popeye the sailor

started where I left off......with the cross head assemblies. the shaft inside the brackets needs to move, if the wheels are to be able to move. not that this is a big deal.....it's going to be on a straight track base {something I need to get working on}. they were assembled with success......the valve rods move freely. care was taken to insure that there is a right and left assembly...it would be a real pain to correct this. building the model, this really need to be monitored carefully....both sides are not alike. there is a picture gap here........the camera would not focus......then again, you'll have to excuse some of the pictures. this gold chrome does not take kindly to halogen light. in my opinion, this model would have been good not to have any chrome at all. it distracts from the model quality, and there are paints out there today that can do the job just as good. besides, most pictures I've seen of real trains, show piping and such, the same color as the train itself. I also had a Pffffff moment later on...........you'll see so, OK.......Mr. Camera went on the charger for a while.........in that brief {is it done yet?!?!?!?!} bit of time, the cross heads, the cylinder drain cocks, and the lube lines for the valve chests {which go nowhere}, have been added to the model. the ware inlet from the tender on the left side has already been installed........molded connected to the inlet valve along side the frame body. the right side water inlet was added at this time. I looked ahead to how these are connected to the tender.........I'm going to have to stand on my head to do them! they connect somewhere underneath the tender.......cross that one when I get to it the drain cock connecting rod was added next. the plumbing for the right side, going into the cab, was added next. the rod and lever for the sand dome was also added. I was curious about this, being under the impression that the sand was used to put the boiler fire out when it was shut down. there are two tubes that run down to the tracks in front of the drive wheels, that were added later.......I looked up the use of the sand dome and it's function...... Sand Dome on a Steam Engine ....learn something new every day the sand tube can be seen....one on each side. it made sense to me.........many movies I've seen with locomotives beginning to get under way, I've noticed the 'wheel slip' when they start turning. a bit later, I found out that I had the upper part of the plumbing going into the cab, in the wrong hole.........I had to make the adjustment and repair. then a second adjustment and repair had to be made due to the instructions. a water line on the right side should have been installed before the cross head for that side was installed. the line runs behind the support for the cross head. of course, it would not come off freely.......it decided to take the top part of the bracket with it........a right jolly 'ole mess. but it's much better now ending the session, I thought to put the bell on. sorry about the fuzzy picture.......I'll get a better one on the 'morrow.

look'in good Tom! who knows........the minor pitting on the cannon barrel might look better once it's got the finish on. I wouldn't think that a field piece would remain pristine after a few battles, especially after transport and positioned on the field. very nice work!

here's how I decant paint: https://wenzelswharftips.wordpress.com/2013/01/23/decanting-paint/ Kurt is so right........some of the colors only can be found in rattle cans. really nice finish on the model......I'd get some of the Gravity pearl colors, but I don't do enough cars {strange what a blast from the past will get you}. are the running boards decals as well? very well done!

really nice finish in spite of the hood

not sure what would be harder.......having never done it either. ........doing the margins first or the planks. looking good

you've really taken off with this one Danny..........look'in superb!

look'in good so far

very good progress on your Meteor John had a good chuckle concerning critter corner

great tutorial also good to see another of your creations.

looks very good Kevin......you'll need to make the margin 'blanks' wider to make the indentions for the nibbing. appears your working with a 4 mm margin. although, John's example has the diagonal cut meeting the next plank. I've never done it myself either.

I have never seen this kit.........look really cool

try this paint... Gravity Colors | plastic scale model automotive airbrush paints

thanks........now if I can paint it without goofing up

I went a bit further on Friday........the pony wheels were added to the model. I panted the parts for the pilot........or the 'ole west slang 'cow catcher' assembled....... ....and added to the model. still have the rubber band on it...for some reason, it wanted to go crooked. the fit wasn't too good either. I added some more plumbing on the left side. the rods that connect to the valve chest.........the beginnings of the drive assembly are being painted at this time - cross head assemblies and valve rods more on these in the next session

only celebrity I saw was the army recruiter. my older brother was in the army, so I got a lot of his hand me down. I was wearing my 'army duds' when I met Sargent Steel. we chatted for a while....he was impressed that I was in full army dress. I had the boots, belt........all that.....even the fold able hat {had it in my back pocket. he kinda frowned when I told him I actually wanted to go in the Air Force......had plans to go on to be a commercial pilot. then he remarked how I looked about his size.........said he had something in his closet, that I might like a week later,, I was called to the office. Mrs. Merrill, the ast. principal pointed to the coat rack and told me Sargent Steel left it for me...........a full dress uniform! it was complete......hat and all! all the brass buttons and everything! I wore it to Mr. McCaffery's class one day.......we were learning about the war in world history. you could tell he was an old army man........he saluted me when I came in!!! Just call me Klinger but I wore army, not dresses

