popeye the sailor

very nice progress Danny.......your finished! looking forward to the 'finished' pictures

I see your well under way with the rigging....looks really good for the gammoning on the bow spirit.......to stop the thread wrap from sliding down, you could have added a small chock {or a stop} on the spirit boom, to hold the gammoning where you wanted it. nicely done

thanks Piet....and to those who hit the like button I used them.

I agree about the stairs......unless you have an idea about 'no slip' treads. the windows came out great as well your way ahead of me

no problem kind of an honor to have Kev's Vic come for a visit. you fixed the bow spirit....didn't you Kevin? I took a browse through the log.....you'll need to replace a few pictures.........yep.......splendid ship! as for today, all I've done, was roll up the port ladder and stow it away, and make up the aft sail {still need to refine it...I'm not gonna get too fussy over two sails}. not much left to go thanks for the good word.......for following along.....and for all the likes ! enjoyed having you look'in in "take care of those you call your own, and keep good company" {Queen}

today is riverboat Friday I thought I do a little on the T.D. just to crack my knuckles, I started the session by assembling the ends for the second level structure. some of the joints fit tight, but they went together without much of a fight. I had assembled most of the vents, for the aft structure. all that was left, was to glue the top pieces on. as I was fishing out the parts for the second level structure, I noticed that the third level structure, assembled the same way. so, I put the ends together next. but......hey! why stop there? ....assemble the sides, and all that will be left to do, will be the front and rear fascias! rubber bands will keep everything in check. I cut a piece of planking to act as a spreader for the center....I may glue it in permanently later on. the second level didn't need one...it has one built in. the brackets for the paddle wheel were assembled next. I made up the jig to get them squared away. while they were drying, the vents were trimmed and sanded. by the time that was done, I could do the same thing to the brackets. the troughs were trimmed and sanded at this time, and later cemented onto the first level structures. I set 'em up at 10 mm off the floor...doesn't say anything in the instructions. when dry, I gave them a coat of poly urethane....I forgot it was a flat. I did the same thing for the wheel brackets......yep, no shine at all. I'll decant some of the semi gloss lacquer later and give them another coat. the wheel brackets are still wet.......dried flat like bone white..... Kinda like'm with a shine to them ran into that problem with the beads again.......they want you to use them for door knobs. I think they are kinda big....too big, in fact. I pulled out my bottle of beads that I use to make parrel straps and did a side by side comparison....the one on the right is the supplied bead. I'll just pick out the smaller ones and go with that. that done, came the windows. they show you a thatched window, but all they supply is clear cello. nawww, I'm good with that......I have that tinted window film for cars. I'll just use that no need to be too fussy.......as long as they cover the opening. later, I'll dab the knobs with flat black, to get rid of the brass color. the doors were cemented in place. these need to be in place, so the structure can be cemented to the deck. the gaps were still present here......the structure did not want to sit flat on the deck. I sanded the center of the mating surface some, and made sure the doors were flush......but there is just too much of a gap. it will take a lot of pressure to get it to conform. the first attempt was futile.......I even tried to weigh it down with one of the admiral's plants. looked strange with a huge pot on top.....but even that wasn't enough. I aborted the mission before the darn thing fell over! the next attempt worked.......I changed up on the glue. instead of using white glue, I used CA. I took a warm damp cloth and wiped most of the white glue off the deck and the structure. taking a rectangular piece of 1/4 plywood, which I'll square up later to make the stand...and some 1/2 triangular balsa, I'll make the stand and get it off it's keel. the balsa was cut to a pair of 12 inch strips, and cemented to the plywood around 3 inches apart. with the bottom / deck sitting on the new slip / stand, the structure was cemented in place with the CA..........held in place by hand for what seemed like forever. I gotta get some of those clamps........those would have been my salvation releasing the pressure....the structure stayed fast.....looks a lot better than it did the first time the other structure was next........first off, the doors needed to be given another coat of white. too much ghosting. while they were drying, I had a look at what they suggest I make the door knob from.....an eye bolt and a ring. don't like that.......I have just the thing coming when I order the planking for the Nordkap, I added a package of those stubby eye bolt thingies {I use them for hand railings} those will be perfect. I also have some antiqued brass rings,,,I think they might look better {note to self....look into that}. another odd thing I see, is what they show for hinges in the instructions, are not what they supply in the kit. I'll look into that too..... another good thing.......the figures I ordered for her have been shipped.....and I got everything! nothing was out of stock these are some of my eye bolts......even they look too big. I could just say the heck with it and do up some knobs for them. it's a thought process right now..... ...planning and scheming icky mae!

I'll bet he can climb 'em just as fast! nice job!

