Chuck

Lovely

Yes but not for a while....sorry. I am doing my best....but its a lot for one person to make all these parts and kits. Chuck

Beautiful stuff. Nicely done.

I love to ski and fish. My daughter also drags me hiking. Mostly looking forward to the quiet. I should know by Monday or Tuesday if mine is sold and then the real packing and moving starts. I am not looking forward to that. Chuck

Really looks beautiful....just wait till you get those headrails on. It will be a show-stopper for sure.

Its fine as long as it isnt a copied kit. If you have the box send me a picture via pm and i will let you know if its ok. If its not a pirated kit you will be fine…in the meanwhile check the plans for the name of the ship and adjust your build log title. I can also help you with that so it meets our guidelines.

They are huge by NJ standards.....It takes almost an hour to leisurely hike to the top, LOL Ok they are very big hills. Chuck

Its in Crystal Springs in Hardyston NJ. Do you remember the old Class Action Park? They built this resort/Townhouse community there. Down the street from the Mountain Creek Ski Resort in Vernon. They have six golf courses even though I dont really play golf, LOL. I prefer the miniature variety. Not my thing. But that keeps it quiet. I am getting ready for retirement you could say....before I am too old to put on a pair of skis but its not a retirement community. My kids are all within 20 minutes to a 1/2 hour away. Nothing but farms up there. In contrast....No planes, trains, buses and traffic and people everywhere you look where I am now just 6 miles from NYC. I may have to listen to sounds of traffic to get to sleep when I finally move.

Syren is moving its location... Actually, we are finally selling the house and downsizing. As an empty-nester its just too much house for us. As any of you know who have gone through this, it is a very stressful and crazy process. Our current house has 35 years of crap in it. I am only just finalizing the final touches on the place (putting lipstick on this pig) to list it. That will be done over the next few days. So I have closed the shop and store for a few days as I tie up loose ends for the photographer who is coming on Monday. The house will be listed by next Wednesday. We are staying in New Jersey and instead of the beach we are moving to the mountains...moving close to where the kids are of course. I will reopen on Tuesday or Wednesday but maybe even sooner depending on how much help I get from the kids. Not holding my breath on that one, LOL. The view out my new workshop window.....I cant wait for this. The view facing the new townhouse.....peace and quiet awaits. No kids...lots of shop time. Then the second stage which is far worse in my opinion. Once the place sells, I will be packing up for the actual move to the new place. The new shop is actually larger than my current and above ground with windows overlooking the mountains, golf courses and ski slopes. A very nice shop indeed and I am looking forward to it. I have no idea when that will happen or when the closings will be. It will probably be towards the End of the year in December and the holidays. So I will be closing up shop again when that happens. Maybe for a week or so. I have no idea. Just packing up my shop will take days and then I have to set it all up again at the new place. So please bear with me....I will try and make this as quick as possible. The reason why I mention this is because all sorts of rumors start spreading that I might be going out of business. That is the farthest thing from the truth. Sales are as brisk as ever. So if you hear that from some folks know that they are ill informed. Wish me luck. Chuck

I usually go with 3/64 thick by 1/16. You could go thinner but I prefer a little more meat. I will at times go wider on larger models but 1/16" wide usually works just fine for me. If you are just ordering a few strips from Joe for this purpose, I would get both 1/32" and 3/64" thick strips which wont costs much considering you will have to pay shipping which will be the same for both thicknesses. I would go with boxwood or yes even cedar but any wood that isnt splintered will work just fine. Boxwood preferred.

Looks great Mike.

Just look at the materials list in the kit and then send it to Joe. He will give you a price.

Looks beautiful indeed. That looks nothing like a kit and really tops off a wonderful looking model. Well worth the effort. It says a lot about taking your time to get the best results.

Its looking fantastic Ben

That looks fantastic. Really nice detailing.

That really looks great. Well done. If you havent built many headrails those certainly look like you made them look easy. Chuck

A couple of weeks for chapter 3 parts maybe and they will be about $80 give or take. But remember you will need to buy the wood package from Joe or mill your own planking strips. Chapter 3 is basically planking. chuck

As I get ready to laser cut chapter 3 parts I figured I would release the 3 plan sheets that will come with it. These are the last three sheets to complete the hull. There will be more plan sheets for the rigging but this completes the plans for the hull work for folks that dont plan on rigging her. speedwellsheet3.pdf speedwellsheet4.pdf speedwellsheet5.pdf Chuck

Yes ….I always add a bit extra.

