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

[popeye the sailor]

on the other table,  I tested a few thing out on 'ole Thermie.   my recent scavenger hunt was fruitful,  although I failed to get the smaller size chain that I wanted.  I bought some......but it is the same size as the other spool I had bought some time ago.   I still have what looks like roughly 18 inches of that copper chain......I might have enough there.   I may even have some bits and short pieces in my inventory......I'll try and make do.

I was interested in the cannons I scoffed from the Jolly Rogers.   I gave them some sort of paint job.......could have gone with a brownish color for the carriages,  but I went with a red.   I only had gloss though.......I'll hit them with the flat lacquer and kill the shine.

the scavenger hunt also added two sizes of black beading thread to my inventory......I like this thread for the low fizzy quality and being prestretched.   the sheets are a sort of sticker.....I do not intend on using the trail boards and the stern decoration.   for the name,  I have a suitable printed nameplate,  that is much thinner....I just need to create the decorations along the sides.  it is my hope that the 'stickers' can be cut and trimmed to do the job.

the order I had place came in too......the two additional packs of belaying pins,  the pack of double blocks,  and the two boats.  they are clinker planked,  but seem to be missing the thwarts or parts for the interior....bother!

here.....the fife rails need to be made shorter.......

blurry picture.......but these stanchion racks need to be fitted still.  I may even have to make another one here and there,  due to poor fit.....still need to figure this out.

I've opted to make a pair of anchors.... we'll see how that goes.   the cannons were hit with a coat of flat lacquer.........great!   they didn't melt!    dry fitted on the deck........I think they will do quite nicely.   they can be put anywhere on the aft deck and lashed down.  still thinking what else can be added.

more soon  

[Jim Lad]

 

Quote

still thinking what else can be added.

Ummm, some masts? 

 

John

[vossiewulf]

1 hour ago, Jim Lad said:

 

Ummm, some masts? 

 

John

Mast-mounted laser blasters! An electrified ram for taking out other tea clippers! TEA TORPEDOES!!

[popeye the sailor]

it's always the quiet ones,  isn't it?!?!?!     they are coming up John.......they need a bit more prep.  I have a little more to do with the deck...........if it's any consolation,  I have the bow spirit dry fitted.   more very soon.

 

thanks for the good word......and those who hit the like button.   I kinda walked into that one.......is there anything else I can walk into.......a wall......or a door    

[src]

2 hours ago, popeye the sailor said:

.......is there anything else I can walk into.......a wall......or a door    

Careful Denis, both Cog and Sjors are hiding in here somewhere...... Great progress BTW. Maybe its the camera angle but are those canons a bit small?

Sam

[popeye the sailor]

Sjors is in France     no matter........I laughed when I read John's post.   as for the cannons.....they most likely were no bigger than a nine pounder...perhaps even a smaller caliber.   the therm is 1:124......the Jolly is 1:130.......a guess that they aren't too far off.   I just thought of something....hang on......I'll be right back    icky mae!

[Greg the peg leg sailor]

G'day Denis 

The way you are going, this is heading for another Andrea Gail project. 

Bloody marvelous mate. 

Havagooday

Greg 

[Omega1234]

Hey Denis

 

I've finally had a chance to catch up with your Thermie!  Woohoo!!!!  What a brilliant job you've done so far.  The stern railing looks especially good.  It's also amazing to see how much each individual piece of detail changes the overall look of the ship; from the cannons and the pumps, through to the fife rails...what a nice job.

 

Keep up the great work.

 

Cheers

 

Patrick

[popeye the sailor]

thanks Greg and Patrick    to see what they instruct you to do in regards to the railings,  as opposed to what I did,  is night and day.   the look alone is more realistic.   it was a bit more work,  but I'm very happy how they came out..especially the stern railings.   there's a little more to go,  before I start on the masts....the main tree is assembled     thanks so much for the good word !

 

I dunno Greg.......I still think the A.G. came out better  

 

I think it better I go with the cannons I have Sam.   just for fun,  I finished out two of the cannon from the United States {I'm closing off the bridal ports,  so I won't need them anyway}.   when I got done with them,  I saw that it was too laughable to show them on the deck....the darn things can easily shoot over the bulwarks!    here they are in contrast to each other.......

1:96 as opposed to 1:130 is too wide a margin.   the intention of the joke was there....it was the execution that fizzled  

[src]

LOL Dennis!! I had a good laugh when I saw the difference. Mount them on the stern, early technology afterburners.

Sam

[keelhauled]

I like the large guns.  never know when the pirates will strike!   Also, when she is racing, she could used them to blow out the competitor's stern if she is passed.

Marc

[vossiewulf]

5 hours ago, src said:

LOL Dennis!! I had a good laugh when I saw the difference. Mount them on the stern, early technology afterburners.

Sam

I was just thinking that Popeye could probably make an awesome steampunk clipper. No really, that would be awesome. We just need to explain what steampunk is

 

I think the best simple explanation though is imagine that H.G. Wells thought up jet engines and all sorts of powerful machines (that would be powered by steam, since those were the engines of his time) and flying vehicles and what they would look like and how they would work if that were the case. Re-imagine what followed Victorian/Edwardian England if Nautilus became the pattern for an amazing range of new machines.

