leclaire

Greetings All,
   I got a lot of work done on the base. It's time consuming, as I'm using water based stuff and things need to dry out good between steps. Luckily, the Florida sun is assisting nicely, not only for bake-out but also for some more outdoor pics. I love "real" lighting! 
 
Here's some of the ideas I use to improve dioramas.
 
   First, scenic compression. Most of the real world is pretty spread out and featureless, with interesting stuff scattered few and far between. This means "real scale" distances and dimensions are too great to model effectively. To overcome this, I try to "squish" my interesting sections together more so than they would be in the real world. This trick gets rid of "dead spots" and allows the viewer to focus on the interesting stuff. It also tightens up the display and saves on work and materials.
 
   Second, vertical exaggeration. Like scenic compression, this helps overcome nature's boring tendency to make gentle grades. Rapid changes in elevation seem to add more "space" and give more of a dynamic effect. My base (from the second picture onward) has an elevation change of three and a half inches from the lake bottom to the highest part of the frame in a span of only four inches. In scale, this would be about seven feet, much higher than what nature would usually do but effective. 
 
   Third, use the rule of thirds (bad pun intended). Painters, photographers and other artists divide the work into nine rectangles, and put the focus around the intersection of the four points in the center. Try not to orient either the model or scenery square, this can constrict the overall appearance and pull the user's eye off the display. I like to use a lot of diagonals, they seem to draw the viewer's eye into the display better.
   
   Fourth, KISS (not the band...). Keep it simple... reduce the overall size, eliminate anything that doesn't add to the model's presentation and try not to have abrupt transitions. Remember, THE MODEL is the primary focus. The base is just the stage.
 
I'll continue to describe my progress and methods as I go along.
 
Here's the base after the first glue-up.

   Here's the base after I decided to add a feeder stream and some more elevation. I also contoured the frame and and lowered the part around the water (I'll build a temporary resin dam when I pour the water).

Here's the base with some minor changes. I put some reference coats of different colored paint to both seal the work done so far and get an idea of the evolving appearance. The board in the center is to elevate the boat to it's proper distance above the bottom (approx. 1/2") and make the boat appear to be "floating". After all this stuff dries, I'm going to start on the riverbed grade, rock casting and terrain buildup.

Here's some outdoor shots with the boat oriented about where it's going to end up. I also scattered some deck ornaments that I've finished in random locations to start planning the deck build-out.
Gotta love the Florida sun!🌞

The display method is just as important as the model itself.  No need to skip details of the display.  It will help many who have not done it and want to try.
I for one would appreciate you providing details.
Kurt

Spent the last two weeks working on various details. The railings on the boiler deck have been giving me nightmares, but I finally figured out a "good-enough" way that works at the level of the rest of the model (representative if not precisely accurate, don't look too close). These were really difficult to bend and shape, especially where they didn't extend between two decks for extra support.
 

I left a gap on either side, forward of the wheels, to allow access to where the boats will be stored. Figured a chain was enough to keep passengers out; this was leftover scrap from a past model:

These stern railings were especially tricky:

Ladders up to the pilot house and various Texas cabins:

A couple broader views:
 


And here's one posed with the painting this model is loosely based on:
 

It's getting ever scarier to handle this model as the fragile details go in. I'm so paranoid about bumping these railings, they were such a pain to do in the first place. And it's just going to get worse...
 

A company called Tichy-Train Group makes dozens of different sizes of nuts and bolts- square and hex head with either square or round washers. They also have a lot of other cool hardware that can be used on our builds. I got them off ebay, but there's probably other vendors on the Interwebs. Also, Grandt Line used to make a lot of nice hardware, but they are getting hard to find (Company gone under?).
Slim better be careful... we have five cats, and with Slim packing only single shot muskets and a cutlass he'd better not start any trouble... The cats are swift and vicious and would take Slim down like a pair of cheap gym shorts if he gets out of line.

If anyone is interested and is planning to do a Philly build, here's an All Philly build pictures-Raw and Uncut! photo album on Google Photos in chronological order
This is all the shots- the good, the bad and the ugly. There are a whole bunch of them that show a lot more of the construction phase. Some cat pics, too.
Any questions on what I did are welcome.
I'll keep it updated.

Hi Bob - as many have already said, your level of detail is awesome. It has giveen me a lot to think about in planning for the start of my own Philadelphia project. From your responses to other posts it appears that you have a rather extensive background in model railroading (as do quite a number of others on this forum) and this has provided a number of resources and leftover parts, etc., that you have used in your detailing processes. Unfortunately, I don't have that in my modeling experience but it has given me the desire to know more and to explore the various sites available to all of us. Frankly, I am amazed at what is out there already and I just started my search. Thanks again for your fine work and most importantly, sharing your knowledge with the rest of us.
 
