Chesapeake Bay Flattie by popeye the sailor - Midwest Products

[popeye the sailor]

The Christmas tree boat is now a reality.   I've been trying to break away to do other things,  but it just wouldn't let me go!  it wasn't due to the ideas that were running through my mind at the time.....it was just everything around me.   from working on cars,  and work in general.....to events around the home....it just felt like a weight was sitting on my head,  weighing me down.   one week........to two weeks..........I could only endure short stints at the table.  I wasn't there.......and there seemed little use to push.........this couch potato crap had GOT to go!

 

 

 

I've had this kit for about a year now.........the admiral saw it and thought it looked cute.   I'd pull it out every once in a while and tinker with it......without the application of glue,  when I'd sit at my computer hatching idea for the other builds.  I had a few for this kit too......the reason for all the dry fitting.  I was planning a multi-boat build with this kit,  but I have since given up the project.   there are much bigger fish to fry,  rather than spend my time bashing the crap out of a level 1 kit.

 

 

I should have done what I was going to do earlier........start the mast work on the trawler Syborn,  but I was still suffering from the mental block........so I brought this kit out to tinker with.   once the glue touched the wood.......there was no turning back.   I didn't have to remove the hull parts from the panels......that was already done.   small ans short pieces of 3/32 square stock need to be cemented onto the bulkheads,  in specific places to act as assembly tabs.  

 

 

some trimming was needed to clear the assembly slots.........and of course,  figuring out the lingo of sliding thing over and onto.   but the assembly of the frame was under way........no real rocket science to make them straight.

 

 

 

 

the deck platform and the mast collars were added to the frame at this time.

 

 

the deck was cemented on next.   I had begun to think that there was a problem......it had a overhang at the transom of roughly 1/4 of an inch.   I later came to the conclusion that these parts are merely over sized,  to allow for fitting and sanding.  the cut of the keel part is pretty rough.........I did a little sanding which was a bad move {you'll see later}.

 

 

adjustments were made and allowed to dry.........the two pieces of the cabin needed to be bent,  in the meantime.   I normally do this simply by getting the parts wet {water},  and bending them by hand.   in the instructions,  they say to use alcohol.......so that's what I did.   it worked,  but I still like my way better.

 

 

I did get to do something to the Syborn's mast....I posted it already.   through the sessions with this model,  I've done a little more here and there....and the muddled mind syndrome is beginning to clear.   glad to see that there is hope,  and that pulling this kit out wasn't a complete waste of time. 

[NenadM]

Another ?

 

 

Oh, yeah!

[popeye the sailor]

the next day heralded the second session.   I was still plagued with the "headaches".......one being my son's car.  for anyone who has car knowledge....in drive a car normally idles around 600 - 700 rpms.............his car,  out of the blue,  would shoot up to 2200 rpms!   no rhyme or reason......and with no mechanical movement when it would do it.  no check engine light either,  which made it even harder to ascertain.   I nailed it down to the AIC valve........I replaced it,  and all seemed fine.

 

he called telling me that his check engine light is on........come to find out,  he had gotten some gas and didn't tighten the cap enough      nice it's something to laugh about

 

 

anyway..........enough about me..........how are you?   I ask that of all my friends  

 

the cabin sides are fitted into place........I did a little more hand bending.   perhaps I should have used a bigger pencil

 

 

there is some issues with the fit.......the F3 cabin wall area isn't wide enough.   I had to add about 1/32 to the width so it would even out at the port corner.

 

 

I also had to adjust the height of the cockpit floor.....daylight can be seen in the back.

 

 

the rest can be adjusted with sanding.  it was time to add the chine stringers and the keel stringers.   3/32 square stock was used....and of course the openings needed to be made bigger for them to fit properly.

