Fifie by PJG - Amati - 1:32 - Scottish Motor Fishing Vessel

[yvesvidal]

Lovely.

 

Yves

[Ras Ambrioso]

Thanks for your last posting. It just happens I am, just today, doing research on the item of steam power for the winch. I asume you will provide the proper flue and chimney to go through the deck. 

 

I have not yet started my Fifie since I am trying to complete the Emma Berry. I am absorbing lots of information on, not only the kit, but the subject of the nets, their construction and their stowage

[PJG]

4 hours ago, yvesvidal said:

Lovely.

 

Yves

 

Thanks Yves!

 

2 hours ago, Ras Ambrioso said:

It just happens I am, just today, doing research on the item of steam power for the winch. I asume you will provide the proper flue and chimney to go through the deck.

 

Yes, I'll be venting the stove and boiler above deck.

[PJG]

So I've added a little more detail to the forward cabin. I'm mostly satisfied with this area now but will be adding some subtle light (I hope) so the detail below deck will be easier to see. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I still need to add a layer of "coal" to my bunker to cover the fabric/foam filler that's there now...it hasn't quite dried yet. I'll also be adding more rope to the warp room but need to place an order with Chuck. The fish hold has been weathered (hard to see in these photos) so I can finally start working above deck again. Thanks for checking in! 

 

Edited January 25, 2021 by PJG

[James H]

This is just incredible. I so want to do this with mine when the time comes.

[VTHokiEE]

This is really an inspirational build, I’m very impressed!

[PJG]

1 hour ago, James H said:

This is just incredible. I so want to do this with mine when the time comes.

 

Thanks James...the difference being the whole project will only take you a week or two to finish 😂

 

49 minutes ago, VTHokiEE said:

This is really an inspirational build, I’m very impressed!

 

Thank you!

[Blue Ensign]

Loving that wine stopper boiler. 👍

 

B.E.

[BobG]

Fantastic work!

[Mike_In_RI]

Yup, love the small parts detail of the boiler & coal bin... including the darkening of the floor planks from coal dust, of course.

 

Mike

[PJG]

Thanks guys for the nice comments...they're very much appreciated!

 

So I've finally climbed out from below deck and started making some progress on things you'll actually see on this model. First, I tackled the capstan. This was easy enough to build and the paint scheme is utilitarian compared to some of the other builds and photos I've seen. I have to say I'm not a fan of working with photo etched parts (particularly painting)  but there's no denying the level of detail they offer. 

 

 

 

I went with a simple metal look although there is wood grain visible in close up photos that I don't pick up on under normal viewing conditions. I gave the red casing a subtle gloss to add a little contrast. The brass rollers just didn't look real to me so I painted those as well. 

 

 

 

Along with the capstan, the warp room hatch, forward companion way and light were added. Given how easily the brass parts shed paint with pretty much any minor contact I'll be setting the capstan safely aside until the end of the build. 

 

 

 

The warp room hatch will be open in my final display so I detailed both sides of the cover so it can be leaned against the rail, etc. and look believable. I built this from scraps and added the grab handle. 

 

 

 

The forward companion way in the open position so the below deck details can be seen. 

 

 

 

I built the forward light from scratch to match the basic style of the rear version. Sticking with the theme of a working boat built and maintained by fishermen rather than naval architects, I'm attempting to create a certain "roughness" that hopefully doesn't cross the line into "sloppy build". The wheel house should go a long way to see if I'm on the right track. Thanks for checking in and stay tuned...

 

 

Edited January 31, 2021 by PJG

[pwog]

Everything looks amazing! This build is beautiful!

[JpR62]

What a wonderful job. The attention to detail and the realism of the painting is fabulous!

[bebopsteve]

Looks Awesome!!!

[Mike_In_RI]

Another great update. Th photos are so realistic and crisp, one feels like leaning over to take a look under the deck.

 

Mike

[Ras Ambrioso]

I have a of question PJG. Where does the capstan get their steam? From the boiler and there should be a feed pipe to the capstan and also a condensate line line from the capstan to the sea. I have not seen this detail on any other build, plan or picture.

 

And thanks for you excellent example in modeling

 

[BobG]

Your painting is fantastic. Are you doing some slight weathering on some of the painted parts?

[PJG]

On 2/1/2021 at 8:25 AM, Mike_In_RI said:

The photos are so realistic and crisp, one feels like leaning over to take a look under the deck.

