Andrea Gail by popeye the Sailor - FINISHED - 1:20 scale

[Omega1234]

Hi Dennis

 

Seeing the photos of the chain conjures up the image of the chain swinging wildly from side to side as the AG is buffeted by winds and rising seas. The waves crash over the bulwarks, lashing the deck with water, which then flows heavily from the scuppers as the hull is tossed from side to side. Up front, the bow buries itself in a large sea, whilst at the stern, the propeller thrashes wildly out of water as the stern is heaved above the waves. On deck, those crew members who are forced to stay outside, bear the full brunt of the weather as they're thrown about from side to side....

 

Yep, Dennis, so good is your AG, that it really sets my mind wandering. That's a true test of a great model.

 

Well done.

 

Cheers

 

Patrick

Edited April 24, 2015 by Omega1234

[popeye the sailor]

thanks for your kind comments and likes      going back to work..I'm kinda mixed......but I think I have another two weeks I can take....one more vacation week,  and the other combined personal time.   my work week is only three days anyway,  so I shouldn't complain 

 

Greg:   you mean.....the admiral gets a breather!    the one here whose really gonna hate it........Gibbs!

 

George:  depending on the subject and how far you want to go with it,  I guess you could say,  is a good way to gauge a kit.  if you pick up that box,  and ideas start going through your mind.........I'd say you ought to head to the check out right away

 

Augie:  hmmmmmmm.......I wonder if there is a market for it?  a prerequisite for this would be for the customer to have a home with a cathedral ceiling    an anchor hanging in the middle.....would it be too feng-shui,  to have a chair positioned under neath?

 

Patrick:  it's the same reason why I mentioned you should do a larger scale of your build....it stirs the imagination.  to see the sails on your Rainbow,  along with that paintwork......it's an awesome combination.   actually,  I have one in mind.........the Dragen.  I know you have space constraints,  but I can see you doing that build some serious justice!  I enjoy your work 

[mtaylor]

Sweet work on those details, Popeye.  The chain coiled about is a great idea and looks real.

[popeye the sailor]

thanks Mark     Billing's showed it that way......I thought it looked neat too 

[kees de mol]

Looking very good now with all these fittings in place. Are you going to weather her in the future?

 

Regards, Kees

[Omega1234]

Hi Dennis

 

Now you've got me thinking...! I spent quite a while trying to find pics of the Dragen! Is it one of these?

 

http://www.cornwallmodelboats.co.uk/acatalog/billing_boats_dragen.html

 

Cheers

 

Patrick

[popeye the sailor]

Yepper Patrick........that's the one    a fellow named Borge has a log here.......

 

http://modelshipworld.com/index.php/topic/587-dragon-by-borge-billings-sail-yacht-582-scale-112/

 

I think this will stir the imagination.  I think that the fittings,  you will find quite interesting.

 

 

thanks Kees.........sadly no.   I wish I knew more about weathering.   I'd be too afraid that I would botch it and make her look like a scow.

 

I'll leave her as she is and be happy    I'll live through your wonderful work.......and hope some of it rubs off   

Edited April 25, 2015 by popeye the sailor

[michael20]

Very nice work Popeye,  I admire the discipline to stay focused on this build, I have a tendancy to get sidetracked and start something else. Before you know it I have three projects going and none of them near complete. Your attention to detail is wonderful. Great Job.

 

                          Happy Modeling,

                              Marty G.

[cog]

As I recall, Borge is the Brass Master, but you are the Creative Master. I wonder ... can she take much more of your creativity ... any space left ... room for some more gadgets ... usefull tools ... finishing touches ...

[popeye the sailor]

thanks Marty........but if you saw the hulls I have lying about,  you wouldn't think so.  I have several I need to finish before I can get caught up.   doing the A.G. was an Idea I had......it been so interesting,  that I haven't wanted to stop 

 

 

yea,  I wish Borge would come back and finish it....such a beautiful build      he has a Boulogne Etaples as well.......he was to do a recondition of that build....I was going to follow him with mine.   I wouldn't worry though about the A.G.    still a bit more to go yet,  before I call her done.

[Dee_Dee]

Dennis,

 

I've been following your Andrea Gail build from the beginning and it's fabulous!  I don't want this build to end!

