My first paddle steamer project - PS Waverley

[DamienG]

  Coming along nicely Peter. 

[kno3]

Your hull is beautifully shaped!

[Peter Binns]

Well, back in April I said 'more in a few weeks' but here we are in August already so there's quite a lot to report!

My hull is more or less basically complete, having applied two coats of epoxy finishing resin over lightweight fibreglass cloth, sanded and flatted endlessly, and all the windows, portholes and other apertures cut out ready for later insertion of frames and glazing after final painting. Here I should point out the first of several errors where I have been misled by the MMI plans I bought. Having laid out and cut the square windows exactly as the plans, I then realised from Google Images pictures of the Waverley that they were spaced too close to each other. However, what's done is done but I hope it won't be too apparent when the model is finished.

Thinking ahead to the glazing of the windows, I had pondered on how to simulate the dark wood frames. Too fiddly to cut accurately from veneer by hand, a friend suggested kiss-cutting the shapes out of wood-effect self-adhesive vinyl using her computerised craft pattern cutting machine. Trials using ‘Fablon’ material proved not to adhere too well to the polycarbonate glazing material so I’m going with a plain dark brown vinyl graphics material instead.

I also made and fitted the rudder, linkage and KingMax servo, retaining the bottom of the rudder post with a removable small brass plate attached to the aft end of the keel. With my hull 20mm deeper below the waterline than scale for stability and steam boiler housing below the main deck, the rudder is taller than it would otherwise be, so turning should be improved.

A level floor was then laid over a large area of the bottom of the hull to provide a consistent level for locating the boiler, twin cylinder reciprocating steam engine, gas tank and ancilliaries. However, I plan to also lay an aluminium sheet with raised edges under the boiler and engine to catch oil, condensation etc without it seeping into the wood interior.

In June I finally took the plunge and purchased a brand new Libra boiler and paddle engine kit from Clevedon Steam. Jerry, who used to build steam engines for Cheddar Models, was extremely helpful and I came away from his workshop with everything I needed, except a steam whistle which is to follow when available. So far I have only constructed the boiler, but next job will be to build the engine so that I can run some steam tests before installing in the model itself. I am totally new to steam and not an engineer, so quite a few challenges ahead!

One of the biggest frustrations so far with this build has been the difficulty I have had trying to obtain suitable paddle wheels or paddle wheel kits. Intending to go for broke with a pair of feathering brass wheels from Clyde Model Boats I had been waiting some weeks for a new batch to be manufactured, only to be informed that none had been made because of the rising price of brass would make the wheel kits even more expensive than they already were. I therefore resolved to go with the non-feathering wheel kits offered by Cayton Models, but sadly, on enquiring, I learned from his wife that the proprietor and maker of the kits had passed away earlier this year and their wheels were no longer in production.

With no third alternative I turned to eBay and as luck would have it a pleasant marine modeller from Wales (Derek) was advertising a pair of non-feathering 100mm diameter wheels he had made himself. Having contacted him, he offered to adapt another set he had also made to give the 120mm diameter wheels I needed. These arrived a few days later and are excellent - and only a third of the price I was going to pay for the feathering type!

This enabled me to go ahead with confidence and construct the sponsons which are designed to lift off the main hull if paddle wheel maintenance/removal is ever required. They simply hang on two brass screws in the side of the hull using small brass mirror plates. They will also be secured in place by two tiny brass angle brackets on the underside of the sponsons where they will not be seen. The next step will be to apply the same two coats of finishing resin and glass cloth as the main hull.

In the meantime I am waiting for the 4mm drive shaft to come, together with two short stuffing boxes to be inserted on either side of the hull to carry it. Then I will be able to work out the exact positioning of the boiler, engine and sprocket/chain drive.

More soon, I promise!

[derekwarner_decoy]

You have certainly made great progress with your build Peter .......

There is a strong opinion offered amongst modellers is that there is little if any recorded improvement or increase in speed/force with feathering to non feathering scale sized paddles

The paddle set you have shown appears to have a hex nut locking the hollow shaft together.......

Certainly having all of your steam plant components located on one level board/base plate will pay dividends & less heartache

Have you decided in the chain drive speed reduction ratio yet ...for your LIbra engine?

Derek

[Talisman]

One of the biggest frustrations so far with this build has been the difficulty I have had trying to obtain suitable paddle wheels or paddle wheel kits. Intending to go for broke with a pair of feathering brass wheels from Clyde Model Boats I had been waiting some weeks for a new batch to be manufactured, only to be informed that none had been made because of the rising price of brass would make the wheel kits even more expensive than they already were. I therefore resolved to go with the non-feathering wheel kits offered by Cayton Models, but sadly, on enquiring, I learned from his wife that the proprietor and maker of the kits had passed away earlier this year and their wheels were no longer in production.

With no third alternative I turned to eBay and as luck would have it a pleasant marine modeller from Wales (Derek) was advertising a pair of non-feathering 100mm diameter wheels he had made himself. Having contacted him, he offered to adapt another set he had also made to give the 120mm diameter wheels I needed. These arrived a few days later and are excellent - and only a third of the price I was going to pay for the feathering type!


More soon, I promise!

I'm so glad the truth didn't get in the way of a good story. 


Regards,
Kim

[Hankwilliams]

Hi Peter, Kim and Derek,

the built of Peter seems very exact and neat, so that it would be better to install original excenter geared paddlewheels. Even when it`s not quite simple to construct a geared paddlewheel, it`s not as difficult that you must be a precision instrument maker. Perhaps some pictures of paddlewheels of my models are helpful.
The wheels of Rigi, Hope and Tachtalia are home made from aluminium and brass by me, the MOL wheel was Kim`s kit and the China wheel is the expensive, but very precise and stabil constructed Elde Kit.

Thomas

[Talisman]

Hi Peter, Kim and Derek,

the built of Peter seems very exact and neat, so that it would be better to install original excenter geared paddlewheels. Even when it`s not quite simple to construct a geared paddlewheel, it`s not as difficult that you must be a precision instrument maker. Perhaps some pictures of paddlewheels of my models are helpful.
The wheels of Rigi, Hope and Tachtalia are home made from aluminium and brass by me, the MOL wheel was Kim`s kit and the China wheel is the expensive, but very precise and stabil constructed Elde Kit.

Thomas

Thanks Thomas,

Peter, chose not to buy my articulated / feathering / geared wheels... took loads of advice, criticised his drawings for inaccuracy and then when offered a set of non feathering wheels from me (which look more like the original that many other offerings) he decided to go cheap for a set of wheels constructed from Chinese ebay £2.99  frames.
Then comes on here making out it is the worlds fault he can't get wheels ...

Buy some tools, get some skills and make them ... make your criticism of others .... then and  then i'm listening!

And you wonder why the hobby is dying or getting less sophisticated ... That's progress ....
Regards,
Kim