Mississippi by Micklen32 - FINISHED - OcCre - 1:80

[Adrieke]

yes lookign very much almost finished. for painting those decorations. ly them down on a bit paper toweling adn after painting if there is still some left in between i usualy blow on it to get it out

[Micklen32]

The missing bits turned up today so I should be able to finish it now

The main things I was missing were the strips so now I can do all the little odd bits that I couldn't before 

What I can't get over is the little extra they sent me  

 

I was amazed and well chuffed when that dropped out the package    

 

Today was mostly taken up with painting and finishing off some of the decorations

The railings on the starboard side and the little frilly bits on the bar deck all the way round

 

 

 

I also cut and painted the stretchers and the derrick masts which means I will soon be breaking out the cotton   

 

I could also finish off the roof of the wheelhouse with the strips received  

 

That included cutting the whistle in place, drilling a hole so the stove pipe could get through and fitting the edge decorations

Also if you look at the top left of the pic you can see I also coloured the paddle blades, so a fairly productive day today

 

With my computer table getting in such a mess I decided to invest in the OcCre Workshop Cabinet that comes with loads of places to put things, also ship supports and a soft place to work with delicates

 

Then looking at that I started to think

I have the tram on the way but then I was thinking of doing the Santisima Trinidad

What I may do however is start with a much smaller model just to make it and then see how easy it is to maybe sell

I am thinking of doing something that has a bit of history and that is the Bounty Launch

I was thinking that with the story behind it, it may sell easier that others

But then I have never tried to sell a ship before   

 

And thanks Adrieke

It wasn't easy as my white paint is a little thick but I did my best

 

Mick

Edited May 15, 2013 by Micklen32

[john46]

Again a lot of painting Mick, your boat is looking great. A very nice gesture indeed your personalised name plate.

 

Regards,

John

[Adrieke]

wow that is nice of them

[Sjors]

Hi Mick,

 

Great job you are doing.

I don't say much but still following you!

I see that you also get the "little" present from OcCre….

I have one myself when I was at the build of the Spirit and was also surprised when I see it.

It's a great  from them that they are doing this!

 

 

[Micklen32]

Well the tram has arrived at Stansted so that should arrive tomorrow   

Got a CT scan tomorrow though so a bit pushed for time. MiL should be able to take it in   

 

I can't believe how a few hours work has changed the look of the ship so much

I worked on both ends, the bow gangplanks and the paddle wheel

 

First thing was the construct the gang planks and the struts  

 

Really getting on well with the sander BTW.  Very easy to change if you want a different grade of paper and you don't throw the paper away, just refit it when you want it back

 

Close up of the ring fittings that hold things together here  

 

You do have to be a little careful if you are opening the ring a little to join them as they are a little brittle

 

Then a bit of a break from the complicated stuff as I finished off the engine room  

 

I glued the bucket in   

 

Now total disarray as I do the rope work  

 

I had forgotten how tricky it is threading the cotton through little holes    

 

It did all come together eventually though    

 

Whoops, left a tag of cotton on the starboard side    

 

Then I got to work on the other end and fitted the paddle wheel  

 

It is really starting to look like a paddle steamer now and I am well chuffed      

Mick

[john46]

Great job Mick. You are about to finish her.

 

Regards,

John

[Sjors]

Almost there Mick,

 

Great job!

Really love it.

 

[Adrieke]

nice job Mick. for treading the ropes use a needle treader it works really good

[Micklen32]

The tram arrived yesterday and I had a quick look through and was amazed how many parts, especially laser cut wooden bits, there were

I reckon there were as many if not more wooden bits than in the Spirit   

I reckon that this could take my some time   

 

The Spirit however is very nearing completion

 

I had a day off yesterday after the scan and headed back to it this morning

I first started fitting the stretchers and the railing uprights (Pins)  

 

It took me a little while to cut the pins down, drill the holes, and glue them in place

Once that was done the railings themselves (Cotton) had to be fixed  

 

Once the cotton had been would all around each pin it had to be painted white  

 

This was quite tricky as the thread used was not twisted too much and not waxed at all so you had lots of tiny ends sticking out that you had to try and get to go down using the paint

 

Then with the railings done, the stretchers finished and the flag raised little is left to do  

 

All that is left to do is to paint a few of the railing tops red, paint and fit the lifebelts and give most of the woodwork on the sides a good coat of varnish or six

Wife is very very happy and has the space for it ready     

Mick

 

 

 

 

[john46]

Hi Mick, hope you are doing well. The Spirit is looking great, your wife is happy so suppose that is the greatest reward you can achieve.

