Nerys,
Even nocturnal creatures need plenty of rest.LOL!!

Stay safe.

Martin555

Don't worry Martin, having dialysis late at night has altered our sleeping pattern and we are both virtually nocturnal. Hence odd times we work.

Cheers, Nerys

Hi Nerys,
You will have to make sure that Alice dose not burn herself out.
She need to rest and then tackle the next bit.

Martin555.

It's 1am Tuesday, Alice is in the minibus screwing on the birch ply side and rear door panels. That's what I call dedication.

Cheers, Nerys

Hi Colin, yes Alice has a ham licence , she's had it since 93, but is inactive as far as transmitting is concerned. The reception etc here is not good with all the overhead power lines and things. At 71 you are far from too old to get a licence, I did about three years ago. It has been simplified in recent years and there are now three grades. I did the course and test for the first grade one just to prove I could at my age. We were going to a local radio club and they ran classes, so I had a go. To tell you the truth, I'm not that interested, When we have the camper finished, Alice plans on going up to the deserted Beacons and setting up a mobile station. No interference up there. The whole hobby has been damaged by cheap electronic equipment, ethernet powerline adaptors etc which make so much noise. The good news is that the sun spots are on the way back up, so propogation should improve.
Yes, I might indeed call for help, you are far more experienced with this sort of build than me.
Would be very nice if we could meet up some time, We don't live that far apart.

All the best Nerys and Alice.

Thats fine Nerys, I'm always here if any help is needed over the Internet.
When we can freely travel again we must meet up and have a chat and maybe get to sail a boat or two.
All the best, Colin and Caroline.
PS. Is Alice a H.A.M. Radio user.
My neighbour is and he said I could learn and get my licence . I thought at 71 I would be too old.

Thanks for your kind words Martin. Yes she is doing a grand job,as usual. She has been varnishing the panels to line the inside today, all the insulation is in so I expect she'll have that finished in a day or two. Once she starts actual construction work I'll get some photos and post them.

Cheers, Nerys

Many thanks for your kind offer Colin, but we have a built in electric wheelchair lift that gives me access through the stern doors. It pulls out from under the rear of the van. The idea is that I will get out of the wheelchair there, and walk to my seat up for'ard and Alice will fold the wheelchair and lash it down somewhere still to be decided. Thanks all the same.

All the best, Nerys

Nerys it's always a pleasure to hear about your happy adventures, do you have room for a folding ramp, if so I have the one I removed from our ambulance when we did our conversion.
If you want it you can have it for nothing as I don't want it anymore, it bolts to the floor wit 4 bolts and has gas rams that assist in lowering and raising.
Let me know if you think it's for you and I'll send you some pictures.
Cheers Colin.

Thanks Colin. Yes that's the beauty of a biggish van you get so much better view of everything, but we needed one with a wheelchair lift for me. We looked at several which we would have preferred, but I couldn't get into them. Still I'm sure we will have a lot of good times in this one.

Cheers, Nerys

Well done Alice, you two will be ready for anything soon.
Did you enjoy your ride out, its good to sit up there looking over the hedges.
Cheers Colin.

Hi Nerys,
Please tell Alice that she is doing a great job and i am looking forward to seeing some photos of her progress.
Keep up the good work Alice.

Martin555.

Alice has had all the dashboard lighting out this week to replace a few LEDs, so we took the minibus for a run this afternoon so that she could make sure she hadn't disturbed the speedo etc. I wanted to try out my new seat too. All the insulation has been put into the side bodywork and she has been varnishing the panels to cover this,
prior to screwing in. Hoping to get the final coat on tonight.

Cheers, Nerys

"Thank god for Alice, and to more future projects Nerys. "👍

Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more, Or close the wall up with our English ply. CRY God for Alice, Wales, and Saint David (Lloyd George! He knew my father you know!😁)
😎

Alice is as usual taking a careful, precise approach to the minibus. It's taking time, but I know when it is finished, she will have made an excellent job of it. I have every faith in her, she's one in a million.

