Zetec Posted February 3, 2023 Share #1 Posted February 3, 2023 .Hi I live in England and a had an idea that I want to build an ironclad river gunboat so I started to find out some information and plans that was when I came across the build of USS Cairo 1862 by MPB521 I liked the look of this model so much that I thought I would have a go at building one. This is the first time I have tried to build a model with so much wood work it will be a steep learning curve so please be patience with me as I am not very good at writing up and posting pictures of what I am building. I have been modelling for about 15 years and have manly built British Lifeboats and there trailers. I intend to build the model at a scale of 1 to 50 and build the hull using 5mm plywood for the frames and then clad the bottom and sides in lime wood. And then build the frame of the casemate area and then the top deck and cabins again in lime wood. I want to build the outside of the model first and when this has been built I will go about building and fitting out the inside. I decided to do it this way as I am not getting any younger and with health problems so if I could not finish it I would at least have a model to look at and may be for someone else to finish off in the future. ccoyle, tarbrush, GrandpaPhil and 4 others 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zetec Posted February 3, 2023 Author Share #2 Posted February 3, 2023 Plan drawn out and fixed to board. I have had problems in getting a plan printed because of the format it was in so I have drawn this one up goatfarmer11, Canute, Prowler901 and 10 others 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbp521 Posted February 3, 2023 Share #3 Posted February 3, 2023 Glad to see that I was able to spark an interest in this magnificent boat. I will be following along intently! Best of luck. -Brian Keith Black, Canute and mtaylor 3 Quote Current Builds: Completed Builds: Mississippi River Towboat Caroline N. HMB Endeavor: Artesania Latina USS Constitution - Cross Section: Mamoli Non-Ship Builds: HMS Victory - Cross Section: Corel New Shipyard King of the Mississippi - Steamboat: Artesania Latina Battle Station Section: Panart (Gallery) In Dry-dock Chaperon - 1884 Steamer: Model Shipways USS Constellation: Aretesania Latina USS Cairo - 1862 Ironclad: Scratch Build Flying Fish: Model Shipways Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zetec Posted February 9, 2023 Author Share #4 Posted February 9, 2023 The 3 keels have been cut out the centre one from 10mm yellow pine wood and the 2 outer ones from 5mm plywood. They will be held temporary in place by some plastic blocks. mtaylor, Canute, tarbrush and 3 others 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zetec Posted February 9, 2023 Author Share #5 Posted February 9, 2023 yvesvidal, Keith Black, Cathead and 5 others 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zetec Posted February 9, 2023 Author Share #6 Posted February 9, 2023 All the frames cut out of 5mm plywood and fixed in place. I cut all of these out by hand as I do not have access to a saw bench tarbrush, yvesvidal, Keith Black and 5 others 7 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zetec Posted February 9, 2023 Author Share #7 Posted February 9, 2023 All the frames fixed into place. tarbrush, Cathead, wefalck and 12 others 14 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbp521 Posted February 9, 2023 Share #8 Posted February 9, 2023 Zetec, great start! Nice work on cutting all those bulkheads and keels by hand. -Brian Cathead, Canute, Keith Black and 1 other 4 Quote Current Builds: Completed Builds: Mississippi River Towboat Caroline N. HMB Endeavor: Artesania Latina USS Constitution - Cross Section: Mamoli Non-Ship Builds: HMS Victory - Cross Section: Corel New Shipyard King of the Mississippi - Steamboat: Artesania Latina Battle Station Section: Panart (Gallery) In Dry-dock Chaperon - 1884 Steamer: Model Shipways USS Constellation: Aretesania Latina USS Cairo - 1862 Ironclad: Scratch Build Flying Fish: Model Shipways Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yvesvidal Posted February 9, 2023 Share #9 Posted February 9, 2023 Great work, so far. Yves mtaylor, Keith Black, mbp521 and 2 others 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cathead Posted February 11, 2023 Share #10 