clearway

on my armour and railway kits i never use black - i use black primer and then use thinned coats of humbrol matt 67 tank grey and lighter shades of grey if more aging wanted- your wheel house (oops pilothouse across the pond) roof looks the part.

Keith

Thanks Keith and Jon - regard the photos i take them from a distance with my smartphone so they are in focus then crop the image on the detail i want to show. The white backdrop is piece of foamboard.

Keith

Thanks for looking in- safe to say we have definitely left the occre instructions far far behind! Have done more work on the Massey Pumps - will add handles later as opposed to bending them from the same piece of brass as the cam shaft (shows handles arranged like that on the admiralty plans), also using more thin black card and blackened brass eyes from the occre fittings to make the spider band on the mizzen mast, and added the warping drums to the fore and main jeer winches.

take care all and thanks for the likes and comments- always appreciated

Keith

i still think you are insane, but another outstanding build Greg- very very well done

Keith

If using chain drive on a steam anchor windlass you have two pistons either side of the chain gypsies with a large geared wheel as part of the manual back up - substitute the geared wheel with a drive sprocket and ignore the chain gypsy and warping drums et voila

Keith

Looking good so far- i have this one in my ever growing stash and will be doing a kitbash on it like my Pccre Terror, Erebus and Endurance. I agree about the occre 2nd planking material and i use 3-4mm x 1mm walnut strip.

One thing though - i am not sold on the carronade mounted in the bows and might leave it off? and will extend the deck right up to the bows under the anchor deck.

Keith

Thanks Keith, the chainplate joy continues with them sprayed black and got them mounted - used old brass pins recovered after pulling them from the first hull planking (never throw anything away)!

Also the battens at the mastheads have been added.

take care all

Keith

oh the mental anguish we do like to create for ourselves😉- i would go for a chain drive system as some industrial steam locomotives used them and it can take a bit more abuse and is more adjustable than machined gears.

Keith

Thanks for looking in and the likes - finished the Philips capstan and added the fife rails around the foremast and added the ships bell and pawls to the windlass - the bell is not the kit supplied one but was ordered from Cornwall Model Boats along with chainplates- on my Terror i scratchbuilt the strops around the dead eyes but chickened out this time and used Amati turnbuckle chainplates along with some 0.5mm diameter soft brass wire omega loops made using a pair of round nosed pliers. The chainplates are shown pinned to some card awaiting spray painting black. also the kit supplied 5mm deadeyes were replaced with more accurate to scale 4mm ones- not much different but makes a world of difference to the spacing along the hull.

Take care all

Keith

Thanks for the likes and comments- always appreciated, have now moved on to the philip's capstan - used the original base of the occre capstan but cut the head off and added one made from scratch, also added 6 instead of 8 timbers around the barrell as suggested by occre (still more work to do).

Work also on the main mast bitts and fife rail - the fife rail looks like it should be made of wrought iron on the 1836 admiralty plan but stuck with timber. 

The mizzen topmast is also progressing with the hounds and 'pole' carved and filed to shape at the masthead.

Take care everyone.

Keith

Turn your back for a second and away he goes again- going to have to rename you" the stern wheeler kid " Keith😁.

Here is a pic of the coal fired dredger Clearway which worked Whitehaven harbour from 1928 till 1991 - the original steam crane was replaced with a diesel one in the late 60s and the pic shows the inflatable life boat which replaced the original wooden ones in the early 80s and yes she kept her coal fired steam plant right til the end which when she was scrapped was converted to oil firing and ended up in a scandinavian steamer that was being restored.

keep  up the good work

Keith

5 minutes ago, Keith Black said:

Are you going to add sails?

Thanks Keith- in two minds about that one- if i do use the Occre sails will add more seams and reef points on the topsails, or even try model aircraft tissue.

Keith

Thanks for the likes and comments everyone- Have added the iron hoops holding the cheeks in place - on My Terror i added mastbands as well but have since thought would they have used a "made" mast of them diameters and i don't think so so haven't added them- also no indication of them on the plans from the Admiralty. Also added more details to the top.

