1877 Salvage Tug Hercules build.

[Stuart Badger]

Hi PDs!

Summer marches on and I have a few days before our next visitors. I have started on the main deck. Nothing complicated here, the deck is designed to join under the pipework and the pump and valve chest locate and hold it in place - next the funnels!
again thanks for the interest and comments 

All the best

Stuart

[marinemole]

Looking good. What is the hull lurking to port under the transmitter box?

[Stuart Badger]

Hi Andy

The hull is the Marchoness of Lorne from Clyde Model Boats.

All the best
Stuart

[Stuart Badger]

Hi PDs!

I have been struggling these last few days to accomplish anything! The holiday season is in full swing and we have been swamped with visitors. But I have managed to get the main deck complete and made a start on the funnel bases.

All the best

stuart

[Stuart Badger]

Hi PDs!

I managed to get a little further with the funnel bases this afternoon - pics below.

All the best

stuart

[Eddy Matthews]

My god, if that's what you can do when your overrun with visitors! Now we know why things progress so quickly when your left alone!! Amazing!

Regards
Eddy

[djcf]

Nice rake on those funnels, Stuart

[Stuart Badger]

Hi PDs!
and thanks Eddy and djcf.

Our visitors leave tomorrow - so I should be able to do a bit more to Hercules.
When I first started her I wasn't as 'fired up' as I usually am - but I have to say as the model progresses I have become rather fond of her 'quirkiness' and can't wait to do more on the padle boxes and centre section.

In the meantime I have sprayed the funnels and fitted the spark arresters and eyebolts for the chain stays.

I have also made the two boiler room skylights. These proved to be an absolute pig and it took 5 attempts to get a reasonable result. The method I finally used was to cut a piece of 3mm polycarbonate clear sheet to the outside dimensions of the metal frame and then drill for the safety bars along the opposite long edges at 3mm apart to the diameter of the brass wire (0.6mm). I then masked off the clear 'glass area'. Next I made the 44 safety bars by bending brass wire over a piece of wood the same width as the distance the holes for the bars were apart. I then mounted these bars in place using a spacer to ensure that they were all the same height, spray painted the whole thing and then very carefully removed the masking tape.

The next job is to clad the funnel bases in 10thou Plasticard embossed with the rivet detail, - then I can start on the mechanical stuff.

The paddle wheels have arrived from Clyde models and although they are a 'prototype' set without hubs or floats (I would have to make these myself anyway to be scale for Hercules) I have to say that they are far better than I would have been able to produce 'by hand'. I did help a little bit with their design so I am well chuffed!

More later

All the best

Stuart

[Eddy Matthews]

It's looking magnificent Stuart, but now your getting on towards the next pieces that interest me, the centre section and then all the towing hoops and towhook etc etc.

Will this really fit in your hand luggage for Paddler Day?

Regards
Eddy

[marinemole]

Lachie is a great believer in funnels 'making a model'. As usual he is right. I have to say at times you both make me sick!!!   This model oozes 'character'............love it!

[Stuart Badger]

Hi PDs!

Today I managed to clad the funnel bases and paint them as well as permanently mounting the smoke stacks.

I couldn't face starting the paddle boxes (too hot) so I thought I'd make the ventilaters. There are 4 of these and they are a bit unusual. They project forward quite a long way and have a very Victorian 'trumpet' mouth.
here's how I made them;
First I cut off 4 lengths of 16mm brass tube for the uprights. I then took 4 15mm plumbing elbows and trimmed them as shown. I soldered these to the uprights. A piece of PVC bar (drilled out to 16mm) was turned using wood working gouges to the profile of the mouth 'trumpets'.
I drilled for the orientering handles and made these out of 1mm brass wire and fixed them in place with superglue. The mouths were also superglued in place and the complete ventilaters were given a coat of primer. I notice from the pictures that one of them appears to be full of 'clag' - I'll have to clean that up!

More later!

all the best

Stuart

[Tug--Kenny]

I do like that. It's very tidy.     


Thanks for the idea.

Ken

[thething84]

this looks to be one amaing model. looks superbe. i am hopefully starting mine in the near future.

[Stuart Badger]

Hi PDs!

Today it was 104 in the workshop - so I decided to take advantage of the fact that the Plasticard was soft and make the paddle boxes for Hercules!
I do NOT like plasticard as a building material. I personally find it a very unforgiving material but there really was no alternative due to Hercules's paddle vents (very difficult to cut in wood).

First job was to make the outer and inner pairs of box faces and then 'roll' the top of the paddle box around each face edge leaving an overlap on the outer face. The top of the boxes have two hinged panels for access to the wheel. I simply made these from 10 thou sheet and produced the hinges and handles from brass tube and wire.
I couldn't resit mounting them temporaily on the hull to see what they looked like.

Think of me tomorrow as I have the thrilling task of making and fitting the paddle box steps!

all the best

Stuart

[Eddy Matthews]

ooh, that looks good - A nice job on the paddlebox vents! 

So now that I've had my Hecules "fix" for the day, it's time for a cuppa

Regards
Eddy