Barges

[Brad Zerbel]

My next project will be a barge for my tugboat to push/tow around and
I hope you guys can give me some ideas on construction and plans. It
will be built to 1:24 scale and I would like to put a crane of some
sort and some containers and construction vehicles on it.

I also need ideas on how to ballast it, it needs to have a lot of
weight in the water but I also have to get it in and out of the van
and in the water.

Any digital plans or photos would be a great help, just sent them
directly to my email, bzerbel@hfmus.com.

Thanks
Brad Zerbel

[Jim McLaughlin]

While from a different hobby, there was a nice article in Railroad Model
Craftsman about 4 - 6 months back, with plans, for an HO scale (1:87) barge
of the type pushed around NY Harbor in the 30s - 60s period. This was a
"closed barge" but should give you a starting point.

Sometime later tonight I'll look around for the 'zine and post the exact
month / date of the article. Can't do it know, its out in the other
building.


"Brad Zerbel" <bzerbel@hfmus.com> wrote in message
news:96940844.0303181716.6d6a0880@posting.google.c om...
> My next project will be a barge for my tugboat to push/tow around and
> I hope you guys can give me some ideas on construction and plans. It
> will be built to 1:24 scale and I would like to put a crane of some
> sort and some containers and construction vehicles on it.
>
> I also need ideas on how to ballast it, it needs to have a lot of
> weight in the water but I also have to get it in and out of the van
> and in the water.
>
> Any digital plans or photos would be a great help, just sent them
> directly to my email, bzerbel@hfmus.com.
>
> Thanks
> Brad Zerbel

[Martin Bultmann]

Jim McLaughlin wrote:
>
> While from a different hobby, there was a nice article in Railroad Model
> Craftsman about 4 - 6 months back, with plans, for an HO scale (1:87) barge
> of the type pushed around NY Harbor in the 30s - 60s period. This was a
> "closed barge" but should give you a starting point.
>
> Sometime later tonight I'll look around for the 'zine and post the exact
> month / date of the article. Can't do it know, its out in the other
> building.
>
> "Brad Zerbel" <bzerbel@hfmus.com> wrote in message
> news:96940844.0303181716.6d6a0880@posting.google.c om..
> > My next project will be a barge for my tugboat to push/tow around and
> > I hope you guys can give me some ideas on construction and plans. It
> > will be built to 1:24 scale and I would like to put a crane of some
> > sort and some containers and construction vehicles on it.
> >
> > I also need ideas on how to ballast it, it needs to have a lot of
> > weight in the water but I also have to get it in and out of the van
> > and in the water.

You could build in some tanks that can be flooded with water. If you
stoppers or valves, you could control the bouyancy / waterline. When
finished, pull out the stoppers and let the water pour out.

Just my 2 ct.
Martin
--
Dr. Martin Bultmann
University of Heidelberg, Faculty of Biosciences, Dep. of Pharmaceutical
Technology and Pharmacology

[Jim McLaughlin]

January 2003 issue of Railroad Model Craftsman.

You may still be able to find that at your local hobby shop.
"Brad Zerbel" <bzerbel@hfmus.com> wrote in message
news:96940844.0303181716.6d6a0880@posting.google.c om...
> My next project will be a barge for my tugboat to push/tow around and
> I hope you guys can give me some ideas on construction and plans. It
> will be built to 1:24 scale and I would like to put a crane of some
> sort and some containers and construction vehicles on it.
>
> I also need ideas on how to ballast it, it needs to have a lot of
> weight in the water but I also have to get it in and out of the van
> and in the water.
>
> Any digital plans or photos would be a great help, just sent them
> directly to my email, bzerbel@hfmus.com.
>
> Thanks
> Brad Zerbel

[Brad Zerbel]

"Jim McLaughlin" <jimmclaughlin@attbi.com> wrote in message news:<6R2ea.141956$F1.3900@sccrnsc04>...
> January 2003 issue of Railroad Model Craftsman.
>
> You may still be able to find that at your local hobby shop.

Thanks Jim. I was planning to go by the hobby shop today anyway. I'll look for it.

Brad

[Jim McLaughlin]

If you can't find it, drop me a private e mail note with your postal address
and I'll make
a copy and mail it.

"Brad Zerbel" <bzerbel@hfmus.com> wrote in message
news:96940844.0303191437.a5775ea@posting.google.co m...
> "Jim McLaughlin" <jimmclaughlin@attbi.com> wrote in message
news:<6R2ea.141956$F1.3900@sccrnsc04>...
> > January 2003 issue of Railroad Model Craftsman.
> >
> > You may still be able to find that at your local hobby shop.
>
> Thanks Jim. I was planning to go by the hobby shop today anyway. I'll look
for it.
>
> Brad

[MIDEMETZ]

Take a look at these .

http://www.ktis.net/~wzumwalt/

http://www.dragg.net/jbrown/

Mike
d.

