Newspaper boat!

[PJ]

Hey Mick.  Excellent job! I really like the look of "Leann"... she has a very Murray look to her.  Adding to what Gerald said about confined spaces for steering mechs, here's another idea I saw on a sternwheeler with Monkey rudders.  He used model control surface cables used for activating rudder, elevators and ailerons on R/C aircraft.  You can get a fairly tight radius with the smaller diameter ones and they have a very positive action, specially with small servos.  Just another idea which I haven't tried on a model boat but I want to (like friction drives!).

BTW...Gerald can you send me a pencil sketch (or even better a photo) of your Lindberg Tug steering system with the pulleys and spring.  I have a Lindberg tug converted to a Canadian WW2 "Ville" class tug which I'd like to finish..one day!!

Regards

PJ
Victoria, BC Canada

[Khephre]

PJ, that sounds like Gary Nelson's model of Jean, the Portland Oregon riverboat. I've got a few photos of his model so I've attached a couple of photos of the control cables connecting to the main and monkey rudders.

As you say, it's a neat and easy solution in a tight spot. Gary reckoned that using the cables solved a heap of logistical problems on his Jean build.

Tony

[steamboatmodel]

Hi PJ
I am trying to borrow a camera to get some shots to upload, when I do I will take some of the steering on my tug.
Regards
Gerald

[mjt60a]

The use of control cables is a great idea, I'll have to see what's available in the local model shops...

[Red_Hamish]

Hello all, I've used a conventional servo with arm in the past , connected to a flexible cable which in turn provided a lifting capability on a deck crane on a harbour work boat. This worked well until the pin locating it to the servo arm sheared. The outcome of attempting to get to the arm to effect a repair left me with a seriously damaged  (Abs) hull. I'd caution that you would have to make access arrangements in case something similar happened. Otherwise I've now put in place a mechanical link utilising Lego Technic gears and shafts to do a similar job in another model. This is still at the trial stage but appears to be OK for now. Direct driven gearing allows for more torque to be applied without inducing too much strain on the linkages, a bit of noise is generated, but I find this quite acceptable.

cheers

Jim

[thewharfonline]

Mick have you considered (I don't know if its possible with the motor though) controlling each wheel seperately as the control systema dn making the rudder a dud? just an idea, it might use less space! The boat looks really good, gee thats an understatement, I think it looks excellent! Especially the people in the wheel house and outside it, they fit the bill perfectly (because as everyone should know the people along the Murray and on the boats weren't the richest in the world...inf act they were most of the time pushing the line!)

just an idea Mick have you thought about adding wool bales onto the fore deck...just for that extra bit of realism? I'm sure you can make them out of calico covered small cardboard boxes...just a thought, if you need reference photos just ask...I'll have to delve though!

[mjt60a]

Mick have you considered (I don't know if its possible with the motor though) controlling each wheel seperately as the control systema dn making the rudder a dud? just an idea, it might use less space!

I have thought of doing that (it would need two motors though - I have some that'd do) but I'll first try to make the rudder work  

just an idea Mick have you thought about adding wool bales onto the fore deck...just for that extra bit of realism?

I thought of doing something like that too, possibly stacks of wood, barrels, or whatever else I might have in the modelling box, there's lots of space to carry (lightweight_ freight. Bales of wool would be good though, I can easily cut some pieces of 'expanded polystyrene' (packaging) and wrap them in sack-cloth or something....
....might even make a barge to tow around the pond  

[thewharfonline]

I've been thinking about making an outrigger barge...they're really fascinating me at the moment, but the wool barges look great when loaded with wool...but dull when not! I have a stack of polystirene from my model terain making (for my war games) its an mazing thing! So versatile and lightweight..it just can't be spray painted! But you could easily make wool bales out of it. Other things you could consider as cargo would be wood, dried fruit crates  or in the case of the Gem an Elephant

[mjt60a]

I don't have a 1/32 scale elephant - but I do have a cow, crocodile (?), giraffe, chicken and a sheep plus a shepherd with a lamb, they were sent with the other human figures on board when I bought them on ebay! (the farm animals went with the farmer, the wild animals with the captain/zoo keeper) I don't intend to use them on a model  :lol:
I've fitted the 'heath-robinson' steering components and they actually work pretty well. As the aft end of the hull is so confined, I had to put a tiller on the rudder post which now has to be worked by a lever.....(would have been easier to run the rudder tube right through to above deck and covered the mechanism with a hollow box of some kind...oh well, it's done now)
this is how it works;

[mjt60a]

Just a quick update on the LeAnn, Fitted all the electrics so all that's left to do now is obtain a 7.2v or 8.4v nicad battery - though I've decided to fit it with a mast as well, with a lifting boom/block & tackle type arrangement for lifting cargo into/out of a barge alongside or 'snags' out of the water - whatever those are used for.
Can't ballast it until I get the battery but tried it with a 'quite large' lead acid 6v I have (outside the boat and connected by long wires) and it all works fine, just the motor is a little slow on 6v.

[thewharfonline]

Yeh you got the boom deal right...thats what they were for! handy for the places that didn't have a giant red gum wharf with hydraulic cranes!