Thistle 1894 by LJP – FINISHED - 1:64 scale – a Wisconsin sternwheeler by Lawrence Paplham

[LJP]

Hi Roger

 

I really appreciate your comments on determining colours in black and white photos.  Like you, whatever is out there seems to point to you cannot determine the colour. I thought that colourized black and white films had some insight but that also is not true. 

 

Cathead,

 

Thanks for looking at the photo and helping confirm my thoughts that the decks were covered.  From what I read, the canvas was either painted or varnished to ensure longevity.  Some referred to sand being added - probably to make the surface less slippery. 

 

I had hoped to have completed the main deck by now but it is taking much longer than anticipated.  Part of the delay is "other duties as assigned". So I will stay at laying planks for a bit longer before I paint.  I thought I would use a hull red but that may be too dark.  I will test a sample to see how that looks before I do the whole main deck.  

 

LJP

[kurtvd19]

I use Badger paints exclusively and their Anti-Fouling Red Oxide matches the old Floquil color of Boxcar Red / Red Oxide as close as my eyes could match them.  I usually apply the  Anti-Fouling Red Oxide over black to achieve a slightly darker color. 

 

Barns and steamboat decks were painted red because red was the cheapest color and readily available.  The color varied from region to region based on the available red clay in the area.  So one red isn't any more accurate than another - within the range of colors available in the region.  Boats built in the same area or refurbished in the same area would have very similar reds vs a boat from another area. 

[LJP]

Hi Kurt,

 

Thanks for the quick heads up on the Badger Anti-Fouling Red Oxide.  The colour I have is Model Expo's Hull Red.  If you can believe the laptop colours when you Google your Badger or Floquil paints, the Model Expo seems close to your Badger Oxide Red.  The Floquil seems a bit more brown but the swatch was very small and came from a colour chart. 

 

Your comments on steamboats and barns is really helpful.  I have no experience with steamboats but do have lots of Wisconsin experience with barns - having painted my uncles barns red in my very young years.  My memories may not be that accurate anymore but I want to say that barn red was not unlike railroad boxcar red.  

 

LJP

[LJP]

Hi All, 

 

The main deck planking is done, now is time to paint the deck oxide red.  The bow still needs two hawse holes for the anchor chains as Thistle had bent arm kedge anchors.  I did put a hatch there for access to the suspected chain locker/collision bulkhead.  When Thistle had one of  its literal run-ins with a rock that punched a hole in its bow, it was noted that the forward compartment filled but water did not reach the coal bunkers.  

 

I also need two hog chain holes.  In addition to the normal hog chains, Thistle had hog chains that seemed to run from the front of the boilers, through cutouts in the boiler room doors, and then into the hull by the main stairway.

 

Here is the planked main deck. The two oblong metal hatches in front of the boiler pit are the coal chutes, just like on the Paul L. . I also included two main hatches.  Lastly, I put a hatch in the engine room, not unlike the S. S. Moyie.   These latter three hatches, along with the one for the chain locker, are a best guess on my part as I have no Thistle photos to confirm what and where the hatches actually were.  

 

 

[Jim Lad]

Very nicely done!

 

John

[mbp521]

Just found your build and what a great job you have done so far. I will be following along on this journey with great interest. 
 

-Brian

[LJP]

Thanks Jim! Brian welcome aboard!

 

The Oxide Red turned out much darker than I anticipated. It hides a lot of the hatch details.  I added a stained and roughed up rubbing strake.  One Thistle photo showed a second, much shorter strake on top of that strake.   Since this did not seem common, I omitted the second rubbing strake.

 

I will begin making machinery before I start the structures.  I will need the two Scotch marine boilers, boiler and auxiliary feed pumps, two hand pumps. a dynamo and two poppet engines.  I will probably do the pitmans and paddle wheel later, although I already have made  the pillow blocks.

 

LJP  

[LJP]

I am back from attending to "other duties as assigned". The boilers took much longer than anticipated.

 

I did not have the exact measurements for the two Scotch boilers but comparable Ryan Brothers boats included 4' by 12' boilers, so that is what I used.  I used Marine Iron Works of Chicago advertisments as my guide. A scan from my original Catalog 18 follows.

 

My built boilers, located within the hull follow. The white markings on the deck are placements for the upcoming stationairies.

The steam lines from the steam drums to the main steam line will be added later.

 

I was not certain how the breeching connected between the two boilers as I was unable to find a photo.   Unlike the Western River boilers, Scotch boilers had flues beginning about halfway up the fireboxes. MIWC ads showed the lower part of the breeching was hinged for access.  I added the heat shields.

 

I will attempt the engines next.  

