SS Stadacona by realworkingsailor - Sylvan Scale Models - 1:87 - Resin/Multimedia - kit-bash

[Jim Lad]

Thanks for that, Andy.  These ships are very different to the ones I'm used to.

 

Although loading would be easy, didn't the very narrow hatches impede discharge?

 

John

[realworkingsailor]

As far as the bulker trade goes, the unloading gear is set up for it, remember the picture I posted of the grain leg? Hullet unloaders for iron ore are also quite narrow.

 

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JErREoMOdDc&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DJErREoMOdDc

 

Self unloading gear, although sometimes added as a later conversion, made the need for shore unloading gear completely obsolete.

 

Andy

[Jim Lad]

Thanks, Andy!  I've always unloaded ore and coal with grabs, that's why I asked.

 

Kojm

[realworkingsailor]

A small update to report.

 

I've made the fillers for the open hatches on the main deck forward. Simply 0.030" styrene with some styrene re-enforcement underneath. I've also fitted the forward bulkhead and fo'c'sle deck.

 

You can see I've also made good use of green putty. This stuff (Squadron Green Putty), although incredibly smelly (toluene....bleh), is another must-have for a build like this. Resin kits are notoriously imprecise in their construction, in order to have an acceptable finish, filler is needed.

 

I've also cut down the forward bulwark to the stem. The prototype had the bulwark running much further back. I debated grafing an extension onto the existing part, but decided that it would be easier and neater to do it this way. Besides, I can now add all the structural framing.

 

After I finish the bulwarks, I've got the stern to consider, then I'll move on to the main deck and start adding some length to this monster.

 

Andy

Edited November 27, 2013 by realworkingsailor

[newbuilder101]

I'm onboard! This should be an interesting build - looks good so far.

[mobbsie]

Coming together nicely Andy.

 

I think this is going to be an interesting build, and she's different from all the old string bags.

 

Good on ya.

 

Enjoy your Thanksgiving as best you can mate.

 

Be Good

 

mobbsie

[Jim Lad]

Coming along nicely. Andy.

 

It's funny you should comment on resin kits being 'notoriously imprecise', as I've always imagined just the opposite.

 

John

[realworkingsailor]

Resin can be quite fickle to work with. Although you can take great pains with making a master, sometimes things go a bit sideways. As I pointed out earlier, inconsistent wall thickness is frequently one problem. Warping of not fully cured pieces is another frequent issue..... I have to straighten out a few pieces with this kit. Other inconsistencies can be attributed to the moulds. A good analogy would be the degradation you get when you make a photocopy of a photocopy of a photocopy.

 

Don't get me wrong, small detailed pieces can be replicated quite successfully, the same doesn't always hold true for large kits. You just have to be ready with a good file, plenty of filler, and a good sense of humour.

 

Andy

[realworkingsailor]

It may seem strange, but at one time the vessels plying the inland Great Lakes were some of the largest in the world. Even in the mid 20th century, most ocean going freighters settled comfortable around the 500 foot mark, lakers were already into the 700 foot range.

 

Thanks to the opening of the 4th Welland Canal in 1932, ships of up to 730 feet could make the transit down from the upper lakes (Superior, Huron, Michigan and Erie) to Lake Ontario. At that time, the largest ocean going vessel that could reach the lakes was limited by the locks and canals of the pre-modern seaway.  Smaller vessles, known as canallers, would tranship from lakes ports to ports on the lower St. Lawrence river. They were limited to a mere 261 feet long by 40 feet wide and a maximum draft of around 8 or 9 feet. These were small ships, but there were LOTS of them.

 

In 1959 the current Seaway was opened. This allowed passage of the largest lake vessels (at that time) to the lower river, it also reduced the total number of locks from 28 to 7, between Montreal and Lake Ontario. The old time canaller sailors used to joke, that they would litterally walk from Cornwall to Montreal. This also meant the end of "Canal" sized vessels, as they were no longer efficient in the face of the larger vessels. Aside from specialty ships (cement carriers or package freighters), most canalers were gone by the end of the 1960s. The last unaltered canaller currently sits at Industrial Marine and Salvage in Port Colborne Ontario. The crane ship "D.C. Everest" (1953) was last used as a barge. She now sits awaiting her eventual fate.

 

 

Another small update. Have completed the fo'c'sle bulwarks. Made of styrene sheet and strip. Each frame, and the bulwark was made from 0.030" styrene. The flanges and cap rail are all 0.015" x 0.080" styrene strip. I used the moulded on rivets on the hull as a reference for spacing the frames correctly. It will need a little touch up with filler along the bottome outside edge to fill any remaining small gaps and inconsistencies. But otherwise, I'm pleased with the result.

 

 

Now it's time to get serious tackling the stern and mid sections and get that hull put together.

 

Andy

[michael mott]

Hi Andy just checking in for the first time, that is a long model, and the styrene is an interesting material to build with.

 

Michael

[realworkingsailor]

I do enjoy working with styrene plastic. There is such a nice variety of structural and dimensional shapes on the market, if you can imagine it, you can build it. The fun part comes when grafting styrene to polyurethane resin... CA can really test your patience at times (the infamous "why the heck are my fingers stuck yet part "a" has not bonded to part "b"?!?!? Ratzafratz!!!" statement springs to mind )

 

Andy

[themadchemist]

Not just enjoying your build but the added information also. Keep up the interesting Great Lakes History, I'm loving it.

