1/160 (N Scale) Robert E. Lee EXTENDED

UPDATE

Making More Parts

It's Friday, and I had a little bit time to try for the first time to multiply some of the items i want to use for cargo on the freight deck. The silicon mold was ready now, fully cured.  I removed it from the makeshift glass container, and then took out the existing cargo items. That was, as expected, very easy and straightforward.


Now mixing the two components of the resin together, and also adding a touch of mica pigment (purple) that i had at hand due to my occasional soap making.


The molds are all in place.
  

First some more stairways, windows of different sizes, and doors.


And now more cargo.


But I needed much less of the prepared resin than expected. So what to do with the precious resin? Idea! Some longer time ago, I made a silicon mold that I use for chocolate making, it has shapes from sea shells that I found at the nearby tropical beach. I used one of them for the remaining resin. Not etirely full to the upper edge, but still going to become a nice piece of decoration.


And so, just 10 minutes after I started, I ended up with a number of - still very experimental - resin casts in my molds...


The resin will take 12 hours to harden enough that I can remove it from the molds, but it takes 24 hours to fully cure. Fine with me.

Earlier today I went to Kingston, our island capital where the goats and pigs are walking on and between the roads, to a print shop, and got some additional stuff printed on fabrics (cottom). When you see it, you might get an idea what more comes to my model ship! Can you guess?

UPDATE

Multiplying the few cargo items I got so far. Important, because i want a cargo deck full of freight as it was been normal during those days of pioneers and Far West development. All essential goods - the basic goods and some first luxury - had to come from the developed East.

See here how I use a makeshift container to create a first silicon mold that I can use later on to multiply things when casting with 2-component resin in it. The silicon is the same 2-component food-grade silicon I usually use to make molds for my self-made chocolate bars (hey, after all i live in jamaica where the cocoa trees grow). As I am typing, the silicon is curing. Takes usually not more than 4 to 6 hours, depending on the wall thickness. About the silicon: I am getting it at a very affordable price from a company in Shenzhen (China), and I made excellent experineces with it in the past. I usually avoid Chinese products but this silicon is a real exception. I can only recommend it. You can even choose if it is transparent or what color and what hardiness (stiffiness) it has when ordering. Depending on the fragility of the original items, I use a highly flexible "610 Grade" silicon or a more stiff "630 Grade" silicon for robust items.


 

Tomorrow the next update, where I will take the silicon out of the container, and remove the original items from the mold. Probably also casting the first resin copies, let's see.

Not yet an update, just playing around with my macro lenses and multiplying the few deck cargo items I got so far...

I am using the food-grade 2-component silicon that I usually use to make molds for my self-made chocolate bars, to copy some of the existing deck cargo items. First, I cut glass to make the outer boundaries of the silicon mold to come. Then I use icing sugar (with a few drops of water) to "glue" the cargo items to the glass bottom - that prevents them (hopefully) from shifting when I pour in the silicon.
  

And here are some captions with my macro lenses. Since (unprofessionally me) not all of them fit to each other, I had to hold them with my hand when I combined them for some of the photos. Thus that "scope" feature.
And I trimmed some of them as "old" photos...

UPDATE

Industrial Light and Magic were added: the first cargo has arrived or was assembled by myself and bring a nice magic to the cargo deck, and I started to put the first LEDs in place.  However, currently the LEDs run in 12V mode, but inthe future will get 7V only as illumination strength wasn't stron in those days and scaling down to N scale must dim light intensity further.

Also sprach Zarathustra"There shall be Cargo". And so, there was Cargo.b
The lumber that build a nation.


Also sprach Hirnsausen "There shall be Light". And so, there was Light.
The heat and shine of powerful flames.



Seeing that the light shines through the plastic of the chimney, I will have to apply additional paint layers outside and inside. I think, then it should look quite fine, like this:

Thank you! I think you're right about the added character.

I am seeing a number of models of this ship online, some of them basic as the model kit, and a few that are more sophisticated through added details. I am in comppetition with those ones. We long-time model kit builders always like to make something that differs from the rest, is more sophisticated ("having more character") than all the others. This is the case here, with me: I try that my model kit, once finished and published with photos, will be the most detailed and character-loaded version of the Robert E. Lee that can be seen on photos online.