Lees masting and rigging states that smaller vessels would have had 5 to 6 hoops for the cheeks which Occre got right but the diagrams in Lees shows them evenly spaced not in groups of two like occre have them.

Take care all

Keith

On 5/27/2025 at 5:32 PM, Ship_Right said:

what is your source for the eyebolts?

Thanks for the likes everyone and thanks Guy- no theeyebolts are not part of the kit- i made mine from annealed iron craft wire and the rings are  the same wire wound around a suitable diameter rod and snipped off.

Keith

Pleasant, compact and interesting Keith- well done😁

Keith

Thanks for looking in - more progress with the mizzen mast - the trestle trees have been added (scratch built with walnut from my spares pile) and the cross trees sized from offcuts from the laser cut walnut for the mast caps etc. The mizzen topmast has been cut to length and tapered- still need the fid hole and the cap/ hounds carved/ sanded at the mast head.

The mainmast has had the masthead squared off, cheeks and bibs added. The mainmast trestle trees and cross trees have been scratched and aren't actually glued yet (just the half lap joints holding them together

I was in two minds as to the style of the tops i was going to use- on my Terror i went with the style from around 1810, but decided i will opt for the version from the1830s (still in progress build wise) using Lees masting and rigging to get the measurement ratios (Occre's tops are actually about the right size but add a thin strip above the top not the timber added to the edge they specify in the kit)

first pic shows the trestle and cross trees on mizzen and main- the mizzen does not have a top as shown in kit instructions.

2nd pic shows replacement main top 

and 3rd shows the kit supplied top

For the main and foremast will use black card for the mastbands again as on my Terror.

Take care all

Keith

14 hours ago, Keith Black said:

Thank you, Keith.  You must have a cat hanging about?

oh yes- there is a pic of him pinching my shipyard chair on my pourquois pas build log.

Keith

20 hours ago, Keith Black said:

At this point nothing a cat does surprises me and the laughter and love they provide is one of the treasured moments of my life......... stupid cats.   

i hear ya Keith- to think the Egyptians worshipped them as gods! Lula getting more and more character as she evolves.

Keith

15 hours ago, Keith Black said:

Next on the list are the chain supports for the cylinder timbers. What jolly good fun awaits. 

we do like to "entertain" ourselves Keith- it's a kind of sado-masochism 😁- crew look great and i like the story being told.

Keith

After making some headway on my Pourquois Pas build, put Erebus back on the bench and fitted the eyebolts and rings on the deck and made a start on the mizzen mast along with adding the hatch behind the mainmast fiferail for storing the rudder- one improvement on their Terror kit is the use of laser cut walnut instead of ply for mast caps, keel timbers etc (hoping if i get far enough with the masts it will inspire me to make a start on the chainplates!

Take care all and thanks for looking in.

Keith

20 hours ago, Ship_Right said:

There must be a better way to do the chain plates!

looking good and yes chainplates bring pain (check my Terror log regards my self inflicted pain🤪)- one of the main reasons my build has faltered! Regards the caldercraft ships wheels i used humbrol acrylic primer but then used enamel paint and washes along with a coat of varnish to protect the paint and make it look more "woody"

Keith

Thanks for looking in- after putting it off for ages i tackled the deadeyes- used thin tinned copper wire wrapped and twisted then trimmed off and gel c/a glue was used to glue them into the holes for the plastic kit supplied deadeye assemblies. The 3mm ones were o.k. but oh boy them 2mm deadeyes are soooo small!

i will add the chainplates once the angle of the shrouds / backstays has been worked out.

Keith

9 hours ago, Keith Black said:

I don't miss the nicotine but man, do I miss the ritual.

I hear you Keith- i used to roll my own cigarettes and it was the whole ritual before lighting up and the smell of my old zippo petrol lighter!

Back on topic and lula is looking great and the little details are bringing her to life.

Keith

god speed Keith