Paddle Steamer Robert E. Lee, scale 1:96, scratch build by the Alan L. Bates drawings [COMPLETED BUILD]

Pilot House:
The last part in the height of the structure is the Pilot House.
On the drawing of the (Robt. E. Lee I) it is shown in this way:
190 Pilot-01.jpg
With this inside design:
191 Pilot-02.jpg
But in a previous post I had already shown this image of the "II":
183 Trap1.jpg
The stairs do not pass in from an angle, but goes outside and passes at the rear with a stair to the roof of the Texas.

The web site www.Steamboats.com also has an archive with many photos, which also includes a series on Pilot Houses. There I found this beautiful image of a layout. And shows how big the steering wheels were.
192 Pilot-03.jpg
SOURCE: https://steamboats.com/museum/davet-pilothouses2.html

So I had to make a new design. Just started drawing, cutting again the old-fashioned way and in the ground paint:
193 Pilot-04.jpg
Roof, walls and floor.
Also for the roof immediately cut the roofing. Out of 1 piece, so only with 1 seam. Then the cut white ornaments will contrast nicely with that:194 Pilot-05.jpg

In order to continue with the design, I first had to have the most visible defining part, the steering wheel.
From left to right and from top to bottom:
-16 bars from Evergreen 0.75x0.75, 12mm long, with 16 fillings;
-glued together;
-painted;
-2 rings with the steel passer "cut" from copper foil;
-the 2 rings;
-merged and the handles given a red color.
195 Pilot-06.jpg
But I wasn't happy about this.

2nd attempt, using my experience with mini-cutting:
-with a needle and the passer point a design made at 0.6mm Evergreen. Pre-drilling makes cutting easy. But on the outside ring the 1st handle already broke off;
-cut and sprayed around, that's already tighter;
-2 large and small rings cut and 16 handles from 0,8mm Evergreen, 2.5 mm long;
-gluing the handles;
-all put together and with red nails;
-all handles also turn red.
196 Pilot-07.jpg

Sometime in the 90's I had already bought a steering wheel at about the right size. However, I knew in the back of my mind that that wheel was not going to be it.
Here are the 3 versions in a row. I already know which one it's going to be.
197 Pilot-08.jpg
Now that I have the steering wheel, with how it gets into the wheelhouse, I can get on with the design.
198 Pilot-09.jpg

Regards, Peter
 
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Pilot House Intermediate:
It's been a while since I posted anything. Making the PilotHouse is quite complex. At least in the way I have in mind.
In addition to the drawing of Bates, I have already shown before, Bates' aforementioned Cyclopedeum gives even more info.
Here the outside:
199 Pilot-10.jpg
The Visor can be folded open and protected from the sun. But also together with the hinged Breastboard, which is protected from weather and wind when both are folded shut. Because of the 2 crescent openings it could still be looked outside if the weather was bad.

The walls, windowsills with supports and the supports for the roof:
200 Pilot-11.jpg
In the middle still the rough construction in 1st thin base paint. On the right already with a 2nd and 3rd thin layer so that the necessary cracks are closed. Getting a little tighter.

In the Cyclopedeum also 2 pages for the inside:
201 Pilot-12.jpg
The text is still just legible, so it explains a lot.

That's all I had to place on a square of 5x5cm:
202 Pilot-13.jpg
The cable at the front will goes directly to the ship's bell.
The stove pipe will connect to the chimney that sticks through the roof.
3-fold sliding windows on the back and both sides was a bit too much Sick

I am now working on the roof, the chimney, steam flute(s), ornaments around with roof and the balcony at the rear for the exit and stairs to the Texas floor.
Still a lot of work for such a tiny item. But it is a eye-catcher.
Regards, Peter
 
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A member of the Dutch forum where I also have a build-log, posted in a reply a link to this web-site:
A lot of information and beautyfull pictures of this magnificent schips.
(Lots of cuttings for decorations to do ROTF)
Regards, Peter
 
