CaptainSteve

Paul. I agree with JCF on the whole issue of having sails on a model of a sailing ship. However, there is also the other camp who do not like to hide all of the intricate detailing they have done. I can understand their argument. I think that you have found the middle path in having your lower sails furled. Your Vic will be able to show-off her deck AND it's got sails !! If the "cubes" on the sails are from the sewing machine tension, then mayhaps you could very VERY gently stretch each sail with your fingertips (just the sail; don't pull down on the spar). If they are caused by the glue, then maybe "paint" the sails with water and angle your model in front of a light fan (so the breeze reaches all sails). You might have to repeat this step a few times. PS: Luv the staining on your sails.

Back in Black - AC/DC

Chris. If it is normal round wire, then put a short length between two metal rulers. Hold the rulers together tightly, and move them back and forth against each other. The movement will roll the wire piece and straighten in out for you.

Gren, I am not aware of any modelling clubs in Perth at all (except for the radio-control groups). In fact, I only came to meet other Perth modellers after I had joined MSW. As others have pointed out, you can search the modelling index in the kits (or scratch-build) forum. I am sure that there are a few build logs for the AL Bounty kit.

Just beautiful, Tom !!

Best wishes for your upcoming appointment with the surgeons, Jon.

She's really coming together now, Tom !! I have been following you for some three years or more now. There's going to be a big hole in my life after you finish this model. I shall have to look to Jon, KMart and the others to fill that gap.

Grab me a large popcorn, please Mark ... I'll save you a seat.

Congrats, Jack. She looks just beautiful. The rigging detail is especially nice.

As part of a road crew one time, myself and three others pulled up next to a tradie driving his company ute (logo splashed all over the side) one afternoon. Tradie is munching on a burger, and while waiting for the traffic lights to change, reaches his hand out of the window and deliberately drops the scrunched-up wrapper right on the street. Colleague sitting next to me whips out his phone. He zoomed in on the burger wrapper and proceeds to film the guy whilst the rest of make comments such as "We gunna call your boss" and "The newspapers are going to love this". We made damn certain that the guy could hear us !! Sure enough, he sheepishly got out of his vehicle and picked up the wrapper.

Verily, Ken, as this be a virtual build, everybody gets a front row seat. Ye shall find-eth the virtual popcorn machine to yer right ... just next to the virtual wet-bar and slurpee machine. The virtual mechanical bull and pool-table be-eth to yer left.

Following on, CaptainSteve didst affix-eth a newly constructed keelson unto the keel. “Most fortuitously,” he waffled, “Chuck didst provide-eth enough spare pieces to make-eth the job much easier.” Thence he didst attach-eth the new keelson unto the bulkheads. “I be a-needing merely,” he didst explain-eth, “to correct a few o’ the bulkhead frames by turning them a-sternwards in the provided build-board, and all be most goodly.” But ‘twas at about that time whence Our Hero were to notice-eth the following on Chuck’s plans … “Verily, Charles !!”, CaptainSteve didst address-eth Chuck directly. “Most assuredly, ye may-eth just as well ha’ wave-ethed a red flag at me bull-like head whilst taunting, ‘Toro, CaptainSteve, Toro !!’” And so, firstly he didst take-eth up his knife and were to hack-eth out a seating fer his keel-plates … Thinking (most incorrectly, as it didst turn-eth out) that the above feature were to be a copper keel-plate, Our Hero didst cutteth short lengths of copper foil tape (“O’ the kind used fer copper-plating an hull”) … … and thence didst embark-eth upon a quest to find-eth some substance to accurately reflect-eth iron bolt-heads. “It be not an easy task,” he didst detaileth. “A-first, I be a-clipping the heads from the smallest tacks that I didst possesseth. But e’en they be too large in stature. Hence, didst I try-eth to cut short lengths o’ blackened wire to insert.” However, alas and alack, the wire proved to be too random to represent iron bolt-heads. “I be not convinced by their appearance,” Our Hero grumbled. But then he didst decide-eth to try something which didst prove-eth to be an epiphany. Most assured wi’ his discovery, and his ownself, CaptainSteve didst dippeth the poppy seeds in black stain, allowed them to dry-eth, and didst attempt a testing-piece … “And here they be-eth,” Our Hero beamed, “affixed in place on me hull.” "Oh verily,” CaptainSteve were to bringeth this entry to a close, “I didst forgetteth to mention that I didst stain-eth the whole thing with Old Baltic.”

