popeye the sailor

the Sergal kit is a beast......there are instructions, but I found it better off to just scratch build everything, aside from the planking. I've already started it, but I put it aside for the time being to work on other projects. I figured it would give me the time to scare up parts that could be more easily fashioned. I have a good supply of 2 mm blocks....even got some double blocks for her {can you imagine a kit not supplying them}. the log is on page 21.......which means that I should get my butt moving, before it reaches the vortex

I know what you mean.......I have the Sergal Thermopylae, and I need to make yard fitting for it. nothing comes premade in the kit. how long is the Great Republic's hull? the Thermopylae is at 1:124 scale and the hull from bow stem to stern is around 19 inches. if this model was at a larger scale, I would think it would be a lot easier to make the fittings like your making. I'm using the model built by Cyril Humes http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/collection/database/?irn=211834&img=132358 to build it. his model is based at 18" to 1 '...not sure what scale that would be. I have placed an order at Billing USA.......I saw some fittings that might do the trick for the lower yards. I'll just need to figure out the upper yards. I have some small chain.......but I know that cyril used quite a bit, and I see that you have as well. I just wished that this model was a larger scale I do believe that I have Cast your Anchor bookmarked.....I'll check it out. thank you for letting me know

thanks John.......I did a little more on her today I was play'in with the linkage for the paddle wheel.........I can't find anything in the kit to assemble the rods to the arms on the paddle wheel shaft. gonna have to improvise I guess....I'll figure something out I've also been working on the few things I skipped over........try to get them out of the way. should have an update tomorrow thanks all for the likes!

thanks John........but I guess I'm glad it happened. I need to have this done. a bit of an update..........there are a couple of sad parts. I have both sides close to being ready for planking. things were going good until just about the time I stopped working on her........or.......that's what made me stop. remember me say'in that you can reinforce those tabs between the bulkheads........ .....well a couple of them did break. I glued them back on, but I think I will do the reinforcements before I finish faring the frame.....just so I don't break any more. then, faring around the stern, the two bulwark posts closest to the stem broke. they too have been cemented back in place...to reinforce them, I cut out the wrap around part and cemented it in place. this was done after making sure that they were fared as well as they could be. I did some work on two other projects, before I called it a day......still feeling the effects from yesterday. not really upset about how it went.......this is old wood.....I expect stuff like this. I have other wood........and I'm not afraid to use it! after all....it's Progress

I see you finally sized up got some good bones there........should make for a really nice model when your finished. your doing a great job so far. now I'm REALLY glad I poked my head into the scratch build forum

ohhhhh.....so now your throwing PE into your projects.........well played orange! very nice progress since I last looked in...........look'in my-t-fine!

amazing work...........very resourceful! where do you find such small chain?

....just looked it up...........quite a subject to undertake should be one pretty ship!

superb workmanship Michael.......looks great looks like you'll need to refinish the deck, with the modification. later, I'm sure it's in the plan

you've made some really nice progress.......the decks look very good. haven't seen a plastic ship kit that uses bulkheads in quite a while. most I've seen, the decks just lay inside the hull halves.

thank you Michael there will be more, once I start making the windows. there are some steps......parts of the lower level, that I skipped over. I started to assemble the paddle.......painting the metal parts reminds me why I dislike these parts. seeing as I was down for the count yesterday, the admiral went out and bought me a spray can of flat black........should make life easier. I put the hinges on the aft section doors.........not happy with how thick they look, but they are on none the less. I'll be pick'in away at these skipped assemblies and parts as I go along. in the meantime, I will also start to make the windows and doors. more soon!

