Thermopylae by popeye the sailor - Sergal - 1:124 scale

[Jim Lad]

Obviously the pictures don't want to get wet on their way over to Oz!  

 

John

[popeye the sailor]

thanks for the kind comments and the likes.   I got good news .......the life boats are in transit to me as we speak!   I paid a whopping $6.26 for four of them  {shipping included}.  fingers crossed that they are the correct scale.....or very close to it.  next will be the railings and stuff  

 

thanks Bob.......believe me....I wished the same.  I was looking on E-bay and old model kits .com for a larger scale Cutty kit that I could bash,  but in the back of my mind,  I knew the admiral wouldn't go for it      I also got an eye opener........I saw what looked like a Billing's Cux 87.....and the Mary Ann.....put out there by a manufacturer from China!  I'd scratch build one,  before I'd buy those pieces of crap!  but......yea,  I would have liked a larger kit,  but the admiral got it for me,  so I will build it............or face the 'woman's scorn'  

 

thanks spyglass.......I'm not used to this scale either..........and no......these fingers 'o mine are gett'in  chubby as I get older.   that's why I practice the bass.......I could never master the guitar        but you are correct.......these metal parts are quite tiny.   most gents use a coin to show scale........I might do well with a grain of rice!   do you still have the kit?   just covering my bases,  in case I lose a piece or two       another gentleman on the site built one....after seeing all I've seen so far with this kit,  I'm amazed that his came out as well as it did.  he did a very nice job.   I hope you follow along...the more the merrier

 

thanks John and Dr. Per       no problems with pictures on my end either.......I'm even getting extras popping in every once in a while        I'll try and stay on the yellow brick road John,  but as long as your seeing some of them and able to stop me from making a mistake,  then I'm good with that  

      thinking back.........you know John........we've known each other since day 1 of my joining.    .........and man!.........was I a greenie,  or what?!?!?   I'd about bump into a wall.......and you'd be there to steer me away and on the right track.   I'd be lonely if you weren't look'in in     I've admired your work Dr. Per........I'm quite confident,  that should you see something amiss........please,  feel free to point it out or suggest.  I don't mind  

 

if anyone says that they don't think they can scratch build.........buy this kit.  you will get all the 'scratch build 101' you will ever need.   as mentioned,  the box,  besides the square and round stock,  is almost empty of parts.   I did find out what those six parts were for.....they are for the masts tops.  every- thing else has to be scratch made.  I mentioned that I did find a larger scale Cutty kit in my search........old model kits .com has wooden kits  too......as well as model train and balsa flying models for sale.  some of them are quite old....i've never heard of some of the companies.   it would be very easy to modify a Cutty into the Thermopylae..........the hull and {most of the rigging} is done to the traditional clipper ship.......the deck layout is what sets the different ships apart.   I will save this for something in the future 

 

not wanting to get too long winded with this update............yes,  there's more      the six posts that were left have been cut out.   if the deck was planked,  it would look loads better.

 

 

I even did the ones on the fore deck.   after I though to do it........it sounded good to me.

 

 

cutting them from the poop deck,  creates more room for the galley.  it does make me wonder why they made the cutout for the galley........it doesn't fit into it,  nor are there any provisions for it.   the skylight is not hollow,  so there is no way to look in {at the moment anyway}.

 

 

I need to look into the ship's wheel box too.....as mentioned,  everything else is scratch built.  the box is no exception.

 

 

I haven't done much more than cut out the posts and make more observations.   I'll probably make some of the deck furnishings and dry fits,  to see when I'll be able to plank the deck.  the structures will be lined with the light mahogany, to simulate the teak,  and planked with a lighter shade of deck planking.......should be a nice contrast.

 

more on her soon  

 

 

[Jim Lad]

Looking good, Popeye!

 

Just a word of warning.  It's about time to study your rigging plan very carefully (if you haven't done so already) to make sure that there are no rigging points you need to include early.  For instance, some ships of the period had the forestay secured on the main deck under the forecastle!