You are welcome…any time.

Making the breech ropes. There are many ways to do this. I have simplified it. Here is a step by step. I am using my poly rope so CA glue was used. Start with a breech rope slightly longer than you will need (.055 tan). Have four eyebolts with rings at the ready. Also have whatever line you intend to use for seizing ready. In my case some Guttermann mara 120 thread that matched my rope color. Note that I have made a loose granny knot on this. Or one simple overhand knot but left open and ready to go!!! Place one ringbolt on the rope and simply bend it over to form a loop. Leave the tail a bit longish. I just squeeze the loose loop as shown below with my fingers. No helping hands needed. Then I slip the seizing "open knot" onto the end. Easy peasy. Then cinch it tight.... This is what it looks like. And yes the seizing needs to be pushed closer to the end of the breech and ringbolt. No glue as of yet. Use a tweezers that you are comfy using for this stuff. Slide the seizing which is still just a loose overhand knot closer to the end. It may open a bit. Thats OK. Just tighten it again when the seizing is where you want it. At this stage I place the tiniest bit of CA glue (any glue will work here) on the knot after tightening it. Then I use my fingers to brush away any excess so it doesnt make the rope stained or discolored. Yes you get CA on your fingers. But the rope stays perfectly clean. I see folks moaning that CA darkens and stains the rope. This is nonsense if you wipe most of it away before it dries and you dont use too much to begin with. No discoloration....super simple method and no helping hands or wacky jigs yet. It may be hard to see in the photo below. But I take one loose end of the seizing and pinch it between my fingers and away from the seizing. I am basically pinching the ringbolt and top of the looped breech line. See the other loose end hanging off the far side? Take that loose end and simply wrap it around the breech two or three times. I have seen folks wrap like 25 times and make a long seizing., This never lays correctly and will look sloppy. I keep my seizings always very short with at maximum only 3 wraps around. Then I add a drop of CA to the top of the wrapped seizings. Just a small drop. No knotting needed. I pinch and brush the excess CA away with my fingers to keep it clean without darkening at all. It will only stain if you douse it with way too much CA. What a mess that makes and changes the texture of the rope. Your fingers get sticky and pull the fibers of the rope etc. I just dip a toothpick into some CA on a scrap piece of wood and barely touch the seizing. Then using a tiny scissors which I have maybe 5 of.....these are spring loaded micro scissors that are very sharp. I cut the loose ends of the seizing very close to the breech rope. You dont want to see any sticking out after cutting. Sometimes a mall amount of CA on that end and using a tweezers to fold it into the breach rope will solve this issue. I hate when the cut loose ends stick out. Cut both loose ends. Its nice and neat and no discoloration or staining. Rope is clean and crisp as it should be. Note the long "loose" end of the breech rope. Time to trim that with a sharp blade. Trim it close and at an angle. To keep the end of the cut rope from fraying I sometimes put some CA on the op where I am going to cut it. Then immediately wipe it away with my fingers again to keep it clean before it dries. The cut end....note the angle of the cut and the clean rope with no fraying or staining. Then slide two ringbolts on the breech rope which will be inserted on the gun carriages later. Take the last one and repeat the process to seize the other end just like we described. Only now you should slide the cinched seizing and adjust the length so the overall breech rope is the correct length. Then just finish it as you did the other side. Then I make a simulated fake splice in the center to place on the cannon or Carronade. I make sure one of those ring bolts are on each side of the center first. It is very important. Then I use my plan for the breech line to find the center. I use a sharp awl to then pierce the center of the breech rope. I always use 4 strand breech rope so I can pierce it with two strands on each side. Then I use some CA to stiffen the splice and keep its shape. I pinch and brush away the excess before it dries....right away. It will hold its shape. No shiny spots or staining or discoloration. Finished breech rope.

