AMAPÁ 1907 by Ras Ambrioso - FINISHED - scale 1:64 - Brazilian Customs Cruiser

[wefalck]

I love those little details. Laudable ambition !

 

I would have thought that the seawater tank would serve the toilets, the freshwater would only be used as drinking and cooking water.

 

What pumps would have supplied the stand-pipe ?

[Ras Ambrioso]

Wefalck, thanks for your comments. I have very little information on the details of this ship. I have been in contact with a friend in Thailand that had some information on the sister vessel of Amapá: Suriya Monthon. However, we really don't about these pumps. The top view on the plans show a FW (fresh water) and  SW (sea water) pump located forward off the boiler casing. Looking at the top view, I figured, they may have been hand operated vertical pumps. The deck plans also shows a downton manual pump for the bilges. 

 

But, since this is in 1907, I thought that electric power may have come to Thornycraft and thus provided this ship with a steam power generator illuminating the cabins and powering the ship's pumps. I have carried that assumption forward and I am presenting a fire water (sea water) standpipe in lieu of the SW pump and FW (fresh water) refill and supply lines to the fresh water tank from the engine room. The sea water standpipe and hose could also be used for regular sea water flushing of the decks. I will provide these same details on the aft wall of the chart room.  The downton bilge pump will remain on deck and as relic of previous technologies.

 

Another interesting item of research is that the Suriya Monthon photo of the mizzen mast only shows the standing rigging. The plans indicate that the ship was furnished with sail rigging also. I came back to my reasoning that, in 1907, using steam for power was sufficient and there was no further need for sails. So this is the way I am going to finish this model. I will also add a wireless antenna between the masts. Radio for sure. 

 

Darn, I love this research!

 

Following is the picture from the Suriya Monthon.

[Ras Ambrioso]

A little more progress on the little things. 

Following comments on this forum, I redid the lifesaver's rings using my "nail jig" to make the rope loops around the ring and then using very thin strips of masking tape to a secure the rows to the rings.

 

 

Now this is how the boiler casing is looking now. I am reworking the fire standpipe on the front wall of the casing. Still anxiously waiting for

my 1/2" propellers from Australia.

 

 

Thanks for following

 

[Roger Pellett]

That freshwater tank atop the boiler casing is probably the expansion tank for the boiler feedwater System.

 

 Steam leaving the low pressure cylinder of the engine is at a considerable vacuum. It is condensed in the condenser and because of leakage within the system is mixed with air.  Leaving the condenser the condensed steam (now a water air mix) is pumped up to a slight pressure above atmospheric by a pump connected to the engine crosshead.  The pressure imparted by this pump causes the condensate to flow into the expansion tank via the line on the left hand side of the tank.  The reduced velocity in the tank allows the entrained air to escape via the gooseneck vent on top of the tank.  The tank also provides adequate pressure due to the weight of the water column for the suction of the boiler feed pump that injects water into the boiler.  The larger diameter line on the right is the boiler feed pump suction.

 

Roger

Edited January 29, 2022 by Roger Pellett

[Roger Pellett]

Ras,

Electric Power, Pumps

 

Steamships began to be fitted with dynamos for generating electricity in the 1880’s.  These were often called “Lighting Plants.”  Use of electricity for driving auxiliary equipment seems to have become common much later.

 

Steam driven pumps date way back to the 1700’s when they were used to pump water from coal mines.  By the late 1800’s a wide variety of compact steam pumps would have been available.  These were either driven by a link to the main engine crosshead, or by a steam cylinder connected directly to the pump.

 

I would suspect that Amp’a would have been equipped with a complete set of steam driven pumps.  The hand pumps on deck were probably for emergencies.

 

Roger

[Ras Ambrioso]

Roger, I love your explanation for the fresh water tank. However, I still thing that this tank had to do with the potable water service. What you refer to is a condensate tank but the vent will be directed to the stack as it is live, albeit low pressure, steam. This is what I love about this forum. We can offer our opinions and knowledge to be shared by all.

You are totally right about keeping the manual pump for emergencies. Thanks again for the comments. There were a reason why I selected this model. This period, was a time of change , new technologies were cancelling previous ideas, but, there was an overlap in their application. A steam powered vessel was also provided with sails, just a in case. The automobiles shared the roads with the horse buggies, etc. ,etc. Just like we face today in our present world.

 

[Roger Pellett]

Ras,

 

According to the machinery description for her sister built for the Siamese Government, these vessels were built with triple expansion engines with the low pressure cylinder exhausting to a surface condenser.  With a well designed machinery plant condensate temperature would be not more than 10-15 degrees hotter than the seawater passing through the condenser tubes.  Even in tropical waters condensate leaving the condenser would not be hotter than 100F.  That’s the idea of the triple expansion engine- wring as much energy as possible from the steam.

 

While there might be water vapor coming from the vent, it would not be hot enough (generally assumed above 140F) to cause injury.

 

Steam turbine plants bleed partially expanded steam from the turbine to heat feedwater but this would not be the case here.

