popeye the sailor

I had an article about this kit.........read all about it. it was not good.......you assessments about the kit are correct too bad I tossed the article out.....I'd post it for you folks to read. the experience that you gained with this kit.....and others like it, will serve you well when you try your hand with a wood kit I did plastic for many years. did quite a bit of bash work with existing kits and parts.....never knew about plastruct and evergreen.....so I hardly got into scratch building. when I'd go to a hobby store, I'd look at these wooden kits and think to myself, that they were way over my head. then one day, I got a wood kit thrown in my lap......an old kit of the Billing's Nordkap. it was already started and the parts weren't even laser cut. talk about look'in like a deer in the headlights! well......I built it.......even did some bash work........and even a bit of scratch. the kit was so old, the parts I couldn't use, I had to make. all this came about, because someone saw my work and thought I could handle a wood kit. I am just trying to pay it forward the beauty here is....you don't need any special tools to build one. sure......a pin pusher is nice........and power tool are a plus.......but personally, I've been getting along just fine with simple hand tools. I have found the most fun in taking these 'hard to deal with' kits, and make them work. I've always found them the most challenging. the funny part about it, is that it was the admiral who saw this kit.......liked it, and wanted me to buy it then I read all the dirt about it.........what a hoot! OK.......now hold out your arm........and let the wood bug bite you........ caution: there is no antidote.

rigging looks really great Nils........you removed the capstan.....a very good idea

as for the hole in the deck........I marked off the area. when I see something more conclusive, it will dictate how large it is. it certainly can't be any wider.......that I am sure of. there will be some net reels located in front of it. the outer fore deck/bulkhead beam was cemented into place.......knees were used here as well did some fancy measuring to trace out the bulkhead wall after some trimming and dry fits, it was done. above the bulwarks, I did not go all the way to the edge.......there are curved inserts that have to go there,. an overall shot..... here it shows how the main deck platform juts out from under the bulkhead. lower support tabs will be here a shot of the open cavity

yes Sjors.......it's for that plastic build I'm doing for another site. don't ask for another picture........this is a ship site remember.....CHOO>>>>>>>>>CHOO! :D :D this should make you very happy.........what else can one do, when his computer is on the lamb! so.......Larry's necro job is going as good as I suspected it would......but with one small setback. I don't have a copy of the plans in front of me........one set is in my computer......the other one is on a memory stick. I can't access either one of them. there is to be a net chute in the transom........as my memory goes, it sits just above the waterline. I used a bit of logic to deduce that there must be an opening in the deck........at a angle. I had cleaned up the stern transom posts, and remove the last bits of the planks I ripped off. I took a wild guess at how wide the opening is in the transom, marked it, and cut down the sides. with my cordless drill, I two pilot holes for my keyhole saw.......I even took that center tang out of there.......cut ata downward angle. It won't be needed. then the opening was cleaned up, making sure the sides were square all of the flat areas along the sides of where the deck platform is to be, were either cut down or sanded flush woth the deck beams. I sitll need to put in the rest of them. I did a little sanding along the bow walls....the excess posts were cut off. there is a little room still for adjustments.....once the fore deck platform is on....... it's for keeps. to strengthen all the beam joints, I'm going to install knees I know it's a bit early for this.......but I began to cut and trim the main deck platforms. this is the starboard side, all notched and ready for about um-teen dry fits. a small section of the front area has been cut off. these were done during the concept of the Holiday Harbor build.......this part is not needed, but I left enough so I can add bottom locator tabs for the bulkhead. this is what it looks like after the um-teen dry fits. you might notice the line drawn on it........that is supposed to be cut off, but I'm leaving it as a bit of insurance for a snug fit. the fit came out better than I expected

