Steamboat Roofs

Grains of sand or sawdust are too small to make for most models, but you can try.

Thanks for the answer Alan, I'd say you'd be the perfect one to answer that question. I am going to try. I'm planning on weathering the Chaperon, and want to make it as realistic as my skills will allow. So there will be plenty more questions to come.

BTW, has anyone ever build that living model of a steamboat yet?

*RE: Steamboat Roofs*
Hi, Gerald & Steamboating colleagues:
Alan is on the money RE: Steamboat Roofs with tar & sawdust or sand added. There was a similar discussion on this on Steamboats.org back several years ago. Decks using canvas were tacked and tarred down. Another technique at times was to employ hot lead over the canvas or at least the seams or along bulkheads. The big L&C sidewheeler CINCINNATI (1924)

*No 2 RE: Steamboat Roofs*
Sorry, something went POOF! while typing the above message. The big L&C sidewheeler CINCINNATI was notorious as a 'roof leaker' from the moment of her completion. A cursory look at her vast decks in photos leaves no doubt as to why.

Helen Hughes Prater (Capt. Jesse Hughes' daughter) recalls to this day seeing the roofs of the packets her father served on with the old GREENE LINE being "tarred with sawdust." Years later Helen recalled walking down a city street getting a whif of boiling tar for a constuction project instantly feeling a wave of nostalgia from her childhood and youth.

Another interesting topic are the beautiful old steamboat name boards on the pilothouses done with rough black sand with incised letters in gold. That was an art itself. Well, what do I know?

R. Dale Flick
Coal Haven Landing, Ohio River, Cincinnati.

Gerald,

RE: in search of grit.

First: Model railroaders. I Googled and found the following; Fine Light Gray Sand / Ballast for Scale Model Trains Railroads .

Second: What about tile grout mix. They usually come in coarse, medium and fine grit

Third: Sandpapers. They come in various grits. You may or may not be able to soak the paper to remove enough grit for you model. There's an outside chance that you could get Sandpaper manufacturers to "donate' enough grit.

Or you could paint the sandpaper...

For black you could use Emery Cloth, or for tan sand a fine grit sand paper. If you would use the tan, you would still need to add Weathering.

Or, use the sandpaper to get the weathered look. Now we know what to do with used sandpaper!

Thanks for all the great tips. I have some real fine black sandpaper that I will work with. We also have some real fine limestone at work that I thought about trying.