I just hope that I receive all ordered extra items. One of them, a more expensive one, got already "lost" at the US postal service, and is financially not so easy for me to replace (and I need those items before I can glue that red-underside-painted boiler deck and continue with the ship)...  

And the USPS does not reply on "Lost and Search" requests submitted through their website...

That is some lovely work you have done. Will certainly add some Character to her.....Cheers mark

UPDATE

The underside of the boiler deck is now finish. All beams are in place, everything got airbrushed in various dark and very dark shades of that special red (plus the pink ceiling for the ladies' rom and the white ceiling for the luggage storage), and I also did some weathering by further darkening all edges, and adding smoke-darkening to the area above the steam engine.


Let's see how it will look later (I am not glueing yet as I still have to add illumination, people, and items).

UPDATE

Doing the job that should have been done by Lindberg Models: adding beams to the underside of the decks. Zip ties are your friend. When finish, each deck will have visible and detailed structures below. I am just starting with the so-called boiler deck. Not finished yet. Those lower sides of the decks will be painted in a decorative darker red. I believe, Lindberg Models must have ran out of plastic for those additional details or they believe thip was made from thin sheet metal plates. But that is wrong - this ship was made from lumber.
 

And I've started to create some of the cargo this ship may have transported. It were actually ships like this that allowed the US-American nation to grow (after the white illegal immigrants took it from its original inhabitants). The rivers were where freight was transported and it were the rivers that allowed easy access to distant regions. The trains to the far West came just after the 1870s and 1880s. Having been the big cargo transporters of their time, allowing new distant settlements to grow, they must have transported construction materials such as lumber and bricks, and they would have transported materials to start a life, such as cotton for cloth. See here different lumber stacks growing...

UPDATE

While still waiting for the arrival of a number of items I need for the ship (accessories), I go ahead meanwhile with small steps only. I glued the wheel housing and the stern parts of the ship together.


Colorizing the name was, for sure, not easily done. I did my best to make the name looking proper and clear. But I think, I did quite a good job with that. Also applied some weathering (aging effect) but maybe a bit too much. Do you see the white scratch spots on the black hull? The stand that came with this model kit is not so very good - it fits the ship poorly, and the shape of the vertical parts should have been designed in a better way. my solution: a block of lumber between ship and stand that will have its upper shape being adapted to fit the hull much better. In top of this wood block will be a layer of black fabrics.




And finally I got the right glue (hopefully) to permanently add those heavy beams that carry the overhang of the cargo deck.  But I still have to do the weathering for this dark gray area: putting a darker accent on all edges, I wonder if there is any way to realistically add seaweed (if there was in the Mississippi river) and other life-alike special eefects to the underwater section of the hull...

Hi.

I purchased already some sheet plastic (but not from PlasTruct) and wait now for its delivery, might take 8 weeks or so IF it comes. Always the question. But such a knife is something I still need, will order it soon, too.

Not really an UPDATE

I just made some more photos, but did not glue together anything new. The big photo shows where I intend soon to put the motor and the rechargable batteries (LEDs and motor) in.


I made the decision not to add any white paint to the two paddle-wheels, that red protective paint is enough. I did some first weathering where the water would wet the wood. And finally I am happy with the dar tar or asphalt gray for the upper decks.



And I am getting somewhere with the cargo deck. You almost smell the scent of chopped lumber. But in all cases: paint corrections and more weathering to come. And many, many more additional details (freight, life)...

Hirnsausen

almost each model kit company offers a "parts replacement" service. I did that many times, too. You scan the building instruction (if you still have it otherwise i will help you out with a scan of my instruction), mark on the computer all missing or damaged parts, and then you simply e-mail the company with a request for replacement parts,

Thanks for that, but, most of the part's are on the bottom of the box it was stored in. And, I tend to scratchbuild most of my own stuff, so if I need something to fix something else, I just build it my self.

Hirnsausen

Let me see more of your scratch-built main stairway!

