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Author Topic: An Iron Tug  (Read 4206 times)

corrado

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An Iron Tug
« on: February 18, 2007, 12:50:53 pm »

Fellow modellers,
Has anyone built a Tugboat from steel...and I don't mean soldered Tinplate or Brass...I'm talking 1mm thick Steel and welded up.
I know there's a lot of Wooden ones and Fibreglass ones and usually they are loaded with lead weights to bring them down to the waterline.   C'mon...there must be some other retired Panel Beaters out there?   Comments......Ideas??
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tigertiger

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Re: An Iron Tug
« Reply #1 on: February 18, 2007, 04:06:08 pm »

Wow, this will be an interesting project, and it should work.

What do you intiend to do?
Weld small plates, or panel beat larger one and put on rivet lines?
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Bunkerbarge

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Re: An Iron Tug
« Reply #2 on: February 18, 2007, 04:39:00 pm »

I think you are potentially making a lot of work for yourself.

All non ferrous materials are not a major concern if the paint is damaged but utilising ferrous materials brings with it a requirement to maintain the paint at all times, possibly requiring repainting on a regular basis.  Also the use of 1mm thick plate would only be suitable for a large hull as you would be carrying a lot of weight in that. 

I can understand you incorporating the ballast into the structure in this way but the beauty of having seperate ballast is that it will always be adjustable.  You will be stuck with your ballast with no way of compensating for future changes in propulsion or the addition of any future modifications or enhancements.

Interesting concept but a lot of preplanning and thought required.
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Telstar

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Re: An Iron Tug
« Reply #3 on: February 18, 2007, 04:56:09 pm »

Hi Perhaps I should mention, that "Tin plate" is actually steel sheet hot coated on both sides with tin. Tin is a very soft metal, and the original idea of tin plate was to coat the stronger steel sheet to make it corrosion resistant.

Welding together 1mm thick sections will be fun, my own experience using MIG on 2mm thick mild steel still needs a good Angle grinder to look smooth
Best of luck on your endeavours

Fair winds and calm waters
Tom
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Martin (Admin)

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Re: An Iron Tug
« Reply #4 on: February 18, 2007, 05:32:06 pm »


How about this seen at a Deans Marine open day a couple of years ago.....

or this Aluminium Tug - http://users.eastlink.ca./~jbentley/Tug1.html










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tigertiger

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Re: An Iron Tug
« Reply #5 on: February 19, 2007, 03:09:50 am »

Even with a steel hull you will need to balast her. :P

So you can have fun loading her up with sand, tins of beer  ;Detc.
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corrado

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Re: An Iron Tug
« Reply #6 on: February 19, 2007, 10:10:39 am »

Well....I know this would be creating a lot of work for myself, but I enjoy a good challenge..that's the whole idea!  And I don't think it's been done too often....I already have a scratch built Fibreglass TID Tug, a wooden Grand Banks and a Wooden/ Fibreglass Chris Craft Cobra.....the cunning plan at this stage (subject to change of course) is to build a wooden plug in the Bread & Butter fashion and then cut templates from cardboard & transfer the shape onto the steel.   The cardboard templates would give a good indication to how much the steel will  react in being bent in two planes.  The hull would have to be fairly boxy but could have curved bilges. It's hard to project what's in my head to here but I'm pretty determined (stubborn) & don't give up easily.  When I start it I'll post progress photos.  What do you think??
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malcolm.howard2

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Re: An Iron Tug
« Reply #7 on: March 03, 2007, 10:22:52 pm »

Corrado ref iron tugs   =  steel i have biult  two  models in this material the first  was a 7ft  model of Seaforth  Clansman  using 1mm steel  for  hull  and  .60mm fordecks  this hull is  seam  welded  from  strips  of  steel cut  to size to suit area  being  worked on. after tack welding into position all plates are seam welded  and then  filded flat filling  does far  less damage to plates as the welds are only  2mm  wide  it is not  a big  job. this makes  a  very strong hull  with  only odd  ribs here there  i could  stand  on  hull  when  bottum up. This  model  wieghs  200lbs ballast  was  either  3 car  batterys  or 1  battery  and some  water  from pond.             Model  2 is   Moorcock   in the trailer  at Deans  Marine open day.This  was made  by  biulding  a  frame ,  the same   as  if  using  wood . The frames  were  hand  cut from 4mm  steel  plate  one side at a  time  and were  then  welded  to the  keel  bar 50 mm 10mm  hull  plates  are  1mm thick  and  are rivited  to  bars  welded  in place .Plates   are  easy  to bend to shape  and fit,  Drilling hundreds and  hundreds of  small  rivet holes  is the  difficult  bitt  the  keel worst of all.    Model  is 112inch  long  28inch  beam  will wheigh  6cwt   this  means  a lott of  water  ballast    PS  dont  worry  about  rust   it will take alot longer  to get a hole  in this even without  paint     big is Boutiful   but  bigger is even better  so go forth and mutiply  Malcolm
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FIRPARK

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Re: An Iron Tug
« Reply #8 on: February 18, 2010, 11:50:00 pm »

Hi Malcolm--
What has happened to your Moorcock? I am in the process of rebuilding a 1/2" to ft Moorcock with steel topsides, but I am struggling to find detail for deck fittings-- monitors etc.. can you help please?
Firpark   
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Umi_Ryuzuki

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Re: An Iron Tug
« Reply #9 on: February 19, 2010, 04:08:19 am »

There was a gentleman from Vancouver BC, Canada, that built an all steel model.
I saw it at a model show back in 1980. Everything worked right down to the door latches.

Steel work was mentioned a few years ago on RCgroups, and at that time, I also talked about
this mans boat, and the fact that it was all steel. At that time, another member spoke up and
happened to mention his name... However, it is all lost to me now... {:-{
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malcolm.howard2

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Re: An Iron Tug
« Reply #10 on: March 10, 2010, 10:19:42 pm »

Hi  Firpark  will try and get imfo  for boat fittings  for  you.  Are there any in particular that you want.  There could be a delay as i am changing broadband company. and plans are buried in garage inside boat.  malcolm       
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tassie48

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Re: An Iron Tug
« Reply #11 on: March 26, 2010, 11:33:24 pm »

My fatherinlaw now deceased build a couple of tug boats from the old bake beans and 20 litre kero tins and soldered them did a great job son in law has the boats on the mantle piece on display  tassie48.
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