SS Stadacona by realworkingsailor - Sylvan Scale Models - 1:87 - Resin/Multimedia - kit-bash

[augie]

Glad you got her home safely.  Let's see now........ with 2 builds on the board and two lurking (very) nearby, I'm wondering if Popeye is getting jealous!

[robnbill]

So I've been driving across "the" half acre (as in h€££'s half acre) today. Picked up Diana from the ship, then turned around and headed north to the cottage..... About 8 hours on the road

Time for some rest... And a goodly amount of beer and other adult beverages...

Andy

So she sound like she is already pretty demanding. Is this developing into a co-dependent relationship? Is this the right basis to set up your future relationship? Perhaps you three need to go see some counseling ( perhaps a dry "doc") to make sure your relationships are starting on an even keel.

 

Okay, I have run out of similes. Enjoy.

Edited July 6, 2014 by robnbill

[popeye the sailor]

glad to see you back Andy! been out of the loop for a week or so.....now I have to play catch up! with so many different colors in primers these days, it's nice to be able to take your pick. one thing to consider though, is the hue the base coat is going to give the color coat. red sounds like a good choice.....and gray is such a solid color. it is going to deepen the gray, but hopefully, you won't get any sort of a reddish hue. you'll have to do light coats.....with all those angles, there is a threat of gathering in the corners. you might want to wait after the base is done, to give it time to fully cure. there's nothing worse than reanimated paint

 

no jealousy here Augie......only that Andy has a new and exciting model to build. I think he's too shrewd to fall into the same pit as I did play on......after you ply on Andy!

[amateur]

Has there been progress here?

 

Jan

[realworkingsailor]

Hi Jan, I'm afraid I've made very little progress, if any, in all my hobby endeavours. Stupid reality, you see

 

Andy

[Jim Lad]

Serves you right for coming ashore, Andy!  

 

John

[amateur]

Reality....it should be forbidden

 

Jan

[gjdale]

Ah! The problem with reality is that there's no background music...............

 

Hope to see you back in the shipyard soon Andy.

[popeye the sailor]

I've been waiting for some progress.........sad to see that it's only a prod        I miss your fine work,  my friend

[mobbsie]

Good to have you back Andy, you've been missed mate.

 

Hopefully you'll be able to find some time to spend on your ship and let us all start enjoying your masterpiece again.

 

Be Good

 

mobbsie

[realworkingsailor]

Well, it's been a while since I've been here.... 

 

Things have been rather "interesting" the last few months, and not so much in a good way....  I'm no longer working on board any ships, as I my medical fitness certificate was revoked on account of my eyesight, more specifically, my uncorrected visual acuity (how well I see without my glasses). I did investigate treatment options, but the only one available to me is more drastic than I am willing to undergo at this point in time (no, not laser surgery, I almost had my head wrapped around that procedure....). I'm sure there are some of you who know what it feels like to have a career pulled out from under your feet rather unexpectedly, especially after having dedicated nearly 20 years of time and effort. Trying to figure out what to do now, and where in the world I am supposed to fit, is proving to be difficult. In August, I relocated out of my apartment to a piece of family property north of the City. So there was another bit of an upheaval to contend with, but the move was one I was considering for some time before the rug got pulled. 

 

Anyway, I'm trying to stay positive, and busy (80 forested acres does help with the latter). After getting settled, I decided that a change of pace was in order and I've been picking away at this build again for a couple of weeks now.

 

I've painted and assembled the large components of the forward house, as well as assembled, painted and installed some of the bridge equipment. The wooden deck is simply scribed basswood sheet cut to fit. Using individual planks did not seem like a good way to maintain my sanity. There are a couple more things I may add including the window glazing, as well as some further detail to the chart table. Good thing I built it so the interior can be accessed.

 

I've also started working on some of the other resin bits and pieces that came with the kit, such as the mooring winches and windlass, the auxiliary wheel and so on. The reels on the winches are just blank, but I've wrapped some light fishing line to simulate the runs of cable. And yes, those are scale pallets (there's no real secret to making them, they're from Osborn Model Kits).

