Andrea Gail by Popeye the Sailor - 1:20 scale - Finished

[NenadM]

Bungs ... can you meke them smaller, or this is in scale? Very sweet perfect barrels

[popeye the sailor]

thanks a lot gentlemen.........yea,  it's probably overkill....but why not

 

I think the vent bung could have been smaller Nenad.......I do have some smaller punch outs.   I figure these are in good contrast to one another.

a bung,  is a bung.....

on top and unsung....   that would be a hoot,  wouldn't it.........to prose about something as silly as a bung 

 

believe me Sjors......I'll be careful      I think I should be more careful,  with the milk crate collection,  I've accumulated through the years!

 

the kit instructions show no lashings for the drums........they are simply cemented on the decks.   I may do something with this thought in mind though.......thanks for the insight     it would be interesting Marty,  if I was modeling the Orca.   this is another boat,  I wouldn't mind doing 

     with the movie 'jaws' as a reference......it would be all one would need to model her and add some really neat detail, and turn out a nice looking build.   the other day,  I tried to see if another boat was used in the movie.  in the case of The Perfect Storm,  a vessel called the 'Lady Grace' was used in her stead.  in the TV show 'Gilligan's Island',  four boats were used in the show......one was called the Bluejacket,  which was seen in the opening intro of the show.  I remember reading about how they acquired the boat that was seen wrecked...very interesting story on it...I think they were wheeler express cruisers.......the one on the beach was a '63.  I never did find out if they used a prop boat for 'Jaws'.

Edited January 9, 2015 by popeye the sailor

[michael mott]

Those barrels look just like they will add the right amount of color and fun detail to this Denis, I would agree you will need to lash them down somehow, I think half a dozen 45 gallon drums of stuff rolling about on a heaving deck could cause a few skittles to get bowled over.

 

Michael

[cog]

Nice work on those pristine barrels ... hmmm pristine: a bit unused for the place you put them. I miss a bit of denting, some nicks and scratches ... maybe you should have your kitten play with them a while, and though it is certainly a health hazzard, don't lash them to get the authentic look. Stow them after the maiden voyage

 

Love the decals, they do make a huge improvement over a plain barrel

[popeye the sailor]

thanks Michael and Carl........not really a weathering master.....but I'm looking in on both aspects.   thanks for the good word 

[popeye the sailor]

So.....the fuel drums are pretty much finished at this point.   it may have been better to do most of them the same,  with a few odd balls,   but I did say I wanted to add color to the dominant white     thinking the idea here is that these drums were picked up over a long period of time........in the kit,  they show that they are all painted the same......

 

is anyone familiar with the song  "little boxes"  by Pete Seger?  

 

on with other aspects of the build........ I began to make the rudder......three layers of flat stock,  the center one segmented for the shaft that will run through it.

 

 

sanding and shaping is the next step for it......the rear section of the trawl rig was next to be made.  the instructions give no measurements for it,  so I had to gauge it to the first section I made.   in the kit,  it shows that it is a fixed assembly.......I wonder if it is actually hinged,  so the height is adjustable?

 

 

the little squares that are next to it,  is another aspect that I will be working on.   there are no measurements on these as well........so they are also gauged with the height of the trawl assembly.

 

 

I cut two lengths of dowel a bit taller that the trawl rig.   these 'brackets' will be skewered onto the dowels,  segmenting it in four places.   being hard to find true and straight dowels......with the next step of the assembly,  I will have to try and work the bends out....somehow.

 

 

 

this is some of the work I did last Friday........finally got the pictures out of the camera.....it gets more interesting down the road 

Edited January 13, 2015 by popeye the sailor

[popeye the sailor]

Friday......I felt restless.....that and I needed some strip stock.  I would have preferred 1/32 X 1/32 strip,  but I ended up settling for 1/16 {I'll need to sand anyway    }  the admiral and I went to Hobby Lobby...I like to bring her along.   it gives us some 'out time' and she's quite helpful with bouncing ideas back and fourth.   I remembered that I needed beads for the floatation buoys......I need to make five or six of them.