It;s a mess on the bottom of the box...( just a mass of broken wood and glue) so I will have to re-build them.

Hirnsausen

Figures: not suitable, I am afraid, because some of the men's wear there is the Bavarian fashion of the royals.

On the one's I repainted, I carved off all that "fancy stuff" and they looked fine after that. Unfortunately, I cant find any of them at the moment. Just have the ones I didn't use that were still in their box's.

Hirnsausen

Any odea what I can use to make some N scale water buckets? Are there any metal or plastic items that could come handy?

I  L O V E  these guy's .

https://plastruct.com/

I know you said your not really set up to build your own stuff, but you would be amazed at what you can do with just an X-acto knife, and a few small drill bit's.

Wonderful!

To me, it is the same model kit. Just by advising different colors and declas, one and the same kit  - so it seems - could be sold twice to a number of customers. Shame on the companies.

But I have good news for you: almost each model kit company offers a "parts replacement" service. I did that many times, too. You scan the building instruction (if you still have it otherwise i will help you out with a scan of my instruction), mark on the computer all missing or damaged parts, and then you simply e-mail the company with a request for replacement parts, the scanned instruction images attached. A few times I got replacement parts for free or had to pay only the shipping fee (postage), but most of the times there is a small fee for the part and shipping, but still an excellent deal.

If, for any reason, that shouldn't be possible, there is a second chance, too, but not as low-priced as the first way: locate a person able to do 3D design and near to you (maybe a friend?), and have thta person makign a 3D model of the missing part based on a sample part or your measurements. Get that part 3D printed.

Let me see more of your scratch-built main stairway!

Figures: not suitable, I am afraid, because some of the men's wear there is the Bavarian fashion of the royals. The ladies, however, look quite passable. And I like your steram engine crew though they are working with coal, not with wood. But that could probably easily be adjusted. Wished you would sell all those figure sets, ha ha ha!

Any idea what I can use to make some N scale water buckets? Are there any metal or plastic items that could come handy?

Ok, first things first. If you click on the picture's , they will get bigger.

The figures I bought were Prizer, and it was the same set you looked at, The Ludwig II set.

I bought 4 set's and repainted several, so there would be a variety of color's, instead of the same figure's over and over. I also bought  2 sets of the steam engine crew that I posted a link to earlier.

I also repainted a few of these.

Now, to the mess that once was an original issue " PYRO "  NATCHES. ( Pyro was the manufactuer of the REL  ,and Natche's , before Lindburg took the mold's and started re-releasing them.)

( I built this in 1978, and did an overhaul in 1998. She has suffered in storage, and this is the first time I have seen her  since 2008 . )

And, a few shot's of the bead store finding's , that I used for the Finial's on the top's of the smokestack's .

Sorry about the picture's being out of focus on a few of these...... ( my digital camera suck's ....... and my photography skill's are not much better... )

Hope these help.

Okay, big thanks! Waiting...

Hirnsausen

Can you giuve me the URLs to those figures= I know only about German (Bavarian) 1880s figures from them, and only one set. Would be good if there's more!

Here are a few that would work.

https://www.walthers.com/passengers-steam-era-people-pkg-9

Hirnsausen

I would love to see the photos of your "Natches" and also of your figures.

I will have to dig through my mess in my workshop. Be prepaired , my steamboat has suffered quite a bit. It's been through 3 move's and has been in storage for the past 10 year's . So it's not as pretty as it use to be.

I also searched on-line for the figure's I purchased, but couldnt find them. They may be out of production. I will post pictures of the set's I bought, as soon as I find them.

Give me a few hour's , and I will get back to you.

UPDATE

Waiting for some items shipped to me internationall to arrive. Meanwhile, I can go ahead only in small steps. I just assembled the beams that will hold the deck above. Starts to look good.

 

Soooo true, many parts are just not correct! Even the necessary surface details are missin on so many parts.

