Hello from a newby paddler.

[tonyh2]

Hello All,
   
I've been modelling boats for much too long (so SWMBO tells me) and at last have sort of focused on the 1850 to 1920 period as being the most fun in terms of odd designs.

The last couple of boats have been a Greek gunboat of 1881 and a French destroyer of 1902. On the stocks are a freelance brigantine and a French cruiser of 1896. The reason for the French connection is that the plans are FREE and that brings me to the reason for Paddleducks.
Next up will be a steam powered French (again!) paddle gunboat such as Bossant or Berthe de Villiers of the late 1800's so, being a total novice in the ways of the paddlewheel, I'll need all the help I can get.

Tony

[R.G.Y.]

Paddle wheels are available commercially, in brass or plastic. But if like me you like to make as much as possible yourself it is not to difficult. My method can be seen in the Duke of Devonshire thread in constrution. Geoff   

[derekwarner_decoy]

Hi PD's ...& welcome tonyh2... .......I recognise your name from Mayhem

Naturally the period 1850 to 1920 will provide some classic & beautifully lined paddlers to be considered

Enjoy looking around on PD's & naturally any questions  ...just ask and a member from our world wide group will assist

Derek .....

[tonyh2]

Thanks for the welcome gentlemen. I'm looking forward to the challenge

I've attached a small pic of the 'business end' of the 'project paddle' and it doesn't look too high-tech Geoff, nor does it look too classically lined Derek BUT it should be fun to build

Tony

[derekwarner_decoy]

Hi PD's...... ...Tony.....that's just two shoe box's sitting on a shallow hull  ...however with a little designers/builders licence you could have the lower deck block open at the sides & front

This could present a good view of the boiler, engine & ancillaries etc...& very much in a similar fashion  to the basic OZ paddler design...I see little point of hiding a steam setup away from view 

That  pair of rear paddles look as they they could be constructed in a jig but using brass wire & soft soldered & the substantial interconnecting shaft also looks impressive

Interestingly, each wheel appears to be 1/2 a blade out of sync with each other but.......

Keep us [ ] posted with your thoughts/progress......Derek

[tonyh2]

Mon Dieu!!! Shoe boxes indeed!!

I agree that the works should (and will) be on view. There's plenty of scope for atmosphere anyway, with a decent crew etc and steam in all directions after a hard life dealing with the 'Yellow Peril' on the Far East Fleet, being serviced and repaired in some muddy inlet That could be the reason for the non-sync paddles? At 1:36 she comes in at just over 1m long and about 10kg, so should be just about right.

I'll try and remember to take pics of the build as I go along.

Bon Chance mon Brave!

Tony

[Harold H. Duncan]

The offset paddle boards was a fairly common feature of the time.
Yarrow used the same on a few of theirs as well.
They offset the boards on each side of the one stern wheel, as per the ps Manuwai in NZ.
cheers
kiwi

[tonyh2]

Thanks Kiwi,

I've had a good look at the side-on pics of others in the class and they're offset.  That said, they do just look like bent wire coathangers!

Tony

[Harold H. Duncan]

Hi Tony,
The rings and bracing bars, are most probably around 2"x 0.25" flat iron.
I have the drawings for this somewhere and will try to find them tonight after work and have a look.
Would be relatively easy to build that paddlewheel. All flats, no angle members.
cheers
kiwi

[tonyh2]

Thanks Kiwi and sorry about delay in replying!  I'll take you up on the details, if I may, closer to the time. At the moment I'm on the slow slog of fittings and rigging of the good ship Descartes, plus re-rigging a brigantine so, plus planning the power plant for the paddler so I'll start a new thread when a real start is made.

Thanks again

Tony 

[mogogear]

Tony

Welcome- I have been steam paddling all summer and am just now returning with the return of the rains here in Oregon- Oh your french destroyer was superb- I hope you finally sold her for a good amount....

For those of you that have not seen Tony's work he is a superb modeller and will bring great things to this site.

I resume my USS Cushing Torpedo boat destroyer build in a month or so after dedicating a year to re-birthing a side paddle tug..The Flying Scotsman...I am sure having fun with her.

[tonyh2]

Hi Greg and thanks for the welcome!  I've missed your reports on the Cushing and I'm really looking forward to the finished product. I hope you haven't 'borrowed' the works from her for the Flying Scotsman

I'm still trying to design the plant for the paddler, so there's not much to show as yet. I've been making the moulds for some of the ornamentation, such as guns, but I don't reckon I'll really start until the new year at which time I'll start a new thread.

Kind Regards

Tony

[mogogear]

Ahhh Guns on a paddler..A blockade runner perhaps..?