King of the Mississippi by Bob Fraser - FINISHED - Artesania Latina - Scale 1/80 - 1st Build

[Bob Fraser]

Thanks for the looks and likes, appreciated!

 

Ok - best laid plans and all that meant I didn't sand and oil.

I did fix the middle deck railings though!

 

Instead I decided I didn't like the wooden rails on the upper deck.  I wasn't really enamoured of them in the first place.

Off they came and have been replaced with shiny new double brass rails.

Showing the contrast between the original and new.

A lot cleaner and neater lines, pleasanter to view.

 

Cheers for now!

Edited February 3, 2023 by Bob Fraser

[Bob Fraser]

Bad weekend - ill for 3 days, almost recovered now, and car broke on Friday.  New alternator and serpentine belt, pick it up in the morning.  Also had the grandkids Friday night to Sunday Night!

 

However, today I managed the upper deck posts - Measured against the crew for height they made 12mm.

30 of them cut, rough shaped and drilled for eyes, pins and rails.

Final shape. Holes reamed, pins straightened, cut to short length and filed.  These posts will be pinned to the deck for security as they are an easy knock.

Started to drill the deck to take the pins. Realised that, even an overmake of 30 isn't enough to take care of the curves required.

Back to make another 10 tomorrow - I hope! - after taking the cat for neutering and picking the car up.

Cheers for now!

[Bob Fraser]

So before I made more I decided to try - just as well.

Used the CA needle method to thread the ropes, posts aren't fixed in place yet.

They look too high as a brass rail will be fitted through the rings so off they will come.

Bottom pins to be removed, holes aligned and sanded shorter for a retry 😅

[Bob Fraser]

Stanchions resized, threaded and temporary brass rail added for indicator.

"Well Mr Mate," says the Captain, leaning against the railings "what do you think?"

"Well Cap'n," says Mr Mate, who knows nothing is fixed in and is standing well back, "they seem OK to me from back here!"

 

More later.

 

[Bob Fraser]

OK - did have a day or two off.

Resized the height a touch more and installed the brass top rail.

Not perfect, but as close as I'm going to get!

 

Decided to give the stanchions a rest, and to make the boarding ramp cranes, masts and ramps.

2 cranes as I'ved done the straight stairs, not the spirals.  Realised I need to change those mast rings for cleats, and first single block on the arm for a double for the second lift rope to travel through.

The ramps - 

At the back is the ramp AL want you to use, basic plywood.

New ones made from 1mm x 5mm planks, with side pieces 2mm x 5mm shaped.

Finished ramp again compared to ALs.

Anti-Slip pieces added, as are strengthening cross members underneath.  Still need to add the eyes for the lift and swing ropes.

[Cathead]

Great upgrade! For what it’s worth, my pedantic side wants to note that those were usually called stages in steamboat land. They look really good.

[Bob Fraser]

Cheers Eric.

As a long time user of the Mersey Ferries (maybe 25 years) in my youth, I went with the terminology we used.

The stage (landing stage) is the floating dock at the end of the bridges, and the ramp is lowered onto the ferry from the stage.

At one time, back in the 30s to 60s, in their heyday, they used to have to use three ramps, two on the lower deck - one on, one off, and an off on the upper deck.

During busy times you had to guess which ramp was going to be the off one, and start queing half way across the river!

[Bob Fraser]

Thanks for looking in and the likes.

Two things today.

Foremast and flag. Added a cleat to replace the eye, loops top and bottom of flag, and toggles to the halyard.

It can be raised or lowered.

 

Second, one set of stage lifting chains. I chose a different chain with smaller links, and to make it out of one piece with a round seperator.

And attached a 2mm single block with a hook stropped and jaws lashed with 0.05mm thread. First attempt at something like this

The close up shows just how bad my ropework is!

Chainwork still to do on the second stage, and the lower lift attachment on both.

 

Cheers for now.

[Bob Fraser]

So a weeks gone by, but not quite bye-bye 😄

I did the bow area - capstan, and bitts

made up the stage cranes and masts

The lower part of the stage is connected to the haul with a removable double hook lift to allow for stowing to th mast after lowering - gets it out of passengers way.

Added cleats instead of the rings AL say to use.

I didn't really like the clunky crimps on the ropes so they're all replaced - cats had had a chew again anyway!

Resited the cleat for the flag to tighten the rope, and installed the flagpole.

 

Another change - I found some turnbuckles in my stash of spare bits I'd bought many years ago and forgotten about.

These have now been added into the hog chains.

One each fore and aft.

 

Also installed the stage crane on one side

Added the stage bracing ropes, changed the eyes for cleats on the uprights and lashing points on deck.

Tried to do a proper job on the cleat lashings and coils, they look better from a normal viewing distance. 😂

 

Thanks for looking in!

