1/700 Scale SS Whitehorse Yukon "Fire Canoe" Steamboat TLAR kit #1024

[Rhino]

I bought a book while I was working on the SS Fraser steamboat for the 1/700 "Diorama-in-a-box" kit I recently released on tlarmodels.com
This is the cover picture. Steamboat SS Whitehorse, plying the treacherous 5-finger rapids of the Yukon river in the early 1900's.
I am NOT Canadian. I been to Canada exactly once when I was 15 years old, in British Columbia, in the rain, on the gravel on the Al-Can highway and braved a hungry/curious mama bear. (A true story for another time).

My buddy George is a big fan of sternwheeler riverboats. After the success of my paddlewheel mold/casting, going forward was a must.

Start here. 167-foot Whitehorse main deck.

Continue here, with major basic Masters. Winders, doors and handrails coming up! I expect to mold and cast 1/700 SS Whitehorse in 2 major sub-assemblies to make her easier and more fun to build. As usual, I have chosen to model an esoteric, historical vessel that has no readily available deck plans or blueprints to work from. Yeah, I spend lots of time puzzling why, but whaddaygonnado?

To the rescue comes esteemed archivist and trusted good friend, Mark Karolus. His vast nautical library has given me these 2 views to work from.
Stern views of Whitehorse are rare, indeed. Notice the longer deckhouse on the upper deck? She plied the Yukon river until 1937. TLAR Models version will be the early 1900's Yukon river gold rush steamboat, before her modification to carry tourists in the Land of the Midnight Sun.

I spared my Brothers the step-by-step photos of EVERY minute step of Mastering this vessel. I know that not many model ship builders populate our (Bob's) website. What you could not know is that, a Canadian wizened 3D print genius is making an attempt to print paddlewheels for this and other TLAR riverboat kits.

Stay tuned, Brothers! More exciting 1/700 scale Yukon riverboat developments are sure to arise!!

 

[Rhino]

P/E winders, doors and handrails almost finished on the SS Whitehorse Master. My eyes ran out of "squint" tonight just in time for a nice, hot supper! Every P/E part is a separate bit.

Some main deck fittings and fine tuning of the cargo hold to main deck joint and molding can begin.
Thanks for looking in!

 

[moon puppy]

Nice job Chris

 

[paddy]

Sitting very low in the water Chris, looks like it was carrying me and my 12 twin brothers before my diet

that 2 dollar is very near to our 2 pound

 

[moon puppy]

that 2 dollar is very near to our 2 pound

They do have some similarity don't they.

 

[Rhino]

I added a .40 shim under the hull, narrower and shorter than the Master. I reason that molding this "flat" might make the shape of the waterline below the deck overhang vanish. It's more work to sand off the shim, but will preserve the details without much fuss.
That whole "Easier and more fun to build" mantra goes in here someplace.
The upper deck should clean up just fine. First castings are the proof in the pudding.
RTV sometime in the near future.

James Knaus is printing 8.2mm wide 3D paddlewheels this very day. Those should prove very interesting! It would be very cool to have a Canadian steamboat model kit with parts made in Canada for her! An "International" model kit if he is successful!
Hoping for 2 miracles in the same week seems a bit excessive. Still............

Stay tuned for more Fire Canoe fun!

 

[moon puppy]

Well done guys, great to see the team work in action.

 

[Rhino]

Based on the pictures James shared with me, the 3d paddlewheels look very promising, indeed!
Very gentle removal of the teeny supports on the delicate paddles will be required.

 

[Rhino]

Today's 50mm liquid polyurethane plastic castings.

SS Whitehorse came out swell! This picture of resin parts doesn't include my resin 2-part paddlewheel or one of the 87 3D printed paddlewheels being shipped in from Cold Lake, AB. Canada yet.
The instruction build is underway. This Fire Canoe is gonna be cool, eh?
This is the 4th miracle this week! Praise God! I could not ask for more.
Thanks again for looking in!

 

[moon puppy]

That's going to be a fine kit

 

[Rhino]

The modeler may carefully open the stairwells from the main deck to the passenger deck if he cares to. There are stairs in there.
I put a lot of thought into my little models.

 

[moon puppy]

Well done! Let's get a drop of paint on her.

 

[Rhino]

SS Whitehorse in her initial paint. I posed her on the Yukon river base with the "ugly" resin red kit paddlewheel. The kit resin stack has to be cut at .485 inches tall. This stack diameter is too generous. DO-OVER!!

In less time than it takes to tell all y'all bout it, I womped up brass tube stacks for the 1/700 Fire Canoe kit.
BETTER!!

I figure the "ugly" resin paddlewheel will be used to depict Whitehorse underway. Acrylic water and bits of cotton to show water being pounded into submission. James' excellent 3d prints will be included in case any modeler wants an intricate example to show the steamboat at dock.

Initial production will be 8 numbered, autographed kits. #1 for my own "Archives" as usual, 1 to build for instructions/promotions and 6 limited, high-quality, esoteric model kits to sell on tlarmodels.com

Next year is going to be a GREAT year for American small businesses!
Thanks for all your views and support!

 

[Rhino]

SS Whitehorse had her "ugly" paddlewheel shaved to the waterline and supports from the passenger deck to the upper deck installed.

The paddlewheels James printed and shipped possess astounding detail! They are fragile as a 3D printed snowflake. My best efforts to free them from the supports in one delicate intricate piece failed. I view James' efforts as a rousing success! He did the impossible in the best spirit of International model brotherhood and I am grateful. The useability of such an item does not mean failure!
I will still include a pair of these in each Fire Canoe kit. I am very impressed!

 

[moon puppy]

Need some sharp snips!

 

[Rhino]

Snips. Dremel at dead-slow speed. Dremel at full throttle. I tried a fine saw blade. The horizontal prints showed more promise than the vertical paddlewheels, but they are as brittle as they are beautiful. I'll send you a couple to play with. Howzatt?
We discussed 1/350 Paddlewheel prints and then build the riverboat around the 'wheel. They would need to be 18mm wide in 1/350
1/350 SS Klondike, maybe? She's not truly obscure enough for my usual motif.

 

[moon puppy]

no thanks, we're full up on head banging.

 

[paddy]

What i have found is most snips have a blade with a flat side and the other side has the taper to give a an edge. When you use then always put the flat side to the work, taper to the bit thats scrap because the tapper pushes on the part as it curts and often breaks it ...Ultimately it sound like the material is just to brittle ? there must be variations in softness available ?

 

[Rhino]

I am less than well versed of 3D printing and available mediums. Greg? James? Your thoughts?

 

[Rhino]

Ice storm days are great days for model making!
I don't know what the inclined lumber does on the lower deck of Canadian riverboats. I would bet they were (rubber baby buggy bumpers?) rub strips or rock sliders for hazardous channels. Some of the wireless aerial was made from an elastic material that I will never endorse again and .125 copper wire. The actual steamer had 3 such aerials in 1920.
Kingposts and booms for the bow winches, some more paint touch-up and Whitehorse can be ready for box art! Almost there. Pschwoo!

Thanks for lookin' in again, eh!