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

[wefalck]

If linoleum, I would have thought of plain so-called Battleship-Linoleum in iron-oxide red ... However, linoleum wasn't invented until the mid-1860s by Walton, who remain the main producer (through subsidiaries) in Europe. Some years ago I did quite extensive research on the possible use of linoleum on the original configuration of SMS WESPE, but concluded that 1876 was too early. Shipboard use didn't really commence before the 1880s.

 

Another option is wax-cloth, forerunner and inspiration for linoleum. I believe waxed cloth was used as cheap floor-covering from around the 1840s, but doubt that it would have stood up to rough shipboard use. It's the same kind of stuff they still sell as tablecloth today.

 

To be honest, I think the most realistic bet would be plain wooden flooring.

 

[TBlack]

16 minutes ago, wefalck said:

To be honest, I think the most realistic bet would be plain wooden flooring.

 

Boy, I sure hope you seriously consider this idea. BTW, if there is no EOT in the wheelhouse, how does the helm communicate with the engine room?

Tom

[BANYAN]

Tom, probably by voice pipe and possibly also bells.

 

cheers

 

Pat

[Keith Black]

19 hours ago, wefalck said:

If linoleum, I would have thought of plain so-called Battleship-Linoleum in iron-oxide red ... However, linoleum wasn't invented until the mid-1860s by Walton, who remain the main producer (through subsidiaries) in Europe. Some years ago I did quite extensive research on the possible use of linoleum on the original configuration of SMS WESPE, but concluded that 1876 was too early. Shipboard use didn't really commence before the 1880s.

 

Another option is wax-cloth, forerunner and inspiration for linoleum. I believe waxed cloth was used as cheap floor-covering from around the 1840s, but doubt that it would have stood up to rough shipboard use. It's the same kind of stuff they still sell as tablecloth today.

 

To be honest, I think the most realistic bet would be plain wooden flooring.

 Eberhard, thank you taking the time to explain. I thought I could shoehorn linoleum into Lula's time period but I can now see that's not the case. 

 

 

19 hours ago, TBlack said:

Boy, I sure hope you seriously consider this idea.

Okay, okay, wood flooring it is. But I did quite like the linoleum, Tom......from your girlyman brother. 

 

19 hours ago, TBlack said:

if there is no EOT in the wheelhouse, how does the helm communicate with the engine room?

12 hours ago, BANYAN said:

Tom, probably by voice pipe and possibly also bells.

 Tom and Pat. Unlike the majority of steam vessels Lula's pilothouse sits right on top of the engine room. In fact, if there was a hole in the pilothouse floor the captain/pilot could reach through and strike the engines with his cane. I'm going to portray Lula's engines being controlled from the pilothouse without the aid of someone in the engine room.

 

 If there are those that feel this is impractical, I have two EOT's, I could add on in the engine room and one in the pilothouse. But in the below photo I posted earlier, isn't that what's being shown regardless of the EOT? Oh, I'll also be adding a steam whistle and also keeping the bell. 

 

Edited 9 hours ago by Keith Black

[Cathead]

Keith, I look forward to your adventures attempting to hand-make that spittoon on the floor by the stove.

 

My vote is for plain wooden flooring. It's something the viewer "expects" to see and so fits nicely with the overall aesthetic.

Edited 8 hours ago by Cathead

[Keith Black]

46 minutes ago, Cathead said:

Keith, I look forward to your adventures attempting to hand-make that spittoon on the floor by the stove.

 

My vote is for plain wooden flooring. It's something the viewer "expects" to see and so fits nicely with the overall aesthetic.

 Thank you, Eric. Spittoons, geez, every pilothouse seems to have had one. How bout i use one of the several buckets I have instead of a spittoon? 

 

 I sanded and poly coated the wood flooring last night. I really did like the look of the linoleum, it's a shame it doesn't fit into Lula's timeframe. 

[wefalck]

Sorry, to have killed your linoleum-dream 🫢

 

I gather you have to teleport LULA then into the 1900s or so.

[Keith Black]

1 hour ago, wefalck said:

Sorry, to have killed your linoleum-dream 🫢

 

I gather you have to teleport LULA then into the 1900s or so.

 Not an issue, Eberhard. I just liked the look of the linoleum, it's been discarded. 

[KeithAug]

45 minutes ago, Keith Black said:

I just liked the look of the linoleum,

I also got quite excited by the boudoir look, alas my fantacies will have to be controlled.