Nederland mast construction

[Terence]

I'm making the mast for the Nederland from brass tubing, and I cant' figure out how many sections it should have.  The Billings drawing shows three, and the better David Metcalf plans (My Hobby Store) show two.  Also, I can't work out how the mast is attached to the cross-piece linking the two funnel casings.  The Billings plan shows a thin shaft going right through the mast, and in the Metcalf plans a shaft in the same location stops short of the mast.  It looks as though the mast should be hinged about that shaft, but it's not clear, and there's no detail of how to lock the mast in its vertical position.  I intend to make the mast removable to facilitate wiring for the lighting.  I've looked at pictures of models, and there are all sorts of interpretations - some with a plain tapered mast in one piece, others in two and three sections.  I notice that photos of the real tug show some sort of substantial bearing BELOW the shaft shown in the model plans, and the real mast seems to be in two sections (but I can't find hi res pictures of the mast, so it might be three sections).
Thanks in advance for any advice.
Terence

[Adam66]

Have a look over here: http://www.modelbouwforum.nl/forums/werkschepen/72402-smit-frankrijk.html

Once again in Dutch, but with alot of pic.
Mastpart on page 18

[Terence]

Adam
Very many thanks for link to the Dutch model forum.  It looks as though the mast is in three sections, but there's an amazing amount of additional detail of many parts, and the quality of the model is exceptional.  It does look like the model is to a fairly large scale, and certainly the detail greatly exceeds that of the 1:33 Billings plan.  It's interesting that quite a few components are built up out of copper or brass - something I've been doing because it's easier to get better scale detail than possible with the thick wood supplied with the Billings kit.
I don't understand Dutch, but I have a Dutch friend visiting this weekend who can explain all.
Most grateful.
Regards
Terry Weston

[Adam66]

Terance, it's also a Billing Boat based modell 

[mike_victoriabc]

Interesting information in the photos on this site. Thanks for posting the link. Mast construction along with the different arrangements on it always help make a better looking model. Found the site helpful.

[Terence]

More questions about the Nederland mast.  The Billings 1:33 model plans show a cross beam near the top of the mast.  There are four pulley blocks hanging on the beam, and the plans show cables from the pulleys tied to two cross beams that fit between the mast support trunnions and the funnel casings.  The cables are parallel to each other and don't seem to have a function - they're called "rigging".
  None of the pictures of the real tug show such an arrangement.  Can anyone tell me what they're for?
Thanks in advance for comments.
Terence

[des]

Hi Terence

Can you post an image of that part of the plan so we can see the rigging in question.  However, if they are not flag or pennant halyards then I believe they are likely to be hf radio antennae.  (Halyards will be more or less vertical;  radio antennae can be at almost any angle, but they are strung in such a manner as to maximise their length, and they will have a dropper down to the wheelhouse or radio shack roof.)

Des.

[olscuzbut]

I also made my mast from brass tubing as I kept breaking the wooden one.  Have no answer for the block and riggings other than for flagging.

[Terence]

Hello Olscuzbut
Thanks for pictures.  You've located the pulley blocks and made the rigging exactly like the Billings drawing, but the rigging doesn't seem to have a function!  Unless it is indeed connected with HF radio transmission as suggested by Des.
It's quite interesting making the mast out of brass.  As bits are added, care is needed not to melt the solder from earlier parts of the assembly, and I've had to use low melting point solder in a couple of cases.  Also it's easier to make up some jigs to hold bits square since soldering is more or less instant, and it's a bit of a nuisance re-aligning components after they're soldered.
Hope my model turns out as good as yours.
Thanks
T

[olscuzbut]

I use a heat sink when soldering joints that are close together.. they reduce the heat from traveling to the next joint and de-soldering it. 

[des]

Hi Terence

Looking at photo Misc007 posted by Olscuzbut, it is clear that the rigging in question is for flag or pennant halyards.  They are also used to fly the required shapes (by day) indicating any restriction in manoeuvrability as required in the Rules for Prevention of Collision at Sea (Collregs).  Check out the attached photo of the tug TOLL OSBORNE on Port Philip Bay, Australia - she is flying the shapes and showing the lights indicating some restriction to manoeuvrability (probably due to her tow) - the shapes are hoisted using the halyards attached to the yardarm on the mast, similar to those shown on photo Misc007.

The halyards will be tied off at the bottom, to either cleats mounted to the rear of the wheelhouse, or directly to the handrail on the wheelhouse roof.

Des.