I will Michael......and thanks! I did get a tiny reminder.........but it was quite superficial......and minor. well.........I guess the longer I linger here........the longer it will be before you all see the progress! off I go.........to learn more about Vista {wish I could throw some necromantic arts at this computer....grrrrr}

thanks Keith.......the bow is probably the worst place to clamp. I don't know how many time, clamps came flying off of there on some of my other builds I'm doing the Jukebox for another site......I keep promising them I'd do a plastic build. not too many wood builders on there. here is an example of the work I'm doing on it. I haven't done one of these in sooooo long......currently working on it as well. I have more progress to show, but my computer went down. I ended up having to dump XP, and am now running Vista. I'm in the process of getting all my stuff back in order........the ability to post pictures is one of them. I see I'll have to get used to the new function I'm going to HAVE to print these plans........all the while I was doing what I did, I couldn't look at them, because they were in......you guessed it........my computer. so I went from memory....I think I did OK though. chills........from what?......the ripping......sawing......and cutting? it's good that I only need to do this in the beginning phases. why, when I get done, you won't even know the boat ...........or....maybe, you will {devil's horns starting to show}

in the Billing's kit, the posts have a 'fife' board on them. to me...they kind of remind me of a sampson post

did you bring'em home? what's the story? nice gungeons and pintles

just checking to see if you've got your latest up yet.............

looking good! steady 'er she goes!

checking as well my friend........but I'm also rebuilding my watch list.......my computer went down.

my second love are funny cars and dragsters........I've been on a hiatus of sorts, and I though I'd do one for another site I frequent. the box says that a ten year old can do it......I tend to disagree if you haven't started a wood kit yet......I think you'll find them a bit more involved than plastic, but the rewards are so much more from what I'm seeing though, if you can make heads or tails out of this kit......you'll be right at home with a wood build.

looks great Vivian.........you must know the 'mother of invention' very well congratz on the masting......sweet!

looks very good plastic kits are 50/50........you get some that fit well.........and then there are some that fit.........well?!?!....I call it 'determination out loud' your making me want to pull my kit out......but that would be suicide, with all the builds I have. the admiral would kill me!

ohhhhhhhhh...........hurt my hand {from slapping my knee}

port side looks awesome Sjors! {don't know what the heck your talking about} love to be there and see what happens when the sunlight comes streaming through the window on it...........pretty prisms on the ceiling! super workmanship!

yepper! really coming along nicely Den.........I'm still in awe of the style of rigging.........the mechanics of them are so cool!

very well done Adam.......sounds like a neat process, if one needs to mass produce parts. the deck layout is really coming along nicely!

it's a very nice take on this kit I think as long as one stays with the era in which this style of ship would be found, it really wouldn't matter what you called it. I have this kit as well, and I have read many accounts of poor fit and bad design. heck.......one fellow even did away wit the plastic decks and made them from wood {like I've done with my United States}. you've done a great job thus far

thanks Vivian and John......it's great to be play'in with wood again! thanks Piet...I think on this build, I will try and make most, if not all, of the parts I'll need....I'll try and make you proud! thanks Lawrence......with build like these it's easy......I haven't made the parts yet hardly any parts to keep track of. glad to have you follow along! come on Sjors........I just woke up! look at the bright side......I didn't add a boat to the number of builds I have going.......I just added a subject! more to do...thank you my friend!

yea.......piece of cake! just don't look in the center when your painting it

I took a couple of pictures of the Boulogne while she was out in the garage. both hulls are back in the hallway now. it's a good thing humidity didn't wreak havoc with them. the boulogne still needs a bit more filler in spots, but the hull feels pretty good. I gave it a shot of primer.

the jig was quite simple really.......two pieces of planking, CA'd together length-wise, with a piece of square stock cemented in one end as a pressure point. the port side panel was cemented in place. the jig did it's job splendidly! this was allowed to dry before the starboard side panel was cemented in place. the starboard side was fitted and glued in place.......the jig held the panels down just as I wanted it to. it left hardly a gap there at all jeepers! looking through the clamps, you can get a good idea of how flat the bow has become. there was a minor cut to my left thumb......the blood on the starboard panel is mine....not Larry's. even the admiral looked at it......she said....."you'll live!" I had to wait for all this to dry, so I could remove the clamps and take these last pictures. the Boulogne was kind enough to stand in for me, so I can show you the transformation that has taken place so far. ha..ha..ha..ha..ha! to cut.......to rip! all in the world of necromancy is good!