[Ras Ambrioso]

More progress. This is my final version of the big skylight. I used card stock paper to make the frames and actually painted the louvers.

 

 

Finished the galley and engine room access adding a couple of glazed portholes. I also added a black paper to simulate the roofing material.

 

 

This is how the middle deck is looking.

 

 

 

Working on the chart room and bridge. Again, using my learning from watching y'alls ( pardon my slang) builds, I decided to make the sides of the chart room with card stock and wood strips. So far so good:

 

 

The above picture shows the different sections of the walls. Once finished they will glazed with acrylic paper, cut out from the base and installed in the wood frame already fabricated. I have to apologize with some of the roughness of my cuts but I am having a ball with this build.

I am still waiting for my propellers from Australia and I have been advised that they have reached the US, and are currently going through customs. I have been extremely pleased with the service from Modelers Central in Australia. When I placed the order online I didn't realize they were from "downunder" and have been waiting several weeks for the shipment. However, Modelers Central have religiously keeping me informed of the progress of the shipment via e-mails. My kudos to them.

 

As I see the end of this build near I am already searching for a new project. My selection is a 40 foot fast motor launch (ML) made by Thornycraft early in the 20th century. It was named Mimi and with its sister, Toutou, were moved on land from the Cape to lake Tanganyika to fight the germans in those waters during WW I. The story was the basis for the movie The African Queen. The model will be in 1/24 or 1/32 scale and I plan to build a working miniature of the Hotchkiss QF gun.

 

 

[Ras Ambrioso]

I will be taking some time off from this build in the coming weeks, as I need to finish my Fifie. I moved her from the shop to my apartment and, in the move, some of the rigging got loose and a few details need to be completed.  I have my previous model, the Emma Berry, in an art exhibit in the lobby of my apartment building. I have been advised that new art pieces are to placed by February 22 and I want to exhibit the Fifie in its place. There are several modelers and painters in our campus and everyone is anxious to see the new pieces.

Go visit my Fifie build. Your advise and comments are really appreciated

[Ras Ambrioso]

I'm back. The Fifie is done, or at least on exhibit, lacking some more details I will be adding in the future. Finally, my tiny propellers arrived from Australia. To this date they have been installed and really look funny since that they are so small. This has teach me another lesson as to look forward when cutting corners early in the construction. I am now working on the chart room with the flying bridge above and the fabrication of the coal scuttle hatch covers. I have been experiment severals ways of accurately depict these covers. They are basically cast iron covers similar to to the one on street sewers but I have not been able to successfully cut printed paper discs. Latest idea is to use brass thumb tacks, from my early drafting days, and score the embossed concentric rings with my Unimat lathe.

Photos to follow as soon as I complete the Admiral's assignments for the week. LOL!!

[wefalck]

As you have a lathe, why don't you simply turn them from brass or acrylic stock. They will have to be painted black anyway, I suppose.

 

They look varied a bit, but they often had shallow concentric grooves as an anti-slip feature and typically to sunk-in handles give a fulcrum to turn them - they were locked with a sort fo bayonett-lock into a circular cast-iron frame in the deck. 

[Ras Ambrioso]

Holy Cow, Wefalck, you are the man. My problem with the turning them from scratch is that I am not sure I can make the thickness cuts for less than 0.5 mm and these covers will look over scale as regards to depth. I tried punching brass but my punching tools only produced extrusions and couldn't cut them clean enough. If my experiment with the thumbtacks fail I will experiment again to cut thin layers from a rod. This is part of the fun of building these model, right?

Thanks a lot for your interest in my work.

 

 

[Ras Ambrioso]

I got another one for you Wefalck. You are going to like my next project. It is the HMS Mimi that defeated the german forces in the battle of Lake Tanganyika in 1915. I'll keep you informed.

[wefalck]

If have been to the yard, where they built (S.M.S.) GRAF GOETZEN for the lake ...

 

Coming back to the problem in hand: an option would be to roughly cut the disc from 0.5 mm brass sheet and then use what the watchmakers would call a wax- or a cement-chuck - You take a piece of round bar, doesn't matter what metal, chuck up in your three-jaw chuck and then face it off flat; to this you cement your roughly cut brass disc using CA or shellac and turn the outside and the grooves ...

[Ras Ambrioso]

Wefalck,  thanks for the advise. Will try it for sure. I am  also glad you know the history of the battle fo Lake Tanganiyka. I am now reading a book called "Mimi and Toutou's Big Adventure". A fascinating story.

[Ras Ambrioso]

A little bit of progress today. The propellers and rudder are finally in place. Continued the fabrication of the forward companionway and the chart room. Installed the already fabricated items in the deck. Starting to look like a ship now. I expect to finish the decks this week and start the lathe work building the gun, searchlight, winches and pumps. This is the real challenge for me for it has been years since I have done lathe work. Photos will follow soon.

