popeye the sailor

the carving looks great farbror! the transom does too I think it's a great name for her.......reminds me of that early Monty Python Sketch with Lupins as a running gag so cool. I did see that frame {card?} in the background. I'll look forward in seeing what it's going to be welcome back!

sorry I'm late..........it's hard to type with CA on my finger tips. I had inverted "sticky Keys". I've had to stop many times during the entire process to clean off my fingers........immersing them in water helped somewhat.....brake parts cleaner works well too. I began by doing both sides at the same time......but I ended up concentrating on one side, once I gained momentum. starting at the keel, I worked my way down from there......trying to let it 'fan out' as much as it wanted. the trouble here, is it didn't.....it wanted to run close to the bulkhead. when I got to the point where I was going to close the gap at the bow stem....I lapped it onto the hull side. the gap here was filled in with material, making sure that it was installed at an angle. the hull side was prepped to receive the planking, by shaving it down just a little, giving it a curved 'dip'. as more planks were run, it was the same.......making sure that they followed the plank next to them. for the last plank, you see that it will be rather narrow. no matter.......extra wood will be left there, since quite a bit of sanding is going to happen along this line. I know it looks rather scary........I didn't quite get what I wanted, but I got most of it. just as you described Mobbsie, I wanted to give the bow sort of an inverted flare "V" ...along the lines of what would be seen on power boats.......including PT boats. I have model magazines that contain quite a few articles about PT boats...... ....one day perhaps {I do have that Marine Model kit still in the closet}. for the final section of planking....here I shaved down this small area and sanded it flat. this is to be the apex of the curvature. along this hull line, it will need a lot of sanding and shaping...I'll do some of it as I go along. then I can do the other side and match what I've done here. for almost the entire assembly......I've used CA.......I can't even guess how many of those small tubes I went through. as I was doing the other side, the excess wood was cut off and some sanding was done. here is what it looks like at this point. it kinda hard to see the contour with the plank lines and brabble running interference. once I can get a picture of it with resin and primer.........then it can be seen more easily. so now it on with the other side. I get this one brand of CA at Wal-Greens......been using it for quite some time. I was running out, so while we were in the local Wal-Mart, I picked up their brand. soooooooooo not the same! GRRRRRRRR! that stuff wouldn't stick to save my life!.........meant for longer holding time. I have few clamps that can do some of the tasks I require....you see, I've been reading that book......."Karma Sutra"........Hmmmmmmmmm.......don't know if I can get my hull to do THAT!!!! so anyways.....when it was dry enough, the excess was cut off and some sanding was done. again, it is a little hard to see, with everything going on on the surface. I took a couple of pictures this morning without the light........you may see it a little better. now it will get more sanding {story of my life}

oh yea John..........cook'in! the guys won't let me on board with the blow torch though..........I dunno......some crap about no pipes and start'in a fire, or something. thanks for looking in.........good ya do, so I don't hurt myself Mark.....really?!?! >look........I'm smil'in< shoe......that appendage that holds the rudder in place.......that's supposed to be UNDER the boat, rather than trail behind it like a tail I saw that, and I almost busted out laughing......... I will fix it later, if I don't break it off first. funny thing about that too....is all the weird positions I've had this hull in, and it hasn't broken yet. now that I've mentioned it....it will break >like I'm gonna cry< thank to all for the likes.......I should have another update by this evening.

sounds like a great guy already looking good on the planking!

she looking sweet Bob......the mortar pits are very well done. nice attention to detail

I've built five vessels from this series so far.........the decks were the worst part. I made the wood decks for the second build of the United States....that problem is done and over with. another thing I tried, was to do a dry fit of the sections to see how they fit. along the bottom of the offending section, I cemented a narrow strip of 1/32 styrene along the mating joint. it also gave me a better glue point, so it wasn't oozing out form the joint as much. ......so much better........but not a fool proof method. you'll figure it out, I'm sure.........but don't take too much off. those decks fit in there loose as it is

super progress since I last looked in your cannons came out great! yea, it's taken a bit of time, but look what you've done. well done!

hull looks great OC..........bow deck does too are the anchor chains supposed to be white?

nice to see an update..........how are you my friend? yea......it's a tough thought. we all know what Augie was planning.....but you have the seat now......it's your call. you could add the breech ropes somewhat coiled up in back of the cannons, since there are folks mentioning that they weren't used when the cannons were inactive. you've had a few ups and downs in getting to know her........you expect that it's nice to see her again.

really great progress Pat........I'm just catching up. great fix on the stunsail booms........that would have bugged you to no end the rigging looks very good......nicely done! happy belated birthday...BTW I miss so much when I have to catch up

neat looking little boat Jack.........it has a "New England" look depending on the application, I will sometimes use different size wood. especially when the instructions call for wood that seems too bulky for the task. hearing your dilemma concerning wood availability, I feel lucky......but then again, I like to keep an inventory of wood. I still get my wood from Billing USA, even though Ages of Sail had taken the business over......they kept the Billing's site open. you should give them a try: http://www.billingboatsusa.com/ http://www.agesofsail.com/ecommerce/ I've never gotten a late delivery from them and they are pretty quick.

hello Jerry! I'm so glad you decided to post a log for this beauty bad bit of luck at the beginning.......if that was regular plywood, that might not have happened. I'd really like to get my hands on a few sheets of the kit plywood though.....it's much easier to sand. I'm kinda surprised that the manufacturer didn't get feedback that the stern was a critical area, and supplied a couple of balsa blocks to remedy the potential problem. no matter.......your planking it now, that will solve the problem I noticed that you didn't fare the frame {bulkheads}......are the planks laying on the bulkheads OK? your not getting that chunky look, so they must be to some degree. I've never done a bearding line either......guess I can join your club I have though, made rabbits for some of my builds....I'm used to them. you can bet your boots I'm gonna be following your build..thanks for allowing me {us} to follow along I see that the La Nina is in the house........is Charlene planning on posting a log too? tell her "PLEASEEEEEEEEE" for me

looking good Nenad..........I'm play'in catch up nice video.......I didn't know you directed too;) happy to see you overcame the dead eye issue.

Hey there Patrick.........did you manage to get majellan back on course? I hope you did!

I agree...that rudder will never fail you!

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!