wefalck

Well, I've given up on wire - I'll be using wood instead. I feel more comfortable with it and I think I can produce a better result, even if it isn't an exact reproduction of the real thing. For the uprights, I've used bamboo toothpicks. Here's the hull with paddlewheels and deck equipment attached (I still have to work out a way to mass-produce the passenger seats), plus the awning upside down with some toothpicks attached, to mate with corresponding holes in the deck.

Here's the hull (upside down) with the deck glued to it.

And the awning dry-fitted to the hull.



Starting to come together. This is my half-size test piece. I've learnt a few things that will help make it easier to make the full-sized model, and subsequent mass-produced (simpler) half size models for sale.
 
Steven

I'm starting on a model of the Golden City, a paddlewheeler which operates on Ballarat's Lake Wendouree, run by volunteers  and taking passengers for trips around the lake every summer Sunday (weather permitting). It is a replica of one of the paddlesteamers which did the same thing back around the turn of the 20th century (unfortunately destroyed by fire some years ago).
 
It will be a Solid model, and I'm first making one at 1:50 to iron out the bugs. After that I'll be making another at 1:25 to present to the people who run her, who also run a museum dedicated to the vessel itself and its history. 
 
I've spoken to one of the organisers who's very keen on the idea - apart from anything else, visitors to the museum get disappointed when they can't see the vessel if she's out on the lake, so a decent sized model (68 cm or 27 inches long) would be a great help.
 
I've actually started on both models already, and if it all works out I'll simplify the design and make multiple 1:50 models to sell to visitors, as a fund-raiser for both the museum and for the Men's Shed where I make stuff (and which has so many wonderful boys' toys, like bandsaws, lathes, bench saws etc etc).
 
Here are some photos of her


And some I took close up while she was in her boatshed.




Plus photos of the plans which the museum kindly got out for me, and which I then redrew to make the model.


And here are the smaller and larger models so far. As you can see in the first and second photos the deck overlaps the hull considerably.

Upside down, showing the overlap.

And with 'paddleboxes' - just cut from a bit of 20mm wood with a hole saw and cut in half.

Comparative sizes - 1:50 in front and 1:25 behind.


The two together with paddleboxes. The bit in front is the roof awning, which fortunately is flat. And another shot of the two together. (The phone camera reduces the size contrast in the first photo and exaggerates it in the second.)

I think the most difficult bit for me will be the posts that hold up the awning and the railings. I can't see any way to make them except out of wire, and I'm currently rubbish at soldering. Well, another skill I'll need to learn . . .
 
Steven

Lovely!
I found these ship fascinating as they were SO HUGE.
And to think how much white paint it took to cover the hull and decks.
I did some work for a chartering outfit in New York that had a 6 foot model of one of these.
I did take a photo of it.
if I can find the image I will post it here.
well I couldn’t find the images of the big model the charterer had but did find the tiny model they had.

In my haste yesterday, I forgot to add a couple of pics of the real thing. So here we go. 
When you see it in loaded condition from a distance, it looks rather flat and not so big, but once you get closer, you start getting an idea. 

 
It's ok right? Until you realise those orange dots on the starboard side midship and forward are actually people. You can also see the small hiding shelters amidship and the big wavebreakers on the deck. Those hiding places are necessary as it takes a long time to get from forward to the accommodation block. 

 
In ballast condition, disembarking is not for the faint hearted. 

 
So why the white? Well, we used to say, hospitals are white too, to keep the patients calm... But the real explanation is that the color was chosen to reduce cargo boil-off. Oil tankers have quite a reduction in amount of cargo due to boiling off of the lighter elements in their cargo. Pressure inside the cargo tanks starts to rise because of that and eventually it blows off through overpressure vents. Over such a large surface/structure, the colour actually did make a difference, probably also the reason why it was never changed, eventhough the ships changed hands several times. 

They were actually built too late. The heyday of oil tankers was already over by 2000. ULCC's were a thing of the past, as a cargo volume of 3.2million barrels of oil made it very expensive to load these beasts, while the amount of ports and voyages was limited. Nowadays some of the sisters are used as Floating Storage Units in oil fields, while on Europe (and perhaps Oceania) are actually used for transport. 
 
