Heroine 1838 by ggrieco - FINISHED - Scale 1:24 - Western River Steamboat as she appeared before hitting a snag in the Red River

[Canute]

Heck of a job with the doors and paneling, Glenn.

[leclaire]

Glenn - a short while ago you were pondering which white paint would be best to use in getting the most realistic effect. What did you finally decide on?

 

Bob

[BANYAN]

Stunning detail and quality Glenn.

 

Druxey, more to the point I bet those lock sets are fully functioning  really nice turning detail at that scale.

 

cheers

 

Pat

[dvm27]

Paint looks excellent, Glen. Hadn't noticed before but are you placing a slight chamfer on the edges of your planks?

[mtaylor]

I've had to come back this 3 or 4 times before commenting.  I'm just flat astounded.  

[ggrieco]

Thanks everybody,

 

I'm sorry that I didn't get a chance to respond sooner.  The family spent the day swimming with at the inlaws house.  It was nice to come back to your encouraging comments.

 

 

Bob,  I finally decided on the Ronan flake white.  I wanted to try Admiralty but, it only came in sets of colors and I would have needed a couple sets to get enough white.  I bought a bottle of Tamiya and it gave nice coverage but the water base penetrated the wood and with the long strakes of unsupported planking I was afraid there might be some flexing.  The ronan is semi paste but with a little mineral spirits and a soft brush it covered well with two coats but still gives a whitewashed look.

 

I used the photos below of the Ellen Hardy as an example of the effect I wanted.  I think I will still use the pastels to give it a weathered look.

 

 

 

 

Greg, Yes the edges of the planks are chamfered.  The original planks were 5 inches wide including a 1/4 to 5/16 inch tongue leaving about a 4 3/4 inch face with about a 1/4 inch bevel on each side.  The inner face had no bevel.

 

 

[BANYAN]

That's a bit of a 'rum' (odd) deal on the Admiralty paint Glenn; a bit greedy of them packaging it like you say.  I could get it (well I haven't tried for a while) as individual bottles no problems her, but not worth you effort as the postage from here would kill off any savings even if you did go with it.  The Ronan flake white looks good though and the lighter coating (wash) helps show the details very well.

 

cheers

 

Pat

[ggrieco]

Thanks Pat,

 

I remember the good old days when I had a real hobby store down the street that carried just about everything I needed. i know admiralty is imported so it is a little more difficult to get but, anytime I need anything, I have to order it and wait a few days. Makes it difficult to experiment with different products. I can't believe the college town I live it doesn't have a proper hobby store.

[Canute]

I think kids aren't into building kits like we grew up with. They do CAD work and then 3D modeling.

 

The Hobbytown near me (45 min?) is OK for paints and other supplies, but unless you're an RC wonk (cars, some a/c) not much else.

[ggrieco]

Your right, my son is really into Lego and Minecraft but I can't wait to get him involved with AutoCAD. Just so few still interested in model kits anymore. Our Hobbytown closed down about a year ago - not enough business to keep them going. I have to admit that I probably would have gone in a different direction if I had had 3D printing at his age but I'm determined to get my son involved with woodworking and metalworking.

[ggrieco]

Finally,  the main deck structure is framed and planked.  Just a few more details before moving to the boiler deck.

 

 

Port side framing.  I just noticed that I haven't finished the framing of the outhouse at the stern.

 

 

 

 

Milling the window frames.  The mill is a 1 mm ball nosed mill.

 

 

 

After milling, I took the back side off with the thickness planer.  I'll clean it up and square the corners with a file.

 

 

Test fit of the first frame.  The windows will ge glazed with mica as per druxey's tip.  The mica will be sandwiched between a pair of window frames.

 

 

Starboard side painted -- still need a few touch-ups.

 

 

 

Test fitting a couple more windows.

 

[Cathead]

Those windows...I'll need to wipe the drool from my keyboard.

 

What's your plan for running the chimneys through the boiler deck?

[druxey]

Those frames look terrific, Glenn! Thanks for the Saturday morning treat.

[kurtvd19]

Glenn:

The window frames are fantastic.  I love the technique you used - and I will copy it when the need arises for windows.  The same for the fantastic doors and the milling technique used for the rails & stiles.  Definite outside of the box thinking came up with these techniques.  Thanks for sharing.

Kurt

[wyz]

Superb job on the window frames Glenn.

 

Tom

[mtaylor]

Beautiful as always, Glenn.   I'm streaming some random music today and while i'm reading your log, Proud Mary by CCR started playing...   Made for a perfect mood.

[gjdale]

Terrific work, as always, Glenn. Like so many others, I am getting genuine pleasure from reading your weekly updates. Thanks for sharing and for your informative descriptions.

[ggrieco]

Thanks everybody!

