P.S. Waverley --- My Build

[Dinosaursoupman]

Hello Kenny and all PD's,

I've been watching the progress on your build Kenny and eagerly await each and every addition. Having never been on the Waverly (or English soil for that matter (currently English soil  )) I can't contribute any personal experience as to actual measurements of fittings aboard the boat, but I would like to offer an observation. Rather than the bow bulwark being too short, is it possible that it is too tall? thus giving the impression of being too short? Unless the square windows have been placed way too far forward, the proportion of bulwark length looks to be close.

Just my uneducated observation.

Keep up the great work and we all truly appreciate the wealth of photographic documentation. (evidence!)

Cheers guys, Randy

[Eddy Matthews]

I think Randy has hit the nail on the head Ken.....

It seems that the bulwark is simply too tall - To confirm this, I searched the web for a good "side-on" view of Waverleys bow (not at a slight angle as in my previous post).

So, if we take the distance from the bow to the front of the first saloon window as 100% to remove the effects of images at different scales, we can then work out the percentage of the bulwark in relation to this distance - Ignore the portholes, they changed positions so can confuse the issue.

This shows the real boats bulwark is 32.96% of the measurement from bow to saloon window
The original model bulwark is 22.35%
And the modified bulwark is 32.38%

So there you have it - 32.96% (real vessel) and 32.38% (modified model), as near as damn it the same, so you have the length correct! It just needs to be reduced in height and bingo!!

Regards
Eddy

[Eddy Matthews]

Oops!

I've just thought... If Ken doesn't read my last post before he rips off the bulwarks, I may just have to make a grovelling apology 

Eddy

[ancoaster78]

Hi Ken

Just been reading your build reports, what a great way of sharing progress!

Model coming on well, it seems yet another Paddleduck who puts me to shame in making progress with getting models built!

Further to Eddy and Randys comments I just read, I thought I would add that the top of the Spirket Plate (as that raised piece of bulwark around the bow is called) is 42inches above deck level on the real ship with a 2inch deep wooden capping rail on top. So at 1:48 scale this should be 22.225mm from deck level (top of frames/underside of the wooden decking) to underside of capping rail. Also, the real ship has a 6inch upstand around the edge of the hull forming the outer wall of the waterway round the edge of the deck, so taking this 6inch off the height of the spirket plate gives 36inches above the top edge of the hull, which at 1:48 is 19.06mm

I spent many hours with tape measure and camera wandering round an out of service Waverley, and as a result have a very good plan direct from the source for the ship under construction on CAD at home!

I could tell you as well the length the Spirtket Plate should be from the stem, and from the windows too if needed, but as you've already rebuilt it once you probally dont want to know! Anyways, I agree with the others in that it looks pretty near perfect in length as youve got it now!

Keep up the good work, and keep us posted! Cheers, Andrew

[Tug--Kenny]

Thank you for all your comments on my build. They are much appreciated, as I am learning as I go along, so please keep them coming in.

Reference the pointy bit on the bow, known as the Spirket plate, I awoke at 3 o’clock this morning and it hit me like a thunderbolt. After warming the tea pot and re looking at her pictures, I realised the shape was too high. The length was bound to be right as I had proportioned it from some pictures of the real ship. You were right, Randy. You must be telepathic.  No apologies necessary, Eddy, I also knew it didn’t look right, but ‘I couldn’t see what was wrong’. The new height was calculated at 22mm, so well done to you, Andrew. I don’t think I’ll worry about the 0.2mm either way.

Bright and early next morning, I shuffled out to the workshop and lasered a new line across and cut off the top bit. I then filled the anchor hole and relocated it to deck level.   (131).   A bit of filler and a re spray and she now looks better. (132)   especially when I laid the capping rail across it to line up with the stanchion height. I even put my little ‘Man’ behind the rail and his little elbows rested on the rail nice.

 I’ve decided to stick with my original picture of 1975 and keep the 6 portholes as they do look the business.

It was then time to move to the stern for a bit of work. I drilled out the rudder hole for the outer brass tube and secured it in epoxy in a wood block. (132) Turning her over I laid some more filler around the hull to build up a section to surround the new brass rudder. I’ve left this to dry overnight and will work it to shape and blend it to the hull to make a smooth flow for the water. (134)

Hope I sleep better tonight. 

