chborgm

I made a little more progress. i have decided that there doesn't appear to have been a real sternwheel "City of Monroe" I would deviate from the plans a little bit and take some of the features of the "Carneal Goldman" show on page 17 in the book "The Mississippi Steamboat Era".

Anyway here are some pictures of progress to date.

As you can see I am still calling it the "City of Monroe"

I need to touch up the paint. It is surprising what shows up it pictures that you never see when you look at it. 

Merry Christmas to All

The boiler was built out of 11/8 dowel for boiler, 3/8 for high pressure outlet, and 3/16 for safety valve. Still have to add water inlet, and safety valve outlet to stacks. Very little will be visible but it is fun to build. I plan to hang  the high pressure line to the engine from the overhead, and paint it white to simulate the asbestos.

Since there doesn’t seem to be a real stern wheel “city of  Monroe” I am going to  design as I go from here based on using up the material I have is stock.

Thanks for your interest

Clarence

Here is another update.

As you can see I have finished the planking and stained it natural.

Also finished the framing and stained it Golden Oak. There is much more framing and a lot of that gets painted white.

I have the boiler 90% complete so I added it a shot of it.

check out the video

River Boats on the Yucan

I am using wood left from previous builds. The frames are 1/8 inch plywood, and boxwood. The deck is balsa. This was a mistake and will never use it again because of how fragile it is. I am not sure of the woodstrip I will use for planking. It is a dark wood that came with the "Mississippi River boat" kit, and I have enough left to cover the large decks. I cannot name the type. I am going to plank it with 20ft planks randemly set and stained natural. like you did on the Bertrand I think.  I know that they should probably be red, but since this will truly be a factious boat I will deviate from the norm. 

How llong is the Bertrand?

I haven't been keeping the log up to date, so let me try now. I have the hull ready for planking. When I decided to build this at 1/4 to foot I didn't stop and think how big that would be. Roughly 50 inchs without landing platforms. This will be a good place to use all the material left from other builds. 

I was just looking at the plans and the above question came to me. It is marked Coal in one place and life Flots in another. I realize they are fictional plans and will be more fictional when I get finished. I like the look of wood stacks so I am sure I will add them. 

Cathead

From the artical of the boats that operated on the Ouchita River, I think this is that "City of Monroe". Now the plans call for coal bins, but you would think that boats in this area would be wood burning. What do you think? 

​also do you know what the Life Flots would look like. I am so glad you added an index to the log on the Bertrand I have already refered to it several times

Clarence

Thanks

Bob

I got the plans from "Fryant"  The plans were drawn by J F Hale

I would love to build the sidewheeler you first referenced, but I haven't seen an plans for one similar to it.

I picked this one out of the "Fryant" plans about six months ago mainly from it's appearance.

The plans are 1/8 to ft, but I am going to build it 1/4. I have a slight problem with my right hand that has got worse with age so I felt the larger scale would be a little easier, and give an opportunity for a little more detail. Since I have put lights in the last three I built I am planning to do the same here.

Glad you will follow along you have given a lot of insight to these boats that really added to the hobby.

Clarence

As always I made a typo on my log I just started on the "city of Monroe" I can i fix the word Planes for Plan?

well I resized the pictures of some of the plan sheets

 I have three river boats from kits, but this is my first attempt at a scratch build.Have just started so have nothing to show but a couple sheets of plans. Will add them in next post, but have to first reduce the size so they can be posted.

Plans by J. F Hale 1974

I am considering a scratch build of the "City of Monroe" from J Fryant supplied plans. I any of you have any additional info I woud appreciat it. One thing in particular would be a view or info of "life Flots" of the era.

Clarence

really looks great mike. Keep it up in the beautiful Scottish Northern Highlands

bob

thanks for the comments, but at my age i need a reason to quit

I am just about finished and this will be the last post.. I have a couple of pieces to add and need to attach the rudder, and I will call it done.

In the pictures below you can see that I have it placed a top of my “MSW Confederacy”. I have run out of space to place the models in the house so this will be the last. I was planning to scratch build “The city of Memphis” ,  but I don’t think I will. I just have to find a home for my remaining supplies and tools.

I have a couple comments on the kit for those interested.

The lack of instructions is not a big deal, because the eight sheets of plans cover all the details. You just have to keep looking ahead to see what is coming.

I do not like the positioning tabs. They are accurately placed, but do not allow the builder  much freedom to modify here and there. I have added benchs to the forward deck. and place others were they were not called for. 

I found the quality of the wood is great. Much of it was “Ayous”, and lazer cut sheets first rate. The plastic parts were ok.

There are several details missing. Such as the anchors, there is not a boarding hatch, no ladder to get to the roof were the lifeboats are. 

I have made some progress since the last up date

I have made some changes from the plan so that I could do the job at my skill level.

posts between decks are called out to be wire and the rails wire. I didn't think I could do that so I made them dowells. The also need toned down which I intend to do.

If you are going to put in lights , I have a lot of 1.3 mm clear 12v LEDs you can have. Ask and you shall be given. 

clarence.

Have moved on a little bit, I added the lights on the main deck and secured the "boiler" deck.

In the center of the deck is an opening for the stairs from the mail deck. The other item forward of this is a connection block for the wires for this deck and the one above.

This show the aft portion with lights on.

The forward portion with lights on. 

The interior lights show up a little bright. I may add a resistor on this circuit.

The railing is not from this kit. The kit white metal stand posts were replaced with some brass I had. The kit had one rail and these as you can see has two rails.

This top view shows all the little locating hole for the bulkheads and deck furniture. 

Ok back to work.

Clarence

I agree with your structural answer. It is obvious that with out the box there would not be any rigid support. I think all the rest are additional benifits.

I think the picture may give insight to the reason. the sternwheeler show how the water is picked up and thrown around

All of the sidewheelers shown had either vented sides or enlarged boxes. As the wheel turned the rear paddles tended to lift the water and pushed it into the boxes. The faster the wheel the higher the water would go until it rolled off the paddel. It then had to have some place to go. A vented box would let it roll off the sides. The taller box would take care of the splash that would occure. If the wheel picked up logs they would have got jamed on the way up and probably broke the paddle.

If you note on Glenn’s Heroine The box is much wider than the wheel.

also look here

https://www.google.com/search?q=sidewheel+steamboat+plans&biw=1097&bih=614&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwio3JGh_Z3OAhVEFR4KHfwBAO8QsAQIIg