[Jim Lad]

Yes, Andy.  To those of us who don't live around the Great Lakes of North America, the world of the lakers is an almost unknown mystery.

 

Nice job on the bulwarks, by the way.

 

John

[realworkingsailor]

Glad you guys are getting something out of all this. What's nice, at select places there are great viewing platforms and interpretive centres that allow people to get up close with the history of the region, and the ships that still ply these waters.

 

Andy

[mtaylor]

The Department of the Army, Engineers has done the same thing along the Mississippi River at the various locks and dams.  Makes for a great afternoon or early evening to go and watch the tows and barges lock through. 

[realworkingsailor]

Well... I admit, I didn't quite stick to the plan as I had laid out earlier. I did get one section of the hull added on.... but....that large-ish hole in the fo'c'sle deck kept calling to me and I couldn't ignore it any longer. Starting yesterday I've been busy building a new forward house from sctatch. All styrene, of course. It's what you would call a "selectively compressed" version of the real thing. Taking the key elements, such as the shape and general arrangement, some compromise (reduce the number of portholes and doors), and you get something believeable, that anyone who knows the real ship, would recognize. Admitedly there should be a tad more curve in the front of the house, but I'm happy with what I've got.

 

There's still a lot more to do... like the sub-deck framing, the upper bulwark framing, doors and other odds and ends, and eventually the pilot house. The large square holes in the aft end are ladderways. I figured them out when I took a good look at the second prototype photo I posted. I noticed a jumble of railings just inside the aft corner that could only come from a ladderway.

 

You can see the difference when you compare the kit supplied version. There is fundamentally nothing wrong with it.... it's just not really proportionally correct for this build.

 

I'll be away for a couple days, I have to take a ship up the river and I fly to Montreal late tonight. I should be back late Monday, early Tuesday.

 

Andy

Edited January 22, 2016 by realworkingsailor

[augie]

Looks pretty darned good from here!

 

Safe trip.

[Sjors]

Hi Andy,

 

I missed the beginning of this "build"

Just like almost everyone, I've never see it so I will follow you closely on this.

One question.....

Maybe a stupid one but you know who is asking it.

It looks on the first picture that you post that the steering house is at the front of the ship ????

Or are that the crew quarters.....

Then i see a stack in the back.

So the engine is at the back ?

 

[TBlack]

I'm with Augie, I think it looks pretty good, too!

 

Tom

[realworkingsailor]

Sjors: She's a very traditional laker. The forward house has the wheelhouse (pilot house) on top, the captain's and officer's quarters just below and the deck crew's quarters just below that. The after house has the engineer's quarters, the galley (and galley staff quarters) and, of course, the engine room. Hope that helps

 

Andy

Edited November 30, 2013 by realworkingsailor

[Sjors]

It makes sense to me Andy     

Thank you very much.

 

[popeye the sailor]

looking good Andy.......I with you on that.......making the structures are always the most fun.   you did well with the shape....very nice 

[realworkingsailor]

Made it home this evening..... Back to the shipyard tomorrow......

[rlb]

Hi Andy,

 

Checking in periodically on your great lakes build.   A departure from your beautiful Pegasus!  Looking forward to more.

 

Ron

 

 

Quando Omni Flunkus, Moritati    --   Et tunc erant 'life.

Edited December 3, 2013 by rlb

[realworkingsailor]

A slow-ish day in the yard. Got a few things done though...

 

Installed the hawse pipes. One of those things that will never be seen, but nice to know they're there!

 

Also some more work on the foreward house. Added some frames to the upper bulwarks. I still need to cap the bulwark with some round stock.

 

I was on the fence about modifying the kit supplied pilot house, or going it on my own. I opted once again for the latter option.

 

As built, the Stadacona had a typical Lakes style semi-circular design. In order to improve rear-ward visibility, after her conversion to a self unloader, enclosed wings were added. You will also note that the house was also raised up from the deck about 3 feet or so, this was not a modification from her conversion, but rather, she was built in this manner. I'm not entirely sure on the reasons why this was done, but the practice of raised pilot houses persisted until the begining of all-houses-aft lakers in the 1970s.

 

Andy

 

 

[mobbsie]

Your certainly making great progress Andy, I'm beginning to get in my mind the full length of this ship. She's gonna be big right enough.

 

She's not what you would call an attractive ship but I can see the appeal. Keep up the excellent work mate.

 

Be Good

 

mobbsie

[augie]

Form follows function Mobbsie.  She may not win any beauty contests but I'll bet she looks great to the owners!

[Sjors]

I have so many questions about this BIG beast but I will look where it ends.....

One question then....

You are saying in the beginning at the build that you put an middle section in it .

Is that possible with all that kind of builds ?

 

[NAZGÛL]

Nice subject, looking forward to follow this. Remember to use a good mask when sanding the resin. Dangerous stuff to breath...

 

/Matti

[realworkingsailor]

I have so many questions about this BIG beast but I will look where it ends.....

One question then....

You are saying in the beginning at the build that you put an middle section in it .

Is that possible with all that kind of builds ?

 

Sjors, the way this kit was designed, in three major sections (fore, midship, and aft) it allows the builder to customize the length if desired, since Sylvan supplies extra sections for just that purpose.

 

Andy