 

Regards,

John

[Sjors]

Great job Mick,

 

While I was watching your pictures, Anja was walking against me and she said….looks familiar…...

You do her justice!

 

 

[gjdale]

Great job Mick. She looks superb! I can't believe how quickly you've completed this model. Excellent work! A shame that you can't post a build of your Tram here as well

[Adrieke]

awesome Mick and in a very short time i see many more builds in your future

[Micklen32]

Thank you all

I am very pleased with the work, I have learnt a lot

What you must remember however is it may not have taken long in days but i have been working on it full time

I think there are nearly 200 hours in this build

I am not sure how that equates to other builds of this type

 

The tram however is 1:24 so that will have to be treated very differently

I will be doing a detailed blog of it Grant so you will be able to follow it if you wish and I will be staying on here as my next build will be a ship

I was hoping to do the Bounty Launch but OcCre haven't got it ready yet

It will be sometime this year but they don't know when

I MAY have a go at the San Juan which is quite similar  http://www.occre.com/index.php?option=com_productos&task=showProduct&idproducto=15

Anyway, must get back to painting the lifebelts

I have put them in soak and painted the top of the railings red that needed it 

Mick

[Micklen32]

Well the first attempt at the lifebelts was a total failure   

I just could not get them looking right and as you know you don't get many chances

So I had to put them in turps overnight and strip the first attempts off

Today then I will take a lot of time and really try to get them looking good

Cross your fingers for me   

 

Mick

[Adrieke]

crossing fingers and toes for you Mick 

[Micklen32]

Well this has been by far the most irritating part of the build by a long way 

I just could not get them looking as good as I wanted

I tried a lighter red to make them stand out a bit more and they were a bit better but I still wasn't happy, however the widfe has told me to stop beating myself up and they were good enough  

 

I admit they actually look a bit better in the pic than I think they look IRL.  However I have been told    

 

At one point I had to calm myself down so I made a start of the tram base   

I have started a blog where I will be posting the build and doing it precisely

I have put the address in my signature but to repeat it, it is micklen-tram.blogspot.co.uk

Please leave comments to let me know how it's looking

I decided to do the base first so it's ready to put it on   

In the blog you can click on the pics for a full page view

 

Mick   

Edited May 20, 2013 by Micklen32

[john46]

The lifebelts are looking good Mick, so the passengers can embark safely.

 

Regards,

John

[Micklen32]

This is it then

The lifeboats are on

The wife insisted they were ok

Checked around and fitted the main stack support ropes and at that point it looked pretty much done     

 

So here it is in position

 

   

 

I hope you think it looks good.  The wife and I are quite happy

 

What may be interesting to you is after I had finished this I put together the OcCre Portable Workshop

I will put up the pics of the build here, if it is considered not right to have them here let me know

 

           

 

It went together very easily and it seems very sturdy and I am well pleased with it

 

Well that is about it for this build

Let me know what you think and please follow the tram build on blogspot

 

Mick

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[john46]

Congratulations on finishing the Spirit, she looks great. The portable workshop looks to be a great help to keep things organized.

 

It was a pleasure to follow your log.

 

Best regards,

John

[Sjors]

Congarulations with the finish!

 

I have to agree with John Mick!

Very ,very nice.

You are doing her proud and you can be proud of her.

Are you posting some pictures in the complete gallery?

 

[Adrieke]

congrats Mick. a very beautiful build

 

i have seen that workshop before. let me know how useful it is

[edmay]

Hello Mick,Very very nice build,you can be proud of your acheivement,hope mine will be as good.Nice build area ,will be able to keep things together,will there be any passagers boarding.The tram we used most was no 19 Breck road to Pier Head on the river Mersey for a penny return,so all you needed for a day out was a jam sandwich and a bottle of pop,'those were the day's my freind',will follow the tram,ps your wife was right,nice job. Edwin

[gjdale]

Congratulations Mick on a job well done. You can be justifiably proud of your handiwork. I hope you are going to put her in some form of display case to keep the dust off her.

[edmay]

Hello Mick.A really really nice job on the steamer,also congrates on midshipman.(A happy wife is a happy home). I"m just a little puzzeled,I flew out of Stansted to Bahrain several times and did not see any Trams!!!!!!(if you can send a picture of the tram).kind regards to you and your wife,Edwin

[Railcardownunder]

Hi

I have been following your excellent build and your photos are inspiring in my build which is slowly progressing

I have been able to view some photos of yours using photobucket but despite me signing up I can no longer view any it says your album is empty

Any suggestions please as I am only part way through

I am a member of modelshipworld as railcardownunder. I live in Australia

Michael