 

Generally good fun right up to the point where they start taking themselves a tad too seriously, but that could be said about almost anyone. Including ship modelers

 

 

[popeye the sailor]

kinda reminds me of the remake of the movie "Pan".   though most might not see it,  I enjoy some of the younger movies....especially since I have grand kids      there was a great fight scene between Capt. Cook,  pan and his entourage,  and some of the neverland cast.  they are some cool pictures vossie........but I think it best to keep the build on a more moderate tone  

[vossiewulf]

Oh no, not for Themopylae, just planting a seed for you maybe to think about for later (because it would be awesome).

[Greg the peg leg sailor]

I'll second that

[popeye the sailor]

......you really want to see me in a white jacket........don't you?!?!?!?!    

[vossiewulf]

41 minutes ago, popeye the sailor said:

......you really want to see me in a white jacket........don't you?!?!?!?!    

Nah I think it would be the exact opposite, no real ship to match or plans to figure out, sketch out something for yourself, maybe buy a couple cheap rocket kits for parts, and build whatever comes to your mind when you think of a flying sailing ship as imagine by H.G. Wells

 

[cog]

Nice idea though Vossie. You can watch a flying example in the last revision of the Three Musquetiers movie

[popeye the sailor]

please.......no fuel to the fire Carl      I've had a Bat boat on my mind....that's bad enough.   I've put a couple of things together.....but I ended up putting the rest on the back burner for the time being     one of these days,  I might try something that is truly alien    

 

hello Bob.......I will be getting back to this one very soon.   many thoughts on how I'm going to mast her.   it's not that I dislike the kit.....I never pictures my self having to scratch build something at this scale.   aspects that are left out of the kit,  is another turn off.  if your not big on scratch building,  this may not be a kit to consider....there's a lot of it.  it does appear to build into an attractive model though.....I have no intentions of shelving it.

   too bad you got rid of the Revell Thermopylae....along side the Cutty,  it would have made a great display.  I recently acquired a Revell U.S.S. Constitution,  1:96 scale......something I've been wanting for quite a while now.   I have the United States.....my second attempt to build her again.   she was such a grand build,  even though I didn't do a lot of painting on her.

   

as you've read......there is something that looks like photo etch available for this kit......finding clinker style life boats is frustrating in 1:124 scale......not to mention that the rigging diagram has the braces backwards.   I haven't encountered a build log that is very descriptive......so I guess it's left up to me.  I will try to depict every step of the way,  in the event that you decide to pull the trigger on this kit.   I hope you continue to follow along.   

[BANYAN]

So distracted again Denis   I hope you get back to finish her as she will make a nicely displayed model.  Have fun with your Constitution.

 

cheers

 

Pat

[popeye the sailor]

you still have the kit.......I thought you might have already traded it away.   there a re many ways to build a model......if you don't want to feel like your building through imitation {building the same model twice},  you could build her as a barque.  she was refitted in the 1890's,  after being sold to a Canadian company.  I have no info if she was renamed.......in 1897, she was sold to the Portuguese Navy as a training ship,   and renamed the Pedro Nunes.   she does have some stark differences than the Cutty though.  I've always had the notion that Revell back in the day,  cloned this particular series of ship models.  that's the reason why the Cutty kit and the Thermopylae kit are so identical.....they were produced using the same molds.   now that I have the Connie kit,  I want to compare it to the United States kit.......these two are clones of each other.   the Kearsarge and the Alabama are another example of cloning.  I know it's not a new thing.......this method of kit production has been done many times,  in the production of kits through the history of plastic models.  it cut down of the time it takes to make the molds for different models.   later on they came out with the 3 in 1 models and kits with extra parts to create different versions { the latter mainly pertained to aircraft and armor}.

     I do apologize if it sounds like I'm trying to sell you into keeping it......I think this particular series of kit by Revell was the best they've ever done.   I've built many of the 1:96 series.......I liked the fit,  the detail,  and the size of the model.   the Sergal Thermopylae kit is not as easy as the Revell kit,  in my opinion,  but that's up to you.  hope you find the ship your look'in for  

[popeye the sailor]

I guess the next question then,  would be the difference in scale.......how far apart are they?   I'm not familiar with the Heller Thermopylae.  kind of a unique reversal you'll be doing......I've heard more of folks adding wood to plastic,  rather than the other way around.   most are not happy with the amount of plastic they find in a wood kit,  and end up replacing the plastic stuff with either brass,  or scratch build the parts from wood.   it's your call.   

