King of the Mississippi by Auger - Artesania Latina - 1/80

[Auger]

The stairs as of today:

 

 

[Auger]

I don't like the laser cut stair rails so I'm going to attempt to make my own. The first (easy) rails have been glued into place. Time to get bending and breaking:

 

 

 

 

[Auger]

Tonights tunes

 

 

[Auger]

New hand rails made from 2x2 Sapele wood:

 

 

[Auger]

Passengers starting to arrive:

 

 

[Auger]

Been a while since I've posted, but I'm still around. I've added the port side wood rails and they took a bit of time to build-up. So here are a few photos of where things sit as of today:

 

 

[Cathead]

Good to know this is still under progress, thanks for updating.

[Auger]

I've started the first of the guard rails. For me the secret is careful bending and some CA glue for the metal parts. Concerning the posts, I used my Model Machines draw plate to draw down some bamboo skewers which where used as anchors for the posts, these make things a lot more rigid and less apt to break off if accidentally touched durning construction, just need to let the glue set overnight.

[Auger]

First of the second deck guard rails installed and I started cutting the corner sections for the first deck support beams. The corner sections are difficult to cut because they're so darn small. 

 

 

[Auger]

Well after a long, cold winter which is too cold down stairs, and then a broken left arm (mountain biking) last month, I'm finally out of the cast and able to manipulate some tools and small pieces of wood again. So, back to the build, albeit slowly. I've started planking the 3rd deck and added some small details to the first deck. 

 

Sawing and sanding are still a bit difficult, but good physical therapy if I go slowly.

 

Edited May 27, 2021 by Auger

[Auger]

Adding bumpers to the 3rd deck. 

 

 

[Auger]

Laying the 3rd Deck.

 

 

[Auger]

Just returned from the vineyards of some good family friends, The Coulons in Reims. Their champagne is absolutely wonderful; planted on the same soil as Veuve Clicquot. In all actually, their vines are the very next row. Super, super friendly people who embody the spirit of France. I would attribute them to old school U.S. southern hospitality ( of all kinds ). Needless to say, the back of my truck was full upon departure from their house.

 

The Champagne of the world comes from the valley in my last photo. As we build model ships, they produce Champagne. Although, this year, they were hit hard by a late freeze in April and many houses suffered large losses. Last image courtesy of imgur.com (saving the vines). Not the Coulon house, but another house trying to fight the freeze.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 31, 2021 by Auger

[Cathead]

The Midwestern US was also hit very hard by  freezes this year. We lost all our pears, apples, cherries, and peaches, and took damage to blueberries and grapes.

 

Welcome back to the build!

[Auger]

On 5/31/2021 at 10:29 PM, Cathead said:

Welcome back to the build!

 

Thanks, happy to be back! And especially happy to be out of that itchy cast; I can type again!

[bobandlucy]

Looks great Auger! I have this kit but am waiting for confidence to build through other models. The staircases kind of intimidate me. . . 

 

Where did you find the human and animal figures? 

 

Bob

[Auger]

14 hours ago, bobandlucy said:

Looks great Auger! I have this kit but am waiting for confidence to build through other models. The staircases kind of intimidate me. . . 

 

Where did you find the human and animal figures? 

 

Bob

 

Hi Bob,

 

I purchased the figures on amazon.fr, by Preiser @ 1/87 scale.

[Auger]

Picking up...

[Auger]

[Auger]

Had to change the engine in my truck, so it’s been a while…

[Bob Fraser]

Looking good there. I like the door windows and vents .

 

[Auger]

Addition of the following deck. There’s a gap at the base of the assembly there that I’m going to have to fill with a 2x2 piece of shaped wood, like a decorative trimming. I tried to press the entire assembly down to fill-in the gap but the wood told me to stop or else. So I listened.

 

 

 

Edited March 12, 2023 by Auger

[Knocklouder]

Very nice job. I almost got this one last year when I lost my mind and bought 7 models. So I will follow along. Very nice work  

Edited March 12, 2023 by Knocklouder
Typo of course

[Auger]

29 minutes ago, Knocklouder said:

Very nice job. I almost got this one last year when I lost my mind and bought 7 models. So I will follow along. Very nice work  

Can’t fault you, I have several kits stacked up as well. 🙄

[Auger]

Well, that filled the gap between decks without forcing things. I shaped it like an aircraft blister so once the stairs are installed it’ll be inconspicuous.

Edited March 14, 2023 by Auger

[Auger]

Starting the wheelhouse 

[Auger]

Some careful filing to get the angles right. 

[Auger]

Wheelhouse is coming along.

[Auger]

…and built one of my rockets while things were drying on the riverboat. 😁 Too bad France is limited to 500ft AGL without submitting a NOTAM to the Direction General of Civil Aviation, but being a pilot myself, I understand. I have an L1 rocket coming in soon and hope to get out to the California desert this fall to certify L1. Then on to L2, etc.

[Snug Harbor Johnny]

  'Takes me back to my teens when I built Estes rockets ... eventually designing a two-stage 'egg lofter' powered by D engines.  It went so high (and there was no central hole in the parachute) that gusts blew it deep into a wooded area - lost for good.  I also launched boost gliders and a plastic camera that would take areal shots of varying quality depending on how the nose was pointed.  Yup, did my own B&W photography in those days ... you could buy film, paper, developer and hypo (fixer) in many 'mom and pop' hardware stores - a camera store for sure.  Its amazing the materials youths were allowed (after supervised instruction) to use ... that are now considered too hazardous for kids to get anywhere near.

 

  I did see in one of the few remaining independent hobby shops in our area both E and the 'fabled' F engines ...  'Would have like to try one of those back in the day.