Posted February 11, 2023 Great choice for a unique and interesting model. Will be fun to see how you progress. Canute, Keith Black, mbp521 and 1 other 4 Quote Eric Current builds: scratchbuilt Missouri River steamboat Peerless (1893); 1:1 scale timber-framed outdoor kitchen Nautical builds (kits): USS Cairo; NRG capstan project; NRG half-hull; Viking longship; US revenue cutter; 18th century longboat; Bounty launch Missouri River craft (scratchbuilt): 1853 Missouri River steamboat Arabia; 1865 steamboat Bertrand; Lewis & Clark barge; keelboat; 1876 steamboat Far West Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeithAug Posted February 23, 2023 Share #11 Posted February 23, 2023 On 2/9/2023 at 6:40 AM, Zetec said: I cut all of these out by hand as I do not have access to a saw bench Heroic task. Canute, tarbrush, mtaylor and 3 others 6 Quote Keith Current Build:- Cangarda (Steam Yacht) - Scale 1:24 Previous Builds:- Schooner Germania (Nova) - Scale 1:36 https://modelshipworld.com/topic/19848-schooner-germania-nova-by-keithaug-scale-136-1908-2011/ Schooner Altair by KeithAug - Scale 1:32 - 1931 http://modelshipworld.com/index.php/topic/12515-schooner-altair-by-keithaug-scale-132-1931/?p=378702 J Class Endeavour by KeithAug - Amati - Scale 1:35 - 1989 after restoration. http://modelshipworld.com/index.php/topic/10752-j-class-endeavour-by-keithaug-amati-scale-135-1989-after-restoration/?p=325029 Other Topics Nautical Adventures http://modelshipworld.com/index.php/topic/13727-nautical-adventures/?p=422846 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zetec Posted March 28, 2023 Author Share #12 Posted March 28, 2023 A few pictures of the planking of the hull. I have not showed pictures of doing the planking it as its a standard process. I did steam the planks that go around the stern I bent them to shape pinned them in place untill dry before I glued them. I put 4 blocks on the inside so I could put threaded inserts in so I can hold the hull down. I can now put bolts throuhg my building board into the hull to stop it from moveing as I build it. The last picture showes the blocks inbetween the frames. mbp521, mtaylor, goatfarmer11 and 8 others 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbp521 Posted March 28, 2023 Share #13 Posted March 28, 2023 Looking good Zetec, brings back fond memories. -Brian Keith Black, mtaylor, Cathead and 1 other 4 Quote Current Builds: Completed Builds: Mississippi River Towboat Caroline N. HMB Endeavor: Artesania Latina USS Constitution - Cross Section: Mamoli Non-Ship Builds: HMS Victory - Cross Section: Corel New Shipyard King of the Mississippi - Steamboat: Artesania Latina Battle Station Section: Panart (Gallery) In Dry-dock Chaperon - 1884 Steamer: Model Shipways USS Constellation: Aretesania Latina USS Cairo - 1862 Ironclad: Scratch Build Flying Fish: Model Shipways Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zetec Posted May 24, 2023 Author Share #14 Posted May 24, 2023 I made up the hatches that are on the deck and fitted them into place and then started to do the floor and the sides of the boiler pit. I cut out to openings to show were they got the coal for the boiler from. I now started to cover the deck in 2mm x 5mm lime wood planks. I then cut out the beams that went across the back put the planks in on the sides and then put in new crossmembers. All done with no problems. John Canute, yvesvidal, berhard and 7 others 9 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zetec Posted May 24, 2023 Author Share #15 Posted May 24, 2023 Forget to say I also put the wire in from the outside so that I can get the lights to work. John Canute, mtaylor, mbp521 and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbp521 Posted May 24, 2023 Share #16 Posted May 24, 2023 Very nice work John! I wish that I had done my hatches this way instead of planking then cutting them out. I ran into several issues where there was no support under them when they were cut out and had to "beef up" the openings from underneath to get the hatches to sit right. -Brian Canute, mtaylor, Cathead and 1 other 4 Quote Current Builds: Completed Builds: Mississippi River Towboat Caroline N. HMB Endeavor: Artesania Latina USS Constitution - Cross Section: Mamoli Non-Ship Builds: HMS Victory - Cross Section: Corel New Shipyard King of the Mississippi - Steamboat: Artesania Latina Battle Station Section: Panart (Gallery) In Dry-dock Chaperon - 1884 Steamer: Model Shipways USS Constellation: Aretesania Latina USS Cairo - 1862 Ironclad: Scratch Build Flying Fish: Model Shipways Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zetec Posted July 16, 2023 Author Share #17 Posted July 16, 2023 Hi her are a few more pictures of my build. I am sorry to say they do not show a work in progress as some of the photos I took got delated by my wife in error so this is all I got of building the top. I used aluminium angle and cut and bolted them so that there were gaps in them so the bends of the wood could go through. I cut the ends of the top pieces of wood so I could bend them to the shape I wanted and then glued a thin piece of ply to hold them in the right bend. The pictures that are missing show how I made the sides. I then started to plank the inside and outside putting in the wires for the lights I am useing on the inside. yvesvidal, berhard, Keith Black and 4 others 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zetec Posted July 16, 2023 Author Share #18 Posted July 16, 2023 This is the next lot of pictures which show the wires for the lights and the start of the planking. Canute, Keith Black, yvesvidal and 6 others 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zetec Posted July 16, 2023 Author Share #19 Posted July 16, 2023 This next lot of pictures show some of the planking finnished and the type of light I used on the inside were you cant see the type used which are LED with a plastic cover put on them. mbp521, Stevinne, Canute and 10 others 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbp521 Posted July 17, 2023 Share #20 Posted July 17, 2023 Beautiful work John! Definitely a different approach to building the top, off the hull. Do you plan on making the top open to view the inside gun deck? -Brian Cathead, Keith Black, Canute and 1 other 4 Quote Current Builds: Completed Builds: Mississippi River Towboat Caroline N. HMB Endeavor: Artesania Latina USS Constitution - Cross Section: Mamoli Non-Ship Builds: HMS Victory - Cross Section: Corel New Shipyard King of the Mississippi - Steamboat: Artesania Latina Battle Station Section: Panart (Gallery) In Dry-dock Chaperon - 1884 Steamer: Model Shipways USS Constellation: Aretesania Latina USS Cairo - 1862 Ironclad: Scratch Build Flying Fish: Model Shipways Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zetec Posted July 23, 2023 Author Share #21 Posted July 23, 2023 Hi Brain thanks foe the comenents yes I am hopeing to make the top deck so I can take it of to show the inside. John Canute, mtaylor, Keith Black and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zetec Posted March 30 Author Share #22 Posted March 30 Some more photos gak1965, Mike Y, Cathead and 10 others 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbp521 Posted March 30 Share #23 Posted March 30 Beautiful work as always John! Glad to see more progress. I would have to say that the paddlewheel was one of the more complex parts of the build, but also one of the most enjoyable and satisfying parts. -Brian Keith Black, Canute and mtaylor 3 Quote Current Builds: Completed Builds: Mississippi River Towboat Caroline N. HMB Endeavor: Artesania Latina USS Constitution - Cross Section: Mamoli Non-Ship Builds: HMS Victory - Cross Section: Corel New Shipyard King of the Mississippi - Steamboat: Artesania Latina Battle Station Section: Panart (Gallery) In Dry-dock Chaperon - 1884 Steamer: Model Shipways USS Constellation: Aretesania Latina USS Cairo - 1862 Ironclad: Scratch Build Flying Fish: Model Shipways Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cathead Posted March 30 Share #24 Posted March 30 Hey, great to see you're still working on this. Nice progress! Canute, Keith Black and mtaylor 3 Quote Eric Current builds: scratchbuilt Missouri River steamboat Peerless (1893); 1:1 scale timber-framed outdoor kitchen Nautical builds (kits): USS Cairo; NRG capstan project; NRG half-hull; Viking longship; US revenue cutter; 18th century longboat; Bounty launch Missouri River craft (scratchbuilt): 1853 Missouri River steamboat Arabia; 1865 steamboat Bertrand; Lewis & Clark barge; keelboat; 1876 steamboat Far West Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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