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Author Topic: Another Sealight puffer build  (Read 21210 times)

birlinn

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Re: Another Sealight puffer build
« Reply #100 on: September 06, 2018, 05:04:39 pm »


Finished the tender, apart from stowing the rowlocks; these will not be in their sockets.
Will get back to the puffer build again, after this diversion.
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birlinn

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Re: Another Sealight puffer build
« Reply #101 on: September 06, 2018, 05:43:11 pm »

Should have included something to give an idea of scale, like this....
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dougal99

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Re: Another Sealight puffer build
« Reply #102 on: September 06, 2018, 08:06:55 pm »

Wonderful work. Stunning. Congratulations.
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Re: Another Sealight puffer build
« Reply #103 on: September 06, 2018, 08:13:54 pm »

Did you use the Klammerlander(sp) method to do the dingy? That is to soak the planks in a little water and attaching to the frames using superglue and a soldering iron; also works a treat when shaping thin lengths of timber as well.

LB

P.S. I've just tried to google him but there is no sign of him. I met him at the Dortmund Show some years ago, so perhaps all those massive ice creams we had have court up with him.
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birlinn

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Re: Another Sealight puffer build
« Reply #104 on: September 07, 2018, 07:21:14 am »


Built shell first over moulds; frames added later. The soldering iron technique works very well for shaping bamboo too- I used to use it for forming fin outlines etc for scale model planes.
I am never 100% happy with the results- should have given it a bit more sheer, and increased the frame spacing slightly from the scale 8" to about 10".
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birlinn

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Re: Another Sealight puffer build
« Reply #105 on: September 10, 2018, 10:57:53 am »

Hinged wash port doors fixed, and ship's boat lashed down. Now having fun with the winch- a bit of a Chinese puzzle.
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birlinn

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Re: Another Sealight puffer build
« Reply #106 on: September 14, 2018, 03:26:11 pm »


Winch finished and fixed. Still got to weather the deck planking a bit- however- I have just realised that I will almost certainly have to bend and re-fix the steam inlet pipe, as it will foul the mast tabernacle. Doh!
I struggled a bit with the build, and had to do a bit of taking apart and refixing, particularly with the width of the winch drum. Of course I then found Martin's  winch build info on here, and realised he had had exactly the same problems. Doh! again.

You will note that I have added guards over the exposed gearing- all the puffer photos from the 1950's onwards show them in place.

Also I have restricted the colour scheme from that in the kit photos- I can find no evidence for Ross and Marshall using green paint anywhere but the starboard light box. The winch drum is loose on the shaft at present so I can wind on the line.
Phil
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birlinn

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Re: Another Sealight puffer build
« Reply #107 on: September 16, 2018, 01:24:33 pm »


 Nearly there- just the boom, rigging and anchors now. I will probably replace the dinghy- the rib spacing annoys me every time I look at it.
Phil
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birlinn

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Re: Another Sealight puffer build
« Reply #108 on: September 16, 2018, 04:47:13 pm »


Next snag: the exhaust pipe from the steam winch.
If the pipe runs parallel to the centreline (and mine does, because I have fixed it, including passing through the hull), it is just where the socket for the anchor derrick (davit?) needs to be. It looks wrong moved to one side, so I shall make up some sort of bridge to allow the socket to be over the pipe.
Probably totally non-authentic, but needs must be.
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birlinn

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Re: Another Sealight puffer build
« Reply #109 on: September 16, 2018, 10:19:41 pm »


Following from the above, close scrutiny of the photos gives the reason. The triangular gusset on the top of the bow in the kit is quite large, and includes a socket for the davit, fairly near the centreline..
The actual ship has a much smaller gusset, with a separate socket for the davit further out to starboard, so no collision with the pipe.
Can't change things now.
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derekwarner

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Re: Another Sealight puffer build
« Reply #110 on: September 16, 2018, 10:40:06 pm »

As you say Phil.....all probably academic

1. I could not see Pipe Fitters of olde laying three x 90 degree bends in the exhaust pipe just to clear the swivel socket for the davit arm as it is only for winching up the anchor [rope]......so a simple hoop bridge with the swivel mounted on axis would appear sound
2. If there were no mounting hoop bridge in the Pipe Fitters Plan set, then the exhaust pipe could have been layed off axis as this would also make the physical point of exhaust from the hull an easier task being away from the centreline of the hull to either port or stdb
This is also based on the assumption that the steam winch was overboard exhausting & not a steam exhaust return condensation system
3. A third point is that exhaust steam in these systems would provide sufficient heat buildup in the exhaust line to cause a rubber booted foot a severe burn. From this, wrapping insulation cord over the exhaust line would not be out of place
4. The actual insulation for the time period probably would have been Asbestos lagging, painted with a sealer then a tinplate shield over the OD and around the bends. Being in the fwd location would have been subjected to quite an amount of water over the bow. This shielding would have necessitated regular maintenance to maintain any insulation integrity

