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

[popeye the sailor]

thanks John........I will do that  

[NenadM]

So ... hard decision ... will you complicate your life with scratch build of boats ? They will be very very visible on finished model 

[popeye the sailor]

hi Nenad.........dunno....I could look around a bit more.  now that I have the size locked down {50 mm looks good},  I at least have something to go on.   this whole build will have me doing a lot of scratch building.........I'll see if I have to add them to the mix  

 

I haven't done anything on the model........last week was spotty table visits,  and this week I have been sick.  I was told by my primary care doctor,  at my last physical,  that I should have my teeth pulled,  as they were becoming an issue.   guess I ignored it for too long.   in spite of what my admiral suggested,  I opted to go to our primary care doctor....I thought there might be more to it than that.   I was right.   the short of it........quitting smoking is in my cards......it's gonna have to be  

 

it's always good to get ahead,  but the hull is no where near ready to start accepting ideas just yet.   I looked into the Aberdeen Maritime Museum....they do have a couple of interpretations of the vessel,  but neither one helps me out much.....the search continues.

[cog]

Hope you feel better soon. I know about the teeth, and the smoking too. Neither will be easy (mentally) so I wish you strength and perseverance.

 

Good luck with the search!

[Bill Morrison]

I have always preferred Thermopylae to Cutty Sark.  I have considered purchasing this kit, so I am very interested in this build!  Nice job so far.

 

Bill

[popeye the sailor]

thanks Bill.........my two cents.........for the scale of the model,  and how much scratch building you'll need to do,   it might be best to find a good set of plans and go completely mad     I suppose this kit makes a reasonably nice model,  out of the box,  but so far I have found a few things that need tweaking.

    welcome.......good to have another following along  

 

thanks Carl.   I'm doing much better.........good enough to do a little sanding and cut some parts to make another galley.   the galley construction in the kit, looks more like the Cutty.   I contacted Aberdeen Maritime museum.......not too much help there I'm afraid.  they did send me some pictures,  but I haven't had a look at them yet.   I'll do some more digging around,  but it looks like I'll be drawing ideas from Cyril's model.  I can safely say the rigging dilemma has been pretty much taken care of........with what I have now,  I'm confident that I can get it close to what it should be.  I should have some sort of update on this build soon  

 

thanks for every one looking in. 

[popeye the sailor]

I did a bit more work on this build.   the Hume model showed a more rectangular galley.   I've also been wrestling with the idea of second planking the outside of the hull.   the one con that keeps me from doing it,  is the idea that it would make the hull look thick around the bow and stern.  I do have to adjust the height of the stern though,  and bring down the additions I glued there,  to even out the aft bulwarks.   I used the drywall sander.......but I think it needs to be finished off with a wooden block covered with sandpaper........the sander has that rubber backing behind the sandpaper,  and I'm not getting a flat look.

 

 

it needs more........    cutting the parts to make up another galley structure,  I cut the aft wall,  so it was almost as wide as the front wall.   apparently,  I don't think it was enough.

 

 

since it does get away from the rounded look of the Cutty galley {the kit designed galley structure},  I might be on to something.   I cut out the galley parts from the metal sheet.   noting that they are smaller than the sides of the structure,  I'm taking 0.5 x 2,  0.5 x 1,  and 0.5 x 0.5 mm mahogany strip stock,  and bordering it around the metal plate,  casing them in....as it were.    I'm using the extra strips I had cut of the 1/32nd flat stock,  clamped in place,  to keep anything from lifting.

 

 

I've done both side walls so far............I'm doing the aft wall now......and then I'll get to the front wall,  where I'll also have to attach a companionway.    hope I have more for you folks soon.

Edited February 9, 2017 by popeye the sailor

[rwiederrich]

Popeye...have you seen these images of the Thermopylae...I post some time ago?

 

The exploded view is amazing..but you can see the details of her design.

 

Rob

[popeye the sailor]

Yes sir........I do.  I saw these while searching images on the net........I saved copies      there are a couple of other pictures,  along with those two....I have them as well.   thanks for posting them.......I like the looks of the construction too.

 

here again though........the fore castle deck is not the same as the kit deck.   it lends more toward the Cutty.    if I were to clone another hull,  outside of the decorations........I could come up with a pretty good Cutty Sark!  

[rwiederrich]

What stage are you going to build her?  With green hull or white...when she was cut down to a barkentine?

 

I started the Revell Version first painting it.

