USS United States by popeye the sailor - Revell - 1/96 - PLASTIC - bash

[lambsbk]

Now that is environmentally friendly waste. Be it good luck or good planning you certainly did it right.

[popeye the sailor]

thanks Dave.......I kind of had to plan it.......these strips were not all exact.   even a smidge here and there can create gaps.  but I did try and utilize as much as I could.......it worked out quite well    thanks for the good word.

 

thanks to all of you who used the like button.......I really appreciate it  {I keep forgetting....sorry}

[Piet]

Hey Popeye, that deck looks incredible!  If ever I attempt to do my Revel Thermopile I'll try to do the same, if I can remember  

 

Cheers, 

[popeye the sailor]

I had the same thought about the Cutty.....that would be sweet,  I'll bet!     thanks for the good word Piet!

 

almost done with the gun deck!

[NAZGÛL]

Nice mods you're doing Popeye! Looking forward to see the progress.

 

/Matti

[popeye the sailor]

thanks Matti..........only a couple of rows left to do!   I will try to wrap it up tonight.  nice weather is in store.......I hope to get the decks sealed {includes re sanding the spar deck again}.  this way I can give them a proper presentation     thanks for the good word  

[mobbsie]

Hi Popeye,

 

I'm sure that with the waste you have left over from planking you can build something with it, just a bit smaller that's all.

 

Fantastic planking mate, well done.

 

Be Good

 

mobbsie

[popeye the sailor]

thanks Mobbsie.....the gun deck is planked.........finally!   at the moment  I have the side edges clamped with flat stock in the meantime,  to straighten the ripples that developed.   tomorrow is my last work day..........I can then get the edges trimmed and sand the decks.   thanks for looking in and the good word..........update soon!  

[SkerryAmp]

Planking looks spectacular!!

[popeye the sailor]

thanks Adam      I finally did what I've been wanting to do........they are done!   I learned quite a bit through all this.......it's a lot harder to do what I would consider.......'in scale'  planking.   makes me think that the deck planking supplied in these kits,  can be scaled down a bit, and at the same time,  create a nicer looking deck.   the other big thing I learned....is the construction of the deck platform.   grain direction plays a huge part in how the platform will behave.   the spar deck didn't do half of the weird stuff that the gun deck did......the grain running fore and aft is the best way to go.....by a long shot.   looking at pictures of the gun deck now.......it's pretty flat and level,  unlike what it used to look like before I started to plank it.  as the platform was being planked,  I had clamped it to the table........time and the relative humidity in the air,  brought the deck back to it's normal parameters.   to combat the ripple effect that was going on along the side edges, clamping stiff flat stock under them,  has reshaped them as well.  now,  comes the sanding of the gun deck,  and re doing the spar deck {I'm still not happy with it}.....and spray them with the flat lacquer,  using the airbrush this time.

 

thanks for the good word Adam.......and thanks again for all the likes  

[popeye the sailor]

again.........I normally don't do too much during my work week,  but this process was very hard to ignore.

 

with the regular thin stock I used gone....the strips I cut down was used to finish the deck off.   I had done the port side.......the starboard side was the only area left to do.

 

 

 

even though I finished both sides,  I left it clamped to the table.   being unfinished wood,  it still can be affected by temperature and relative humidity.   last night,  I took the clamps off,  and freed it from the table.

 

 

trimming off the excess planking,  it returned to it's platform like structure.

 

 

it's a very nice day today.........sunny and getting warmer with low humidity.   I don't think this will be an issue.........having figured out the culprit of the initial problem in the first place.   

[dgbot]

How do you plan to finish your deck?

David B

[popeye the sailor]

thanks for the good word David.....the spar deck and the poop deck has already been sprayed with a couple of coats of flat lacquer.  I like the way it looks......but it seems a bit too flat to me.   I may opt to do a final coat with semi gloss lacquer.   I've used this in the past,  and it has not produced a shiny deck so far.........most of it gets sucked into the wood anyway.  the flat lacquer makes a great seal coat,  so I'd likely go with a couple of coats.......it brings out the grain very well.

[patrickmil]

Nice finished deck Popeye. Are you planning on scratch building the cannons?