One big advantage of such subjects from a modelbuilding point of view, is the large "parallel" surface. Something most merchant ships have as it helps them to moor safely. These are often also drawn on the plans and make their box shape easier to build, only really requiring frame shapes forward and aft. 
I didn't actually have many plans to work from, but I combined all sorts of shapes I had from those plans. I therefore combined frames as well as floor outlines and heights to get an accurate shape. 

 

 

Well since I'm longer onboard, without the possibility to show new progress. I'd thought I'd fuel @KeithAug newfound love for complex piping a bit further. 
I consider this build, for an unknown reason, still as one of my best builds. It's an eye catcher in my display closet, probably by its color and size. 
 
As the title says, I'm talking about the TI Europe (TI standing for Tankers International, an oil tanker company pool). The TI Europe is an Ultra Large Crude Carrier, one of 4 sister ships built by the Korean Daewoo yard. They were built for the Greek company called Hellespont, but were sold after a few years to the larger company called Euronav and renamed as TI Africa, TI Asia, TI Europe and TI Oceania. TI America was deliberately left out for fears of terrorist attacks since this all happened in the beginning 2000's. 
When built they were the largest double hulled ULCC's in the world and still are some of the heaviest ships around. Their size, 380m (1247ft) long on 68m (223ft) wide, was huge for those days (nowadays however this is not such an exception with many container ships measuring around 400m long x 56m wide), however their full load draft of around 24.5-25.5m (80-85ft) made them huge. With that full load draft they were unable to pass Singapore Strait, the English Channel etc. in a safe way. 
Due to that size, they were also restricted in amount of ports that they could enter. These vessels weigh about the same as 5 US Carriers together when fully loaded. 
When I went onboard, we were doing Ship-to-ship transfers off the coast of Los Angeles to smaller vessels. The voyage then went to Saudi Arabia, where loading happened on buoys connected to the actual terminal by submerged pipelines. Other voyages she often did, took her to Europe, discharging part of her cargo in France before transiting the English Channel to go to Rotterdam with the remainder of the cargo. 
 
The model. I built her, using the experience I built up with frame on keel methods from plastic. Size and rigidity was the real challenge here. Since that's also an issue in the real design of such vessels, some solutions were given by the original. 
The main deck of the beast, can easily fit a US CVN on top of that deck. 

 
I've made the main deck of 1.5mm styrene, this was still not very rigid over such a length. However, on the real ships, the corners are rounded, this help divide the forces over a larger surface instead of a single angle. A square angle would simply break loose under such forces. 
To simulate this rounded corner, I cut a piece of styrene rod and glued it flush with the deck. This added to the rigidity of the deck where it was most needed (the central part). Additionally you see the deck is divided in 3 parts, creating a camber like the real ship. On the real thing, that camber is truly large as well. 

 

 
Then I started building up the skeleton structure bellow, using the table surface and deck to keep everything flat. 

 
At the same time I started building the (small-ish) superstructures for this vessel. 

 
That's it for today. Since I can't get home for a while, I'll continue soon. 

That's a bit of thread drift now, but for really delicate work I use a watchmakers archimedean drill that requires both hands, as it does not have a return spring. I can precisely control the pressure needed/permissible (with tiny drills). Of course, the workpiece has to be fixed (some 'cello-type' suffices often), but this is good practice anyway. Mine can clamp drills down to 0.1 mm diameter.

I have a separate hard-drive for backing up everything (as I also use the computer for work) around once a month and I only remove images from the telephone, once I have copies on two independent devices ...
 
I was wondering about these rudders in front of the Kort-nozzles: do they move? If not, the boat would be quite sluggish to turn, I could imagine.
 
