Cathead

I used the pewter black on the castings and the brass black on the brass fittings.

I used the pewter black on the castings and the brass black on the brass fittings.

I used the pewter black on the castings and the brass black on the brass fittings.

So I've now tested the BlueJacket blackeners, using a variety of metal parts from the Model Shipways naval cannon kit, and am quite pleased with the results. I scrubbed all the pieces in warm soapy water, then soaked them in white vinegar before rinsing and drying. Then I tested the blackening solutions.
 
The bottle instructions suggest diluting the solution 1:10; I wasn't sure which direction this meant (one parts solution to ten parts water, or vice versa), so I wrote BlueJacket. As you might expect, I got a swift and helpful response:
It is ten parts water to 1 part solution. That ratio is really flexible.Some people use it full strength, and others really dilute it a lot. The10:1 blackens the metal in about 5 minutes or so. Make sure to clean theparts first. Here's what the blackened parts looked like after my first attempt (all were soaked for several minutes up to 15):
 

 
The pewter parts didn't fully blacken, but turned a deeper shade of grey-black. The true metal parts blackened beautifully, especially the chains. I really like how the cannon barrel turned out; the blackening kept the rough texture of the metal intact, whereas paint seals it into a glossy smooth finish. It wasn't dark enough for me, so I gave it a thin wash of black paint, which preserved the texture but achieved the right color:
 

 
Compare to the very similar carronade kit, on which I used paint alone, needing several coats to fully color the metal:
 

 
This latter gun has a much shinier appearance that I don't like as much as the blackened and washed long gun. Not sure how well it shows in these photos, but it's very obvious in person. I preferred the effect so much, that I removed my painted chain from the carronade kit and replaced it with extra blackened chain.
 
I did find that the blackening had a tendency to rub off on parts that were handled a lot, so I tried to use tweezers as much as possible. Also, I didn't notice any odor or other such problems, nice since I work in my living room.
 
So for whatever it's worth, I was very happy with these two products as a novice getting started with blackening metal.

So I've now tested the BlueJacket blackeners, using a variety of metal parts from the Model Shipways naval cannon kit, and am quite pleased with the results. I scrubbed all the pieces in warm soapy water, then soaked them in white vinegar before rinsing and drying. Then I tested the blackening solutions.
 
The bottle instructions suggest diluting the solution 1:10; I wasn't sure which direction this meant (one parts solution to ten parts water, or vice versa), so I wrote BlueJacket. As you might expect, I got a swift and helpful response:
It is ten parts water to 1 part solution. That ratio is really flexible.Some people use it full strength, and others really dilute it a lot. The10:1 blackens the metal in about 5 minutes or so. Make sure to clean theparts first. Here's what the blackened parts looked like after my first attempt (all were soaked for several minutes up to 15):
 

 
The pewter parts didn't fully blacken, but turned a deeper shade of grey-black. The true metal parts blackened beautifully, especially the chains. I really like how the cannon barrel turned out; the blackening kept the rough texture of the metal intact, whereas paint seals it into a glossy smooth finish. It wasn't dark enough for me, so I gave it a thin wash of black paint, which preserved the texture but achieved the right color:
 

 
Compare to the very similar carronade kit, on which I used paint alone, needing several coats to fully color the metal:
 

 
This latter gun has a much shinier appearance that I don't like as much as the blackened and washed long gun. Not sure how well it shows in these photos, but it's very obvious in person. I preferred the effect so much, that I removed my painted chain from the carronade kit and replaced it with extra blackened chain.
 
I did find that the blackening had a tendency to rub off on parts that were handled a lot, so I tried to use tweezers as much as possible. Also, I didn't notice any odor or other such problems, nice since I work in my living room.
 
So for whatever it's worth, I was very happy with these two products as a novice getting started with blackening metal.

So I've now tested the BlueJacket blackeners, using a variety of metal parts from the Model Shipways naval cannon kit, and am quite pleased with the results. I scrubbed all the pieces in warm soapy water, then soaked them in white vinegar before rinsing and drying. Then I tested the blackening solutions.
 
The bottle instructions suggest diluting the solution 1:10; I wasn't sure which direction this meant (one parts solution to ten parts water, or vice versa), so I wrote BlueJacket. As you might expect, I got a swift and helpful response:
It is ten parts water to 1 part solution. That ratio is really flexible.Some people use it full strength, and others really dilute it a lot. The10:1 blackens the metal in about 5 minutes or so. Make sure to clean theparts first. Here's what the blackened parts looked like after my first attempt (all were soaked for several minutes up to 15):
 

 
The pewter parts didn't fully blacken, but turned a deeper shade of grey-black. The true metal parts blackened beautifully, especially the chains. I really like how the cannon barrel turned out; the blackening kept the rough texture of the metal intact, whereas paint seals it into a glossy smooth finish. It wasn't dark enough for me, so I gave it a thin wash of black paint, which preserved the texture but achieved the right color:
 

 
Compare to the very similar carronade kit, on which I used paint alone, needing several coats to fully color the metal:
 

 
This latter gun has a much shinier appearance that I don't like as much as the blackened and washed long gun. Not sure how well it shows in these photos, but it's very obvious in person. I preferred the effect so much, that I removed my painted chain from the carronade kit and replaced it with extra blackened chain.
 
