Cathead

Here's an identification question. In looking up images to illustrate a design question for my Arabia, I ran across this image of the Ben Campbell. There are two unusual tubular structures that I can't figure out. First, the edge of the boiler (2nd) deck seems to consist of a fat, possibly tubular feature that runs all the way around. Is that just an odd decorative edging to the deck, or something else? There are also some extra-large deck supports that seem unusual, too, especially the foremost one. Second, and even odder, is the dark tubular structure projecting forward from the boiler deck to roughly parallel the curve of the bow, appearing to extend around the front of the jackstaff. I cannot figure out what it is. Actually, you know what, I think I just figured out point 2. Curious if it's more obvious to others or if there are other ideas before I spring my answer.

Jan & Carl, I agree the angle isn't definitive, but what I see is that the supports connecting the main (1st) and boiler (2nd)decks are nearly vertical; there's only a tiny bit of set-back there even as the deck curves well around toward the stern. If you look at the top of the boiler deck, there's only a foot or two setback before the railing starts, and again it's nearly vertical up to the hurricane (3rd) deck. So I see that as implying a nearly vertical stern, because if the boiler deck was set back, say, 10 feet or more from the main deck, you'd see the boiler deck curving inward a lot more quickly and any vertical support connecting the two would either have to be at a far sharper angle, or have its base set well inboard from the edge of the main deck. I see it as looking a lot like this (Library of Congress photo from a public-broadcasting site): Or this: http://w3.marietta.edu/~burdissa/display_wall/images/riverboats/rvb002.JPG Compare the above image to the Mary McDonald, where there's clearly ~10 feet of open main deck before the aft-most portion of the boiler deck, which seems to end right where the main deck superstructure ends instead of extending out over the last bit of the main deck. Notice how the boiler deck on the Mary McDonald curves inward sharply from the wheel housing, whereas on the painting and the Campbell above it pretty much parallels the main deck as far as the eye can see, again both levels starting from the outer edge of the wheel housing. That's the difference I'm pointing to. My drawing above may be a little too literal in showing a completely sheer stern; I could add a foot or two of step-back. But there's still a big difference between a slightly stepped stern (A) and open aft-most main deck (B). The overhead photos of the wreck give little to no indication of the superstructure's design, especially as much of the main deck is torn off. There certainly isn't any evidence for the boiler deck's layout, which is what's really in question here. Technically, it's possible that the entire aft area of the main deck was enclosed (no railings or open-air area), you can find images of that style too, but I don't think that's as likely and I don't like the look of that for sure, so I'm sticking with the two options already noted. Great questions and thoughts so far.

John, To my knowledge the painting is an artist's impression, the museum could give me no information regarding what references the artist used. There are a few things I don't quite like about it but it is the dominant visual of Arabia that's out there and so forms most people's idea of her appearance. We have no actual knowledge of what she looked like above the main deck other than general designs of the period, of which my two options are both representative. Kurt, There was a mule (the only casualty), indeed the museum makes much of it and as I recall has the skull on display. However, I don't recall that it was on the aft deck and the museum's site says only that "All aboard were saved except for a solitary, forgotten mule that remained behind, tied to a piece of sawmill equipment on the deck." Jan, The stepped-back design is based on the Mary McDonald; the flat-backed design is based on the painting. Steven, Thank you!

I have a design question to think through, and am interested in input. There are two ways I could arrange the stern superstructure. The museum painting (which is not necessarily accurate) shows each deck extending all the way to the stern, for a fairly sheer aft: However, I could also arrange the stern so to leave a more open space on the main deck, with the superstructure stepping back (toward the bow) at each level. This idea is based on the overall similar Mary McDonald, whose images I've been using as an alternate reference: To simplify, I adapted my initial plans' side views as shown below, in which (A) represents the painting's style and (B) represents the Mary McDonald's style: This is essentially an artist's choice situation, since there's no actual information about Arabia above the main deck. So I'm curious if anyone else has thoughts or opinions about which looks or seems better. I can find plenty of photographic evidence for sternwheelers with both kinds of sterns and various approaches in between. I have a personal leaning, but am curious about others' before I show my cards.

