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[Bryan Young]

I'm having a hell of a job, what's the dfference between JPG and JPEG for posting pictures?
Anyway........... Hello Bryan,
I have been having a ferret through Google and have come up with these pictures of a steam grab dredge working on one of the canals.
I can well imagine a docker wreathed in gland steam on the fore deck years ago on a crane setup like this. A bit bigger yes but looking much like this.
You may gets some ideas from them.
I had a look through WAINE's STEAM COASTERs & SHORT SEA TRADERS, all swinging derricks or union purchase no steam cranes so far as I can see.
Cheers, Bob Ferguson

As far as I can tell JPG and JPEG are much of a muchness. But stick with JPG for general use. You should be able to programme your camera to take all shots in this format. The problem of format change (in my experience) only happens when you duplicate the original for editing purposes and then save the duplicate. Trial and error I'm afraid! BY.

[gribeauval]

Shoot your pictures in "RAW" format. This does no in camera processing and acts just like a film negative so any alterations you need to make are done in the conversion software or photoshop. You can alter the shutter speed, aperture, white balance, shadows and highlights etc to suit the uses you will put the picture to and save in jpeg or tiff whilst still keeping the raw file as a negative to do it all again if you need to. If your camera will allow you to do this then try it, I promise you you will never shoot in jpeg or tiff again!

Mike

[Colin Bishop]

Mike,

Shooting in RAW can be a bit of a palaver when you come to process the images. You can still edit JPEG files in photoshop to make worthwhile improvements. At the ME Exhibition I was helping Dave Abbot with the "studio" shots. He got excellent results using HQ JPEGS with a CANON 20D. I suppose it's a question as to how far you want to take the search for perfection, especially bearing in mind that if the final result is published in a magazine or similar then a lot of the definition will be lost anyway.

Bryan,

Have you considered using gummed paper strip over a plasticard shell? It's very easy to simulate clinker planking and because the gummed paper shrinks slightly on drying you get a nice tight result. Finish off with sanding sealer of shellac and it will take a superb finish. You can fit out the interior the same way. It's very easy to do and dries overnight.

Colin

[HS93 (RIP)]

Has anybody tried this product I'm going to try it .  it will only work where heat is not a problem but there's no problem with placement as it is only activated by heat , and it should be as water resistant as most as its used in kitchens and bathrooms for edging. it may be good for decking with a small iron same as they use on solarfilm.

Peter

http://www.valeveneers.co.uk/ad.html

[gribeauval]

Mike,

Shooting in RAW can be a bit of a palaver when you come to process the images. .

Colin

No more of a palaver than processing a jpeg Colin as most of the work is done once in the conversion and it soon becomes second nature. Just like anything it takes practice.

Mike

[anmo]

Perhaps you can suggest a better "mute" than toilet paper? Cheers. BY.

I can only tell you what professional photographers used to use, dimly remembered from the days when I used to mix with them fairly regularly. The standard 'mute' for flash was a freshly laundered linen hankie, second choice depending on the sex of snapper in question would have been nylon tights, though the wearer would have to take them off first. Loo or tissue paper is OK, but it tends to be a bit inconsistent, though better than nothing in an emergency. Bear in mind though, that professionals tend to use a powerful separate flash, fixed a few inches away from the camera on a bracket, and as well as muting the flash if necessary, they also had the option of tilting it to bounce off the ceiling. It isn't always possible of course, but my own lighting preference for detailed model shots has always been outside on a bright day as a thin cloud passes over the sun, and with the camera on a tripod using a remote release.

On RAW versus JPEG, the pitfalls are many. I'd advise waiting until you achieve complete mastery of the simpler JPEG, though always with the quality set on 'high', before moving onto the trickier RAW format.

[Bryan Young]

Mike,

Shooting in RAW can be a bit of a palaver when you come to process the images. You can still edit JPEG files in photoshop to make worthwhile improvements. At the ME Exhibition I was helping Dave Abbot with the "studio" shots. He got excellent results using HQ JPEGS with a CANON 20D. I suppose it's a question as to how far you want to take the search for perfection, especially bearing in mind that if the final result is published in a magazine or similar then a lot of the definition will be lost anyway.

Bryan,

Have you considered using gummed paper strip over a plasticard shell? It's very easy to simulate clinker planking and because the gummed paper shrinks slightly on drying you get a nice tight result. Finish off with sanding sealer of shellac and it will take a superb finish. You can fit out the interior the same way. It's very easy to do and dries overnight.

