AnobiumPunctatum

The transoms can not be derived directly from my reconstruction of the body plan.In the half breath plan of the orioginal drawing the form of each timber is indeed located, but does not fit properly on the corrected design. Before starting for the next step I have taken these lines and adjust them so that they match up with my design and also with the position of transoms in Sheer plan.
Subsequently the transoms were transferred to 3mm plywood, sawn and glued on the control model. I 've filles the gaps as usual with poplar plywood. After sanding the area looks like in the following pictures:
 

 

 

 
 

Then I've started sanding the hull. I've used 60 grid until 120 grid sandpaper for the process. After around one week - I can only work on my model in the evening or at the weekends- I've finished the front half of my control model.
I am very happy with the result
 

 

 

 
To check the curves I use 1mm thick stripes of maple. The found differences are very small. So I think that my reconstruction will work for the checked range.
 

 

 

 

 

Continuing the assembly of the stem..
 
I used temporarily spacers to fit the Knee of the Head, which is only 10'' thick, to the stem.


Next I shaped the Knee of the Head using the info David Antscherl gives in his books. After this I glued the completed assembly to the stem. Therfore I used brass pins and the earlier descriped spacer. At last I shaped the competed stem to the hopefully right thickness.






 
In the moment I work on the lower apron and the rising wood.

Continuing the assembly of the stem..
 
I used temporarily spacers to fit the Knee of the Head, which is only 10'' thick, to the stem.


Next I shaped the Knee of the Head using the info David Antscherl gives in his books. After this I glued the completed assembly to the stem. Therfore I used brass pins and the earlier descriped spacer. At last I shaped the competed stem to the hopefully right thickness.






 
In the moment I work on the lower apron and the rising wood.

Continuing the assembly of the stem..
 
I used temporarily spacers to fit the Knee of the Head, which is only 10'' thick, to the stem.


Next I shaped the Knee of the Head using the info David Antscherl gives in his books. After this I glued the completed assembly to the stem. Therfore I used brass pins and the earlier descriped spacer. At last I shaped the competed stem to the hopefully right thickness.






 
In the moment I work on the lower apron and the rising wood.

Continuing the assembly of the stem..
 
I used temporarily spacers to fit the Knee of the Head, which is only 10'' thick, to the stem.


Next I shaped the Knee of the Head using the info David Antscherl gives in his books. After this I glued the completed assembly to the stem. Therfore I used brass pins and the earlier descriped spacer. At last I shaped the competed stem to the hopefully right thickness.






 
In the moment I work on the lower apron and the rising wood.

Continuing the assembly of the stem..
 
I used temporarily spacers to fit the Knee of the Head, which is only 10'' thick, to the stem.


Next I shaped the Knee of the Head using the info David Antscherl gives in his books. After this I glued the completed assembly to the stem. Therfore I used brass pins and the earlier descriped spacer. At last I shaped the competed stem to the hopefully right thickness.






 
In the moment I work on the lower apron and the rising wood.

Continuing the assembly of the stem..
 
I used temporarily spacers to fit the Knee of the Head, which is only 10'' thick, to the stem.


Next I shaped the Knee of the Head using the info David Antscherl gives in his books. After this I glued the completed assembly to the stem. Therfore I used brass pins and the earlier descriped spacer. At last I shaped the competed stem to the hopefully right thickness.






 
In the moment I work on the lower apron and the rising wood.

Continuing the assembly of the stem..
 
I used temporarily spacers to fit the Knee of the Head, which is only 10'' thick, to the stem.


Next I shaped the Knee of the Head using the info David Antscherl gives in his books. After this I glued the completed assembly to the stem. Therfore I used brass pins and the earlier descriped spacer. At last I shaped the competed stem to the hopefully right thickness.






 
In the moment I work on the lower apron and the rising wood.

Continuing the assembly of the stem..
 
I used temporarily spacers to fit the Knee of the Head, which is only 10'' thick, to the stem.


Next I shaped the Knee of the Head using the info David Antscherl gives in his books. After this I glued the completed assembly to the stem. Therfore I used brass pins and the earlier descriped spacer. At last I shaped the competed stem to the hopefully right thickness.






 
In the moment I work on the lower apron and the rising wood.

Continuing the assembly of the stem..
 
I used temporarily spacers to fit the Knee of the Head, which is only 10'' thick, to the stem.


Next I shaped the Knee of the Head using the info David Antscherl gives in his books. After this I glued the completed assembly to the stem. Therfore I used brass pins and the earlier descriped spacer. At last I shaped the competed stem to the hopefully right thickness.