Bit of progress this week. I rebuild the breechings as I said I would, following a smaller and narrower layout. To be honest, I think this looks much better. The old ones overwhelmed the boilers; these feel more in scale. I haven't attached them yet, because I realized it would be easier to lay out their exact location going through the boiler deck if they weren't yet attached to the more delicate boiler assembly. But here's a shot of the old and new ones next to each other: I've also begun laying out the basic framing for the boiler deck. You may recall that I embedded thicker strips of wood in the main deck to act as a guide for the superstructure walls. Now, I laid the main beams supporting the boiler deck right over those and bent/shaped them to match. I filed notches to guide each main crossbeam, both to make the assembly stronger and to ensure that I got everything right where I wanted it. The result is pretty strong and I like how it holds together. Below is an overview; nothing's glued yet: And here's a closer view at the stern: My idea here is to build the boiler deck separately, get it properly square and flat, then start tying it to the main deck with vertical supports. This seems more reliable than building the deck in place, beam by beam. So it's important that I get the dimensions right, since I won't be able to adjust them later. For example, I need to frame in the locations where the chimneys and the main staircase go through. Any thoughts or suggestions on this so far?

Nao Victoria replica: Man, these 16th century ships are tall and narrow. I knew this intellectually, but looking at one longitudinally really emphasizes how top-heavy they were compared to, say, the 18th century. It was fantastic to have this side-by-side with the Beagle to compare designs and building styles. At the helm, and a primitive cannon. Below decks at a carpenter's work station. Even for shorter 16th century folks, this was a cramped space for circumnavigation. A fun stove. No idea how authentic this is, but I liked the display. Leftover parrell beads near the mainmast. Captain's cabin, with various swords and armor lying around to play with. It was clear we were in a more sensible country than the US, as there were no paranoid warnings about hurting yourself. They just trusted you to be sensible. Not much to say, overall, I just found it so much fun to walk about this replica and contrast it with others. There's something about the physical experience that adds so much to the knowledge gained by reading.

Ironically, given the likes and kind comments, I've decided to redo part of this work. After exchanging messages with Kurt regarding the breechings (the proper term for what I had been calling chimney extensions), I've concluded that they're too large. Kurt pointed out that, from an engineering point of view, exhaust should always be able to travel upward through similar or expanding diameters, not contracting ones. I made the lower breechings about 5' wide thinking that I'd nestle the ~4' chimneys into them, but that violates Kurt's rule. Also, upon reviewing several references, I do notice that the breechings are always drawn as being the same diameter as the chimneys, not significantly wider as on my first version. That hadn't registered on me as being important when I'd looked at them before, but now it does. The good news is that redoing these won't be very hard; the old ones will pop right off the boilers without harming the rest of the detail. There's another question that redoing these will let me address. If you look at my first boiler photo, you'll see safety valves on the left and right boilers but not on the middle one. These were meant to let off excess steam and could either vent into their own little stacks or directly into the main chimneys. I'd meant to have mine vent into the main chimneys, hence their orientation. Here's the odd thing; in all my images of the original boilers, there's no sign of a valve on the central boiler, though you'd think there would be (I can clearly see the left and right values and smooth metal on the central boiler where a valve should be). Moreover, if there had been a central valve, how would the engineers have reached it when the boiler tops are well over their heads and the breechings would have blocked access from the front? I need to decide whether to add a central valve, because having it vent into the breeching requires a slight redesign of the latter. Any experts have an opinion on why there would or wouldn't have been a central valve? It's going to be -8 °F (-22 °C) here tonight, but a lot colder even a little to the north; Chicago is forecast for two nights of -21 (-30) and Minneapolis -28 (-33). Hope everyone to my north does ok in this frigid blast. We brought our chickens into the garage for a few days, as much for our own comfort as for theirs!

HMS Beagle replica: Views fore and aft. That's me on the forecastle with the Magellan Straight behind me. View near the wheel. Inside the chartroom, and posted around the ship, are myriad sheets of plans and drawings that are great to study while standing on the full-size equivalent. View belowdecks, looking aft toward the officers' quarters. Me and my namesake. Another view from the bow. It was just mind-blowing to walk around, and on, this vessel. I'm not enough of an expert to know if any details are wrong, but they sure seemed to try for authenticity. It was close enough for me. Both Mrs. Cathead and I reread Voyage of the Beagle in preparation for this trip (we both have a background in earth science and strong interests in ecology & natural history), so we both got a lot out of this visit. It amazes me that there aren't truly accurate kits of the Beagle, and I have to admit that scratchbuilding this is high on my potential next-project list. Really, how could the household of two travel-loving natural history lovers not have this?