And: oh, yes, the project is coming on nicely !

many thanks John and Veszett,
 
John,
I`m pleased that you like it
 
Veszett,
right, it should have been a wire mesh around the platform, but I just used what I still had in material box. The idea with the cavas is worth taking it up, thanks
on the enclosed pic you can see the original (right hand side) and as modeled by Helmut Thomas, a wonderful detailed gem
Nils

Update
 
further progress in planking and lighttower in raw build.
I`m just thinking how to build the vertical climbing support ladders with their back safety harnesses, its probably going to be a trick soldering job
 
Nils

aft rounding with vertical planking prior to trimming

both sides with each 7 planks

a soldering job

 

 

metal combined with wooden supports, the conical part after trimming to the cylindrical housing
 

the railing is a "leftover" of my Ergenstrasse build

Update
 
the first 7 planks (stb side ) as well as the build in of the bilge keel on that side are on, and the light-tower is further in process, the "glassing" still has to be shortend a bit.
I`ll continue with the port side planking to this degree, before moving to both bottom sides.
The bilge keel cuved flats are cut from 1,5 mm aluminium flatmaterial with an electric jig saw and glued in with CA, interlocking appr. 2,5 mm depth into the frame contour as well.
So far I`m pleased with the planking process, I think the hull will require a bit of "scratch-shaving" the surface instead of only sanding it afterwards, relating to the rather thin single layer planking.
 
Nils

a combination of 8mm and 10mm wide planks, all 1,5mm thick. The prior placed stringers are very helpfull for clamping the planks during assembly, and for keeping the hull-skin to true form.
 

the tower and the top cover are made from brass, the platform will have a ballustrade with wire-mesh. I intend to build the main light lenses from a glass honey-dip spoon.

Update
 
slow but steady, all stringers are on, I received the prop, and the "glassing" of the light-tower is fitted in to the top cover. One side of the hull has been sanded flush with the frame-contours.
 
Nils

the upper stern rounding will be vertically planked

 

 

 

the 4-blade brass propeller

the glassing per plexiglass tube fitted in to the top cover
 

all stringers on today
 

Update
 
have just received the wooden liners for the stringers and for planking. Also the plexiglass tube material for the light area on the mid mast has arrived. The the top cover for the light tower I made from brass sheet.
 
Nils

The planks are 1,5 x 8 and 1,5 x 10 mm, The stringers are 2 x3 mm

this will later on be the light on the lighttower, the cover I cut from brass sheet

beginning with the portside stringers. all frame top-sides have been glued to the lugs of the base board. before planking the frame edges will be carefully sanded flush with the hull outer contour
 
 

Update
 
for the rounded areas I found a solution. It`s going to be a mix of planking (forecastle), and balsa fillers combined with brass curved sheet plate
 
Nils

in the narrow roundings I used 3mm wide strips, in the more flat areas 8mm and 10mm strips

there is a supporting framework installed

for the poop 5 stacks of balsa  combined with with a brass sheet part
 

Thank you John,
in the moment I`m a bit stuck with considering the construction of the upper poop and forecastle top rounding covers. Of course one way would be to shape balsa support parts, but I would rather have smaller frameworks to shape by means of planking the 3-dimentional areas .....
 
Nils
 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 

Update
 
today the deck beams were installed, and the overstanding upper frameportions cut off.
I also received the steel concave shield 21,3mm diam. of the mushroom anchor, for soldering on the anchorshaft
 
Nils

the deckbeams for forecastle and the main deck are on

 

this is a pressed and cut out steel round 21,3mm Diam.
 
 
 

Update.
 
Today I took her (cut) off the build platform, and had my first look into the hull, am pleased with it so far.
Outside against the bow-post and the side skin I installed the integrated round pod that later on takes up the mushroom typ anchor, (3 tons in real weight).
Its the first time she settles on her own standplate
 
Nils
 

the pod for the mushroom anchor later on. It faces downwards to a certain angle and ends a bit above the waterline

its made from 20mm round beechwood. The face is light convex, as it fits neatly into the concave shape anchor

the overstanding upper frames will be cut off

a sight into the hull

here to be seen one of the spindle counter nuts, and the resting foot lug for the light towers stand tube. This is also why I built in the squarebar on the topside of the keel
 

 

the shining through narrow plank gaps are filled with white cured wood glue. the hull at this degree of building is extreme light
 

Update
did some more scraping on the hull, also built in the prop and the rudder
 
Nils

the scraping method is a very good way to take off a minimum of the planks thickness. I use 3 different scraping sharp edged  blades

the scraping chips are are very thin. The advantage vs. sanding is : no dust created

the rudder is made and soldered from brass sheet The gap in the stempost is closed now

the rudder is fully workable, but it now ca`nt be removed any more unless desoldering

