Lula by Keith Black - 1:120 Scale - 1870s Sternwheeler Supply Boat for Floating Pile Driver

[lraymo]

Happy New Year, Keith!  Your Sternwheeler looks great!

[Keith Black]

3 hours ago, lraymo said:

Happy New Year, Keith!  Your Sternwheeler looks great!

 Thank you, Lynn. I'm glad that you're back. 

[Keith Black]

 Thank you to everyone for the kind and helpful comments and the likes.

 

  After yesterdays posting I went upstairs and ripped off water level tube 1.0, what a goofy looking piece of nonsense that was. So here's water level tube 2.0. The older water level tubes were more elaborate than later models so i tried replicating that look with a piece from some sheet brass I've had for years. I painted the wire with a very pale blue and once dry applied a coat of Gallery Glass trying to give the impression of water in a tube.     

 

 

  Thank you for following along.

 

    Keith

[wefalck]

Now only the probing valves are missing (just kidding) - the things looks very convincing at this small scale!

[clearway]

20 hours ago, Keith Black said:

Thank you, Keith. Do you find that the your cluttered workspace eventually drives you to the edge leaving a very tiny amount of room to work?

Looking better and better Keith and yep gets to the point where i have to clear everything off, burn all the waste and chaff on the fire so i can fill it full of crud again!  Ahh the circles of life🤪.

 

Keith

[Keith Black]

9 hours ago, wefalck said:

Now only the probing valves are missing (just kidding) - the things looks very convincing at this small scale!

 Thank you, Eberhard. I wish I had a watch lathe and the skills to use it. I'd enjoy being able to go detail crazy.

 

5 hours ago, clearway said:

Looking better and better Keith and yep gets to the point where i have to clear everything off, burn all the waste and chaff on the fire so i can fill it full of crud again!  Ahh the circles of life🤪

 Thank you, Keith. That made me laugh.

 

 

 After viewing the photos last night I decided to scrape off the paint and Gallery Glass. It was a good idea but the Gallery Glass came out too lumpy and wasn't convincing as a glass tube. I repainted the wire, smoothed it with a wet finger, and left it at that. I'm much more pleased with the way the water level tube now looks and am ready to move forward.

 

 I think this will probably be the side presented to the viewer.

 

 This is a pretty neat view of the water level tube and the pressure gauge pigtail but once the engine and pilot house are installed this view will no longer be available. 

 

 A little more distance and less magnification.  

 

  That's it for the boiler except for plumbing the systems together including the hand pump which is the next item on the menu. My apologies for dragging you through multiple boiler posts but I was striving for something more than a little black lump.

 

 Thank you to everyone for the comments, likes, and for following along.

 

   Keith

Edited January 2 by Keith Black

[KeithAug]

Nice work Kieth. Your water level tube looks just the job.

[Keith Black]

10 hours ago, KeithAug said:

Nice work Kieth. Your water level tube looks just the job.

 Thank you, Keith.

[Keith Black]

Thank you for your support with your kind helpful comments and likes.

 

 I've started work on the hand pump. Images of period hand pumps are as scarce as hen's teeth. I finally found an image I like so it's off to the races.

 

 This is the image I found and that I'm using as the model for Lula's hand pump. I think the pump in the photo came out of a French winery but I like the look of it. Of course I'll not be making the cart, the pump with be planted firmly to Lula's deck.

 

 These are very small pieces, when I have the frame and pump handle made I'll make sure these pieces are vertically square on the base. This is the side that will face the boiler. The hole is drilled for plumbing to the boiler. 

 

 I made my first attempt at making the pump handle, it looked like poo so I'm working on PH 2.0. The frame is going to be the challenge. I'm going to try using some brass sprue from photo etched parts to make the frame. If that doesn't work I'll make the frame out of wood. 

 

 Thank you for being part of the journey.

 

    Keith

[clearway]

No need to apologise for the boiler posts Keith- its interesting to see how it evolved regards the pump handle, for my cutty sark windlass handle i used brass tube with an eye glued in each end to take the handles if that makes sense.

 

Keith

[Keith Black]

7 minutes ago, clearway said:

No need to apologise for the boiler posts Keith- its interesting to see how it evolved regards the pump handle, for my cutty sark windlass handle i used brass tube with an eye glued in each end to take the handles if that makes sense.

 Thank you Keith. Regarding the pump handle, yes it makes sense. If I were working at a larger scale my options would be greater. At 1:120, 24ga (.019/.020) wire is the correct size for scale.   

[wefalck]

This appears to be cart-mounted fire-pump - the engravings in the back corroborate this. They came into use in the 18th century and were finally surplanted by IC-engine-driven pumps in the 20th century (there were also two-wheeled steam-driven cart-pumps, but they were expensive). Every village used to have at least one, if they couldn't afford a bigger one or when the streets didn't allow access by four-wheeled ones. They were also common in industrial establishments and shipyards for rapid intervention.

