Hello all.
I'm planning on building a new On30 mini Exhibition layout influenced by the Disneyland Jungle cruise ride & movie.
I'm hoping I can have a boat circling the lower level of the layout using chain & magnet underneath.
So first thing I have scratchbuilt is the La Quila boat from the JC movie.
Boat from the film
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1641-130726182855-577281606.jpeg)
This is a 1/10 scale boat built by Alexandre Ramon that I used as a reference to get a lot of the details.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1641-130726182855-577291644.jpeg)
I've built mine using a foam & matt board hull. The sides of the hull are built from card & balsa.
I'm inserting a hot wheels car in the bottom to make it move easier. Not sure if it will work.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1641-130726182858-577302251.jpeg)
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1641-130726182900-577312299.jpeg)
Cabin & smoke stack made from styrene
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1641-130726182902-577321259.jpeg)
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1641-130726183123-57733841.jpeg)
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1641-130726183125-577341480.jpeg)
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1641-130726183126-57735702.jpeg)
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1641-130726183128-577361066.jpeg)
deck made from balsa
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1641-130726183130-57737394.jpeg)
Hull skeleton made from stiff card
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1641-130726183350-577381834.jpeg)
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1641-130726183352-577391944.jpeg)
Balsa strips added to inside and outside of the hull & painted, and some of the exhaust details added.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1641-130726183354-577402231.jpeg)
Roof is styrene. Also added the front and rear hatches
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1641-130726183357-577412134.jpeg)
I added a printed rattan image to the underneath of cabin roof
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1641-130726183359-577422180.jpeg)
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1641-130726183615-577432370.jpeg)
Ribs added to the styrene roof.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1641-130726183618-57744412.jpeg)
Then added glue soaked paper towel to represent canvas
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1641-130726183621-577452106.jpeg)
This is awesome. Nice progress, can't wait to see the finished product. I wasn't expecting to see anything like this today. Mark
It's interesting to see how you constructed this. Thanks for the set of photos.
dave
Thanks Mark and Dave. These are basically all the construction photos.
Next lot of photos will be the completed model.
I also intend to build a version of the African Queen and one of the JC Disney ride boats to also go on the layout.
Looking great, Rob.
Really interesting to see your progress. Really nice work.
Cheers, Mark.
Robert great jog on the boat so far. You seem to have a kick for scratch building boats so if anyone can pull this off you can. Following with interest.
Rob, what an interesting project!
Thanks so much for showing us how you went about building it.
I can't wait to see how it came out looking when finished!
Greg
Rob,
The boat is looking great, can't wait to see the finished product.
Thanks Mark, Larry and Greg.
Still really enjoying scratchbuilding boats and this one is certainly different. Has a real steam punk feel to it.
In the film it's set in 1916, the DL ride is set in 1938, but my layout will probably be late 40's to early 50's time period.
Anyhow, here are the final pics of how the boat came out.
I modified a 1/43 scale figure to look like Dwayne Johnson's character Frank Wolff. He originally was a tourist with a camera round his neck and baseball cap.
So I cut off the camera, sculped a skippers cap, added braces, lengthened his sleeves and carved the pants into knee length boots.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1641-130726184114-577571453.jpeg)
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1641-130726183624-577461889.jpeg)
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1641-130726183626-577472179.jpeg)
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1641-130726183819-57748452.jpeg)
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1641-130726183822-577491363.jpeg)
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1641-130726183824-577502488.jpeg)
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1641-130726183826-577511415.jpeg)
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1641-130726183829-577521359.jpeg)
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1641-130726184102-577531457.jpeg)
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1641-130726184106-577541203.jpeg)
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1641-130726184109-57755391.jpeg)
My first thought seeing your boat was, of course ,"The African Queen".
dave
Rob, that came out looking really cool indeed!
Your figure modification into Frank wolff is excellent as well.
Wonderful work all around!
Greg
Rob,
Not an average build but a great rendition, nonetheless.
Your attention to the fine details make this a superb model.
Rich
Thanks Ron, Dave, Greg and Rich.
yes Dave it certainly has an African Queen feel to it.