 

Cathead, I'm still not sure how to handle the chimneys. It isn't very well represented any any of the contemporary drawings and paintings that I've seen. The best that I've been able to come up with is two options. The first is just a simple flat metal ring around the tube at deck level and the second is an angled skirt around the tube a few inches above the deck. The second method I've only seen in later vessels. It seems like the builders of Heroine always opted for the simplest arrangements so I'm leaning towards the first idea. I'd love to know if you have any ideas on how it was done. Luckily, the forward end of the boiler deck will be the last to be planked so I still have some time to consider other ideas and opinions.

 

Kurt, I'm having a lot of fun seeing what the cnc mill can do with the millwork. I wasn't sure how the horizontal (cross grain) areas of the frame were going to hold up. The boxwood cut very nicely. The next step will be cutting all the external doors. Hopefully, I'll get to them in the next week or two.

 

Thanks druxey, Tom, Mark, and Grant for your comments and everyone else for your likes. Finally, the kids are in bed and I can settle down with a glass of wine and enjoy everyone else's work.

[Mahuna]

Hi Glenn - the windows are amazing.  I always look forward to catching up on your Saturday post at the end of a day in my shop.

 

By the way, is there any possibility of seeing Heroine at the NRG Conference in San Diego?  That would be fantastic. 

[BANYAN]

Great work as usual Glenn, I had to look closely at a couple of the photos as you could believe you were looking at the actual paddle-steamer.

 

cheers

 

Pat

[dgbot]

Glenn, copying someone's method is considered a compliment. Wonderful job with the CNC.work. I tried something like that once with my Fordham and drill press attachment. After free handing the part I it was just okay. Your method really did the trick.

David B

[Cathead]

Sorry, Glenn, I don't have any special insight. Any idea of Heroine used heat guards around the chimneys? You make a good point about consistently keeping it simple, rather than extrapolating beyond current knowledge.

 

Part of my questions was when/how you're going to run the chimneys through the boiler deck. Will you make a separate assembly leading up to that deck, for ease of installation soon, then drop the rest of the chimneys in on top later on? Or will you make it all one assembly that you'll run through the boiler deck framing, and plank around later on?

[ggrieco]

Hello,

 

Sorry for the lapse in updating the build.  The last two weeks have been plagued by a series of minor emergencies that have been keeping me pretty busy.  On top of everything, the motherboard on my 12 year old computer finally gave out.  With no CAM program, the mill has been sitting idle for two weeks.  I now have a "new" 6 year old computer and I think I've finally tracked down all the software I had before.  Back in business!

 

I've finished most of the planking of the boiler deck and have started on the construction of the deckhouse.

 

Steam scapepipe in place. 

 

 

Posts going in.  These were the only posts notched over the deck beams.  The rest will be lightly notched into the cap.

 

Top plate installed.

 

Intermediate posts to frame the windows.

 

 

 

 

 

I decided not to run the deck planking all the way forward at this time.  Instead I placed a lateral cap across the deck.  This brings the deck up to the same height around the entire circumference of the structure making the side planking a little neater.  It also allows me to hold off on installing the chimneys.  I'm still trying to figure out the transition.  I have to hold off on planking the side walkways as well.  The curved tops of the paddleboxes will have to go in first but, these can't be added until the sides of the deckhouse are planked.  I'll complete all this next week.

 

Final photo of Fridays progress.  Lowest four strakes of side planking in place. 

 

 

 

 

[druxey]

Lovely progress, Glenn. Welcome back - all is forgiven!

[cog]

Still nice progress, Glenn. I wouldn't say you've been idle for two weeks ...

[dvm27]

Wonderful work, as always Glenn. Couldn't help nosing around your workshop. What's the plank on frame model sitting behind Heroine? The wales date her to before 1750. Is she another version of La Belle?

[Mirabell61]

latest progress on "Heroine" is wonderful Glenn,

Awsome photographing !

 

Nils

[Cathead]

Idle? More like idol! Can't wait to see how you handle the chimneys, the geometry of fitting those through multiple decks is a challenge.

[ggrieco]

Thanks druxey, Carl, Greg, Nils and Cathead,

 

 

Greg, you are correct. That is La Belle #3. Much has been added to what we know about her since the last model and I'm hoping to incorporate it into the new model. It is being built for the department so it will have to wait until the contract stuff is completed.

 

 

Cathead, I can't wait to see either. To tell you the truth, I'm really stumped. If I could go back in time and look at just one feature it would be the manifold that ties it all together. In later boilers, you have squared corners that transition into smooth curves. I have a feeling that these early boilers weren't so graceful. I'd like to find a solution that is simple but believable. Why couldn't this end of the boiler been surrounded by a bulkhead?

[Omega1234]

Hi Glenn

 

There's no doubting the beauty of these old ships - seeing the decks take shape, only accentuates Heroine's beauty.

 

Wow, wow, wow; that's all I can say!

 

Cheers

 

Patrick