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Pilot House:

Phoe ........ After a big 2 weeks of designing, building, adapting, rebuilding and adjusting again, the PilotHouse is finally ready.
I had already made a start with the walls, but the impressive ornament around the roof, is an eye-catcher for the ship. I couldn't enlarge the old photos in nice details. So creativity had to do it.
Design:
203 Pilot-14.jpg
After 3x adjustment and start again, this became the result:
204 Pilot-15.jpg
But it's about the details (with the inexcusability of macro pictures):
205 Pilot-16.jpg
The exterior has therefore also received the necessary details:
-the Tiller Ropes run from the large axle of the steering wheel, on both sides through the walls, through the conductors that go down through the various decks;
-the chimney of the stove,
-the copper steam flute. The consists of 5 tones that make an 'chord' heard. The middle largest they call the 'Locomotive chime whistle'. To give the signals;
-the rope at the front was always in the way when assembling everything. So just made the ship bell. On a next photo can be seen;
-the tip of the roof and the uprights of the roof ornament have copper spheres.

206 Pilot-17.jpg
With at the rear the platform with stairs for access to the PilotHouse from the Texas.

207 Pilot-18.jpg
Right up front, but that ship bell isn't sharp.

Ship bell:
To avoid the question "Why not the ship bell from copper?"
That's what Alan Bates is very clear about in the Cyclopedium:
“Another prominent piece of roof haberdashery was the bell. This bell was used for signaling, to announce departures, fog warning, and fire and boat drill alarms. They ranged in weight from twenty pounds to a ton, although the average was probably close to two hundred fifty pounds. Such a bell would be about three feet in diameter and three feet tall.
Since it was not tolled the roof bell had NO crank. It hung stationary and the clapper was pulled against the side. Don’t paint the bell gold, for goodness sake! Bells are made of an alloy of thin and brass and are a pewter color (pearl gray).”

2 more total recordings:
Right in front
208 26-11-1.jpg
The bell (almost) sharp now.

From the side:
209 26-11-2.jpg

All in all, a lot of work, but I just consider the PilotHouse as my 'Masterpiece'. Like I said, it's the eye-catcher of the ship.
And to be clear: The Lee is not ready yet. A lot to do .........

Regards, Peter
 
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I can now start by applying several small items. Working from top to bottom. Because I have to be very careful my hands or arms don't bump or get stuck behind anything

Started building 14 stairs. I make them from Evergreen strip 0.4x2.5mm.
The steps are 10.5 mm long and are 2mm distance apart.

I cut the steps on length with my stamp cutter.
210 Trap1.jpg

Of course I could have made a mold first, but before I have it tight and operational, I am already 2 stairs further.
211 Trap2.jpg

4 has to come to the recesses between the uprights in the railing of the Texas.
They'll get a handrail.
Makes the model directy a little more lively.
212 Trap3.jpg

I don't think there was on that time for the workers a labor-law, for safe working conditions. 8 steps for only the workers don't get a handrail. Saves me labor;).

Regards, Peter
 
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Making the stairs, I didn't make it easy (again) for myself.
After a week of tinkering finally put 14 pieces together.
4 with a handrail for the Texas.
4 with handrail and fence around the stairwell in the Hurricane Deck. Especially with this one, I had to puzzle nicely.
In the end, all 14 still have to be placed workable to be able to spray:
213 Trap4.jpg
The combination of handrail en fence:
214 Trap5.jpg

And applied to the model, the focus on the concentration of stairs:
215 Trap6.jpg
2x on the Main Deck (one left and right);
4x from the Boiler Deck to Hurricane Deck (in front and behind the Wheelhouse//Cabin);
4x to the Skylight Roof (front and rear);
4x from Hurricane Deck to the Texas (side by side).

With the overview:
216 Trap7.jpg

Up to the next step .....
Regards, Peter
 
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