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

[Jim Lad]

In spite of your setbacks (for which I feel partly responsible - having commented on the height of the companionway ) you're really making progress, Popeye!

 

John 

[popeye the sailor]

it's not a problem John.....I value your input.  don't you dare go anywhere!    I'm sure there's a half way decent model in here somewhere     I've been mess'in with these darn bulwarks for most of the afternoon.   I've been wanting to do the inner planking and add the main length of pin rails to the inner bulwarks to beef them up.  since I'm not used to cutting out the bulwark posts,  the port side developed a crack.......every time I pick it up,  it cracks again.   not only that,  I wasn't keen how not even they were to the stern section.   this will give me a chance to level both sides out.   the starboard side is done,  now I'm working on the port side.   it will give me the opportunity to install the waterways too.   I should have an update soon   

 

thanks to all who hit the like button  

[EJ_L]

All these little components are coming together nicely and are gradually making bigger and really nice cabins. Looking forward to seeing them all in place aboard your Thermopylae as they are really going to bring her to life. Excellent work!

[S.Coleman]

Looks neatly done. I do like the brass decorations on the sides of the walls. I really do like the contrasting different words. They really stick out. Great work keep up the good work.

[rafine]

You've been a busy guy, Denis. The cabins look very good.

 

Bob

[popeye the sailor]

thanks E.J.  and Scott......and to all who hit the like button.  strange things are going on around here.........it seems my desk has become the work bench.   it seems to react almost like the tide.   the clutter builds and recedes with every thing I've done so far........the brass........the structures......and now with what I've turned my attention to.......the hull.   I grew tired of play'in with the small stuff.

    all the while I planked the hull,  I didn't like the bulwarks.....they weren't even or in line with the decks.   to plank the inner bulwarks will change all that.   using 0.5 x 2 mm strip,  I rose from the deck line 2 rows.......add the pin rail strip,  and then one more row for the top of the bulwark.   the belaying pin racks will be added later.   I wasn't keen on cutting out the bulwark posts either......I've never done it before.  I always felt that they added strength to the cap rails.......but on some models,  they need to be removed,  and this one is no exception.   it made the bulwarks weaker.....and through handling,  the port side bulwark had developed a crack along the deck line,  making matters worse.  the starboard side was done first.......and confirming my suspicions.......had a deficit where the aft deck and main decks meet......visibly showing that there is a serious taper here.   it must be built up and sanded down to create the natural curve that these clippers have.   the starboard side went well,  and the line was achieved.

I ran the pin rail strip all the way to the #2 bulkhead,  later cutting out the excess,  to allow the fore deck to sit flush to it.

the port side was done in the same manner........two rows of thin strip,  and then the pin rail strip.......followed by the strip that will separate the cap rail from the pin rail.

when the last strip was cemented in place,  the taper on this side was quite evident.

at the aft end....almost the entire 2 mm strip was exposed.......not good at all.   I could tell though,  that the weak bulwark has been repaired.   both sides have become quite stiff......they do not flex anymore.   working on the bow first,  the same thing was done to the pin rail.......mark and cut out the excess for the fore deck.

now to move on down to the aft end and fix the problem there.

[popeye the sailor]

thanks Bob.....I did some minor tweaking to the aft cabin.   now that the roofs are done,  they look even better.  thanks for the good word  

[mtaylor]

Sweet work, Denis.   Everything just looks super.  

[jct]

looking really nice Denis, not so bad with the small stuff your own self, i see!   Cabins are sweet   

[popeye the sailor]

thanks Mark.   I'm slowly getting used to the small parts  >note to self.......must get back to a larger model<  >going nutso here<    

 

thanks J     I'm so used to the larger kits........this one is a test on the nerves.  top it off with the problems I've come across so far,  and it's........well,  a thinker's model.  I've seen a couple of finished models already,  and to be quite frank.....I'm wondering how they managed to do it.   I suppose it was "one piece at a time."    the cabin assemblies are a bit different than what you had to do...I had wooden and metal plates to overlay on the structure 'plugs'.   all this amounted to was an easier solution,  in adding the external detail.

