Willie L Bennett by SkerryAmp - Model Shipways - 1:32

[popeye the sailor]

darn it........I posted but forgot to hit the post button again!   the decking looks great!   did you do anything for the calking?  what you could do,  is go over it with a med colored stain........wipe it off as soon as you apply it....all you want to do is bring out the plank lines.  you could also striate it with a gray wash  {thinned down med to light gray.   it's going to pop anyway when you go to seal it.   however you do it.....it looks great! 

[gerty]

Nice job Adam - the decking looks terrific !  

 

Go Pats.

[SkerryAmp]

It was strange,  shortly after posting that I had a flash thought - "a natural finish deck sure looks nice".  Not sure where it came   from - but was leaning that way so that way I shall go!!

 

Thanks all for stopping in!!

 

Augie - as you can see I completely agree, and really was the way I wanted to go, I am just very nervous about my lack of skills cutting the planks even along the waterways.  I did a test swipe with some alcohol and there will be some "trouble" areas that I am going to have to figure out how to hide when finished I think.

 

 

Bob - Thank you sir, it is coming out better than I had thought. I still need some practice at getting better fitting cuts but that will come; am trying not to beat myself up too much (yet that is)

 

Wayne - Back when I started it I debated on opening it up some, either leaving some decking off or even opening up the cabins due to the structure of the ship.  However, since I decided not to detail underneath this one will be all sealed up.   I would like to someday take on an open hull kind of build, I just don't quite have that kind of faith in my skills just yet .

 

Popeye - Thank you sir! Nope, didn't do anything with the caulking,  I am hoping, as you mentioned, the stain/wipe method will darken up the lines enough that when I poly over they will pop. 

 

Gerty - Thanks oh fellow Bennett Builder:  Am doing my best to catch up to you   (and +1 for the pats )

 

 

 

Still trucking along on the decking, am hoping (key word there) to have an update before Friday as I will be away for the weekend and no time building or updating until Monday!!

 

So - onward I go!!

 

 

-Adam

[riverboat]

 Adam, your deck looks really good, nice job. I like the nat. look also,   after you put your clear coat on you can always give it a grey or black wash if you want too. If you do the wash (water based), let it dry over nite than rub it all off. It'll leave just enough in the nooks and crannies. This is a nice kit you're doing!

Frank

[popeye the sailor]

Frank has a good idea too.........water based???   I use enamels.....light sand would give the same effect

[mtaylor]

Sweet looking deck, Adam.  Carry on...   BTW, Frank has a good idea about the dry wash and sanding, IMO.  I think that would work.

[SkerryAmp]

Evening all.  Well, a weekend away was a nice break but was itching to build!!

 

So - onward I went!!

 

Great ideas and will see what I can do with it - I like the wash, although my decks in most places are real tight, but will see what can be done =)

 

I did get the rest of the decking laid and threw on a first layer of stain (natural with just a hair bit of oak for tint).  The boards are Boxwood from the lumberyard and the color really popped.  Although, even though I preconditioned it and have in the past had great luck with it - this time it still came out a bit blotchy.   Not sure what happened.  It doesn't look horrible just odd that it did that.  I am hoping after the wash and poly to deepen it a bit the blotchiness will fade/blend in.  I know a couple coats sometimes can even up blotchiness - here is crossing fingers and hoping!!!

 

Thanks all for popping in!!

 

 

 

Enjoy!!!

 

-Adam

[augie]

It's a really nice overall color.  I agree that the rest of the finishing process should help blend everything together.   I'll keep the fingers crossed.

[popeye the sailor]

it's probably just the way the wood took it.   sometimes I'll go through the planking to make sure a darker one didn't slip in there.  although, there are times I wished I hadn't...........some decks come out looking pretty good.   yours is no exception.......it won't hurt it if you do that.

      once everythings on the deck,  it should blend right in..............I like it

[SkerryAmp]

Egads.   Many apologies folks - life just got up and sucker-punched the heck out of my "schedule" for the last few weeks.  1 Vacation in PA., 2 Wakes, 2 Unplanned trips to NY and VA, a Promotion, a catastrophic computer crash (the wife's no less),  and an emergency tree removal left me with sporadic MSW posting at best let alone any build time.

 

I THINK things have calmed down - so back to work I go (hopefully, knock on wood, rub a rabbits foot, find a 4 leafed clover and whatever else I may need to do).

 

 

Augie and Popeye - I can say though I got to watch the deck settle in, dry and really cure down a lot and the color did even out a lot on it's own.  So the deck looks pretty good now - very happy i went that route.  Getting ready to make sure all the hull parts are done and filled and smooth so I can paint er up and get to work on the furniture!!

 

Thanks for the patience all!

 

Enjoy!!

 

-Adam

[trippwj]

Gracious, Adam - you aren't supposed to have everything happen at the same time!  If you get all of these issues out of the way now, what have you got to use for "excuses" later in the build???

 

2 wakes does NOT sound good - my condolences to you and the families.

 

Promotion - that is usually a good thing! 

 

 

Computer crash (hopefully not related to the emergency tree removal) - not so good!

[augie]

I mirror everything Wayne said.

 

Plus --- glad to hear the deck has evened out to your satisfaction.  