 

John

[popeye the sailor]

thanks for the head's up John.   the fore castle deck is not cemented in place just yet.   I still need to plank the main deck and close off the poop deck....to think of it,  I still haven't seen where and when to do that even.   I have the rigging sheet nearby......that's where I found the parts that have no name,  are used for.    the two parts under the top......what are they called?  top brace........brackets?   there may even be holes of sheaves for the tack lines.  I still need to do the hawse holes for the anchors too.  thanks for the good word!  

 

there's no rush spyglass........no rush at all.   I was merely curious.   when I hear that a kit hits the circular file {trash can......fireplace......bin of no return},  I imagine the whole thing going bye bye.   folks who have 'hoard ah-la pack rat'.....well,  it sounds like you got it too      I guess I can't rightly say that it's from by gone kits........I haven't filed any kits,  and I have quite an inventory {I buy a lot of stuff}.   if you do though,  let me know what you find  

 

this could get interesting folks    thanks for the likes  

[Jim Lad]

Popeye,

 

Under the tops you should have the trestle trees - running fore and aft on each side of the mast.  These support the cross trees - running athwartships - which support the top.

 

Please be very wary of your kit's rigging diagram and find a proper source for the rigging.  Isn't this the kit that shows the fore and main mast braces running forward instead of aft??

 

John

[Nirvana]

John, now you made me curious as I have this model in the stash to be built!

[popeye the sailor]

you mentioned this before.   yea....the rigging diagram is on the wall.  I tried to take a picture of it to post here,  but I think the lighting is bad.  the fore mast braces {pulley assemblies} are rigged to the bow spirit........the main mast braces {pulley assemblies} are rigged to the main stays,  just aft of the fore mast.

    the mizzen braces are rigged pretty much in the same fashion as the main mast braces.....rigged just aft  of the main mast,  on the mizzen stays.

 

I still have the rigging diagram for the Revell Cutty Sark.........they are opposite     fore mast braces {pulley assembly}  are rigged to the fore bumkins and terminated to pinrail.   the main mast braces {pulley assembly}  are rigged to the aft bumkins and terminated at pin rail.   mizzen braces {rigged single block} are rigged to blocks tied to the back of the main mast and terminated at a fife rail at the base of the main mast.   I wonder if I can feel safe to use these rigging diagrams.   that's what I always liked about Revell........they break up the different groups of lines and are very easy to understand.  I can post pictures of the rigging diagrams,  if you like me to.   thanks again John...let me know what you think  

[popeye the sailor]

the rigging is wrong Dr. Per.   better to get this sorted out now  

[popeye the sailor]

this kit does not show the bumkins..........shows the studding sail booms.   do most clipper ships have these bumkins?   I believe they do.........right I am?

 

thanks for the proper names for those parts........trestle trees  

[Jim Lad]

Denis, have a good look at the images on the Powerhouse Museum's site - they should give you a good overall view of what should be going on with the rigging.  Also, can you get a copy of Harold Underhill's 'Masting and Rigging' via an inter-library loan (most local libraries can do this sort of thing).  Underhill is the guru of late 19th century rigging.

 

John

[popeye the sailor]

I will do that John.  thank you very much  

 

 

http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/collection/database/?irn=211834&search=thermopylae&images=&c=1&s=

 

here is the link Dr. Per that John is referring to.   I just took another look at it......the controls are really cool    now.......if I can only get that first picture as my desktop display,  on my computer...........

Edited January 21, 2017 by popeye the sailor

[Nirvana]

John and Popeye thanks for the head up. Since Thermoplay is not one of nearest to be built, I will keep this in mind.

Thanks

[src]

Dennis, dont have much to add but I am enjoying watching and learning here.

Sam

[rwiederrich]

Popeye.....This build will be groundwork for developing your adaptive re-engineering skills.  Having a good set of plans and images will aid even further.  Sometimes these smaller less accurate models need a flexible modeler to bring them from a possible nightmare to a reasonable representation of the vessel.

 

Your doing very well.  Make sure you keep the deck and monkie rail line even and properly curved.  This model could lend itself to hyper detailing if the modeler was ambitious.  I can't tell you how many times I had to forgo the provided structures or parts in some kits and completely scratch build them myself.  A scratch builders life.