 

I have the links at the beginning of this log.   check them out to weigh out your options  

[popeye the sailor]

beads?.....only folks using beads,  are those either fastening yards to masts,  or making antenna wire insulators.  in my experience.......it's a matter of taste whether or not a modeler is satisfied with using the plastic parts found in wood model kits.  there are some that will build a kit out of the box,  using all of the supplied components of the kit.  on the other hand,  you have those who want to build a model that better represents the actual subject,  and find that some of the supplied parts will not suffice.   there are some that will even substitute the wood itself to achieve the overall look of the finished model.   I myself have a problem.....not with the plastic parts per say,  but the plastic they are made of.  Billing's for example does not use a styrene plastic,  but a plastic that is denser and fairly resilient to most cements.   aside from resorting to the use of a two stage epoxy,  I have yet to find a suitable cement for it.   plastic in a wood kit also has to have a purpose,  and fit or enhance the overall look of the model.

     modeling has many mediums......plastic,  wood,  and diecast........there are others,  but they don't fit the type of modeling we do.   I have encountered only a few plastic models that actually had wooden parts supplied in them...and those are older car kits.  plastic differs from wood for one major reason......exactness of scale.

    plastic models are made from molds,  which are tooled to the scale specified.  wood models don't have that option.......the wood is laser cut to the specific scale,  but it's the fitting that give the kit it's shortcomings.  I guess it would depend on the quality of the kit,  as to how exact to scale the fittings are.  I've seen some that look good.......others,  well.....not so much.  tackle along the lines of blocks and dead eyes should be wood....in wood kits,  and not plastic.   this is something that expanded through the years of wood model kit production,  as a means to cut cost.   I don't mind them,  but I'll only use them for fishing boats.....there is SOME detail value to them.

 

all this goes back to what I said in the beginning....everyone has a preference.  what I like may not be something you like.......I get that.   so before this gets too off topic,  we'll end it here.  I think we know what we all like or don't like about model kits.  we do the best with what's available to us  

 

 

[cog]

"aside from resorting to the use of a two stage epoxy,  I have yet to find a suitable cement for it."

 

I used UHU on both Smit Rotterdam and Smit Nederland, which worked rather well, if I may say so

[popeye the sailor]

I've not seen that type of cement around here.  I can't recall the cement I used when I built the Nordkap......something along the lines of the old Ambroid cement.  I wonder if Ambroid is still around?   I know the company has been sold to Northeast.....I have their site bookmarked.  CA doesn't even work.....no joke   

[Old Collingwood]

7 hours ago, popeye the sailor said:

I've not seen that type of cement around here.  I can't recall the cement I used when I built the Nordkap......something along the lines of the old Ambroid cement.  I wonder if Ambroid is still around?   I know the company has been sold to Northeast.....I have their site bookmarked.  CA doesn't even work.....no joke   

UHU is a general purpose (very sticky - stringy glue)  it bonds a lot of things like card, fabrics, leather, and dare say wood.

Its a great glue just a bit messy.

 

OC.

[popeye the sailor]

ohhhhhh....you mean Bazooka gum!  shoot....I can get that by the tub full!      I'm mostly a white glue and Ca guy.......just wish I could remember that other cement I used to use {came in a yellow tube}.   there are other glues out there.......I'm so used to what I use {kinda stuck in my ways},  never think to try something else.   

   I had an urge the other day to start measuring out yards for her.........been busy with life things and non related projects,  that it never happened.  all this talk is making me all peckish........versuvient!  I need to get back to this one.....caught myself chew'in on some basswood the other day  

 

I think it's time I started to make sawdust again     thanks for the head's up OC.

[Old Collingwood]

39 minutes ago, popeye the sailor said:

ohhhhhh....you mean Bazooka gum!  shoot....I can get that by the tub full!      I'm mostly a white glue and Ca guy.......just wish I could remember that other cement I used to use {came in a yellow tube}.   there are other glues out there.......I'm so used to what I use {kinda stuck in my ways},  never think to try something else.   

   I had an urge the other day to start measuring out yards for her.........been busy with life things and non related projects,  that it never happened.  all this talk is making me all peckish........versuvient!  I need to get back to this one.....caught myself chew'in on some basswood the other day  

 

I think it's time I started to make sawdust again     thanks for the head's up OC.

No problemo.

 

OC.

[popeye the sailor]

it's good you won something......hope that kit isn't as sparse as the Cutty as that scale....I recall the Cutty being 1:150.  I read your laments  

 

hey there Lawrence......I saw your post the other day....had to run out and didn't have time to reply.   now the Christmas holiday is bearing down,  but I'll try not to let it slow me down.   I have a bit more to go on the Jeanne D'Arc,  and then I can probably get back to some wood building.........ohhhh........my inner person is saying Yessssss!    I got the belaying pins from Cornwall boats...looked in the Amati listings.   it was the first one I went into that listed smaller ones...the ones I got in the kit looked like knewl post toppers!     the belaying pins are 5 mm.

[popeye the sailor]

jee Lawrence,  I would have thought you'd have snow by now      we are looking towards having an event or two during the week end.   for all that matters as well......I am ready.  not a problem......browsing around the Cornwall site,  you may find other things that you might be able to use.  I'm getting closer towards continuing this build....all I need is some uninterrupted time.      we take it as it comes........I suppose.   very nice progress on your golden Hind......I enjoy watching her develop....your visionary skills are exemplary.

 

......and my admiral Phyllis and I want to wish you a wonderful holiday as well.  be well and enjoy!