 

 

the chine stringers needed to be trimmed at an angle so it could meet the keel stringers at the bow.  you can see that a pair of "bow stiffeners" were added to the bow line as well.   the two sides need sanding now,  so the hull panels can be cemented into place.   for now though.........I have an errand to be run  >sigh<

[Omega1234]

Hey Denis

 

What better way to get the old creative juices flowing, than starting a new ship!  Good on ya for not giving in to the 'couch potato' syndrome.

 

If your previous ships are any indication, you're gonna ace this one.  I can just imagine the magic that you're going to add to the basic kit stuff, which, will eventually turn into another little masterpiece.

 

I'm in!

 

Cheers

 

Patrick

[popeye the sailor]

hello Nenad.........yea........another one.   this should be a short build though,  or I might have thought twice about lay'in glue to it.   now.........I could have made the admiral happy and started the Thermopylae,  but with the thoughts I have about that kit.......everyone would have thought I really went off my nut!  all I will say......is that the hull is well worth cloning  

 

enjoy the build my friend..........the possibility of bashing this build is tough at this point,  due to it's construction.   but.....there is still hope!  

 

 

this is a much larger session than the other ones {so far}.......I'll put a little meat to this post  

 

the frame is sanded at this time....time to install the side panels.   makes me laugh that they call this planking.  the overhang is also seen here as well........all of these parts are over sized for proper fitting.

 

 

I had an evil thought to make another transom part,  and move it back,  but that would have made the aft deck look too wide,  so I opted not to.  I should have trimmed this beforehand,  but I guess now is as good a time as any.

 

[popeye the sailor]

AHOY Patrick!   welcome to my nightmare     Midwest lives up to it's reputation......nice kit,  but there are some things that the avid modeler can do to enhance the model.  color can be an asset.....we'll see!   thanks for the good word  

 

I didn't take too many pictures after the first hull panel.   the other one was cemented in place.......I left most of the excess material up along the deck.   it looked kinda cool........like a bulwark....all I would have needed to do,  was to add posts along the sides.   I then thought........a bow spirit......a second jib sail..........but the decking along the cockpit and cabin ruled that out.   it would look silly.   the bottom panels were also added to the hull......again with the excess over hang material.  this will be trimmed off and the edge sanded smooth.

 

 

the over hang along the deck was trimmed off as well,  sanding the edges flush to the deck.

 

 

it can be seen what I meant about sanding the keel........very uneven where it joins the bottom panel halves together.  two chafing planks will be added along both sides the keel.   since that isn't going to be possible,  to produce a flat surface here, I'm going to need to sand the keel flush with the bottom and fill the center in.   there is a center board {leeboard} that is to be installed just before the start of the incline,  of the keel fin {term needed here......errrr,  skeg?}.  I left that slot open for it's location.........I will cut it down to show it in the retracted position.

 

 

 

sanding took out most of the skeg's starting point.........I build it up with some 1/32 flat stock and added the stern post.

 

 

 

I'll have to check the camera.........I know there were more pictures,  as well as some of the progress made on the Syborn.   I'll be back  

[Jack12477]

Hi Denis, another build !  I think I will pull up a can of spinach over here and sit down and watch

[captainbob]

Oh boy, Popeye's going to do it again.  What will happen to this poor little flattie?

 

Bob

[popeye the sailor]

hello Jack........and welcome   yes.....another one.   didn't anyone ever tell you........."crazy people can't count!"        I'm getting close towards putt'in some paint on her........enjoy  

 

I really didn't get a chance to plot out any real mods for this one Bob.........so any sort of bash work will have to happen later     to do any mods,  I'd have to start at the keel........re-positioning the cabin to some degree....the center board.  oh well........I can always do something later,  I still have the plans.   that's one thing about the Midwest kits....the plans are 1:1 and they are very good       after all.......I was able to scratch build the Lobster boat and create the Tree boat from the M.L.B. plans     I'm actually a little afraid to do too much to this little morsel.........it's a work boat.   you were the one who informed me that I had put the last nail in the coffin of the lobster boat.   I thank you for being honest..........for that,  the remedy I chose produced the Phylly C. ,  which showed how versatile that particular boat is.   this hull design is no different really...I'm sure there were modifications done to suit one's needs and taste.

