RMS Titanic by popeye the sailor - Academy - PLASTIC - 1/400 scale

[Jack12477]

Dennis; here's an old photographers trick. Take a small piece of cardboard (fairly stiff), place a sheet of plain old shiny aluminum foil over the face of it, wrap over the sides and tape off. Make sure the foil on the face is as smooth as you can get. Make a couple. Place them on the bench to each side of the model with the foil facing the model - you want to reflect the light (ambient) back into the dark spaces on the model - experiment a little till you get the hang of it. Card stock can be 4 x 6, 5 x 7 or 8 x 10 or whatever is suitable to your space. Prop the reflectors up on an angle - generally 40-45 degrees.

Edited June 19, 2015 by Jack12477

[popeye the sailor]

I'll give it a try Jack......thanks     I did find out that I had some small weird bulb in there........probably an appliance bulb.   I have some 60w halogen incandescent bulbs.......I'll have to see what's in the main table light.   I changed it ..........I'll try a few pictures later.    I wonder if spraying the card silver would work?

 

 

I almost forgot again...........thank to all of you who hit the like button.   I really appreciate your looking in 

Edited June 19, 2015 by popeye the sailor

[Jack12477]

Dennis, no spraying won't work. It's not reflective enough. Aluminum foil is best.

 

A "poor man's" substitute would be a PURE WHITE card - it has to be white or it will change the color of the light in turn affecting the color(s) of the ship.  Don't want to take over your build log with a tutorial on photographic lighting; if you want more info send me a PM.

Edited June 19, 2015 by Jack12477

[NenadM]

Start to look massive and hudge, Denis. Just like it has to be (?)

 

I like it

[Omega1234]

Hi Dennis

 

Wow! That's all I can say at this stage. Every detail is so beautifully turned out, which to a great degree is a reflection of your skills and determination.

 

Great job.

 

Cheers

 

Patrick

[Old Collingwood]

Great work there she is looking fine and gaining a realistic appearance.

 

OC

[popeye the sailor]

i'll keep it in mind Jack........haven't tried the first idea yet,  but I will.  thank you very much 

 

hi Nenad...glad to see your up to posting    I do hope your doing well....thank you 

 

thanks Patrick.....wood modeling has changed a lot of ways that I did things.   having to revisit plastic again is really testing me......especially paint 

 

thanks OC........I hope so 

 

thanks to all who hit the like button.

[popeye the sailor]

well.......got snagged away again today.........more window blinds and made some repairs to the family car.   I did manage to do a little bit though.....got started on the mock up.   the first structure has already been cemented in place...I put the roof on.  

 

 

 

now the A deck and the boat deck are like a Siamese twin...two sections of decking rise up and are part of the A deck structures......these two decks need to be assembled together.  but it's hard due to the funnel rigging.

 

 

so,  this changes the plans a little.   I really don't like putting all this tiny stuff on the decks before assembling the whole she-bang........something is liable to get knocked off..........a couple already did.   so,  the mock up for the bridge,  bow  and stern decks,  may look like this.   I just have to figure hoe to keep the bulwark walls upright.

 

 

 

 

I changed that pesky light bulb with one of those halogen bulbs...........big difference!  here are the parts that still need to go on the funnels.   there is one ladder not shown.........it's being repaired at the moment......broke while I was trimming it.

 

 

the railings are all in small parts and pieces.......they all need to be assembled.   as for the two pieces for the bow and stern,  I have two of each........in fact,  I have quite a few duplicates.   the kit comes with two sprues that are the same.

 

 

 

it's almost as bad as photo etch.........except,  I've never done P.E. before       I did a bit more on the mock up,  assembling the last two structures.   that other piece of deck fits over the square opening.

 

 

 

the thing about these two sections of decking  {roofs}........if I cement the rest of the structures to the boat deck,  it will be very hard to get them into position......it's really tight.  this thing is a real jig saw puzzle 

[GLakie]

Lots of tiny, fragile little parts there Dennis, but she's going to be a beaut when it's done. Halogen's help I bet! 

[michael20]

Been out of the loop for a while but as I am catching up on your build here Popeye she is looking great and some very fine detail work as well. Looking forward to seeing future updates.

 

Happy modeling,

           Marty G.

[Jack12477]

Dennis, here's a link on the first suggestion Make Your Own Aluminum Foil Reflector - White foam core works also.

[Mirabell61]

good Progress can be seen Popeye,

 

what a lot of tiny bits and pieces, you`re doing a good Job with the painting...

