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

[popeye the sailor]

thanks for look'in in and the good word.  I didn't do much today.......most of the day was devoted to updating both logs on the blog site I belong to.   I did however make the main body of the cat head I ruined.   I will get something done tomorrow      thanks to those who hit the like button.

 

thanks Lawrence.......now I gotta see if I have a drill that small  

 

thanks Patrick........I should go and finish looking through that project.........I'm assuming you finished it  

[popeye the sailor]

started back on this first thing........I'm beginning to believe that working with basswood at this size....1/8 square stock......is going to be a bust.   I ruined a few more.   perhaps a harder wood might do the trick  

[Jack12477]

Denis, if you have a Lowes box store close by, check in their Molding aisle for 1/8 square poplar; I know they have 1/4" sq poplar because that's what I used to build the timber cribs for my Skipjack base.  They cost about 99 cents for a 3 ft strip.  But it is NOT in with their dimension lumber, it's in the back of store with the molding pieces. Since these big box stores all have pretty much the same layout try  aisle 47 crib G 13 H bottom shelf.   That's where my Lowes store has them.

[Nirvana]

My Lowes store has them in Aisle BW , Bay 86 ,

just checked online.

[popeye the sailor]

thanks for the tip gents........the only Lowes close by closed a couple years ago.   big store...empty....really nice layout.   I went by it last week to go to the dealer {auto} and they tore it all down!  they are building a strip mall.   what a waste!   I have a strip of what I believe is walnut.......but it's a little wider {not square} and might look out of scale.   I even looked in my parts panel box {I hated to} to see if there was anything I could scalp out of there.......cut a couple of 1/8 strips of 3/16 plywood.   then it dawned on me........I would try coating the tips of the basswood with CA.   I was about to give up and put an eye bolt on them,  so I could tie a double block on.......but on the Cyril Humes model,  slots can be seen......meaning that he must have drilled holes and slotted between them for rigging the anchor block assemblies.  I have the two outer holes drilled already......seemed to work......now I'll drill the two inner holes

[popeye the sailor]

little boxes.......on the hillside............little boxes... made of ticky tacky.......and they all look just the same.   that was my day........I can't even tell you how many cat heads I made.   but yes....once I tried the CA trick,  it worked like a charm.   now I just had to get the holes spaced evenly........yea......sure!   

then I got a fairly decent pair........

and I noticed that one of them,  the holes were a little off.   so,  I decide to make another.   after a few more tries,  I had one......fast forward to get up to speed with the other one,  and it was paint and banding.

I had to make the top slot a bit deeper for the cap rail,   but one side went on........and then the other side.   the first section of the cap rails is complete.   I still need to add stanchion railings.

this leads me into another repetitious task.  one that I'm still figuring out how to go about it.     I have an idea though.

[popeye the sailor]

there's a pink one.......there's a green one.......there's a blue one.......and a yellow one.    and they're all......made out of ticky tacky,  and they all look just the same     {Pete Seeger}   I had to figure out how to do the chain plates and dead eyes,  since the bracket parts {can't recall the name of them} for the dead eyes were useless.   lucky for me,  I had those Amati dead eye brackets......they got me out of a jam.   but it,  as doing something like this usually does, lead me to a new problem.   how am I going to assemble them?     it really didn't take too long before I figured out what to do.   to begin......we start with the chain plate.   I had no measurements......the diagrams are not 1:1 with the model,  and very little in the instructions.   I kinda put all the dead eyes in a row,  as they would look on the model and got my measurement from there.   the plate and the cap to lock in the dead eyes.......

I counted the bars that connect the dead eyes to the hull.   the kit gives 14 to a pair......that's all I got too.   unless I want to try and scratch make these brass parts,  I can't do what I would like to do.

14 per pair of shrouds.....X 3.........42 of these little buggers.   one end has a brad hole......the other end is what will be attached to the dead eye.   I used a pick to create a loop at the exposed loop of the dead eye bracket......from there,  I used a pair of needle nose pliers to crimp the wire around the pick and the dead eye.   removing the pick,  the jaw of the needle nose pliers was wedged in the loop, twisted it,  and then flattened the end in the jaws.   the bars are flat......they need to fit in there.   I might be confusing you.......it will be clear when you see what the end loop looks like.

      getting the arrangement from the diagram,  the plate was slotted to fit the wire of the dead eye.

this is the port side.......the rest are cemented in place.

you can see how the loops at the bottom are oval.......the bar must fit in there.   I will bend that end into a hook,  to make it easier to attach them.   the cap is cemented on and the outer corners are rounded.....and sanded.   it will be ready for paint.

it didn't take long to make the starboard side.   the one thing that was a pain,  was making the first slot.   I had to be careful not to accidentally cut off the tab,  that would be left on the end.   the reason why I mentioned this........is because it happened a few times.   a couple I could fix.......but the rest were tossed out and other plates were cut {I still have four 'just in case'}.

