The Nordkap 476 – {part 18}

After I was finished with the blocks, I picked up where I left off with the life boat crane.  the kit features a manually operated crane.   I intend to go a bit further with it, making it a motorized crane…….not a real motor, but a replica that has all the looks of a real motor operated piece of equipment.  I had started the assembly of the crane a while ago, some time after I had planked the deck.  it was soon tabled to do other aspects of the Nordkap, but the thought process was still developing what I wanted it to look like.

here, you see all the parts I had made and allocated for it’s assembly.   I made the pulley cover and control box for the electrical components.  the crane sat, partially assembled……time to finish it.  the round dowel was to be the motor,  adding a smaller, shorter piece of dowel to it, gave the look of a motor/solenoid assembly.   it was located and cemented to the lower portion of the control box.

note the gauge bezels on the upper portion of the control box.   they came from the Gothenborg……the mast plugs from the deck.  I do not throw any of these “cast-off” pieces away…..they are too valuable!  they are unique in their shape and size.  I find that they save me hours of replication time,  cutting,  sanding,  and shaping the parts I need.  I also keep all the cast-offs from the wood cards as well……you never know when you’ll need to make a certain part from that certain type of wood….especially the thin plywoods.   the main body was painted with flat white,  and the control box and motor was painted with flat gray.   I then went into my decal bin to see what I could come up with.  it needed to be professional, like it came from a reputable company.   I think these will do the trick!  I had gauge decals, so I could put a face on the gauge bezels.   then direction placards and even a warning placard as well embellished the assembly.

I’m getting ahead of myself…….I forgot this photo of the pulley cover being added to the assembly.   now, I’ll show the decal work!

It seems a good thing that I had made two sets of decals,  two sizes for this particular sheet.   I got them from a website, saving the picture,  scanning it into the decal maker and printing them out.   the Testor’s Decal maker is a life-saver,  I can attest to that!  it’s already gotten me out of a couple of binds.   it is supposed to have been discontinued,  but it can still be found, being sold by quite a few on-line hobby stores.   If you ever need one…..look around,  you’ll find it.  the cable and pulley was assembled next onto the crane.   I installed a “wire cable” going from the control box to the solenoid,  and then one from the bottom of the control box that will either go to a power box on the deck,  or into the deck……..this is still in the planning stage.

………and there you have it…….thought projected into reality.   I can’t wait to fit this baby onto the deck!   it will add a lot of realism and detail to the build.  the trouble with this though,  is that detail has to be evenly distributed over the whole build,  or else it will become a pinnacle and look out of place in the build.   I don’t think that will be too hard to do,  I have ideas spread out evenly enough……..I hope!      AHOY!!!