JKC27

As I build in 1/192 or 1/200 (if metric plans) I know the my fittings, etc. are going to be small for the most part. My builds are great lakes freighters - generally a 740ft ship, so the model is quite large at just under 4ft in length. I have been able to use fittings (winches, radars, etc.) that are close enough to the real deal as there no companies that make fittings for great lakes ships as it's such a niche market (I assume). Where I am running into problems is the handrails.......most of the spar deck is just a cambered stretch with hatches and hundreds of feet of handrail...the 1/200 scale PE brass handrails I have tried to used twice are just way too fine to work with. For the spar deck handrails I am just using HO scale PE brass ones which look just fine. The problem is there are handrails around every deck of course on the real ship, but the HO ones are just way big for these sections. The 1/200 again.....just way to fragile to use. I have found alternatives, but I would like to figure out the proper way to use the 1/200 ones. For those who have used these, you surely know what I am talking about. I got them cleaned, primed, painted - no problem. But to cut them off the sheet they come on and try to bend them around the appropriate corners - they just deform way to easily.....it's almost like using fine brass thread...they are so small. What I have been using is ABS 1/200 fencing. Height is OK, and they look is not bad, but it's difficult, if not impossible, to bend if there is a curve to the area where the handrails should be. Any suggestions?????

@poleprince I feel your frustration. I build great lakes freighters, and as you said the deck features (winches, hatches, etc.) are different than those you find on military ships (which are quite readily available) so I am forced to scratch build, buy similar fittings (Bluejacket Shipcrafters is where I get a lot of my fittings), or resort to 3D printing. There are some things out there on sites like CGTrader, and I think you can find people who will do custom work for you. I recently had my bridge deck 3D printed by a local company here in Windsor, Ontario and it worked out really good. As for photo etch parts...good luck there really isn't anything out there that aren't military, as you said, it's such a niche market (merchant ships). I have used the stairs from Tom's Modelworks that has a variety of different scale PE that you might find useful. FWIW I build in 1/16" - 1ft scale (1/192) or 1:200 - as those are what the plans that I have acquired are all in or are easily to scale to (some are 1/8" - 1ft). Keeping in mind..the ships I am modeling are mostly 730 ft long or close to that.

I'll have to make my way up to Kingston one of these days.....probably a good 6 hour drive for me. I actually enjoy the model showing the towing of this boat - I was able catch some good pictures of the actual tow on the Detroit River on it's way to Kingston last summer.

I've heard, but not sure if true, that sometimes they'd have pizzas ordered from Windsor and delivery by the Westcott - we are pretty well known for having amazing pizza! I missed that they were having this celebration - would be an easy trip across the border - probably spend more time crossing the bridge or tunnel and waiting in line at customs than actual travel time.

Interesting history of this mail/supply boat. Should be noted, they do not operate in the winter season (January - March). Also....the man interviewed in this story (Sam Buchanan) is an amazing great lakes model builder - many of his builds reside in different great lakes museums. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/westcott-150-years-1.7230731

Hello, and welcome fellow canuck!

Thought this may be of some interest to many on here: https://boatnerd.com/boatnerd-news-may-16-2024/

Glad I found this build log - I have this kit, just no idea when I will get to it. Hope I can make mine look even close to what you have going on. Great job! Our local museum is working on restoring an old Mossie, along with our Lancaster bomber.

I tried tinkering with TinkerCad - seems OK. I'll have to look at Blender. Back in my mold design days (my area is a leading automotive, auto parts, mold making city) we used CadKey I believe, then were sent for training on (at the time) a high end 3D modelling software called Unigraphics. This is 25 years ago now, so my skills are non-existant (I left the industry in 2000), so I'd be starting from ground zero. I'd love to get into the CAD programs again, as I know you can import .pdf and maybe other type of files and use these to create 3D printable files, and also design fittings to be 3D printed for my models. I believe some of the .pdf blueprints I have may be able to be imported to certain programs, and then you can isolate a certain area and maybe create a 3D part/deck/etc..........I could be wrong on this.

I will ask about yellow cedar as well, when I hit my local wood shop. This shop's old owners stocked basswood blocks, but the new owners only carried really rough cut 1x6, which is fine to stack together anyway. Basswood cuts with such fine dust it is quite messy, but easy to work with. It seems like I will stick with the wood hulls going forward, especially considering the size of my models (1/192 scale of a 740 ft ship is a large model). Plus, my woodworking skills will improve along with my shipbuilding.

That was another concern I thought about. I thought of maybe adding some stabilizing framing (which would not be seen in the model). I like to toss new ideas around, and push myself to the next level. Unfortunately I do not have cross sections or lines drawings with the drawings that I am using for this build. Looks like it will be a hollow wood hull with mostly solid bow and stern shaped to the correct shapes. Going hollow will allow for the addition of deck lighting and running the wiring for the lights fore and aft. Hopefully my local wood shop that I got my basswood from before, still carries it (new owners), otherwise will have to find another option. As you said Roger, modern lake freighters are basically just a hollow rectangle for most of their length.

I actually picked up a couple bricks of hard styrofoam (XPS expanded polystyrene) from a local Michael's - called CraftFOM https://www.floracraft.com/products/floracraft-foam-xps/ really light weight, looks easy to carve/shape - not sure how you'd adhere styrene or cardstock to it without it melting though. I haven't played around with these yet. The only reason I haven't is the concept of trying to make it a smooth surface to look like a steel hull......adhering styrene sheets to it with the proper glue would melt it (I am pretty sure at least).

It's a single prop, 2 rudders. here are couple other pics I grabbed from the 'net.... Hard to see, but this is what she looks like. I really can't see a way of making the rudder/prop area with styrene.

Sorry that I didn't post my last completed build and it's progress, or my latest that I am working on, but they are also great lakes freighters. My 2 builds (Algoma Strongfield - which has a build log on here) and it's fleetmate (Tim S Dool - no build log as mentioned above) were built from scratch at 1:200 and 1:192 scale respectively using basswood for their hulls. I like working with it as it's easy to shape and readily available, but a little pricey in my area. These are large ships, thus large models. As I evolve as a modeller, I am always thinking of different ways to make my builds easier, etc. A model with a solid basswood hull that is almost 48" long is heavy. For my next/current build I have been working on building the pilot house, accomodations, etc..... actually building an unloading boom too which is turning out good (I will post pics for this build and make a log - I promise!). I plan to add led lights on the masts, cabins, and maybe deck if all works out. This has led me to consider doing a hollow hull. Doing so with basswood or balsa (even if for just the sides) is simple enough, and would the stern as a solid block. Leaving the solid block would allow for me to shape area where the propeller would attach, and rudders. However......I thought it be rather simple to do the hull out of styrene sheets, easy to weld together, but......how would I go about that back end area (pic included in this post) with styrene? I am thinking that wouldn't be possible......maybe somehow attach a carved wood back end to hollow styrene hull????? Thoughts/suggestions???

Been a while since I've been on here, but wanted to chime in on this. When this happened, right away media outlets were talking about this happening in the great lakes/seaway. Here in Windsor we have the Ambassador Bridge that connects Windsor, Ontario to Detroit, Mi - and the way it is designed/constructed (80+ years old now), there is no way a ship strike could happen, and the new bridge downriver that is almost complete, is also strike safe. The entity that oversees the St. Lawrence Seaway (all the locks, canals, etc.) also reassured the public that measures are in place to make sure this cannot happen.