 Ken.

[Eddy Matthews]

Thats cracked it Ken - reducing the height has made all the difference!!

Just one question, will you be using one drive motor, or two with independent paddles? The reason I ask is that you'll probably find the rudder far too small with fixed paddlewheels. Mind you, that can be experimented with on the water later, so it's not a major issue right now.

Well done yet again...

Eddy

[Dinosaursoupman]

Hello Kenny and PD's,

Kenny states,

I awoke at 3 o'clock this morning and it hit me like a thunderbolt.

and

You were right, Randy. You must be telepathic.

I submitted my post at 6:31 pm PDT which puts me 7 hours after you. That would mean that I posted my comment at 1:31 am your time. Unless you were restlessly tossing and turning for 1-1/2 hours going over this dilemma in your sleep, it's too close to call as far telepathy is concerned. But I would like to quote a friend who says , "Great minds think alike." 

In regards to the rudder department; There are a number of ways to approach this problem. As we know, while we can scale down everything else in regards to modeling, i.e. length, width, depth, and weight, we cannot scale down water itself. So, a model boat will not respond as readily as the full scale boat we are modeling. Therefore we have to enlarge the rudder and increase prop/wheel rotation to simulate scale speed and maneuverability. Some have overcome this by (A) enlarging the rudder, (B) making a static display rudder that is interchangeable with a R/C rudder, or (C) making an attachable rudder that goes over or attaches to the static display rudder.

Depending on accessability, you may consider option (B) and if you have limited access to your rudder, then (C) may be the easier choice. If you are not overly concerned about things being 100% true to scale then (A) requires the least amount of work in order to sail the ship.

All these are things you may want to consider at this point in your build.

Randy

[Dinosaursoupman]

Hey Kenny,

After reviewing pictures 120 and 124, it looks like you have a good sized access panel in the deck over the rudder, so you may want to consider the interchangeable rudder option.

Randy

[Tug--Kenny]

Hi Eddy.  I am using a 50/1 ratio motor, driving a pulley belt to a single drive shaft. I understood from knowledge gained so far (on this site) that independent wheel drive is a No No.

However, that said, I have a built in problem with the construction and fitting of the wheel feathering system being built on the outside edge.

If I only have one shaft then it cannot be slid sideways to release the wheel, as it won't push through the opposite wheel feathering gear. ??

My thoughts on this were to cut the shaft and rejoin it inside the boat with a coupler. of course, this will need a second set of internal bearings to stabilise the system. This would create two shafts (as one) should I decide to go the twin motor route.

Hi randy. Yes indeed the blade is a little small.  Here we go again .........  it's a good job I have all that spare metal left over. I shall relocate the rudder shaft inwards and make a bigger rudder. I know how to do it after my first attempt, so will devise a better blade.

I would like it to be within the length of the boat and not hanging over the back, when it swings over it should create enough water drag to turn her about.  (I suppose a Bow thruster is out of the question ..... only joking !)

Ah well, must try to get a little sleep   

Ken


 

[steamboatmodel]

Hi Ken,
About "I understood from knowledge gained so far (on this site) that independent wheel drive is a No No."
I think that if you can work an independent drive for each wheel in the boat you will be better off. I don't have a current Paddler, but I operate John B's Steam warping tug often enough that when I build one I will try to incorporate independent drive. Most scale competitions allow a 10% increase over scale size on operational models.
Regards,
Gerald

[Tug--Kenny]

                 Entry of the “Super Rudder”

There was enough spare copper plate to ‘wrap around’ the existing rudder. This has been roughed up on the insides and epoxied into place, and finely polished to a nice finish. The existing bearing tube was left in the same position, which gave a balanced rudder of about a third on the pivot point.
I might leave this unpainted as it looks quite nice is situ. (135)  (136).

I had purchased 10,000 match sticks recently (I don’t know why either!!) and was looking at the seats that are needed for the decks and it occurred to me that they would look nice with slats on them. 

Sunday was spent cutting and gluing and staining. I have made the backrests and they are drying separately, and have yet to be added. (137) The little oars have been painted white.  Pity I put the ‘Stanley knife’ through my finger. When the superglue breaks off, I’m hoping for a good result!!

