SY Aurora by Glen McGuire - FINISHED - 1/500 - BOTTLE

[Keith Black]

 As close as I can figure......According to Mr Google, Antarctic penguins are 24 to 30 inches in height.  A foot at 1:500 scale is .024 inches, correct? That would make 30 inches = to .060 inches. 

 

 Having worked at 1:120 for so long I can easily visualize tenths and hundredths. Better not use course ground pepper and sea salt. 

 

 Glen, the ice pack turned out great, it looks very convincing. Is the big push in short order? 

 

 

Edited February 6, 2022 by Keith Black

[Glen McGuire]

10 hours ago, Keith Black said:

Having worked at 1:120 for so long I can easily visualize tenths and hundredths. Better not use course ground pepper and sea salt. 

 

LOL!!!  And yes, the big push is coming up.  Time to steady the nerves!

[mtaylor]

Patiently waiting for the moment of truth.   Champaign on ice. 

[Glen McGuire]

The Aurora is in the bottle!  But I cannot say that the ship has fully launched until the masts and smokestack are successfully raised and everything in its proper place.  So the bubbly is still on ice for a little while longer. 

 

This time, there was no stomach-turning "pop" or other ominous noises when I did the big push.  In fact, I'm a little nervous because it went sooooo easy.  I mean it just slid right in with relatively little resistance, much smoother than the practice pushes I had done.  I think maybe I did just a bit better at getting everything to lie flat for the real push. 

 

We will see tomorrow when I start yanking on all the strings.  If it doesn't work out, I will be adopting the same nickname as the captain of the Aurora - John King "Gloomy" Davis.

 

On another note, a dear friend of mine had a brilliant last-minute idea.  I was telling her about my anxiety with the frail smoke.  She suggested using hairspray on the yarn to give it strength and keep it from fraying further.  She gave me a little spritzer bottle of Paul Mitchell Freeze and Shine Super Spray to use.  Of course I'll find out for sure tomorrow, but I believe was a great solution.  Anyone else have hairspray in their toolbox?

 

Hard to see it in this picture, but I also added some white in the ship's wake for some slushy, prop churn.

     

Edited February 7, 2022 by Glen McGuire

[Landlubber Mike]

Looks great, can’t wait for the final reveal!  Glad that it went in without trouble!

[Keith Black]

 Glen, glad she's in the bottle. I just realized I was staring at the above photo waiting for something to happen.....duh 

[gjdale]

Well done on the “big push” Glen. Fingers crossed it all goes smoothly with the mast raising.🤞

[Glen McGuire]

Success!!!  Only a few minor snags (so to speak) when pulling all the strings and raising everything up.  My last SIB (Charles W Morgan) had 5 pull strings.  This one had 12 so it was a very careful process.  But all went well.  The thing I struggle with most is cutting the strings at the bowsprit after I've got everything up and in place.  I need to improve my technique or tools or both there.

 

The finish line is in sight! 

[Keith Black]

 Glen, she's a beaut! Congratulations on getting her in successfully. 

[gjdale]

[Landlubber Mike]

Great job!  That came out really well!  

[dcicero]

Re:  " Anyone else have hairspray in their toolbox?"

 

I use hairspray on rope coils to make them lay like I want them and stay that way.  Works great.

 

Could I ask what kind of putty you use for the sea?  How do you keep it from off-gassing and fogging up the inside of the bottle?

 

 

Dan

[Glen McGuire]

1 hour ago, dcicero said:

I use hairspray on rope coils to make them lay like I want them and stay that way.  Works great.

 

Could I ask what kind of putty you use for the sea?  How do you keep it from off-gassing and fogging up the inside of the bottle?

 

Hey Dan - thanks for the idea about hairspray and rope coils.  I'm gonna keep that bottle of Paul Mitchell and hope my friend forgets she loaned it to me!

 

Regarding the putty and sea, I actually used "Easy Cast - Clear Casting Epoxy" for the sea.  I did not notice any fogging as it degassed.  After dripping the epoxy in the bottle, I let it sit on a table in a wide open room with a ceiling fan running so it had plenty of ventilation for drying.  Not sure if that helped keep the bottle from fogging or I just got lucky!

 

For the ice, @Joe100 made an earlier comment about his use of Deluxe Materials plastic putty for ice.  I did not have any putty handy, but I did have some white modeling clay.  His putty idea made me think of trying the clay.  I rolled it out thin, painted it with a mix of acrylic white and gloss gel medium (for a bit of shine), and cut it up into a bunch of random, odd shaped pieces.  

 

Edited February 9, 2022 by Glen McGuire

[Joe100]

So glad this is turning out to be awesome! Smooth sailing on a sweet subject 

[mtaylor]

Looking very much at home that bottle, Glen.  Very nicely done and I'm glad you got it in without breaking anything.

[Glen McGuire]

The project is complete! 

 

For all of you that have been following along, I cannot thank you enough for the likes, encouragement, comments, ideas, and suggestions along the way.  I feel like each one of you had a hand in this effort and I can guarantee you it would not have come out near as well without your help.

[Landlubber Mike]

Glen, that came out really nicely!  Fantastic job!  I especially like your creative display.  Well done!

[Keith Black]

 Glen, that is so sharp. Very well done. Makes me almost wanna take up cheap brandy.

[gjdale]

Outstanding Glen - well done! Can’t help but notice the absence of the penguin though….😉🤣

[Keith Black]

Grant, you can't see it? Glen PM'd me and told me he added one and where to look. 

[gjdale]

….and I thought I was joking…….🥴

 

So we now have a game of “where’s Wally?”….

 

I’m afraid my eyes aren’t good enough to find it - I’ll need a hint.

[Keith Black]

 Sorry, Grant, I was yankin' your chain, no penguins this expedition.  I looked hard thinking I might see a black speck and claim it was a penguin but alas, none to be found. 

[mtaylor]

16 minutes ago, Keith Black said:

 Sorry, Grant, I was yankin' your chain, no penguins this expedition.  I looked hard thinking I might see a black speck and claim it was a penguin but alas, none to be found. 

Evil, Keith, but funny.  You had me looking again also.

[Glen McGuire]

1 hour ago, gjdale said:

Can’t help but notice the absence of the penguin though….😉🤣

 

Hey Grant - if you drink enough of that $8 brandy, you will see more penguins than you can count!

[Keith Black]

9 minutes ago, Glen McGuire said:

if you drink enough of that $8 brandy, you will see more penguins than you can count!

 Yeah, but the next morning your breath gonna smell like krill. 

 

 Funny all this talk about Penguins.......Wednesday night on PBS series, 'Nature', the show was about the different penguin species. Great program and timely! 

[BANYAN]

Congratulations Glen, a great result -she looks great in her cradled home.

 

cheers

 

Pat

[Glen McGuire]

Thank you, Pat.  And thanks for following along!

[GrandpaPhil]

Congratulations!  Well done!

[Glen McGuire]

Thank you, GrandpaPhil!  I appreciate you keeping an eye on me!

[rwiederrich]

Nicely done and well executed display.......

 

Rob

Edited February 15, 2022 by rwiederrich