 

I've also been picking away at more of the unloading boom structure.... lots of bits of angle bar needed to be added. on the whole, it has become quite a solid structure (after you take in to account the natural flexibility of the styrene!). I've also added the drive motor platform, and scratch built a couple of reasonable facsimiles of the electric motors. I had ordered some cast detail parts, but it seems that the company who made them had long gone out of that particular business, drat. Still not sure what purpose the small A-frame structure served, I have some suspicions, but seeing is it is something that has completely disappeared from self unloaders built barely a decade after my prototype, it is just not seen today.

 

I did manage to get some high resolution images of the ship from a friend of mine, that revealed a whole wealth of detail, and unfortunately revealed a few areas in which I have erred. But rather than tear the whole thing down and start over, I've decided to forge on with what I have. I'm not after making a 100%, down-to-the-last-rivet accurate model of the ship, I'm looking to build something that embraces the character of the vessel, and is recognizable for what it is. I other words, I'm keeping things as I have built them, and nuts to the rest! 

 

So... thats about it for now. 

[Jim Lad]

It's good to see you back, Andy, but I'm sorry to hear about your eyesight problems.  As was once said to me, "A seaman can turn his hand to most anything," so I'm sure something will turn up that interests you - after all, John Masefield left the sea and became Poet Laureate!

 

John

[gjdale]

Nice to see you back Andy, but sorry to hear of your career roadblock. As John said, you will find that you have skills that are translatable to a number of different fields - you just have to decide which ones and which field. My advice, for what it’s worth, is don’t rush into anything. Give yourself plenty of time to work through what it is you want to do next.

 

Good to see your unusual model back on the table in the meantime. We’ve missed you both.

[Piet]

Good to see you back Andy. So sorry to hear about your career hiatus, I do understand the feeling - personal experience. Also sorry about your eyes and hope you'll find the right solution for that.

Impressive built Andy and keep plugging at her.

 

Cheers,

[egkb]

Geez Bud ... Sorry to hear that news (I can deffo relate, but I wasn't 20+ years in the biz  )

Great to see you back though .. if that is any consolidation.

 

All The Best Mate

 

Eamonn

[popeye the sailor]

hello Andy!   so glad to see the build moving forward again     not so glad though to hear what kick started it......I too am very sorry to hear of your misfortune.  perhaps there is something in your field that may interest you...but as Grant said,  take the time to think well of your next step     

 

I really enjoy the extra detail your putting into this project.  the boom alone is a marvel to behold     I look forward in seeing more great progress!  

[Kevin]

Andy Im so sorry to hear this news, 

[mtaylor]

That's a real bummer about the job, Andy.    I'm guessing there's nothing open in the office for you where you were for awhile?  I hope you get things sorted out jobwise and find something you'll love doing.

 

Nice to see this model again and the progress you're making.

[realworkingsailor]

Thanks for all the nice comments, likes and well wishes.

 

Mark, unfortunately the whole office and operational organization has changed, so the job I was doing doesn't exist any more. At this point I'm looking at a whole new career, and that's not the easiest thing to figure out. It was so much easier during that better part of a decade of time that high school and university/college provided.... the pressure was.... different....

 

 

[mtaylor]

Been there, done that about 20 years ago, Andy, as far as career change.  It's scary as hell but I hope it works out.  And I hope it something you'll love doing.

[mobbsie]

Hi Andy,

 

It's great to see back mate and resuming with your leviathan, I'd forgotten just how big she is.

 

I was sorry to read about your work but I was more concerned to read of the problems with your eyesight.

 

I can only hope that all will be resolved and that your returned to both full employment and full fitness very soon.

 

Take care my friend

 

mobbsie

[flyer]

Hi Andy

 

Sorry for being quiet that long, but I mislaid your log somehow.

And I'm very sorry to hear about your 'grounding'. I was in your shoes twice - once a hearing problem where a very helpful doctor finally found a way to get an special concession from our FAA to permit continuation of flying and then the financial grounding of our company where after a few weeks a new one could be restarted with government help. Twice I was in limbo for weeks and twice a solution was found.

I'm positive, that for  you, as a dedicated craftsman, a similar outcome will happen.

 

Good luck, merry Christmas and a very happy new year.

 

Peter

 

[Piet]

Merry Christmas Andy and hang in.

 

Cheers,