CLYDE PUFFER - PAPER MODEL

My favorite paper model company, Scale Scenes, recently issued a Clyde Puffer kit.  This small steam ship is clearly a British prototype, as are most of their kits, but it's a neat looking and it's small size will fit nicely in my harbor.  If I had to justify it as being prototypical, it could be used by one of the many small brickyards along the  Raritan and South Rivers to supply their kilns with coal and move their products to market.  A little further stretch would be the vessel plied the Delaware and Raritan Canal between New Brunswick and Trenton, perhaps hauling pig iron or steel ingots from my steel mill to Roebling Steel in Trenton.

Sealing ink jet prints

These kits are relatively inexpensive - less than $10 usually.   Purchased online, you receive a digital file - PDF format.   On some of the structure kits, you will need to select the type of masonry exterior.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      The PDF are in OO scale (1/76).  This English version of HO can by converted by printing out at 87% (just a coincidence)

A typical sheet 

After printing out the sheets, and the instructions too, I first spray everything with a clear mat varnish.  You might be able to skip this step with a laser print, but always seal ink-jet.    The pieces are organized in groups - some will need to be glued to different thicknesses of cardboard.   The instructions are very well done and include photos.

The core of the vessel

I was pretty happy with the final result.  It's entirely paper with the exception of styrene rods for the mast and boom, and I added handrails around the stern from the Central Valley Fencing assortment.   The model was weathered with  chalk.

Finished vessel, weathered with chalk - hold filled with lump coal..

This was another fun Scale Scenes kit, with a fairly realistic result.  Some of the printed details will jump out on close examination.  The weathering helps a little.   If you are thinking about trying paper modeling, Scale Scenes has a few free kits - try one first.