Welcome to my new Blog



Welcome to my Blog.
My Blog is mostly about my hobbies, ie Model boats, Cross Stitch, Gardening, Days out and about, Lego Technics and Photography you might recognize the hat rather than me. My models and other hobbies can be found in the Tabs at the top below the header picture.
There will also be entries of days out with my camera, weather permitting of course.

Thursday 27 October 2016

Trip to Frodsham.

Trip to Frodsham
Needed a few supplies for the present build on the boat, so it was off to Frodsham in Cheshire to the only Model shop in my area, most of the others have closed down, they just can't stand up to the on-line sites and their prices!.
The reason I like going to Steve Webb's model shop is that they have most things on my shopping list and I wasn't disappointed came away with the steering servo I wanted, fitted straight into the Mini bit of kit in the build,

Also got some Sand-n-Seal which was a bonus, along with assorted glues, still not much as the kit has everything else you need!
Sanding sealer seals all those raw edges of plywood that seem to suck up paint like sponges.
Another reason I like going to Steve Webb's is that the young staff there are very helpful, polite and don't look at you as if your an idiot if you explain what you want but aren't sure that it's called!.
If you are thinking of going there and have a better half, go on a Thursday as its market day and your better half will be happily  engaged whilst you browse to your hearts content in the model shop.  

Next it was a trip to Homebase for these clamps, they are always useful even after the current model is finished.

Back home it was on with another bit of kit, the battery box, it fits inside the body of the boat and stops the heavy battery sliding about upsetting the balance of the boat

 

Oh well, I know you wanted another Nature picture

Well that's enough excitement for you today so until next time keep smiling.

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If your born again do you have two belly buttons?.
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Tuesday 25 October 2016

Continuing the build of Amelia Rose

Continuing the build of Amelia Rose

Was it in the film 'Jaws' that said the famous words, "I think we are going to need a bigger boat" well I think I'm going to need a bigger work bench.

The upper stringers fitted

The lower stern section started, this is the part where the prop shaft comes out of!. 

The Prop shaft support fitted

Middle deck fitted and supports for top deck fitted.






Old batteries come in useful!.

Top deck and hatch cover.


Rear hatch finished with planked deck.

Hatch fitted.


Stern section finished with prop shaft and rudder support positioned, but not yet glued in.

Well, that's it for today folks.
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A boy flea see's a cute girl flea land on a pile of crap.
He buzzes down and says "Excuse me, Miss, is this stool taken?.
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Its the way I tell em!.



Friday 21 October 2016

Trip to Derwent Valley.

This week went to Derwent Valley, (for those of you who don't know, its where the Dam Busters Practised during WW2), not as busy in the week but still plenty of people there.
The best thing is that the cafe is open every day but Christmas Day, so that's a bonus for us non cooks.

For the Birder's, some Chaffinches on the feeders which are fed from the money from the car park fee's it says, must be the best fed birds in the country!.



Having been before as I was walking towards the dam I noticed that there was a slight slope signed to the West tower, thought that's better that the steep path to the east tower I've been up in the past, what a Muppet!, the West tower is still the same height as the East one isn't it!.


Just round the bend it became steep steps that Pepe couldn't handle so I had to carry him as well!, still we made it and it was a nice view at the top, though a bit hazy as it had been raining earlier in the morning.

On the way up.

And once up there realised that there was a road up to it that's gated at the weekends but open in the week, another Muppet moment, still we need the exercise 

It was a nice gentle walk back on the road to the car park and another drink at the cafe.

So back to the Pepmobile and a nice run home in the sun, its always nice and sunny on the way home isn't it or is that just me?.
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Where there's smoke there's dinner!.

Two crisps were walking down the road, one was assaulted!.
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Thursday 20 October 2016

Oh no!! he's back again.

Yes I'm still here alive and kicking!.
But this time I'm back on to the boats, I've bought another Narra Boat kit from the same seller as last time when I built this one.
This one had a formed hull and wasn't too difficult.

This new one is all wood and has a wooden hull which makes it more difficult, but we will see as we go along no doubt.
This is what the new build should look like when built, the colour might be changed but that's a long way off yet so plenty of time to reflect on that.
I was lucky in the fact that the guy who does the kit is retiring and winding down production and said this one of mine was the last one!.

The kit came well packed and only took a couple of days to arrive.


The contents of the box, Itemised list, instructions and plans, even a DVD!.

Also included were canal art transfers, motor, rudder and tiller assembly.

After checking the list against the contents and finding everything complete couldn't wait the see how the parts fitted, but I'd already seen a review in Model Boats magazine where a guy had build the bigger version and found it very good 

http://www.riversidemodels.co.uk/

All or most of the parts are CNC cut so even better than the last one I build where I had to cut everything out myself!.


Plenty of scrap left, might come in useful in the future, modellers never throw anything away.

Test fit!.


Ready for gluing, making sure its all square. 

Started using this glue but it foams up and makes a right mess 

As you can see, can you imagine the result trying to paint over this mess.

So it was back to this glue which I'd tested and found good enough



Glued and ready to add some more sections to the bow section.

Addition to bow section, a lot neater with this glue.

Then it was on to the main frame of the middle body, making sure things were square all the time 

Rear main frame.

Front of main frame, these old batteries certainly come in useful!.

All formers for main frame added.


Well that's it for now on the boat.

All right just in case there are a few birders looking in here is an update on the young swans at Reddish Vale in previous posts.



 

That's a proud looking Mum isn't it, or is it just my fertile imagination?.  

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Three ways to keep your teeth.
Brush after every meal,
See your dentist every few months,
and keep your nose out of other peoples business!.
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Won't be as long next time.
Oh God!,  not more drivel.
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