 

Good luck and feel free to ask me any questions if you have any that have not been answered.

 

Rob

[popeye the sailor]

thanks for the kind comments and looking in.  when John mentioned this earlier,  I was working on the front side of the initial plans,  and couldn't review the rigging diagram.  now that I can look at them.......I see what he means.  can't believe that they would show it like this....eeeowzza!

 

I'll try and put in as much as I can into this build,  Dr. Per.  hopefully,  you'll be able to use the log to some degree  

 

Hi there Sam!   just hitting the like button is good enough.......glad to see your look'in in  

 

I agree about the model Rob......it will need some rework.  scratch building isn't new to me,  so I'll be right at home....it's the scale that will test me.   that's why I added the extra bit of filler planking to the stern.......I'll be sanding that down level later.   I'm sure there will be plenty of Q&A.......feel free to jump in anytime  

 

the admiral looked for the book today.........one hefty price tag!   I don't have a library card,  but she does.......she's going to find it,  and with any luck,  I'll get a look at this book

[rwiederrich]

I'm missing something...what book?  OH..I found it.  I have that book in my personal library.

 

Rob

Edited January 22, 2017 by rwiederrich

[popeye the sailor]

I have a few books........but nothing that I can use in this case.

 

I don't think of myself as a hoarder either.....I'm a treasure hunter  

[cog]

And you hoard your treasure

[src]

Or do you treasure your hoard?

Sam

[EJ_L]

I think of myself as more of a preservationist. Saving items of interest for future generations to enjoy.

[popeye the sailor]

shiny stuff can be considered treasure........I'm more like a redistributor.  if I don't like something on a particular model......I'll save it till I find the perfect place for it.   usually on another model   

[popeye the sailor]

some good news today.......I got the life boats from Cornwall model boats.   they say that they are 50 mm.......but they don't look too bad on the  Thermopylae.   I got four of them........two to go on the boat rack I need to make,  I figure I'll have the other two hanging off the davits.

 

 

 

aren't they darling...........

[Jim Lad]

Popeye,

 

Your boats look a little modern for your ship!  Your boats would have been clinker built from wood, and I don't think they would have had side benches.  Have a look at the photos of the Powerhouse model and see if any of them give you a look at the inside of the boats, otherwise I'll have a look and see what I can find.

 

John

[jct]

Simply lovely 

[vossiewulf]

I'm not seeing anything one could complain about, looks very good.

[popeye the sailor]

thanks for the kind comments and the likes..........looks like I need to look some more..   thanks John......I'll use your description as a guideline.  

[jct]

Hey Denis...if the interior of the boats is the only thing that is not correct you could always just scratch a tarpaulin for the ones on ht davits...that is unless you wish to detail the insides

J 

[rwiederrich]

Tarping the external boats adds depth, interest and detail to your build...and is a quick way to remedy the issue.  Or you can go the other direction and gut the interiors and scratch build their interiors to correct representations.

 

It's all about what makes the captain happy.

 

Rob

[popeye the sailor]

thanks for the input gents .......I thought about doing that.    on the Cyril Hume model,  there is only one rigged to the port side davits.  the starboard side has a boarding ladder.   I'm thinking of not doing the ladder and have another boat there instead.   the other problem is that these are not clinker planked.

     John mentioned doing some looking into this for me........looking at the Cyril Hume model,  it's hard to tell.   thanks for the suggestions......if I use them,  I will most likely do that,  and hide the nonconformity    I made a good choice in the size of the little buggers......can't see them going towards a larger model   

[Jim Lad]

Popeye,

 

i think Mr Hume has let us down a bit in the way of his boats!  Wooden lifeboats were almost invariably clinker built (I won't say always, as there may be one somewhere that was carvel!) and, as you're no doubt aware, Thermopylae carried four boats - two upturned on the forward house and two under davits aft.  Good photographs of the original ship are hard to come by, so I'm not sure whether all the boats were lifeboats or whether one or two of them were launches - quite probably the latter.

 

I not that the Aberdeen Maritime Museum has recently purchased an original builders model of Thermopylae - it might well be worth while contacting them and asking if there are any photos of the model available.

 

John