 

Nils

[src]

Dennis,

Multiple builds, fixing cars, mowing lawns, etc, I am putting you in for the Over Achiever of the Year Award.

She is coming together, is the additional sprue intentional do you think? If so those must be some pretty delicate parts! I would almost think PE would be easier?

 

Sam

[Greg the peg leg sailor]

G'day Denis

Great job so far, and I've no doubt it, the completed ship will also be outstanding!

I agree with Jack, he has given you some good advice!

Havagooday

Greg

[lb0190]

Popcorn and another interesting build by Popeye. I think I'll pull up a seat and watch, plus munch on some of Sjors popcorn.

[popeye the sailor]

thanks every one for the good word      work beckons at the moment.........after next week end,  I be on vacation again.  I'm going to try and make the most of it 

 

yes Sam........I think there are duplicate part to be used for the railings.   they do give quite a list of the parts that will not be used.

 

I'll look into it Jack.......thanks a lot! 

[Greg the peg leg sailor]

Lots of tiny, fragile little parts there Dennis, but she's going to be a beaut when it's done. Halogen's help I bet! 

G'day Denis

George is correct about the Halogen lights, I'm using one, but my power bill is not toooooo good though. But heck, I'm blind if I don't use it.

Havagooday

Greg

[popeye the sailor]

before 2009 Lawrence,  plastic was my medium.........see what a wooden kit can do to a person?!?!       this is the first plastic ship I've done since then.

     amazing how foreign something can be if you leave it awhile    but I'm having fun 

 

 

these bulbs are energy savers {getting the package...........}   the early halogen bulbs that were out there were of bad design........they had mercury in them,  making them harder to get rid of.  they had to be treated as hazardous waste........but as human nature goes,  they just chucked them in the regular trash.  I just bring them to work......we have a bin for disposal of these mercury bulbs      the bulb I had in the light gave off 560 lumens.   these bulbs I have here give off 750 lumens....quite a big difference.   that's what it says on the box.......the bulb itself says 785 lumens.  they have a 60 watt equivalent,  but only use 43 watts........saves $5 a year.  not a whole lot in the grand scheme of things,  but I guess it's something.  I just changed the bulb in the main table light.....I'll see if it makes any difference there too 

[Greg the peg leg sailor]

I havto look into getting different bulbs myself Denis. I wasn't thinking about different bulbs, I might save a penny or two. Thanks for the advice.

Greg

[mtaylor]

I've gone over the CFL's and now LED's (although slowly).  The newer LED's are brighter and use even less power than the CFL's which, use less than the halogen.  I'm cheap, that's my excuse and I'm sticking with it.

[NenadM]

Modeler's law: never enough light from right side. 100w on floor, 200w up of desk, and a cran lamp with 100w on desk. For good photos, not enough if you have bad camera as me.

 

If I build yoir model, I think >1000w will not been enough

 

Good work

Edited June 23, 2015 by Nenad

[popeye the sailor]

much can be said about lighting......a handy aide to be sure.    tell this to a sailor who's been doing scrimshaw in his quarters by candle light,  and he'd probably look at us funny 

 

this week has not been too productive.......the past couple of days has been eaten up with chores around the house.  I have a couple of things to do today,  but it's our 28th anniversary,  so I might not get flogged if I sluff off.   I did manage to put up a huge shelf in the living room.  it's nothing fancy....metal shelving with wood shelves that I painted to match the walls.   the living room is a low dust area.......only the dog and I go in there.   it will be neat to see them all in one place. 

 

hope to have some progress soon 

[trippwj]

All the best to you & the Missus - and continued great work on the Titanic!

[src]

A www what's a little flogging between spouses??? Some would consider that to be fun!

 

Congratulations on 28 years!

 

Sam.

[Greg the peg leg sailor]

Dear Popeye and Olve Oly

Congratulations on 28 years of marriage! May all the years to come be smooth sailing.

Cheers

Greg

 

Oh, I mean Phyllis. Sorry about that!

Edited June 26, 2015 by Greg the peg leg sailor

[Jim Lad]

Congratulations Denis and Phyllis!

 

John

[GLakie]

Congratulations Dennis. Try to have a good time!  

Edit:  Should read congrats to you both, just to clarify!  

Edited June 26, 2015 by GLakie

[lb0190]

Congratulations Denis & Phyllis.

[cog]

Congratulations to the missus and you ... she did keep you up the straight and narrow all those years ... quite an accomplishment ... enjoy the day

[augie]

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY !

 

Just catching up on logs.  Titanic is growing in leaps and bounds.  Very nice, my friend.