 

Patrick, Borges'  Dragon build log is also one of my favorite build logs and I too hope he will finish it.  I have the Corel Dragone kit on the shelf; it's half the size of the Billings kit and may be friendlier to your space constraints (14" long x 20" tall.)  The wood is nice and comes with a lot of specialty brass hardware.  PM me if you have questions about this kit.        

 

http://www.cornwallmodelboats.co.uk/acatalog/corel_dragon.html

 

Dee Dee

[popeye the sailor]

thanks Dee Dee.........an even sweeter offering 

 

sadly.......it is the way of the model,  to eventually find itself at the finish line.  this one will follow the same route,  but it's not a sad moment by a long shot.....I am quite happy with the way it came out.   all my thoughts and ideas,  harbored in the early days,  are now realized and sitting on my table.  it's even a bit scary how close to the actual Billing's kit it is,  although the subtle differences will keep the copyright monster away.

 

this week should finish it,  I think 

[Omega1234]

thanks Dee Dee.........an even sweeter offering 

 

sadly.......it is the way of the model,  to eventually find itself at the finish line.  this one will follow the same route,  but it's not a sad moment by a long shot.....I am quite happy with the way it came out.   all my thoughts and ideas,  harbored in the early days,  are now realized and sitting on my table.  it's even a bit scary how close to the actual Billing's kit it is,  although the subtle differences will keep the copyright monster away.

 

this week should finish it,  I think 

 

Hi Dennis

 

Your AG is a triumph of ideas, imagination and skills and you deserve to be justifiably proud of it. I don't know about others on this Forum, but I will certainly miss following the AG's journey. The silver lining is the fact that there'll be another build to enjoy once this model's over.

 

All the best!

 

Cheers

 

Patrick

[edmay]

Ahoy Denis,An outstanding log from start to finish, full of extraordinary ideas,methods,the use of unusual not every day modeling materials,the imput and ideas from yourself and many members made your build one of the most informative interesting logs,Kudos.Edwin.

[popeye the sailor]

thanks Patrick 

 

thanks Ed       

Edited April 28, 2015 by popeye the sailor

[dragzz]

hello popeye i have not been on the forums in a bit i come back and see your build and wow u have done really good on it .its great so far the craftmanship in that build is great keep up the great work 

[popeye the sailor]

thanks Dragzz 

 

 

not too much done yesterday.........just some painted buoy poles,  work on the last two vents,  and finishing off the third control panel.    should I make more progress today,   I'll post it then.........thanks for looking in 

[popeye the sailor]

thanks Lawrence........been kind of a slow week for me.   been away from the table,  but I've found time here and there.   there's still a bit more to go...here is what I did in the past couple days......

 

the fore deck reel control panel is finished....added the decals,  levers and paint.

 

 

the buoy poles were painted and set aside to dry.   the parts are assembled here on the table.  I was going to try and shorted the beads,  but I didn't want to ruin them.   I'd have gone out to get them instead,  but the admiral picked them out.....she was rather proud of herself for finding them.  I had the shorter one in my hand at the time......these do look better....not as fat.

 

 

for the buoys to go in the rack,  they will need a hold down system.  to install it,  holes needed to be drilled.

 

 

I have the larger brass colored eye bolts,  but I also have copper colored smaller ones.   these were opened up to form a hook and cemented in the holes.

 

 

the control panel is now in place on the deck

 

 

the buoy beads are painted and set aside to dry.   I really need to do one of those ship like Andy is doing.......I have more than enough orange for it.

 

 

I have something I want to try,  with these buoys.   I'm in the middle of it at the moment.  when I come up with the finished product,  I'll  show you then.   you can let me know what you think 

 

 

[GLakie]

The detail is just astounding Dennis! Wow! I've heard of "raising the bar". but here, it's gone clean out of sight! 

 

Cheers

[Greg the peg leg sailor]

G'day Denis

I've just had a thought, maybe, just maybe AG might be the last fishing boat to have a log here. You have set a very high standard of both workmanship and details, no one else would like to enter into your realm. Goodonyamate.

Greg

[popeye the sailor]

thanks George........gee......I don't even have the rest of the aspects on there yet.   very kind of you to say 

 

thanks Greg.........I hope not.   this subject encompasses so many different types of vessels......different eras.   they are actually fun to do....and even more fun if one adds in the little extras.  t'would be a sad day if that happened.  appreciate the good word! 

