Strongbow type tug

[Hankwilliams]

Thank you, Jurgen. The "Strongbow" correspondents in every detail with the british tug paddlers. In this coherence it seems not very important, whether she is a historic or a fictional construction, but she is a technical interesting one. You now will not need too much time until finishing an excellent made functional model.

[DamienG]

 

[Paddlemex]

Thanks Damien.

Slow, slow, slow progress and some disasters to report here.
I made the stern grating, painted the funnel and spilled some paint.

The stern grating work went without mayor difficulties and looks OK to me.

Small disaster: During the painting of the funnel some of the blue paint did not pass the masking-tape-test when I had masked that part for painting the black top and lower cone.
I tried to mask off the cone to repaint just the blue part but that turned out to be very complicated and I could not get a straight line. So I opted to raise the black part and paint the damaged part black.
I am happy with the outcome.

Big disaster: When prepping the wheels with my precious zinc-chromate primer I managed to tip over the paint can and spill most of the paint.  It is precious because I use very little and was able to purchase a 1/4 liter can a few years ago - still was 3/4 full. Now no one sells any broken quantities any more and I will have to buy 1 liter. At the speed I am using this primer that will last for over 100 years.
Anyway see the pictures.
Fortunately no feathering paddlewheels were harmed in this incident.

Jurgen

[Paddlemex]

Some small details added.
Companionways and skylights front and stern.
Still need to cut the window frames.

Jurgen

[Paddlemex]

I have been held up by weather. I want to give the hull a coat of satin clear but when I am in the office the sun is out and it's warm, but when at home it gets cloudy, windy and rains.

For some time I have been thinking how to make the cowl vents. I had been looking for hollow brass spheres, but couldn't find any. Then I thought of plastic or acrylic. I found some acrylic semi-spheres, but they were solid.
I cut a ping-pong ball in half, but it was too flimsy.
Then yesterday my wife found the solution. Hollow and 40mm in diameter. Picture attached.
Will cut one in half and see what it looks like.

Jurgen

[Hankwilliams]

This may be a good idea, Jurgen. Another possibility may be measure spoons like this.

[Paddlemex]

The measuring spoons would have been a good alternative, Thomas. Didn't think of them.

Anyway the christmas baubles split quite easy since they were made in halves and then glued together. A little gentle force applied with an Xacto and the split cleanly.
I made the cylindrical part from a 1/2" PVC pipe (O.D. 16mm) and the resulting cowl vent looks quite good.
I still don't like the surrounding lip. I used the isolation of a cable, but it looks uneven and is too thick. This still needs some improvement.

Also made the windows of the skylights. Looking at the picture I see that the roof is not centered. But, no problem, it's not glued yet.

Jurgen

[DamienG]

Great job well done.   

[Hankwilliams]

Looks really good, Jurgen!

[Mike]

   A good idea Jurgen.

   It is all coming along well.

   Mike

[Paddlemex]

Thanks to all for the applause.
It's been some time, but I have not been totally idle.

Finally I was able to give the hull a coat of semi-mate clear. It went well on the hull, but not so good on the paddle boxes. The paddle boxes ended up all covered with lint - embedded in the finish coat. Sorry, no pics. Don't know how that happened. I painted the hull and the paddle boxes the same time on the same desk.
I always clean the parts to be painted with a rag with some alcohol. My theory is that maybe some static was created when cleaning the parts. I had cleaned the hull the day before but cleaned the paddle boxes just before painting. The static on the hull may have disappeared in that time, but remained on the paddle boxes.
Anyway, now I'm back to be Mr. Sand-a-lot.

Have started the handrails. I did not like the idea of just bending the ends towards the wall, I wanted something different. Coincidence brought one of my wife's little hobby material boxes to my eyes and there were all the hand-rail ends I could imagine. They are glass with a 0.8 mm center bore.

Also finished the cowl vents. I had complained they did look kind of irregular. Well, they were irregular. Some sanding on a flat surface and now they look OK. Still have to glue the lip and align the ends of the lip.

Jurgen

[Hankwilliams]

Excellent work, Jurgen. But when the ship is finished, it may be good, to make some parts like old - not too much, only a llittle bit rust at some small parts of the superstructure. I have seen some locos of the railway modelers, which are made like long in use, also not too much, because the model should`t be look like a scap loco. The "Strongbow" tugs were working boats, not excursion boats.

Many regard from Münsingen

Thomas

[Paddlemex]

Thanks Thomas.
Of course the model will get some weathering here and there. As you mention: It will not be a cruise ship. 
I have painted the wheels in red. Since I am lazy I didn't disassemble everything and painted the complete wheel. To avoid having the paint stick the moving parts together I gave it several very light coats of mist. This also rendered a mate finish which was exactly what I was looking for.

Jurgen

[derekwarner_decoy]

Yes Jurgen

Well, for a homemade wheel, your builds are extremely well detailed  ....I had reservations about the composite material for the hub, but my fears have been dispelled

Painting in this manner [moving part surfaces free] will over time add tarnish to the exposed surfaces and add even more realism

Best wishes for the Festive Season

Until next year.....Derek

[Paddlemex]

Thanks Derek,

I have used this material before and is very tough. It can be threaded, accepts paint very well and behaves better than aluminum on the lathe. Good to hear that your fears were dispelled.

All the best for twentytwenty.

Jurgen