[popeye the sailor]

hi Patrick.....not too sure at the moment........if I did,  perhaps only the carriages.   I don't want to get too crazy with this build.......but you never know what I'll think of as I go along.   thanks for the good word!  

[trippwj]

Deck looks sharp, popeye!  Send some of that nice weather this way, please?

[popeye the sailor]

hey Wayne........what's the matter.......wet up your way?   we're supposed to see some off and on crap.........so, which one you want.....the  'on' stuff,  or the 'off  stuff?       at this point........I'll take anything with Mr. Sun in it      thanks for the good word!

[lambsbk]

Those decks look superb. How do they dry fit so far. Camber fore and aft will flex the deck ever so slightly.

[popeye the sailor]

not sure as of yet........I did a test fit with a piece of flat stock and the planking,  and it will fit OK........I'll know more later  

 

thanks for the good word Dave

[Piet]

Wow, magnificent looking deck Popeye!!

 

Cheers,

[popeye the sailor]

thank you Piet..........I'm just about ready to tempt fate............we'll see how well the lacquer goes on with an airbrush  

 

thanks for looking in and the good word  

[popeye the sailor]

I was just about ready.........got pulled away a couple of times......but I manged to git 'er done!

 

the splints along the edges of the deck were removed,  so it could get a good sanding.   the ripples are almost non-existent!

 

 

then,  the gun deck got sanded.

 

 

I still need to use a sanding stick in between the holds.   during the process......I started to think about the galley floor.  it's pretty flimsy and thought about stiffening it up.  I cut some diagonal pieces and glued them under neath.......ain't too flimsy now!

 

 

while this was drying.......I sanded the spar deck again and touched up the holds and got rid of that white stuff.    I forgot to mention......the archive pen died!  guess this task was just too much for her     I tried to keep her alive,  with a few India Ink transfusions......but to no avail.  I had to do the last couple of planks with a magic marker........it worked.......I just had to move real quick with it

 

.....and then,  it was out to the garage.........

 

it started with the spar deck........getting a coat of lacquer

 

 

 

 

....and then,  it was the gun deck's turn.......

 

 

 

 

now we wait.........and see what happens  

[popeye the sailor]

.........meanwhile,  back at the table......

 

with the decks back in the house.........it's time to see what I have been wanting to see.   I installed the gun deck back into the hull..

 

 

 

 

then the spar deck was set in place...

 

 

 

 

I wanted to get a shot of the inside.......trying to find the right angle.......this was the best I was going to see.

 

 

I really like the way this turned out........the spar deck still has some slight traces of the white......but I think this is the best I'm going to get it,  without redoing it.  I think once fittings and structures are set in place,  it will look fine.

 

 

 

[themadchemist]

I see you left the galley decking uncovered, so I guess there will be something special going on there.

 

The decks look great Popeye. Looking down the length between those deck is claustrophobic. With them rigged and fitted out they will be a tight fit.  

[popeye the sailor]

thanks Keith.........yes,  there's going to be something on the galley floor.  I covered it so it wouldn't get any lacquer on it.   it was so nice to set the deck in and not worry about it breaking off.......or worse   with the spar deck in place,  it's very hard to see the bulwarks.  you have to look at an extreme angle......I may not even thicken the walls in there.......not sure yet.   thanks for the good word,  glad you like it  

[Jim Lad]

Just a slight improvement on the original kit, Popeye!  

 

John

[WackoWolf]

You have done an excellent job with the deck. Keep the pictures coming, excellent work, nice detail with the deck.

[patrickmil]

Holy smokes Popeye! The decks look great. I really like the shots of them in place.

[augie]

Great Scott, Popeye.  Those decks look fantastic.  Really love the 'tween' decks photo!

[popeye the sailor]

thanks John,  Joe,  Patrick,  and Augie........if this did anything.......it makes for life-like seamless decks.   you can see just how flat this lacquer is........with how much I use flat paints.......I still can't believe how  'dead' it is.  it's pretty awesome   I have done 5 or 6 of these Revell series kits,  and the sectioned deck always was a pain to me.  this time..............I rule!   to me,  this was quite a process.....but,  it was fun and I got to see what will and won't work.  thanks for all the good comments,  and for the likes.  hope to have another update real soon!