 
In the moment I work on the lower apron and the rising wood.

Continuing the assembly of the stem..
 
I used temporarily spacers to fit the Knee of the Head, which is only 10'' thick, to the stem.


Next I shaped the Knee of the Head using the info David Antscherl gives in his books. After this I glued the completed assembly to the stem. Therfore I used brass pins and the earlier descriped spacer. At last I shaped the competed stem to the hopefully right thickness.






 
In the moment I work on the lower apron and the rising wood.

Continuing the assembly of the stem..
 
I used temporarily spacers to fit the Knee of the Head, which is only 10'' thick, to the stem.


Next I shaped the Knee of the Head using the info David Antscherl gives in his books. After this I glued the completed assembly to the stem. Therfore I used brass pins and the earlier descriped spacer. At last I shaped the competed stem to the hopefully right thickness.






 
In the moment I work on the lower apron and the rising wood.

Build log part 29
 
I`m continuing with the build......
Today a trial is made for doing the scoop-typ vents. I found some staggered sizes of nickle-galnanized tin sheet. These usualy are mounted as foot / stand buttons to shopping bags. Together with short lengths on different diam. brass tubing (soft soldering) the can be transformed into  nice looking nostalgic vents. The fastening strips have to be removed from the buttons first. The radial hole for the tube is drilled into the side of the button and the grinded to suit the fit for soldering
 
The first and smallest prototype for the two forecastle vents is made in rough version. Will probably mount a "rivited skin" to the tube and two handles for setting to the airflow. There must be round about 100 vents in all sizes on this ship
 
Nils
 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Hello all,
I made some progress on Staten Yacht prototype. All decorations are ready now. Some photos are below.
Best regards
Daniel

And now the special photos. I initially got started in this whole wooden model adventure because I am also a model railroader. My layout is centered on a Missouri River port town during the Civil War, roughly based on St. Joseph, MO, where the first railroad across Missouri connected the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers in 1859. Abraham Lincoln rode this railroad, the Hannibal & St. Joseph RR, while considering different options for the route of the first American transcontinental route. In any case, I knew I wanted a steamboat at the levee in my railroad town, to capture the feel of many fascinating images of railroads and steamboats interacting during this era.
 
So my first-ever wooden ship/boat model was a primitive scratchbuild of the famous sternwheeler Far West, which among other things carried Custer's troops to and from the Battle of Little Big Horn. To get ready for that project, several years ago, I built a cardboard mockup of Far West to have something three-dimensional to refer to as I built the real model. I enjoyed the project so much, I built two more Missouri River craft from scratch (see my signature) and was so addicted I ordered a kit, and so on. That's about when I found MSW and the infection spread. 
 
In any case, I put together a lineup of these three models, to show the evolution of my still-quite-amateur skills. I think it's neat to see them side-by-side; I named the cardboard mockup after my wife, though there really was a steamboat called Arkansas Belle:
 

 
Today, for the first time, I placed Bertrand on my layout. It's larger than Far West, for which the river portion was designed, so it hangs out over the edge. But it's also period-accurate; Bertrand was built in 1864 and certainly stopped in St. Joseph on its final trip upriver in 1865. Most of the buildings on the layout are scratchbuilt, including several based on real period buildings which remain today. When Bertrand left St. Joseph, her crew and passengers had no way of knowing she'd soon be a wreck, buried beneath the ever-shifting river sediment for over 100 years, until being rediscovered and excavated as a rare time capsule into this pivotal period of American history. At least this model will help preserve her memory in some small way.
 
So here are three photos of Bertrand in her natural habitat, at a Missouri River port town where all period modes of transportation came together. The western-most railhead in the country was here for a short time, wagon trains left from here for the West (including many Mormons), and steamboats lined the levee on their way too and from Montana. Here's one vision of how that scene might have looked:
 



 
My deepest thanks again to all of you. It's been a pleasure.

Below are final photos of the completed Bertrand. In this post are basic shots from different angles, then another post follows with a few special photos. 
 
I am incredibly grateful for the interest and support shown by all of you for this rather obscure project. I don't think I could or would have undertaken this without the motivation and community of a build log to keep me focused. So thank you.
 







 
 
 
 
 
 

Here are the final details added to Bertrand.
 
Yawls
 
Bertrand likely carried two small boats (called yawls in my sources), based on comparable boats of the time. These weren't lifeboats, but served a similar role as in sailing ships, like a small car towed behind a recreational vehicle for light-duty use. My understanding is that these weren't lowered from davits, as on a whaling ship, but rather lashed to davits that themselves were lowered. Thus the two white spars seen here were actually hinged at the bottom; to lower the boat, the crew loosened the lines holding the davits to the deck and rotated them 180 degrees until the yawl hit the water. The length and position of these davits matches this procedure perfectly.
 
