ERGENSTRASSE by Mirabell61 - FINISHED - 1:87 - steamship

[Mirabell61]

Thank you very much John,

 

Nils

[Javelin]

Very nice work indeed Nils. Love that rivet detail on the plating, gives that little bit extra that differentiates it from a "factory made" model. 

[Mirabell61]

thank you very much Javelin,

 

I love old steam ships, and of course the riviting detail, knowing that it may be slightly oversized for that scale, but the rivited hull would loose its characteristic look, which I I like to see on the model. It shows up quite well, even through the painting. The riviting must be made out, also when the model is viewed in it`s casing from a meter away or so...

 

Nils

[Keith Black]

 Nils, I came across this eBay listing I found interesting. The plate attachment is nicely done but sadly the hull shape is a bit whack. I've included the listing where all the photos can be viewed. They're pretty crummy and it's almost impossible to see the inside of the hull. 

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/145312092622?hash=item21d54691ce:g:k-QAAOSwH4ZlCid7&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA8L8iKR6lE2Uf59SNQgTXtLrvv5KV8QrnXgchXEtJoOe%2FI4o9cVa6cv1vDgPi0PPJ6ERWXpo%2BVRnvdTwbtm41Y8P5fTryRrY1rbMptsS7dnvVhJ9QMWCsDy5O2mJgwNNiHUkTtlhUgEmqfPBKvRKykAd0R%2BLpozgKLYjUX5UKvMmhMSltddaq%2Fx24JzDMEH60dzLd9AL0HON69aSdKY9ALaSnSdipQUGPZm39fv9%2FlrjoX7lmTSHbrjkNDOPk%2FKPknmY0MW18821sEtrCa3%2B03NO76KFgHYkEoK6ViRwQS5m5Jne1W%2FdKAW2adSe0ugNE7Q%3D%3D|tkp%3ABFBM5sL5yoFj

 

 

Edited November 27, 2023 by Keith Black

[Mirabell61]

Thanks for your input here Keith,

 

it looks like this has been an interesting sort of study for metal-plate riviting on a not further known or named dummy hull, in order to try out the process. The copper-plates seem to be real rivited and additionally soldered afterwards

 

Nils

[Retired guy]

Just spent some time looking at you brilliant build Nils, I see you like the brass work as well 👍

 

Regards

Richard

 

[Mirabell61]

Thank you very much Richard,

for looking in intensively...., and for your kind comment

 

yes, I use brass quite often as this is a nice material to solder

 

Nils

[Mirabell61]

Update

 

Made the rigging for the boats and for the cargo derricks. There are also hand-winches for the boats. The fastening points for the stays are set, I`m waiting for some ordered workable bottleneck-screws to arrive. The bridge still needs to be done.

 

Nils

 

all holds have supporting brackets

 

The cargo derricks are rigged

the boats have their own hand-winches (two per boat)

the derrick winches are rigged

 

 

[Rick310]

Great job!!

Rick

[Mirabell61]

 

 

50 minutes ago, Rick310 said:

Great job!!

Rick

Thank you very much Rick

 

Nils

[Jim Lad]

She's looks great, Nils. Just to be pedantic, all the cargo gear rigging would have been wire rope.

 

John

[Mirabell61]

10 hours ago, Jim Lad said:

She's looks great, Nils. Just to be pedantic, all the cargo gear rigging would have been wire rope.

 

John

Thanks John,

 

your words made me smile this morning, but who knows, perhaps someone one day will show me how it goes with wire ropes for these small winches.

The stays will be of tin galvanized steel rope.

 

Nils

[Jim Lad]

Dark grey thread will serve very nicely for wire rope, Nils!

 

John

[Dr PR]

Craft stores carry stainless steel multi-strand beading and jewelry wire. I have some 3 strand and 7 strand 0.012 inch (0.30 mm) and 7 strand 0.015 inch (0.38 mm) and 0.018 inch (0.45 mm) wire.

 

At 1:87 scale these would be:

 

1:87 diameter            1:1 diameter

0.012 "/0.30 mm       1.0"/26.1 mm

0.015 "/0.38 mm       1.3"/33.1 mm

0.018 "/0.46 mm       1.6"/40.0 mm

 

Pros: It looks real and is very durable.

 

Cons: It is OK for straight runs, but it is VERY springy and I wouldn't want to try it with blocks or winch drums.

Edited December 8, 2023 by Dr PR

[Javelin]

Hi Nils, 

 

I've been collecting various telephone and electronics wires. Some of them have tiny copper wires, but with a stainless steel look, inside. They go to less than 0.1mm diameter and can be turned into a single wire with a 0.2 -0.3mm diameter. I used a drill with something of a sliding weight on the other end to turn them. They are not springy as the ones Phil mentioned. 

 

On the other side, I think the rope you used has a certain "wire" look to them and look very realistic. I doubt many people would notice the difference. We only notice because of the close-up pictures, so I'd leave it as it is. Wires are generally also greased and/or dirty on ships, so they don't really look like steel in many cases. From a distance they appear black rather than shiny. 

[Mirabell61]

Thank you very much, Javelin, John and Phil,

for your good advice with the making of fake wire. I`ll keep that in mind...., but meantime can also live with the greyish 0,7mm polyester rope, also used for the davits rigging.