Bob

Hi Bob - as many have already said, your level of detail is awesome. It has giveen me a lot to think about in planning for the start of my own Philadelphia project. From your responses to other posts it appears that you have a rather extensive background in model railroading (as do quite a number of others on this forum) and this has provided a number of resources and leftover parts, etc., that you have used in your detailing processes. Unfortunately, I don't have that in my modeling experience but it has given me the desire to know more and to explore the various sites available to all of us. Frankly, I am amazed at what is out there already and I just started my search. Thanks again for your fine work and most importantly, sharing your knowledge with the rest of us.
 
Bob

Wow, I really appreciate the kind comments!
   This is a whole new set of challenges to have to add to my skill set. I've only had to work with wood on my model railroad projects, and that's all flat panels and straight boards and stuff. NOTHING like the spiling, bending, fitting, etc. required to build ships... let alone the new terminology, long history and that DREADED RIGGING. There are so many examples of world class woodwork and top shelf builds on the forum that I truly consider myself a novice. Once I get a few more ships under my belt I'll feel a lot more comfortable.
   Speaking of which, I've officially got "the ship bug" I haven't had this much fun in years of building, and doing this log makes me very careful of what and how I do stuff. In fact, I just ordered a Model Shipways USN Picket Boat, which will be next build up on the workbench. (Yay! no rigging and lotsa metal stuff to spiff up!)
   Again, I'm not trying to sandbag anyone, this is all stuff I've never had to do before. I would never have gotten this far without all the great build logs on the forum. As I have said before, If anyone has questions on any of my techniques, please ask. I'll be honored to share and explain, in the tradition of all the other members who graciously do the same.
   Just finished some touchup on the cook stove, found the coffee pot and cook pot, and some stray cat wandered in...
 
   
Yikes! Slim found a sword!

Hi Bob - as many have already said, your level of detail is awesome. It has giveen me a lot to think about in planning for the start of my own Philadelphia project. From your responses to other posts it appears that you have a rather extensive background in model railroading (as do quite a number of others on this forum) and this has provided a number of resources and leftover parts, etc., that you have used in your detailing processes. Unfortunately, I don't have that in my modeling experience but it has given me the desire to know more and to explore the various sites available to all of us. Frankly, I am amazed at what is out there already and I just started my search. Thanks again for your fine work and most importantly, sharing your knowledge with the rest of us.
 
Bob

Absolutely fantastic job on your gun carriage detail. How on earth did you make the nuts that go on the bolts? As well as all the other hardware? I'm hoping you found a place to purchase this stuff. My skills are not quite up to making something this small.
 
P.S. my Philadelphia is still on the shelf but I'm planning ahead.
Bob

Thanks Bob and Kurt for the link and the suggestions. Once again, MSW shows its value.

Thanks Bob and Kurt for the link and the suggestions. Once again, MSW shows its value.

Absolutely fantastic job on your gun carriage detail. How on earth did you make the nuts that go on the bolts? As well as all the other hardware? I'm hoping you found a place to purchase this stuff. My skills are not quite up to making something this small.
 
P.S. my Philadelphia is still on the shelf but I'm planning ahead.
Bob

Looking great, Eric.  She's coming together.

I was talking about this with Mrs. Cathead over dinner and she reminded me of something relevant. The last time we visited the Bertrand Museum, which has a huge and beautiful model of that vessel, I found a number of inconsistencies (at least, as far as I could tell) between the model and the plans/descriptions published in the book written by the archeologists who excavated and documented it. None of these detracted from the overall impact of the model on viewers wanting to understand what these complex vessels looked like overall, though it would be really interesting to talk to the original builder about various design choices given the information available.

Bob, I'm grateful for your feedback. I hope I'll always be open to constructive criticism and the opportunity to learn more.
 
Regarding the masking tape, I'm hoping that the combination of wood glue below and paint above will seal it in pretty well. When building models, I get a lot of satisfaction from making do with what I have on hand; I don't like keeping or purchasing a large stock of specialty items. It's a personality trait that one could argue holds me back from making higher-quality models, but it improves my enjoyment of the work. I can see how it might be frustrating or worrying to wonder whether that degrades the longevity or value of a model like this. I'll certainly keep your concern in mind for future reference, but it's far too late now for this model! I used masking tape without glue on my Bertrand; that model is now four years old, displayed under fairly variable temperature conditions, and showing no signs of concern (I realize the hopeful life of a good model is much longer than that). So crossed fingers, I guess.
 
Regarding the "tarpaper", thanks for the interesting history. I was apparently remiss in thinking that it was ok to follow the Chaperon's style for this vessel. My other references (like Hunter, Kane, and Bates) don't provide clear details on roof/deck coverings, especially for early boats like this. I suppose it would have been better to ask early and wait for advice, but I was excited to keep going and it never occurred to me to investigate further.
 