Start with a breech rope slightly longer than you will need. Have four eyebolts with rings at the ready. Also have whatever line you intend to use for seizing ready. In my case some mara 120 thread that matched my rope color. Note that I have made a loose granny knot on this. Or one simple overhand knot but left open and ready to go!!! Place one ringbolt on the rope and simply bend it over to form a loop. Leave the tail a bit longish. I just squeeze the loose loop as shown below with my fingers. No helping hands needed. Then I slip the seizing "open knot" onto the end. Easy peasy. Then cinch it tight.... This is what it looks like. And yes the seizing needs to be pushed closer to the end of the breech and ringbolt. No glue as of yet. Use a tweezers that you are comfy using for this stuff. Slide the seizing which is still just a loose overhand knot closer to the end. It may open a bit. Thats OK. Just tighten it again when the seizing is where you want it. At this stage I place the tiniest bit of CA glue (any glue will work here) on the knot after tightening it. Then I use my fingers to brush away any excess so it doesnt make the rope stained or discolored. Yes you get CA on your fingers. But the rope stays perfectly clean. I see folks moaning that CA darkens and stains the rope. This is nonsense if you wipe most of it away before it dries and you dont use too much to begin with. No discoloration....super simple method and no helping hands or wacky jigs yet. It may be hard to see in the photo below. But I take one loose end of the seizing and pinch it between my fingers and away from the seizing. I am basically pinching the ringbolt and top of the looped breech line. See the other loose end hanging off the far side? Take that loose end and simply wrap it around the breech two or three times. I have seen folks wrap like 25 times and make a long seizing., This never lays correctly and will look sloppy. I keep my seizings always very short with at maximum only 3 wraps around. Then I add a drop of CA to the top of the wrapped seizings. Just a small drop. No knotting needed. I pinch and brush the excess CA away with my fingers to keep it clean without darkening at all. It will only stain if you douse it with way too much CA. What a mess that makes and changes the texture of the rope. Your fingers get sticky and pull the fibers of the rope etc. I just dip a toothpick into some CA on a scrap piece of wood and barely touch the seizing. Then using a tiny scissors which I have maybe 5 of.....these are spring loaded micro scissors that are very sharp. I cut the loose ends of the seizing very close to the breech rope. You dont want to see any sticking out after cutting. Sometimes a mall amount of CA on that end and using a tweezers to fold it into the breech rope will solve this issue. I hate when the cut loose ends stick out. Cut both loose ends. Its nice and neat and no discoloration or staining. Rope is clean and crisp as it should be. Note the long "loose" end of the breech rope. Time to trim that with a sharp blade. Trim it close and at an angle. To keep the end of the cut rope from fraying I sometimes put some CA on the op where I am going to cut it. Then immediately wipe it away with my fingers again to keep it clean before it dries. The cut end....note the angle of the cut and the clean rope with no fraying or staining. Then slide two ringbolts on the breech rope which will be inserted on the gun carriages later. Take the last one and repeat the process to seize the other end just like we described. Only now you should slide the cinched seizing and adjust the length so the overall breech rope is the correct length. Then just finish it as you did the other side. Then I make a simulated fake splice in the center to place on the cannon or Carronade. I make sure one of those ring bolts are on each side of the center first. It is very important. Then I use my plan for the breech line to find the center. I use a sharp awl to then pierce the center of the breech rope. I always use 4 strand breech rope so I can pierce it with two strands on each side. Then I use some CA to stiffen the splice and keep its shape. I pinch and brush away the excess before it dries....right away. It will hold its shape. No shiny spots or staining or dicoloration. Finished breech rope.

I have a crazy busy next two days. But if I can manage to squeeze it in I will try and take some photos of the simplified method I use. You dont need anything to hold the breech line except your fingers if this method suits you. There are so many ways to do it and everyone has theirs thats suits them. But I will share mine. It wont make sense without photos so its not something I can just describe.

Its looking very good...nicely done indeed.

Ron...the blocks are actually completely Matte in appearance when they come off the printer. I use a very expensive matte dental resin for my blocks. That very slight satin sheen is a result of each batch being polished and finished before packaging. I prefer a slight satin finish to my blocks and models vs. a completely flat matte finish. An easier and less tedious way if you do prefer a matte finish would be to just place them on a paper towel and spray them with some dull coat or matte fixative from about 18 inches away. But I will continue to polish them for initial sale. Its just part of the process.