   I took a slightly different road.......having to remake the hold boxes,  I decided to combine it with fleshing out the main deck.  I'm still compiling pictures,  so the next update will be larger.   glad to have you following along  

 

thanks to all who hit the like button.....not sure what the problem is with the like button,  but I appreciate all who chooses to use it  

[Nirvana]

Denis,

 

Quote

thanks to all who hit the like button.....not sure what the problem is with the like button,  but I appreciate all who chooses to use it  

 

Do you mean its being used to much?

Sorry in that case I have no solution.

[popeye the sailor]

here is the update on the aft bulwarks.   they came out better than I figured they would.   I was going to wait to post this,  but the heck with it.........I'm working on the holds at the moment anyway. 

      once the deficits were filled in,  sanding shaped them the rest of the way.   now the bulwark lines run straight back and transition to the stern bulwarks...evenly.

yea......gotta fill in those stupid holes.   I'll get to the external in due time.....hopefully paint at the same time  

I used mahogany strip to create the waterways,  and started to border off where the structures are to be.

more to come  

[popeye the sailor]

thanks Zoltan.......I hope to be planking the deck.   if all goes well........I will be  

 

Dr. Per......I heard that there was a count associated with the like button before the site update.  now I'm hearing that the update nulled this count and that the like button means nothing.   I didn't care about rank back then.........I'm not into the count thing either.   the only factor as far as reputation goes that I go by,  is how one conducts themselves on the site.  I don't need a quantifier to tell me that I'm just an average Joe here.   the site will change from time to time,  but as long as I can still value friendship,  that's good enough for me  

[Nirvana]

Denis,

I still like the build of yours. 

So unfortunate you have to live with the "like" clicks.

[popeye the sailor]

well then.......click away,  my good friend!  

 

at the moment,  i'm holding a piece of mahogany down with two fingers.  that leaves me with one good hand........let's see if I can pull this off.   the holds are done now......rather than risk them sticking to the table again,  i did them right on the deck.   the front and rear parts were cemented to the deck first,  then the sides.

      

 

[BANYAN]

Hi Denis - found you   I was wondering why your trawler was mothballed   An interesting build with very good progress.  I have bolted my chair to the floor so I can't be pushed aside

 

I think the purpose of the Like button, as used now, is to allow readers to acknowledge posts and a like means they like what you have said or done - which to me is a sensible implementation.

 

cheers

 

Pat

[Omega1234]

Hi Denis

 

I didn't realise that the Likes system had changed either, but like you, I also value the comments, advice, friendship and recognition that comes with participating actively on MSW. 

 

On on another note, after catching up with the last few days of your posts, I'm nicely impressed with how your little beauty's going. 

 

Top job!

 

Cheers

 

Patrick

[Old Collingwood]

4 hours ago, popeye the sailor said:

well then.......click away,  my good friend!  

 

at the moment,  i'm holding a piece of mahogany down with two fingers.  that leaves me with one good hand........let's see if I can pull this off.   the holds are done now......rather than risk them sticking to the table again,  i did them right on the deck.   the front and rear parts were cemented to the deck first,  then the sides.

      

 

Looking good denis  very very nice building work going on here.

 

OC.

[lambsbk]

She seems to be coming along very nicely and you are making fast progress. I'm watching with a smile.

[popeye the sailor]

hello all!    sorry for the silence......I just wanted to get through my work week.   now that it's done and behind me,  I can look forward to some extended time off......I took the upcoming weekend off.   I didn't stop at the last update.......I'm sure there are a few more pictures in the camera.   I'll dig them out and post them.

 

hello Pat......a funny thing happened on the way to the trawler.   I was painting the buoys........but I had the structures on my desk,  and I ended up tinkering with them instead.   I will get back to the Syborn very soon.........I've done everything that was bugging me about the Thermopylae.   now I can plank the deck........that'll boggle my mind with all the small pieces I'll have to cut {I'll NEED a distraction}.   I did get a chance to try Michael's Idea..........

