Sea Port Model Works 65' Workboat / Lighter

[ReadingBob]

Bob,
Looks like this one is a true craftsman kit !
You doing a great build. Step by step photos are the best !
Hope you do another boat in the future.
Tommy

Thanks Tommy!  Yeah, I think this one qualifies as a true craftsman kit.  On just one of the walls for the deckhouse I counted 20 pieces that made up the assembly between the wall components, doors, glazing, trim, etc.    It's a fun one.  Definitely something different. 

[ReadingBob]

Looking really good, Bob.

Love those little round windows in the doors!

Cheers, Mark.

Thanks Mark!  Those little round windows are a neat little feature of the kit.  Little being a key word here.   

[ReadingBob]

Time for a short update.  I started to assemble the Pilot House/Deck House.  Some of the walls are tab in slot so it's kind of hard to mess it up.  The first one I glued into the floor was the one I shortened the tab on and deepened the notches.  I used a square to keep it straight although the side walls will help with that later on when they're added.


I assembled the walls of the deck house.  This one side wall is made up of 20 individual pieces. 


There are two short side walls at the rear of the deck house that angle inward a wee bit.  As such I test fit them and then sanded the edge to roughly the same angle to get a decent fit with the side wall/rear wall.


Okay.  When I got to this point in the build it was decision time.  I had to make up my mind as to whether or not I was going to add lights to the boat.  The pro's are it would look cool.     The con's are that I pretty much no I won't be able to make the interior accessible should the light's ever need to be repaired, there's not much room inside and the running lights are solid resin casting really not designed to be lit up.  I opted to do it the hard way and light it up.  I started by adding some copper tape and running wires through the base so I have a positive and negative bus to work with.


Next I installed three lamp shades out side the Deck House.  I'm not going to light up the interior of the Deck House.  Here I just opted for the exterior lights.


I had an evil plan in my head for lighting up the running lights.  I hope it works!  I carefully drilled out, from the bottom up, as much of the 'globe' as I could.  I had to be sure not to go too far and the bit had to be centered beneath the globe 


More in a moment....

[ReadingBob]

Next I used some liquid masking tape to mask off the globe.  I did not prime these pieces along with the rest of the part when I initially painted everything because I hadn't made up my mind as to whether or not I was going to light this up.


At this point in the build I had to set everything aside an prep a bunch of teeny weeny, itsy bitsy LED's for those out side lights.  I used up the last three I had soldered lines to for the Deck House and needed one more for the Piolet House and two for the running lights.  These require very fine magnet wire leads be soldered to them.  To prep the wire I use a trick I learned from Slim ("Knowledge is Good" - Emil Faber  ).  I taped the wire to a piece of PVC pipe and wrapped it around the pipe like so.


Then, using a steel ruler and X-Acto knife I cut the wire into a bunch of shorter pieces.


The next step is rather tedious.  The magnet wire has an insulation over it that needs to be removed at each end.  Supposedly you can stick the end in a blob of hot solder and burn it off.  I've never had much luck with that so I use a trick I learned from someone else who used to frequent the forums and sand it off with an emery board.  I use an Optivisor and try to get a clean separation I can see which is important later on when I go to solder these to the pads on the LED's.  I want the insulated part to run right up to, but not onto, the pad.  That way I don't have an issue with the positive and negative wires touching each other which will cause the LED to not light up.


You can't really see much here but this little jig holds the LED upside down and one of the wires in position to be soldered.  These are not the of thing you want to hold the tip of the soldering pencil against any longer than necessary.  I put a little flux on the pad and then just touch the tip of the soldering pencil (this is a low temp solder and soldering pencil) right at the wire just long enough for the solder to flow.


Then I trim the excess wire off with pair of Friskar Micro Shears.


More in a moment...

[ReadingBob]

I took my time and did a large batch of LED's.  I had 30 white, 5 red and 5 green.  A couple of the green didn't work out and I dropped one or two of the white one's.  One they disappear on my work bench I look for them for a few minutes but not for too long.  They're almost impossible to find again.


After priming and painting the running light boards, first with Floquil Earth and then with Floquil Reefer White, I removed the liquid masking (obviously dried at that point) and then painted one with a translucent green paint and the other with a translucent red paint (being sure to get the correct color on the starboard and port sides).


I'll glue a green LED into the globe I painted green and a red LED into the globe I painted red and hope that they're bright enough to shine through the thin resin wall and paint.  Fingers crossed!

That's all for now.  Thanks for following along!

[nycjeff]

Hello Bob, the lights and the wiring are incredible. I don't know where you get the patience for such fine work. Nicely done.    Jeff

[ACL1504]

Bob,

Fantastic job on the LEDs. I know you "LOVE" wiring the itsy bitsy little suckers and I admire you for doing it. I've tried it and now I just such it up and buy mine from Evan Designs.

The workboat with the LEDs looks wonderful.

Tom 

[S&S RR]

Bob


Your build is coming along great - I have trouble enjoying the LED installation, too.  They sure do add another dimension to the build though.

[Keep It Rusty]

Love the LED install. I've got a bunch of LEDs sat here waiting to be installed on a diorama.

Great work.

[ReadingBob]

Hello Bob, the lights and the wiring are incredible. I don't know where you get the patience for such fine work. Nicely done.    Jeff

Thanks Jeff!  The lights do take a little patience (and time) but I almost hate to build something and not add them these days.  They can add so much to an evening scene. 

[ReadingBob]

Bob,

Fantastic job on the LEDs. I know you "LOVE" wiring the itsy bitsy little suckers and I admire you for doing it. I've tried it and now I just such it up and buy mine from Evan Designs.

The workboat with the LEDs looks wonderful.

Tom 

Thanks Tom!  You know, I think the part I dislike the most is trying to bend the tubing into a realistic shape for a goose neck lamp (although on the boat these are just straight 90 degree bends, no goose neck).  I seem to have a hard time getting that U shape.  Some times I end up with a V and the tubing pinches the wires at the bend.     But it's worth fussing with. 

[ReadingBob]

Bob


Your build is coming along great - I have trouble enjoying the LED installation, too.  They sure do add another dimension to the build though.

Thanks John!  The lighting certainly does add another dimension.  Dang Slim for getting me hooked on it.   

[ReadingBob]

Love the LED install. I've got a bunch of LEDs sat here waiting to be installed on a diorama.

Great work.

Thanks Rusty Robot!  I'm looking forward to seeing you latest build all lit up.  It's coming along great! 

[S&S RR]

Bob


Your build is coming along great - I have trouble enjoying the LED installation, too.  They sure do add another dimension to the build though.

Thanks John!  The lighting certainly does add another dimension.  Dang Slim for getting me hooked on it.   

Me too!

[Jerry]

Bob you must have the patience of a saint!!
That is some very fine work and your so dam good at it!!


Jerry