there is to be an upper bow deck, but it needs to be further back.......say, about one rib. there is to be a bulkhead there, and so I will need to wall it off. the order of the deck platforming will be: the main deck, the bulkhead, and then the fore deck will cap it all off. the main deck will require deck beams I notched the one that will support the bulkhead, and cemented it in place. I still need to do the rest, but not until I alter the stern. in my planning.....it was quite obvious that the curvature of the stern needed to be flattened out, as well as being notched at the bulkhead line {this little area needs to be flattened as well}. how to do it........how to do it <ponder> I know....I will use the belt sander! out to the garage.....set the belt sander on it's back, locked on......and off I went! I wasn't concerned with the stern transom, as it's getting altered anyway. after some frequent checks......I think it's in the ballpark the bulkhead is to be defined at this point......if you look where the posts are cemented, you can see where I notched the bulwarks. the aim here is to flatten out the bow and make the rise for the bulkhead.....the curve has to go! here is a shot of the overall bulwark layout.....I left room for a little more sanding. I have to measure the height at the transom to make sure both sides are even. more posts were added to the bow section. instead of planking these areas, I will make full panels for them. the start of making the side panels when the posts were dry, the panels were dry fitted to see what I would need to do next. you can see that I also added a second deck beam to the main deck area. the port side bow panel was cut to shape......the height of the bulkhead post, tapered to around 4mm at the bow stem. this will leave a very slight up sweep to the bow....it will hardly be noticeable. this was mimicked on the starboard side panel, which was left a tad longer, to lap over the port side and create the tip of the bow. I need to make a jig for the tip of the bow, to hold the two panels together when I cement them in place.

sitting at my computer......staring at the screen......this 'not knowing what to do next' is killing me. I look over at the tables, to the mess....the reminiscences of where I had left off.....with no breadcrumbs left for me to pick it back up. I decided to pick up a plastic car model to help jump start me....a pro modified drag model of the Jukebox Ford. I got to what I feel is the mid point of the build, and the thoughts began to cloud my mind again. it brought me back to the movie I saw about the boat......I already had a copy of the Billing's plans for it. I went back online to the Billing's site in Danmark {this was quicker than to access the PDF I have of the plans}, and looked up the plans again. I was amazed to find that these plans are different than the ones I have.......two sets of plans??? I down loaded them. the shape of the hull.......the whole concept.......makes it so doable taking stock of the situation here: the hull dubbed Moe is in the hallway, the hull planking isn't even finished. this is the one that is made with the real good plywood. it would be a shame to modify this one. to give it a subject name now.....I will christen this one the 'Christmas tree boat' {I'll give it a snappier name later} no pictures for this one of late. the hull dubbed Curly has been residing in the garage since late spring, along with the Boulogne Etaples. the hull has gotten a sanding and a coat of filler....now it waits for the second sanding. the deck platforms have already been installed....the layout somewhat planned. to give this one a subject name now......I will christen this one 'the Jingle Belle' a caroler's boat. you know......a bunch of carolers on the deck, singing.....getting splashed with sea spray.......should be a hoot of a build this one so far into it's being......nawww.....can't do it to this one either. then there is the hull dubbed Larry. sadly, I can think of no third subject for this hull. I had thought up a skater's rink theme......but a wise sage brought me to my senses. yes.....logic dictates, that you can't skate on a rolling boat, not unless your THAT good the hull is fully planked and has been sanded....it does need a little filler, but the hull is quite smooth the way it stands at the moment. I had planned to remove all the excess raised ribs at the bow and flatten the entire deck out....from the bow to the stern. to do what I need to do, in this new venture, I wouldn't need to do anything like that.......just a nip and tuck at the bow and stern. ........and so it came to be, that the hull dubbed Larry, was to undergo some rather aggressive necromancy......origami of the wooden kind. there are three major changes that must occur, for the hull to become a suitable recipient, of such an advantageous build. let the game begin