[popeye the sailor]

boy.......murphy sure gets around!   I had a simular run of bad luck a while ago........though not that roll of the dice   what a mix of good and bad.......ouch and congrats!

 

yea,  I've learned that you can't jump ship when you first do it.........once it cures and dies down,  the true color comes out.  I've been using semi gloss lacquer for quite a while now...........I love it when it is done.....the shine is nice.  but, once cured,  it dulls out and the shine goes away.   I give it another coat.........but I think the next time I get more,  I'm going to get the gloss.  I think the wood will suck in half of it,  leaving me with the desired sheen I want.  it's all in how you plan it out.   I'm glad your happy with it....I saw nothing wrong

[SkerryAmp]

Thanks guys,  I feel horrible for not being around as much lately but unfortunately after putting all that up - thinking I was in the clear and murphy had moved on, I was mistaken. He is currently (looks around carefully) shacking up in my backroom apparently.

 

Trying to get back to normal,   I need some murphy pellets or something -get him the heck out of here.   If I could only find someone to send him too for a little bit.   I guess that would be cruel though eh.

 

Anyway - my apologies,  feeling like a scrub at the moment not keeping up with stuff - but am trying!!

 

 

-Adam

[augie]

No problem, Adam.  Life happens.  And we're a patient bunch (well, most of us  ).

[popeye the sailor]

I was graced with his presence a while ago........I was very glad he left.  lately though,  I've been working on getting the toyota inspected,  I did a bunch of work......but apparently,  the garage wasn't happy with it.  it's only a couple of small details, so I let him do it.   I only want the car to last 1 more year {my son is driving it}.........I just shake my head.   then I think........I could get as much as three hundred bucks for the car at the junk yard..........and I believe i've put that much into it at this point ....go figure.  it boils down to my not being at the table as much as well.........don't feel bad.   I'm sure you'll have an update soon........I'll be here

[mtaylor]

Murphy is not our friend...  If someone ever invented Murphy Repellent, they'd be a billionaire over night!!!   Hang in there Adam.  He'll wander off and soon you'll more build time on your hands than you'll know what to do with. 

[riverboat]

Adam, every little bit helps the ship come to life, Don't worry about huge progress jumps , I sometimes put one deadeye on and call it a day!   ( Now that's real progress for me    ) Your build is looking ship shape!!

Frank

[SkerryAmp]

Thanks guys,  much appreciated.

 

I have been forcing myself to break from the other things I am working on (although one of them is as fun as ship building for me) to get try to keep some motion going.   Decided to move back to the mayflower for a bit as I am not really sure how I want to move next on the willie.  So, until I figure that out - to the mayflower we shall be =)

 

-Adam

[popeye the sailor]

I work on one ship.......but all the while,  I'm thinking of other aspects of the other builds.   when I hit onto something,  then I make the jump and do it right away.  I don't want to lose any cool ideas

[SkerryAmp]

That is pretty much how I run through these.  GO where the inspiration takes me and move between them.  As long as they keep moving forward then I am moving forward as well .

[SkerryAmp]

AAAAAND in the spirit of moving forward, as was said here by a few people - even a deadeye here and there is progress - SO, I attached the side gaurds today. Not a huge addition, but with that added I was set up to throw on the first coat of paint.  So it is currently drying.  It is going to need a few coats .

 

To do the sideguards I just copied the plans to the heavy blue paper to make templates and cut them out of some scrap wood I have with that kit.  Ran some diluted white glue along the edge and pressed it into place using two dots of CA to tack it into place while it dried since i couldn't get clamps in there.

 

Then, a final sanding and shaping once in place and they were ready to go!   I didn't cut the whole for the dredge roller yet, I want to be sure where it is going to lay once done.  While I know where it is supposed to be, sometimes what I am off JUST a tad so may need to compensate.

 

 

 

Until later all...

 

Keep enjoying what you do and doing what you enjoy!!

 

 

[augie]

If I waited for a good idea to come along I'd never get anything done    

[trippwj]

I'm with Augie on that whole "idea" thing. 

 

Your work looks good, Adam.

[SkerryAmp]

Thank you gentlemen - not much but every little bit moves it that much closer.

 

Started painting the hull last night, will sand and put a second coat on tonight and see how where it's at.

Edited October 14, 2013 by SkerryAmp

[popeye the sailor]

looking good Adam.......the decking looks sweet!   little by little....the hull will look good with color 

[SkerryAmp]

Thank you sir - yes, the white on the hull is changing the complexion of the ship drastically!!

 

 

Not ready for viewing yet,  but will be soon.

[texxn5]

yeah Adam, paint can get dramatic and starts a whole different personality for the build...looking forward to pictures.

[SkerryAmp]

Pics will be soon hopefully,   base coat is on but haven't had time to get back to it for a couple of weeks.  My mother in law passed away incredibly unexpectedly a couple of weeks ago,  her side of the family has had a very rough year so far - we have had to go to 4 wakes for her side of the family and two wakes for close friends since last summer.   Helluva a year let me tell you.

 

We have started trying to get back to some sense of normalcy and am working on getting back to the bench,  hopefully tonight I can get back to one of my projects.

[texxn5]

Wow Adam, so sorry to hear of all of your losses. Those are tough, and makes us consider our own mortality, and what is importnt to us. My prayers go out to you and your family...may you find some peace from all of this...