"San Mateo" ferry - Orel - 1/200 scale

[FRD]

That's really a clean build for such a small scale, very well done...

[BigGiraffe]

Thanks, FRD! I'm unable to do the smallest details, these days, because my eyes aren't what they used to be, but hopefully there is still enough there to make a nice model when it's all done.

The funnel is finished and mounted. I added an extra "rib" for the inside, patterned from the bottom one that the kit included, to hold the funnel shape closer to the top. It's colored black and doesn't look out-of-place even if you look down the funnel (which is not exactly a display area anyway, right?).

The shells for the two pilot houses went together easily. Next I'll be adding details to them before gluing them into their places. It's easier to mount the details this way, in my opinion.

Best regards,
Kurt

[Royaloakmin]

Subassemblies are the way to go. Very nice work!

[BigGiraffe]

Thank you!

About the cardboard (or laser-cut, if you buy that kit) formers for the pilot houses, the instructions have you glue the larger, bottom panel to the deck of the ship first. I chose to glue it into the pilot house along with the two top formers. First I glued the top-most former and closed the walls around it. Then I cut a hole in the bottom former and glued it in place while closing the lower part of the walls around it. Lastly, I glued the mid-level former and used the hole to get at it from the bottom to get the former positioned. Once those were done, the colored roof parts mounted on top.

Now I'm working the steps that go from the forward door down to the deck but won't mount them until the pilots houses are glued into place on the deck. Hopefully this sequence will allow me to make sure they fit tightly against everything.

Best regards,
Kurt

[BigGiraffe]

Hello,

For the cables that brace the funnel, I used elastic thread sold by JSC. This is the first time I've tried this material and I'm pretty pleased with it. My cable needed to be black and so I used a black permanent marker (also seen in the photo) to color the thread before I attached it to the model. Then I drilled three small holes on each side of the funnel, one for each thread. (In retrospect, it would have been easier to make the holes before putting the funnel together!). Next I inserted a thread into each hole and applied glue. After this glue dried, I put a clothes pin on the lower end of the thread, adjusting it so the "handle" end of the clothes pin was resting on the work table and the "clamp" end was just above the work table. Doing this held the thread in place against the edge of the upper deck and also provided a small amount of weight to lightly stretch the thread. Then I applied glue to the thread where it touched the edge of the deck. Later, I cut the excess thread just below the deck edge.

I'm kind of relieved to have this step completed since I wasn't sure how it would turn out. I like the elastic thread and have plenty of it left for future projects.

Best regards,
Kurt

[BigGiraffe]

Hello,

It turns out that JSC has some laser-cut railings that match the size, spacing, and number of rails shown on the San Mateo instructions -- as though they were designed with this kit in mind (see first photo). I've never used this type of railings and I like their appearance very much. However, they do require special care when handling and trimming since they are delicate and easily bent. For the upper deck railing, I cut the middle rail out.

Now it's on to light clusters and car deck chains...

Take care,
Kurt

[Michael Mash]

Real nice railing.
The right kind for a boat like this.

[BigGiraffe]

Good Afternoon,

The chains for the car deck are finished. I used plastic rod for the two poles and then started looking for thread for the chains. We didn't have thread of a color I liked, but my wife has all sorts of cross-stitching floss and I found some of that. It turns out the floss also has a twisting sort of texture that nicely resembles chain. I'll have to remember that for future use.

The last things I'll do are the rudders, plus I want to add US flags as I see in photos of the real San Mateo. (The kit does not include flags). I'll simply print some at the right size.

Take care,
Kurt

[BigGiraffe]

Hello,

The San Mateo is complete. I think Orel did a wonderful job designing this kit. As I said at the beginning, this is one of the ferry boats I rode on the Bainbridge Island to Seattle route when a boy, and I also wish someone would do the Tillikum and Illahee (among others).

Best regards,
Kurt

[Greg S.]

Excellent results! Thanks for sharing the photos.