kurtvd19

With the currents in most rivers and the obstructions such as sand bars towing on the rope does not provide the control needed to thread one's way through the average river obstacle course. With the boat behind and a solid link to the barge, the towboat can set up to push through the turn as a single unit rather than trying to get a towed barge through the same space. Kurt

I have a working set of feathering side wheels I salvaged from a RC boat. Some European make that I can't think of right now. My intent was to use them as individually controlled stern wheels. I still have them but haven't built a RC boat in almost 30 years due to the weight of them and getting them in and out of the water. I have no idea of how effective they would be going in reverse. My original thoughts were that with a split stern wheel one could go into reverse and the other in forward and give a very much improved turning radius - maybe even able to spin around the wheel. Modern day riverboats have twin screws and routinely use one in forward and the other in reverse to set-up and to negotiate turns with barges. I used to have access to a small pond with a nice sunken area adjacent to the shoreline that had been cut out of the shoreline and a sheet of metal normally used for the sides of concrete piers used to separate the lower area from the water. A nice amount of stone was added so any water was well below the top of the stone and your feet stayed dry. The waterline was about at waist level with the top edge of the steel wall just about 6 inches higher. Perfect for putting RC boat in and out of the water w/o having to bend over much. If I still had access to that pond I might still be messing with RC boats.

The video of Part 2 is now posted in the member's area for viewing at any convenient time.

Saturday, February 22, 2015 BUILDING OKESA - Pt. 2 By Dr. Bob Jenkins https://thenrg.org/resources/Pictures/CROPPED%20-%20WITH%20MASTS%20FULL.jpg The model of OKESA is an example of boatbuilding in the US in the WWI era. Ships were critically needed to transport goods and troops and with steel being used for weapons and Navy ships it was decided that wooden ships could fill the need. The presentation on July 13 will be Part One of a multi part series on the building of this model. Part One will cover the history of the ship, the research necessary to obtain plans and other reference materials, and the construction of the model starting with the keel frames and building jig up to the point where the ship would have gone down the slipway to floating. Part Two will cover the details of the building and detailing the model from the weather decks and up. This will include deck houses, rigging, the wheelhouse interior details etc. The interior includes the triple expansion steam engine and the boiler among other details. A second steam engine and boiler were constructed to be mounted on the display board as shown in the lower right of the photograph. Part 2 will cover the details of the building and detailing of the model from the weather decks and up. This will include deck houses, rigging, the wheelhouse interior details etc. Build Log on MSW The Virtual Workshop is open to all NRG members to attend the ZOOM event on Saturday, February 22, at 10:30 AM CDS time. 11:30 AM – Eastern 10:30 AM – Central 9:30 AM – Mountain 8:30 AM – Pacific 4:30 PM – Greenwich Members: Check your email for the invitation and links

Get well soon Keith. Take care, Kurt

Check Amazon and eBay - not the surgical quality but we don't have that kind of $$.

I agree about the Castrovejo scissors. I got a pair when a surgeon in our club brought a brief case full of various tools & scissors to a meeting. He had purchased them in a retirement sale and I know he made a bit of profit and I still only paid $30. I have since purchased some of them off ebay and I found the ebay scissors to work identically to the original surgeon quality one I originally purchased. Maybe a surgeon could tell the difference but I sure can't.

The video of Bruce's presentation will be posted on the NRG's website very soon - it is in the hands of the webmaster already. Sorry but its only for NRG members however, once a member, this and many other presentations are viewable as long as membership is maintained.

I have found surgical scissors to be best for my use. They don't have to be German or Swiss made for this. Kurt

Whatever you try start with a brand new tool and don't use it for anything else. You will never be able to tell what will or will not work for you by trying tools used on other materials first. You can always use the brand new tool you tried and found not being the right tool on other tasks after you try it for rigging line but not the other way around. Kurt

Superb build and excellent craftsmanship. A model to be proud of. I love work boats and models like this reinforce my feelings. Kurt

I have the Microlux variable speed drill press with the digital readout. Also the Proxon XY table. Both are more than adequate for my needs with one exception - and all of these small presses have the same problem. The quill has only 1.5 inches of travel. No problem, right? When are you going to need more than 1.5 inches of travel? That limit combined with the short length of the support column makes it difficult to fit the XY table under the drill bit and severely limits any part to be drilled size. The solution is to obtain a longer column (pipe) to raise the drill assembly. I think Proxon lists a part number for a longer support column but you can certainly find a substitute off Amazon or elsewhere for probably half the price of the Proxon part. As long as it is the same diameter there should be no problem. I do not remember if the column is threaded on the lower end or if it is locked in with a set screw, but check the specs and you should be able to determine this before the purchase. As Proxon was your first choice, and the difference in the prices to the lower priced units is only about $50-$60 get the Proxon a nd the longer column right away. You are severely limited when using the XY table and why would you not be using it? Kurt

