Chaperon by Blighty - FINISHED - Model Shipways - Weathered and aged - My first build log

[jct]

Hi Len,

Been following along...the weathering is superb, very impressive

 

[Blighty]

3 hours ago, jct said:

Hi Len,

Been following along...the weathering is superb, very impressive

 

Too kind, thx.

[Blighty]

Hi, did anyone out there who built the Chaperon try to make the stern wheel rotate? I'm about to mount it and only just realised the instructions state it is intended to be static.

[Tigersteve]

Since you did light it, it would make sense to add a hidden motor to the wheel so it rotates. I know that takes pre planning, but if it's doable, that would be a cool feature. Either way it's awesome. 

Steve

[Mike Dowling]

I didn't notice either about the wheel!! The problem is that whilst mine does indeed go round the crank arms or whatever they are called will not slide in and out of the engine room hence I have had to fix mine to stop those arms from repeatedly coming off.

[Blighty]

3 hours ago, Tigersteve said:

Since you did light it, it would make sense to add a hidden motor to the wheel so it rotates. I know that takes pre planning, but if it's doable, that would be a cool feature. Either way it's awesome. 

Steve

Motor driven stern wheel would have been cool, but ain't gonna happen now!

[Blighty]

3 hours ago, Mike Dowling said:

I didn't notice either about the wheel!! The problem is that whilst mine does indeed go round the crank arms or whatever they are called will not slide in and out of the engine room hence I have had to fix mine to stop those arms from repeatedly coming off.

I see what you mean Mike, a bit of forward thinking and it would be achievable without to much effort but too late now for this old tub.

I haven't attached the wheel yet but it is trapped in the trusses so I can't remove it, not far to go now.

[kurtvd19]

Making a sternwheel operate is much more difficult than adding an electric motor.  Most operating model sternwheels use a circular drive wheel, inside the engine room, that the inboard end of the Pitman arms attach to.  This makes the pitman arms operate in a circular motion while the real steam engine connection to the inboard end of the pitman arm is a slide mechanism that goes fore and aft and the pitman arm attached to the sternwheel follows the sternwheel's circular motion.  The inboard end slides back and forth at a set elevation while the outboard end rotates in a circular motion where it attaches to the sternwheel.  When you see the slide mechanism operate vs the inner wheel type drive the latter looks very toy like. 

Kurt

[Blighty]

2 hours ago, kurtvd19 said:

Making a sternwheel operate is much more difficult than adding an electric motor.  Most operating model sternwheels use a circular drive wheel, inside the engine room, that the inboard end of the Pitman arms attach to.  This makes the pitman arms operate in a circular motion while the real steam engine connection to the inboard end of the pitman arm is a slide mechanism that goes fore and aft and the pitman arm attached to the sternwheel follows the sternwheel's circular motion.  The inboard end slides back and forth at a set elevation while the outboard end rotates in a circular motion where it attaches to the sternwheel.  When you see the slide mechanism operate vs the inner wheel type drive the latter looks very toy like. 

Kurt

Ummm, I don't think I would apply that system, I agree with you that a linear motion is a must have at the front of the pitman arms to look right. This would be purely to replicate the geometry, maybe a tee slot slide for the arm to traverse along, the difficult thing would be getting drive to it from a motor. Not sure how that would be achieved, but maybe a small air pump could drive the buckets and the pitmans just go along for a ride, that would be novel and a fun project maybe for the next stern wheel build. Image that a wind powered steamer lol.

 

[Blighty]

I thought I might get the Chaperon finished today but I still have quite a bit to do. Getting into the rigging and final

 

 

 Been a while since I posted any pics so I thought I'd put a couple up.

 

 

 

 

[mtaylor]

Nice work.  She looks like she's been out on the river for quite a while.  And like the way you didn't blacken the stacks but added some rust

[Blighty]

Thx Mark. I'm not sure if that is the final coat, might be a bit over the top.

[Mike Dowling]

If it were me I would make the stacks a bit blacker, they look like  weathered white which has had a nasty attack by seagulls! 

[Cathead]

Personally I agree with Mike; it's not the level of weathering per se, it's that they don't look like the original metal was ever black. It's a bit distracting since overall the goal of weathering is to make the model more realistic, and in this case the eye wonders, "hey, why does that look like an unpainted white metal casting?". I think you could darken them a bit and still get the rusty, beaten-up effect you're going for.

 

But that being said, it's your model of course and you shouldn't construe such opinions as a reflection on the work. It's lovely and you've a right to finish it how you like. After all, you'll be looking at it a lot more than the rest of us!