     I was in one isle.......I found some that would work,  but I would need to drill out the holes,  since they are not the same diameter as the dowels I had gotten.   I was looking at a couple of other types,  when I heard the admiral ask if these would work..........I headed over to where she was.   looking at what she had found.......they were slightly larger than what I had found {not by much though}......but the holes going through them was PERFECT!!!

 

 

there are more than enough in the package.......if I choose to do a couple extra......I can!   the spools are just something I saw that I might have a use for later.......ya never know    they're the smallest I've seen so far......I'm always on the look out for these things.

 

once we got home.......I couldn't wait to try the assembly out.  it looks good!   again,  there are no measurements for them,  so I will have to size them to the rack.

 

 

these booms that I refer to,  are actually known as stabilizers.   for such an elaborate design,  the only function for them,  is to keep the boat from rocking side to side.   they have weights on them and can be deployed......lowered and spread out further,  to add mass to the boat,  depending how rough the seas are on a given day.   I need to find some lead sheet,  or strips,  in order to make the 'anchors' to tether off of them.  I know that lead has been somewhat outlawed for use in plumbing and other hardware uses.......it used to be found in rolls.  perhaps I can find it pertaining to the 'soapbox car' medium,  those little cars made from wood......I see them all over the place.  they even have kits for them 

   I digress........sorry.....my mind loves to wander     anyway,  it may have been better to notch these squares,  but I didn't want to cause a calamity......making a hundred of them,  just to get eight good ones......so I took the much easier route.  sanding should make them look better...here is the first one.

 

 

 

then I made the other one.  I did manage to defeat quite a bit of the curvature......just a tiny bit of deflection remains.   enough that I'm happy with it 

 

 

I snapped a couple of pictures to show a friend of mine at work......he lives in Maine and has been around these boats.   he also has a book on the Andrea Gail....he's going to try and find it for me.  he was quite impress with what I've done,  stating how spot-on it looks.  the only thing we didn't get into was the rigging.......but we can talk further,  now that he's seen where I am with it.  the kit instructions really doesn't shed much light on it.

 

 

[GLakie]

She's looking really amazing Dennis. I like the clean and crisp look to all the little details. Makes it really stand out! 

 

Cheers 

[captainbob]

Nice work on the stabilizer booms.  For lead try fishing weights or used tire balancing weights from the local tire shop.

 

Bob

[popeye the sailor]

thanks George and Bob..........thanks as well to all who hit the like button     I'm going to look around for something that will work.  the way these 'anchors' are made,  I would need flat pieces........which would mean melting down weights to make a flat sheet.  if I find it as my only resort....then I guess it's what I'll need to do.  the idea with this is to give them the weight they need.......the cables that they are attached to are run through pulleys........so this suggests that they can be manipulated...lowered.   they could very well be used as anchors,  if the need arose.    I probably could even get away with using solder...I have a whole roll of it.   we shall see......we shall see

 

thanks all! 

[michael mott]

Denis lead is so malleable you could probably just flatten a lead weight with a hammer on an anvil of some kind.

 

Michael

[usedtosail]

Denis, how much lead do you need? I have a roll of lead sheathing that is around 1/16" thick. I could cut off a piece and mail it to you if its not too big.

[augie]

If you run out of options, try looking for lead shot.  I've got .44 calibre lead balls used in old black powder pistols.  As Mike mentioned, it's really malleable and you can flatten it pretty uniformly using a good vise.

[mtaylor]

Nice going, Denis.  You could also use Fimo (I think that's the modeling clay... may have mis-spelled it.).

[NenadM]

Denis to run out of options ... that movie isn't made jet

Edited January 13, 2015 by Nenad M

[Jim Lad]

Looking betterer and betterer, mate!

 

Have you seriously considered alternatives to lead?  Lead will eventually corrode and make a heck of a mess.  The stuff they use for roof flashing that's replaced lead might be the answer if you need really soft - and it's lead free.

 

John

[michael20]

You could also take those babbet fishing weights and melt them to a blob on a piece of tile and cut out what you need.

