popeye the sailor

I got this kit as a Christmas gift. I thought....cool!.....there have been quite a few of these models done here on the site. I will have plenty of info to follow when I get around to building it. we have two builds going on at the moment.....the Sergal Mississippi Riverboat being built by Vossy, and the King of the Mississippi, another A.L. kit, being built by oldbritabroad. there was another A.L. kit being built, but I think it's finished.......it was a combination of that build and Hugh's, that really got me thinking. the issues that were discovered, enticed me even more. I hadn't looked in the box.......not intending to start it any time soon........and I did........sorry I didn't do a parts inventory so to speak........I hardly ever do. what ain't there....I don't care........I always make do or improvise.......I'm just silly like that. I see things that I normally see in most kits......metal parts, that really should be wood......windows {really?!?!?!}.......there are other thing too. there are no decals......hence no name, so I gave it one. Tumbl'in Dice came to mind from the Rolling Stone's song {not the Keith Urban song}......funny, all I hear in my mind is the song 'Mixed Emotions'.....anyway.....there will be decals......I also have plenty of lattice work decals from the Susan A. build {are you kidding.....I have decals left over from all of my builds}. this won't be a quick project......I have so many ideas and so many modifications to make {beats my dream of a hillbilly PT boat } {that was a nightmare.......woke me right the heck up!} I started this a couple of weeks ago.......so far, all I have is the bottom of the hull pretty much done. I plan to make this as a show piece, rather than an actual boat.......I have been hampered though by the admiral. she doesn't want any lighting, or interior decorating....already ran things by her....no carpeting or chandeliers {pity}..........but you never know, I might be able to sneak something by her. I hope anyone who follows, will enjoy what I'm gonna do to this model.

thanks for the kind comment Sam......at this point in time, I have four days to work on my projects. this will be ending by the 17th of next month....I will be going on a 4 / 10 schedule. currently I work three twelve hour days......makes for a long day, but the four days off makes up for it......although Tuesdays I'm usually recovering from the work week...a kind of 'work lag', I guess you can call it. I will give the new schedule and work assignment a try { I promised the admiral I would}, but I'm getting the thoughts that a change in venue might be in order.....extremely long story {boils down to the fact that I'm starting to hate the company I work for}. as far as the Hood goes........I believe your thinking of semorebutt's log of the Bismark....he was looking for the kit. I've seen a couple of other ones that I've been interested in..like the U.S.S. Arizona or the U.S.S. Missouri, but the admiral has yet allowed me to pull any trigger on them yet {I'm still working on it}. I do thank you for thinking that I deserve an award, but I don't think I'm alone....there are others that have projects on the back burner, waiting for an idea to whisk them back to the forefront. I am about to add to the roster..crazy as it sounds......but it won't impact my plans on the main table while I'm here, I should post my update from yesterday. I painted the buoys with the Billing's orange......by now, they should be quite dry. as I've mentioned before, the Billing's paint really isn't a bad paint. it dries fairly quick, has a hard finish, and the gloss paints have a really good shine finish to them. the smell isn't the greatest though, which makes them better suited to be used {if doing a large task}, in an area other than the house. the buoys came out looking really good ....no brush streaks.....just a very smooth finish. I ran toothpicks through them, since the buoys don't need a hole running through them. these are the kit supplied beads........I have quite an assortment of them on hand, that I bought at Hobby Lobby. if I need more............but I don't think so.....they give you ten of them. so, one end is chopped off, the stub touched up by sanding {I could get very comical here, but this is a family show}, and then touched up with paint. we end up with these at the moment. I'll dab them a little later to build up the paint and hide the dimple. the rest of the radar mast has been painted......that's waiting to dry. the main mast is cemented in place as well....I can start the rigging process. I'm trying to depict what is the standing rigging, and what is the running rigging.......and what appears to be communication lines, judging by the insulators shown in the drawings. I believe that's what they are....I'll go with it there are three other buoys that are to be located behind the pilot house.....they have been tapered and painted, and so have the rollers that line both sides of the bulwarks. more assembly is being done with the net winch too......getting the assembly for the upper rollers is being a pain, for some reason. another aspect that eludes me pertains to the buoys. when I trim the other end, in the stub's place will be an eye bolt. pictures and video I have shows a bib around the eye bolt. my first attempt to make them was a flop.........I'm going to try my hand at making them from paper, so I don't damage another tool...... especially when that tool is my binder hole punch. I hope to have more for you later on in the day. thanks for look'in in....

thanks Pat......I've been waiting for photos of her in entirety......very nice looking ship so far super paint work and a lot of detail......your efforts are really paying off. has that Kearsarge / Alabama look to her..........love it!