That being said, I think one can squint and decide that the current look could also simulate canvas? My strips are narrower, closer to 2.5' than 4', and they show up more than your suggestion for canvas's appearance, but it at least conveys the idea that these upper surfaces were treated differently than the lower decks by covering with some form of water-resistant roll. Regarding the color, I can try a new coat of lighter pastel to shift the tone a bit more toward true grey. Especially with western riverboats, there's always the escape valve that there were few standards and lots of eccentric innovation, so maybe Arabia's owners got their hands on some unusually narrow canvas for a bargain price and skimped on the white paint in the color mix as well. After all, we have no idea what it actually looked like above the main deck, so there's a ton of conjecture in this model already.
 
Overall, trying to keep up with the details necessary to make a truly accurate period model gets overwhelming. It can even be off-putting. I can point to a variety of other things on this model that I know are less than ideal, and that an expert would almost certainly notice (in terms of both accuracy and modelling quality). This model will win no awards at any model show based on the judging criteria as I understand them. These came either from my own mistakes, a lack of sufficient knowledge, or from compromises to keeping the building process fun and not exhausting (sometimes all!). I will have to chalk the roof covering up to that as well.
 
The good news, for me as for most of us, is that the vast majority of viewers will never know the difference. I hate to put it that way because accuracy is reasonably important to me, but it's also a coping mechanism to stay sane. I just don't have the time or resources to become a true expert, not at age 40 and with many other interests. Even were this to be displayed in a museum somewhere someday, it's close enough to inspire most viewers to a reasonably accurate understanding of the vessel. However, every model I built teaches me more and lets me build a better one next time, particularly with the advice and feedback from folks like yourself. Thank you.

Hello Brian, thanks for the history lesson. I live in Le Claire, Iowa and have sailed on the Twilight several times. Never knew the wharf boat is the former City of Baton Rouge.
 
Bob

Hello Brian, thanks for the history lesson. I live in Le Claire, Iowa and have sailed on the Twilight several times. Never knew the wharf boat is the former City of Baton Rouge.
 
Bob

Hello Brian, thanks for the history lesson. I live in Le Claire, Iowa and have sailed on the Twilight several times. Never knew the wharf boat is the former City of Baton Rouge.
 
Bob

Hello everyone,
 
While I am not quite ready for an update, I wanted to share a little history from my home town.
 
I grew up on the Mississippi River across from Baton Rouge, LA. Unfortunately for me the only way to get across the river from Port Allen to Baton Rouge was by either the new bridge (Horace Wilkinson Bridge - b.1968) on Interstate 10 or the old bridge (Baton Rouge Huey P. Long Bridge - b.1940) on State Hwy 190. 
 
However, before my time (just slightly) there was a ferry that ran between Port Allen and Baton Rouge from 1820 to 1968. While the construction of the "Old Bridge" helped save time getting between the west and east sides of the river, it wasn't until the construction of the "New Bridge" that led to the demise of the ferry route (two months before I was born). One of these ferries that shuttled cars and pedestrians was the City of Baton Rouge which ran from 1917 to 1968 and is featured heavily in an exhibit in the West Baton Rouge Parish Museum, as well as painted on buildings and signs all over town. As kid I frequented the museum often due to my love of history.
 
The reason I bring this up was, I was looking at ideas for future build projects and during my last visit to the WBR Museum a few years ago, I noticed that with all of the pictures and artifacts the museum had related to the old ferry system and there was no models of the ferry itself. I didn't give it too much thought at the time since my focus was on pre-20th century sailing ships and not steamboats. It wasn't until I started my Chaperon build that my interest really switched to steam power and its history. So I figured that since I grew up around this type of culture, why not build something from it. Right now I am seriously thinking of doing a scratch build of the USS Cairo as my next project, but depending on how that build goes, the City of Baton Rouge could be after that. Who knows, since the WBR Museum doesn't have a model for their exhibit, maybe I could donate mine (we'll see how the build goes first).
 
My apologies for hijacking my own build for this, I just found it interesting and thought I would share.
 
Here are a couple of photos of the ferry during her hey-day and just before she was taken out of service.


Photos are courtesy of the West Baton Rouge Museum.
 
The City of Baton Rouge is still around today. When she was taken out of service in 1968, she was converted to a wharf boat for the excursion boats Twilight and Julia Belle Swain in Le Claire, Iowa. Here was an article posted in the Baton Rouge newspaper on the 100th anniversary of the City of Baton Rouge.
https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/entertainment_life/article_4316a0ae-a54b-5800-92ef-1b914f398cdb.html
 
Thank you for looking.
-Brian

That's a fantastic idea! I've been playing around with the idea of various smaller Missouri River steamers for a future build. One of my motivations for doing the Arabia was just as you say, surprise that such an otherwise excellent museum had no way to visualize the craft in three dimensions other than a painting. I, too, am a lifelong history buff and think there's a major niche for using models to educate people about inland watercraft (not just sexy sailing ships).

