1877 Salvage Tug Hercules build.

[djcf]

Hi Stuart,
I do like the plating. Do you have to be very careful drilling/filing out the ports, or does the resin soak right into the plating, preventing tear out?
Clark

[Stuart Badger]

Hi Clark!

You have to be a bit careful drilling into the hull. With a high speed on the drill I don't usually have any problems with the paper tearing away because, as you say the paint 'solidifies' the paper!

All the best
Stuart

[Stuart Badger]

Hi PDs!

I have now fitted the bulwarks and the lower layer of the handrail to the hull. The bulwarks are 1/32 ply glued to the side edge of the 6mm ply waterway. Unusually Hercules's stern is vertical and not canted forward - so at least that part of the bend was easy!. I will cut out the scuppers and bollard/cable holes later. The hand rail is 4 laminations of 1mm square boxwood, on top of this will sit the 1.5mm handrail which I will cut from sheet. I shall fit the rail AFTER I have finished painting and plating the upper sections and the inner bulwarks/waterways. I still have the rubbing strake to fit.

All the best

Stuart

[Eddy Matthews]

It's amazing what a difference the bulwarks make to the look of the hull Stuart.... I have to admit that the more I see it progress, the more I like it!

With independent paddles it should make a great towing vessel, so beef up the towhook so it can be used in anger.....

Regards
Eddy

[Stuart Badger]

Hi PDs!

I seem to have done an awful lot of work to Hercules these last few days - for very little visual result, but there is always this stage to go through on any model.
Since fitting the bulwarks I have; added the rubbing strake, fitted the stem post, fitted, sanded and varnished the handrail top. plated the outside of the bulwarks, added the scuppers and hawse holes and blown a coast of primer over the bow bulwarks to check the plating detail.

The hawse holes are a piece of PVC rod, drilled out and cut at an angle. The outside edges are rounded off and then the tube is fitted into the holes at the bow.

I seem to have a load of tasks I could complete if only all of the little bits I need would arrive from the UK. Mainly materials - the postage time seems to double the building time!

To amuse myself the other day I made one of the hand pumps for Hercules - photo attached. It's made from scrap brass - pen for scale.

I have decided to make Hercules twin engined and independant paddled - and yes Eddy I WILL beef up the towhook!

All the best

Stuart

[marinemole]

Love the tow hook, miniaturisation at it's best. You wouldn't fancy making the 100+ AA guns I need for the Fuso would you?

Regards

Andy

[Stuart Badger]

............................Thanks Andy - you did mean pump didn't you?

Well - my bits arrived from the UK - so I fitted the bulwark supports and gave the inside of the bulwarks a coat of 1970s British Leyland 'Poo Brown' just the right colour - I can't BELIEVE we used to drive around in cars painted that colour - euch!

All the best

stuart

[Eddy Matthews]

I really do like the look of the hull Stuart, I'm eagerly awaiting the next installments

Not sure about "poo brown" paint though!!

Eddy

[djcf]

Hi  guys
I have noticed that brown colour was quite popular on ships at one time, inside bulkwarks & cargo holds etc. Maybe its the shade that needs least maintainence
Stuart, do you know why the bulwarks were more vertical than usual at the stern on the Hercules?
Like the shapely counter stern, very nice
Clark

[Stuart Badger]

thanks All

Hi Clark!
I have no idea why Hercules's stern has no 'cant' on it. I looked at loads of photos of tugs of the same sort of era and they all appear to have some degree of slope on the bulwarks. One interesting point is that all the other reference sources that mention her describe Hercules as a 'salvage SHIP' - not a tug - strange. She also has two large boats on davits over her rear deck - which must have made towing an absolute nightmare - but she also has two large hawseholes in the vertical stern for hawsers to pass through (not fitted on the model yet)- so maybe that explains the lack of  slope?

All the best

Stuart

[djcf]

it may be the hawse holes, Stuart...same thing here

[marinemole]

............................Thanks Andy - you did mean pump didn't you?

Whoops!

Divert the money I am spending on red biddy to new glasses! 

It's still a masterpiece of miniaturisation and I would REALLY like someone to do my AA guns.

Andy

[Stuart Badger]

I quite like repetitive work Andy - BUT 100 AA guns? strewth!!! - Thanks for the photo Clark - nice tug, where did you find it?

I have just about completed the basic hull. I have drilled the portholes and fitted the two enormous stern Hawse pipes (made from the grommets you get for those metal electrical junction boxes - which you can also use for eliptical bow hawse pipes as they are 'bendy') and blown the first protective coat of paint on - this is NOT the finish, but will stop the paper getting damaged and provide a base for the final coat.
Next step is to paint the cement waterway and start the decking.

All the best

Stuart

[marinemole]

Is it just my dodgy glasses and the effect of the grape or does this colour scheme make the hull look even longer and narrower?

Andy

[derekwarner_decoy]

Is it just my dodgy glasses and the effect of the grape

Hi PD's........don't go to SpecSavers yet Andy  ....tis amazing how pespectives change with changes of colour

Best bet is just sit back +  ...or just a little OZ grape juice & watch the progress  ....Derek