popeye the sailor

most definitely awesome..........even better than the store bought brands! {models, that is }

glad your back my friend!

not to poke fun at my own shortcomings..........but did you get a load of that shoe? looks like I need to do some necro with it as well the night is dark and full of terror..........

that might be the way to go Greg {and Patrick}. I thought of making a couple of ribs to stick in there. one consideration you forgot the dynamite John........perhaps even a blowtorch. although an alteration like that might be fun two considerations I thought of that as well Mobbsie........now that would be a cool design. .........less dynamite too thanks John.......very kind to say, but I goofed. gonna take more than a can 'o spinach ta get me outa this one. the chine parts were key..........and I omitted them. well......I'll just have to make the best of it. I haven't scrubbed a hull yet. it's been a couple of weeks {I think} since I last posted......these late answers are proof of that. I really haven't had much to report.....been a little busy on other matters. I am on vacation this week end. I have a couple other chores to do, but I should see some table time. in fact, I saw a little yesterday. looking at my mess {thank the model god the admiral doesn't seem to mind}, I tried to make some sense of the hull. I figured that I might as well start working from the stern to the bow.........and so I did. I filled in the last two segments of the aft. then, after sanding the transom smooth, along with the planking surrounding it, I took a piece of 1/32 flat stock and traced out the transom. this was cemented over the transom to hide all that Frankenism. when it was dry, it was sanded to shape.......I only saw one tiny gap that need to be fixed. it looks much better now. I need to do this now to the inside cockpit bulwark and the cabin bulkhead. first.......I'll fix the hull problem....then I can work on the cabin. if you saw my initial idea......you'da thought I got a bad can 'o spinach........or it was definitely laced with something. but I came to my senses and ripped it out. I began to plank the bow starting at the keel........seems like a better approach. I may make up a couple pairs of bulkheads and close the hull inward. I have gone further with it........more progress soon

hello Marcus, believe it or not, I have this book marked.....found it a while ago. personally, I'm not much for hand drawn or painted pictures. something about 'artistic licencing' makes me a skeptic. I know.....it's all we have to remember her by.........best we can do is use them as a rough draft. try and read all we can about her and imagine what the change may look like per the drawing. here are a few articles that I have http://militaryhistory.about.com/od/shipprofiles/p/ussus.htm http://www.modelshipmaster.com/products/tall_ships/uss_united_states.htm there are a few links at the bottom of one of these articles.........I have them book marked as well. in my mind, since there was to be six vessels built {I think that is how many that were planned}, all of them would have some basic similarities. of course, the commanding officer would have a say as to how they were fitted out. there are features that I want to change and add, besides not adding the cannons at the very bow of the ship..........I am going to leave the port lids. they look so good when they are all installed. I wonder if this address is still good.......it's at the lower left of page 2. I'm sure they would cost more than $2.75 today when was the last time you saw a reference to the F.S. numbers? of course, it's still a mystery why Revell printed the instructions in blue, rather than black and white. I wouldn't go with a flat yellow stripe though..........a sandy sort of yellow maybe {ocher}. I still wonder why Revell left the galley quarter parts out of this kit.......after all, it is a spin off of the Constitution kit. where these parts would be located, the holes still remain. the gun deck never changed >shrug< I've forgotten where I got that picture of the galley quarters.......but in comparison to these two images, it is the same stern gun deck section. it all boils down to what is really different about the Constitution and the United States......to me, it's the addition of the poop deck. I never realized it when I built her the first time, but the pumps probably should be in a more logical place, than at the bow. at least they didn't forget to add the heads. AWWWWWWW! I'm just rambl'in..........sorry to say, I haven't done much with the build. it's safely tucked away in the closet.........I have the wood decks clothes pinned to the plastic ones, so they don't lose their shape. looking back, I started monkeying around with it in 2012.....the allure of making the wooden decks was just too much to pass up. in 2014, I made the horrifying discovery that the decks had warped.......so badly, that others had to be made. I forget where the mold date is on the kit..........I just looked at them, and they are still good. I guess it does make a difference which way the wood grain runs my plan for this build, is to continue it when I get at least a couple of the other projects finished. for you folks who are following this log....I do apologize. at this time, all I can say is that it has not been scrubbed.......I have no intention of missing out on another opportunity to build this fine vessel {model}. you know, it took me less than a year to build the first, but I didn't concentrate on paint, and had no clue about the inconsistencies with the kit. even I.......am hoping it's not too much longer thanks Marcus for looking in

very nice work Hank.......the superstructure looks sweet! looks like your gaining on the hull......very nice!

looking very good if the hull is large enough........I'd copper {even though I've never done it before}.

she's looking great Grant.......I tried hull sheeting on a Midwest kit for the first time....and failed miserably, I might add ya did a super job!

great update Sjors..........very well done !

very nice progress Stwart.....looking sweet!

very nice.........I also like the different woods.......really enhances the hull wonderfully. the gratings look fine to me. reminds me of that method I tried making them for one of my builds....without the tools that some folks have here......they can be very labor intensive. always good to see an update mobbsie......whatever the frequency {I'm late myself........again I'm catching up on all these wonderful builds!}

very nice progress........love the idea with the prop!