[Jim Lad]

First class boilers, mate!
 

John

[Cathead]

Nice! How did you make the rivets?

[Reverend Colonel]

LJP
 

I grew up on the Ohio river. A big fan of paddle wheelers. I have a feeling that my first “big boat” will be the Seawanhaka. A Long Island Sound steam ship with the wheels on the side. I believe it was built in 1860.
 

Anyway, enough about me. I’m following this build. Very cool. By the way…how did you make the boilers? What materials, paint…and the rivets…small brass bits…all of the sudden the boilers appeared in all their glory...whatever the case, they look great. 
 

Thanks for sharing your build. 
 

RevCol

https://modelshipworld.com/topic/30548-biscayne-bay-sailing-skiff-by-reverend-colonel-124-small-made-from-a-beech-log-ng-herreshoff-design/?do=edit

 

[LJP]

Hi Jim, Cathead & RevCol!

 

Thanks for your comments.  RevCol, there are not enough original paddle wheelers - I hope to see yours soon.  I agree paddle wheelers are so neat!

 

I built the boilers by using an appropriate diameter wooden dowel cut to length.  Same for the steam dome and the firebox. Wood filler smoothed the connections of the steam domes and fireboxes to the boilers. 

 

 I am not historically accurate as I did not cover the boilers in asbestos.  Both Moyie and photos of local (Oshkosh, Wisconsin) Shattuck Park shipyards showed Scotch boilers covered in asbestos. 

 

The breeching is balsa.  I made plans first, glued them onto the balsa and cut the breeching out.

 

Ah, the rivets.  I tried a few other methods, as built-up glue, and different sizes of pins and nails until I found one close to scale.  Ultimately, I used 4 mm copper nails for the rivets.  The nails were in a possible box (every possible thing known to mankind) and I have no idea where I acquired them from or when.  I used a ponce wheel for the consistent spacing. I drilled holes for every last rivet on the boilers.  These were the elements:

 

Not a quick process, but I liked the results.  What I have noticed is my modeling abilities are not what they once were but it is what it is. 

 

Back to the engines!

 

 

[LJP]

I have finally completed the two poppit engines.  They are about an inch long each.

 

 

The left engine is fully open so the arm on the sternwheel will be at 3 or 9 o'clock.  The right engine is fully closed so it will be at 6 or 12 o'clock. 

 

I used photos from steamboats.com, The Machinery of Western River Steamboats by Colliery Engineer Company (circa 1900), a photo of a Mason engine and Marine Iron Works of Chicago as a guide. The result is an amalgam engine rather than a duplication of any.  As Bates noted, the study of engines is a study onto itself.

 

I used Evergreen styrene, Plastruct ABS and some small wire in the construction.  Herein lies a tale of why it took so long.  Part of the time was simply making something that looked correct in scale and detail. The bigger part was finally finding a glue or solvent to use.  The final solvent is Pastruct Plastic Weld which seems to be methyl-ethyl-ketone (MEK). That MEK quickly melts the plastic to create the bond. A little goes a long way and is not forgiving in either time or placement. Before that, I made several models that literally would fall apart.  I now have a debris filed littered with those unsuccessful attempts.   

 

I am now moving on to the boiler and auxiliary feed pumps.  I trust that will not take as long as the engines did.

[Cathead]

Those look great!

[Jim Lad]

Very nice miniature construction.

 

John

[KeithAug]

Engines very nicely done.

[LJP]

I have completed the boiler and auxiliary feed pumps.  These are also an amalgam of several different sources rather than a reproduction of a single source.  I did not do duplex pumps like the Marine Iron Works photos but stayed with the simplex layout on several other photos. I have no idea which type Thistle had as both appear to have been common at that time.  

 

I also completed a General Electric Curtis Turbine Generating Set dynamo circa 1908.  Thistle had electric added during 1901 maintenance.  The other common alternative would have been a piston driven dynamo not unlike the one on the S. S. Moyie. Again, no idea which was actually used. I will add the wiring and conduit pipe later.

 

There are several other hand pumps, levers &c. that need to yet be built.  I will hold on these as I want to complete the sternwheel first. Crawford/Thistle had several sternwheels over its life.  I will use the 1910 Paul L. photos as a guide as this is closer to the date of the model than say the J. H. Crawford photo from 1894 - 1898. Several other local steamboats referred to "heavy weather" sternwheels.  It is possible that Thistle used one of these, as Thistle was known to run backwards, using the sternwheel to break up ice. 

[Jim Lad]

All coming along beautifully, mate!

 

John

[Roger Pellett]

Nice work on engines and pumps.  If you would like to add some interest, the egg shaped flasks on the feed pumps were often bronze.

