Return to the BUILD
In this issue, we brace the propeller shafts and add the final details to the two main reciprocating engines.
Contents
Parts
Materials: All of the parts in this issue are plastic.
Magazine
- A Date with Destiny – Molly Brown, Brave Nonconformist
- Step-by-Step Instructions
Digital Instructions (click image to download)
Agora Models consolidated the printed build instructions for Pack 8 (Issues 39 – 44) into a single digital PDF file:
Build
Further Details for the Engines
To continue with my theme of painting various engine details, I pre-painted some of the parts in this issue. The Central Walkway (39H) was airbrushed in the Tamiya XF-89 NATO Black acrylic paint to match the previous catwalks and gangways:
Both Control Handwheels (39D) were airbrushed with Vallejo Model Air 71.067 Bright Brass Metallic. I used the same color on the lower shaft (and upper junction bar) of Steam Pipe A (39B) and the upper tips of Steam Pipes B and C (39E, 39F, and 39G).
The lower block sections of Steam Pipes B and C (39E, 39F, and 39G) and the arm and aft pin of Pump Detail (39C) were masked and airbrushed with the Mission Models British Sand Yellow acrylic paint to match the engine Columns.
Finally, the two wheels of Control Handwheels (39D) and the nubs of whatever the detail is below them were hand-painted with Vallejo Model Air 71.070 Signal Red acrylic paint:
I loved how this red made the handwheels stand out, so I actually went back and hand-painted the handwheels near my Thrust Blocks as well:
Step 1
Retrieve your Engine Room Deck assembly from the previous stage. Fit the seven Grips over these matching pairs of posts on either side of the three Propeller Shafts.
Ensure the flat side of each Grip (with the circular recesses) is facing down onto each set of posts, as shown:
Secure these Grips into place with fourteen (14) AP screws – two for each:
Step 2
Retrieve your Turbine/Condenser assembly from Issue 36. Slightly seat the pin and post of the Central Turbine down into the matching holes of the Turbine Base, as shown:
Align the pins on the forward ends of Steam Pipes A and B into these matching holes at the rear of the engine Turbine Steam Pipelines.
If needed, add a drop of super glue to these connections:
Once these connections are complete, press the Central Turbine fully down onto the Turbine Base:
Step 3
The tabs along each side of the Central Walkway is designed to fit into these inboard slots of both main Engines:
Slide the Central Walkway into place with the two stairways facing to the rear of the Engines, as shown.
Take care inserting this part so we do not dislodge any of the small Gangways we attached to the engine Columns:
Fit the pin on the bottom of each stairway into these matching holes of the lower Catwalk:
This is a bit easier if you use some tweezers to nudge the pin into place:
This Central Walkway should be fitted to the starboard Columns and Catwalk in the same way:
Before we even got to this point, I had been kicking around the idea of adding my own lighting to the engine room. As I have no idea if the model includes any lighting in this space, I decided to go ahead and do it. First, I removed my Central Walkway and scraped off the black paint from the mold release ‘circles’ on the underside of it – this was to expose the plastic again for better adhesion. Then, using tiny drops of Solarez Thick-Hard UV Resin and my UV Flashlight, I secured two 15cm Micro Bit Lights (White) from LightMyBricks to the bottom of the Walkway. The wires were routed towards the corner that will end up at the front of the starboard engine, as shown. I will share pictures of my custom lighting in operation at the end of this issue:
Step 4
The detail parts 39B, 39D, and 39E are all identical to each other. However, the Steam Pipe C parts (39F, 39G) are opposites of each other, seen here:
On the port Engine, test fit the D-shaped pin of a Steam Pipe B (39E) into this matching hole of the Catwalk and then glue it into place.
If you find the fitment of the detail parts in this step to be tight, try using a sharp hobby knife to remove some of the paint from the D-shaped pin.
Fun Fact: On the real Titanic, this part is not actually a steam pipe but three levers mounted on a stand to control various engine functions.
The upper tips of this Steam Pipe B should touch the center of the black mounting base of the intermediate pressure (IP) cylinder. I used a tiny drop of super glue to secure the tips on my model into place, as shown:
Next, test fit the D-shaped pin of Steam Pipe C (Port Side) (39F) into this matching hole of the Catwalk and then glue it into place.
Fun Fact: Again, on the real Titanic, this was also not a steam pipe but the main engine control levers. There would also likely have been a gauge panel right above these levers, however it is not included on our model:
As before, the two highest tips of this Steam Pipe C should touch the black mounting base of the high pressure (HP) cylinder. However, the shorter bent pipe should sit under the long detail Pipe B right below it. Again, I used tiny drops of super glue to secure these tips into place, as shown:
Then, test fit the lower pin of a Steam Pipe A (39B) into this matching hole of the Catwalk and then glue it into place.
To make sure this is installed in the correct orientation, note there is a small pin on the back of Steam Pipe A that fits into a matching hole (circled below) of the forward low pressure (LP) cylinder mounting base. This part should be perfectly vertical and placed between the engine and the long Pipe F detail, as shown.
Fun Fact: This was also not a steam pipe on the real engines. Instead, this was the linkage that opened and closed the main throttle valve.
Finally, test fit the two pins of a Control Handwheels (39D) into these matching holes of the Catwalk and then glue it into place.
Fun Fact: While the larger control wheel nearby was used to reverse the engine’s direction, these two smaller wheels actually controlled the steam flow through the main engine throttle and turbine start valves.
This is what these parts should look like once installed on the port Engine:
Repeat these steps to install the same parts to the starboard Catwalk/Engine, but using the Steam Pipe C (Starboard Side) (39G):
You can see here where the wires of my custom Micro Bit LEDs come out from under the Central Walkway. I plan to drill a hole in the forward engine room bulkhead to route these inside the hull and connect them to a 5V power source:
Step 5
On our port Engine, fit the hole at the end of the ‘arm’ of a Pump Detail (39C) onto the upper pin of Steam Pipe A (39B), then press the center pin of the Pump Detail into the matching hole on top of the Vapour Separator as shown.
If needed, use tiny drops of super glue to secure these parts into place. I painted this Pump Detail to match the columns because I believe the larger components of the engine would have been painted to match. While no one really knows for sure, it made sense to me. While we do not have them included on our model, I would have painted the linkages (and the small engines) that would have driven the Crossover Valves to the turbine/condensers in the same way.
Fun Fact: This not a pump, but the linkage mechanism that actuated the main throttle valve on the real Titanic engine.
Repeat this process to mount the other Pump Detail to the starboard engine:
Step 6
Press the two pins of the Shaft Plate into the front end of the port engine, as shown. Use glue if needed:
That concludes the assembly of this issue’s parts. Here is a nice shot of our completed engines – I love how they turned out!
To test my custom LED lighting, I connected the new Micro Bit LEDs and turned them on. Strangely enough, they almost look like real 1:200 scale lights:
The real magic happened when I turned off my studio lights. It is like the entire engine room sprung to life in a surreal way!
Thoughts
I believe this issue’s work represents the end of the main Engine construction. I am especially excited to see how this engine room looks once it has been installed into the hull! In the next issue, we will install the final propeller shafts and the propellers themselves. Then, we will go back to the assembly of the upper deck structures.
Next Up
Issue 40 – Propellers, Propeller Shafts, Central/Side/Stern Plates, Starboard Main Anchor, Clip