Ragtag Posted May 30, 2021 Share Posted May 30, 2021 (edited) Having put it off for quite some time, today I decided to start attacking my 1/76 Mersey-class lifeboat. £18 is a bit of a steal for a 3D printed kit of this size, or so I thought. Unfortunately, the more I look at it the more inaccuracies I find to correct - most notable of which is that the hull is quite considerably too shallow. There are also some errors around the cabin windows and flying bridge, as well as an incorrect hatch. The deck is also too low. That being said, there aren't too many options out there for an all-weather lifeboat (especially if you want something smaller than a Severn) so I decided to see what could be done with it. I'll also be building a Shannon too at some point so we'll see how they compare. Work so far has mostly consisted of trying to smooth off the very 'stepped print and removing some of the more crude detailing. Edited June 12, 2021 by Ragtag 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ragtag Posted June 6, 2021 Author Share Posted June 6, 2021 Still plugging away at the Mersey, though it's slow going. The deck height is slowly getting there, though still a way to go with it. I tried shaping the stern to match the curved profile of the actual vessels. It looks better though not perfect, but having run out of material to shape it'll have to do. I've also cut away the inaccurate parts from the rear. Again, it won't be perfect as I'm not convinced the window spacing is 100% but hopefully it'll look better. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DGO Posted June 7, 2021 Share Posted June 7, 2021 About the best that can be said of that Print is that the superstructure looks roughly right, I'm curious as to why you seem to have removed the forward hatch on the superstructure ? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ragtag Posted June 7, 2021 Author Share Posted June 7, 2021 2 hours ago, DGO said: About the best that can be said of that Print is that the superstructure looks roughly right, I'm curious as to why you seem to have removed the forward hatch on the superstructure ? Based on photos of the boat in question it looked out of position, I'll add a plasticard hatch in due course. I have a feeling the superstructure is over-tall but will be able to see better when the deck's finished - despite that I'll need to add a mm or two height to get the right profile. Front windows in the cabin also seem v. oversized but nothing a little styrene strip can't sort Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DGO Posted June 7, 2021 Share Posted June 7, 2021 I thin you are right about the Forward windows, every image I've seen suggests that the top and bottom of the Forward windows are pretty much on the same lines as those of the side windows, in addition it loos like the print has vertical windows at the front, this is incorrect, they should slope so that the top of the screen overhangs the bottom, above the forward windows you will probably see rectangular white housings for the straight line windscreen wipers. Just looking at the print and an actual Mersey again and there are so many errors, the side window frames should have nice big radii, also I think the rear raised area aft of the cabin is two short and the sides on the real one angle in over roughly half their length and mount the bases for folding radio masts, Oh and the main cabin roof is not flat but slopes gently to either side Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ragtag Posted June 7, 2021 Author Share Posted June 7, 2021 (edited) 2 hours ago, DGO said: I thin you are right about the Forward windows, every image I've seen suggests that the top and bottom of the Forward windows are pretty much on the same lines as those of the side windows, in addition it loos like the print has vertical windows at the front, this is incorrect, they should slope so that the top of the screen overhangs the bottom, above the forward windows you will probably see rectangular white housings for the straight line windscreen wipers. Just looking at the print and an actual Mersey again and there are so many errors, the side window frames should have nice big radii, also I think the rear raised area aft of the cabin is two short and the sides on the real one angle in over roughly half their length and mount the bases for folding radio masts, Oh and the main cabin roof is not flat but slopes gently to either side Right on all counts I'm afraid, I have plans to fix as much of that as possible. The front screens aren't actually straight on the kit, but nor are they as raked as they ought to be. In all honesty if I were to do another I'd use the hull and build the rest from scratch, but too late now! Edited June 7, 2021 by Ragtag Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DGO Posted June 8, 2021 Share Posted June 8, 2021 I'd take a razor saw to the superstructure just below the windows and scratch build from there up, but razor saw, Dremel and scalpel are my 3 tools of choice for dealing with bits of models I don't like LOL David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ragtag Posted June 8, 2021 Author Share Posted June 8, 2021 (edited) It may come to that though I've started rebuilding the rear into something that better resembles the real thing. Edited June 8, 2021 by Ragtag 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ragtag Posted June 9, 2021 Author Share Posted June 9, 2021 Sat down tonight and had a look at my planned mods to the superstructure. Ultimately decided that nothing was going to overcome the extra few mm of height coupled with poor window sizing. The nice thing with the print is that a light scalpel pass will give a perfectly clean and straight cut without need for a straight edge. So - the cabin was binned, a few mm shaved off the height to bring things in line with a scale drawing I'm working from, then the front part reattached. The rest of the cabin will need to be scratchbuilt but I'm confident it'll look better for it. The one bit I'm worried about is the curved framing on the windows. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Enterprisingwestern Posted June 9, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 9, 2021 I'm not into boat modelling, but it's good to see other aspects covered, and your techniques carry over anyway. This smacks of Triggers broom, it would seem with hindsight that scratchbuilding might have been the route to go? Mike. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ragtag Posted June 9, 2021 Author Share Posted June 9, 2021 4 hours ago, Enterprisingwestern said: I'm not into boat modelling, but it's good to see other aspects covered, and your techniques carry over anyway. This smacks of Triggers broom, it would seem with hindsight that scratchbuilding might have been the route to go? Mike. Perhaps, though the cost of the plans to get the hull shape correct would've been higher than the print. Anyway, as we all know you can get a medal from a Trigger's broom 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DGO Posted June 9, 2021 Share Posted June 9, 2021 To get a start on the curved frames, Several ways to do it, 1. Cut out the inside of the frame then go round the outside at a constant distance, and stick the frame over the cabin 2. Drill 4 holes 1 per corner the correct size for the outer radius of the frame into the cabin and join the holes, then using very thin (10 thou) strips of plasticard build the frame towards its inner size by lamination. 3. Given that 6 windows appear to be identical, create a mould and make those 6 identical just leaving the two end windows and the 3 front ones. 4. Etch some brass or nickle silver to make perfect frames 5. As previous but laser cut instead of etch 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ragtag Posted June 12, 2021 Author Share Posted June 12, 2021 I was busy designing the replacement cabin for the Mersey and couldn't work out why it looked odd at the rear - turns out that whilst the length is spot on the beam is between 0.75-1cm too narrow (or a scale 2ft!) I'm at the point of just binning this and starting from scratch if I can find some plans as I don't think the 3d print will cut well vertically to widen it. As if to rub salt in the wound, the Shannon turned up to show what a 3d print ought to be like. 1 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BernardTPM Posted June 12, 2021 Share Posted June 12, 2021 I guess the hull could be used to make a generic 'boat'. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ragtag Posted June 12, 2021 Author Share Posted June 12, 2021 (edited) 2 hours ago, BernardTPM said: I guess the hull could be used to make a generic 'boat'. That's my thinking too - a freelance effort at something similar to one of the training boats. Trying to get an even vaguely-accurate Mersey from it is just too much effort, I'll look into getting some plans and go down that route instead. Edited June 12, 2021 by Ragtag 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BernardTPM Posted June 12, 2021 Share Posted June 12, 2021 I think we all buy something like that. In my case, back in the '70s, it was a Q-kits Western and some (plastic) MTK power bogies to motorise it. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ragtag Posted June 14, 2021 Author Share Posted June 14, 2021 (edited) Spent another hour on this one, and have got to a point where I think the cabin is decent enough to give the impression of a training boat (I used Watchful as inspiration), whilst the deck is now getting there. Work still needed at the rear to add the flying bridge etc. Edited June 14, 2021 by Ragtag 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DGO Posted June 14, 2021 Share Posted June 14, 2021 I think you are right to do a conversion, trying to hack the hull into the correct form would have been a nightmare Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ragtag Posted June 14, 2021 Author Share Posted June 14, 2021 51 minutes ago, DGO said: I think you are right to do a conversion, trying to hack the hull into the correct form would have been a nightmare It would have ended up in the bin, any type of vertical cut just splits the layers and leaves a very feathered edge which doesn't sand at all well - can't imagine splitting the entire hull would end favourably 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ragtag Posted June 20, 2021 Author Share Posted June 20, 2021 Added a fender strip from styrene today, starting to look a bit more acceptable now I think. 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmsforever Posted June 22, 2021 Share Posted June 22, 2021 Well done modelling the services boats if you want help on details why not contact RNLI Poole HQ the boat building department will be able to help you .You will find the people at Poole very helpful also I am not sure how far you are from the coast but if you can why not pay a visit to one our stations the crews are wonderful and will apreciate your interest. Also if you have a local branch talk to them maybe your models could help them in their work. Chris RNLI local education voluntere 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ragtag Posted June 23, 2021 Author Share Posted June 23, 2021 On 22/06/2021 at 09:24, lmsforever said: I am not sure how far you are from the coast About 3000 miles to the nearest RNLI station 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Joseph_Pestell Posted June 24, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 24, 2021 On 22/06/2021 at 14:24, lmsforever said: Well done modelling the services boats if you want help on details why not contact RNLI Poole HQ the boat building department will be able to help you .You will find the people at Poole very helpful also I am not sure how far you are from the coast but if you can why not pay a visit to one our stations the crews are wonderful and will apreciate your interest. Also if you have a local branch talk to them maybe your models could help them in their work. Chris RNLI local education voluntere I'll second that. The tour of the Poole HQ is one of the best days out I have ever had. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ragtag Posted June 26, 2021 Author Share Posted June 26, 2021 Not much to report on the 'Mersey' kit, but I started a little detailing on the ILBs. From front to rear are a Y-class, D-class (IB1) and B-class (Atlantic 75). 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold phil_sutters Posted July 1, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 1, 2021 There are lifeboat modellers groups. Two who used to exhibit at the annual Brighton Modelworld, before it ceased, were the Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society and the Southern Model Lifeboat Society. http://www.ipernity.com/doc/philsutters/30649065/in/album/1028556 http://www.ipernity.com/doc/philsutters/30649075/in/album/1028556 Link to post 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