Figures: I try to talk to some 3D designers to create 1860s persons, based on the many photos seen inside my Facebook group "Paddle-Wheel River Steamboats, 19th Century", and then if they succeed with that (and if I can pay them) I still have to get them 3D-printed, too (another financial obstacle). But if I get these 3D models, I will sell them on Shapeways, this way they benefit everyone who has ships or trains or dioramas from the 1860s. And I am sure there are thousands of potentially interested people worldwide.
Can you giuve me the URLs to those figures= I know only about German (Bavarian) 1880s figures from them, and only one set. Would be good if there's more!

Yes, the stair is wrong, it has no curved sides. And the opening of the passenger deck for the stairs is also wrongly shaped therefore. Here in Jamaica, with no shops sellign sheet plastic or even things as basic as eneamel paint or plastic glue, I cannot easily scratch-build. I also don't have any tools for that.

I would love to see the photos of your "Natches" and also of your figures.

I purchased deck cargo elements from "DP  Model Train Products" for lots of money, but the package was stolen from the door after delivery to a friend's US address (he always brigns me my items - cheaper than expensive international shipping). Now I am without any cargo I wanted. I remember I ordered curved barrels from him, food sacks, crates, and other deck cargo elements...

I have been following your build with great interest.

I built Lindberg's "Natches" many year's ago, and these 2 kit's share many part's.

You will be dissapointed with the Grand Staircase, it's out of scale and just look's wrong. I had to scratchbuild mine.

You may want some figure's for your ship. I used several "Prieser" N scale figure's . They make several that are in period correct clothes. But, be prepaired, they cost DOUBLE what their other figure's cost. ( I have no idea why. )

I cant wait to see what you do with the smokestack's. For a more "Ornate" look, I went to a craft store and in their bead section , I found some bead's that were shaped loke small Crown's . They were perfect for the top's of the smokestack's .,

UPDATE

Making steam today.   
Using regular white cotton balls, and then boiling them at first in water with yellow food color, and afterwards after an exchange of water, in water with black fabrics dye. This will give me a dark smoke with a tiny touch of yello (dirty black smoke). Also making plainly black smoke by leaving out the step with the yellow food paint. But, heck, the dyed cotton balls take LOOONG to dry...

UPDATE

Adding "windows"...
At first, that Kristal Klear appeared whote, but was transparent when dried. Very similar to the white school glue but slightly improved.

Yes, I absolutely agree - fat can be very bad for many things. Any flat (matt9 surface would become glossy, even some fresh paints won't stick anymore to the plastic surface. I make sure that my hands are clean.

UPDATE

I finally glued the deck onto the hull, and also aged the deck. Some more edge-aging will come later on. I also aged the wheels as their outer edge touches the water, which keeps those areas wet and even a little bit muddy or dirty.

But having reached here now, means that I have to pause until some items i ordered from the Internet will arrive: a small motor to turn the wheels slowly, and rechargeable batteries, and some more stuff. Can't go on without having placed all those while I can access the relevant deck areas still.
   
 

Now I'm Hungry.

 That's cool you noticing the colors but Don't eat fried chicken while building models!

     I had a Photography business many years ago.  I never ate fried chicken. That grease can really do a job on camera lens coatings.

KFC colors... attached.

    Nino

AN UNEXPECTED COINCIDENCE / A THIN TRACE LEADS TO 99 X

Since I'd painted my model of the REL (Robert E. Lee) - that paddle-wheel river steamboat that dated back to the late 1860s, I couldn't help but wondered, that this color combination of light-brown wood, red, white and gray had something so familiar to me. And I couldn't point towards the right direction. That was, until I had a drive to outside of Kingston, passing by the small community of Harbor View, and then saw it! There was that newly built Kenturcky Fried Chicken store, and it had the same colors! I passed by there each day, but it was only then when I was able to pinpoint that strange familiarity!

And so, I decided to do some digging into the dusty books of history, to find out if there is any deeper reason of this color similarity...

We know, that the REL was built right after the end of the US-American Civil War, 1866, the very first year after the Civil War ended, is her year. And Kentucky Fried Chicken?

To my disappointment, Colonel Sanders (An honorable "Colonel of the "Commonwealth of Kentucky", not of the US Army) was born long after the Civil War had ended, in 1890, and in Kentucky. Damn. That means, those colors were not necessarily a common color scheme of the 1860s. Was maybe Kentucky a Confederate country during the Civil War? Again a dead end, Kentucky was "half-half". Neutral.