All the best, Nerys

Waste not want not.Future frame here we come.
Rick

Thank god for Alice, and to more future projects Nerys.
Cheers Colin.

Ken, It's all 4mm birch and the bits I've had so far would be more than big enough to make frames for a 40" boat and all sorts of other bits of framework, superstructure etc. It's a work in progress so I have no idea what will be left over from the conversion. Alice is trying to minimise the waste, for economy reasons, but there is bound to be some. Actually, she is planning on fitting two or three boat storage racks into the structure somewhere.

Cheers, Nerys

Good morning Doug, the motor turns freely as does the propshaft.
The problem is that the battery terminals have rusted away.
I never bothered fixing it as I just use for my vintage show display along with other plastic rtr boats from the 60's and 70's.
But thinking back it always looked good on the water, so I might just have a go at making it rc .
Cheers Colin.

Doug,
Just a quick question.
Would the model be worth more in the future untouched
Or is this a 50 year old itch that you have to scratch.?

Martin555.

Don't know yet Ken, probably make brackets but not sure what lengths are going to be surplus. She wants to use this for the carcases of cupboards etc so I'm not sure what Ill acquire. I don't need anything at the moment, otherwise I'd be making sure dimensions worked out to my advantage. I haven't really planned anything beyond the barge and LST, but I think with my latest appointment, I should build an ice-breaker!

Cheers, Nerys

Doug.
For a bit of inspiration have a look at this blog:
https://model-boats.com/blogs/11796#11797
Rob.

I am intrigued....🤔
I'm guessing that you've already got some history with this particular model?
If the hull is not so bad perhaps you could just reconstruct the deck and superstructure, it's amazing what you can do with styrene as I've discovered.
Either way...I'm looking forward to seeing your blog👍😁
Rob.

Hi Colin,
"I'll have to dig it out and post some pics for comparison. "
That'd be good👍
Re Electrics; there's only a motor, battery box and switch, so not a lot can go wrong with that that a continuity meter can't find😉 Is the motor seized or brushes gone?
Cheers, Doug 😎

Hi Rob,
I reckon you're right heat treatment could be risky.
That's the bit that I mentioned earlier on that I may be asking for help with.
There is a slight 'wave effect' in the hull, almost invisible on the black hull, but the main problem is where the deck has warped to make fitting the well deck difficult.
Thanks for the first vote for RCing it👍
I'll explain why this model has been bugging me for so long when I start the blog😉
Cheers, Doug 😎

Hi Doug.
I've long though of doing much the same but never seen a good enough one in an auction site worth bidding for. Most are in a poor state with badly warped hulls and decks.
It's likely to be deterioration of the injection moulded thermo-plastics used rather than distortion by heat. You may do more damage trying to correct the warping as you could only do it by heating and re-forming.
But I do agree that it would be nice to put some modern running gear and R/C into one.
Rob

Snap Doug, got the same one when I was 11 years old and still have it in my display, sadly as you say tend to warp a bit.
I think its the removable roof that's warped on mine, the electrics stopped working about 10 years ago.
I'll have to dig it out and post some pics for comparison.
Cheers Colin.

Le première grand dénouement !
As promised here is the first of my two, hopefully, motivating projects and 'great untanglements'!😉
Ta daah! A Vosper Crash Tender - now whooda thought that on this site?😮
But this one's not VMB, SLEC or similar and it's not wooden.
It's a Victory Industries electric Vosper Crash Tender from the early sixties!
Attached are a few 'out of the box' pics.
She's a bit warped, it's impossible to find one that isn't. I guess most have been sitting in the back window of a car at one time or another. But it's pretty much complete and the motor and shafts work😊
I probably paid over the odds, but this is the aforementioned project that has been bugging me for over 50 years! And it's the best and most complete one of a pretty poor selection that I could find. Main items missing are the monitors🤔
I'll continue this in a proper Blog as soon as I've decided what to do with it-
- Restore and straighten it as far as possible as original Victory industries,
or
- Go the whole Monty and upgrade the propulsion and fit RC with lights and the woiks?
Answers on the fack of a bag packet please to .....
Cheers, Doug 😎

😁😂 Très drôle,
That's very nearly as good as the alcoholic sanitiser excuse Martin👍
😎

Doug,
I have so many of the 'Round Tuits' that i cannot find the bench LOL!!