I'll keep my eye out for a log from either of you..........I hope there might be another joint venture in the future don't be a stranger here........either of you your good folk!

wonderful work Daniel..........super neat detail!

a lot of folks like to detail the complete build.......even the parts that can't be seen. it's all a matter of taste really........the prowess of knowing that 'it's in there' is a real testament and a boon for experience and knowledge. I sometimes will do it.......but for moving the build along, and relieving some of the stress, I will focus on what will be seen instead. I pray that I don't come across anyone with a flashlight and a microscope however you wish to build your ship, is totally up to you. I am also building another United States........this is the fifth model of this series that I have done. I've built up such a backlog of in progress builds, that the poor ship has been stuck in the closet. I hope that the wooden decks have unlimited shelf life {the first set I made for it didn't}. sails or no sails, it's up to you as well. I did nothing to the sails you see on my first go - around with the model, but for my second build of the Cutty Sark, I painted the sails a light gray. I had to order a new set for the model........got shorted on the order to Revell....and the replacement ones were of a beige color, rather than the off white that originally came with it {I still have quite a few sails from that ordeal}. there is one thing I did try with the deck sections, that gave me some control over fit. I did a dry fit of the decks and saw which side of the sections lifted more than the other..........cemented a 1/32 {thin is best} strip under the offending section so it stuck out slightly {like a tab}. when the sections are cemented together, I didn't have to concentrate the glue on the edge, so it would ooze out from between. there was a dual benefit. I look forward in seeing more

WOW! nice bit of progress so far Dave. really super what you've done so far.......although your ordeal with the section joint made me remember some of my turmoil with them. after building four of these kits {various}...you'd think I'd have a good remedy for you. the only thing I can say is that the deck, as a whole, fits loosely in the hull, so perhaps a 1/16.......or even 1/32 strip of styrene can be added to the end of the center section, and sanded to fit. {you've probably already taken care of the situation}. stunning work my friend.........keep going!

looking great Bob........you added in some really nice detail. the structure fits well on the deck

the beard is a nice touch very nice bit of progress

I promised these to you the other day.........but the allure of being at the table {and of course, errands}, kept me at bay. I have also been trying to catch up on all the scuttle butt here as well..........I have to say, you folks are far more busy, than I am so........here is where I am.....where I last left off first, I figured I'd get all the ducks in a row with the aft bulkheads. it took a little sanding, but they are now close to even....all the way back. the transom looks a bit better too... the cabin bulkhead wasn't conforming well with the contour. since none of the interior will be seen, I add fillers for the bottom planking. adding two rows to begin the bottom on the starboard side, I failed to pay attention to the bulkheads meeting with the edge.......you'll see that I add a length of 1/16 strip stock to fill in the nonconformity. I did some sanding here to see how it would even out.......I do want to keep the edge. one thing I didn't do.......that I should have done........was some tapering at the bow. this in turn caused most of the planking problems at the cabin bulkhead. it does have a plus though........it gives more to the hull sides, instead of transitioning to the turn of the chine. where I didn't install the framing that would create the chine lip {what a way to describe it }, this might be harder to do. I'll have to rely on the hull sides to create it. now.......I want to do something different with the bottom bow section. this is where the whole problem is. not tapering the bow planks is causing the sides to bow outward. I did taper one of the bottom row planks, but it's not enough.....I should have started sooner. I had a thought to cap off the bottom.......but there is still room on the bow stem for a few more rows of planking , before the garboard is laid. I took a 1/16 strip and cemented it inside, as a shelf for the bottom planking. I later abandoned this as a bad idea. so, I'm stuck with this at the moment, until I find a suitable remedy. thoughts of cutting the planking away from the stem and adjusting it there.....comes to mind.........but ohhhhhh, think of the stress. it may even distort the contour of the bow. I have another idea that I'm working on.......I'll see if it works out. I needed a moral boost....so I cemented the sheer caps on the aft end, around the cockpit bucket. I did some sanding after these were in place.........I can bask in the little ray of sunshine speaking of which.......ya know, it's been really cool 'round here of late. the temps have not been that high. cripes........last week, we were dying with the heat weather.........she is fickle........AKk--k--k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k! Note to self : "hey moron! why don't you add the last two pictures! folks wiill think your nutz!" yea......that would help, now wouldn't dugh! >never a dull moment at the Wharf

too bad you can't simply fashion wire with an eye bolt on the end. I found these at the jewelry dept of my favorite craft store..... run these though the pin rail and into the deck, positioned in such a way that will allow the dead eye to pivot and make room for each other. they will find their own center and hopefully solve most, if not all of the problem BTW.........I can get these in any metal style........copper, steel.........antiqued........and at different lengths too

awesome looking boat Gerhard! those are some good looking plans too I'll enjoy watching you build this one.

happy ta say I 'as been to the table today.......some is good........some is not so good. I yam mak'in progress though and should have a report fer yas ta read soon

super looking deck planking I'm surprised that no one mentioned that you could have planked down to the waterline, and continued with the copper from there. you would have had enough kit supplied walnut planking this way. do you have enough now? I never heard of the manufacturer.......so far, it looks like a nice kit. looking good

the tree nailing is something I hardly do. most of the kits I've done were smaller scales..........it would be the flip of a coin if they'd be seen or not. it's good to see your back at the table. you could try using a syringe to fill the tree nail holes in. most fillers are water based.........a wipe with a damp cloth and you'll never see any staining.

you reminded me what to do Sjors........but all I had to do was look to the right of the forum page I hope there is still some room....... she going to be as large as the Aggie! very nice job of framing her up.