King of the Mississippi by Rick - FINISHED - Artesania Latina - 1:80 - 1st Ship Model

[willardj]

Hi Rick,

Thanks for the response, I'll try the nail and styrene tube solution. I like many features you have used, one being the vertical deck pieces at the front of the second deck. Well done.

By for now,

John

[Rick]

Finishing the pilot house really helps the appearances of the boat. Several things about this part of the kit I decided to change after much deliberation. Would it look sort of clunky? Will the change make it look worse than the instruction photos? Well, I went ahead with the modifications and all I can say it is my boat and I am enjoying this build.

 

The first photo (from the bottom) shows the wiring and the second decoder inside the Texas deck. This decoder controls four lights with independent control, one forward in the curved State Room, one in the rear State Room, one in the pilot room and two connected together in the central State Room.

 

The next photo up shows the Texas and the Boiler decks to relate their different size. The inside of the Boiler Deck has the first, more powerful decoder, which controls the paddlewheel, the sound effects and 10 different lights, I was able to find some old scribed basswood for the flooring to cover the nest of wiring in this area. The flooring is removable even when the third deck is glued down.

 

Here is a photo getting an advance view of the smoke stacks. They don't get glued down until later.

 

And finally, (at the top) the pilot house with the modified roof trim and the rear landing for the stairway. Another stairway will continue down from this deck to the read of the boat.

 

Rick

[kpnuts]

just discovered this post great work she is looking real good cant wait to see her finished

[Adrieke]

hi Rick looking great

[cdogg]

Hi Rick, I just read your build log for the first time, I must say your work on this kit is fantastic! Can't wait to see the finished boat.

[Rick]

Kpnuts - welcome to this log, I am interested in your comments.

 

Thanks Adrieke - always glad to see you checking in.

 

Hello Casey - Thanks for your comment. Are you be building a steamboat?

 

I figured it was time for an update on this buildlog. My KoM is starting to take on it's own unique character. This kit has a huge number of details, some I like, and others I wanted to improve.

 

In the first photo below, looking straight on the front of the boat, the spiral stairs that I changed around doesn't look too bad. Other details I've changed are the decorative beads on the railing posts. I found some in a bead shop that sort of match the color of my paddlewheel. The lights (LEDs) are very visible in this view. The forward one will be made into a search light, common on steamboats in the 1880's. I am hoping that the ceiling light will light up the staircase detail, usually a very dark place on model boats.

 

The second photo shows a dramatic improvement of the smokestack decoration. When simplifying the pilot house decoration I had an extra casting or two. Wonder what to do with it, I suddenly thought it might be able to go between the stacks, but it was too small to fit by itself. With very little filing I was able to shape the base to fit on the stack decoration/bracing and I am pleased how it looks. My intent for pilot house decoration was to lighten it up a bit closer to what I've seen on historic photos.I  saw some classic shapes (fleur-de-lis) in the casting that seem to fit on a boat that is often called King of the Mississippi. Although I haven't found an actual historical picture of any boat with this name.

 

The side view photo of the boat shows the wooden railing along the main deck. Instead of using the provided dark wood as per the instructions I wanted light colored railing as seen on some of the other kit steamboats. With plenty of decking planks left over, I decided to use it, but it was too wide and seemed very thin (21 inches wide in HO scale). I devised a cutting jig to slice the strip into two equal pieces getting a very reasonable 10 inch boards. Cutting these to fit between the pillars took extra time but it shows nicely in close up photography. Heavy chain from Builders in Scale ( 12 links to an inch) looks better to me than the brass ring chain provided in the kit.

 

The last photo is the traditional view we all like. The short stairs I made from metal castings from Scale Structures Ltd. The bell is O scale (1:48) locomotive bell  from Precision Scale. It sill needs its pull rope.

 

I'd be interested in any of your thoughts about all of the changes I'm making to this kit.

 

Rick

[Intasiabox]

I like the changes that you have made, it makes your KoM unique. I dabble in n scale myself and I think it's great that you are using some skills and parts from your train hobby into ship building. Your model is looking great and I'm hoping mine will look half as good when all is said and done.

[Rick]

I have some pictures that I took some time ago. They should be posted before moving on to where my build is at this current date.

 

 

Getting the railings organized was essential. I had a little difficulty in knowing which curved pieces went were until I laid them out on the full size plan. Locating the obvious one first narrowed down the choices for the ones that looked similar.

