kurtvd19

Tim: When the installation is scheduled be sure to let us know and we can make an announcement for anybody in the area to come to see the ceremony and this great model. Take care, Kurt

Welcome to Gene and his Epic Engravers. A neat plank bender tool - I have had one of these for many years but only used it for sheet metal and wire. The other item is an engaveable coin for using as a display name plate for your model instead of the square or rectangular signage. Welcome to MSW Gene.

A needle in the wood dowel does work but in a pin vise feels a lot better in the hand. Kurt

Bruce: I think you are on the right track and your thoughts on colors are good. Kurt

I am finally aboard! Got busy and wasn't until tonight that I thought I wander if Keith has started a new project yet? I have some photos of a chain driven stern wheel boat at the National Mississippi River Museum at Dubuque, IA that might shed some light on how the power was transmitted to the wheel. I hope I can find them. I do remember that it was a very rough system, but it had operated for a long time. I had thought of modeling the boat many years ago. Kurt

The NRG Conference was in Boston in 1996 or 7 and part of the conference was time on the USS Constitution (and the shops). At that time the inside of the bulwarks was green. Very surprising to me.

Sorry, but they are tied together.

Thanks Kevin. Very interesting.

I use the top - smooth side of my thumbnail to burnish the tape down. Avoid using the bare finger because you can transfer skin oils to the surface causing issues with the paint adhesion.

I have the same tool bought 20 years ago from Micro-Mark. My tool is red otherwise identical. I have found it to be the perfect size for my needs and it has been worth every penny I have invested in it - though I have no idea of how much I paid back then. It has been altered to incorporate a micrometer feed for the shear. It has an extension to enable very small strips to be cut. I will get it out and take a few photos of it concentrating on the micrometer feed mechanism - might be a day or two till I get to it. Kurt

See Page 4 of the rules - ENTRY DETAILS & DEADLINE. July 31, 2025

The Board of Directors of the Nautical Research Guild is pleased to announce the 2025 Photographic Ship Competition. The last NRG model photo competition was in 2021. Just like last time your photographs will be submitted on-line. Gold, Silver and Bronze medals will be awarded for the First, Second and Third place models in three categories: Novice, Apprentice and Master, and a Best of Show medal will be awarded to the best Gold medal winner. The competition is open to all Regular Members in good standing of the Nautical Research Guild. We have established a reduced fee $20.00 membership open to Non-members who wish to participate in the 2025 Photographic Ship Model Competition. The special half-price membership entitles the new member to receive the digital Nautical Research Journal and all membership privileges for one year. The fee is still only $30 per model entered and entrants will also receive a written review of their model. Winners will be announced at the Annual Member’s Meeting. The contest rules and entry forms are on the NRG website. https://thenrg.org/contests Download the rules and entry forms and follow the directions to enter. A separate entry form is required for each model entered.

Congratulations Keith on the completion of a great build. I can't wait to see Lula paired with the pile driver. I would love to see this model in person to admire the subtle final weathering details. Great to think of making the hull and wheel "wet". Take care, Kurt

I agree that a steel hull would be less likely to require full length hog chains as longitudinal stiffening can be incorporated into the hull structure. Also a lake boat with the ability to have a deeper draft could be more heavily built eliminating the need for hog chains. However, as show with the Verity some additional support is required for the stern wheel. I have been aboard the Verity many times but until I can find old 35mm negatives of the interior I can't positively rule out internal hog chains, though I doubt it was so equipped. I have seen many photographs of hog chains run through interior spaces; even in palatial riverboats. In general terms I am pretty sure your statements are accurate. I wish I could call a couple of old friends to ask as they would have the answers at hand. Thinking of Ralph DuPae, Jim Swift and Alan Bates. I have been trying to contact another old friend that unlike the three I just mentioned was alive the last time I was able to check. Jack Custer was the Editor and Publisher of the Egregious Steamboat Journal and knew an awful lot about steamboat history and construction, especially for a professor of Latin! He was working on some drawings showing internal hog chain use, both longitudinal and cross ways. Most don't know that many boats had cross wise hog chains in addition to longitudinal. Jack was preparing a paper for the NRG's Journal. My phone calls go unanswered and the it gives me hope as the number is operating not disconnected.