Revell's Harbour Tug in 1:108 scale [COMPLETED BUILD]

Edmund

Edmund

Joined
Jun 13, 2021
Messages
50
Points
78

Location
Koszalin, Poland
When I saw tugboat models made by Barry (Mighty Mite) and Careloo (Ulysses), I also wanted to build an interesting old tugboat. I started looking for a kit and came across a Revell model:
0.jpg

It is as old as the World model. Not the best quality but I could not find any other old plastic tugboat. I started with the hull. First I glued two pieces of plastic to the bottom of the hull which I then drilled and tapped. The holes will be used to fix the model to the base with threaded rods. The next step was to remove any unnecessary elements that the manufacturer placed on the hull and the deck. I will have to reconstruct them on my own. The pictures show what has been done so far.

1.jpg2.jpg3.jpg4.jpg5.jpg

I hope it is a good start...
 
Edmund the start is looking good. Are you planning to finish the hull before the screws are attached?
I'm new to plastic (well its been 68 years since my last) what glue do you use for plastic to plastic?

Best Regards
Will
 
Back to work.

The next step is to clean the side walls of the superstructure of various lifebuoys, fire extinguishers, axes, anchors, etc... The scraped elements will have to be done on my own. I hope I will manage... After the scrapping work it looks like this...
6.jpg7.jpg8.jpg9.jpg10.jpg11.jpg12.jpg

Hi Will, I hope you will succesfully get back to modeling. Answering your questions the screws will be attached to the hull when the whole model, not only the hull, is finished. I usually use the "Contacta Liquid" glue produced by Revell Company. Sometimes Tamiya's "Extra Thin Cement" is in use.
 
Edmund, I have built the same kit. I like your idea of cleaning the cast in details off the deck and panels.
Will, it’s ALWAYS a good idea to test the cements on spare parts or sprues in the kit. Old kit, foreign manufacturers etc…. Test test test
 
I found that using dental tools to clean up bi-metal casting and fittings worked very nicely. I have since started using them on plastic to hi light mold features.
My dentist gives me his used tools that he can't sharpen to his standards.
tempImageqV5G3i.png

flat edged scraper
tempImageR1O6r4.png

pointed tip scraper
tempImageRJYMl8.png

These can be sharpened to keep an edge and they are free. Hope this is useful.
 
Hi cdnfurball and Will.

I had to remove the details from the deck and panels as they looked poor and unrealistic. I will have to redo them myself. I think it will look better.

As for the glues, that's right, test, test and test again. It brings the expected effect sooner or later.

As for dental tools. I confirm that they are very useful in the work and that is why I have a small collection of them:
a.jpg

Now we return to the report on the construction of the harbour tug.

I have glued the deck to the hull:

16.jpg17.jpg

I removed the triangular "brackets" from the bulwarks, as they resembled everything but the brackets. The next step was to glue the bulwarks to the deck:

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I made some supports and vents myself and checked to see if they fit to the deck. They look quite good. In my opinion of course:

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The next step is to cut the overflow holes in the bulwarks:
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And that will be all for today. See you soon.
 
Edmund said:
Hi cdnfurball and Will.

I had to remove the details from the deck and panels as they looked poor and unrealistic. I will have to redo them myself. I think it will look better.

As for the glues, that's right, test, test and test again. It brings the expected effect sooner or later.

As for dental tools. I confirm that they are very useful in the work and that is why I have a small collection of them:
View attachment 312425

Now we return to the report on the construction of the harbour tug.

I have glued the deck to the hull:

View attachment 312426View attachment 312427

I removed the triangular "brackets" from the bulwarks, as they resembled everything but the brackets. The next step was to glue the bulwarks to the deck:

View attachment 312428View attachment 312429View attachment 312430

I made some supports and vents myself and checked to see if they fit to the deck. They look quite good. In my opinion of course:

View attachment 312434

The next step is to cut the overflow holes in the bulwarks:
View attachment 312435

And that will be all for today. See you soon.
Click to expand...
Great Job in general cleaning up a less than satisfactory mould. Love the bracket removal from the bulwarks. The scuppers are great but might I suggest a few more as photos indicate 5 to 6 per side.
I included a zoomed area of tugboat bulwark stanchions and supports thinking you might want to consider something like this.
055017DC-294A-4FBB-AC65-FDBAF5F7804B.jpeg

The vents are a great add. Keep up the great work.
 
Hi Will. Thank you for nice words. I have found in the internet some pics of harbour tugs with only three scuppers so I cut only three on each side. I am not sure now but I think that a scupper or two more will not look well.
Today I am working on the bulwark supports. I think they would be better ones than the originals....

Best Regards
 
Back to the game. On the top of the funnel I made a new exhaust outlet out of plastic pipes and another tube of unknown use. I think it looks better than the plastic block suggested by the kit manufacturer:

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I also decided to drill the aft platform, which seemed too flat to me. I think it gained some attractiveness after this operation:

15a.jpg15b.jpg15c.jpg

I also attached the bulwark supports after painting the hull with a primer paint (Tamiya Spray Surface Primer):

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That is all for now. See you soon...
 
Hi Will. Imagine yourself I wanted to use a square file to get the holes square too, but all my files were too thick so I had to give up. I hope that after painting, the platform will look quite well.
As you like my work I will keep it up.
Maybe I will continue the report today - I only have to take some photos...
 
I had one of these kits, molded in brown - I never saw one molded in bright red before!
I was gonna R/C it, but sold it instead - too much not getting done already.

Looking forward to your interpretation of this little kit.

DSCF0002.JPG
 
Hi Will and Jerry. I'm trying to do my best to get the tugboat model looking as good as possible. There is still some work ahead of me, but I am managing somehow. I have already glued the superstructures together. Now the glue is drying and I will take some photos when the conditions are better - now it is a bit cloudy and hard to take a good picture…
Jerry, red or brown, they are the same molds. The difference comes when the kit is painted...
 
Hi Will. Thank you for your kind words. I hope the grating, when panted, will look well.
The sun shone a little and I was able to take some photos this afternoon. The superstructure panels came together nicely. I made a new hatch with an opening handle on the upper part. It looks like this:

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The lower part of the superstructure was armed with a mast. It was made of three brass tubes going into each other. The red top of the mast comes from the original mast of the kit. The rest was made myself. This is how it looks like:

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Still the mast up close:

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That's all for now, but it's not the end of the construction...

Best Regards,
Edmund
 
Edmund said:
Hi Will. Thank you for your kind words. I hope the grating, when panted, will look well.
The sun shone a little and I was able to take some photos this afternoon. The superstructure panels came together nicely. I made a new hatch with an opening handle on the upper part. It looks like this:

View attachment 313179

The lower part of the superstructure was armed with a mast. It was made of three brass tubes going into each other. The red top of the mast comes from the original mast of the kit. The rest was made myself. This is how it looks like:

View attachment 313180

Still the mast up close:

View attachment 313181

That's all for now, but it's not the end of the construction...

Best Regards,
Edmund
Click to expand...
Edmund you are so bashful about your work. Ingenious use of brass tubing for the mast with the red tip. And you didn’t mention the side doors. Very nicely done.
 
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