I did find that the blackening had a tendency to rub off on parts that were handled a lot, so I tried to use tweezers as much as possible. Also, I didn't notice any odor or other such problems, nice since I work in my living room.
 
So for whatever it's worth, I was very happy with these two products as a novice getting started with blackening metal.

So I've now tested the BlueJacket blackeners, using a variety of metal parts from the Model Shipways naval cannon kit, and am quite pleased with the results. I scrubbed all the pieces in warm soapy water, then soaked them in white vinegar before rinsing and drying. Then I tested the blackening solutions.
 
The bottle instructions suggest diluting the solution 1:10; I wasn't sure which direction this meant (one parts solution to ten parts water, or vice versa), so I wrote BlueJacket. As you might expect, I got a swift and helpful response:
It is ten parts water to 1 part solution. That ratio is really flexible.Some people use it full strength, and others really dilute it a lot. The10:1 blackens the metal in about 5 minutes or so. Make sure to clean theparts first. Here's what the blackened parts looked like after my first attempt (all were soaked for several minutes up to 15):
 

 
The pewter parts didn't fully blacken, but turned a deeper shade of grey-black. The true metal parts blackened beautifully, especially the chains. I really like how the cannon barrel turned out; the blackening kept the rough texture of the metal intact, whereas paint seals it into a glossy smooth finish. It wasn't dark enough for me, so I gave it a thin wash of black paint, which preserved the texture but achieved the right color:
 

 
Compare to the very similar carronade kit, on which I used paint alone, needing several coats to fully color the metal:
 

 
This latter gun has a much shinier appearance that I don't like as much as the blackened and washed long gun. Not sure how well it shows in these photos, but it's very obvious in person. I preferred the effect so much, that I removed my painted chain from the carronade kit and replaced it with extra blackened chain.
 
I did find that the blackening had a tendency to rub off on parts that were handled a lot, so I tried to use tweezers as much as possible. Also, I didn't notice any odor or other such problems, nice since I work in my living room.
 
So for whatever it's worth, I was very happy with these two products as a novice getting started with blackening metal.

I would like to learn to blacken metal properly, and have read through many threads on MWS regarding various blackening agents. A few references have been made, that Bluejacket sells their own version, but I haven't found any reviews or clear experiences stated. How does their product compare to the other options like Casey's or Jax?
 
The Bluejacket website is not very helpful, as it doesn't include any information beyond a title:
 
PN0051 Pewter Blk (blackens Britannia) $8.50 PN0052 Brass Black (copper,too) $8.50  
It says "directions included", but I wouldn't mind knowing what I'm getting into before ordering blind. Are these for soaking or brushing on? How toxic or fume-producing? I do my modelling in my living room, so would like to minimize the nastiness used.
 
If there is a thread or clear report on Bluejacket that I missed, I'm sorry. I searched both the Paint and Metal forums for "blacken" and read all the results as far as I know.

I'm semi-retired (50% for a few months) and got diverted to other (non-model) projects for a while, while I pondered what to do about the masts.
I'm putting furled sails on the Morgan, but the mizzen posed a problem because the jackstay runs along the mast, and I didn't think I'd be able to mount the sail once the mast was in place, to say nothing of the shrouds.
 
At any rate, I've added the sail which necessitated making the gaff boom for the hoops, and (temporarily) hoisting it up. The sail is meant to be retracted but not tightly furled. I'll still work on the sail a bit to get more natural folds.
So here's the current state.
Not sure if I'm going to start on the lower shrouds now or build the masts up first.

Monday, February 22nd, 2016
 
After twenty days from my latest update, I'm publishing, more due to desperation than anything else, the photos of this Viking ship model, stressing the fact that during this time I have not made much progresses. The reasons were many, but certainly one is mainly related to the greater complexity of the planking with the clinker system. Now I nicknamed it as "Klingon" system, named after the alien race in the Star Trek saga, so much hard and "time consuming" this system is: between the installation of a half plank and the remaining half (remember that a strake is made of two pieces, one of about 2/3 the total length and the other the remaining 1/3) it's necessary to wait that the glue will dry very well before to proceed further. Due to this fact I'm more or less forced to work with short sessions of one hour or less at a time and it may happen I can not always apply an entire course per side during one day. Hence the long lead times which certainly do not stimulate the wish to continue.
 