sweet looking cannon Mark.......looking forward in seeing your modifications.

neat looking cleats Russ, but would they serve the purpose better if they were turned downward? it's probably just me, not grasping how they would be lashed. great looking hatch......nice fit on the covers.

hoping you breeze through John...... more super progress to boot!

such beautiful work Doris........and the fact that it is card makes it even more amazing. I had a look at your links and I was taken with seeing that you have the C.S.S. Alabama and the U.S.S. Kearsarge....those kits are quite rare in our country. I built the Alabama in my younger days.....no where near the level that you possess. your skill is beyond compare.......always a pleasure to see an update

...and upright vertically straight!

look'in really good........nice

thanks Sam....the decals proved to be the biggest headache. they were very fragile...and the kit lacked decals for the Helicopters, so I had to make some. thanks for the good word

congratz on the wedding...I wish you two the best! progress is progress my friend........it looks good will look forward in seeing more.

nicely done...great progress

thank you Nils. I still have more to do before I can add more. I hope to get more done today

you'll muddle through it Doug.......once you fine the right method, it will go much better. I've seen many way to build these small boats....I'm not that great at them either. keep in mind....when you see the finished boat, your going to wonder what you were worried about. remember Doug and David...build logs not only show your triumphs, but they also can yield good advice to make you better modelers. I might suggest moving all of the bulkheads further back on the keel, to give the first bulkhead, the one connected to the bow stem, the ability to better taper the bow. it also looks like it might not do to build it with the ribbing.......create the shell and add in the ribs afterwards.

hello all....back for another {hopefully} exciting week of modeling. work is changing over to a whole new direction.......I'm positive I can do the work involved, but the question is, will I enjoy it enough to stay. part of me is very doubtful, given by what I've seen through the years I've been there...this will be my 14th year. I want to thank you for the positive comments...glad to see I'm not making a pig's ear of her thanks Lou and Pat....I've experienced posting problems too. post a comment, later to find that the post never showed, and it's still in the comment box when I go to post another comment. I thought it was just me, not hitting the submit box I'm not nutz after all!!! thanks Zappto......glad to hear you like my planking. I'm not expert at it, but I do my best. thanks Piet.......it was just a cheap school grade paper punch.....I didn't know my own strength! gotta be the spinach! so, let that be a lesson to you all...eat your spinach, 'an yas kin be as strong as me... AK-k-k-kk-kk! thanks Patrick.......I think we all {as modelers} try our best to instill some level of realism in our models. I feel the ability is a good barometer, to measure how we've advanced as modelers. fishing boat really aren't that hard, since there are so many way that they can be enhanced....the Andrea Gail is a good example. I hope to do more when I start the second Nordkap {but that won't be for a while yet}. I'm humbled by your comment. thanks Samson and John. in the generic world of kit models, it's nice to know that we have the upper hand with the finished product. in reference to the 'outer limits'........we can fine tune the functionality, we can change the probability to a soft blur, and raise the concept to crystal clarity. I can't remember the last model that I built out of the box...I have too much fun bashing them. you know me too well John........I still treasure your visit. .....on to the tables!

I wonder if a dimmer switch can be added to the circuit. without some sort of regulator, the lights will be at full power, depending on the power supply you decide to use. it's a very nice effect you've achieved

yes....you did Hugh. not only that, I have the wood table in the computer room, and a plastic table I set up in the spare bedroom. I've halted any plastic projects now, to do this. I'm still working on the beginnings for the time being......I'll do a log when I have a concept nailed down I've also been looking at Vossy's build, even though it's a different manufacturer......the subject matter is still the same. looking forward in seeing more pictures.

bet it feels great to see you've reached a milestone looking good !

wonderful before and after shot! WOW!

it's all part of the process EJ........any progress is good progress take care of yourself, and by the time you make your next update....I'm sure it will be a biggie!

the bell looks fine......think of it swaying in the breeze in motion of the ship fine progress so far.

I notice that the floor fore and aft of the structure is open.....you'll need to fill them in if you want to detail the interior. in the A.L. kit, they don't do this.....it'a a full "floor". the exterior of the structure looks very good are the window inserts solid and closed in?

your progress is coming along great! nice work with all the extra detail. very nice job!

your latest outfit looks great! the depth and detail is amazing and even though this is a static model, shows a lot of action. you've done very well with the model showing these qualities and giving it a life like feel. an impressive model so far

quite a few bulkheads...that will insure a nice contour should be a joy to plank when you get the faring done. nice progress so far!