 

thanks Patrick.......I feel the same way about the like button.   

 

thanks OC   

 

welcome aboard Dave........enjoy   

 

[popeye the sailor]

I just cleaned out the camera and there were these four pictures.   I accented the holds and the bulkheads in flat green...it should go nicely with the outer hull color.   the layout is outlined in mahogany, so the main deck is ready for deck planking.   the fore deck and the poop deck will follow.   enjoy  

 

I still need to do the hold tops........tomorrow  

[BANYAN]

Great to see you back at the build table Denis; hopefully all is good now?

 

cheers

 

Pat

[popeye the sailor]

I'm doing OK Pat.......last week was fun for me.  it felt good to be back at it.   I'm working on the hold tops  {as promised}......should have them done by this evening.   that bulwark issue I had {the cracked port side} is totally gone!   they are as sturdy,  as if they still had the posts    I'm very happy about that.  gotta get back to painting those buoys....only forty-something beads in two colors...how hard can that be!?!?!?!   I'll get that trawler build up and moving again      thanks for the good word,  and thanks for asking 'bout how I am.......very thoughtful  

 

thanks to every one for the likes......still look'in for the ship in this box........I know it's in here somewhere!  

[popeye the sailor]

I didn't get as far as I would have liked yesterday........I was site surfing while I was making the hold covers.   I got as far as getting them trimmed and planked,  and then giving them the stain.

this morning,  I gave them the lacquer coat and set them aside to dry.

FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!   I was able to get back to painting the buoys for the Syborn!   happy, happy,  joy.....joy!      when they were dry,  they were dry fitted on the deck.

I have a picture of the aft most hold cover,  to show with the relation to the bulkhead that I painted the flat green.   when the deck is finally planked and lacquered,  and the outer hull is painted,  I think this will be a nice blend of green.  that's why I painted the flat green sparingly along the entire deck layout.   I had a second though of putting the aft cabin on the deck.......instead,  here is that picture.

I still need to accent the aft bulwarks and deck with the annegre and mahogany.........I can't wait to try and make the piece to go around the transom.   the cap rail will be the same process.

[hof00]

That's awesome Chap!!

Are you going to do "Lifting Rings" also for the Hatch Covers?

(Detail stuff)

 

Cheers....HOF.

[donrobinson]

Really coming along, looks good!

[Omega1234]

Hi Denis

 

Very nice work on the cabin and hatches.  She's certainly come a long way, that's for sure!

 

Cheers

 

Patrick

[popeye the sailor]

thanks for the kind comments and the likes.   that's an interesting question Hof.......on clipper ships like the cutty,  they are also covered with a tarp of sorts.   I'm not going to do that.....I'd rather show the hold covers as they are.   it would be hard pressed to find rings that small.........let alone try to attach them.   but in reading your question,  I seem to have come up with a cool solution.   of course, they don't supply anything for this in the kit,  but I do have some really small eye bolts.   they are copper colored though,  but I don't think it will matter in this case.  all I would need to do is bend the rings over 90 degrees and drill holes to install them.   four per cover should do the trick    what do ya think of that?

 

thanks Don and Patrick     I think I'm starting to warm up to the kit  {take my temperature.......is that possible?!?!?!?!}

 

I'm beginning the deck planking.......first thing I looked at was how the bow spirit fit through the knight head.   though this won't be seen,  due to the fore deck and windlass,  I wanted to make sure I ran the planking far enough under the fore deck.   I'm still hesitant about cementing in the fore deck because of the hawse holes for the anchors.  I've been looking at Cyril's model,  and they appear to locate below the main deck platform.......inaccessible if this is true.   the study continues...........and so does the deck planking  

 

thanks again to all interested  

[donrobinson]

Just a thought on the hatch cover lifting rings, on my Trabakul build I used rope handles. Might be easier to scale down

[popeye the sailor]

neat idea Don.......I think the metal hardware might look more modern though.   I'll keep it in mind though     thanks for the idea.