At the time, I reached the point illustrated by the pictures below: three courses per side are still needed to finish the planking, but before their installation it's necessary to clean the top of the frames, over which there is some waste material coming from the removal of the hull from the overturned building board, and apply new elements to complement the existing frames.
 
Let's begin with a vertical overview image, where you can see that the hull curve trend is pretty straightforward, with some few exceptions still remediable: with the "Klingon" system some advantages also exists and one of them is that if a course does not fit perfectly or has a bad curve trend, you can easily mask it with the next course, provided it is correctly installed.
 
01 25022016 P1100465.jpg

 
A detailed view of the bow area . . here I have not yet fully completed the installation of the last course: it remains to glue the plank on the last three frames and on the stem, but because of the curve that takes up rather strongly, I prefer separate the work in two steps.
 
02 25022016 P1100466.jpg

 
An overturned hull view of the midship area . .
 
03 25022016 P1100477.jpg

 
Overal view of three-quarters and detail of the stem, where you can watch the significant mess I made with the length of the individual strips; and this happens also at the stern. An issue I'll pursuit when the planking is off . .
 
04 25022016 P1100464.jpg

05 25022016 P1100468.jpg

 
 
Finally, the stern area, definitely resulting better than the bow . . here the curve trend of the strakes is much better and did'nt create any problem . . instead the bow was, in my case, very different !!
 
06 25022016 P1100470.jpg

 
To the next step, Jack.

Monday, February 1st, 2016
 
The photos here below are obviously not so great, being them shot using my smartphone in low light conditions, but still give an idea of how the hull looks like when the model was detached from its building board.
 
01 20160201_165033.jpg

 
From this moment it's possible to reuse the first building board I made, although theoretically the hull does not deform anymore, but it makes easier working inside. Later today I finally installed the internal deck, after having applied a coat of glue inside the shell. With the deck installed this coating cannot be seen and then I took the opportunity to further strengthen the planking of the hull.
 
02 20160201_164938.jpg

03 20160201_164930.jpg

04 20160201_164923.jpg

Regards, Jack.

I finish the main staircase and the lights for that area. All the lights are 12v 1.8mm LEDS. I have a variable resistor that I may have to use to dim it a little. I'll wait till after I finished to see if I need it.
 

Thanks druxey, albert, Cathead and Michael,
 
 
 
Yes Michael, I am simplifying the doors a little.  In the beginning, I had high hopes to make hinged doors with a working latch and one door was going to be open showing the fire grates inside the firebox.  I wish I had more to go on but on these early boilers the doors would have been fairly simple.  Either plate with a riveted hinge or cast with integral hinge.  I went with a representation of the second.  On later boilers you see more substantial doors with draft holes and internal baffles but they too late for Heroine.   Other than these considerations,  It is pretty much as you said, a representative element.  I'm hoping that once they are blackened and partially obscured by the boiler breechings and other structures, the lack of details will be forgiven and they will provide a believable appearance.

Great explanation, Glenn. I'm quite happy to be refuted so convincingly! It certainly makes Heroine an even more special "transitional form" in the evolution of river boats.

The lights are a nice touch, that's something I've never played with. And yes, the next deck up is the boiler deck, despite not hosting the boilers.

Great explanation, Glenn. I'm quite happy to be refuted so convincingly! It certainly makes Heroine an even more special "transitional form" in the evolution of river boats.

Great explanation, Glenn. I'm quite happy to be refuted so convincingly! It certainly makes Heroine an even more special "transitional form" in the evolution of river boats.

Great explanation, Glenn. I'm quite happy to be refuted so convincingly! It certainly makes Heroine an even more special "transitional form" in the evolution of river boats.

I have completed the main deck to the point that I will add the next (boiler deck??). According to the plans I will add the rails etc on the main deck latter. 
 

 
I have added lights to the engine room, boiler room and over the doors. I'll get a better photo of the effect next time. I thing I want to add a red led to the boiler room to get a little more effect. 
I had to add ceilings to the boiler and engine rooms because of the lights, and prevent them from shining through to the upper deck.
 


 
I finished the planking with MinWax wipe on poly (wop). Really couldn't tell the before and after finish.

Great explanation, Glenn. I'm quite happy to be refuted so convincingly! It certainly makes Heroine an even more special "transitional form" in the evolution of river boats.

The first photo made me jump, as the paddle was backward, but I let out a sigh of relief when I saw you were just test-fitting it. Good progress. I can't tell from the photo, are those structures already planked,  or does that happen next?