I do the same with acrylics onto the wood. This is a work boat so you don't want a yacht type of finish on it. I airbrush almost exclusively and with this model I would spay lightly with plain water. This will raise the grain just like the first coat of paint would do. Sand lightly after it drys and respray with water. Repeat the light sanding after it dries and when the paint is applied the wood grain will not swell up. Apply a second coat if needed. If you are brushing, the wood will need somewhat longer to dry because brushing will apply more water than airbrushing, but same procedure. Should have mentioned this first, but the kit wood is Basswood and the grain on Basswood will stand up when paint is applied. Hardwoods are less prone to this but still wetting then sanding will be needed. Kurt

Regarding you wanting to remake the water level tube. I used a piece of small aluminum tube and painted the ends with brass paint and inserted a wire, bent it to 90 degrees on each end and stuck the ends into the boiler front after painting the wire black. The aluminum tube looks enough like water in the 1/4" scale I was working at and the placement of the boiler without a lot of easy vision to that area so at your scale it should work even better. Kurt Happy New Year Keith and crew!

I love this book. Every time I pick it up I learn something. Have both versions and I think it is a must have for anybody planning any work with brass. It will save you time and lower your stress. Kurt

Every barrel starts out new. Having a new barrel is normal - at least for a day or two.

Don't worry about the hull plank edges not showing. With the overhang of the deck they will be in the shadow of the deck and when you weather the hull it will all blend together.

These handles are much better regarding comfort. They are available from several sources UMM-USA.com - put "Scalpel" into the search box and hit "enter" - blades and handles will come up. Scroll down a bit. Metal handle is about $8 and the plastic type is $5. I much prefer the metal handle as it is a better fir to my big hands. There are many tools here and John's prices are very good and he's a small business. Amazon is another source.

The downside I see to keeping models in a cabinet of any type is that when downsizing while the cabinet will have a resale value the models being sold off without a case will have less value. Maybe it's a matter of when you think the cost vs resale value will benefit you the most. I know some modelers who could finance their later years very well by the sale of their models so they get the money instead of their kids or other relatives.

I always case my models. For many years I made a lot of money repairing uncased models due to kids, animals and the accumulation of dirt on the models. Rigging and sails exposed to the home or office environment take their toll. I always advise modelers and owners to case their models. Maybe not a consideration for modelers, but even with the higher cost of Plexiglas I always urge the owner to case the model because it is cheaper than paying somebody like me to clean and repair their uncased model. Kurt

I use acetone. Get a bit undone and using a pipette or eyedropper put some acetone between the sandpaper and the disc. Keep adding the acetone as you peel the sandpaper off. If it's real hard to get the separation started apply some acetone the the top of the disc/sandpaper joint and let it work for a bit and you should be able to get the job started. You don't need a lot of acetone but apply it as you strip off the sandpaper right where the sandpaper is still stuck to the disc. Good luck. Kurt

I have not been able to see a bunch of smaller boats and have not seen anything like this but there are only a few ways to transmit the steering to the rudders and small boats used simple arrangements. Rope around the steering wheel drum down through the floor to pulleys from the roof (directly under the wheel) to pulleys close to the left and right walls of the engine room to about the middle of the engine room and then through pulleys back to the center area of the engine room and then attached to the end of each tiller. Simple and fool proof. Tugs used the same arrangement and ran the ropes to the side of the structure and to the pulleys going astern where they were attached to chains that ran in a trough to the stern where they attached to the steering quadrant. The chain troughs were covered with a lid to keep out most of the rain and snow so the chains didn't freeze in water. Sometimes the troughs were above the deck instead of inlaid into them and drain holes were provided to drain any water. Many different ways were provided to transmit the steering input to the rudders, but what Eric described is simple and the most likely method used. Kurt

I believe Eric is 100% correct. This is the only way I can see that the steering can work. I have been working nonstop on some NRG stuff plus a model commission that has been taking up all my time. Just saw the rudder question today or I would have commented as Eric did. Kurt

Make the door swing out. Or consider swapping door and window as Keith mentioned - for visibility for the Capt. Kurt

Bruce: Just had time to actually look at your build log (11-18-24) and am now following along (11-04-24). Great attention to detail. Will be going back to day 1 and catch up. Take care, Kurt