Half Moon by popeye the sailor - Billing Boats - 1:40 scale kit

[popeye the sailor]

thanks Rowan.   kind of makes you wonder who developes these kits.   I could have gone the wrong way......but listen to some of the folks here........there are many good Ideas out there.....and many helpful folk

[popeye the sailor]

man.....that going to be a cool build....especially with that crane and gantry.   I was looking at it......I am already in envy!

[Sjors]

Hi Popeye,

 

That with the pinrails is exactly what Anja has to do with her half Moon.

When she is at home from work, I shall tel her about it     

2 same ships and such different.

On het Half Moon , she have to glue on the handrail on brackets and you are putting them on the ribs.

Nice difference...

 

 

[popeye the sailor]

now I can say that Sjors........if I had used those cap rails,  the difference would be that mine were wider :D    yea,  where she has done the cap rails,  it might look a bit odd.........they are not wide,  so it would be best for hers to stay that way.   I had to clean my table..... with what I'm doing,  I had stain speckles all over the place!   to accent the structures on the deck,  I'm doing them in the two stain method, with the dark stain and the mahogany {to give them the reddish color}.  I hope she can find some extra time to devote to her fine build.

[patrickmil]

Popeye, I really like the look of what you have done in place of the cap rails. The pin racks are also a great addition.

[realworkingsailor]

man.....that going to be a cool build....especially with that crane and gantry.   I was looking at it......I am already in envy!

Yeah... It's going to be "fun" the hull... Easy... Modifications to the superstructure....no problem... Scratch built unloading gear.... I'll get back to you on that one...

[Shazmira]

So Popeye, I understand the knees...seems like an easy enough addition. Do you pin the knees to the pin rail, or just glue them. and do you pin the knees to the bulwark, or just use glue? On my build I had added pins to the rail itself into the bulwark, but the strain placed on them once the lines were belayed pulled them up and broke the seal of the CA. Maybe my pins weren't long enough to add the needed strength to hold the rail in place....

I was actually considering building my pin rails into the "walls" where they will placed. I figure on the SF, once all the planking and everything was completed there is at minimum 1/4 of thickness of the hull and the bulwarks where the pin rails were attached. So, I was thinking that with enough foresight, I could actually cut holes (like gun ports are done), make my pin rails deeper so the extra depth would be inserted into the slots I cut, then plank as normal. In this way my pinrails would actually be built into the structure of the ship rather than just attached to the surface, and thereby offer the extra stability needed.

I hope I explained what I picture in my mind accurately enough. One of those things my mind sees as possible, as long as the location is spot on when initially doing the structure portion of the hull and deck. Since I have not yet begun a new kit, don't know if it will work in reality.

[popeye the sailor]

thanks Patrick........I hope to be finished with this part soon.   this has been a bit of extra work,   but it is sure worth it    I really need to get back to the Goth.......I moved it into the living room to keep it out of harms way.   thanks for the good word.

 

 

I'll keep an eye out for that build Andy.......I'm sure you'll want to fully mast Peg,  before you do

[lamarvalley]

Impressive work Popeye and an approach which I will take on the next build. The san fran is my training vessel.... I'll make it work but like so many aspects it is more after thought than planning. That's okay, that's what this is about... learning and adapting.

 

Robbyn, I like your thought of structural bulwark building of the pinracks... might be another thing to think about when ship number 2 gets underway...  . It would certainly seem to hold up to the tension of the rigging if it were part of the whole rather than an add on .... hmmm...

[popeye the sailor]

while you might want to reinforce the pin rails and racks {which is a good idea},  there is the other factor to consider........how taught are you rigging the lines.  I have done this with a lot of plastic kits,  and did a bit of experimentation with  'absolute zero'.    this is where the lines are taught,  but don't offer to much tension to the termination points.  here is a good test for you:

 

take a piece of string that you plan to use.......holding the ends,  pull it taught enough to remove the slack.   now pull it even more and observe the line.   at this point,  relieve the tension a little at a time,  observing the line as you do it.  you can actually see the line become thinner as you stretch it,  and grow fatter as you relieve the tension.   soon you will se it begin to go limp and sag......pull it taught again,  until you see the limpness disappear.  do this as many time as you need to,  until you see the pattern.....and you can see where the  'zero'  point is.  all threads have it,  unless it says that it is pre-stretched {but even with this thread,  there is some}.  

 

rigging one line is one thing.........but your talking about a part of a ship that has multiple termination poins on it.   line tension multplies with the numbers involved......too many,  and it might not matter how well you've affixed the rack.  been there.......done that     there are different ways to bracket  a rack too.   you could go with a simple knee.........build the knee into the bulwark........or make up an elaborate bracket to slide the rack into,  after you've  'boxed' the bracket into the bulwark frame {but all this should be done before you plank the bulwarks}.   I hope I've given you some ideas

[popeye the sailor]

thanks Randy......I hope what I've outlined above helps you as well.   here you have the old equasion of the equal and opposite reaction 

[captainbob]

Looking great, but it’s obvious that you’re having way too much fun with this build.

 

Bob

[popeye the sailor]

yup Bob.......so far,  it's been a barrel of monkeys.   I try to follow the plans,  but I keep getting thrown into bash mode     perhaps I'll just stay there......look at the plans,  and say to myself.........no,  that ain't right     thanks for the good word...I appreciate it 

[Shazmira]

Plenty to think about popeye. I get the concept of absolute zero. I think for the SF, part of the issue is that I dipped all my rope in poly, then I stretched it to dry. After I coiled it up and placed in glasine bags until I was ready to use it. problem is, with all the setbacks and time delay the  rope wants to hold the coil, so it required being stretched very taut in order to have the straight lines on the ship when installed.