So for us modellers, the  cotton string sometimes lagged with filler & painted white may not be absolutely prototypical  >>:-( but is our best bet   :-))

Derek

PS...it is a little difficult to tell from your photographs, but yes the davit is off axis to the stdb side, as is the exhaust pipe....we also see a locker on the stdb side that could house the anchor rope.......does the davit height clear the ventilator on the port side?...is the ship depicted with one anchor on the stdb side only?....certainly that foredeck on the stdb side could be busy

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birlinn

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Re: Another Sealight puffer build
« Reply #111 on: September 17, 2018, 11:15:19 am »


The davit on the original ship was  outboard of the starboard anchor hawse, so much further over.
I think I, and a few other builders, have made one slight mistake- the steam exhaust follows the sheer of the deck. I suspect it would have had a fall to allow condensate to drain. Too late!
I don't think the exhaust was insulated.
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birlinn

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Re: Another Sealight puffer build
« Reply #112 on: September 21, 2018, 09:59:48 am »


Demolition!
The more I looked at the bow area, the more it annoyed me. Today I ripped off the bow gusset piece (in a wooden boat I would call it the breasthook), and the fairleads either side.
I will replace with a much smaller gusset, and move the davit over.
The bow ventilator looks a bit big, but I will leave it, as if I try to remove it, it will only mess up the deck planking. In later life, Sealight seems to have lost it.
The forepeak cabin seems to have had a stove, but on the model there is not enough room between the winch and the companionway for the stove pipe, so I will have to omit that bit.
I just wish the kit was more accurate- it is a bit too annoyingly 'generic' rather than a scale model of Sealight.
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birlinn

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Re: Another Sealight puffer build
« Reply #113 on: September 24, 2018, 03:43:31 pm »


That's better!  Spot the difference.

Davit moved over to correct position. Now on with bottle screws (working) and rigging- will be using working blocks in place of the white metal kit ones. One worry is the strength of some of the white metal components, such as the mast-head light bracket. Will have to handle carefully.
Have also made a second, longer ladder, just visible.
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birlinn

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Re: Another Sealight puffer build
« Reply #114 on: September 26, 2018, 08:09:59 pm »


As I have been working on the model in the unheated garage, and as today is the usual Wet Coast of Scotland drizzle, I brought her in to the house.
I had just fitted the shrouds and forestay; within minutes of meeting the warmer less humid air, all were slack.
Start again!
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ooyah/2

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Re: Another Sealight puffer build
« Reply #115 on: September 28, 2018, 12:01:13 am »


The forepeak cabin seems to have had a stove, but on the model there is not enough room between the winch and the companionway for the stove pipe, so I will have to omit that bit.
I just wish the kit was more accurate- it is a bit too annoyingly 'generic' rather than a scale model of Sealight.


Hi Birlin,
In Sealight all the crew accommodation was to the stern not like the 66ft Puffers which were in the forecastle so therefore there would be no stove pipe  chimney up front.
If you are trying to build to full scale I would question the hinged tabernacle to allow the mast to be lowered, as there was no need for these larger 86ft boats to come up the Clyde into the City so no need to negotiate the bridges over the river. The 66 ft boats had hinged masts as they came right up to the Broomelaw in the heart of the city to unload sand and gravel which meant that they had to come under 3- bridges.


Also the Puffers had life boats with lockers all around and under the seats and were very heavy, about 16 - 18 ft long boats not like the lightweight boat that you have made but then your boat may have had one as you have portrayed.


Please note that my observations are not criticising  your build


Congrats on a fine model your skill at building is to be appreciated.


George.
Here is a pic of one that I copied for my steam driven SKYLIGHT, I think these boats were called deep sea life boats.
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birlinn

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Re: Another Sealight puffer build
« Reply #116 on: September 28, 2018, 11:42:26 am »



Sorry, but I have four photos showing the stove pipe, one with smoke issuing from it. Two of the photos show the companionway lid opened.
The pipe can be clearly seen in my post #90.
In 1930, when Sealight was built, it was normal to have the crew accommodation in the forepeak.

The Ship's boat was often known as the punt. I will be making another one, as it is not very accurate.
The hinged tabernacle is shown on the Harald Underhill drawing, which is also a wee bit more accurate than the Mountfleet one
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ooyah/2

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Re: Another Sealight puffer build
« Reply #117 on: September 29, 2018, 12:46:33 pm »


Sorry, but I have four photos showing the stove pipe, one with smoke issuing from it. Two of the photos show the companionway lid opened.
The pipe can be clearly seen in my post #90.
In 1930, when Sealight was built, it was normal to have the crew accommodation in the forepeak.



Hi Phil,
You are quite correct in that the mast was hinged but I am a bit suspicious of the white upright  at the bow in the pic, one of the problems with Puffers is that there were rarely two made identical so it's hard to compare.