QUEEN ANNE BARGE (An Build Log by-eth CaptainSteve) – SYREN SHIP MODEL COMPANY – 1 parteth to 24 Directed, produced and writ-eth by Capta… (“Hey-eth !! They get-eth the idea !! Can we jus’ be a-movin’ along already ??”) Some time back, CaptainSteve didst purchase one o’ Chuck’s fine Queen Anne Barge kits. “I didst buy-eth it,” Our Hero started, “wi’ the intention o’ giving it to me Dad to construct-eth.” Indeed-eth, CaptainSteve’s father didst make-eth good beginnings unto his Barge. The futtock pieces hadst all been fixed most properly in place to the bulkhead frameworks, and the keel piece hadst been-eth constructed. “Except-eth,” Our Hero was to begin-eth this log, “the keel pieces were most incorrect.” ‘Twouldst seemeth that the keelson were not aligned most properly along the centre of the keel pieces, as intended by Mr Passaro. Thusly, the rabbet be non-existent in parts, un-centred in some, and too big in others. And so he had to commence-eth by applying copious amounts o’ Isopropyl. “The keel didst need to be re-done-eth !!”, CaptainSteve exclaim-ethed. Fortunately, his father had saved-eth all o’ the various bits and pieces and didst collect-eth them. “And so”, as always, Our Hero were to go-eth on, “thence I didst take-eth steps to be assuring that all o’ the pieces were-eth on-hand.” To do so, Our Hero didst spot-glue-eth the various delicate lasering sheets unto pages o’ printer paper fer safe-keeping. Whilst CaptainSteve was able to find almost all of the pieces to filleth the blank spaces, there were some gaps … “I be a-hopin’ that those missing pieces be not all that important”, he didst say-eth. But, secretly, Our Hero were a-crossing his fingers most furtively. Meanwhile, since this kit were originally be meant for his father to build-eth, CaptainSteve didst return-eth the carving pieces from the kit … “That be me Dad, CaptainBruce,” he didst state-eth most proudly. “At the least, they be-eth his four score year old hands a-wielding a tool to carve-eth out the scrollwork pieces fer his Barge.” Indeed-eth, Our Hero and his father have already devised a plan for the scrollwork. “It be a most spectacular plan o’ our own design,” CaptainSteve were to state-eth. “But there be more on that latterly,” he didst concludeth, most conspiratorially.

I agree with Marcus. Roundabouts are great. They are infinitely preferable to having stop-lights everywhere, and keep traffic flowing far more freely (one of the main considerations in their wide-spread usage and positioning). But one of MY big Pet Peeves is that some twenty years after these started to be introduced on roads in Australia, is that the majority of drivers still have no $%#ing idea how to use them properly, and this is despite regular road-education campaigns. It ain't that difficult. Two basic rules. {i} Yield to traffic in the roundabout, and (ii) indicate your exit intention. In other words, ya wanna take the first turn out of the roundabout, then indicate and exit; ya wanna proceed straight-thru the other side, drive past the first exit, then indicate your exit intention; ya wanna take the last exit, indicate in the direction of the roundabout, and then indicate the other way to show your exit intention. But instead of the above very simply rules to navigate the noble roundabout, drivers down here (and, I imagine, elsewhere) still cannot seem to wrap their tiny heads around the concept. Of course, this is probably due to them texting and/or using their phones whilst driving (both illegal in this state). [RANT MODE OFF] [I could've said "right" and "left", but that would've been confusing to those poor, befuddled populations that drive on the right-hand side of the road]

I be a-wishin' to say that a choice hath been made, and a kit hath been selected and purchased. Certain MSW members may be aware o' which kit that may be-eth, but those members be sworn to secrecy. Fer now at least, it shall remain unopened ... and unannounced. Some time back, I didst purchase a Chuck kit (Syren's Queen Anne Barge) wi' the intention that my Father 'twouldst build-eth it. However, that kit be now back in my possession ... and currently occupies my build table where Connie didst recently lie.