[mobbsie]

Just checking in Popeye and boy your travelling at warp speed on this little lady.

 

Great fix on the repair and staining my friend and well done on the railings and pin rails, I now know there is nothing you cant do.

 

Next step has got to be the DARK SIDE. No excuses.

 

Keep it up mate.

 

Be Good

 

mobbsie

[realworkingsailor]

I think he's already there.... remember the second lobbsie twin? The M&M boat? Then there's that trawler thing....

 

oh yeah...  let's not forget the infamous and enigmatic "multi-build"

 

dun dun duuun......

 

(that's supposed to be "ominous" music... )

 

 

No... he's just teasing us with these kit builds.... trying to make us think he's still "one of us"

[popeye the sailor]

thanks for the thought Mobbsie........perhaps one day,  I will get into a  <true> scratch build.  I need to get more under my belt,  before I start thinking about doing one.   I thank you for the good word...you are so kind

 

yes Andy........all those you listed are scratch......up to a point.   the hull parts were traced with the help of the parts panels that I've saved.......everything beyond the hulls though,  is scratch.   I seem to be adept at taking a kit and bashing the heck out of it.   I will admit though,  that I did modify the dementions of the hulls to some degree,  so that I am removed from copyright violations.  it's funny that you mentioned the multi-build..............the admiral was asking me about them the other week,   saying I had better get busy on them.   she was shocked when I told her that I wouldn't be getting to them this year.  even those hulls will be modeled after a ship that is in the works,  the Boulogne Etaples.   I plan to eliminate the aft chute and replace it with a bulwark.......there are other modifications.  it's too bad I have already designated the original build as a stern trawler {the subject ship},  or I'd revise it..........but no........that build is still waiting in the wings,  and I want to do it.    you are right though.......I need to get another build like that going.    the M&M ship was so much fun....it just goes to show how involved the admiral is in what I do.   if anyone out there has an admiral like mine......you folks are so blessed!   so.........no scratch builds in my plans for the immediate future,  but I'll still rely on these 'crutches' to get around.  I thank you as well Andy for your thoughts,  I value your input highly.    for now,  that's why I call them semi-scratch.......seems to be my best speed.   don't ever stop giving me advice.....and don't feel bad about doing it.   I rely on it 

[riverboat]

Hi Popeye... thanks for the post, everything is fine and will be posting an update on the progress soon ( I hope )

Frank

Edited October 25, 2013 by riverboat

[popeye the sailor]

I have a bit more to do,  before I am finished with this part of the build.   it took an unexpected twist,  but it is well worth it......it really changes the way the ship looks.   with just a couple more pictures,  I can show you where it stands at this point.   tomorrow,  it's back to work      all good things come to an end.

[mobbsie]

I'm slowly getting the Sjors bug here mate " PICTURES"   :piratetongueor4:                    

 

mobbsie

[popeye the sailor]

I just cemented on the starboard main deck railing......I probably won't get to the pictures I wanted to finish this phase of the build.   so,  here is what I have so far........but I'm very close

 

as I mentioned earlier,  the odd post at the end of the fore deck was cut flush to the deck,  so a full post can be installed.

 

 

the main deck pin racks are trimmed and fitted the same as the stern racks.

 

 

the port side railings are installed.

 

 

 

then the pin racks are installed.

 

 

 

here are just some overview shots of how she looks now.

 

 

 

 

just before I hit the hay,  I made up the posts for the starboard side......stained and cemented in place.

 

 

so, here I am......the railing freshly cemented in place,  and right now,  it's too cramped to mark and cut the slots in the pin rack........I'll post them when everything is in place. 

 

I hope I appeased the  'Sjors'  bug,  Mobbsie.   I still can't believe how well this came out.   that pile of cut up parts panel,  is now dwindled to a small heap....I used a good portion of it.   wood not wasted,  but all put to good use  

[Jim Lad]

Hey!  She's coming along nicely, Popeye.  You'll be rigging by next week! 

 

John

[popeye the sailor]

I don't know John........that sounds like a tall order      I still have quite a bit to do,  before I get to that point :D   the bulk of the parts I'm missing in the kit pertains to the masts......so,  that should be fun.   thanks for the vote of confidence and the good word,  I really appreciate it,  my friend! 

 

 

thanks Frank for the like 

[realworkingsailor]

That really looks good, Popeye! Hundred times better then the kit "rails"

 

Andy

[popeye the sailor]

thanks Andy.........I am pleased with it.......the deck areas are so much more open.   so glad I took your advice.   the beauty of it was that I didn't have that much of a repair job,  and very easy to flesh out........it was just so simple to do        kudos to you,  my friend...thanks for the nudge  :D

[realworkingsailor]

   kudos to you,  my friend...thanks for the nudge  :D

 

 

Ok, ok.... no need to go all mushy on me, buddy.....

 

I'm sure you're have done it sooner or later on your own.

 

Andy

[popeye the sailor]

I don't know about that.......I was the one who threw those two  'slabs' on there.   I'm definitely putting the rest of the build under a microscope.    I just thought you'd get a kick out of the *wub*  :D

[Piet]

Oooooooh - - - that looks very good Popeye and kudos to Andy for noticing  

 

Cheers,

[popeye the sailor]

thanks Piet.  just goes to show you,  some of the design flaws in kits.   I'm not going for an exact replica,  but there are folks here,  that can help by pointing  you in the right direction.   thanks for the good word 

[realworkingsailor]

I'm getting way to much credit here....

 

Popeye did all the work....