Martin555.

" please don’t let my wife see these badges,"
Sorry Lt.🤔
That is solely within your aegis!
My authority only goes so far -
about to the end of my keyboard🙄😁
FLEET//😎

Or buy one of these......
Rob.😁

Jadies and Lentlemen!
As many of us seem to be having trouble 'getting around to it' in these strange times-
Here are a few 'Round Tuits' for encouragement😁
Please feel free (as the actress said to the bishop😮) to download, print as many as you need and hang 'em over the bench😉
Cheers, Doug 😎
Thinks🙄 Should I have posted this in the Well-being thread?

A side bonus appeared this evening in the conversion of the minibus. Alice has been cutting out panels in a good quality ply to line the sides under the windows, the insulation will be covered by these. There is a lot of waste, much of which will go in building the various cupboards etc, but there are sizeable pieces that she will not need and is already passing on to me. Ideal for frames of models, so, I reckon I'll have to start building some frame and plank models before long.

Cheers, Nerys

Nerys I wonder if you have inspired Doug to unfurl his brow to get him motivated again.
Rick

Doug, Martin and Ken. I am leaning towards the auxiliary barge, principally because to my knowledge nobody else has done it and I too think she would look good in this guise. I think it would probably mean flicking the engine control over to sail when changing mode as I think I would get on better with two controls rather than three.

Cheers Nerys.

You are really too kind Nerys😊
Or just even nuttier than I am😁
All the best, Doug 😎

Doug, if you want furled motors, I'll wrap them up in the sails before we fit either, anything to keep you happy.

Cheers, Nerys

Hi Martin, We will take some photos when the actual build of the interior takes place, but at the moment, there's nothing tangible to show. Once the sides are lined and she can start on the furniture it will be better.

Cheers, Nerys

"I agree with Ken, motor and furled sails."
Aw shucks!
I was soooo looking forward to the furled motors🤔
😁😂
😎

Excellent news Nerys👍😊
Go go go A&N!!
An inspiration to get my own rear end in gear (but not at the transom😮)😁
😎

Great news Nerys.
Keep up the good work
Regards Bill 👍

Hi Nerys,

It would be nice to see a few photos of the progress Alice is making on the Command and Control Vehicle.

Martin555.

Nerys,
I agree with Ken, motor and furled sails.

Martin555.

Hi Nerys,

That is great news i am glad you have got yourself motivated, well done.


As for plastic trees, i am not sure the model railway guys will agree with you LOL!!!

Martin555.

If anyone is interested, work continues on the Command and Control, Sausage factory. Alice has installed a passenger seat for me in the cab part. She has been sorting out the unwanted electrics and preparing for new bits. Delay on replacing LEDs in dashboard, as the London they were coming from appears to be in Shenzen Province or somewhere. She is now cutting out wooden panels to cover the new insulation in the lower part of the body, ie below window level. We can now state that we are both busy!

Cheers, Nerys

Wonderful news on the start Nerys.
Rick

That's it Ken, explore every avenue before you start sewing, learn everything you can, don't be surprised if you make a mistake or two along the way. Best of luck and knowing your attention to detail, I'm sure you will do a grand job.

Cheers, Nerys

Hi Colin and Ken, do you know, it's made me feel much better, just to get on and do something. Yes, photos will be forthcoming when I have something to show. Just building a barge at the moment, will be just a generic barge, I don't try to build models of actual barges, apart from my favourite 'Nellie'. I might make an out and out racing barge or I may go the other way and build an auxiliary that would be motored with furled sails and sailed with unfurled. Depends how the muse takes me.

All the best, Nerys.

Well done Nerys, don't forget to post some pictures.
Pleased you are feeling up to the challenge.
And definitely agree about the wood, plastic trees couldn't breath life into our world.
Once again girl power is back.
Cheers Colin.