 

thank you as well for the likes 

[Greg the peg leg sailor]

G'day Denis

I hope not as well, hopefully they will use your AG as a benchmark to aspire to, then there will be no more "naked" boats. Lol

Cheers

Greg

[augie]

I'm not sleeping 'til I see what's happening with the buoys !

[popeye the sailor]

oh heavens!  don't do that Augie........you'll be all - bleary eyed,  and your admiral will blame me!        

 

if folks do Greg.......I'd even prouder..........that's what I hope this log will do.  I've learned a little from every log I've read so far 

[popeye the sailor]

this brings the build to what I did yesterday.   the idea I have in mind,  is to also add flags to the buoys.   seeing many types of buoys,  gives me a lot of lee - way,  as to how I go with them.   on two of them,  I added these round tabs to the tops.....on these tabs,  I will add some design.

 

 

I save all the decals that I get in kits......and even the ones I made for previous builds.  for the design,  I chose the checkerboard decals from a P-51 Mustang.  using a paper punch,  I'll center the black and white,  to create round decals.

 

 

the round tabs,  and the reason why there are only two,  is that they come from the round punch outs from other kits.  mast holes and such.......cut in half or quartered,  to make them look thinner.  the bad part is that I only had one of this particular size........the size that the paper punch will produce.  I did find out however,  is that I really need to get a new one.   this one was from when the boys were kids.......it's gone through some wear and tear.   that's what it did to the decal punch outs,  but there were some that were useable.  I had to trim them a little during the process,  so it worked out.  I'm getting ahead of myself here.   on the rack,  the copper chain that I had bought earlier was used.......nice to throw a different size chain into the mix.   buying this chain in bulk {as it were} was another good idea the admiral had.....I have more than enough to do this build.

 

 

the buoy beads were cemented on the poles,  making sure they are all at the same height.......I've done most of this by eye.

 

 

as for those last two vents.........the first one got a coat of paint.   the second one is almost finished,  and then it's off for sanding and shaping.

 

 

any pitting and gaps will be touched up as I go along.   this has worked out better than I thought....I actually this is better than trying to bend hollow round tubing.   I shudder to think how much trial and error,  would be involved with doing that.....it's such a tight bend

[Greg the peg leg sailor]

G'day Denis

The buoys looks great! I'm not going to say "there isn't more things you can do on this boat" for 2 reasons:1, I don't want you to stop, and 2, I can't think of anything else that you can do. I'm sure and hoping you have more incredible ideas that can make this log goes longer.

Cheers

Greg

[popeye the sailor]

thanks Crackers for the good word       and thanks to those who hit the like button.

 

a bit more was done this morning.   the decal work was done on the two buoys......given how they punched out and the shape they were in,  I didn't follow a set pattern.   I did make sure though,  that both sides matched.   I'm unsure what to do with the others,  but I have some triangular flags from past builds,  that I may sort through {solid colors for the most part}.

 

 

they were arranged in the rack......no rhyme or reason.......depends if changes are made.

 

 

the other vent was sanded and shaped......pits were filled on the other.  both got a coat of paint.

 

 

they will probably need another coat......then the  'black hole'  detail.......and then they will complete the foursome.

 

there is one other bit of detail that I must add,  aside from small things here and there.   there are three of them,  but I may add a fourth one.....I'll see how it works out.

[Jack12477]

Popeye, outstanding workmanship. Love the buoys !

[GLakie]

She's looking great Dennis!  Have you given any thought to what you were going to use to make those antenna whips with? The ones for the ship-to-shore radio? Not that I want to give you even more work to do. 

 

Cheers

[popeye the sailor]

thanks Jack...still a bit more to do on the buoys.   I have enough stuff to make more if need be

 

thanks Greg.......oh,  there's more that can be done.......some of it I won't bother,  since that kind of microscopy should have happened while she was being built.......it's hard enough adding what I want to,  with the rigging that's in place.  it depends how far a modeler wants to take the build.  I thought I was to finish it this week.......but I guess that was a pipe dream....there's always next week 

 

thanks George.....I already have antennas on the gangway,  shown as they are in the Billing's instructions.  no plans for a whip antenna.....sorry    thanks for the good word!