I decided I needed to start fillling in details before the final railing and other things get installed. Also, this felt like a really nice shift from the endless superstructure work. First up, firewood piles. Nothing innovative here. I laid strips of double-sided tape, cut & split lots of branches collected from the outdoors, and stacked them with liberal applications of glue.
 


Final product will be shown soon. Next, I made stacks of lumber by milling scrap wood on my Byrnes table saw. I stacked these and glued them together with spacers, then wrapped thread to simulate tie-downs.
 

I also made some crates from scrap wood. Here's a view of the cargo along the port side:
 

I left one stack of wood unsplit to simulate recently cut wood. Next, I dealt with the large stack of barrels I ordered from Model Expo. These are turned from wood, and I used a black marker to carefully darken their hoops. I set these up in two ways for visual interest, both of which I've seen used in contemporary photos (either horizontal or vertical):
 

They don't show up well, but I made tie-downs for the horizontal barrel stacks. I should have for the vertical stacks but didn't think of it until they were already installed. Didn't take photos of the process, but I think these are pretty self-evident. Also note that you can see the final wood strips covering the edges of the boiler and hurricane decks, as well as the staircases up to the hurricane deck that are now installed (I think I described making these in an earlier installation before setting them aside).
 
So here are some overall views of the model as it now stands. The chimneys are painted and I think look really nice. The darker black contrasts will with the softer decks and helps make them look more metal. They're not permanently installed and won't be for a while yet. Note that I put almost no cargo on the starboard side; that's because I want the interior view to be fully open. I made a small firewood pile near the bow, parallel with that on the port side, so it looks more symmetrical when viewed from the front.



Adding the cargo really changed my sense of this project. It suddenly feels near completion, though that's an illusion given how much there is left to do. But it really looks like a steamboat now.
 
Just going to add that I'm thinking about all my fellow modellers out there in the world under the current pandemic situation. Our hobby trends toward the higher-risk population and I hope we can suppress and manage this thing to the best of our abilities. I'm very fortunate to have a life/work situation that keeps me pretty isolated and independent, but have aging parents and parents-in-law that are at higher risk but I can do little to help. Thanks for reading, hope this log adds a smile to your day.

Roger, sure, I'd love to see it. That's very kind of you.
 
Lots of progress over a quiet weekend, so much so that I'll break this update into two posts. First, more superstructure work. I built the chimneys from two wooden dowels covered in rings of masking tape using the same method as the upper decks. I rotated the seam 90° for each strip. I made wider rings by cutting hoops from scrap PVC fittings that had the right inner diameter to slide over the dowels:
 

Next I framed in the roof of the hurricane deck skylight, covered it, tarpapered it, and  painted it. In the last photo below, you can see how much darker the painted surface is pre-pastel (compare to the rest of the hurrican deck). I really like how the pastels soften the color and texture.
 




Then I shaped and painted strips to run around the edges of the boiler and hurricane decks to hide the planking edges. These involved making some very tight curves, especially around the heads.

Before:

After/during:

Once these were in place I changed focus and starting making some cargo details for the main deck.
 

Good morning everyone,
 
Small little update, this week we had absolutely beautiful weather (with the exception of Friday) so most of my time was spent outdoors getting other projects done. I did manage a little time on my build though, and here is what I accomplished.
 
I managed to get the turnbuckles fabricated. Tedious project to say the least. Several breaks were needed due to my hands cramping up holding these tiny things, but I got them done. For these I used some 1/16" aluminum tubing and filed the sides flat. I cleaned up the slots with an exacto blade and used some 24 guage brass wire to make the 1mm eyebolts. They have since been painted and I'll let them dry before installing them and rigging the chimneys.


Next, I worked on more deck details and built up a firewood rack. Nothing fancy, just found some twigs around the property and cut them to length and made up the wood rack with spare wood laying around. A little weathering with the torch and some golden oak stain and here is the result.




 
Lastly, I ordered some miniature deck furniture from Shapeways. The detail on these 3D printed parts is fantastic, a little pricey, but worth it for the detail. I purchased some fire buckets and deck chairs and got them painted up. I build up the fire bucket rack for the hurricane deck, added a firewater barrel and placed a couple of other buckets around the boilers. The chairs are a little brittle, so I will be placing them around the decks when I get closer to finishing so I don't break any.





 
That's about all I have this time. I should have more next time since the forecast is calling for rain all week. Now that the turnbuckles are complete and dry, I'll work on getting the rigging for the chimneys done and who knows what else.
 
Thank you for looking and all the likes.
 
-Brian
 

I suspect tie-downs matched the "whatever the builder/operator wanted" theme. I've also seen evidence of metal rods (like hog chains) and metal straps. Yours look great!