De nada, mi amigo, estoy agradecido que lo disfrute. Nos encanta Chile, un pais maravillosa. Espero que puede entender mi español, estudio y practico mucho pero necesito aprender mucho mas! Jorge's kind note reminds me that I never finished this series. On to the final, and possibly best, single place in maritime Chile: the Nao Victoria museum in Punta Arenas, Patagonia. Located on the shoreline of the Magellan Straight with a clear view across to Tierra del Fuego, this is a private venture from a history enthusiast who has taken it upon himself to build accurate, full-scale replicas of famous ships in Chilean/Patagonian history. It's an absolutely fascinating location, as you wander around, on, and through Darwin's HMS Beagle, Magellan's Victoria, Shackleton's James Caird lifeboat, and the schooner Ancud that carried the first Chilean colonists to the region. I have tons of photos from here but will just post a few for brevity; anyone looking for more images for research interest can contact me. Look for these coming soon in several posts, as even culling them it's more than one post can handle.

When I started thinking about laying out the boiler deck, I very quickly realized that I had further work to do on the main deck. For example, the main staircase and the boiler chimneys would both affect the boiler deck's design, so I decided to make those items next. While doing so, I also added more detail to the boilers as this seemed as good a time as any. At this point in the build, I'm moving beyond what's known about the vessel and entering the speculative realm. Steamboats used a variety of main staircase layouts, but I went with the style shown in the "official" painting used by the museum (itself highly speculative, and in my opinion wrong in some cases). You can review this painting in the first post of this build log. I also just like the split staircase design it shows. Because this staircase would be walled in on all sides, I didn't bother carving stringers, but built up the staircase by making individual sets of steps. Each consisted of a vertical and horizontal piece, with a thinner lip under the horizontal piece that served as a platform for the next step. This modular approach was much easier than getting angled stringers right. Once I had the two main staircases done, I attached them to a landing and used a loose piece of wood as a spacer across the time to keep things stable for the moment. Next, I walled in the sides and back, using pre-scribed wooden sheets left over from building model railroad structures. These made things a lot faster and look good enough for this internal, partly hidden feature. I also extended the landing down to deck level. Notice the slot I left below the landing; this let me slip the assembly of the last three steps (see previous photo) in there for a more secure fit. I also started painting the interior while I had better access. A view of the walled-in back. I carved slots in the edges of the scribed sheets to mimic board edges. The mostly completed staircase; it'll show up again in a few photos in its final form. Meanwhile I also started laying out out the chimney extensions, the oddly shaped bits that connects the three boilers to the two chimneys. These seem to have varied quite a bit in design from boat to boat and I have no idea what Arabia's looked like. So I studied the drawings and info for Bertrand and Chaperon as well as what else I could find, and just invented a design that worked for me. This was built from wood sheets. I considered overlaying this with thin styrene so I could get some rivet details in there, but decided not to for three reasons. First, getting nice corner seams with all these unusual angles would be really hard. Second, I had no idea how the metals sheets for this might have been laid out. Third, most of this won't be very visible as it's up under the boiler deck and mostly in shadow. So I decided that a relative lack of detail would help it blend into the shadows, while incorrect detail might draw attention to it. On Model Shipways' Chaperon model, this also seems to be simulated by a fairly basic piece. And here are a few views of the finished staircase and the updated boilers. I added the steam drum (atop the boilers) and mud drum (below the boiler), pressure valves (atop, near the chimneys), and more. I also drybrushed some brown pastel to simulate subtle rust and vary the texture. It doesn't show up strongly, but that's kind of what I want. I don't want this looking like a rust-bucket, just a well-used but well-maintained vessel. If desired, you can review photos of the original boilers here. On the finished vessel, this will all be obscured under the overlying deck and behind a variety of other support beams and cargo. On the steam drum, note the two tubes sticking out aft (left) with short wires coming out of them. This is where the steam lines will run back to the engines once this is all permanently installed. I drilled and inserted those wire stubs there so it would be easier to attach and align the steam lines later on, because I'll likely be installing them after the next deck is in place since they're supported from the overlying beams. View from above. I also used a brush to spread some brown pastel down the centers of the staircases, to simulate the inevitable dirt tracked along by many boot and shoes. The interiors of the chimney extensions aren't painted because they'll be filled when the chimneys go in later on. View from above and astern, somewhat similar to this original view of the wreck. Overview. I took these on my kitchen table for better natural light, as it's too cold out to use my normal porch location. Note the jugs of homemade mead and strawberry wine fermenting in the background. The top of the staircase represents the next deck level; the chimney extensions jut a little higher up because they're meant to go through the deck. I've set the boiler deck to be 13' above the main deck. For reference, Bertrand's decks were separated by 12' and from what I can tell online, Chaperon was similar. So that's the progress of the last few weeks. I also need to build the two separate pumps (the doctor and the manual) that sit behind and next to the boilers, respectively, and figure out what other main deck details I want to develop before starting on the next deck. Thanks for reading!