[Clem Jensen]

bzerbel@hfmus.com (Brad Zerbel) wrote in message news:<96940844.0303181716.6d6a0880@posting.google.com>...
> My next project will be a barge for my tugboat to push/tow around and
> I hope you guys can give me some ideas on construction and plans. It
> will be built to 1:24 scale and I would like to put a crane of some
> sort and some containers and construction vehicles on it.
>
> I also need ideas on how to ballast it, it needs to have a lot of
> weight in the water but I also have to get it in and out of the van
> and in the water.
>
> Any digital plans or photos would be a great help, just sent them
> directly to my email, bzerbel@hfmus.com.
>
> Thanks
> Brad Zerbel

I always thought that the best idea was to not put a bottom in the
barge then provide enough floatation to float it at the desired level.
Another version would be to drill holes in the bottom and then add
floatation. I can't see any advantage in building an empty container
and then putting weight in it to sink it to a level. Seems like a lot
of motion for questionable benefit.

[Brad Zerbel]

> I always thought that the best idea was to not put a bottom in the
> barge then provide enough floatation to float it at the desired level.
> Another version would be to drill holes in the bottom and then add
> floatation. I can't see any advantage in building an empty container
> and then putting weight in it to sink it to a level. Seems like a lot
> of motion for questionable benefit.

Thanks for everyone's input. This last suggestion sounds good and
simple. I'll make the barge from plywood, put a bottom on it but cut
holes in it for water to come in. I will also provide holes in the
deck for air to escape when it is filling with water from below. On
the underside of the deck I will add styrofoam for floatation. Does
this sound like it will work? What should I use to waterproof the
plywood? And finally, the stupid question, will the barge have weight
in the water so that my tug is working to push it around? Thanks.

Brad Zerbel

[Jim McLaughlin]

I'd look in my garage for a household size can of varnish, or polyurethane
or whatever.

I wouldn't use hobby type sealing materials, because its an inside,
underside application. Too much of the hobby stuff is just too expensively
priced.


"Brad Zerbel" <bzerbel@hfmus.com> wrote in message
news:96940844.0303281120.63f4ad9@posting.google.co m...
> > I always thought that the best idea was to not put a bottom in the
> > barge then provide enough floatation to float it at the desired level.
> > Another version would be to drill holes in the bottom and then add
> > floatation. I can't see any advantage in building an empty container
> > and then putting weight in it to sink it to a level. Seems like a lot
> > of motion for questionable benefit.
>
> Thanks for everyone's input. This last suggestion sounds good and
> simple. I'll make the barge from plywood, put a bottom on it but cut
> holes in it for water to come in. I will also provide holes in the
> deck for air to escape when it is filling with water from below. On
> the underside of the deck I will add styrofoam for floatation. Does
> this sound like it will work? What should I use to waterproof the
> plywood? And finally, the stupid question, will the barge have weight
> in the water so that my tug is working to push it around? Thanks.
>
> Brad Zerbel

[Clem Jensen]

bzerbel@hfmus.com (Brad Zerbel) wrote in message news:<96940844.0303281120.63f4ad9@posting.google.com>...
> > I always thought that the best idea was to not put a bottom in the
> > barge then provide enough floatation to float it at the desired level.
> > Another version would be to drill holes in the bottom and then add
> > floatation. I can't see any advantage in building an empty container
> > and then putting weight in it to sink it to a level. Seems like a lot
> > of motion for questionable benefit.
>
> Thanks for everyone's input. This last suggestion sounds good and
> simple. I'll make the barge from plywood, put a bottom on it but cut
> holes in it for water to come in. I will also provide holes in the
> deck for air to escape when it is filling with water from below. On
> the underside of the deck I will add styrofoam for floatation. Does
> this sound like it will work? What should I use to waterproof the
> plywood? And finally, the stupid question, will the barge have weight
> in the water so that my tug is working to push it around? Thanks.
>
> Brad Zerbel
I think you will be pushing the water that is in the barge. Eight
pounds to the gallon , or thereabouts.

[Umi_Ryuzuki]

The best barge I have seen was one built of 1/8 inch plywood.
It had a "cover" that was built up to look like the cargo. In this case a load of coal or something piled on the barge. It was either carved out of foam, or vacu-formed.

The owner could take the cover off, and then put lead weights into the barge hull and then place the cover back on top.

Any Laquer should be adaquate for waterproofing the wood. "Deft" is typically available at local hardware stores or home depot.