US Brig Syren by Hipexec - FINISHED - Model Shipways - 1:64 - building as USS Argus

[HIPEXEC]

I built the Galley Stack. Pretty easy just 45 cut a 1/8 inch dowel and glue it at 90 degrees. I pinned the bottom and shallow drilled the opening.

I'll glue it in place when the paint dries. 

[HIPEXEC]

Forget the glue...I just pinned the stack to the deck so it swivels.

[HIPEXEC]

The pinrails or bits built, pinned and glued in position around the (dummy) foremast.

[HIPEXEC]

I built the two gallows bits and inserted pins to aid in holding them firmly to the deck. I stained them but will add the boat chocks later to custom fit the hull of the ship's boat.

[HIPEXEC]

Gallows Bits pinned and glued in position

[HIPEXEC]

I'm starting to build the stern boat davits. I doubt I'll hang a boat there since I worked hard to make the stern nice to look at.

[Ebomba]

That is really nice, very good workmanship 

[HIPEXEC]

Thanks, Ebomba  Where are you from in CT?  I lived in Goshen CT, West Hartford and Avon

 

 

[Ebomba]

I live in Stratford , south of where you resided

[HIPEXEC]

The stern davits have now been fabricated, stained and pins inserted before installing on the aft top rails. On the top rails in the area to be glued the varnish has been sanded off to give the glue some holding power

[HIPEXEC]

Stern Boat davits glued and pinned. I'll varnish them later.

[HIPEXEC]

Stern Davits varnished. Now on to the next project

[HIPEXEC]

I was going to make the Timberheads but since they are the size of a large grain of rice....I'll have to figure something out since my miniature shaping skills are extremely poor. The timberheads on the HMS Surprise I built were twice the size and were a challenge.

[HIPEXEC]

I decided to imitate what I did on the Surprise timberheads. I don't have Jesse Lee's miniature skills.

[HIPEXEC]

Not my finest work but it'll have to do. I shaped the Timberheads as best as these shaky fingers would allow, then took the varnish off the gunwale in each spot. Then I reversed pinned the Timberheads with just a drop of glue. I couldn't put the pins in the Timberheads themselves since I could never manage to mark the exact center. It'll work this way though.

[HIPEXEC]

Timberheads Varnished

[HIPEXEC]

I'm now building the gunport lids. I am copying the Argus model picture I have which shows one piece lids hinged at the top. I shall pin and glue them when my assembly line of making them and cleaning them up is finished.

[HIPEXEC]

Here's my gun lid factory. I pre-cut all the pieces I will need for 16 gunports. Glue them together. Shape them with a sander. glue on hinges. scraped away varnish over each gunport. Drill holes to accept the end of the hinges. (pic is of a lid closed port)

[HIPEXEC]

Gunport lid factory in full swing. I'll make a few extra in case I knock one or two off.

[HIPEXEC]

I installed the first gunport lid. It's much more sturdy than I thought it would be.

[HIPEXEC]

Channels. The kit provides pre-cut channels fore and aft. They are only 1/16" thick and do not have enough gluing surface to make them sturdy. They have to be sturdy! I will thicken the inboard portion of the channels and them insert two pins in each. That will make them very strong.  The instructions stress location, location, location of the channels. For any newbies, the secret of locating them correctly is to study the shroud plan for each mast, then see where the pre-cut channels are on the channel and make sure the deadeyes when installed will NOT cover any gunport. I made that mistake on my first model. 

[HIPEXEC]

I've installed three gun port lids. I made sure they were in position so if they were closed they would fit snugly into the gun port.

[HIPEXEC]

I lined the inside of the lids with wood matching the inside bulkheads. If the lids were closed the inside gunwale walls would all match. It also serves to reinforce the four glued plank pieces that make up the lid. 

Edited July 5, 2018 by HIPEXEC

[Dutchman]

Do you ever eat or sleep or go to the head? The postings keep pouring in! But I really enjoy and admire your work. Sail on!

[HIPEXEC]

Well....since it's 118 degrees outside....and I've been fight the big "C" for six months and didn't so much as glue a splinter on the ship...I'm making up for it. Thanks for the nice comment. BTW it feels real good to make progress.

[HIPEXEC]

Glued all the port side lids on. When the glue dries I'll varnish them. BTW they are all pinned for strength.

[HIPEXEC]

I taped on some protective foam sheets so I can lay her on her side when I install the other sides gun port lids. These lids are very strong but why take chances.

[HIPEXEC]

The starboard side lids installed five times faster than the port side. I guess practice makes perfect, I'll clean them up and varnish them tomorrow.

 

I fabricated the channels by adding two extra pieces on the under side of each to give me more gluing surface and more holding power for the pins. 1/16 in is too skinny for me to drill and insert a pin.

[HIPEXEC]

Starboard channels pinned and glued

[HIPEXEC]

I'm starting to build the fwd and main lower masts. I had months ago prepared the deck to take each mast. Instead of carving the mounting peg that goes into the deck, I drilled and inserted a dowel at the base of each mast. The main mast on the Argus has a large aft rake. The forward is almost vertical.

Edited July 8, 2018 by HIPEXEC