Dredge barge complete

I have completed the dredge barge - more or less.  I may add more details but I wanted to get a post.  I try to post something at least each week to keep the blog fresh.  The photos show the barge sitting in the water in front of the dredge company but not permanently installed.

The barge is all wood as is the derrick.  The grab bucket is a cast metal kit that had lousy instructions.  Fortunately I have old industrial books with good photos of grab buckets and how they are hung.  The cables are straight, fine brass wire.  I find that better than trying to use thread.  Some of the pulleys are commercial and some I made from card stock.  The two drum hoist is a Cannon Scale Models cast metal kit modified.  I ran two drive rods into the superstructure to be driven by the boiler inside, which also drives the barge.  The only thing in the wheel house is the wheel which can be seen though the front window.

In the view above you can see the rear of the barge which has a door in the lower superstructure to allow maintenance on the boiler and mechanism.  The stack is a plastic straw with a paper rim at the top.  There are four figures on board - the captain on the top deck and three workers, one that is swabbing the deck on the far side of the barge.

Building this was interesting and at times frustrating.

Now I have the usually difficult task of deciding what to build next.