[popeye the sailor]

WOW!  so many cool options.......I really appreciate the suggestions!   I think outside the box so much......I forget which side I'm on sometimes!      I'll post a picture to show you what they look like

 

thanks for the offer Tom.....I'll PM you should I get stuck!

 

Nenad........   

 

thanks for the hunting and fishing tips.......I got plenty of relatives that live in the stix........{where I'd rather be}.   00 buck....slugs......loved my 'ole 12 gauge,  god 'ole  'point 'n shoot' !     motto:   "you don't miss, with this!" 

[Sjors]

         Denis,

 

As usual....great !!!!!!

 

Sjors

[popeye the sailor]

thanks Sjors.........I really need to get the update out of the camera.....again they are stuck         I'll try to get them up 

 

     appreciate the good word and the likes! 

[popeye the sailor]

put more work into the stabilizers booms.....the ends are tapered.

 

 

once I made heads or tails out of  'em,  a block was cemented on the end that will fasten to the deck.

 

 

this block will be rounded,  and later a hole will be drilled

 

 

I mentioned that I would show what the  'anchor'  look like

 

 

did most of the boom work on Tuesday..........did a bit more on Wednesday.   there are two pairs of brackets that the stabilizers are attached to........I tried to make them using brass.......even bought some thicker stuff for the occasion.  these are two diagrams that show the booms and the aft section of the rig.

 

 

 

now .......for these  'anchors'.......I got an idea.   let's see if someone else thinks of the same thing I did 

 

to make these brackets I speak of......I took apart one of the spare gallows I have hanging around.   I will use one of the uprights as a template.

 

 

 

I found that doing this in the house is going to be an impossible feat!  first off....I have a son that works at night and sleeps during the day.  I attached the vise to the main table......big mistake...the hammering sets everything to vibrating......and falling off of high places........not to mention the displeasure the admiral has expressed.   in the kit,  these parts are made of wood.......that's not going to happen here.   I have a remedy......went to HobbyTown yesterday afternoon.  I picked up a new pin vise and found something suitable.....show you next time     I picked these up a while ago,  thinking they might come in handy here.

 

[Mirabell61]

Popeye,

 

nice loading booms, quite a lot of poles, rods and profiles involved

 

Nils

[Omega1234]

Hi Dennis

 

Marvellous work! It's amazing just how much detail you're able to pour into this ship. That'll no doubt, add to the overall character of the ship once it's finished.

 

All the best

 

Patrick

[augie]

Booms look terrific!!!!  Now tell us about the stabilizers (birds).

[Jim Lad]

Those booms look really good, mate!  Can't wait for the next episode.

 

John

[GLakie]

Those booms are looking great Dennis. After the staining and varnishing, were you thinking of adding a little bird poop in places for effect?Kind of like Steve's sails?   A realistic touch?

 

Cheers 

[popeye the sailor]

sure George.......I got 'em timed to fly over,  once I get'em installed!       I'm really not that much of a detailer......I try to do some,  but later on,  I think it looks messy,  so I clean it up     guess I'm the Felix Unger of boats {doesn't say much about my table though} 

 

sounds like you know a bit about them Augie........yes......"birds"  is the nickname given to them.   when deployed....it's kinda like a tightrope walker....except it on water.   keeps the vessel steady,  so she don't rock 

 

it's one of the reasons why I chose to do this one Nils.......the structure is so cool

 

thanks Patrick,  John,  and Lawrence........hard to imagine that this is another vessel's hull.  to think......just a bit of modification.  at the moment,  I'm putting that bit of detail,  that the Billing's kit doesn't show.

 

thanks to all of you and who hit the like button.......hope to have more soon 

[usedtosail]

I remember how those "birds" were flying around in the movie when they came undone in the storm. Pretty scary. Do you think that was realistic, though?

[augie]

If you spend enough time on a boat Tom, anything that can possibly work loose or break loose will .... sooner or later.

[popeye the sailor]

there were quite a few nay - sayers,  downing the movie.   I think it gave a pretty good idea of what's it's like on a fishing vessel during inclimate weather....especially one that would never return