....and hey.......what the heck!   since I enjoy driving myself nutz,  I made the main mast chain plates too  

kinda reminds me of your carolers.......aye,  Jack       according to the instructions......the fore and main pairs look alike.   I disagree,  but I only have so many parts....I'm not going to scratch make these parts.    the only ones left now,  are the mizzen plates.......and  I still have to cut out the transom rail.   thanks for look'in in.......more tomorrow.  

[Jim Lad]

Popeye - WARNING!  Those whisker booms will catch on everything within 50 yards of the model!!!  Be very careful when working anywhere near the forward end of the model!

 

John

[jct]

Just catching up...nice progress Denis

[BANYAN]

Nicely constructed whiskers Denis; but, as John said - take some care these are just begging to be snagged

 

cheers

 

Pat

[rwiederrich]

Catching up with your log Popeye...very fine work on the Thermop.   I too thought of using the turned toothpicks...and I did manage to find some smaller ones in bamboo, but they still didn't work.  Had to order them.  Those brass straps on the deadeye hoops are called chain plates(many were actually made of chain..or hooper iron looking like chain)  The board the deadeyes are affixed to is the channel.

 

Again..fantastic job.

 

Rob

[Jack12477]

11 hours ago, popeye the sailor said:

kinda reminds me of your carolers.......aye,  Jack      

Aye Denis, that they do !

[popeye the sailor]

thanks for the fine comments and the likes!       thanks Rob for clearing that up.  I hear ya John and Pat........I've been trying to discern what note it sounds like.   I had no choice but to install them this early.......they lay under the cap rails.   I'm being careful    

 

I had it figured out.........bend the rounded end on those bars,  and I'd be good......right?    but the problem still persists......in fact,  it got a little bigger.   I'll let ya know when I find the solution  

[popeye the sailor]

now let me see........what did I say?   I wasn't going to scratch make these parts........I'm sure I did.   well......to start the ball rolling,  the port side fore channel / dead eye assembly was cemented in place.

I counted out seven of those bars........in bending the top end into a loop,  it broke!  this is not good......it broke in a way that made it unusable.   it makes me one short,  and I wasn't going to try another one.   since these were useless,  I had to think about what to use instead.........and I remembered that I had these....

these are found in Billing kits.......as you can see,  I've amassed quite a few of them.   I didn't like using them in the kits I got 'em in,  so I saved them and found other uses for them.  I cut them to size,  fitting them so they would be attached just above the rub rail.   they are quite bendable......I was able to create the hook needed to go through the eyelet. 

setting the first one up {I wasn't going to paint them},  I drilled the hole for the brad.   I was alarmed to find that the drill went through the bulwark,  and skirted over the deck!   I'm glad I noticed {actually woke the hell up}........can you imagine all these brads lining the bulwarks.   the deck wasn't damaged.......I repaired the hole.   I needed to make them longer.

they have to fasten below the rub rail.........wasn't looking forward to bending them around the rail,  so I decided to cut slots for them.   stringing them on the wire,  I was able to cut them all the same length.   I did the first one with no problems at all.

the hook at the top,  and a brad down at the bottom......insuring that I made sure they were pulled down all the way,  I wouldn't have to secure the top.  the rest were done the same way.

they were removed in order......the cuts were touched up with the med green.   I had used the black I had created for the Titanic,  to paint the whiskers on the cat heads.   I decided to use it here as well.   when they were all reinstalled and fastened down,  they were touched up with the soot black.

the port side main mast was next to do........during this time,  I decided to add the starboard side fore channel assembly.   I had cut the next segments of the cap rail,  and they were added too,  after they were painted.   I also added the main mast channel assemblies.

we have a major problem going on at the moment.......the refrigerator stopped working.   I found it was beginning to get warm inside,  so we headed out to buy coolers for the stuff in the fridge.  we have a chest freezer,  so the freezer part of the fridge was put in there {good that we bought it}.   the session was broken throughout the afternoon.....I worked on her here and there while remedying the problem at hand.   we found that it will be a few days before our landlord can get us a new fridge......so we went out again to get a bigger cooler,  because the two little ones we bought wasn't going to cut it.  more to the story........but I don't want to see a lynch mob come here for the landlord.......bad enough WE want to kill 'em!    so a while later,  the port side was done.

it took me till just a short time ago to get the starboard side done too.

all that's left are the mizzen channel assemblies.  I have the segments that will lead up to them painted and ready to cement in place.  from there,  will be the transom rail,  that will complete the cap rail assembly.   what a crazy day!