 

 

Also, realizing the curved pieces were very similar in curvature and length between the second and third deck helped. The railings on the shorter inner deck didn't seem to have any laser cut pieces that would fit so I replaced them with HO scale porch railing made by Grandt Line. They are very realistic and surprisingly close to the size and dimensions of the AL railing.

 

I knew I had to make a pair of long, easy curved railings for changes I had planned for the front of the second deck and I include a photo of how I spliced pieces side by side and then sanded to shape. This was way easier that soaking, boiling, and try to bend a straight piece of African walnut. (Ask me how I know). By not using brass etching on the short inner deck I had just enough to finishing the added front railing on the second deck.

 

 

I located the railing posts directly above the vertical pillars according to the full size plan which were carefully measured and marked on the edge of the decks. This was a mistake, either in my reading the scale or AL drawing the plan as there were several millimeter differences. In hindsight, it is obvious that they should be the same and that length is exactly the length of the brass etchings. A few of the worst ones were relocated and others, if you look closely, some pillars and posts are misaligned. a few curved railings had to have a butt splice to close in the gaps.

 

 

 

I was going to build the railing separately, off the boat and I built a jig to make everything uniform. But I got to thinking it wouldn't work for the second deck (pillars) and seemed to me to be too fragile on the third deck. But here is a picture of it if anybody else wants to try it.

 

 

So, instead of the jig, I used a scrap piece of 2x2 millimeter to get uniform spacing off the deck for the bottom rail and glued on the etching and top rail so  they are snug. There was a lot of fussing to trim the etching to length, which I said before was a mistake. I used other small pieces of scrap as a spacer to help align the etching front and back (setback) centered on the posts and railings.

 

 

I prepared the etching weeks ago by using a spray can of primer to coat the brass. Then I brushed on two to three coats of what is called 'Reefer White' by Floquil paints. I understand that this paint is no longer being made. I think a good coat of spray can white on top of the primer would have worked OK.

The triangular decoration went on quite rapidly using thick glue, rather than CA (superglue). The strength is from the fillet formed to capture the thin etching to the wood. Another trick I learned from Adrieke is to turn over the boat and put the triangles on up side down.

 

 

And an item from the previous post is how I changed the stairways to the pilot house. The landing behind the pilot house is full width and the railing is made from the 2x2 millimeter walnut. I had seen a photo of real Mississippi steamboat with the stairway continuing down the center of the boat towards the stern. It made sense to me.

 

 

 

I have noticed that the Polyurethane Clear Satin doesn't change the appearances of most types of wood, however it darkens and shines a little on the african walnut. It gives the boat a classy look. I wonder if I should apply it to the painted parts of the paddle wheel? It may give it a nice wet look or it may change the color, too dark?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rick

Edited June 17, 2014 by Rick

[traxman007]

HI Rick,

Can you tell me where did you get this blueprint for this boat?

I'm trying all over the world (over the net) and I can't find a nice decent detailed blueprint.

 

Do you want to sell it? :-)

Do you maybe have a digital form of it? scan/camera shot or something?

[kpnuts]

Looking superb there rick

[Redbeard]

Rick

 

She really looks good...nice job

 

John

[Sanjivk]

Hi I'm new to this. I can't seem to find the bulkhead struts. Can anyone help me.

[Rick]

It has been slightly over two years since I started this kit and believe it or not, about a year since I finished it. I am finally posting pictures of the completed boat in order to wrap this project up.

I have just seen several new KoM building projects on this site and they all look like good builds. I encourage everybody to finish your project and feel the reward of satisfaction of a successful build.

The reason for the late posting is a classic story (...used by students not turning in their homework...) is my computer crashed last year. Believe you me, getting digital things back in order is a royal headache. All I can say is back up your work.
Unfortunately, I did not document the last steps of my build from where I left off last year. You will see details in the pictures and feel free to send me questions about what how I did things.

There are many new details borrowed from HO scale model railroading including the figures which I painted myself, the sitting benches, heavy black chain, and several light fixtures. The rigging I used a heavy tan thread, music wire for the hog chain, and very thin wire from the kit for guy wires. I remade the gang way about twice as long for the front of the boat to better match historic steamboat photos. The bottom photo is how I display model and the way I see it every day.

You can see and hear the paddle wheel and lights if you click on this link.

Thanks for your comments and good luck with all of your builds.

 

Rick

[brad2302]

Can anyone tell me which river boat to buy I like both the occre and this one . But the occre is 2x the money any reason why???

[Cheri]

My husband is working on this boat. Has a few questions and was wondering if we could get a little help here?  It talks about using putty on the bottom piece and we are wondering what kind of putty to use?

thank you!