I do rather fancy the twin motor idea. The ship will be operated in close quarters, so manoeuvrability will be paramount. Oh well, another £20 geared motor, I suppose. A quick thought on this problem was to fit a differential gearbox, but life is too short for this sort of work.

Ken

[Tug--Kenny]

                      Woodwork time

Today I opened the matchstick container and laid out a few for the construction of the seats. (138).This involved laying 4 match sticks out with a tiny gap between them onto some sticky tape, upside-down. Small cross members were then cut and super glued sideways across them. When dried they were sanded smooth along their edges and wood stained. Next time, I will stain the wood first because I found, that where there was glue, it would not stain very nice, and left white patches.

The rear support pieces were then sanded at an angle and butt joined together to cause a sloping back to the seats. The original ‘backs’ were removed with a chisel and these new sections were then glued to the seats, which already had strips glued across them, and the whole lot stained again. (139)

There is a long bench affair running down the sides of the rear cabin, which is attached the wall, so I’ve made 20 sets of what looks like ‘duck boards’. These will be attached to a runner stuck on the wall. (139)

I then had a go at making the single benches. I fret sawed the side pieces and sanded them to be the same size and stuck them upright to the bench with blue-tack. I then laid out the match sticks across the sides and glued together. When dry, the edges were sanded smooth and my little people came out to try them for size. (141) (142) (143). Only 10 more to make!!

While in matchstick mode, I thought I would fit some to the curved seat in front of the first cabin. Unfortunately, these curve all around so it was very tricky to bend them. I have gone for the wood slats to stick outwards in a semi circle and am waiting for it to dry before seeing how it looks. At the moment it looks like a sun dial, so I don’t know if I’ll get away with it.

[sandystrone]

Ken
my first attempt at a paddler was my model WAVERLEY which Walter Snowdon has now; and when I first built her she had independent paddle drives.

This was fine in flat calm conditions but our lake at Tynemouth is rarely calm for long and I found in a chop (ever so slight a one) that one paddle would be labouring in a water choked sponson, whilst the other wheel was spinning around with little propulsion.

So after that, having now built about 10 padle models, they are full shafts.
Some were joined with a sleeve in the middle, and some have had a paddle shaft which would go right thro' and in such a way that it can be drawn out from either side and thro' the spider wheel after its bearing was removed first.       Sandy

[Tug--Kenny]

Hi Sandy  & PD's

Thank you for making up my mind. I've decided on the sleeve in the middle as it's the only way to remove the wheels, independently. Would you have any close up pictures of the bracket to hold the feathering pivot, please. I'm particularly interested in how to secure the rail to hull. I don't want to rely on the paddle boxes taking the load.
 
Many thanks

ken

[Tug--Kenny]

                            Fitting out

The problem of the Paddle wheels has been solved. I am able to keep the shaft as one complete piece now. I realised the wheels were only 3mm larger than the boxes, so have cut the inside rim of the boxes back by this amount, and now the wheels slide on quite easily. The outside covers are unaffected by this and lay beautifully across.

I have rebuilt the wheels with brass blades, which are now a little larger than before. The nuts and 2mm bolts have been sanded flat, and secured with ‘loc tight’  (143)


I’ve finally got to look inside the hull. What a big space to work in. I’m leaving the deck fitting until last, so this time I can plan and place the working parts inside so that the will be easily accessible.

Wooden frames were constructed and cut to fit the curvature of the hull, and then epoxied into place overnight. The rudder and linkages were then secured and connected up using brass plates and screws. I have kept the arm and linkages short to cut out the wobbles and inaccuracies when steering her. (144) (145). 

I then painted the assembly in Gold to keep the water out, and also make it easier to see when enclosed by the deck. This area will be accessible through the hatch cover above, should any further maintenance be required.

The main drive motor was then lined up, with the drive wheels placed temporarily in position. As there was no securing holes or screws on them, I had to drill out these wheels with a 2mm hole, which proved to be very hard steel, and consequently broke several drills and also wandered off line, which ruined one of the wheels. A new one was ordered and this held me up for a few days, but all is well.  (146)