[Blighty]

Mike, Cathead,

                    Yep, needs backing off on the old rust, it is a bit to much, it only wraps half way round the stack, the back is black but the beauty of layering colour is I can and will add some more to blend it in better.

Thx for your critical comments, I was on the fence a s to whether to change it or not, you gave me the nudge needed.

I'll post new pics when updated.

 

Len

[Blighty]

Well, Olive Oyle finally kicked me out of the kitchen so I had to get my 'new' work bench completed in the spare room. Much better place for a ship yard. The Chaperon is very, very close to completion now, one life boat to mount and rig and final bit of paint work and it will be completed. I will be adding more cargo as bits show up in yard sales and the likes but the boat is complete. I'll post some pics tonight.

Mike, Cathead, I've tamed the stack aging down, looks much better but 'm still not completely happy with the effect. I wish I had a good pic of weathered stacks as a guide, a black and white would be fine but a colour pic would be better, anyone got a good pic??? please, please.

 

Thx to all who look in and happy modelling.

 

A couple of pics.................

 

Old shipyard is empty, new shipyard operational but still under construction.

 

Len

[Mike Dowling]

Oh goodness, it's so tidy!!! Stacks look much better from the distance shot.

[Blighty]

Hi all, (or both), whichever is the most  a couple of updates to show. I figured I'd be finished last week, but the devil is surely in the detail, still a bit to do.

For Mike and Cathead, repainted the stacks, much darker now and they look a lot better, still not quite right but as good as I can get them. Thx for the nudge guys!

 

I had been itching to make a tissue canopy I found on Youtube, pretty pleased with how it worked out, MS supplied me with 3 boats so I covered the spare, it's not attached so don't be supprised if it vanishes one night.

 

Tx for looking in, next post should be it I'm thinking.

 

 

1.This is drying, just 50/50 mix of white glue dabbed all over the boat.

2. Painted up, ready to be blown off the roof.

3. Repainted stacks.

 

Thx for looking in.

[Mike Dowling]

Oh yes, much, much better and I just love the lifeboats. Looking at the state of your Chaperon I can see them being needed!!!

[Cathead]

That canopy looks fantastic; what a great approach! And the chimneys now really fit into the rest of the model. I'm going to miss this build, but it's got me itching to start my next one.

[Blighty]

51 minutes ago, Mike Dowling said:

Oh yes, much, much better and I just love the lifeboats. Looking at the state of your Chaperon I can see them being needed!!!

Lol, too funny. Sad part about this Mike, the lifeboats leak. Thx for your positive comments, much appreciated.

[Blighty]

53 minutes ago, Cathead said:

That canopy looks fantastic; what a great approach! And the chimneys now really fit into the rest of the model. I'm going to miss this build, but it's got me itching to start my next one.

You're too kind Cathead, but you won't miss it as much as I will. I have already reserved a ring side seat for your next bout, I too am itching for you to start it.

[Tigersteve]

Have to agree that it looks great. 

Steve

[Blighty]

2 hours ago, Tigersteve said:

Have to agree that it looks great. 

Steve

To kind Steve, thx.

[Jack12477]

Looks great. The tarp on the little boat came out great - very realistic looking. Stacks look good also. Nice job.

[Blighty]

Thx Jack, the tissue idea is commonally known I think, but it is delightfully easy to do. Here is the Youtube item I followed if you or anyone else needs it.

 

[Jack12477]

Thanks for the video link.  But I've had a lot of experience in my  1:35 scale plastic Tamiya armor models using tissue to simulate tarps, bed rolls and the like. It works great and looks good. You did a nice job with yours.

[Blighty]

13 hours ago, Jack12477 said:

One for the baseball fans

 

[Cathead]

Love it!

[Blighty]

              !!!!!!!!ALMOST FINISHED!!!!!!!!

At least as far as I plan to take it right now. I need some cargo which I'll pick up along the way and a bit of touching up here and there, but I have run out of bits and the next build is already drawing me in.

 

I have to add the cones to the stacks and mount the rudders, will definitely be done today.

 

 

One interesting point:-

Not bad entertainment for 74 days at a cost of $2.20 US a day, ( I benefitted from the 2 for 1 deal that MS ran back in October, they credited my account $99.

I will edit the title to reflect the finished status later today, add additional pics, notes and credits etc.

 

 

Message for Mike, except where it leaks, this ship is 100% watertight! So there!

 

Blighty.