With other words, I could not locate any bridge between those both identical color schemes. But I still took a great benefit out from that search: During my investigation about Colonel Sanders, and with a hungry belly, I probed online for the PATENT of his chicken recipe. While i found his patent of the cooking method and tools, I learned that in order to keep it secret their ingredient list is a so-called registered Trade Secret and  not a pentent that lays out publically all ingredients. But ... when reading about the history of the cooking recipe, I came across a certain company by the name of Marion Kay Spices. Back then, before 1982, Colonel Sanders of KFC shared his secret recipe with Marion Kay Spices as he neded them to deliver that so highly special spice mix to all his franchised restaurants. In 1982, the new business owners of KFC sued Marion Kay Spices to stop all selling to their franchised restaurants, and to stop selling that KFC-labeled spice mix...

Dead end again? No. That company, that once produced for KFC that unique spice blend,still exists today. After they lost that law suit, the renamed that globally most-wanted spice blend to "99 X" and still sell it today! They do not advertise it, it is an insider tip only very few know who have conducted their research. Go to their website, and check it out! Also find the text of the 1962 KFC patent how to prepare their chicken pieces - you can't do the one thign without the other thing.

That "99 X" seems to be the real thing, and I just ordered 25 oz of it!

Imagine that this all could never have happened if it wasn't for the identical color schemes of the REL and a number of KFC restaurants...

Here one more URL for ya:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/KFC_Original_Recipe

Thanks! I see it now on Ebay, and will purchase it.

Hirnsausen

Any suggestions which glue could manage that combination between these two materials?

  Try Zap adhesives 560 Formula Canopy glue.  Takes awhile to set up but so far it has worked on everything I tied and it is water clean-up.  ( Gene1 gave me the advice to try it.)

     Nino

The style of her time...

UPDATE
I finally made the decision to use a dark color, anthrazite (that's almost black), for the lower side of the cargo deck's overhangs . And I darkened further the gray of the upper decks, to get the color closer to the tar or asphalt sheets they used in those days for deck flooring. It now starts to look really real. When looking to a number of contemporary ships of that time, I see that they often used black or dark gray for many elements of a ship. While I leave the hull above the waterine white, I now have at least a dar area below the overhanfs - and it looks good! But I also encountered a problem: my regular plastic glue seems to fail on the connection between plastic deck and the nylon zip ties. Any suggestions which glue could manage that combination between these two materials? For now, the paint adds a bit to the holding power of the plastic glue, but just.

Fire and corrosion are dangerous things, do not take them easy...

UPDATE

I drilled a hole into each of the chimney tops. This will allow, later, that a yellow light that emits from the LEDs inside the chimney will illuminate the bottom of the black-dyed cotton balls that I will use to imitate the black smoke of the two main chimneys. This will, later on, giving the appearance of fire below the smoke!
And I finished the assembly of the two paddle-wheels, but still have to do some paint magic on them to make them looking authentic and used. Because I mixed the silicon with corn starch, I was able to paint the silicon in the middle of the shaft. That's what I call a good side effect.


The steam engine looks now used - there are small traces of corrosion all over! I still have to do some more aging where the machine has any edges, but it looks quite authentic already. Enjoy the photos!

Thanks for the new photo. I am still undecided, if I make the above-waterline hull very dark gray, or if I keep it white. However, at least i have some other progress to report!

UPDATE

Finally got the bottom of the luggage cabin finish. See now the beams, and the smoke-caused dark dirt close to where the boilers will be later on. And I also got the below-waterline hull black. That was a long work, as my airbrush almost "whispers" a black mist on a too limited area. I wonder, if there are ways, to increase the output of an airbrush to a wider area and more paint at a time. However, the ship with its wheels looks strange for today's eyes but also very nice. I made sure that the red is a very decent one - not too bright. I mixed red with a small amount of black and a tiny amount of yellow, to make it very warm




And now it's time for me to end my day.