I'll need to revisit that project.......can't recall where you left off. one of these days, you'll get the itch......or an idea, and you'll jump back on her that's usually what happens to me. sometimes, merely giving though to an aspect of the build will trigger taking the cover off {I cover all my projects}. those types of projects take most folks years to complete, so your not to far off your time line { if you have one}. it'll be like visiting an old friend, when you do

thanks Kevin! I want to get the Thermopylae back on the table. I have the Tumbl'in Dice on the other table. so, between the two, should keep me busy for a while I ordered a few more parts for the Trawler Syborn as well........I'm very close towards finishing that project.

thanks Bob.........just as long as my thinking isn't too far out there thanks to everyone for the likes

looking very nice EJ.....gotta be nerve racking though

congratz Michael on such a huge and complex project! you've packed so much interesting detail in this model, right down to the blocks and art work she's a very stunning ship!

thank you John.......I try my best

too late John........I told her. she was more miffed that I used my credit card, than the checking account I wanted an organ grinder and a monkey.....but they were 'O' gauge, and not HO gauge. I should look around and see if I can find some Popeye characters that small that would be a hoot!

we set the dial for ludicrous speed, and when I hit the table, I made some decent progress the snow removal chore was out of the way.......poor Gibbs couldn't get around too well, the snow was too deep for 'em. I'd say we got over a foot.......started yesterday afternoon and still snowing now {but not as hard}. I started with the......what I think are......the communication lines. billing's supplies these beads that are way too big {to me they are}. I bought a package of black beads a while ago.....I use them as parrel beads. I decided to do this step differently and use these smaller size beads. looking through them, I picked out eight of the better ones. the instructions want you to tie them in series with the lines. I simply threaded the line through the beads and will cement them in place afterwards. the rack was fitted with it's hardware.....an eye bolt, hook, and chain......and cemented in place. to make it a bit more interesting back there, I rolled up one of the ladders, and placed it behind the pilot house too. ya never know when someone will want to get off as these were drying, I began to string the communication lines. it's kinds blurry, but two can be seen on the starboard side line. this started on the roof of the pilot house......one is sitting down there too, waiting to be cemented near the mast attachment point. another ladder was tied to the port side cap rail. it will be rolled up later and stowed. the catch trays are ready for paint, which I did next... after painting them, the sails were cut out. all of the round buoys were fitted with a small ring at the end of it's rope.....best I could do for a lanyard hook. an eyelet was looped on one end of a length of thread, and slip knotted around the mast. this will be tied off on the starboard side spreader bar. the rings will be strung onto the rope before it's tied off. the buoys were cemented in the box. this set up will allow the buoys to be taken from the rope harness and hooked to the net, as it is let out. yea.......we have a nonconformist in the bunch folks........but there are still a few others that still need a place. more were added. meanwhile, the comm lines were fully rigged, and the beads were cemented in place. as can be seen, the trays are painted........they will be strewn about later. the last thing I got to do, before I was informed that I'd be making supper, take out the trash, Gibb's outing, and sand the steps, was load up the buoy rack and secure them with the chain. the last extra round buoy was added back there too. from what I can see.......sails and life preservers are all that are left to do. oh.........and one other thing

glad to hear your doing well Kees.......I was wondering how you were coming along. that's a decent size hull you have there. how thick are the walls, and the overall length?

just thinking how it will look with the finish on.......the wood grain 's gonna be phenomenal!

nice work on the bottom.......the stabilizers look real good, and well as the rudders and props. I'm sure the engines look fine as well

absolutely! that is one nice looking hull Pat your paint is very good!

hello Mario! I've got little experience with plank on frame, but I don't think it will hurt anything, since you'll likely be working inside the hull first. it will even help you to set up the transom framing. I look forward in seeing more. good luck on the knee surgery

is it the Sovereign of the sea? looks very well done

experimentation is all part of the game {Danny knows }

look a couple of comments earlier again, it seems a matter of taste. in plastic kits, they do them all one color. with wooden ships, color can be detail

I do both.......it depends on how I've done the deck. the thing I like about lacquer, is it will give you a harder finish than varnish....less of a chance for dings {unless you get aggressive with something}. a spray will lessen the chance of pushing the sealer into the calking gaps...light coats is best. I also don't use a feeler gauge either. I don't sand the edges of the planking......I just run the pen along the plank and lay it down. with both of the mating edges done, it shows up quite well, and light sanding cleans them up well enough for me. the best advice is to do as you have been doing.....try things out, to see what works best for you. poly Urethane is another sealer that you can try........it comes in different finishes too, and also can be purchased with stain already in it {you may have heard of wipe on poly}. I've never tried doing a model like your building......never did gun ports. I should though........I see so many folks have problems with the pre cut panels, I think to myself, "why not simply plank them instead?" some things are better in theory, than in application. no fear..........you'll never learn if you don't try

nice progress so far Piet......the P.E. guns look great when done.