 

I`ve just made the infeeds of the coal chutes for the bunkers, and acc. to Andy`s post (#137) and my post (138) they are situated (dryfit) on the boats deck near the funnel. Stb. side is a closed chute cover, and port side the cover is open with view into the chute. They may be shifted a bit, when the tube connections to the watertank are made

 

Nils

cover for the coal chute closed

and open on port side

 

 

[cotrecerf]

As for the rivetting: I came across the following on youtube in a very informative channel Blondiehacks where she shows the making of a tool for producing uniform rivetting on items of a steam locomotive: 

 

[Mirabell61]

Nice find Cotrecerf,

thanks for sharing this

 

Nils

[Retired guy]

Deck is looking very good Nils lots of details 👍 

 

Regards

Richard

[Mirabell61]

12 hours ago, Retired guy said:

Deck is looking very good Nils lots of details 👍 

 

Regards

Richard

Many thanks Richard, I`m pleased you like it

 

Nils

[wefalck]

I have simulated wire rope by twisting together strands of copper wire and then painting them in some dull silver colour. One can also get at a reasonable price silver wire down to 0.007 mm(!) diameter (which is used to bridge broken printed circuit connections in repairs, I believe).

 

It is difficult, however, to twist more than two wire together evenly. For simulating rigging wire, it should not be twisted too tightly, as in real wire rope the angle of the strands is less than for fibre ropes.

 

There is also some (expensive!) japanese fishing line in steel grey, which seems to be braided with four strands. I have not seen it in real life, but it may be worthwhile exploring: https://www.ebay.de/itm/284004752603?var=585466534836

 

[Mirabell61]

Eberhard,

many thanks for your idea input here. I`ll have that in mind. Also the possible use of fishing-line (Japanese) material sounds interesting

 

Nils

[Veszett Roka]

Nils,

 

Search for Litz, or Litze wire in electronics shops:

https://audioverse.de/produkt/21-awg-up-occ-wire-litz-wire

 

Usually they made from very thin, sub-0.05 mm wires, sometimes thinner than human hair.

[Mirabell61]

44 minutes ago, Veszett Roka said:

Nils,

 

Search for Litz, or Litze wire in electronics shops:

https://audioverse.de/produkt/21-awg-up-occ-wire-litz-wire

 

Usually they made from very thin, sub-0.05 mm wires, sometimes thinner than human hair.

Good point Vezett,

many thanks for your comment. The "Litze" is silver-coated, which is good for applying, but the seller recommends special caution when soldering, is nothing for beginners...

 

Nils

[Mirabell61]

This is to pass on my special thanks to all fellow builders with their kind recommendations for  scaled wire ropes for rigging purposes.

 

I have own good experience with using steel rope like the (meantime not any more common) remote wire control for model power planes.

This steel "Diamantlitze" is either  total 0,5 mm OD, 19 strand x 0,1 wire .....or total OD 0,25 mm 7, strand  x 0,1 mm. Both are galvanic tin coated.

 

I applied this very suitable material (50 Meters on the spool) for soldering for the stays and shrouds of my tallship-models Pamir and Gorch Fock, as those would be spanned and confrontrated with considerable pull-forces caused by the working bottleneck screws

 

Nils

 

Edited December 11, 2023 by Mirabell61

[Mirabell61]

Update

before rigging the aft mast, I connected the tubes to the fresh-water tank.....

 

Nils

the stb. side tubing :

discharge to mach.room, winter anti-icing with bypass heater-spool from the funnel inside, and swanneck vent on top of the tank for tank ventilation

port side tubing :  filling tube from lower freshwater supply, discharge, local for boats deck with tap. Maybe I`ll also hang a small bucket near the tap

the two heavy front bollards with mooring rope for going through the bow front bulwark openings

 

[KeithAug]

Nicely done Nils

[Mirabell61]

thank you very much Keith,

 

I hope I`m achieving a good mix of the old 1918 Corsicana and the 1955 movie-ship Ergenstrasse. 

 

I`m wondering wich nationality flag they were flying, as the  capt. had order to "break through the British controlled lines" and head back to Germany. in that case it would not have been wise to set the German flag anyhow.

In the movie the capt. set the German marine war-flag ( it was a civel ship though ! ) at the time the Ergenstrasse  was intercepted in  the Norway waters by the Royal Navy.

As a civel ship she must have been flying the official (between 1935 and end of WW2) german merchant ship flag, which is the general red backgrond with the white Hakenkreuz on it. In the movie the capt. held this in hands for setting but then decided to set the war-flag instead, like German battle ships were flying. I would like to set a flag to my model, but unfortunately do`nt know wich one, Any recomendations ?

 

Nils

[Jim Lad]

Depends whether you want to go movie or more realistic, Nils. I' think I'd go for the merchant flag (being ex Merchant Navy).

 

John

[Mirabell61]

48 minutes ago, Jim Lad said:

Depends whether you want to go movie or more realistic, Nils. I' think I'd go for the merchant flag (being ex Merchant Navy).

 

John

Many thanks John,

I`ll take your opinion for more realistic as well. (official Merchant flag of those years)

The novel "The Sea Chase" by Andrew Geer of 1948 begins in your hometown in Sydney Harbour appr. two days before WW2 broke out. I saw this movie so many years ago , but still remember, that the captain ordered even to break down the wooden Lifeboats and everything made of wood on the steamer for feeding the boilers in lack of coal on his escape...

 

Nils