I fixed a metal edge to the keel and the stem in order to give more solid hold
 

The preliminary pencil-waterline is marked up
 
 

Hi and thank you Gary,
many of the sequences have been performed with my previos models before, so I don`t have to spend too much time and headachs in thinking of how I shall do it.
Here for example, I started with the plating today.
New this time is the use of 10 mm wide Tamiya masking tape as a space holder, as I`m plating in "Belts" and need the better steady horizontal line for optical appeal 
The plates are cut from a self adhesive aluminium foil roll with a table paper guilutine. Poncing is done with a suitable double tooth wheel ( clock cock wheels) to the back of the protection paper before removing it.
The foil thickness (without glue film) is 0,125 mm for best results
 
Nils

starting with the trick part

in Basic the plates are 15 x 50 mm, The rows, apart by 10mm, and then a cover plating "belt" over the 10 mm wide horizontal gap. The platings are stagered to the next line above.
 
 

a nice smooth hull surface provides a good ground for plating on
 

10 mm Tamiya distance holder, removed again before the covering, overlapping "belt is put on

many thanks Richard and John,
 
Richard, the lightmast, still to be finished, was not so easy as I had thought .....
 
John, I`ll do my best for the further build ....
 
Yesterday I made a first dummy trial for painting, plating,  attaching of an obsolete 20 mm high letter. The bright light red color is RAL 2026 in silk-gloss, that is the one used on german fire-brigade and civil rescue vehicles.
 
Nils
 

I am a bit suspicious about the permanent sticking quality of the letters on a structured plating background. In the moment it seems to work ....
The black sub waterline color is a silicone based black thermo-coating paint used for oventubes, etc.
 

Thank you Keith,
 
the Elbe 1 is equiped with an old U-boot diesel motor of 650 PS for propulsion. I fitted a 4-blade prop (like shown in the Plan, although I see a 3-Blade one in one of the dry dock pics. The 4-blade in 20 diam. brass with M3 hub looks better to my eyes.
 
Here a few details I made yesterday ......
 
Nils

the stb. side anchorshaft

inside of the shaft blackened

fitting of the anchor fairlead

anchor dryfit, (40 mm long anchor with with slip in shaft )

this is the deck- level support and guide for the 13mm tube of the lighttower. The lower 13mm socket is fixed to the squarebar obove the keel

this takes up the lower socket for the foremast, the deck will also be equipped with a reinforcement at the point of going through. Here the stong "backbone" , (directly over the keel) which also takes uo the spindle press-in nuts can be seen
 
 
 

Many thanks for your comment input here Joachim,
and welcome to the build.
I looked up the version of the anchor chains when I got started. The mushroom anchor chain does not have these studs, but the stationary at the bow side Hall anchor indeed has a stud-chain.
Fortunately the autor (model builder Helmut Thomas) shot some photos of these details, in real in the dry dock,  to be seen on the enlosed pics
Regards from Glinde to Westerwald
 
Nils
 
 
 

the lft side chain is the one for the mushroom anchor
 
 

this is the chain for the sideHall-anchor
 
 
 

Update
 
installed the anchor port fairlead into the forward side wall and fitted the operational Hall-anchor. also the bulwarks, the deck and fitting the deck in on the deck beams and between the bulwarks not permanently glued in yet, and the upper bulwark tops still have to be trimmed. I left an outcut in the deck for later access to the interior. The insides of the bulwarks and the vertical transverse frame (fore and aft)  have to be painted before glueing in the deck
 
Nils

mushroom anchor brought out

stb. bulwark mounted

all deck beams checked for smooth deck fit

the planked deck

bulwark flush with upper side

operational Wall-anchor fitted

port side bulwark

deck neatly fitted in (dry fit) . 
 
 

Looks worse than rigging a miniature ship model ...

That's a bit of thread drift now, but for really delicate work I use a watchmakers archimedean drill that requires both hands, as it does not have a return spring. I can precisely control the pressure needed/permissible (with tiny drills). Of course, the workpiece has to be fixed (some 'cello-type' suffices often), but this is good practice anyway. Mine can clamp drills down to 0.1 mm diameter.

Looks worse than rigging a miniature ship model ...