popeye the sailor

I did get a little done on Friday.........added the supports to the base of the vent this is the makings of the pulley that will be added for the trawl rig. there is only one.....but I might make the other one too. posts were cemented into the bottom of the lights this is the finished pulley a base was added to the lights......may even aide in locating them the pulleys were fastened to the ends of the birds. I took these pictures for a friend of mine at work

thank you Nils....I appreciate the kind word all I can say Carl ........is

sails would look sweeeeeeet!

thanks Carl......shucks man......I ain't special I'm just the nut on the other end with too much imagination. keep on thinking free! I forgot to mention......I got the decal maker update yesterday. darn thing looks like an add-on! I'll have to install it and see thanks to all who hit the like button I have a bit more progress to show.....but it will have to wait till tonight........the work week beckons

thanks Michael......I saw that you commented before I posted the recent update. kind of you to say.....I appreciate it thanks Augie! I'm still shaking my head......I'm just as amazed as you are it was a thought when I assembled the Boulogne hull frame, and emphasized when I was done planking her....... you would never have thought that the hull I created the A.G. from, looked like this in the beginning while I'm here, I want to thank all who hit the like button. I see a couple new folks looking in......I welcome you......and appreciate your looking in enjoy!

I've been following Stewart's log.......man....I am so green with envy. I've done quite a few Billing's kits......I've learned how to read between the lines I like Billing's......I just use the instructions for reference. both the Warrior and the Titanic are two fine additions to the Billing's line up.......the price tag scares me though. I'd love to get a copy of the plan.........I'm doing a scratch build right now and using an instruction sheet {s} to do it.......working out pretty good I like the way your doing the planking......pretty neat way! I agree......looks like quite a span between ribs

windlass looks super.......never seen one with so much detail to it I wouldn't feel bad about the planking.......you have the chance to paint first very nice progress......your having fun!

holy cow! she's looking awesome Patrick how far does the mast root go down? still can't get over the shine.....what paint is that? I have some of the Billing's paint {I usually use Model Master}, and the black gives equally a good shine. I did Keaton's Batmobile a while ago.......and I ended up having to dull the shine not to worry.......just saying that there are some things in this world that don't deserve a shine as what you've done.....it's really nice did you use an airbrush?

I think the pattern detail is what nails it john.........knowing that your not into painting your hulls, insures that it won't get covered up .......a beautiful work of design

the roof work has begun.......this is quite an assembly. there are several parts to the assembly....I have already placed the funnel addition. the light boxes are next to be cemented in place. the raft locker was next.......once it was in place, I could see the space to add in the number decal. now that the boxes are firmly in place, the lights were set in place. there are three more aspects that need to be added to the assembly. the next parts to be made are the spot lights.........there are two of these and will locate facing the front of the roof. I have one light kit that Billing's includes in their kits.......but it doesn't help having only one of them, and as I promised Piet, I was going to try and scratch build the parts I need for this build, as much as I can. I had purchased a larger brass tube for this, and cut a pair to the desired length. two holes were drilled in what will be the bottom of the lights for the attachment posts {I may make them larger}. to close up the back end, I had cut some more of those circles. this led to how I was going to set the scene for the lense end. you see the two short pieces of dowel.....they are to be the spacers for the 'back plate' and the 'light plate'. the circles were cemented onto the ends of the dowels, to create a sort of 'packing'. the end that is even the most will be the end that will be the back of the light body. I coated it with CA to get rid of the wood grain. the other end will look recessed into the light......this will give the impression of the 'light bulb' I will wait till I have the pictures to show, to tell you more. I would have gotten this done last night, but I promised Gibbs that we would have TV time. I put him off the night before......couldn't see to do it again you really need to see how all this goes down.....he has such an adamant disposition. he'll sit by me computer and give me 'lip service'......grunts and groans, with the most determined eyes. I ask him "whadya wanna do?", and he bee-lines it for the living room, pausing at the doorway to see if I am following him. if not, he repeats until he gets his way. when in there and I turn on the TV, he'll either lay on the floor with one of his chewies, or he'll get on the couch with me.......or he'll end up there eventually, and sooner or later, he'll end up laying against me. of course....I can't help but rub his head, or stroke his fur. it melts me when he looks up with eyes of bliss........you know that he is where he wants to be......and his human counterpart has bent to his will, once again. may seem strange that I mention this.......not much bearing on the model itself......but it sheds more light into the modeler himself....or herself. I think the identity of the modeler is just as important, and the mindset that goes along with this hobby.

again....thank you so much for the fine comments and likes! I may be a tad over scale with the lights and boxes though.....but for my first time making the lights......they are in scale with each other. I'll use them anyway....really pleased how they came out I may warn you......what looks like I'm on another 'parts addition rampage'.........I'm actually doing the roof assembly kees: I did the same thing, when I decided to try my hand at making the boxes. most kits I find, have less than desirable ones. your so detail oriented though......I think your putting me on I really like your work my friend........I'm studying it quite closely your work with styrene is fantastic......I'm beginning to think that integrating plastic and wood, may not be such a 'big bad wolf' after all Patrick: I love taking pictures of my builds.......I hardly ever did it in the past....and I regretted it. at the end of each build, I count the pictures......pretty staggering when you see the final number. looking at other builds....I see pictures that catch the imagination....and I sit there, studying the detail.....caught in the blink of the eye. yours is no different I thank you for following along...glad your enjoying the build. perhaps the next update will produce a new 'diamond in the rough'.

awesome name plates Nenad! you are doing a splendid job on the trail boards and stuff......looks better than decals!

