EJ_L

Wacko: I also have a half built Pegasus and the Pinco Genovese (hull built), and a "Section Deck Between Gun Bays"
going, so busy I am indeed...
 
Peter: yes I know. I got the Amphion and Pegasus more or less half built at the cost of picking them up. Since I knew a little of the history of the real Amphion I was quite surprised at what the kit actually was. But as you said, still a nice model of a yacht.

Hello and thank you for all the likes and wonderful comments.
Have been busy with the boss having a new kitchen fitted.
But have made lots of progress in the time that I have spent on the model.
Not yet taken any photos of the updates but will do that later on in good daylight.
Have finished making all the deck and Hull decoration bits.
Cladding plates are on the roof.
Just need to add the 1435 pins into the plates now..... and the spikes.
Having thought about using metal for the spikes/ blades but I am concerned about someone damaging themselves on the ship.
So I will use tooth picks that will protrude 14mm from deck. And not be glued in for safety reasons.
This ship will look like a cross from a Turtle Imperial Arowana fish and a Hedgehog, a link to the fish http://www.imperialarowana.com/gallery.php?gid=129-6ccaac45d9
Sails, still not sure if I will add them yet. If I do I am thinking of using Egyptian cotton.
 
Will post photos later on today.
 
Regards Antony.

Welcome to MSW Hervie! It looks like you are off to a great start. You picked a good ship and kit and as you have said there are plenty build logs to help you along. I will follow along with you and wish you the best of luck! Looking forward to your next update.

Antony, I have come late to the party but I must say your work on this ship is simply amazing! The precision of your joints and detail level is unbelievable. Well done sir! I look forward to seeing more of her as you continue.

Antony, I have come late to the party but I must say your work on this ship is simply amazing! The precision of your joints and detail level is unbelievable. Well done sir! I look forward to seeing more of her as you continue.

Antony, I have come late to the party but I must say your work on this ship is simply amazing! The precision of your joints and detail level is unbelievable. Well done sir! I look forward to seeing more of her as you continue.

Hello everybody. I’m Hervie. Glad to join this company of model builders.
 
Why the Syren? Because of the excellent manual and because of the build logs found in this forum. I studied them all. Thank you members for your efforts in documenting your builds.
 
For those of you unfamiliar with Chuck Passaro's excellent manual, here is a link to it:
 
http://www.modelexpo-online.com/product.asp?ITEMNO=MS2260
 
Couple things about myself:
 
I’m a retired software engineer here in Silicon Valley. In addition to model building I write apps for the Apple App Store.
 
Since retirement I’ve built four model ships, one after the other, and all of the same ship: the Bluenose from Artesania Latina. (I know this is unusual, but like Steve Jobs said: “The journey is the reward”). I gave them away as presents.
 
That was eight years ago, and since then nothing on the modeling front.
 
Now I resurrected all my tools and am about to embark on the Syrus. I’m very excited about it.
 
About this log
——————
 
I'll skip the unboxing of the kit. Others have done a good job at displaying the contents.
 
I'll concentrate in describing the hurdles whose solutions I did not find in other logs. Possibly because those hurdles may be trivial for others to solve. Any advise will be greatly appreciated.
 
I am creating this log first as a document on my Mac, then transferring it to the forum log.
 
My tools
————
 
Aside from the regular clamps, cutters, dremels, measuring tools etc, I’ll be using four power tools.
 
1) a MicroLux Mini Tilt Arbor Table Saw from MicroMark. I use it with a vernier adjustable rip fence for very accurate rip cuts. (also available from MicroMax)
 

 
2) A single speed belt/disk sander. Big and clunky, but very useful, particularly the disk sander.
 
 

 
3 ) A scroll saw. Of the three the least useful for model building, but good to have when need it.
 
 

 
4) A pen sander from MicroMark. Don’t have any experience with this tool but others said is pretty useful.
 
 

 
The kit
———
The kit arrived in good shape, promptly, and apparently complete. I was not expecting some parts to be so small, like the rigging blocks whose size is not apparent in the photos. Rigging is going to be a challenge.
 
After reading about the misadventures of others with warped Bulkhead Formers (BF) and fragile bulkheads, I checked my BF and was relieved to find it very robust, with clear and precise laser cuts. However the relief was suspended when I discovered it to be slightly warped. I used a laser gadget to check for straightness since my glasses show everything curved.
 