Colin

I am considering......Nope. What you suggest is probably pretty good for the exterior. Or have I read you wrong? I like "open boats" so the planking shows on both sides. I think I need more info. on your method before I make up my mind. Good brain training though! BY.

[Colin Bishop]

I usually build to a smaller scale than you do Bryan, I used this technique on a 1:150 scale fruit ship where the lifeboats were less than three inches long. I made three with canvas covers and left one open. By the time I'd added the thwarts and oars you couldn't see much of the interior anyway.

[Shipmate60]

She is looking superb Bryan

Bob

[Bunkerbarge]

Completely agree Bryan, a superb model and a pleasure to see it coming together.  The woodwork is starting to look just right and the bridge area so typical of the period.

As for your gratings, when I tried to make white metal gratings appear as natural wood I painted them first with a Humbrol matt buff and then a Ronseal stained varnish over the top.  You can of course play around with the colour of the stained varnish to get the shade you are after and the matt buff gives a good key for it and shows through the varnish a litle to give some shading.  Have a play, it might be what you are looking for.

I did the wheel and the gratings here with this technique.

[Bryan Young]

Completely agree Bryan, a superb model and a pleasure to see it coming together.  The woodwork is starting to look just right and the bridge area so typical of the period.

As for your gratings, when I tried to make white metal gratings appear as natural wood I painted them first with a Humbrol matt buff and then a Ronseal stained varnish over the top.  You can of course play around with the colour of the stained varnish to get the shade you are after and the matt buff gives a good key for it and shows through the varnish a litle to give some shading.  Have a play, it might be what you are looking for.

I did the wheel and the gratings here with this technique.

What scale is the model in the pics? Gratings are a real pain in the tripes to get anywhere near right. As most gratings I have ever seen have a 1" "hole" and 1" timbers. The ready made things I have seen in model shops always seem to have a grating large enough to lose your foot in. At 1:48 the size will lie somewhere between 1/32" and 1/64". I have done it in the past but never again...life is too short!...the gangway gratings on Havelock were made many years ago for another model, came in useful eventually. The copper mesh notion seems to look "OK"(ish) but as it is only one detail out of many I will leave it "as is"...pics later when the compass is fitted. A pity that your reply came just that little bit too late otherwise I would have tried it! Sounds a better idea than mine...if the grating has the 1" holes! Cheers. Bryan.

[Bunkerbarge]

Sorry Bryan I missed your question above.  The model is 1/35th and the holes look reasonably in line with 1"

[Stavros]

Lifeboat My way. moved ,split as suggested by Brian Young

Stavros

[Bunkerbarge]

Bryan, I have been thinking about making masts for my coaster now for some time, greatly complicated by the fact that I want to run a couple of wires up them for the mast head light.  I have thought about and will be trying the following. 

I am going to cut the dowel up into short lengths of about 3-4 inches long then drill a hole down the centre.  I am then going to thread the pieces down a brass tube that will form the cable conduit and glue them together onto the tube.  As I get to the reduction in diameter I am going to turn the dowel down slightly piece by piece until the top section which should be slightly over sized for the end.  I will then have a piece of stepped section dowel with a brass tube up the middle. 

I will then simply sand it down until the stepped sections become smooth, which, If I have got the reduction in diameter right should form the correct taper.  I have the advantage of a small lathe for drilling the centre holes true but I am sure that this could also be done with a drill press or even a pistol drill and a clamping arrangement.

Now let me get this right, you are scratch building but your are going to farm out the mast tapering, whereas I am making a kit but I am going to do it myself..........from scratch!!! 

Sorry, I couldn't help it.  It doesn't change the fact that I have the greatest respect for you as a ship model builder but it made me smile to see the grey line between kit and scratch building blurred yet again.

[Bryan Young]

Bryan, I have been thinking about making masts for my coaster now for some time, greatly complicated by the fact that I want to run a couple of wires up them for the mast head light.  I have thought about and will be trying the following. 

I am going to cut the dowel up into short lengths of about 3-4 inches long then drill a hole down the centre.  I am then going to thread the pieces down a brass tube that will form the cable conduit and glue them together onto the tube.  As I get to the reduction in diameter I am going to turn the dowel down slightly piece by piece until the top section which should be slightly over sized for the end.  I will then have a piece of stepped section dowel with a brass tube up the middle. 

I will then simply sand it down until the stepped sections become smooth, which, If I have got the reduction in diameter right should form the correct taper.  I have the advantage of a small lathe for drilling the centre holes true but I am sure that this could also be done with a drill press or even a pistol drill and a clamping arrangement.