There was a previous puffer Sealight which had an open bridge and was broken up in 1930, and here engines removed and installed in the new boat ,   ( http://puffersandvics.org/Sealight2.htm )   which shows the old boat with a companion way on the Starboard side but no chimney, neither is there one at the stern, there is no info on the size of the original but I would imagine that it was a 66ft boat and if so the crew would be quartered in the bow.   [size=78%]( [/size][/size][size=78%][/size]http://www.clydemaritime.co.uk/Sealight )   in one of the pics it shows the stern and the doors to the crew accommodation  shown with the black chimney clearly shown but there doesn't appear to be any chimney at the bow, could it be that the companion way shown on other pics that the space was used as a storage locker for ,say anchor and ropes?[size=78%][/size][size=78%][/size][size=78%] [/size]
[/size]
[/size]In your build you have left out the chimney at the bow and if it was me I would leave at as such.[size=78%]

[/size]It's very difficult to get any definitive info on the old boat and the new bigger one that you are building but you are making a great job of your build.Hope this helps a bit,George.[size=78%]
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birlinn

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Re: Another Sealight puffer build
« Reply #118 on: September 29, 2018, 04:50:38 pm »


Thanks, George; I had those photos.
I believe the flue pipe is visible in the first photo; the bow shot may show a darker flue, partly hidden by the mast tackle. I think I can see smoke from it... The flue to the stern is probably hidden by the lum.

I do however have two or three more shots that show the flue pipe; Dan Macdonald's 'The Clyde Puffer' has a small pic on p17, and Guthrie Hutton's 'Puffers' has a shot on p2.

Sealight 1 appears on p 52 of Len Paterson's 'Light in the Glens' and is clearly a Crinan size boat.

The bow shot you included as the second photo I believe to be Sealight 2, with the wheelhouse removed. The engine room ventilators were both the same height on Sealight 1, but differed on Sealight 2. There appear to have been two separate wheelhouses fitted during Sealight 2's history, as details differ.

There are a few bits on my model I am leaving, as there are no definitive details; the end plates to the stern water tank appear to differ on two or three of the pics, so I am leaving the kit ones.
I have been hacking things around a bit today anyway; although I reduced the height of the companionway from that shown in the kit, it was still too high, and had a too steeply pitched roof, so that has been replaced.  It may also have been a bit wide, hence the lack of room for the flue, but it would mess up the deck planking to make a narrower one. I was not happy about the ventilator to the forepeak either- that looked too big too, and has also been replaced with a rather nice cast brass one I found in the spares box.
I am now waiting for some black florist's wire to arrive; I am replacing all the kit's white metal blocks with 6 or 8mm working timber and brass ones. The wire is ideal for making the straps and eyes, as  it doesn't need further painting.
Phil
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birlinn

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Re: Another Sealight puffer build
« Reply #119 on: September 29, 2018, 05:33:23 pm »

Just noticed the flue pipe is shown on the Underhill drawings.
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birlinn

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Re: Another Sealight puffer build
« Reply #120 on: September 30, 2018, 03:11:26 pm »


Nearly there!
Just the running rigging now, plus wiring up the radio gear.
The companionway and forepeak ventilator have been replaced; I think I will have to omit the stove flue pipe.
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derekwarner

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Re: Another Sealight puffer build
« Reply #121 on: September 30, 2018, 11:37:43 pm »

Again,all looking very tidy  :-))  ...we see the stdb side anchor on the deck & the davit to lift it into the water. We also see chain disappearing into the chain locker


Is there a chain hauling pinion on the cargo winch for this?...or was the anchor just lifter bite by bite?  >>:-(


Derek
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birlinn

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Re: Another Sealight puffer build
« Reply #122 on: October 01, 2018, 01:42:27 am »

There is a chain hauling pinion on the main winch shaft, nearer the drum. How accurate the winch is I know not; it was built as per kit, with the guards over the gear wheels added.
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derekwarner

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Re: Another Sealight puffer build
« Reply #123 on: October 01, 2018, 03:52:35 am »

Oh good....I suspect the anchor & studded chain would be free wheeling for 'paying out' & having a winch 'hauling in' direction only


Certainly having the anchor & studded chain on deck & the davit hand/rope winch on the stdb side to lift the anchor over the deck & bulwark is a throwback from larger sailing ships


There are further design heritages here with the anchor & davit on the starboard side [originally larboard] which was the opposite to the port side so vessels berthing were port side to.......the port wharf or jetty


Further readings will confirm the vessels on Contracted blue metal haulage, had the port side deck way & bulwark rails heavily peppered by spillage of the blue metal out of the buckets from continual discharge over the port side


Derek
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Tafelspitz

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Re: Another Sealight puffer build
« Reply #124 on: October 01, 2018, 06:29:03 am »

This is something that puzzles me, also with my Imara.
Why would you want to haul the anchor over the bulwark on deck in the first place, anyway? Why not just let it hang in there in its hawse pipe?
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