[LJP]

I want to thank Cathead, John, Keith and Roger on your kind words! As mentioned, I have had enuf' of small machinery for a while and am now working on the sternwheel.

 

Roger, I was not aware that the tear shaped air chambers on the feed pumps were also bronze.  I will definitely remember this in the future. Thanks for the info.  I have also seen examples where the air chambers were cylinders with rounded ends but I thought the tear shaped looked neater. 

 

 

[LJP]

I would like to give a progress report on the sternwheel.  Alan Bates Cyclopedium is an exceptional source that I used in this process.

 

I drafted a copy of the sternwheel for my template.  The arms and wood circle are 1/16 basswood, the flange 1/32 basswood and the "iron" circles are Evergreen plastic.  I put the template in a clear plastic sleeve and then glued the parts together.  It looked like this during the process.  
 

 

One of the three finished wheels ...

 

I may still add in bolts, need to account for the shaft and clean it up.

 

I am getting started on the 16 buckets (planks).  I have yet to start the shaft although I had already completed the pillow blocks.  I expect to paint it the same oxide red as the main deck. 

 

As an aside, I have been researching historic 1890s house paint colours for later use.  The original paint chips are the only true period colours that I can find. [ The original grey in the Winneconne Steamboat House is the exception] Ironically, the shipbuilders - Ryan Bros., started their careers in Oshkosh as house builders.  So logically, they were exposed to these colours as they built their "ships". I am wondering if I should use a Red Vermillion on the manual hand fire pump and pipes.  Comments?

 

 

 

[Jim Lad]

A very neatly executed sternwheel!

 

John

[mtaylor]

I would suspect you're right about the paints as people tend to go with what they know.   And the color would probably work also.

[LJP]

Thanks, John, for your continued support.

 

Mark, Thanks for your comments. I have period specific "colourized" steamboat photos with a red orange that I will try when I get to paint the fire pumps and possibly the pipes. Otherwise, I really have no idea what colour they were.  

 

I have preliminarily completed the sternwheel.  I need to adjust the shaft length and do paint and other touch-up before it is complete.  For the time being, I just laid it on the pillow blocks. The square on the shaft is an eccentric.  Bates and others had two different type eccentrics. I went with the type that had an offset circle and a strap. I will attach the rods to them later.

 

A top-down view of the same.  

 

After this is finished, I will probably start on the stationaries and the hog braces. 

[LJP]

I have started on the main deck framing.  I used the attached jig and template to be consistent on the frames.  In real life, there were 7' tall and most were 7' apart.

 and this is what it looks like when the unpainted/unfinished frames are loosely attached.  I have a white spacing jig right behind the boiler pit. I will remove the frames and get started in the numerous main deck details before I go any further with the framing. 

[LJP]

I have been busy in the engine room.  Newspaper accounts indicate that Thistle had a crew cabin for the deckhands, fireman and engineer in the engine room just like Yukon steamboats.  The work area with the gauges &c. follows what Moyie currently has. I used Midwest 1/64 birch plywood for the walls.  A couple coats of paint and then I scribed the wood to make it look like individual planks. The engine room still has a long way to go with additional equipment and the overhead piping. I also need to add the stern brace and chains and the steering "rope" before enclosing the engine room and adding the boiler a/k/a saloon a/k/a promenade deck.  Local period newspaper accounts referred to the boiler deck as either the promenade or saloon deck - never the boiler deck.

 

I added the stern panel and affixed the sternwheel before I could proceed further.  That single stern panel was the height of the main deck (8') and the better part of the promenade deck (7') except the top part of the toilet area will still be added. My next steps will include adding the rest of the paddlewheel braces and hog chains. I will use dry transfer lettering for all of Thistle's nameplates at the end of the build.

 

 

[Jim Lad]

Coming along nicely, mate.

 

John

[LJP]

I have been busy at the stern. 

 

I completed the paddlewheel hogging chains and braces.  Thistle had additional supports between the paddlewheel braces while the earlier J H Crawford did not. I still need to add the engine braces and hog chains before I can close this up.

I populated the engine room.  I affixed the boiler and auxiliary feed pumps and the dynamo.  I also added the levers for the variable cut-offs, included the silver bilge pump and the manual red vermillion handled fire pump.  I tried to match the red vermillion colours that I found on the internet but could have added even more orange to the red.  Lastly, I added the engine pendulums that you could see through Thistle's ventilator doors.  These looked to be similar to Rees' or California Cut-Offs but there was not clarity on the two Thistle photos that I found.  

[Cathead]

That looks so good!

[Jim Lad]

I agree - looks great!

 

John