Now let me get this right, you are scratch building but your are going to farm out the mast tapering, whereas I am making a kit but I am going to do it myself..........from scratch!!! 

Sorry, I couldn't help it.  It doesn't change the fact that I have the greatest respect for you as a ship model builder but it made me smile to see the grey line between kit and scratch building blurred yet again.

There is always a grey-line somewhere! However, instead of drilling up the masts, have you considered using 2 lines of conductive paint, then you can just "paint" over them and still have the wiring?...

[taxi]

Very nice work.    Just a thought on wiring chaps,   assuming that masts are made of wood, when mast has been reduced / tapered to desired size why not cut a fine channel along both sides of mast and use some  lighting fuse wire or some thin insulated wire from telephone extension cables,  easy to hide with  little work.     

[HS93 (RIP)]

I have seen single core wire used with the covering  removed and straps to hold it on as 1-1 boats have the wire in view and made a feature of it.

Peter

[Bunkerbarge]

Part of the thinking is that the brass tube will give the mast strength and keep it all in line while I glue it back to gether and it will make a convenient conduit.  Unfortunately the model is an old steamer so all the lights would be oil lamps and no cables evident.  Getting them out of the mast and into the lamps without being visible is also going to be a challenge.

I had thought of the groove and brass strip type of ideas, as used in dolls houses, but I was looking at combining a method of tapering the mast as well as providing the electrical path.  I'm still not completely decided so it might require a drawing next to see how it could be done.

[anmo]

I had to do something like this once. All I did was taper the wood mast to the size I wanted, held it in a carpenter's vice with small spacers to accommodate the taper, and then very carefully ran along it with a Dremel & rotary burr, four or five inches at a time, to cut a groove. I set the mast about an inch down and used the edge of the vice as a guide for the Dremel. This might sound slightly Heath Robinson, but at the second attempt. I got a perfect result. Then after laying the wire in place, depending on the size of the mast, either glue a strip of wood over it, or use a suitable filler. Quick and easy.

[taxi]

See Bluebirds post on masthead lights.    http://www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=6943.msg69201;topicseen#msg69201

[Circlip]

    For us less informed, how are you maintaining the tension on the assembly? I notice in the photo that you have used
     a rigid 'Jig' to string them up, have you soaked the 'ropes' in glue or something to maintain the shape for fitting?
      Was thinking about the springback? ?

[Bryan Young]

    For us less informed, how are you maintaining the tension on the assembly? I notice in the photo that you have used
     a rigid 'Jig' to string them up, have you soaked the 'ropes' in glue or something to maintain the shape for fitting?
      Was thinking about the springback? ?

This is purely a "mock-up" to show the run of the falls. In "real" life (and on a model) the upper block is shackled to an eye on the davit.
The lower block similarly (although upside down) just fits over the boat mounted hook. Pull the rigging taut (without lifting the boat) and fasten off. On a model the boats will be stuck down somehow so a little tension will be possible. I generally "beeswax" all ropes...this flattens out the hairy bits and protects the "rope". Sometimes a wee drop of superglue is needed to keep an even tension...but don't do that until all the whole purchase is evenly weighted! Goes without saying really. For the demonstration mock-up I think I superglued each part to the false "block" to prevent "springback". Hope this explains. BY.

[tigertiger]

She looks very good Bryan. It will be nice to see her on the water.

[Colin Bishop]

She's looking really good Bryan.

[Bryan Young]

She's looking really good Bryan.

Thanks Colin. But sometimes....sometimes...sitting looking at the thing for days on end, there is a feeling of "why?". This is the downside. Other times you can look at what you have done and think "did I do that?" How? I don't know, it all just sems to come together and happen. And all because you told me yonks ago not to be "coy" about my building methods! I don't really have any "methods" as such. I look at earlier models and wonder if I could do things differently (better, preferably) and so have a go. I guess this is what can be termed "experience"....but I do find that some modellers tend to get stuck into an outdated routine and so produce models that may have been "good" 20 years ago, but are now no more than average (or less). I was castigated many months ago for stating that the "Forum" could be a useful jumping-off point for "improving the breed". My attitude has not changed.
But I have seen more models of a higher quality being produced, and sometimes more pertinent (as opposed to frivolous) questions and answers being addressed. It's also nice to be able to answer those who are new to the hobby, or are just "unsure".
Nothing personal in my earlier comments to you. I enjoy the backchat. Bryan.