ChrisM's building and bodging

[chrism]

Thanks everyone for the kind comments.

the Land Rover in the garage scene, is that the one out of the Bloodhound set?

it is indeed that one. I would like in next week or 2 to try and find something else vehicular'ish to use on that scene, as I don't want to "lose" that landrover.

[ShaunW]

Excellent Chris, some really fine contributions to the cause. Which reminds me that I need to get my finger out to produce more than just one model!

[chrism]

Having offered to assist with anything else that needed doing, I have recently received a travelling dock crane from Splash to build for the cause.

The parts were in a reasonable condition - well, far better than both the pub and the windmill if I am honest, but there was still a fair amount of clean up


A couple hours on Saturday evening had some clean up done and the legs and part of cabin glued together.
Followed on Sunday by a sloshing of paint - being grey plastic I got away with one coat and a few touch ups.
This next picture was Monday tea time, when I had the jib front and back bits on and the windows fixed in with what was obviously a suitable adhesive as they have stuck (PVA before you ask Shaun!)



I have also got a couple lengths of thin string/thick cotton painted with silver and in process of drying, to use as the "steel cable". Having read the instructions and cut a length of thread, I then looked at picture on instructions, and found they describe something very different for rigging it... so I shall do something totally different again. (Start with thread inside, drill a hole to take it out back end, round roller and up to other roller on front jib, back down through another hole I will make to get back into cabin, round other roller in cabin, and then repeat that again, and when I get to end of long jib second time, take it down for 10-12cm fix on the hook, then bring it back up and complete loop and tie all my ends off inside the cab. (that's my plan so far!!)

[splash]

I'm watching you Chris as I have not even given the jib rigging a thought.

One thing I forgot to tell you was the square box on the floor at the rear of the cabin is for ballist, I filled mine with liquid gravity to stop the cabin tilting forward when the jib is lowered.

Regards Splash

[chrism]

I have filled that little area with ballast - I have another brand (not deluxe materials posh brand) of metal bits which glue in, in same way to add weight.

I am beginning to realise why you possibly didn't want to build a second one of these things. A crane definitely will earn itself a place on my list of kits that a sane person will only tackle once. Getting the "thread" and rigging stage fully sorted became a logistical challenge. But I have won.

A further update in a few days once my sanity has returned and my blood pressure dropped, and the string is all tied off and tidy, and there is a bit more to show.

[splash]

Well done Chris I look forward to seeing how you did it.

Regards Splash

[ShaunW]

Nice one Chris, the crane is an interesting looking beast!

[chrism]

Thanks for looking in and commenting. I can now reveal .....







My only deviation/addition is that I have added some cotton thread as handrails/guardrails and painted it grey to match. It is only the stuff airfix supply in their ship kits, which is too lumpy and rough for my taste, to use for a ship... I knew that one day if I kept it, I would find a use for a length of it. The jib rigging was done with some other stuff left over from a wooden ship kit I did many years ago.

[TomW]

That looks brilliant Chris

Regards

Tom

[PaulBradley]

Very nice, Chris!

[ShaunW]

Excellent Chris, you have captured the look of a well used industrial crane very well. Despite my doubts about using cotton for the guardrails on my signal gantry, it appears to have worked well here.

[beany]

That looks superb Chris - lovely job.

[chrism]

This one really is an exercise in cobbling and bodging - but it will be all right on the day. The start point for a tall ship in the harbour....



I shall take off some of the rigging lines in that photo, and add a lot more, but overall simplify it and also add some spars, see what I can do with the bowsprit, (bit sticking out front) and have a look through the bits and pieces of deck fittings that have come with other kits, and which I have discarded as they were not upto what I wanted... but for this they will be OK.

[ShaunW]

Nice one Chris. What kit is the tall ship? I'll add her to the build list.

[chrism]

It was called the black falcon, and it came in a plastic bag from an under table sale at a show. It will probably have a new name when it makes a debut at Telford. Originally, the kit instructions were sparce to say least and I didn't like how it all came (or didn't) together. So it got somewhat worse treatment than a relegation to the shelf of shame... it has literally been on floor where its got kicked and knocked about and been used as a test bed for paint colours on side you cannot see for past 2 years.

So it may yet end up back as black and white or I may give it a quick repaint - which may be easiest - all over. So far all I have done is dismantle and unrig, and sort out some fittings and new masts/spars. Work is due to commence later this week (once the two RAF coastal command boats for Tom cross the finish line). It will be finished as Ive got enough time to do this and paint some more figures for this sig display. I am still trying, and if I can get hold of a general stores/village shop, I will also get that done.