Evenin folks, more progress on the police launch. I have made the propellor shaft, 4mm stainless shaft, 8mm thick walled brass tube and bronxe bushes. The lower bracket, for want of a better word, to anchor the skeg and pivot the rudder, is made from 1/8 x 1/4 brass, fixing holes will be finalised on assembly. Still to do is to make the brass reinforcing strips for the keel where it carries the rudder and skeg. And cut the skeg to size. It will sit in a slot milled into the lower bracket and be secured with 7ba screws. The weather is getting nastier now so more modelling will be on the cards!

Finally managed to find a bit of time for the police launch. Spent most of the summer flagging the back garden and building fences, which hasn't done my poor bones any good. I 3d printed a pattern fot the shaft support and had it cast in brass, I actually ended up with 2 in brass and 1 in pewter. Machining was a bit tricky as I failed to add a chucking piece but my 3D printer came to the rescue and I printed off a fixture to hold the job securely, light cuts were needed. I drilled through at 3mm then used a micro boring bar to make sure the hole was straight (drills can wander) before finishing with a 4mm reamer. Now that is done the legs just need cutting to size and assembly can continue. I have 1 brass and 1 pewter one left if anyone wants one.