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realworkingsailor

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Everything posted by realworkingsailor

  1. realworkingsailor
    More on stern anchors later... A small update this morning. Just the preliminary work on the poop deck structure. The forward part would have been part of the engine casing, while the after part was more accomadations. And just for my own reference, and everyone else's amusement, another view of the whole ship mocked up as she stands now in construction. It happens to be a nice sunny (and cold) day, so I'm affraid all the white in the photos gets washed out. Andy
  2. realworkingsailor
    It's not so much that the stern swings... (The whole ship swings anyways when going astern, due to transverse thrust). In the canals and dredged channels of the Seaway, ships are travelling at a minimum safe UKC (underkeel clearance). Often less then 2 feet, after squat is factored in. Let's face it, in a canal a ship can only swing so far... But a ship with only 2 feet of bottom clearance, and an anchor that could be well over than in thickness... Well....imagine a really large tuna can meeting a gigantic can opener. Andy
  3. realworkingsailor
    Stern anchors are very rarely used, if ever. They are a requirement for the Seaway, so they continue to be fitted. The whole idea is that in the event a ship has to make a crash stop in a canal, it is better to drop a stern anchor, rather that drop one (or both) the forward anchor(s) and risk over-running them and puncturing the underside of the ship. Andy
  4. realworkingsailor
    Stern work over the past couple days. Excavating the pocket for the stern anchor too a bit of doing, the resin casting is particularly thick in that area. The anchor pocket will sit just below the deck, with a hawse pipe running up to a windlass on the poop deck. This is one of these areas that will be purely speculative. I've yet to locate decent photos of her stern, however careful study of contemporary vessels can help create something at least close. I've come across some great photos of a fleet mate, the S.S. Lemoyne built by the same shipyard 3 years earlier than the S.S. Stadacona. There will most likely be some similarities between the two vessels. I've also started work on the afterhouse. I used the kit supplied casting for the lower part, mostly for the sake of simplicity. I did, however, replace the resin cast poop deck for one made from 0.030" styrene. It's a bit mroe rigid (and less warped) than the resin piece, plus I needed to make modifications to the width and the forward end. I saved the cast on details of the engineroom skylight and stores hatch for re-use later on, as well as the cast on base for the funnel. There is a second level to the afterhouse that I will have to build on top, and most of those details will be relocated there. Andy
  5. realworkingsailor
    Styrene.... Yes... That stuff can be fun.... Question: how large a tube are you trying to make? Is it larger than commercially available stock? Use boiling water to soften the styrene sheet, and then tape it around a dowel slightly smaller than the diameter of the tube you want. When it cools it should hold its shape with minimal spring back. You can further set the shape by reheating with a hair dryer if needed. Hope that helps. Andy
  6. realworkingsailor
    All shall be revealed in due time...... Patience.... Andy
  7. realworkingsailor
    Thanks again, everyone. A small break from the shipyard today, well... Half day break.... Started working on getting the stern section ready. Unfortunately there seem to be few clear photos kicking around, of the Stad's stern. The views that I've found will allow me to progress to some degree, the rest will have to be a matter of conjecture, educated guesswork, and comparison with contemporary vessels. Like I stated at the beginning, the goal is to creat something that looks superficially similar to the prototype. One of the key sticking points right now is the arrangement of the stern anchor. More on that tomorrow when I've managed a bit more progress..... And photos... Andy
  8. realworkingsailor
    I think there was a few build logs of this ship on the old MSW.... And we all know what happened.... Interesting idea, dropping the gunport patterns, looks like it should work well for you. Andy
  9. realworkingsailor
    Sjors, Yes I will be using an airbrush (and the odd rattle can too). She will be painted at the club, as we have a spray booth. She will also be displayed there as part of the layout, so no cases need to be bought, or space made in the house (at least after she's built). And for the record, it's not that my bench is too short.... More like it's too crowded.... Andy
  10. realworkingsailor
    Looks great, Tom! Sorry I missed your earlier posting, but everything turn out really nice. Can't wait to see it all painted up and installed. Andy
  11. realworkingsailor
    Like many of the chemicals we use, ventilation is the key. I have a large ceiling fan that can move a considerable quantity of air.... Also being sparing with the application and keeping the lid on the bottle as much as possible, keeps the fumes to a minimum. As for the wheelhouse details, most are already supplied with the kit and just need a bit of cleaning up. But all that will have to wait until the painting has happened. Andy
  12. 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
  13. 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
  14. 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
  15. 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
  16. 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
  17. 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
  18. 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
  19. 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
  20. 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
  21. 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
  22. 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
  23. 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
  24. realworkingsailor
    Do a google image search for "steam blowdown muffler" Might give you some inspiration. Andy
  25. 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

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