 

Thanks Mike... I have some mini-LEDs on order to fool around with possibly lighting the below-deck detail areas. We’ll see how that goes.

 

16 hours ago, Ras Ambrioso said:

Where does the capstan get their steam? From the boiler and there should be a feed pipe to the capstan and also a condensate line line from the capstan to the sea. I have not seen this detail on any other build, plan or picture.

 

Yes, from what I’ve been able to find, a “donkey” boiler was used to power the capstan. I added one (or at least my loose interpretation of one!) to my forward cabin detail area below deck. I’m not an engineer but I’m assuming there was a certain amount of machinery below deck under the capstan where the steam was fed and the gears that turn the capstan lived. I haven’t seen anything definitive on this. The kit does call for a pipe that runs from the base of the capstan overboard. I’m assuming this is the drainage pipe you’re referencing. I’ll add that when I permanently install the capstan. 

 

11 hours ago, BobG said:

Your painting is fantastic. Are you doing some slight weathering on some of the painted parts?

 

Thanks Bob... I did add weathering to the metal parts as part of the paint job. I used a gunmetal gray first and then dry-brushed a little silver to simulate wear. 

[bebopsteve]

The painting on the metal looks great! What kind of paint are you using?

Thanks!

[PJG]

18 hours ago, bebopsteve said:

The painting on the metal looks great! What kind of paint are you using?

 

Thanks Steve...I use Vallejo's Model Air. I think it's primarily designed to be an airbrush paint for plastic kits but I find it works nicely with a regular brush on wood surfaces. I use it in several thinned layers rather than all in one coat. 

[Nirvana]

PJG,

The Vallejo Air works real nice with a regular brush. Yes, we have to add another couple of coats, but the turn out is so good. Even using air compressor and painting wood, metal works real well. Details stand out really well.

[Mike_In_RI]

On 2/2/2021 at 11:10 AM, PJG said:

Yes, from what I’ve been able to find, a “donkey” boiler was used to power the capstan. I added one (or at least my loose interpretation of one!) to my forward cabin detail area below deck. I’m not an engineer but I’m assuming there was a certain amount of machinery below deck under the capstan where the steam was fed and the gears that turn the capstan lived. I haven’t seen anything definitive on this. The kit does call for a pipe that runs from the base of the capstan overboard. I’m assuming this is the drainage pipe you’re referencing. I’ll add that when I permanently install the capstan. 

 

This from the Scottish Fisheries Museum..     https://www.scotfishmuseum.org/parts-of-reaper.php

 

 

 

Quote

 

The introduction of Steam Capstans towards the end of the nineteenth century to assist in the handling of the fishing gear and the masts and sails, allowed larger boats to be built. The foresails were also fitted with wire in place of rope luffs which the capstan was able to hoist tightly for windward sailing.

REAPER’s capstan was made in the 1920’s by McDonald Brothers of Portsoy. The small steam engine under the top cover which drives it is now operated by compressed air. This allows the capstan to be used to hoist the sails.

 

 

Maybe all that's needed is the boiler below and piping to and away from the box. (???) For that matter, the piping may well have come up axially inside the capstan (??) 

 

Mike

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[PJG]

17 minutes ago, Mike_In_RI said:

Maybe all that's needed is the boiler below and piping to and away from the box. (???) For that matter, the piping may well have come up axially inside the capstan (??) 

 

Thanks Mike for providing the interesting link/info. The Reaper's capstan looks like it has a reasonable amount of room in its base to house whatever was necessary to turn the larger vertical spindle (probably the wrong term) and the housing on top, the smaller horizontal rollers. You're probably right that most of the stuff that made it work was within the capstan itself and a simple steam feed from the boiler finished the job. Luckily, what's directly under the capstan won't be visible in my build so I'm safe either way! 😂

[Ras Ambrioso]

I did more research on the winch/capstan.The ones shown for the Fifie were made by Elliott & Garroods and a small two cylinder steam engine is located on the upper section  of the capstan. The capstan shaft is hollow and the steam supply pipe runs through the center from the boiler below deck. The steam is exhausted from the foot of the capstan and piped to the bulkwark.

[PJG]

On 2/10/2021 at 4:20 PM, Ras Ambrioso said:

I did more research on the winch/capstan.The ones shown for the Fifie were made by Elliott & Garroods and a small two cylinder steam engine is located on the upper section  of the capstan. The capstan shaft is hollow and the steam supply pipe runs through the center from the boiler below deck. The steam is exhausted from the foot of the capstan and piped to the bulkwark.