     I won't stray too far from the plans........perhaps some of the hardware.......maybe add in a prop or two,  as I'm not going to put a lot of time into her

 

......I say that now.................    enjoy Bob.......always a pleasure having you look'in in  

[popeye the sailor]

the Lobster Boat was also done with these hull panels.........I failed miserably with that build.   but I succeeded here....I feel real good about that     the cabin sides were put back in...they still are not cemented in.   I want to paint them first...I'll use some of that tint cello for the window glass.

 

 

I probably should make the stand for her too.......might dress it up too.   the bow is very blunt,  as you might have noticed....

....layers of the keel,  the bow stiffeners,  and the panels.   a square piece of wood  fits on it.......awaiting to be sanded to a point.   I pre-drilled the hole they say to put through it.

 

 

.......might take a day to sand it.......  

 

I do have to ask though.......am I right in calling the keel fin, the skeg?

Edited August 26, 2016 by popeye the sailor

[Jparsley]

Hey looking good I build one of these cuties for my daughter It turns out to be a nice little quick build Can't wait to see yours

[popeye the sailor]

thanks for the good word JP.    these kits are a fun build...glad to have you following along.  

[popeye the sailor]

I want to thank every one for the nice comments,  and those who hit the like button.   I've dealt with the work week  and gave it a solid raspberry for over half of it........I took two days of it off.   for the last couple of days,  it's been spotty,  finding time at the table.   but I did manage it though.   the ladder took up most of it {not for this build,  another one}.
    of course,  I got to tinker with this build as well.   sanding that chunk 'o timber I glued onto the bow was a tough one,  but I got the job done.   it looks pretty good
 

 

 
I know that I said that this was to be a quick little build.........I summed it up as I did in my Word Press log.....
 
" Now…….I had devilish plans for this kit.   The centerboard,  which acts the same as a Leeboard,  could be detailed out {I saw pictures of it while I was looking for color ideas},  as well as a few other aspects,  that could be modified to embellish the looks of the model.  In trying to deal with the funk I was in,  I am to toss out any thoughts of doing a multi build of this kit,  and just build the darn thing!   Nothing fancy…….don’t get cheeky or cute…..and don’t get too complex with it……just do it!   Remember…….it’s supposed to be a therapeutic build to cheer me up.   But…….how therapeutic can it be…..if you don’t let me get necromantic?  Com’on…….it’s like eating Cheerios without milk! "
 
Well.....there are some things I just can't let go.   I really can't do the center board,  since in doing it,  I should have modified the keel first off in the build.   it's too late for that.   so I'll settle for the little things.......like the rudder for a start.   being a level 1 kit,  they instruct to simply glue it to the stern post.   marking off an upper and lower contact point,  two slots were cut out of the stern post.
   it was then drilled from the bottom,  past the gap,  and into the center piece.   this will enable me to insert pins in them to hold the rudder in place.
 

 
where I had marked the supplied rudder,  I tried to drill the two holes I needed to make........but the rudder was simply too thin.  so I made a new rudder from some 1/8 thick flat stock that was lying around {the rudder from the kit is 3/16}.   with the added thickness,  I was able to drill the holes and insert two eye bolts to act as the Pintles.   making the change in rudders kinda threw my measurements off for some reason,  so I will need to make some adjustments.   when they are made,  I'll cap it off with some brass.     when the rudder is in place and the pins installed.......they should come out look'in like a pair of Gungeon.
 

 
I still need to round off the rudder edges with some sanding......and then I can make a tiller for it.

Edited August 30, 2016 by popeye the sailor

[popeye the sailor]

thanks for the likes everyone........didn't get much done on her today.   hope to have more progress soon  

[mtaylor]

Nice progress, Denis.  I'm glad I found this build.

