Keith Black

The model of the Zephyr I spoke of earlier was right here in our backyard.

Thank you for commenting, Keith. Making these small vessels is my passion and my joy. I don't know what I'd do if I couldn't model anymore? Thank you, Gary.

Thank you for your willingness to be part of the journey, Jacques.

Thank you, Paul. They couldn't find a more serviceable place to put a water tank like the galley instead up at the highest point? Would they have pumped fresh water up there?? You're shakin' my limb, Mr Eric. If they are the same photo which is the earlier? I guess they could be the same boat but geez Louise, to my eyes they look so radically different it would seem like it would have taken a major refit to incorporate them all. the one good thing about the Saltwater People's photo is the man standing at the splashwall, that makes for a great scale referencing. i haven't put pencil to paper on anything including size guesstimates. There is a model a gentleman built of the Zephyr that I need to post phot's of as it gives some clarity to the Wikipedia photo. Thank you, Eric. I look forward to you being here.

That's most kind, John. I think that comment applies to all of us including yourself. That's the great thing about the MSW members, I've not seen a group of folks before that are so absolutely keen on getting it "right" Very true, Eberhard. These workboat subjects allow me latitude I wouldn't have if building historical vessels.

Thank you very much, Paul. The port side for this project was the great unknown and I wrestled with starting this build because of it. As I've filled in the port side area the boat as a whole has come into view, hopefully I've managed to get the majority of it somewhat correct.

The dry run looks good, Glen. 👍

Thank you, Bob. I'm so glad you're going to be part of this. I was too interested in looking at the boats elements and since it isn't the boat I'll be building, I hadn't really paid attention to that figure in white till you said something.

Jez, welcome to MSW. That first photo is one drop dead gorgeous model. Glad to have you aboard.

Thank you, Eberhard. the annealed wire I use is soft without any spring. Making bends in the wire isn't the issue, it's making the correct size length between bends. i use jewelry pliers but some of the lengths between bends are too small even for the needle nose. Your question is very valid and i would normally say yes, that I need to add some sort of protection for those exposed water lines along the side of the hull except, the hog chains are exposed along the outside of the hull and there is no protection for them. There aren't even any fenders unless they've been worn off and haven't been replaced due to neglect. I don't know how they weren't rubbed off, it's a bit baffling. Every workboat I've seen photos of, the sides of the hull are scraped to a fare thee well. If the skipper managed not to scrape off the hog chains then I guess he was able to not scrape off the water lines. The short answer to your question is, no, I'm not going to add any protection for the outboard pipes.

I picked this sternwheeler for my next project because it's simple, no exposed machinery, just caged paddlewheel, hull, deck, and structure. also the color was a factor, it is boxcar red. My previous sternwheeler builds and the Tennessee are black and white and I'm a bit bored with that color scheme. I really enjoyed my floating pile driver build not only because it was so different but also because of the color, I love boxcar red! So much of an early build is research and can be pretty boring for the viewer. Even though I'm still working on the Susquehanna River sternwheeler build I thought I'd go ahead and start this build log and do the research part while waiting for paint to dry. I mentioned in my Susquehanna River sternwheeler build that I wanted to get into HO scale builds but I have so many 1:120 scale pieces parts I need to try and use those up before I move to 1:87 scale. The link below is where I a saw this subject's photograph. It is not the Zephyr as stated in the writeup, see the Wikipedia link. This photograph is titled "ZEPHER sternwheeler_ early rppc". This sternwheeler looks shorter in length, the paddlewheel appears different, the railing is different, the engine room windows are different, the splashwall is different, and the boiler stack distance to pilothouse is different. Speaking of pilothouse, there is a strange object on top of the subject's pilothouse forward of the boiler stack missing on the Zephyr. What is that?! It kinda looks like a water tank? I'll climb out on that limb and say, these two images are not of the same boat but both paddlewheels are caged. I want to see Lula and this sternwheeler plying the same waters. This is a neat looking working boat and I'm really looking forward to starting this build as it appears to be a great little project. The subject, the mystery Zepher https://saltwaterpeoplehistoricalsociety.blogspot.com/2018/07/the-1870s-with-sternwheelers-on-sound.html The Zephyr https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zephyr_(steamboat) Thank you in advance to those who'll be following the journey. Keith

Thank you very much, John.

Thank you, Jacques. I'd rather build pumps and steam engines any day.

Way to press forward, Mark. The deck looks great.

Thank you to everyone for the likes and the kind comments. Not much to report this evening. I've been working with 24 GA annealed wire trying to create the river to pump, pump to water tank, and tank overflow water lines. Making these little lines is about to drive me batty. "How hard can it be" you ask, well, pretty dang tough! The home run piece between the pump and tank has been the most difficult. I'll think I'm almost there, I make a slight adjustment and then I'm back to square one. The challenge is not only connecting the two point but also making the line square while following the roof angle. I'm still not 100% satisfied with the pump to tank line. Once the engine room is attached I may start over using what I have as a pattern. The overflow and river to pump lines are acceptable. i did manage to get a steam pressure gauge and water level sight gauge made and attached. I still have the tank to boiler water line, two exhaust and three steam lines to run before I can permanently attach the engine room. To each of you, thank you for your support and for being part of the journey. Keith

Grant, Glen's power of suggestion has me wanting to buy one but I DON'T NEED ONE!

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/09/17/fj-king-ghost-ship-found-lake-michigan/86195100007/

You appear to be on the right track, Glen. To me, inserting all that into a bottle would seem like the real nightmare of this build but then you always pull it off in the end.

I use Midwest Products basswood strips but they seem to be a victim of their own success. Currently it's almost impossible to find small scale sizes, I see resupply dates around mid November.

Golly that's pretty.

Gary, welcome to MSW. Glad to have you aboard.

I agree with you a hundred percent, Johnny.

Great detail on the cabins, Paul. How did you replicate the forward cabin door hinges?

Rowland, welcome to MSW. Glad to have you aboard.

From my research for the Tennessee sail/ steam vessels built in the early 1860's were more dependent on sails than steam due to lack of coal carrying capacity and steam engine design infancy. In the beginning steam engines were used more for docking than actual sea travel. It was not uncommon for those ships built in the early 1860's to have been refitted with newly designed engines as steam engine development was in a constant state of flux till the perfecting of the triple expansion engine.