 

[Jim Lad]

Very nicely done, Popeye!

 

John

[DenPink]

Well done mate.

 

Denis.

[jct]

Nice save Popeye...spares box to the rescue

[popeye the sailor]

thanks every one for the kind comments and the likes.   sometimes it pays to save the stuff not used in kits.   the mizzen will be easier......if I use the shorter ones,  the brads won't be seen.   if I have the time today,  I will try and complete the cap rail and assembly.     thanks for look'in in.......even though it might look like I'm hav'in it tough with this kit.......I'm enjoying every min of it  

[mtaylor]

Just catching up..lovely work, Denis.  

[src]

Well done Dennis.

Sorry to hear about your landlord woes. Good ones are a blessing when you find one, bad ones should be thrown bodily into a den of lions.

Sam

[BANYAN]

Those chain plates sit very nicely and look good Denis; nice work.  

 

cheers

 

Pat

[popeye the sailor]

thanks Mark and Sam..........there is a lot more to the story.   yesterday,  we had an electrician who kept shutting off power to parts of the house.   you would know that my computer was in the circuit he was playing with!   needless to say,  I shut down,  rather than reboot.    I did get a little more done.   the aft sections of cap railing was added to the rest of the cap railing.

the fore and main masts were cut out and set in place.   still trying to decide if the height is correct.......no measurements to go by on the instructions.

the first part of the bow spirit was created as well.   the spirit part of the bow spirit was also cut.

the biggest thing was that I assembled the mizzen channel assemblies.   I made the arrangement just a little bit different.

I hope to have more after I get through the work week.  thanks for look'in in  

 

[Omega1234]

Hey Denis

 

The whole hull sure looks good, especially with the lovely details you're adding, eg capstan, cat heads, etc.

 

It's a pity about your woes with the Landlord and electricians...some things are sent to try us, aren't they?  I hope it all works out well for you.

 

Cheers

 

Patrick

 

.    

[popeye the sailor]

done with my work week.......and damn glad of it!!!    it's all good Patrick........I've become clairvoyant.......I see a man in a red union suit and a pitchfork,  roasting my landlord's butt over an open fire!       what comes around,  goes around!

 

tried to visit here last night,  but the focus just wasn't there.    kept falling asleep at the computer..............but I'm MUCH better now!!!    we'll see what I get into today.

[Omega1234]

10 hours ago, popeye the sailor said:

done with my work week.......and damn glad of it!!!    it's all good Patrick........I've become clairvoyant.......I see a man in a red union suit and a pitchfork,  roasting my landlord's butt over an open fire!       what comes around,  goes around!

 

tried to visit here last night,  but the focus just wasn't there.    kept falling asleep at the computer..............but I'm MUCH better now!!!    we'll see what I get into today.

...red union suit and pitchfork!!!!  'Go get him, Denis', was my initial reaction, but of course, diplomacy, diplomacy, diplomacy, yada yada yada....

 

Seriously though, I don't know why Landlords need to be so difficult sometimes.  I hope everything ends well.

 

Cheers

 

Patrick

.

[popeye the sailor]

Ain't I da devil?      we'll see.......it's supposed to be here tomorrow.

 

I didn't think I'd get much done......it doesn't seem like much.   the stern is where I began...cutting out the transom railing.....both of 'em.

I figure I'd work on both of 'em......if one bites the dust,  I still got the other one.   the way the grain ran was the biggest problem....they did break in a couple places.   but I'd glue them back together and continue on.  while I was sanding them into shape,  the chain plate assemblies were cemented in place.

sanding.......another break and fix......more sanding.   cut 'em to size,  and I had a winner............

then came the bars to hold the dead eyes in place......as mentioned,  I installed them above the rub rail,  instead of cutting the slots through it.   fasten them down with brads after painting them,  and touched them up.

I had painted the gun port lids  {there's another term for them....I forget}.....now that the assemblies are in place,  I have a better idea of their placement {the instructions and diagrams have them in awful places.

the lavatories are cemented in place........

but the fun stopped with the aft cabin.   the mizzen mast runs through the cabin and through a hole inside.   the aft cabin is just dry fitted at the moment,  but the holes are off,  and this gives the mizzen mast more rake than the others.   I have a couple of ideas.....tomorrow I'll see which one is better.

I should hold off on the rest of the deck stuff anyway......I should do the rudder next.

 

[src]

Well done Dennis, it always amazes me how much you get done in a day. Not only quantity but quality too.

Sam

[Jim Lad]

You do more in a day than I do in a week, mate!

 

John

[BANYAN]

Ditto  and with nice results.

 

cheers

 

Pat

[rafine]

It's coming along beautifully Denis. I never cease to be amazed by what you accomplish in this small scale.

 

Bob