Great explanation, Glenn. I'm quite happy to be refuted so convincingly! It certainly makes Heroine an even more special "transitional form" in the evolution of river boats.

Following the hint of SpyGlass I will fix the future 'splices ' with PVA instead of CA glue.
 
The sail is hoisted and looks approximately the way I hoped.
Two pairs of brails are secured to two additional cleats on the fore mast. The tack is lashed to the centre ringbolt behind the fore mast with a thimble. The sheet consist of a tackle with a double and a single block, hooked into the clew and a ringbolt in front of the main mast. The vangs are set up as per manual.
 
The gaff is positioned slightly to port, depicting a situation with a light breeze somewhere from the forward starboard quarter. Yards, boom and main gaff will be placed accordingly.
 
 

fore gaff set
 
 

the gaff is pulled to port by the vangs
 
 

the running end of the sheet tackle belays to an additional cleat on the mainmast
 
 

fore mast with tack lashing and provisionally belayed brails

While checking the various lines on the gaff sail and their belaying points I decided to come back on that decision about the vangs.
Marquardt himself isn't that clear about the Fitting of vangs with a slung gaff. In the illustrated example of a slung gaff he has vangs installed. As the manual asks for them as well and I think the whole handling of the gaff would be easier I decided to install them.
 
 

vangs installed
 
To get an attachment point for the tack lashings of the gaff sail I moved the schooner stay's tackle to the port ringbolt and prepared two more ringbolts on outboard of the three positions abaft the fore mast.
 
gaff sail
Following the positive experience I made with Pegasus' sails I will make those of Pickle the same way:
- I use the finest cotton I can find. It is dyed a light brownish grey with a mixture of (very cheap) black and sage tea. Before cutting it, I brush the cutting lines with diluted glue to prevent unravelling of the edges.
- Clothes seams are drawn as double lines with a sharp pencil onto the fabric. They probably will fade a bit but I think the sail maker used manila thread with a colour nearly matching that of the fabric. The seams probably did show much less than usually depicted in those laboriously stitched sails.
- Doublings and reef bands are small stripes of the same fabric, glued on.
- The bolt rope is glued into the seam. To form cringles and earrings I lead the boltrope through small holes out and back into in the seam in a small arc. Again the boltrope is less prominent than in other examples but when using a manila rope the colour should again blend in with the sailcloth.
- The glue I use is a special textile glue which can be additionally fixed with a hot iron.
-The reef lines are put on the usual way. (Hurrah, I found something nearly as tedious as knitting ratlines!)
 
The making of that sail differs completely from the prototype, but I think the overall scaled down impression is as good as that of a stitched sail with its usually too coarse seams - and it's quite quickly and easily made.
 
The gaff sail is now ready to hoist with brails and tack lashing attached.
 
 

drawing of the sail with measurements taken from the model
 
 

seams drawn, sail cut out, and first part of boltrope threaded in
 
 

finished sail with brails attached
 
 

detail with cringle
 
 
 
 splicing and knotting
To secure all those blocks into rope ends and to secure lines around thimbles or ropes I use more and more a 'false splicing' according to a method I saw somewhere here in MSW. I pull the thread around the block or rope, thread it through itself with a needle, thread it back again a small distance farther out, adjust, fix all with a small drop of CA glue and trim the ends.
 
 

 
 
 

Thanks John, Ken, George and druxey,
 
 
Yes druxey, I'm more confident now that we have four boilers. I've seen so many references to Western river steamboats having two or three boilers but then we found sources pointing to early riverboats having four or five boilers. We've recently discovered that on the earlier vessels, single flue boilers were common but not very efficient. By the end of the 1830s, two flue boilers were becoming the norm. The increased efficiency allowed fewer boilers. I think most references to boilers are from the 1840s and later and don't consider the single flue boilers. Adam Kane's thesis on steamboat machinery includes an interesting table in the appendix that gives the engine and boiler specifications for several early steamers. It is interesting because instead of referring to number of boilers, it refers to number of flues. Although there is some difference in the size of the flues, four boilers with one flue each produces about the same volume of steam as two boilers with two flues each. Kevin has put together a list of several early riverboats that he has researched in government documents and it appears that most of the early boats had four boilers or more. Finally, the most convincing piece of evidence is the contract for the Yellowstone. A single centerline engine identical in size to Heroine's, similar sized flywheel and stroke and from the same period. The contract calls for four boilers 36 inches in diameter and 16 feet long. We know heroine's boilers were 34 inches in diameter and the sixteen foot length fits perfectly between two sets of doubled deck beams. I was really at a loss before but I feel pretty sure that we have it right now.
 
Glenn