I had considered trying to make these small boats from scratch, but also had two castings in my scrap box that were the perfect size and scale, so just went with that. I painted them white, then gussied them up with hand-carved benches, oars, and rudders. Then I just glued them to the hurricane deck and lashed them to the davits, using the same method to coil the rope ends as described for the grasshopper spars. Pretty straightforward, really.
 
Lettering the name

In the previous photo you can see the lettered name on the pilot house; I also had to add the name to the engine room wall. I decided to use a fine-tipped marker to do this, and practiced multiple times on pieces of painted scrap wood. For the pilot house, I just went ahead and made the sign on a separate plank before attaching it, which looks good to me. For the engine room, it was a bit trickier, as the real boat had the name painted on the side, and I wasn't at all sure I was up for that. So, again, I made several practice letterings on painted scrap, reasoning that I would choose the best one and glue it in place, sacrificing a bit of realism for a better overall look.
 
Then Mrs Cathead pointed out that, if I was going to glue something over the place anyway, I might as well give a shot to lettering it in place, since if I messed up it could be covered anyway with my initial plan. So that's what I did. 
 
In the photo above, you see my best lettering attempt on a separate plank (better wrist angle and control) and my attempt actually on the model. The separate one is definitely a bit better, but the in-place version does have a more authentic feel. I'm not thrilled with any of them, they're all a bit shaky in a really close-up view, but as with so many things, when you step back just a little it blends right in. So I'm going to leave the on-model version, and save the plank version in case I change my mind. This is a case where photography really highlights flaws which don't really show up in an overall view. You can judge for yourselves when I post photos of the finished model.
 
Firewood

Western river boats were voracious users of fuel, burning anywhere from twelve to 75 cords of firewood DAILY. Wood was plentiful along the rivers, and quickly became a cash crop for farmers or dedicated woodcutters who stocked landing places with piles of firewood for sale. Boats took on fuel once or even twice daily, sometimes having to stop and cut their own if no sale point could be found. 
 
I wanted to display firewood on Bertrand, but wasn't up for hand-cutting and splitting 75 cords of 1:87 firewood. So I settled on just a few small stacks to give the idea; apparently Bertrand is actively looking for wood to buy! To make these, I just rummaged in the kindling box next to my wood stove and selected a variety of straight, smooth twigs that looked about right for scale tree trunks. I cut them to length with a small saw, then split them with a hobby knife. I laid out  piece of double-sided tape and put down a first layer of wood, then a layer of wood glue, then a layer of wood, and so on until I'd built up a proper pile. Two of these line the area next to the boilers nicely and get the idea across.
 
Stanchions

Just how Bertrand's boiler deck was supported from the main deck is apparently an issue of slight disagreement. The archeology reports clearly document finding sockets along the outer edge of the main deck guards, into which stanchions would have been placed, leading up to the boiler deck. They also found one of these iron stanchions during the dig. Yet the large-scale model the museum, and several other illustrations, show Bertrand without stanchions, but with knee-like braces curving outward from interior posts; see photos here. I decided to follow the archeologists' reconstruction, and installed stanchions all along the outer guards. These are wooden strips, painted black and rubbed with pastels to hint at a little rust, making them more metal-like. I saved this detail until the very end, to ensure access into the deck in case I needed it.
 
Cargo
Bertrand was loaded heavily with cargo, probably piled to the full height of the main deck along every square foot it could be stored. One successful run to Ft. Benton in western Montana could pay the entire cost of the boat's construction. But I decided to forgo that detail for now, for two reasons. One, I like the open view of the full structure, and two, right now it would be cost- and time-prohibitive to either buy or make the sheer numbers of scale crates, barrels, sacks, and more I'd need to do this. I think at some point, I'd like to go back and add some cargo detail, but right now I actually like the fully open deck really showing the boat's structure and layout. So that's where that stands for now. 
 
This evening I hope to post a variety of photos of the now-completed model.

Hello,
 
for those who wanted to know what kind of wood I used for the stand, it's birds-eye maple.
 
The last days I have forged the cranes and glued them on. Now I'm on warpath with them. If you only look hard at them, they fall over 
But during the glue hardens out, I made the water surface for the display.
 

 

 

 
In the background you can see the chaos in my workshop. But that are the worst spots, really 
I think when I'm ready with my ship, I have to sort and clean up my workshop.
 