 

[Cathead]

Keith, here's another source of inspiration for a steamboat hand pump. This simple pump was used on Arabia to prime her doctor engine, and as a general-purpose pump for other low-pressure needs. It sat right next to the main boiler. This is from an earlier era (1856) but might still be of interest.

 

Here's the original (my photo from the museum in Kansas City):

And here's how I recreated it at 1:64:

 

And in position on the model:

 

 

[Keith Black]

9 hours ago, wefalck said:

This appears to be cart-mounted fire-pump - the engravings in the back corroborate this. They came into use in the 18th century and were finally surplanted by IC-engine-driven pumps in the 20th century (there were also two-wheeled steam-driven cart-pumps, but they were expensive). Every village used to have at least one, if they couldn't afford a bigger one or when the streets didn't allow access by four-wheeled ones. They were also common in industrial establishments and shipyards for rapid intervention.

 

 Thank you, Eberhard. I think I read something regarding a "French winery" connection but it's definitely a firefighting pump. 

 

2 hours ago, Cathead said:

Keith, here's another source of inspiration for a steamboat hand pump. This simple pump was used on Arabia to prime her doctor engine, and as a general-purpose pump for other low-pressure needs. It sat right next to the main boiler. This is from an earlier era (1856) but might still be of interest.

 Thank you, Eric. I've had all the boiler and engine associated photos of your Arabia build saved on our screen files and your build log (along with Peerless) is in favorites bookmarks. What I'm doing is basically the same, just a tad bit different shape. I was somewhat loathe to copy your work even though the hand pump is in the museum.  The era is perfect and fits with Lula's owner sourcing dependable used equipment. I figure most of the money went into the hull and boiler

[lraymo]

Cool pictures of your SternWheeler!

[Keith Black]

9 hours ago, lraymo said:

Cool pictures of your SternWheeler!

 Thank you, Lynn.

 

 And thank you to all for your comments and likes,

 

 Lula now has a hand pump. I was frustrating myself trying to add the fancy frame work.....life's too short. I'm okay with the pump as is except for the handles, they're out of scale. I could leave them as is but I will try to figure out a way to decrease the size. The handles are easily removable if I come up with a game plan for replacements. 

 

 I darkened the pump quite a bit due to the pump water and coal dust.

 

 It's good to see Lula's machinery take shape. 

 

 I added the capstan but didn't darken it as much because it's at the bow away from most of the coal dust. 

 

 Thank you everyone for following along.

 

   Keith

[Jim Lad]

Looking good, Keith.

 

Why not simply lengths of wire soldered across the ends for the handles?

 

John

[Keith Black]

53 minutes ago, Jim Lad said:

Looking good, Keith.

 

Why not simply lengths of wire soldered across the ends for the handles?

 Thank you, John. I have an iron but I need to get better solder with flux or good solder and flux. The second problem and the most critical is, the handles have to be 90 degrees to the handle shaft and horizontal with the deck while aligning with each other in the horizontal plane. This pump is very tiny, the whole pump sits atop a US penny. Provided I had the solder and flux due to the size I'm not sure I could make connections with the proper alignment? Using wood and CA I have a lot of leeway to make those necessary alignment adjustments. 

Edited January 6 by Keith Black

[Dr PR]

Keith,

 

I have been soldering since I was a kid - at least 70 years now. I designed electronics circuits professionally and did a LOT of soldering with that.

 

For most solder jobs I have found liquid flux works best. I like the citric acid based flux - it smells like orange juice!

 

You position the parts together and apply a small drop of flux with a brush or toothpick (or similar pointed thing). The flux flows between the pieces. Then you put a small drop of molten solder on the end of the soldering iron and place the drop onto the joint. The liquid flux draws the solder through the joint evenly and quickly. Remove the iron and you are done.

 

If there is extra unwanted solder around the joint I use a small file or a wire brush in a motor tool to remove the solder. The brush also polishes the metal and solder joint.

[FriedClams]

Nice work on the hand pump, Keith.  I agree with you the handles are a bit large, but not absurdly so.  As John suggested, a piece of wire would work nicely or maybe a piece of thread pre-stiffened with CA.  Alternatively, you could just explain that the boilerman is a knuckle dragging neanderthal and the handles were enlarged expressly for him.  After the housing is installed, how visible will it be?

 

Gary  

Edited January 7 by FriedClams
spelling

[Keith Black]

On 1/6/2025 at 1:33 AM, Dr PR said:

I have been soldering since I was a kid - at least 70 years now. I designed electronics circuits professionally and did a LOT of soldering with that.

 

For most solder jobs I have found liquid flux works best. I like the citric acid based flux - it smells like orange juice!

 

You position the parts together and apply a small drop of flux with a brush or toothpick (or similar pointed thing). The flux flows between the pieces. Then you put a small drop of molten solder on the end of the soldering iron and place the drop onto the joint. The liquid flux draws the solder through the joint evenly and quickly. Remove the iron and you are done.

