John Cudahy by steamschooner - FINISHED - 1/4" scale Steam Tug

[steamschooner]

Bob, it is coming along....slowly

 

David  B Thanks for stopping by.

[steamschooner]

Well now if I fall overboard while working on the Cudahy someone can throw me one of these.

[captainbob]

Nice rings but let's hope you don't fall overboard.

 

Bob

[Omega1234]

Nice rings but let's hope you don't fall overboard.

 

Bob

I agree with Bob! I'm also curious how you did the lettering, which look nice and crisp.

 

What's the secret?

 

Cheers

 

Patrick

[steamschooner]

I have gotten a little more done, these are attempt number 2 might do better on number three but these will do.

These are cabin/deck lights.

[michael20]

It has been a while since I looked in on your build, Man I sure like what I see. She is definitely something you will be proud of when you are done. Great work.

  

                    Happy modeling.

                         Marty G.

[steamschooner]

Patrick, The letters are dry transfer with a clear coat so they less likely to get damaged.

Marty G. Thanks for stopping by

[slow2cool]

WOW how in the world did you make those lights????

Joe

[steamschooner]

Joe, The lights are made up from plexiglass turned to shape ( using files ) Than glued to a wood base. Four holes evenly spaced around the light were than drilled and "U" shaped small wire was inserted into the holes and glued. A piece of flatten wire is than wrapped around light and glued in place. The light is than cut from the wood base and a squared wood mounting  piece added. mounting piece is than shaped and the whole thing painted.

That's the easy version. 

[slow2cool]

Joe, The lights are made up from plexiglass turned to shape ( using files ) Than glued to a wood base. Four holes evenly spaced around the light were than drilled and "U" shaped small wire was inserted into the holes and glued. A piece of flatten wire is than wrapped around light and glued in place. The light is than cut from the wood base and a squared wood mounting  piece added. mounting piece is than shaped and the whole thing painted.

That's the easy version. 

Thanks for the info. I will tuck it away. I never would have guessed doing it that way, it sure sounds good to me.

Joe

[steamschooner]

John, I will describe how I made mine: determine the outside diameter which will give you the inside hole size.( what looks good ) start with woodstock of the correct thickness of lifering. Drill the center hole in the wood sheet then mark out outside diameter Cut out lifering slightly over size. Shape the lifering with files leaving a flat face on both sides.so you have a area to apply lettering.Paint lifering.  Select the line to use as handles. Mark out ring as to where the line is to be attached. Glue the end of the line at one mark . I used thin strips of paper for the bands that hold the lines in place.work your way  around the ring. I overlap my paper on the inside of ring. Paint straps or not. Apply lettering ( dry transfer ) Clear coat to protect lettering.

hope this helps

[steamschooner]

Been busy in the shipyard , while I need to trim shackle pins and clean up metal blocks yet, nothing glued down.

[Omega1234]

Nice bit of steering cable detail there!  As a side note, as the chains and pulleys are exposed, I guess OHSW wasn't a big deal back in the day, because I could easily see a crew member's toe being chewed up pretty badly if they were in the wrong place at the wrong time, especially in a heaving sea.

 

Nicely done, though.  I enjoy watching your tug coming to life.

 

Cheers

 

Patrick

[steamschooner]

Well it has been raining here for days so I don't feel bad about not getting some outside chores done. So I have been busy in the shipyard and this is what I have put together. Need to blacken the copper, Shorten levers, Paint what does get paint. Glue it all together.

 but pretty much done.

[Omega1234]

Very nice work and beautiful pics,

 

cant you just tell when someone is enjoying themselves,

 

Best regards John.

 

 

 

"...Can't you just tell when someone is enjoying themselves"...ain't that the truth!!!

 

Steve-really nice work.

 

Cheers

 

Patrick

[Mirabell61]

good looking rigging of the rudder-tiller Steve,

 

to lead the steering chain over blocks in order to halften the chain pull forces is a good idea

 

Nils

[steamschooner]

Nils, Just following plans with the steering gear. Plans consist of a few photos that's pretty much it. I can not see the blocks on the tiller arm so I went with metal blocks. Just seemed more appropriate for there.

[ggrieco]

Beautiful details, I like the steering gear!

 

Glenn

[steamschooner]

I managed to get another piece of deck  gear done today. Kinda important since this is a tug boat.

[steamschooner]

Thanks Glen,  I can only hope to someday do some beautiful work like your riverboats.

[steamschooner]

One more mini project worked out  still to be touched up and white band painted.

[Omega1234]

Looking very nice, Steve!

 

Cheers

 

Patrick

[steamschooner]

Ok it's been some time since I have updated progress on my build. You might say I have been stuck on detail that I see others have problems with as well, and that is ship's boats! I do not have a CAD program in which to create lines so I go at it with pencil and ruler. I am working from these two photos to try and get a set of lines.

So far this is what I have come up with and am not happy with. I think I have the ends to narrow and not enough "cheek" in the ends.

My drawing is suppose to be a 16 ft double ended boat as seen in first two photo's. I don't think I am there yet!

[captainbob]

If you Google "wooden lifeboat" you might find lines.

 

Bob

[Omega1234]

Hi Steve

 

As a suggestion - If you wanted to go an alternative route, you could build a clay mock up of the full hull. Once you're happy with the overall shape, you can the slice the clay hull at the appropriate station lines, thereby giving you the shape of each frame. All you need to then do is transfer the shapes to wood and cut the frames out.

 

It's really old-school, I know, but it works.

 

Cheers

 

Patrick

Edited May 8, 2016 by Omega1234

[steamschooner]

Well this is the plug that I have come up with. Sealed and waxed ,I will try and edge glue the planks after shaping and see what the heck I come up with.

[schooner]

Wow, nice build log, wish I would have found it sooner.

I grew up just across Salmon Bay from Ballard where the Cudahy was built and I had a chance to work on some tugs in Seattle when I was younger. You are doing a great job on her, love the engine!

Tim

[steamschooner]

While I work on my boats for my project I have just received a new toy/tool. Its a rolling mill and here is a example of that I can use it for. These mast bands which are for my current project were made from rolled copper wire I just need to blacken them.

[steamschooner]

Well I have made some progress with my ship's boat. I also realized that the two boats that the Cudahy carried were different. So i guess I need to made another plug for the other boat. First one came off with out damage. Adding detail and a little strength to the form. Have a few more things to do with the boat like making a set of oars to tie down in side of it and adding some oarlock blocks.

[Omega1234]

Hi Steve

 

Wow, that boat looks great, especially with the internal ribs added!   I've got no doubt that the next one will look just as good.

 

Overall, the whole tug's looking great.  I love the fact that curious eyes can peer into the open door and windows and marvel at what's inside.

 

Cheers

 

Patrick