[Cleat]

I've started to do the things you recently built, it is really helpful to see things in detail (good pictures). 

 

I like your brass & rope railing (my brother made a similar railing for a lake view deck).  I'm curious what you use to bend the brass?

[Bob Fraser]

For the longer  stair handrails I made a small jig, which kind of worked out but needed a tweak as the angles weren't quite the same everywhere. The smaller ones were bent by eyeball and pliers.

The handrails round the deck - this was done by hand.  When pinning the newels to the deck the ones on the curve were angled for the curve.

I used a wire straightener and just started at one end, feeding the wire through and giving a slight tweak on the bend to help  it round. Once fed through I found it only needed another slight curve with fingers. It's not perfect but it works for me.

Still got to check out my newels for proper height ( I'm using HO scale figures for this. AL do have a set of period figures for the King now),  and hole levels 😵 for the rest of the deck.

Should have made a jig in the first place!

[bobandlucy]

Bob, it looks really good, and I admire your willingness to experiment/improve upon this kit!

[Bob Fraser]

Thanks for the looks and likes.

On 3/9/2023 at 4:22 PM, bobandlucy said:

Bob, it looks really good, and I admire your willingness to experiment/improve upon this kit!

 

Thanks Bob - Inspiration, advice and ideas from others have all helped along the line, not forgetting the kind comments and encouragement too!

Plus wanting to make this as individual as I could.

 

Latest updates - not much!

After installing the second crane I added a scrap strip of brass as a strengthener across them both using some copper pins I found.

Whilst doing that I damaged the star newel post, which I didn't notice! (visible in both photos, now fixed)

Second crane and stage added, lower angle to show it off a bit better.  Tied off on one side at the deck edge.

 

I've also  made up and drilled out a further 17 posts, making 30 in all to be installed on deck 3.

 

Cheers for now,

Edited March 11, 2023 by Bob Fraser

[Auger]

I broke a lot of parts like that during my Enterprise build, so from now on, I add bamboo treenails to any vertical posts, etc. They stand up to my mistakes much better.

 

 

[Bob Fraser]

Good idea @Auger ! I just have so many kit supplied "nails" I put one of those in and cut the head off, (I forgot on the stairs)  plus I don't have a drawplate! 🤣

Edited March 11, 2023 by Bob Fraser

[Auger]

Using the kit nails is a good idea. 

[Auger]

deleted, wrong log. 

 

 

Edited March 12, 2023 by Auger

[Bob Fraser]

After2 years almost to the day since starting this log, I'm calling this finished. 

The upper deck brass rail was done in a single run which shows up a few flaws in the height of the posts and ended up pulling some of the loops off the top of the posts, as well as a few posts off the deck on the bow due to having to pull the curve back through the straight run and reproduce the new curve as it went through.  The kinks in the straights have been sorted.

The benches are a bit clunky, and the extra decorative works are a bit too fancy for my liking, so she's now a passenger / cargo boat.

 

As a first build the things I've learned are many, as were the mistakes 😱. (Too many to list!)

First and foremost, don't be afraid to ask for help or take advice from others who are more knowledgeable.

Save all your scraps, you never know when they'll come in handy!

Be patient, especially when bending things!

Measure a number of times before cutting.

Don't be afraid to make changes to something already made to make it look better.

Walk away when it frustrates you - it'll come right later with fresh eyes.

Try new things to extend your skill level, even if only a little you'll enjoy the challenge.

If it's a generic model lidy who has looked in, liked, commented, given advice and helped me along the way, it's been greatly appreciated.

Edited March 14, 2023 by Bob Fraser

[ccoyle]

That's a fine model, Bob. Congratulations!

[Cleat]

Congratulations on finishing your riverboat.  I think it looks really good.  Your modifications give it a unique look.  I hope mine turns out as nice as yours.  I can relate to your conclusions. 

[bobandlucy]

Congratulations, Bob! Looks great.

 

What's number two going to be?

 

Bob

[Auger]

Champagne is in order tonight! Congratulations on your accomplishment. 

So, yeah, what he ^^ said, what’s number two gonna be? 😁

Edited March 14, 2023 by Auger

[Jerry Berenson]

Great job, Bob

[Cathead]

Very nice. Thanks for sharing your work and experiences. 

[Bob Fraser]

Once again, Thank you all for everything.

Next up - A small version of the Cutty Sark! for a fun build 🤣

 

[Prowler901]

Really beautiful, Bob!  I have one sitting in the box.  Not sure when I'll get around to it.  But, your build log is a great resource.

 

Todd

[Cleat]

How did you attach the buckles to the masts?  It looks like the wire is used but I'm not sure how to attach the wire.