 

If there is extra unwanted solder around the joint I use a small file or a wire brush in a motor tool to remove the solder. The brush also polishes the metal and solder joint.

 Thank you, Phil. I'll order flux and solder and see if I can teach myself to be better at the soldering process. Once upon a time I did a lot of soldering on PC boards when I was in the Marines but then we had the best wasteful money could buy. 

 

 Were you in PCB design? I worked at QC Graphics in Dallas for several years. 

 

1 hour ago, FriedClams said:

Nice work on the hand pump, Keith.  I agree with you the handles are a bit large, but not absurdly so.  As John suggested, a piece of wire would work nicely or maybe a piece of thread pre-stiffened with CA.  Alternatively, you could just explain that the boilerman is a knuckle dragging neanderthal and the handles were enlarged expressly for him.  After the housing is installed, how visible will it be?

 Thank you, Gary. I wanted to hit the like, thank you, and laugh button all at the same time. Great idea on using thread, I'll head upstairs shortly to try that. The knuckle dragger is the guy doing the building. 

[wefalck]

The pump reminds of another project that I have in the back of my mind for some day: a diving-barge with an old-time diver with the large copper helmet, foldy rubber suit, chunky leaded-down boots, etc. They would be supplied with air through a hose. I remember one seeing as a boy, inspecting the pile-driver's work in Kiel harbour. Must have been around 1961 or 1962. 

[Keith Black]

1 minute ago, wefalck said:

The pump reminds of another project that I have in the back of my mind for some day: a diving-barge with an old-time diver with the large copper helmet, foldy rubber suit, chunky leaded-down boots, etc. They would be supplied with air through a hose. I remember one seeing as a boy, inspecting the pile-driver's work in Kiel harbour. Must have been around 1961 or 1962. 

 That'd be a great model, Eberhard. It could be working a Spanish wreck with the diver bringing up treasure. 

[Knocklouder]

I like the C A thread for a handel kinsmen. Lol. The little fellow you showed me before didn't have Neanderthal hands  lol. What about a round tooth pick..

 Great work my freind. 

Bob  M.

[Keith Black]

6 hours ago, Knocklouder said:

like the C A thread for a handel kinsmen. Lol. The little fellow you showed me before didn't have Neanderthal hands  lol. What about a round tooth pick..

 Great work my freind. 

 

 Thank you, Bob. A tooth pick is larger than the original handles. This pump is a little delicate thing.

 

 Thank you everyone for the support. Your comments and likes inspire me to make Lula as interesting as possible.

 

 

  The thread for handles worked great, thank you again, Gary. To answer your question about how much the hand pump will be seen......the sides will be open and I think some of the pump will be visible from above as the upper deck forward of the pilothouse will only extend about halfway past the boiler. 

 

 Hand pump on a penny

 

 

 

 and on Lula's deck. These handles are much more to scale. They are 0.30 inches wide and 0.020 inches in diameter. 

 With that I'm calling the hand pump done, it's time to start building some structure. I'm going to start with the coal bin. i'll build the bin on a thin plywood base that will be narrow between the bin door and the boiler's firebox door. It will then widen where where the boiler will sit comfortably on the starboard side and be wide enough on the port side for the hand pump to sit. It will extend aft just past the beam engine. The plywood will represent iron plate and I want to be able to have the coal bin, boiler, hand pump, and beam engine on the plywood as a single unit where i can adjust all four elements as a whole when I create the space between the beam engine and the steam engine room.  It will also allow me to plumb the pump, boiler, and beam engine without trying to lift the three individual units plumbed together when placing them on the deck.  

 

 

  Thank you for your input and for following Lula's journey. 

 

    Keith

[vossiewulf]

Handles much more in scale, looks great Keith.

[mtaylor]

Sorry I've missed a bunch but I'm catching up.   As Howard the Duck would say..."Been thrust into a world I never made".    You ware doing some truly jaw dropping work, Kieth.  Looks like you are still following what we learned in boot camp.....  "Improvise, adapt, and overcome.".   

 

I hope things continue going well for you and Maggie.

[Jim Lad]

The re-worked pump looks a treat, Keith!

 

John

[Keith Black]

9 hours ago, vossiewulf said:

Handles much more in scale, looks great Keith.

 Thank you, Vossie.

 

8 hours ago, mtaylor said:

Sorry I've missed a bunch but I'm catching up.   As Howard the Duck would say..."Been thrust into a world I never made".    You ware doing some truly jaw dropping work, Kieth.  Looks like you are still following what we learned in boot camp.....  "Improvise, adapt, and overcome.".   

 

I hope things continue going well for you and Maggie.

 Thank you, Mark. Glad to see you back in the saddle. 

 

7 hours ago, Jim Lad said:

The re-worked pump looks a treat, Keith!

 Thank you, John. 

[Glen McGuire]

That little pump is soooo well done (as well as everything else)!!