[Ras Ambrioso]

I have been struggling to get the coal scuttle covers to look right. Using the suggestions by Wefalck, I finally arrived at a satisfactory solution. I used commercial thumbtacks. First I removed the plastic color covers bringing up the brass tacks. Then I painted them gloss  black, mounted in my lathe and proceeded to scratch the paint to represent the surface of the cast cover. The following picture shows the procedure:

 

 

My lathe setup

 

Please be aware that the whole operation was done by hand while the power was disconnected. And this is the final result. Success!

 

 

And, while I had the lathe on the bench, I rebuild the numerous mushroom deck vents.

 

 

My next challenge is the stack. I plan to use a dowel of the right diameter to serve as a mandrel for a card stock stack. Again, one my first adventures into paper modeling. I am also using this material to do the walls of the chart room. The adventure continues.

 

 

 

 

[Ras Ambrioso]

Nice hearing from you Valeriy. Glad you are safe. And for you, Wefalck, thanks for the advise.

[Ras Ambrioso]

Well, the coal scuttles are in place midships.

 

 

 

 

And Amapá looks good.

 

 

And the fun continues.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Valeriy V]

Ras, these spotlights are similar to the one on Amapa.

Perhaps these photos will help you.

[Ras Ambrioso]

Thanks Valeriy. I can use this information. 

[Ras Ambrioso]

The information I have indicates that Amapá's searchlight is a traversing unit. It is mounted in what looks like rails and has a  rope and pulley rig to move it from port to starboard. It also shows four stays at midship which, I imagine, are set while cruising. I have not been able to find any more information on this arrangement. I would appreciate your comments on this. Following is the plan of the bridge as it appears on the drawings.

 

 

 

[Ras Ambrioso]

Little progress today. Fabricated the stack after several tries at the lathe. The chuck capacity would not hold the workpiece and I didn't have any suitable steady rest. Finally decided on a paper stack. Using a dowel as a mandrel, I wrapped  note-book paper in a cylinder and closed it with two sided tape. Then, I used part of the mandrel to give it enough rigidity so it can be attached to the boiler housing. Believe me, it was not as easy as it sounds because on my first try I wound up gluing the paper stack to the dowel.

 

 

 

Several more items were now placed on the deck.

 

 

 

And the work continues. Got the masts cut and stained but still wondering about the finished look. Commercial dowel does not stain evenly.

[Valeriy V]

8 hours ago, Ras Ambrioso said:

 I would appreciate your comments on this. 

This photo shows a spotlight with a mobile cart.

[wefalck]

Ras, why are you concerned about the staining of dowels? What did you make from dowel-rod that needs to be stained, rather than painted ?

 

The funnel looks good! It doesn't really matter what's inside, as long as it looks right from the outside. I would give the paper a coat of wood-sanding filler - works also with paper. 

 

When using a wooden dowel as core for making paper tubes, I rub it with candle wax and then melt it down with a hair-dryer or a hot-air gun. You can also use Teflon-spray, if you have any.

[Veszett Roka]

4 hours ago, Valeriy V said:

This photo shows a spotlight with a mobile cart.

 

Did they use the searchlight for signalling too? Or reverse, did they use the signalling reflector as searchlight? This one looks too big for signalling, but the target scope and morse shutter handle suggest the opposite. Interesting!

[Ras Ambrioso]

Thanks to y'all. I will follow Wefalck's advise and paint the masts. The dowel wood did not stain nicely. And regarding the picture of the searchlight, that was exactly the way I had thought looked. This ship was for custom service so I would thing the searchlight was used for search only. Signaling lights are a little smaller. I'll see what I kind of detailing I can do within my 0.5 mm tolerance. The rig to move this monster looks a little cumbersome. Thanks for the picture. It seems that Valeriy has an immense file of data. Thanks

 

 

[Valeriy V]

6 hours ago, Veszett Roka said:

 

Did they use the searchlight for signalling too? Or reverse, did they use the signalling reflector as searchlight? This one looks too big for signalling, but the target scope and morse shutter handle suggest the opposite. Interesting!

According to the classification adopted in the Russian Imperial Navy and the Soviet Navy, this is a heavy combat searchlight.
It is designed for:
- intelligence and signaling
- illumination of the object when shooting
- target designation and blinding

[Ras Ambrioso]

Valeriy, you are right. Amapá is sort of a Coast Guard ship and thus, I don't expect it to be signaling to anyone. It was most used as a searchlight illuminating suspect subjects.  Since the helmsman stands in front of the lamp, I am sure that they moved it to either end while cruising.  I will probably replicate the carrying dolly and the rails but I need to sharpen up on my soldering. I will follow your advise. 

[Veszett Roka]

12 hours ago, Valeriy V said:

According to the classification adopted in the Russian Imperial Navy and the Soviet Navy, this is a heavy combat searchlight.
It is designed for:
- intelligence and signaling
- illumination of the object when shooting
- target designation and blinding

Thanks Valeriy

Thats explain the dual purpose. I'd be curious how they blind the target, but rather talk of the topic beside a (couple of) beer in a tavern, not in Ras' thread.