[cog]

You had some spare time on your hands right??? At least it looks that way. Fortunately you can now switch between builds when on is drying, or when you are waiting for some building materials.

 

She looks good ... you are like a small whirl wind ...

[NenadM]

... you are like a small whirl wind ...

Not small !!!

[Keith Simmons]

Yep Denis,   another nice build....    As I always say " if you're not working on more than one , you're slacking "....

[popeye the sailor]

well......that's true in a sense Keith.......I was using this build as sort of a springboard,  so I'd gt off my duff and assemble the syborn's mast.   I have done that now........at the expense of not going any further with the Flattie.  I did do some sanding to the rudder.....it looks a bit better,  but I still have to make the adjustments to the stern post.  once I do that,  I can paint.

 

that's how I got into this mess in the first place Carl.......working on one,  while paint is drying       awwwww.......what the heck,  it's all in fun     I never tire working with wood.........I've said it once......I'll say it again......I should have ignored my thoughts about these wood kits,  and jumped into one at a much younger age!

 

glad you found the log Mark...always a pleasure to have you following along.   I may not go too crazy with this one......but you never know  

 

the shock does wear off Nenad........to show a picture of all my projects together,  would be stunning.   I've done it in a small scale with the Holiday Harbor build.....made even larger now  with an extra hull to build.   looking back at some of the builds,  I have made progress........a few of them are getting close to being finished.   they'll be like pop corn on the hearth    

 

thanks for the likes my friends.........I will have another report on her progress soon.

[Piet]

Very cute little boat Denis.  Nice progress and fast.  Enjoy watching her being build.

 

Cheers,

[popeye the sailor]

thanks Piet  

[popeye the sailor]

I continued a bit more with this build.  I want to paint her.......but I need to fit the rudder first.   I started the feeble attempt to do a gungeon and pintle set up on the rudder,  but I cut the slots a bit too big......I'll need to fill them in.   you can see just how 'hairy' basswood can be.

 

 

the rudder pintle eyes were slip into place,  and two pins were stuck in the top and bottom holes,  locking the rudder in place.        metal caps will imitate the gungeons.

 

 

 

after a little sanding........trying to further clean up the hairy disaster,   the bottom paint was laid down.   I used scotch tape to mask the bottom,  to lessen the paint line.   it does a fair job........it doesn't rule out the minor bleed here and there.  it is good though,  if you don't want the paint lines after the masking is removed.   not only that.......I'm doing this with a brush.....the first one I've done using a brush in a long time.

 

 

I was rummaging around in my paints.......I still have a fair selection of Billing's paint.   BOY!!!!  I'm going to have to do another orange boat real soon!   .........haven't done one since the cux!   I settled on cobalt blue.......painting the sides and the parts for the cabin.

 

 

 

I'll need to pay some attention to the transom and aft cockpit wall......I was a little off with the bottom paint,  and the cockpit wall  is uneven with the side cockpit walls.   I'll have to do something about leveling it off.

 

 

the beginnings of the tiller is there as well.........more refinement needed  

Edited September 7, 2016 by popeye the sailor

[popeye the sailor]

thanks for the likes.......I got  little bit more done on the Flattie.  the cabin sides are painted.......time to cement them in place.        the  cabin bulkhead needed to be lined up......a heavy duty timber did the trick,  clamping it in place.   pieces of strip wood was put in the corners to help the bonding process.

 

 

additional clamps were used to close the gaps along the sides.  the aft cockpit wall was sunken in for some reason.....the cap molding will not line up.  a little piece was added to make it all level.

 

 

the cockpit was then painted a light gray.    haven't decided what color the roof and hatches will be yet.  

 

 

 

[popeye the sailor]

there is a bit more progress to report!   the Flattie seems to have taken up residence on my desk........makes it hard to do any work      I wish this could work at my regular job       to start off.......I took some of that tinted cello and cemented it in place over the windows.   cabin roof beams are also in place.......the instructions only said one........but an extra one couldn't hurt.

