It's finished

The ring is now complete and awaiting fitting.


Pressing the brass rod into a ring.




The finished article.

 I'll fit it to TQ when I'm on holiday in April '12.

A posh accessory

Some while ago it was requested that a ring be placed in the seating area on the inside wall of the semi-trad stern on Tranquility. This is for the dog owners of the syndicate to tie their best friend to and keep them under control. A galvanised steel item was purchased and fitted, and it looked awful, it was the sort of thing that would be at home on a farm for tying your prize bull to. At the AGM earlier this year it was asked if a brass one could be located and fitted, but this option had been sought in the past and procurement of such an item had drawn a blank. I waited until the conversation came to a critical point and volunteered (what was I thinking?) just before the fingers started pointing, to make one and nearly got my hands bitten off. Everyone in the syndicate knows I'm an engineer, so if I didn't volunteer I would have been volunteered. I don't mind really, if anyone wants something made I'll try my best to oblige.

Here's a pictorial progress report:-



First, mill two sides square. Re clamp, then mill the other two sides
square and to size using a 10mm slot drill.

 

Mill a 1/8" chamfer all round. Done with a 45 degree
countersink/chamfer tool seen in the top of the photo.



Stage one completed.



Stage two is drill and countersink four holes to suit No.2 BA screws,and
then drill and reamer two holes 1/4" diameter to accept the brass loop.

 The next bit is a little more complicated. I need to make some tools on my lathe to bend the loop and the ring. This will consist of three rollers with a 1/8" radiused groove to accept the 1/4" brass rod. These tools are then set up on the milling machine and I'll use it as a press to bend the brass rod.



Three rollers set up to produce a curve in the brass rod.




A dry fit of the loop in the base plate.




Heating it up to apply some silver solder.




After soldering the dag ends are cut off ready to be machined flush.

 Well that's it for today, I'll finish it after Christmas. Which just leaves me to say have a really great Christmas and lets all look forward to some wonderful cruising in the coming season.

TQ after wash and brush up!

Last day on TQ until March.
We couldn’t believe what a nice day it was, when we looked out, after all we’d heard! Blue skies, fluffy clouds and sunshine.. Wonderful! We were working Wardle Lock at 1030, then stopped to fill up at the water point round the bend. Nipped over to the Kings Lock chandlery as we couldn’t find any Brasso on board . (Had tried another shop previously and the young chap at the counter said, ‘Brasso? What’s that?’) As the weather was still good, we stopped after Kings Lock so that the captain could continue with the cleaning of the exterior of the boat after all the rain yesterday afternoon. We had lunch there and left at 1320, when we could see very dark clouds gathering not too far away. The wind was still very gusty and the boating was a bit tricky at times, but we were very lucky as the rain, though chasing us, did not catch us until nearly three o’clock. It wasn’t too heavy then until we got to Crows Nest Lock, where we also had sleet and hailstones! After we had tied up at Elton Moss at 4pm, at the end of our holiday, the heavens opened again and we’ve had more showers this evening. All in all, it was a good trip and we enjoyed it. We were extremely lucky that the weather wasn’t far worse for us; we were definitely in a part of the country that missed the extremes of the weather.

TQ at Stanthorne Lock

So, we were expecting an even worse day (weather-wise) than yesterday, after having listened to a few weather forecasts, but we were really very lucky.
The morning was reasonably bright and although you couldn’t actually say it was warm it was a higher temperature than it’s been all week, i.e. not freezing! We set off for the lock about 9:30 and were pleased to find that the gusts of wind were no worse than yesterday, though of course they were bad enough then, as you may remember reading.
Although there was some use of the barge pole and holding off from the banking etc., we got through the locks without too much trouble and only a little light rain and by 1315 we had tied up in the last section before Wardle Lock. Soon afterwards, the heavens opened and the rain lasted for quite a while. We walked to the town about 4.30 -when it had stopped raining- and came across the Post Office on the way, so I managed to post the last of the Christmas cards. Great, all finished! The town now has a few coffee shops, whereas last time we were here there wasn’t one. There are more eating places too (sign of the times) and we went to The White Bear. It was an old pub but had been closed for two years. It has been modernised and has only been open for two weeks. We enjoyed our meal very much. The lamb shank was huge!
The air was rather icy as we walked back to the boat but fingers crossed it will be warmer by morning- we live in hope.