oh my god! I forgot to post the update! am I nutzo or what?!?!?! here it is...... hey there everyone! 'bout time for the update. the dip went into the following day. the body would have come out of this with hardly a scratch, except that I used a steel {I think that what the bristles are made up of}. I changed over to a brass bristled brush. bit too late though...it did scratch up the roof some. here it is by the afternoon on Saturday. the lacquer clear coat made it tough to remove........the brake fluid didn't dissolve it too good. I had used the steel bristle brush on it and it broke it up, but it scratched the plastic finish a bit. it will need to be sanded with some fine paper to get it back. out of the dip! this is some really goofy stuff.......dumped it in my oil bucket on the garage. the body then went into the wash......strong emulsion in Dawn dish washing liquid..........took the grease out of the way what I was left with..........was an almost squeaky clean body! that is the Humbrol flat black.......it didn't get any of the clear coat on it. the brake fluid didn't remove all of it. now it will be sanded with the fine sandpaper. I'll do my best not to sand off the smaller details. I didn't dip the hood........I'll see what I can do with it later. most of the paint I got from Lou are flat paints........what there was of the Monogram and Humbrol paints was a mixed bag of gloss and flats. the White Ensign paints are all flats, and had to be separated by countries....... German Navy, US navy.......etc. there are some really nice colors indeed at least now I can deal with them. I found a color chart for the Humbrol paints......but so far haven't found one for the White ensign paints.....I'm still looking. I have done some sanding on the body.......it looks much better now. I'll go over it with some finer stuff before I begin painting. I'll likely sand the hood and repaint it then. again.......sorry for the delay.......I must have gotten distracted.

fantastic additions Patrick I knew it!.........the yacht must be owned by the Knights of Ni

superb progress Rob.......glad your feeling better fine looking vessel!

I know what you mean.......I stopped modeling for a number of years...we owned our own home and I got too busy. glad that the bug never left we are a patient lot.......

I put my plumber's hat on today.........setting up the water supply lines with the associated valves. the left side is a bit different....... more painting done on some of the drive line parts, along with the rest of the paint work for the wheels. I wanted to do a red ring on the pony wheels, but the drive wheels are molded in red plastic......... should have more for ya in a bit

I'd better post this update before I die laughing........wish I could remember the name of the one about the Indian tribe. as I mentioned, kits with the different colored plastics made it easier for a model to be assembled unpainted. the gray parts on this model was left unpainted on many of the finished kits I've seen. I wish I had done this earlier...it looks so much better now with the cylinder chest caps painted. before: after: I didn't want to put the pony truck wheels on just yet....but I'm going past this step now, so I had better. I don't want to find myself in a bind if I don't. ........getting the wheel painted. at this point, the pony truck fenders were added to the model. I continued with the General this morning

I was rummaging around this morning in the middle of painting, and I found this good to see my 'ole friend Dudley again enjoy!

the paint we use today have come a long way. now we can buy bottles of rust, grime, and dirt. I bought some recently for an upcoming project. back in the day, I wouldn't paint over a same color plastic. it's all part of the allure buying these large scale models. now, even smaller scale kit are coming this way........all with the aim that a person with lesser painting skills will buy the kit. I'm still not an expert at painting, but I have evolved with a different way of thinking. it's not so much the color, as it is the sheen of the bare plastic...I use flats quite a bit I've painted everything...even the black......although I've yet to find anything that will match chrome, so it is unnoticeable. I'm also finding that the hue of the colored part doesn't look right...for ships it's worse. what they envision teak should look right, we can correct with paint. the cab was a shinier red.......painting it dulled it out and turned it flat, as I still wonder if gloss paint was around during this time period. as I mentioned earlier, I've seen finished models with all those gray parts unpainted.........it just doesn't look right to me. I'm trying my best that this doesn't look like a toy when I'm finished......I hope I'm succeeding. didn't get to do much yesterday........cripes, I did more this morning, than I've done my whole time off not to mention I floated to different projects and did snippets of work. I finally got storage for all those paints I needed to separate. update coming up!

I think the admiral has used the cloud........it's hard for some of us 'older dogs' to embrace technology. I keep all my stuff on memory sticks thanks Patrick I guess you could say that I'm making up for my forties. for a time there I did no modeling....just too busy with family and home. the first model I picked up when I started back up again, was the Cutty Sark, my second attempt at the Revell kit. it's been a blur ever since I'm glad I got back into it though......I've met so many fine folk. joining this site was the icing on the cake! the weather is getting better........I have so many projects that I held off on because of major sanding and painting tasks. I'm able to use the garage again, so the itch is becoming too hard to scratch.

I book marked the site..........found it straight away that's a different box than the one I had. I'll have to see if the budget director will allow me to get it.........still under the thumb after the stagecoach 💸