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realworkingsailor

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Everything posted by realworkingsailor

  1. realworkingsailor
    To be honest, bite the bullet and go with CA. Get a respirator and gloves too, if you need them. Make sure any mould release is washed off the resin first, before gluing parts. Also it helps to rough up the mating surfaces a little with some 220 grit sandpaper. Hope that helps. Andy
  2. realworkingsailor
    It's very different from the rest of the world, a unique take on short-sea shipping. If you get the chance, you should tour the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway system, you'd find it very worth while. Andy
  3. realworkingsailor
    I have no idea where the term originated, but on a forward end job, the deck below the wheelhouse is traditionally called the Texas deck. But this seems a reasonable enough explanation: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_(steamboat) As for the eyebrow, I'd love to be able to tell you how I calculated all the geometry and worked out all the radii..... But to be honest, it was half way between a lucky guess, trial and error and referring to the part supplied for the kit pilot house. With a small dose of swearing thrown in for good measure Andy
  4. realworkingsailor
    More work on the forward house. It seems every time I turn around, there some other little bit to be added on. One of those perilous things about knowing how actual ships are built.... it can make things rather tedious... So I've finished the eyebrow over the forward pilot house windows. I've also added monkey's island (yes the IS what the top of the wheel house is called.... stop laughing..... seriously..... stop it!). It is removable for now, so that after painting, I can still access the inside to I can add all the nice details. I then carried on the deck framing under the Texas deck. A few more bits to add around the sides and the forward corners. And finally, just for good measure, in case anyone has forgotten how big this beast of a model ship really is.... Andy
  5. realworkingsailor
    If you're going with a power drill, yes a brad point is the way to go. I did all mine by hand, so I used ordinary drill bits, but I start small and work my way up to the size I want. A final touch up with a round file and voila..... Port holes. Andy
  6. realworkingsailor
    She's going to be part of a scene on a model railway club layout. (I'm a part of the club BTW). The scene will be a representation of the Stelco steel mill in Hamilton, Ontario, which received a large part of their raw materials via lake boat. And all my fingers too First off, I wanted to model a ship from the company I work for (proudly celebrating the 100th anniversary of its formation this year). Secondly, I had to find a ship that was proportionately similar. In this case, the major dimensions scale out to roughly 70% of the prototype, so she's slightly selectively compressed, but believeable. Thirdly, for some sadistic reason, I've wanted to build this kit up as a self-unloader.And finally she had to be operating through different eras. On the club layout, the goal is to be able to depict the changing railway scene in southern Ontario from the 50s to the 90s, and although my ship was not always a self unloader (converted in 1958/59), or was owned by CSL (sold in the mid/late 60s), she did last until 1983. Hope that answers your question(s) Andy
  7. realworkingsailor
    Thanks Popeye, I'll have further updates tomorrow on my progress. I've since started work on the "eye brow" over the windows as well as a removable (for the time being) top for it as well. Andy
  8. realworkingsailor
    Carrying on.... Spent a lot of time yesterday cutting out windows.... a tedious task, pretty much on par with tying ratlines... but with the added risk of turning fingers (or the styrene sheet) to hamburger. A word of advice.... always use a fresh sharp blade, it won't hang up as much in the plastic, decreasing the ammount of force needed to make the cuts. And always make a cut in several light passes, don't try and cut through on the first pass..... So... the windows... yes... an important feature of the pilot house, whose sides I have now completed. I made most of them from 0.030" sheet, but the forward curved part I opted to use 0.020" sheet. A little thinner to help make the curve a little easier. A few more finishing touches and it will be ready to paint. I won't be putting the top on just yet. I have to finish the interior after painting... and add window glazing. For now it will have to sit as a hollow shell. Also got some 0.040" round stock to cap off the Texas Deck (Yes, that's what it's really called) bulwark. I know right now it seems I'm repetitively posting various shades of the colour white, but believe me, a ship is emerging slowly from all of that. When the time comes to paint, it will make a startling difference. Andy
  9. realworkingsailor