sorry I didn't get back to finish the post........got a bit evasive once I got into the dentist chair I ended up having two teeth removed! this is long over due.......this needs to happen..........I've been putting it off long enough. in a couple of weeks, I will go back and have the rest removed......and the next step will be dentures. I've had bad experiences with past dentists........more obstinate than afraid, is what kept me from having this done. even my primary suggested that I do it, to stave off future problems. the admiral is pretty happy too anyway..........I started to fare the bulkheads and define the contours. on the first model, I don't recall if I glued on the rabbits.......looking back in my logs, it appears that I didn't. this is a good thing.......I didn't need to worry about nicking them with the sander. I have to be careful here, since I cemented on the bow and stern rabbits. I didn't add the rabbit strip along the keel bottom....good thing I suppose, but the mid ship won't be altered as much with the sanding. for those who are new to the idea of faring the frame, this is very important. to fare the bulkheads, your evening them out and giving them the taper to fit the contours of the hull. you want the planking to lay flat on the bulkheads, and not sit on an edge....to speak. this will cause a number of problems, like bad adhesion and the planking taking on a clunky look. the bulkheads will jut from the planking, giving really hideous lines where they sit. faring is synonymous with tapering........your defining the contour so the planking will flow over the bulkheads, allowing curves and a really smooth skin.......the kind of smooth skin chicks die for the best way to adequately fare a frame, is to use a block that will cover more than two bulkheads. this way, you won't run the chance of one being lower than another and cause the planking to become wavy..........an indention in the skin of the model. small hull frames are easier to do...you can use a smaller block......larger models call for a larger block. for this model, having a bulkhead width of 53 mm, I use a wall board sander. it has an overall length of 9 inches......I can hit three.......or even four bulkheads. when doing around the turn of the hull frame though, I try to 'roll' it around as much as possible {more diagonal that straight across the bulkheads}. I usually have to do this outdoors or in the garage, because of the noise it makes....it's like fingernail;s across a blackboard! the weather has been up and down here........cold in the mornings with not a lot of warn up during the day. the admiral has been pretty tolerant..probably because of this reason........she's even allowed me to run my scroll saw in the house! so I started on the port side, contouring the bow section. the bulkhead roots around the stem will take some finesse...likely trimming them with a razor blade. I've also gone down the front face of the bow stem, squaring that off as well. the noise it makes {I call it music}, will die down as the bulkhead become more in sync with one another.......I use it as a fair barometer that they are sanded to the point of where they need to be. cementing the platforms in place can be a good thing too. it allows you to sand the bulwark posts flush to the platform.......but take care not to break them since they are really nothing more that tabs, unless you cemented in small pieces of wood to support them. sounds like overkill, but I've done this before.....it's not a bad thing along the mid ship, it's not so bad........it takes very little material removal to get the bulkheads flush with one another. as said, without the rabbits in the way, it's easy to taper the roots to the keel. the stern has a small problem.......even though the keel spine strips were cut to the proper lengths, the frame does seen to fall short of the decking platform. this is likely due to some shrinkage, or how I had to make the adjustments to the assembly surfaces of the bow and stern stem parts. it's minor in scope.........probably around 3/16 off the overall hull length. for a model that is over 32 inches long, it's not a big deal rounding this off will be fun. more was done on the port side until I had to leave. I would have liked to have gotten back to her when I got home, but I wasn't in the mood to play my musical instrument. perhaps tomorrow.

there ya go man!...........she's look'in real busy now! looks super!

for the stack top, I mixed up some flat black and flat white, coming up with a color that looks a lot like soot. the chain is so-so........I've seen many do them in flat white, but I find it hard to see the logic in that, considering the function and use. I will usually go with flat black and wash it with rust in some cases........for this one, I would go with just the black. if you mixed up the soot color.......you can even use that made a lot of progress since I last saw her........looks great! the main structure second level deck isn't planked, so it would likely have been in the gray color. it looks really good though.......I like it makes the upper structures stand out 👍

javlin......you can get a lot of the same info from the Revell Cutty Sark . these two models are clones........with a little research, you can alter the model to look more like the Thermopylae. here is a site that will give you a good idea. http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/collection/database/?irn=211834&img=132358 if you want to compare the instructions, I've posted them here. http://cuttysarkdrydock.wordpress.com/ looks like the Sergal kit Bedford really nice looking model! I quite agree with you......the scale of this model needs to have been made larger, and definitely not a beginner's kit. very nice looking model though when complete.

I got to fiddling with the Progress this morning.......I want to get the frame fared and ready for planking, before I do anything else. first off........the margins.......as mentioned, they are cut out. they came out well, but I still need to clean them up a bit, giving them smooth lines. I was going to widen them at the mid ship and get away from trimming the deck planking as much, but I think it will give the deck some character funny thing when I went to drill the hole for the mast. the plywood piece I used is made up of four plys. as I was drilling the hole, the glue holding the plys together broke away and half of the thickness fell off! darn! so I glued it back on and reclamped it. after it had set for a while, I went to redrill it with the clamps still in place. the center broke away from the outer ply and fell out!. fine then.........Ill take the other piece that matches it, and glue it on top as a stop.........stubborn piece of wood! I still need to go to a larger diameter hole, so before I glue on the other piece, I'll fit it to the dowel. faring the frame, I went to the garage and got my board.....just a narrow board with a pair of 2x4 blocks screwed on. it supports the frame better. I had to clean off the dead spiders and cobwebs since it's been a while since I used it last. oops........almost time to go.........I have to see the dentist today. I hate teeth problems!

is there a wrap around part for the transom? looks like it needs a filler.

hello Sam.thanks for the good word I do have a small update on her progress. I should have it up soon.........perhaps I can add more

tough call to make

I've watched many flights on you tube..........some are great.........but yea, when they crash, you want to cry along with the guy.

what?!?!?! you sold it to R2D2?!?!?! you picked a great person to sell it to........he has a built-in laser cutter! hope we'll see more of her

hello Mike........read through your log and found it quite enjoyable. couple of small diggers there, but you handled them well........the stern planking came out really nice nice job on the planking.......the second planking should be a breeze!

a Christmas present eh.........who ya giv'in it to? ba - da - bum

I haven't used the jig on this ship yet.......I will be though I may need to make a smaller one for the upper shrouds have a good trip........sounds like a lot of fun!

good you saw it.......headache #2 averted!