Nicely done.

Anna, You're right that glue won't bond well to wet wood. The best approach is to soak the wood and clamp it in place until it dries, after which it will hold its form well enough to be glued. If you don't have clamps that fit a certain piece, you can try using small nails that you then withdraw once it's done. You're moving right along!

You're doing great, especially for a first build. Looks better than mine, which wasn't a first build!

For what it's worth, I'm not sure about Chaperon's later era, but in my understanding the hog "chains" on earlier boats were generally solid metal rods, not cables or chains, meaning they can be simulated with straight brass rod. I assume Kurt knows the proper details for Chaperon. Model's looking great. I see what you mean on the wheel timbers, I didn't notice in the oblique views of your first post but it's more clear in the side views. The good news, at least, is that no one who isn't a serious expert will likely notice, although I know what you mean about the frustration of finding something you know about and can't really fix.

Bob, Yeah, central Missouri really was the focus of this storm. Check out this snowfall map from last night, posted by the St. Louis National Weather Service office. We're near the center of that bullseye, and the totals have gone up since then. It's still snowing as I type, though only flurries at this point. I loved snow growing up and still do, but being a home/landowner does change one's perspective on the ratio of fun/work it can cause.

Plaster is a great idea, as I agree the wood grain was obnoxious. However, I don't have any and can't think of any other use, so am reluctant to buy it just for this tiny application. I'm guessing I can't buy just the half ounce I need? Or are there other relevant uses that would justify buying a larger quantity? And what kind would you suggest?

So, you know how I said we had a "snowy weekend" coming up? Well, that turned into the third-highest snowfall on record for this part of Missouri at 16.4" as of this morning and it hasn't stopped (that's over 40 cm for you folks in sensible countries). Where I grew up, along the Great Lakes, this wouldn't be all that special, but out here in the southern Midwest it's pretty spectacular. I'd enjoy it more if it didn't create so much work, between trying to plow out our long, steep driveway (we live in a narrow rural creek valley) and working to keep our hundreds of young pine trees and fruit trees from breaking under the strain. Here are a couple photos, which don't do the snow justice as it's already begun to settle and compact. It was nearly to my knee and I'm 6' tall (and we had no wind, that's all straight accumulation, not drifting). We moved here in 2006 and have now been present for three of the top five snowfalls on record (going back to at least the late 1800s). One of my full-scale wood projects, a garden shed built entirely from cedar we cut and milled on-property. Kitchen porch buried. The bird feeders need air traffic control, but unfortunately they're furloughed due the the US government shutdown. Anyway, due to the scope of this storm I didn't do as much model work as I hoped, but made some progress. The basic boiler structure is essentially done, though I may add a few details. I also made the brick paving that goes in front of the furnaces, so ashes could be scooped out without setting the deck on fire. Here's a portion of the original from the museum: And here's my version, made by carving a piece of wood with a razor saw and file, then using multiple layers of stain and pastel to subtly vary the bricks. It wouldn't stand up to really close scrutiny (like a camera lens) but it'll only be viewed obliquely on the model, so I'm not too worried. And here's a few shows of the boilers placed on the model temporarily. I also drilled holes in the engine assemblies and decks so I could set them in place using pins. This is nice because (a) they always go to the right (same) place now and (b) are more stable when on the deck. I'm not going to glue them on until the last minute because it'll be very useful to lay out the next deck on the open main deck. I think that, next up, I'll start laying out the boiler deck (the deck above this one, so named despite not having the boilers on it).