thank you Nils and george! it won't be whipped cream and nuts, but I'll try to keep that sweet tooth of yours in check I'm done getting caught up..........now off to the table!

the Scharnhorst isn't finished yet?????.........is it? hope to see more of your superb workmanship soon glad to hear you'll be back soon!

your more than capable in my book. you were probably like me......daunted about starting one, until you did you've done a superb job thus far.......no doubt that it will finish in splendor! whale boat looks good by the way....very nice~!

very nice start I was trying to get the plans for this one through my friend Tom @ Billing, but he's not there any more...so that out the window I'd be pleased to follow your log

I really want to thank all of you fine folks again for following along and being so supportive. back in the day, before the internet, ya built a model......enjoyed the experience and then it would languish on a shelf until the parts fell off. the internet changed a lot for the hobby.....it opened that closed up space where we build, and allows a vast audience to view your work. it's taken it to another level! it's also allowed us access to information, which helps us to become better modelers. this site, and you fine folk, make it a win / win for us all after my last post, I went back at it, and made more progress. those two pieces of dowel you saw earlier......well, in looking at the instructions, I found that I only needed one of them. I began to make the parts for the life raft locker. what I had done to the light boxes earlier had dried, so I did a bit more paint work on them. the pilot house is closed now........the roof is cemented in place. with the dry fits, came the conclusion that interior views are restricted to what you see. it'll speed things up.......there are bigger fish to fry later on. I still have the Boulogne......with her larger windows {I can even do wipers} time was juggled between the life raft locker and the funnel addition for the roof. the locker was assembled and paint work had started. the funnel addition was bland.......nothing went in the cavity in the top of it. I made it a bit wider too, thinking that something did. so far, I added a vent tube.....I'll think of something else to utilize the space. there is another pipe {the actual exhaust stack, I believe}, that runs up the side of it. brackets were added to it for support. the stanchion is finally in place. the pulley was added and received it's final touch up of paint. it will be rigged later when dry. this may look like the start of the next wave of parts to be added to the model.....but no. there are a few more parts that need to be made......the roof is the focal point now. the funnel addition is cemented in place.......I can add to it there, just as well as on the table. the nav lights are next.......they are done after the window maker was dry, a dab of Signal Red and Emerald Green inside the lenses, was enough to finish them. the boxes got the final paint and touch ups. the focus now is to get the roof fitted out and do something I have been putting off.......more ladders

glad to hear everything is looking up again very nice progress Michael!

beautifully done Nils........some really nice work there

I don't got one 'o those Piet.........I'll look and see if they have one at the craft store. glad to have made you smile......I'll get into metal work yet! a big thanks to all for the kind comments and the like button. I went right back to work after my last post, so there's more to see......but tomorrow though........I'za tired! thanks!

you certainly are a master in your medium.........they look so real

thanks Nenad and George....they are both done.......painted, and have the window maker already in the lense. I just have to let them dry I put the legs on the light boxes too. more later when they are finished thanks for the good word! too late on that Frank.......Billing's has two kits out on this vessel. I'm using the instructions for the R/C version {with ABS hull} to build this one from scratch. the other one is a smaller scale static kit.....I have those instructions too, but I'm only comparing the two for parts references. this is an exercise to see if I can reproduce a build using existing instructions....I guess it's what you can call it. thanks for saying that though.......I guess I'm doing alright

another aspect that I'll need to get on there, to gauge the decal, are the nav lights. I got this idea during the drive to and from the garage yesterday. I can make the boxes alright......but it's the lights themselves that I had to ponder over. I dove in head first I saw a tubing cutter at the hobby store during my last visit. it would make my task a lot easier......but I didn't buy it. I have two of them at home.......I use them to cut tubing for brake lines and other such stuff in automotive repair. I cleaned this one up and made sure the rollers and blade were in good shape. taking a piece of tubing {of suitable size} and locking it in the vise, I made two cuts and removed the center. then with a flat file, I squared up the opening. you might be able to see where I marked it when it's time to cut the part off. the boxes were roughed out......I'll give them time to dry a bit. I cut these two pieces of dowel........they are for something else at this time I did some of the trim work to the boxes. using a pair of scissors that I use for this task, I cut a few circles from some really thin brass flat stock. the second light was created.......now they will be cut from the piece of tubing the circles are going to be molded to form the top of the lights......I hope your watching this Piet.....I'm going to try and make you smile once they are molded, they will be soldered on the light bodies. first, I took a drill and made a pit for the tops to fit in. then, cutting a pie shaped piece out of the circle, it was fashioned into a dome, and placed into the impression. the idea worked great until this point........kinda went down hill from here. to hold it in place was a pain, then to dip the tip of the iron in flux, get a drop of solder on the iron, and apply it to the light, was another.......but I managed to get the job done. no virgin ears in this house....I can tell you that! I will use rough sandpaper to clean it up....I don't want to use a file......liable to ruin it. it cleaned up fairly well......I went over it with some finer paper. they'll be painted gloss white when I am done.

the pilot house numbers worked OK.......not the color I wanted, but they will serve the purpose. I didn't get as much done as I wanted to........ferried my son back and fourth to my brother's garage, to have his car repaired. I could have fixed it, but I don't have a 2 ton press. there is one more that goes up on top of the roof. the roof has been painted with gloss white, so the decal will stick better. I need to place a couple of aspects to the roof, so I can get a good idea where to place it. one of the aspects that I speak of, is the small funnel addition that will align with the compartment in the back of the pilot house. it's rough at the moment......I may even need to cut it and make it shorter. it's a start......

if they were brass, I'd say there should be no problem.......but they are coated. I do wish you luck in doing it more fine rigging.......looks super! your moving right along at a good pace!