 

Thanks Ras...I was able to find a couple images of this particular capstan and you and Mike are absolutely right. Everything that makes these things work is right there on top. The only thing it required from below deck was the steam feed. 

 

Here's a short Youtube clip of a 1/6 working model someone built of one of these capstans...incredible.

 

 

 

[Ras Ambrioso]

Super cool video PJG. I also found in my research some information about the so call "pound boards". This boards, as shown in the kit, compartmentalize the deck around the hold. For what I see, the nets are shaken up as the net is brought on deck. Lots of people need to be helping since it will be necessary to untie the floats and the messenger line that is being drawn by the capstan fwd. The two guys by the rail shake off the fish into the compartmented "pound" while the rest of the crew pulls the net either on deck or to the hold. After they have brought all the net on board they will shovel the fish to the hold via the scuttle hatches. Once the fish is on the hold they may also be compartmentalized. Once on back to the dock they will fill the "cran" baskets to measure and unload the catch. As you see it is a very intensive hand labor job. For what I've read later in the 20th century they started building large motorized boats that will have prepare the fish on board and it may be a mostly mechanized labor.

 

[Rik Thistle]

#114, #115 & #116 .... I did more research on the winch/capstan.The ones shown for the Fifie were made by Elliott & Garroods

 

Very interesting and great video also.

 

Preston Services sell a lot of old steam powered equipment ...    https://prestonservices.co.uk/item/elliott-garood-capstan-steam-engine-2-12-x-5-cylinder/       including steam powered models .... https://prestonservices.co.uk/category/miniatures-models/

...and full sized steam ships .... https://prestonservices.co.uk/item/hms-bullfrog-steam-ship/

.... https://prestonservices.co.uk/item/steam-dinghy/

 

Richard

Edited February 14, 2021 by Rik Thistle

[PJG]

Thanks Ras, Rik for the interesting links/info. Those steam powered models are amazing! 

[PJG]

Progress continues, slowly but surely. I've started fooling around with some weathering on the deck..it's not easy to see in these photos but I'm mostly satisfied with the results in person.

 

 

 

The deck is starting to look like people actually work on it. I've also added the top rail and painted the timber that runs along the top of the timber heads. I'll be dulling down that bright red later.

 

 

I'll be adding more weathering later to simulate foot traffic and general grime but for now I think it's looking ok. I've also started fabricating the covers for the fish hold. I'm looking for a "used" texture so I won't be using the material provided in the kit for those. 

 

 

 

I decided to use the same style grab-handle I made for the warp room hatch cover and the same board and batten construction method for the covers themselves. 

 

 

 

 

I made the plates the scuttle covers sit on/in with paper. One piece with a slightly larger diameter circle than the other. After painting they worked out pretty well and all 4 openings can be displayed open or closed.

 

 

The instructions called for the forward bollards (correct term?) to sit on top of the deck but it looked a little "off" to me so I inset the piece into the deck instead. I also spent a fair amount of time filing the casting lines off this part. It may have just been the luck of the draw but my kit had a pretty rough casting of this particular piece.

 

 

On to the wheelhouse. I decided to scratch-build an alternative version of this structure for my boat. I was looking for something with a little more space than what's called for in the plans and this seemed like a good opportunity to further customize the build.  

 

 

 

 

I added a bench for the helmsman to relax on when time allowed along with pegs to hang gear. I try to take care of my crew 😂

 

 

I won't be using the wheel provided in the kit...it looks far too bulky and out of scale. Given the design of the structure the wheel attaches to I took a guess at how the rope/cable that controls the rudder exits the wheelhouse. There's nothing specific/detailed in the plans so this will have to do. When the wheel house is in place, this area is barely visible. 

 

 

I'll be adding a few more details to this area in addition to a more appropriate wheel. I'd imagine there would be a binnacle and some kind of control for the motor. I may also add a light source here if I can find a way to do it convincingly. Stay tuned...

 

 

 

 

All in all, things are starting to come together...who knows, maybe I'll actually finish this thing some day. Thanks for checking in!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 15, 2021 by PJG

[Tim Moore]

Terrific work. Really like the texture you are achieving and patina on your woodwork. How did you do the weathering on the deck if you don’t mind me asking?