Anna, There are various ways to bend a plank like that. I like to soak the plank in warm or hot water, which makes it more flexible. Then, when it's damp, you can clamp it into a curve and let it dry. Once dry, it will hold the shape you want. Some people advocate using a hot-air dryer (like for hair) either in place of water or after soaking. Either way, the heat helps loosen the wood fibers and make them easier to bend. Several warnings: First, different types of wood bend more easily or with more difficulty, so you have to be careful and bend slowly to find out whether your piece risks breaking. Second, you can clamp a wet piece of wood directly on the model if the wood underneath won't show (like structural bulkheads), but in your case as you've already placed other finished wood there, doing so risks warping the wood below. So I suggest finding a curve surface with a similar radius, like a pot or bucket, and clamping the plank you want to bend to that. Third, clamping too hard to compress the wet wood fiber and ruin the piece. Again, be careful as you do this. Sometimes it's best to use another, thicker piece of wood between your plank and the clamp to avoid direct imprints into the plank. I suggest trying this once or twice with scrap pieces if you have any, to get the hang of it before you try on a good piece. Good luck! On your next model, this is also how you would approach bending planks for the hull so that they have a smooth curve.

Definitely a nice touch. I've looked for some 1:64 scale figures for my Arabia but have struggled to find anything that seems appropriate.

Great topic. Another point I feel is important is Don't Be Cheap. Frugal, sure. Cheap, no. It costs money for small businesses to design, manufacture, and sell models. If you can't afford a model, you can't afford it; look for something else that's in your price range or learn to scratchbuild what you want. Sure, I'd like to have a nicer vehicle, but I'm not going to buy a stolen one to achieve that, or use a sketchy dealer that will likely cheat both me and the government. If I want to spend more money, I have to save or budget for that or accept that life doesn't revolve around getting what I want right now. This means don't get sucked into aggressively looking for crazy deals, because for the most part they don't exist. If you want a model, save up for it (or crowdfund it through gifts from family) and pay the reputable manufacturer (or dealer) what it's worth while feeling good that you supported a legitimate part of the small-business economy. Live (and model) within your means and pay others the respect of supporting their efforts to do the same.

Great ideas, folks. I particularly like the advice to use a doorknob to save the palm. I had red spots on my hand for days from the pressure of the screwdriver handle. The stop collar is also quite sensible. In the back of my mind I kind of knew that others must have solved this before, but I got pleasure out of figuring out a way myself. Sometimes reinventing the wheel is fun when you're looking for a mental challenge, as I was when doing this. After a day working at a computer, research often isn't high on my recreational list but tinkering is! Unfortunately I haven't done much more than paint the assembly already shown. It's been one of those weeks where other stuff keeps getting in the way. Plus, last weekend was gorgeous so we went hiking. With a snowy weekend coming up, I expect to get back to work.

Kurt, if you don't mind, I'll grab that too for when I reach that stage on the Arabia. Bob's exactly right.

That's one gorgeous model, thanks for the updates. Maybe this has been asked before and I forget, but what's the story with the brass vs. turned wood cannons?

Welcome to MSW from another Missourian. I'd suggest that you do start a build log, as that's the primary way you'll be able to get help and advice from others. It's not really about "showing off", more about providing a clear documentation of what you've done so others can better follow along and help you. I also find that maintaining a log, while sometimes time-consuming, is also a really good motivational factor for keeping at the project. Having to think about and write up what I'm doing also serves as a self-fulfilling form of problem-solving. In any case, good luck with your Rattlesnake!

It already is. I still have to be careful what I pick up and how, and I've had to skip a number of really nice weather days that would have been great for cutting next year's firewood. Being relatively young and pretty healthy certainly helps, but it's annoying nonetheless. I'm really looking forward to finishing the machinery, it's my least favorite part of a steamboat build. Can't wait to get started on the next deck.