[popeye the sailor]

is that the 1:150 kit?   I built one a long time ago........still have it in the living room.   she's a bit dusty.......she has survived a few moves.

 

 

 

 

it's a Revell kit.......I forget the scale.   haven't seen her in white either......interesting     I like the bark look......but I think square rig will be on the menu for this one.    if I should do a Cutty,  they'll match  

 

thanks for posting the pictures  

[rwiederrich]

No...I was building the 1/96 scale version.  I reversed my direction on her and am turning this kit into a kit bashed version of the West Coast built clipper the Western Shore...build in Coos Bay in 1874,,,the last wooden clipper ever built, anywhere in the world.

[Lucius Molchany]

No I do not like it i white.Green is the way to stay!

[Nirvana]

Yepp! Green looks so much better.

[rwiederrich]

Green/White....that all depends on what stage of her life you want to model her in....I guess.....

 

Rob

Edited February 10, 2017 by rwiederrich

[hof00]

Thanks Gary,

Completed to Mantua/Sergal C/S, Instructions were a one Pager.... Plans not that much better.

Used a combination of plans from A.L, Billings, Sergal and Cutty Sark Society to get a decent result, In my estimation the wood and Laser cut stuff was spot on!!

 

Yup,

The Cutty Sark turned out very well for a novice. (C/S on this site under HOF00)

 

Cheers....HOF.

[cog]

Good to hear you feel better Dennis. Even better to see you at the tools again. Give my best wishes to Phyl.

 

Cheers

[popeye the sailor]

I plan on the green,  since it's the color I'm used to seeing.   as it's shaping up........I may not be able to correct all the little nuances with it,  but I'm gonna do my best.  I'm working on the galleys at the moment........I should have an update soon.

 

that's what I'm having to do Hof........just as Revell used the Cutty to clone their kit of the Thermopylae,  so have these guys.  I'm sure most model manufacturers are no different.   Billing does it too   I have the site that John linked me too.........that's about as good a replica as I'm going to see.  I can't say too much bad about the kit......it would make a decent model.......it would just have a few inaccuracies  

 

hello there Gary!   no parts list here........I only got two large sheets.   first sheet is the hull......flip over to many diagrams and the rigging.   the second sheet is a full view of the mast and sails......you have to use this to cut out all the sails.   the back side to that one is a few more diagrams and instructions in multi languages.   your correct......this kit would be better suited to build a Cutty.  the scale is another Achilles heel......trying to find additional parts is hard.....the biggest curiosity,  is the absence of life boats.   I have a few ideas of my own,  and coupled with what I have,  I'm sure it will turn out look'in alright.   thanks for the info.....I hope you follow along  

 

thanks Carl..........when you see the next update,  you'll know I'm on the up & up  

Edited February 10, 2017 by popeye the sailor

[popeye the sailor]

I spent some time on her today.......working on the galleys.   as mentioned,  the one that will get the metal plating is taking most of the time,  having to border them off in mahogany.   I have the two sides and the aft done so far.

 

 

 

 

I've started to assemble the companionway and the front of the structure.   as mentioned,  I wanted this one to be more rectangular,  than the other one.   it does eat up a bit more deck......but I like it.

 

 

 

I wasn't warm and fuzzy about how the roof is shaped on the companionways,  so I gave them a more rounded appearance.      I have put away some of the 1/32 flat stock in my scrap bin.   this stuff is very flexible and will make these rounded bends without breaking.  helps too if it is damp,  so I soaked it for a couple of mins.......it's all it takes.   

 

 

the one with the metal will get finished off.........the other one will be done with the wood panels.   another thing I finally did,   was cap off that aft bulkhead for the poop deck.   that bugged me to no end!   I also did more sanding to the poop bulwarks.......may need a tiny bit more tweaking,  but the bulwarks are level with the deck.

 

 

 

 

I cut out the rest of the metal plates......panels?,  I needed to finish off the galley.   I have these two skylight blanks that I will try and cut down to fit the roof parts........have to see how they work out.

 

 

I only have to work tomorrow..........I took the rest of the week end off.   thank the good lord!   small squall tonight....but another larger storm for Sunday into Monday.   I'd rather be home!    brace up Tom......February is shaping up to be the snow month!

[Tigersteve]

Good work!

Steve

[rwiederrich]

Cast your anchor has some scale boats that might work...

