The
model took about 12 1/2 months to complete working at it on and off.
Jamie estimates it would have taken about 4 months if worked on each
day for an 8 hour period.
The model is not a solid block of
wood, but is built as a ship would be with accurate holds and a
hollow bow and stern.
The cabin railings are all hand
soldered (over 400 solder joints) using 24 gauge wire and there are
close to 700 small wooden triangles that where cut to make the
hatchways accurate.
Everything works manually on the
model including the anchors that drop when the brake is released.
The Paterson is made of pine. I started with some pre cut
boards that where 2ft x 1/4 inch thick
and cut them down. The model is 4ft 1inch long and had to
build it in two separate parts and join it in the middle.
Surprisingly, after months of planning it and repeatedly measuring
when ever I was working near the joining point, the thing went
together needing minimal sanding to make a perfect match.
For the more integral part, I used a unusual source for pine;
"popsicle sticks". After cutting the ends off,
they make nice planks to start bending and cutting into whatever
you need them to be. Don't laugh, it works and I could not
come up with another source of pine that is that thin and easy to
get a hold of. Toothpicks, both round and flat, as well as
various prepared doweling where also used. However, the
popsicle stick thing is something that I do not let to many
people in on, as it does raise some eyebrows. The glue was
Lepage Carpenters glue and the paint was Testers for the glossy
parts, and a paint from a company in England called Humbrol made
up the flat. I found it very hard to use the Flat Testers on
big areas as it seemed to always show the brush lines and dried
with a chalky feel. The Humbrol black left no chalky residue
and went on well with the brush.
I hope I have answer a few of your questions. This is the
first model I have built since 1985, and I had forgotten
everything. I learned a lot from this one and hope to try my
hand at a remote controlled one next time. My next
model will most likely be the John B. Aird.
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