popeye the sailor

I'm glad your all enjoying this.......I'm having a good time with this as well. I'm a bit off the mark with the Gothenborg.......so it's really neat that I have another shot at this. I was going to carry on with the transom today, but I had other ideas. I couldn't get the circle thingies out of my head, so I installed the paint shop 10 program, and checked it out. I had a couple of strikes against me........ 1: it's already an image.....I couldn't alter it, much less figure out all the new functions in the time I was giving myself. 2: I couldn't change the boldness of the image {see reason #1} 3: I couldn't change the color either! {see reason #1} for that feeble reason........I went back to the decal maker. I had scanned off single rows of the diamonds and the circle image I created, and imported these back in. then they were copied and pasted.......and then sized down yet again. I was able to change the color of the circle image.....I did it in red, like it is supposed to be, according to the Half Moon picture. after uttering that famous Dutch word a couple of times {the admiral thought I was having an attack}, I ran them off. they got spray coated with the bonder to seal them up. notice the blotch on the diamonds sheet........never lay the sheet on wet bonder. as I was spraying the other sheet, the diamond sheet was creeping over to it, so I moved it......not a good move. now all the decals in that blotch will be adhered to the paper...rendered useless. not a big deal though.......I think there are enough diamonds there for me to do the whole job. while these were drying, I did a bit more work on the gun port lids. the sand color that the diamonds are to be located, is a flat paint. so, I painted the areas with a semi gloss lacquer. it sealed up the paint and gave it a good surface to work with. the fore deck outer bulwark has a larger surface, so I left some large enough to fit it. the stern area was next..... of course, making them this small, meant that this area had to be done in sections. I stated to do the same on the port side. then the fore deck outer bulwark was done.......that's it for the diamonds. since I used the kit supplied trail boards, I didn't do this to the bow.

thanks Lawrence.........you'll like this next update then........the decals are on! came out better than I expected unexpected events made me put the Holiday Harbor boats in the closet for the time being.......got a lot of sanding to do, and I can't do it in the house {I almost got hung by the admiral}. weather is getting better, so I might be able to work in the garage. I can't work in the cellar anymore......it's off limits. thanks for the good word! thanks Gerty for the good word.......pleased to have yas visit me log....hopes yas follows along! thanks bob!..........yepper! I can imagine what the other sailors were saying............." well, there goes Hudson an' that crazy boat 'o his! them pirates will pick'em off fer sure!" :D I'm going by the pictures I have........hoping I can get real close to it thanks for the good word......I really appreciate it

what.......and not take advantage of teaching us other Dutch words...........other that pffffffffff!

she looking real sweet Augie.........really sets up the windows big time! BRAVO!!!! :)

perhaps a sliver of wood can be fitted in there..........yea, I've had this problem once of twice, even with kit supplied parts.

I hope it's nothing serious John........take care, and here's hoping all turns out well. I'll look forward to your return

they look really good Bob! very nice indeed

what??.........the museum??? :D

thanks Frank they're not on there yet.......I'll do them after I get the transom in order. I still need to play a little with the circles thanks for the good word hello Ed......good to see you......thank you for the nice comment!

very nice progress Bob! bow spirit looks nice........planking too I wonder if the thicker planking gives more support for the masts?

decals aren't too bad J, they react pretty much the same way on wood, as plastic. big case in point....they don't stick to surfaces painted with flats......for that, a clear coat must be applied. the upper part of the stern has the blue, which is a gloss, but the areas that the diamonds are to be applied, is done in flat paint. I will need to brush on some clear coat before I do them. then when the hull is clear coated, I'll spray the whole thing. in this case, the hull has been sanded, so most of the grain pits are gone......and painting fills the rest of them in. everyone seem mixed on the plastic and metal parts found in kits. I use them, but only up to a point. if that metal is soft, perhaps it can be shaved or filed down in areas to make it look less chunky. I guess this is another 'preference' between these two kits. Billing's seems to favor the plastic, over metal. in some kits I've had, they even supplied plastic blocks. I kept them and went with wooden blocks.....I will use them in a build that better suits them...........they have some detail to them, so they are not totally useless

thanks Patrick......still a bit more to go in the R&D dept....I'll have them on soon thanks for the good word Sjors and John thanks J! yes....they are made from that weird plastic. they looked good enough, so I'll use them. there has been some stuff that was too ridiculous to use {in other kits}......some I scratch and then chuck 'em........some I kept. thanks for the good word!

looking sweet Michael

looking good Nils.......it has that hewn look to it, with the darker spotting in the wood. a nice honey stain, and that will make the grain pop! it is too bad it's a wood that doesn't like to behave

it can be altered Nenad......elongate 'A' {your going to plank it over anyway} and at the same time, you can make the windlass space wider. you can do it.......you've done so much..so far the main deck looks great! very nice!

you have been busy Danny......good progress! the ship's wheel look outstanding, and the stairs look sweet as well! well done on the stanchions and railings too!

I had begun on the transom this past Friday. still some more to go before it will be complete. I'm going to lean more toward the Billing diagram with it, instead of the picture I've shown you......I like the added detail it brings to the build. first, I added the decorative molding that encases the transom......then the 'brim' at the top of it. on the back rail, I added a piece of the striped stripping and the ornament on the top now, as I mentioned, I created the circles and lines on paint shop. the one that is included in this computer is bare boned......can't do too much with it. I have downloaded paint shop 10.....I just need to install it, and I'll see how much more I can do. after importing the scanned copy of this design into the decal maker, I ran off a sheet.......but I think the image needs to be beefed up a little.......it may be hard to see. if this was the decal itself, you would not see all this white, but it will fit something like this on the ship there are other parts that will adorn the transom.........two crests, the moon, the stars, and the logo for the East India company. the stars are going to be interesting.......they are the studs that I found in the paper craft dept, at Hobby Lobby. I still want to go back and buy those other stars I saw......I will be sure to show them when I do. for some of the folks that have ship star decorations.......they will find these quite useful. anyway.......I painted all of these parts. the Billing diagram shows that there are four gun ports....two on the transom, and two just below the counter. these I have to make from scratch....they are missing in the kit. they are 10 mm squares of basswood......for the hardware, I'm using dark mahogany stripping......they are in the beginning phase. the mahogany was painted flat black........two of them will be painted blue, and the other two will be stained the color of the hull.......there's still more to do to them

thank you very much Lawrence. i've done a bit of work on the circles and lines........I having to make them using paint shop....need to figure out how to make the design look thicker.....I'll show you what I have so far. thanks for the good word.

are you using model master paints {made by testor's}.......I'm quite a fan of the armor colors. sorry to hear of your mishap......I'm sure your redo will be as equally pleasing to the eyes

looking good J!

frame work looks good Patrick

I have the DVD..........a classic!

it's kinda like the window maker that I use. looks very good Augie!

congrats Mobbsie........few can boast.......many aspire.....to have their ship in such a display. very happy for you, my friend! I'll look forward in seeing the recent update on your latest master piece!

oh, woe be to the names taken in context....I could name them.......but it would get rather jaded near the end is your name not Bruce no, it's Michael that's gonna cause a bit of confusion......mind if we call ya Bruce to keep it clear?