 

 

I didn't want to paint the deck sheer white or gray.........so I settled for tan  {deck tan},  which I seem to have an abundance of.   personally,  if I had some 2 mm thin strip,  I'd have planked it.......but that might have taken away from the work boat look.  I could also have tried that thing I did with the fishing boat deck in the Holiday Harbor build.

 

 

I'm play'in with the roof and holds at the moment.   I also have to fix a gap at the starboard side aft cockpit wall,  before I can do the cap rails.   the tiller is also in the works........more refinement to that monstrosity you saw earlier.   more progress soon  

 

thanks for the likes!    

Edited September 15, 2016 by popeye the sailor

[popeye the sailor]

I had gone a bit further with the Flattie.........first was to address the transom and get that done.

 

 

then......there was that gap in the starboard side aft cockpit wall.   I cut a little bit out of the F4 bulkhead,  and fitted in a small piece of 1/16 square stock.   after a bit of sanding.......you'd never see it,  if I put paint to it.

 

 

then,  the molding work began.......I only got this far in this session.......the deck sheer molding.   the instructions say to do it later in the assembly......but I've pretty much decided to use them as a reference.

 

 

I played hooky today.........I got more done.   I'll be back in a moment  

[popeye the sailor]

so......both sides of the sheer deck molding is in place.........there is side rub rail molding as well.   I really didn't like the way they have it......a notch like channel running along the hull {I should have taken a picture of the instructions......you'd see it more clearly.   I painted some more molding strips flat white,  and I added 2 strips of .05 x 3 mm mahogany.   I ran those along the hull instead.

 

 

 

 

 

there are a couple gaps there,  but I'll fill and paint them.  they will be gone.      I ran them from along the top of the deck sheer molding.   some light sanding.......filler.......paint.....no problem.   then I did the transom.

 

 

the holds were cemented in place next.  it might be hard to see,  but the square piece under the cover {what would be the hold's 'box'} has been painted cobalt blue as well.

 

 

 

painted strips were cemented along the sides of the cabin roof {the underside edge},  and under both sides of the cabin door way.   the roof was then cemented in place....I used white glue so that the windows wouldn't cloud up.   if I had used CA instead...there is the possibility that could have happened.

 

 

I need to address the front edge of the roof........that seemed to run flush with the front cabin bulkhead { F2}.  I have an idea of what to do.   I'll show the progress with the tiller.......I cut it from one piece of scrap wood,  and I've been sanding and trimming it ever since.   the cabin door way and the cockpit trim needs to be done as well.   gee......get this all done,  and I can start masting this bad girl!  

 

 

[cog]

Looking good Dennis. Sometimes you just need to follow your instincts, instead of the manual ... I now know where you got your energy from ... a can ...

[popeye the sailor]

thanks Carl.......I think I've been scratch building too long.   that and I'm too used to the billing's instructions     would that be Pepsi, for the can?  

 

thanks for the likes Mark  

[popeye the sailor]

I went into the camera today,  and found these two pictures I had taken.    the tiller has been going through small changes,  since cut from some scrap wood.   I think I still need to make it a little shorter, but the shape is getting there.

 

 

then,   there is the front cabin roof edge.   giving it an outer frame work like I did,  it brought the front edge flush with the fore cabin wall.  I gave it a cap.

 

 

I'm sure I'll get to do some more to her.........soon!

[cobra1951]

adjustments were made and allowed to dry.........the two pieces of the cabin needed to be bent,  in the meantime.   I normally do this simply by getting the parts wet {water},  and bending them by hand.   in the instructions,  they say to use alcohol.......so that's what I did.   it worked,  but I still like my way better.

 

 

I agree alcohol is for drinking not bending everyone knows that

Just popped in for a quick look and a fine job you are doing