible with this printer. Spent a lot of time drawing pointless detail on a hose reel (10mm dia, 4 mm deep) to mount on the Vickers turret tub. The detail you can get is really amazing, the hold down bolts on the valve pipe flange are .6 mm across and .3 mm high, just distiguishable in this picture. For fun, I've added the drawing to the corner to show what I intended (the hand wheel was etched brass...) Those who are following the thread may notice the vickers tub platform is missing. I tried and tried but its not good enough. The next etching sheet has a better version (I hope) Can't move on with the superstructure til some more grab rail stanchions arrive from Cornwall Model Boats, so I'm tinkering really and thinking abut those gun etchings... Steve 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Courageous Posted July 23, 2020 Share Posted July 23, 2020 On 7/21/2020 at 5:41 PM, Steve D said: arrive from Cornwall Model Boats, Tsk, their was me thinking that you made everything... Stuart 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve D Posted July 23, 2020 Author Share Posted July 23, 2020 21 minutes ago, Courageous said: Tsk, their was me thinking that you made everything... Stuart 3 mm brass grab rail stanchions, drilled for 0.5 mm wire, perhaps I can be forgiven 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robgizlu Posted July 23, 2020 Share Posted July 23, 2020 11 hours ago, Steve D said: 3 mm brass grab rail stanchions, drilled for 0.5 mm wire, perhaps I can be forgiven Te absolvo! The guns look great - as do those flagstaffs Rob 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve D Posted July 26, 2020 Author Share Posted July 26, 2020 After god knows how many hours, I've finally completed the 4th etching sheet. This contains the components for the three large guns, very fiddly indeed. The single bow 2 pdr is both the smallest and the most complex with 30 pieces to assemble. No matter how careful I am, and this one has been many many hours, I always make mistakes which only surface once the etching is done. I don't even know if some of these pieces will etch, they are so tiny. The power mounting is actually quite simple by comparison with only 23 pieces, plus some turned stuff I'll scratch build. The 3inch HA gun, in the end I decided to etch only the main frame, the gun will be turned but the rest will probably be printed as they are all weird shapes, we will see. The gun shield on this was specific to the SGB's and I cannot find a drawing and only one or two distant photographs, so I'm going to do it in card right at the end and then make it in copper, time will tell. A prize for anyone who can workout how these pieces fit together This sheet also contains the stanchion bases and the revised Vicker's platforms, you will see once I make them what I mean. Anyway, It's off to the printers, hopefully back during the week🤞 Steve 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robgizlu Posted July 26, 2020 Share Posted July 26, 2020 Rob 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bandsaw Steve Posted July 26, 2020 Share Posted July 26, 2020 Wow! That’s some involved work right there! I will be very interested to see how all of this turns out. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve D Posted July 26, 2020 Author Share Posted July 26, 2020 27 minutes ago, Bandsaw Steve said: I will be very interested to see how all of this turns out. I was thinking of photographing the stages of each gun build, might help show how I solder these together (he said hopefully....) 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve D Posted July 27, 2020 Author Share Posted July 27, 2020 Playing with the printer again today, this lot took 30 minutes to print as a single group. The key thing I needed was the 2pdr mount seat, but as its sort of free to do the others , I threw in some lifebuoys and those small rice seed like objects are bottle screws to take 0.5 mm wire for the mast stays. Also in this set are some 2pdr ammo in a 42 round block (hard to see, out of focus a bit. Both 2 pdrs have a 42 round magazine feeding 3 14 round belts. I need to work out how to mount the magazine on the guns so thought I [rint the ammo to try. Once I'm happy, I'll add the magazine to this artwork so it slots on I've also been painting. The superstructure has two coats now, and the main deck just a single light under-coat. All interim of course and pre-weathering, still she's looking very smart The torpedo tubes are still in primer btw. You can see the additional handrails here, the deck line still needs a tidy-up. But the best bit is the name plate... I have no clue if they carried one, but they should have and if they did, this is certainly where they would have mounted it. I love relief etching.... You can also see that the windscreen is completed now amnd mounted. The whole superstructure is still removable btw, it slides into place, hence the perfect paint line.... That tank is for paraffin, aparently.. I've painted the filler cap matt red, but if anyone knows that colour a paraffin tank cap would be, please enlighten me. That deck looks very grey in the pictures, but it actually quite a blue grey in real life, my own mix for MS2 and the white is a creamy off white Steve 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve D Posted July 28, 2020 Author Share Posted July 28, 2020 Most of the core structure has now had two coats of the right base colour, this picture doesn't really give it credit, its very dramatic in real life, I'm loving the contrast of the MS2 and White Steve 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted July 28, 2020 Share Posted July 28, 2020 That is looking really good, but more than just good, impressive is a word that springs to mind. The SGBs have long been a class that has fascinated me & to see one brought to life like this has been quite fascinating. Steve. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve D Posted July 29, 2020 Author Share Posted July 29, 2020 7 hours ago, stevehnz said: That is looking really good, but more than just good, impressive is a word that springs to mind. The SGBs have long been a class that has fascinated me & to see one brought to life like this has been quite fascinating. Steve. Thanks Steve, I'm glad what I post is of interest and maybe some help, its a challenge that I'm really enjoying. It's quite a large model to layer in the detail I'm seeking, but I'm happy overall with the progress. Hopefully the last etching sheet will be back tomorrow so I can start on the main guns, watch how that will change the look. Meanwhile, I've been studying the photographs (I actually found 30 pictures on line and 9 of Grey Fox alone!) to get the best idea of the paint. Its not clear, but Grey Fox certainly seems to have a dark line on the RUL's so I'm assuming the lids were MS2. Grey Goose definitely has MS2 strip on the torpedo tube upper and I think Grey Fox did as well from one of the pictures, big decisions... That rear blast shield was white all over though, but from a stern view, I'm convinced the interior was 507A dark grey to match the transom and make the stern stand out less at night... I've remade the blast screen btw, the other one somehow was took tall, not sure how that happened. I'm remaking the brass frame later today. Retirement helps progress, even if, as ever, I continue to remake stuff.... Steve 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve D Posted August 2, 2020 Author Share Posted August 2, 2020 The thing with relief etching is each sheet is an expensive prototype, some things work, others don't, and its too expensive to have it done again. This one contained both elements, stuff that worked well and a few bits that were a disappointment, still, I'm working my way through it. The other thing I always forget is to copy small items more times than required. The power mounting L shaped lever that also actuated the gun sight is a case in point. After silver soldering it to the actuating bar, I lost it, sigh... 20 minutes later after having scratch made a replacement, it turned up, note to self, must work tidier. For those that don't work in metal, I thought I'd include a shot of my workspace, tidy for once, and explain what I use. What is not shown here is the oxy-propane blow-torch (its down to the left), on which i use a 0.8 mm tip fro tine flame control and local heating. On this and the last ship, I've been using Fryolux solder paint which I like a lot, if it dries out, some bakers fluid makes it usable again. That is my second pot in 2 years, so it goes a long way, good stuff. I use the normal solder wire where the joint needs building up and the low temperature 0.5 mm silver solder wire where I need strength and for very small joints (like a .8mm tube ends to .8 mm wire for the actuation repeater on the 2 pdr power mount). I learnt a long time ago, to solder then cut back were possible. Soldering final tiny pieces just burns gas and adds to global warming, not the model I use drawing pins to hold the work, so the vermiculite pad needs to be soft enough for me to push them in. So, three solders, each with a purpose, and a lot of small files As I said before, I decided the Vicker's platform was, basically, rubbish, so this sheet contained a replacement etch with edges that strengthen it and the upright T support built in with a fold line. I'm much happier with this and with walnut staging as shown below (the tube for the mount will be printed next week) I've also been busy painting stuff and decided the torpedo tubes were MS2 on the upper surface, much happier with this look This shows the rebuild blast screen, a huge improvement on the first version... Now the 2pdr power mount. not so many pieces actually, but there are other bits that need making from scratch so probably 40 odd pieces in total. The gun has been mounted in its 2 cradles (inner and outer, they nearly fitted...). If I printed amother one, I'd include these in the drawing, pointless to make them separately really This group shows the stages of assembly to where I'm up to Not much left to do actually, but we have friends staying so I'm banned for a couple of days now, will post some more once this is completed and the other mounting is underway Steve 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnWS Posted August 2, 2020 Share Posted August 2, 2020 Looking good, Steve. Thanks for the 'tour' of your workbench, as well. It reminded me of metalworking shop class at high school. John 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve D Posted August 4, 2020 Author Share Posted August 4, 2020 1st gun completed and ready to paint, looking OK. Still need the printed ammo carrier added but the brass is all done It was 52 pieces in the end... Side view, slightly out of focus On to the next one.... Steve 13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingSpanner Posted August 4, 2020 Share Posted August 4, 2020 That looks great 👍 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robgizlu Posted August 4, 2020 Share Posted August 4, 2020 Fabulous work Jaw on floor as ever Rob 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve D Posted August 4, 2020 Author Share Posted August 4, 2020 2 hours ago, robgizlu said: Jaw on floor as ever Don't Rob, that was the easy one.. They get harder.. Steve 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Courageous Posted August 5, 2020 Share Posted August 5, 2020 Exquisite. Stuart 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now