    Having worked one season on a forward end job.... We walked back for meals. Rest assured, however, that most of these ships were fitted with side tunnels just below the main deck so you could make your way aft safely in any weather. Andy
  10. realworkingsailor
    Hi Matti, Everyone tells me to be careful with resin, but from my research, it seems to have an effect only if you are already allergic to it (just like CA glue). Look under "health and safety": http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyurethane Andy
  11. realworkingsailor
    Sjors, the way this kit was designed, in three major sections (fore, midship, and aft) it allows the builder to customize the length if desired, since Sylvan supplies extra sections for just that purpose. Andy
  12. realworkingsailor
    If you can, mild dish soap and water, well rinsed off afterwards. Otherwise, Windex should also work well. Are you looking to cover the old paint, or remove it? Andy
  13. realworkingsailor
    Do a google image search for "steam blowdown muffler" Might give you some inspiration. Andy
  14. realworkingsailor
    A slow-ish day in the yard. Got a few things done though... Installed the hawse pipes. One of those things that will never be seen, but nice to know they're there! Also some more work on the foreward house. Added some frames to the upper bulwarks. I still need to cap the bulwark with some round stock. I was on the fence about modifying the kit supplied pilot house, or going it on my own. I opted once again for the latter option. As built, the Stadacona had a typical Lakes style semi-circular design. In order to improve rear-ward visibility, after her conversion to a self unloader, enclosed wings were added. You will also note that the house was also raised up from the deck about 3 feet or so, this was not a modification from her conversion, but rather, she was built in this manner. I'm not entirely sure on the reasons why this was done, but the practice of raised pilot houses persisted until the begining of all-houses-aft lakers in the 1970s. Andy
  15. realworkingsailor
    Excellent! She's a great build, I hope you enjoy it! Andy
  16. realworkingsailor
    Oh.... This looks interesting! Can't wait to see that home made working engine! Andy
  17. realworkingsailor
    What about model railroad figures? There might be something in O scale (1:48) from Preiser or Faller Andy
  18. realworkingsailor
    Made it home this evening..... Back to the shipyard tomorrow......
  19. realworkingsailor
    Sjors: She's a very traditional laker. The forward house has the wheelhouse (pilot house) on top, the captain's and officer's quarters just below and the deck crew's quarters just below that. The after house has the engineer's quarters, the galley (and galley staff quarters) and, of course, the engine room. Hope that helps Andy
  20. realworkingsailor
    Sjors, to chafe means to cause damage by rubbing against something. Andy
  21. realworkingsailor
    From what I've read, the shrouds are served down to the level of the hounds (basically the level of the futtock staves). Also the leading shroud should be served its full length to prevent chaffing from the sails. Andy
  22. realworkingsailor
    Well... I admit, I didn't quite stick to the plan as I had laid out earlier. I did get one section of the hull added on.... but....that large-ish hole in the fo'c'sle deck kept calling to me and I couldn't ignore it any longer. Starting yesterday I've been busy building a new forward house from sctatch. All styrene, of course. It's what you would call a "selectively compressed" version of the real thing. Taking the key elements, such as the shape and general arrangement, some compromise (reduce the number of portholes and doors), and you get something believeable, that anyone who knows the real ship, would recognize. Admitedly there should be a tad more curve in the front of the house, but I'm happy with what I've got. There's still a lot more to do... like the sub-deck framing, the upper bulwark framing, doors and other odds and ends, and eventually the pilot house. The large square holes in the aft end are ladderways. I figured them out when I took a good look at the second prototype photo I posted. I noticed a jumble of railings just inside the aft corner that could only come from a ladderway. You can see the difference when you compare the kit supplied version. There is fundamentally nothing wrong with it.... it's just not really proportionally correct for this build. I'll be away for a couple days, I have to take a ship up the river and I fly to Montreal late tonight. I should be back late Monday, early Tuesday. Andy
  23. realworkingsailor
    Gee..... That serving machine looks awful familiar......
  24. realworkingsailor
    And no warping either! These guys: http://www.imaginethatlaserart.com/ , make a full line of laser cut architectural and railway models out of mdf. Amazingly well done. Andy
  25. realworkingsailor
    Very nice. But then again.... You should have some practice with that sort of thing by now Andy

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