The JC ride is an original 1955 opening day ride, and Walt admitted he was very influenced by the Bogart movie. I'm also a big Humphrey Bogart fan so will also be doing a version of the African Queen on the layout.
The La Quila scales out to about 36'. The African Queen model will be a scale 30'as mentioned in the movie.
WOW Rob, you knocked this model out of the park.
Outstanding scratch building and creativity.
And then making it move around the layout will be a treat to see.
That is awesome work. Love it!
Thanks Rick, yes I'm very happy with my rendition of the boat. Certainly different looking than my normal fishing boats & trawlers.
My efforts so far of making the boat move are hit & miss. As an exhibition layout I need everything to run smoothly all day, so still plenty of tweaking to do. If worse comes to worse and I can't get it running properly, then the boats will just be static displays on the layout, so will still look good.
Thanks Darryl, appreciate your kind words.
Rob,
A most excellent scratch build. Every detail looks turn of the century to me. Wonderful job and masterfully done Rob.
I love it. Can't wait for you to build the layout around the La Quila boat.
Tom
I agree with Tom, really great looking, well done.
Jim
Thanks Tom & Jim. Certainly something a bit different.
Rob great job!!!! Dwayne would be honored I'm sure. Everything looks exceptional.
Thanks Larry.
Trial run of a moving boat for my new model railway exhibition layout based on Disney's Jungle Cruise. Been fiddling for a couple of weeks with the cogs & chain to get it moving OK.
I've previously shown how I added a low profile Hot Wheels cars underneath the boat hull to smooth out the running a bit. I tried it with a 3 RPM motor but was too slow. Folks at exhibitions want to see some movement. For this trial I'm using a 7.5 RPM motor. But not sure if that's too fast. I'll have to see. Otherwise I may try a 5RPM motor to drive the chain.
There is still some jerkiness but I thinks that's the movement of the chain going around the cogs , not the boat itself. And I still need to add some weight to the back of the boat and stiffen the ropes holding the dinghy to stop it swinging.
Rob don't know how I missed this excellent build!!
If that's trail 1 I believe you hit it out of the park!!!!
Jerry
Rob, I think it looks pretty good already.
I'm sure you'll be able to get it running smoother.
Rob, your maiden voyage of your little cruiser already looks exciting!
Perhaps a clear plastic rod glued between the middle of the stern and the side of the dinghy would stop any swinging.
I also thought a half submerged crock following the cruiser would be a fun addition to this scene.
Looking forward to seeing this whole scene take shape!
Greg
Thanks Jerry, Rick & Greg.
Having a moving boat & a train will really be something different.
Hi Greg, yes I have now added a piece of wire between the stern & the dinghy so it doesn't swing around anymore. Much better.
Hi Rick. I'm going to ditch the hot wheels car and have ordered some tiny 7mm ball rollers to fit underneath.
These should roll in any direction so may help. I will put 4 underneath spread out to the corners, so should also keep the boat perfectly level, with only the rollers on the water surface.
QuoteThere is still some jerkiness but I thinks that's the movement of the chain going around the cogs , not the boat itself. And I still need to add some weight to the back of the boat and stiffen the ropes holding the dinghy to stop it swinging.
The jerkiness comes from the magnet as the attraction distance widens and then narrows of the magnetic field. The the rollers might help some. A glass smooth surface under the rollers would help greatly.
Bernd
Thanks Bernd. Adding the rollers to the boat will certainly help, if nothing else other than keeping the boat level.
With the car underneath in the middle and the front of the boat front heavy, it's not looking how I want.
Thanks for the advice about the magnetic field. Hadn't heard that one.
On Facebook lots of folks were telling me all sorts of reasons for the jerky motion. The cogs seemed the obvious reason.
The surface at the moment is MDF so very smooth. Once painted a river colour and several gloss coats should make it even smoother, or worse.
We shall see.
Rob,
Try taking two magnets, one on top of the MDF and one on the bottom and then move them around. You'll see how they move jerky like. Probably much more so than your wheels or the bearings.
I'm wondering if those bearings will actually make it move smoother. Reason being is the surface area of the bearings. The MDF may be to soft and the magnets may pull down hard enough that the bearings might form a very small indent in the MDF and not roll. Try it on a piece of glass for comparison.
Bernd