Regards,
Siggi

If you didnt create it....you have no claim to it .....and you shouldnt profit from it.  If you want to use it...you must pay the person who created it or ask their permission to use it...simple rules in society.   Period
 
Unless you reach out to the creator, and make amends for not having the skills or creativity to think it up yourself.  Otherwise its no different than you breaking into my home and stealing from me.    Those people are called parasites and thieves with small brains unable to innovate on their own.   I personally loathe these self-serving, greedy individuals...
 
...and anyone who thinks otherwise because they might be too cheap to pay for the original or two lazy to ask permission....the willingness to support these parasites is just as bad.....and the law is not on their side thank heavens...at least not in this country...you could however move to China.
 
Locking this because its just going round and round.....and remember, even though we do have international members on this forum, it is based in the good ole U. S. of A.    
 
This topic was not created to open a discussion on copyrights.  It was created to define the NRG Policy.  The NRG will always protect the rights of the creator  and their wishes and not those of the profiteer. Members can have a different opinion but understand that all members not adhering to the policy and choosing to post or use copyrighted material obtained without proper compensation or permission from the authors...... will be warned and then finally banned if repeatedly in violation.
 
Chuck

Be careful with black paper. I've the exerience that the gluing is not stable. The problem is that paper has different layers and the wood glue will not go through all. I prefer black pulp, which I found in an hobby store. It has only one layer.

Well guys, I've decided to close this build log down and build the Lyme as a complete scratch build.  Yesterday afternoon, I had the Lyme plans from the NMM copied and reduced to 1:75, and a set of originals and the 1:75 scale plans laminated.  Later that evening, I spent five or so hours comparing the build and the Corel plans against the Lyme plans - a long night that ended in much disappointment.
 
I was pretty encouraged in the beginning that the middle part of the ship was fairly consistent with the Lyme plans.  Then I moved to the bow, and realized that the shape of the bow (using the kit keel), and the stem I had scratched earlier, was different from the Lyme bow.  The kit's bow is pretty angular, whereas the Lyme's bow was more square.  So, I figured I would be replacing the stem and stem post anyway, and would just have to figure out a way to modify the shape of the bow.  Not too bad....
 
Things took a nasty turn when I went to measure the height of the upper deck off of the bottom of the keel.  I knew the sweep of the decks in the kit were too high at the stern and so I was hoping that all I had to do was change the angle at the stern and possibly the stem and that was it.  So, it would be pretty easy to measure up from the keel on the plans, and take some material from the bulkheads as need be.  Big problem though - the height of the Corel kit is a lot higher than what the Lyme plans and even Chapman's plans suggest!  I'm not talking by a few millimeters, but as much as 20mm+ from the keel to the bottom of the gunports in some places!
 
With that discrepancy, I don't think I can fix things.  It's going to be hard to measure up from the keel, as I don't have a solid reference point to measure from.  That, with all the other work I would have to do to modify the kit, I've come to the realization that it would be a lot easier in the long run to build from scratch using the Lyme plans.  I have the tools, and it shouldn't be too hard to cut a new keel and bulkheads from plywood.  I already cut a new keel one to replace the badly warped one from the kit, so I have a little experience.
 
So a lot of frustration right now, but in the long run, I think this would be the better course.  I'll shut this log down and start a new one on the Scratch forum once I get started.  I really love the look of the Lyme, and after all the research I've done, it would be a shame not to build it.  I'm considering whether to build the Lyme in 1:75 or 1:48 - at 1:75, it's a pretty sizable model at around 3 feet in overall length.  At 1:48, I'd have the opportunity to add a lot of cool detail but the model would push 4 feet in length.  While figuring this out, in the meantime, I think I'm going to start the Charles Morgan as a parallel build to my Pegasus.  I like having another model to turn to when I get fatigue or burn out and need a mental break.
 
Stay tuned!  Eventually I'll start a Lyme class build 

Sorry, for the late reply, Jack.
 
I add a picture from a reconstruction drawing of Werner Dammann. It shows a possible viking style figure head for the Gokstad ship.
 

 
If you have a look at the original in the Oslo museum, you see that stem is also a little smaller than in your model.
Werner Damman shows in his wonderful book about the ship also another solution that as far as I know is the most common interpretation
 

 

Really wonderfull. The old river steamers have an own fascination

Sorry, for the late reply, Jack.
 
I add a picture from a reconstruction drawing of Werner Dammann. It shows a possible viking style figure head for the Gokstad ship.
 

 
If you have a look at the original in the Oslo museum, you see that stem is also a little smaller than in your model.
Werner Damman shows in his wonderful book about the ship also another solution that as far as I know is the most common interpretation