Thermopylae by Tjalle58 - Finished - Sergal - Scale 1:124

[popeye the sailor]

oh.............I'm going to pull out the rigging diagram for 'ole Thermie and start sizing the yards.........I want to see just how out of scale the fitting I got are.

I also got a couple more life boats.   I'm still working on getting some that are clinker planked.........but these are 25 x 95 mm and clearly too large to use  

I'll likely stick to what I have.....at least they are somewhat in scale  

[Tjalle58]

Hi Puckotred and Denis. I have the rigging tools and I use them. I am not quite familiar with them yet but sometimes they are really handy.

It sure is the upper topsail yard lift on my picture. And it's a bit careless of me not to notice that the line or block was wrong before I assembled them. I have the Mizzenmast to go so I will try to do that more carefully. I have used white glue so far on that mast and it looks better so it's worth the waiting.

As I said before I would like to build this ship again and correct all the misstakes but when finished it will be a nice decoration on the mantelpiece  Noone but me will notice but that is the problem, I will notice 😂

[popeye the sailor]

if you do attempt to build her again.......it might be good to find a kit in a larger scale.   I was going to try and build both the Thermopylae and the Cutty Sark {clone a hull from this kit}......but due to the scale,  I'm glad I didn't.   the only kits that I can think of are the Revell kits.........but both these kits utilizes the same molds,  being plastic kits.  I recall reading complaints from folks inquiring about decals,  because the wrong ones were placed in the Thermopylae kit {they got the Cutty decals}.   

    if you can keep the lines as tangle free as possible,  it will enhance the looks of the model...........planning the rigging logically will help as well.  your doing a good job so far........your finding what works and what don't.  never down yourself.......your learning and that all that matters.  practice serving blocks and lines.......the wraps should be evenly wound......three or four times is good.   I remember back in the day when all I did was knots    

[Tjalle58]

Ha ha, no I wont build her again but maybe Cutty Sark in a larger scale. The two are almost identical as it looks like on the pictures and I think you call them sister ships?

My lines are not (and will not be) tangled but not very nice assembled. She will look rather good anyway if you look at her from a distance in a dark room 😂. No seriously, she will be ok. I'll post some pictures when the mizzen mast is assembled. I ran out of thin thread for the seizing so I have to wait a couple days til I get it from Cornwall.

[popeye the sailor]

the similarities between these two ships are much more than their differences....sister ships would be a good analogy    I started looking into the yards....although I have a few other things to add before I can really begin on the masts.  I assembled them....I just love how there are no measurements..

.....that bugs me to death!  so now she is on the table with the masts dry fitted....the admiral comes in and asked what ship is that?  I had to laugh  

   of course she'll be OK........you built her    I admire your determination.........there are folk more experienced than we are,  who are hesitant to build her.....they know that the kit is not that good     but here we are.........half way through it.......silly to run scream'in out of the room

 

I'll post it if I do anything on her   

[Tjalle58]

Yes I am determent to learn this. But I think like this: If you take ten people who have never played football before and they start to train exactly the same, some of them will be better from start and will be develope their skills faster. Some will be very good. That person is talanted..

A talented model-builder sees what he should do without needing to ask question about everything and is doing great from start. Well, everyone is a beginner and needs practice.

I am not talented but very much able to learn. I will never play football in the Premier League but I can learn to play rather good.

But I need to ask so here is todays question: Shouldn't the block tied to the mast (red circle) be facing backwards since the line is going backwards. The picture on the box shows the way I have done it but I have understood that the pictures and instructions can be "wrong". I am not sure I will change it on this ship but for the future it's good to know how I shall think when preparing the rig. Denis, you explained some in the earlier post but this is more like into details  

Now it's time to go to work so I wish you all a good day  

[popeye the sailor]

you have it right.......you tied them to the cap.   when tying blocks to yards or the mast,  most are tied close to the place your tying them,  with no lead line at all.   when I prepare my blocks,  I wrap the thread around them and knot it,  so it doesn't come loose.   this gives you the two thread 'tails' enabling you to tie it to the yard......or the mast,  wherever your fastening it.  for lifts,  I go almost to the end of the yard.......at the cap,  if I can do it,  I have very small eye bolts that I install to tie the blocks to.   I drill a tiny hole,  small enough to insert the eye bolt...and there ya go      if I have enough yard to work with {thick enough},  I will drill a hole there to and feed the thread through it.......a jot of glue before you pull it through the rest of the way, and after tying it,  you can be sure that it will never come loose on you.   it also makes tying it a lot neater too.

 

I'm not a sports nut......but your correct........everyone learns at their own speed.   seeing some of the fine work by others here on the site...heck,  I'm not even in the ballpark    looking at others and how they handle problems and tasks,  will only make you better.    I think we've all been where you are right now.......your making great strides.  as I've said,  I'm no expert.......but I will help you as much as you like.   there is no such thing as a silly question.

[popeye the sailor]

another thing to take into consideration,  is to be sure that the yard isn't floating......meaning that it has a raised or lowered position.   if they are floating yards,  then they need to have a block tied to the mast and the lift line is rigged and terminated either at the deck level,  or at the top {first mast step}.  I haven't seen any tied off at a cross tree {clarification needed}.   in most instructions,  you can easily see which one moves or is stationary.

[Tjalle58]

Hi all! This is agreat day and sort off a Christmas gift from me to myself  . Thermopylae is finished (allmost). I have some  more rope loops to do and hang om the belaying pins and railings.

To start with I would like to thank all that helped me with advice and encouraging words. A special thanks to Denis "Popeye" and Puckotred. You have guided me through a lot of questions. Thanks 👍 and cheers 🍺.

This model was a bit too difficult for me but one can see that it is a ship, but it looks best from a a distance in a dark room 😂.

 No, it is quite allright actually. I have done a lot of misstakes but I could correct most of them. I would like to correct the deadeyes, they are not in line. But that would mean I have to cut off allmost all rigging so I will probably leave it the way it is.

To all beginners I say: Don't start with this modell unless you are much more talented than me. 

 

I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year !!

 

 

 

 

I

Edited December 16, 2018 by Tjalle58

[zappto]

Very nicely done,  you can be proud of your self!

[puckotred]

Great job!!!!

[popeye the sailor]

Holy Molly.........ya did it!   congratz to you.........you did an amazing job      I like how you redid the railings.....they look much better than what the kit suggested     it was my pleasure to help ....and I hope you stick with it and continue.  now if I can get off my duff and get back to mine,  there will be another for someone to follow.    this is not a kit for the beginner......and yet,  you finished it.....your determination and effort that you put into the model is to be commended!     

[Tjalle58]

I had my moments when I thought I sholdn't make it. But, I think I said before, giving up is not an option  The new railings and anchors looks better. By the way, I havn't found any smaller than 20 mm but I think they are ok.

I will definitely continue. This is so much fun. Again, thanks for all help och advices. I hope one day I will be the one that can advice beginners . I look forward to see your rigging I know it will look better than mine  

Merry Christmas from a not so much beginner  

[Javlin]

Looks Great! Now on to the display case? Kevin

[Tjalle58]

16 hours ago, Javlin said:

Looks Great! Now on to the display case? Kevin

Thanks Kevin!

No display case, it's not that good when you look close to it. But it's a fine decoration on the mantelpiece

[GrandpaPhil]

Nicely done!