A wet but shiny TQ

It was another wet and windy night, this time next to the aqueduct at Nantwich. Every now and then the boat would shake as a strong gust of wind caught her. However in the morning the sun was out and there was only a little rain, so we set off in the direction of the Middlewich Branch of the SUC. We didn’t get that far -at least not in the time we expected to- as we were blown into the banking near Henhull, where the gusts were extreme. After an awful lot of effort and exasperation we managed to leave the banking behind just one and a half hours later! Continuing to Barbridge we decided to stop there as lunchtime seemed to have come around quickly. (Far more quickly than our escape from the banking). Mooring at Barbridge wasn’t particularly easy either but the cap’n managed it and after our sandwiches we moved further along to take on water. Took these photos of TQ there, as people had asked for them, but neither the place nor the weather were really suitable so we promise we’ll take more if the weather improves before Saturday.
Round the corner into the Middlewich branch at last and we tootled along there until we arrived at Cholmondesten, mooring just before the lock about 3pm. We decided to cross over to the Venetian Marina and see if anything had changed since we were last there. Thought we might have a coffee but the café was closed and it was a bit too long to wait until it opened…..the date to wait for was February 2012. We didn’t feel like browsing in the new (to us) Treasures and Antiques shop at that time, so went into the quiet, very small chandlery shop and had a chat with the lady there. She said she was glad to see us and it must have made her feel it was worth going in to work today, even though we didn’t buy anything. After all that excitement we went back to TQ and got ready for a cosy evening, with our own coffee and evening meal.

Warm welcome at the Crown Hotel Nantwich

It was a very wet and windy night again, but a sunny morning. Very quiet at Barbridge and still very cold. We had a lazy morning and set off at 1050 for Nantwich. No problems and the temperature actually went up a bit, so the trip was quite pleasant. We were very well wrapped up of course! Not too busy at the Nantwich moorings so after checking out spaces, we went along to the winding hole and came back to moor quite near the aqueduct at 1230.
After lunch on board we walked down to the town, enjoying the sight of all the lovely old buildings on the way. We had a look round the old (14th/15th century) cathedral-like church, with its very fine old and modern stained glass windows and some amazing needlework displays. Waited in the long Post Office queues to get cards for abroad weighed and then went for a coffee, to pass the time before the pubs opened. We went to the old Crown Hotel and it was a very good choice! For the last hour or two before we went there, it had got a lot colder again, so it was great to see a roaring fire. We enjoyed a most delicious meal, the Cannon of Lamb. Can heartily recommend it! The atmosphere of the place was perfect for a winter evening and afterwards we were ready for the walk back to TQ and hopefully to write the last few cards.

We arrived back on board Tranquility on Saturday. She is looking really good after the new painting job, lovely glossy finish! Have already had comments from strangers about how great she looks. By the time we had unpacked and got sorted, there wasn't much time before darkness would set in so we decided to wait till the next day before moving away. We had enjoyed a good meal at the Big Lock pub at Middlewich on the way to Sandbach, so just stayed on board for the night.

On Sunday we got up quite early- ooh, cold!- and set off at 0810 towards Wheelock, in order to turn around. We moored back at Elton Moss by 9am, then left by car for Sandbach so I could go to Mass in the small, old St Winefride's church. We got back to Elton Moss by 1140 and left soon afterwards for Middlewich. It was cold and wet and we wondered why we had decided to use this week of our allocation instead of staying in a warm, cosy home....We moored before Rumps Lock, for lunch, then continued up to the moorings before Kings Lock, where we stayed for the night. Short days in Winter!

There were very heavy rain showers in the night and also some this morning and it was VERY cold. Steve went out for his newspaper and I went out later to post the Christmas cards I'd been writing. We went through Kings Lock about 10am and Wardle afterwards. Very icy. Quiet down the Middlewich Branch but we did meet 5 boats altogether. Apart from a rain shower to start with, we had beautifully sunny weather all day, but it was perishingly cold. (Hot water bottles were good for improving the temperature of frozen hands). We arrived at Barbridge just after 3.30pm and filled up the water tank, then tried to moor further along. Plenty of space but, as at other times, difficult to get near to the banking. We were intending to have a meal at the Barbridge Inn, but it didn't look too hopeful when there weren't any lights on at 6:15pm. However, we decided to have a look and discovered that the place is closed for refurbishment. (Loved the live Jazz there on Thursdays). We carried on walking to the Jolly Tar across the very busy main road, to see if they were offering food. Fortunately yes and it was very good, though the place was nearly empty. Back to TQ early, so time to write the blog!