Many of us have seen or heard of the "Springer" push boat (a.k.a., tug, truckable boat, etc.). Most of them are not scale models but still built to the enjoyment of the owner.

This blog deals with how I build "Springers" to look like a scale model of some real boats. I will deal with some of the issues as well as ideas for searching for you own "scale model Springer".

Follow this blog as I build my latest "Springer", a US Army Corps of Engineers truckable push boat working at the Little Goose Dam in Washington State where it moves river debris to the "stoplog" gates.

Lew
Florida, USA

Here is the introduction video:

Part 1 video now available:

Part 2 now available:

Already started. Made the coming ring and marking the plywood deck for the cutouts. 3D printed several of the superstructure parts and cemented them together.

Having a bad issue with my VideoStudio app which I use to create the videos as I go. This last video was created by using ClipChamp which I had to figure out last night.

At 79 I'm getting a little slow.

Lew
Florida, USA

Planning, making, and installing a deck, including the two type of access to the inside of the hull.

Lew
Florida, USA

Video link:

(Sorry for the delay in getting this update out. Was in the hospital and recovered, then trying to catch up with everything.)

Part 4 involves adding the knees, the 3D printed ABS bulwarks, fitting the hatch, and filling, sanding, and painting the hull. Next update will probably focus on making the railings.

Lew
Florida ☀️😎, USA

Video link (forgot to reduce the volume on the music soundtrack):

Gradually getting back to this Springer. This part involves building and installing the railings.

Railings on a Springer are a bit challenging. Many Springer owners know that these boats often collide when in competition with other Springers (water sports, racing). That's the fun part of having a Springer.

Luckily, with this Springer being at a large scale (1/16), the railings are larger in diameter. With that this leaves room for a little extra support which is detailed in this video (see link). (There is a little overlay error in the beginning titles, so please ignore that. Can't edit a finished video in YouTube and use the same link.)

Lew
Florida 🤞, USA

(This is an update for my fourth Springer tug. It is 1/17 scale based on the real USACOE tug located at the Little Goose Dam in Washington State and used as a stop log mover.)

The exhaust shields problem looked simple to solve but took a little time to work it out then it was easy after that!

Trying to find perforated material to simulate exhaust shields sounds simple. The shields I needed were curved with no perforation near the edges. (The originals might have been custom made.)

I tried making the shields using ABS 3D printed (who wants to drill several hundred holes) laid out on a flat sheet. Could not make it bend without cracking. In the end, using various settings I was able to make some.

The photos and screen prints will show you what I came up with. Each exhaust stack is four pieces, the curved top (ABS), the tube (Styrene), the bottom flange (ABS), and the shield (ABS).

If I were to do it again I would make a temporary support (3D printed) to fit inside the shield so I could sand it a little thinner yet. It is only about .020 thick ad a little fragile. Not bad for a curved piece made on a FDM printer with about 150 holes for each one.

Got back on the USACE stoplog tug (my Springer #4). Been dolting around a bit. Ever get to a point where you come to a point in a model boat build where you need to stop a bit for one reason or another? Well, this railing for the superstructure caused me to do that.

Now that I am back, I made a jig to build the railing on. Being that the superstructure is 3D pined in ABS, the ABS will melt at the soldering temperature. Solution was to build an assembly jig. Just made a copy of the superstructure file, trimmed it down to the railing mounting points and 3D printed the jig.

With that done it was off to cutting the tubing and soldering the pieces. The jig held well. Note that the railings go from the deck level up and around as you can see. Now on to surface finishing. getting close!

This railing will be part of the structure and when that is placed on the main deck the two bottom posts have pins protruding out that will go into the deck.

Lew
Florida 😎☀️, USA❤️

Probably a lot of Springers tend to go "clunk" in the pond. That is why they are the fun side of this hobby. This is my first Springer with railings so I made them with 3/32" OD copper tubing. Hope the hold up.

Lew
Florida ⛱️, USA 🇺🇸 ❤️

Because I have had to slow down with this build, I did not make many video recordings. I did have a couple which shows some of 3D printed parts for the pilot house being assembled.

(I am currently adding some more detail parts and getting ready to place the boat in a tub to trim it out.)

Lew

Finally getting near the end! This video shows how I trimmed the model in water by adding ballast. The video also shows the final assembly (parts that are removable for repairy or maintenance).

Lew
Florida 😎, USA😍

Eight months after handing off my latest Springer to my son I finally had its launching day Sunday, June 1, 2025. Hurricane Milton was the big disruptor as the dock at our local county park was finally repaired.

I had installed a Flysky receiver in it. I was a little surprised when my son brought a different Flysky radio with him, on I haven't seen before, a FS-i6S. I need to do a little research on this transmitter. It has a retro (1930's style) look to it.

Took a little while to get it setup and do the binding. We didn't charge the battery but Mike had a spare. But I finally got it going and got it wet. Looked and sounded pretty good.

Will get better photos soon.

Lew
Florida 😎, USA 😍