 

Rob

[cog]

Nice progress, Denis. The details make her more ship like, instead of a mere hull.

[Lucius Molchany]

Looks good I notice you built in the camber of the deck.This one should be special.

[vossiewulf]

Nice progress Popeye, and I agree with philo426 that the deck camber looks perfect.

[popeye the sailor]

thank you gentlemen........I only sanded the char off the bulkheads.   I didn't want to lose the camber.   the structures are interesting to assemble,  but I would like to get something done on the hull.   I need to mark out the areas for the structures though,  so I can do the deck planking.   I want to do the waterways and around the structures with the mahogany,  before I plank.   I'm thinking that the deck is laid with yellow pine,  with teak outlining the structures.    also,  the inner bulwarks is planked with a darker wood.......I may go with annegre {used in the majority of the Billing kits}  I notice that I have a supply of this wood in the kit......0.5 x 2 mm.   pin rails will also line the inner bulwarks.

 

Thanks Rob........I will check them out      thanks to all who hit the like button!

Edited February 12, 2017 by popeye the sailor

[Piet]

Nice progress Denis, she's coming along great.

 

Cheers,

[Old Collingwood]

Looking Great  -  she so reminds me of the Cutty Sark  when I visited her as a young child, they where so graceful yet poweful

 

 

OC.

[Old Collingwood]

Looking Great  -  she so reminds me of the Cutty Sark  when I visited her as a young child, they where so graceful yet poweful

 

 

OC.

Oh also at the side of Cutty Sark was the small yaht  Gypsy Moth - so tiny compaired to the Sark.

 

 

OC.

[popeye the sailor]

thanks for the kind comments and the likes folks.........it does help to decrease the uncertainty as I get further along with the build.   as spyglass mentioned.........for those who aren't sure how large this model is.......the hull from bow stem to stern,  is only 18 1/2 inches long.   the parts are small....I'd even say tiny,  compared to other models I've built.   I'm finding out that some parts are quite delicate.......as shown here.  to pass the time yesterday,  I played around a bit more with some of the deck parts.  the winch looked like a good place to start.   I began this bit of playtime with the wooden parts for the winch.

   trying to assemble it as a dry fit,  I found that some parts didn't fit too good,  or not at all.   holes needed to be drilled out larger,  for the rollers to fit into the end parts........as well as the drums,  not drilled out enough to fit the rollers either.  then the top hole on one side of the winch end caps broke,  causing me to abandon the dry fit.

 

 

these parts are nicely done.......all of the punch outs are clean.   I do have another sheet I can play with later,  in the event that I create another hull frame.   after this happened,  I turned my attention to the metal sheet.  all of the punch outs needed to be cut out.......punching through with a drill,  and then cleaning them out with an x-actor blade.  it did work out well,   as metal carving goes.......having some lilliputian files would have been nice.

 

 

 

little by little.........cut,  scrape,  and eyeball..........repeat,  until they got to where they look halfway decent.

 

 

then,  it was the painstaking task of drilling out all of the drums,  so they would fit on the roller pins.   it was a lost cause to pinch them in my fingers,  to drill them.....the bit would bind in the metal and start them spinning.  I literally had to trap them in a clothes pin,  and clamp them in the vise......and use my battery operated drill to ream out the holes.   the first roller was done......the little guy near the top of the pict.

 

 

the bottom roller had a larger diameter pin on one side,  than the other {unknown reason why},  so the drum and the winch end cap for that side needed to be drill out to fit..  that process is now done........I did get to dry fit,  but the fit is still poor due to the fact that both rollers are not at an equal width {concerning the center area}.  when I finally assemble it,  two short rods need to be added to the base,  and they should square it up.

 

 

 

I'm also looking at what I believe is called the bilge pump......basically,  just a straight rod with three odd looking things in the middle.   there must be some way to dress them up and make the assembly look more functional.  as for the other parts I have for the winch......I don't have any more parts this size to make them,  but I'm sure I can scratch something out.....we'll see     now..........all this looks like more fun than a grown man can handle,  but an idea arose from it.  if I can do this to these parts....scalping out all the punch outs,  what can that mean for the skylight parts for the galley?   does this mean that the skylight plugs I have might not be needed?  would I venture to make the frame for a hollow skylight?

 

oh.........the plot thickens.....

[Jim Lad]

Popeye,

 

Just for reference, these are the pumps on my model of the 'Nautilus' for reference.  I would think that your pumps are the same type.

 

John