 
 
Chapter 2 of the manual mentions that any warp in the BF may disappear after gluing the filler blocks. Let’s hope.
 
Anxious to check the bulkheads, I run into the first hurdle. How to separate them from The BF? The laser cuts are so fine that no blade can be inserted in them. So I came out with this solution:
 
1) Only two small solid wood areas keep each bulkhead attached to the BF. So for each bulkhead, with the scroll saw (any saw would do) I made two cuts on either side a the bulkhead terminating just above the respective solid areas:
 

 
This resulted in the top part of the bulkhead to separate from the BF.
 
 

 
2) Following the contour of the bulkhead, I cut the solid wood area attaching the bulkhead to the BF:
 
 
 

 
 
And voila!
 
 

 
Removing all the bulkheads, stern post and rudder took about 1/2 hour. Not a single piece was damaged.
 
 

 
 
The rabbet
—————
I glued the rabbet to the BF in spite of the BF being curved. I bended the rabbet with the method described in the manual, but also with the assist of the electric plank bender tool. I am not known for my patience …
 

 
bended rabbet strip:
 
 

 
gluing the rabbet:
 
 

 
For glue I used the original Tilebond. I was surprised about how quickly it sets, less than a minute. Centering the rabbet on the BF edge had to be done fast..
 
These are the glues I am using:
 

 
Carving the BF from the bearding line to the edge of the rabbet.
 
Since I’m not good at carving, I tried a portable Dremel with a drum sander at low speed. That worked well although the photo looks messy.
 

 
Another view of the rabbet . The stem post was trimmed with the disk sander.
 
 

 
This concludes chapter 1. Thanks for reading.

Hi Mike,
Your going fine. A few errors along the way, however Rome wasn't built in a day.
I spend hours at times not producing a thing, just working out how to do something little, that may have a huge impact on something else.
I constructed my Endeavour stern best I could at the time. It is different to others I know.
 
One thing I did a long time ago was to photocopy to scale the deck and side views from the AOTS book. I have copies of these on the wall and loose to take dimensions from(lots of dimensions to check, double check, and so on).
 
The Corel plans(mine are gathering dust) are no way near the AOTS details.
 
For me(Shipyard), it has been 26 months and nearly completed the hull and fixtures.
 
Enjoy, I do.
 
Dave R

Hi everyone,
Finally the rails, timberheads, gun ports and channels are all in place. Next up the stern.
 
Photo attached. Looks like my iPhone takes better pictures than my Canon camera.
 
Regards

Hello everyone,
Some more progress to report.
I seem to be taking two steps forward and one or two steps back trying to reconcile the Corel Endeavour with the AOS plans. I don't seem to have the vision needed yet to see when something is inconsistant. Hence, it is build, rip out and rebuild. I am totally in awe of the skills displayed by DAVEROW, DASHI, BANYAN, KIWIRON and others. I have had to reassess by expectations as my skills are nowhere near what you fellows display. It looks like I will have to be satisfied with a nicely built "representation" of HMB Endeavour.
 
Meanwhile, the work progresses, albeit slowly. Rails and timberheads are in on the forward part of the ship, anchor linings mounted, channels are installed in a rebate for added strength and painting continuously touched up. Also fabricated some more of the deck furnishings. Built the rudder and now have to add the cudgeons and pintles to the rudder and hull.
 
Some more pictures enclsoed
 
Regards to all.

Hello everyone,
Back in the shipyard, after a minor remodeling. The shipyard works better now.
 
Now for an update of HMB.
 
I have completed the deck planking using natural stained holly which I milled using my Jim Byrnes' saw and thickness sander. I really  do enjoy making timbers and one day I hope to scratch build a ship. I opted not to trennel the deck or the or the planking. But I did put in the butt and scarf joints in the decking. I uses a fine chisel to put a dent (takes 5)  in the wood and blackened it with a pencil. Of course, I cut one backwards. Loose your concentration for 1 second and a mistake will occur. They came our fairly well for a first effort.
 
As you can see, I ripped out the stern and redid it. I raised the bulworks the width of a plank and a half. 
 
Completed the bottom rails all around. A lot of painting going on. Everything got two coats of wipe on poly satin to try to protect what is done. Still looks like a continuous touch-up operation will be the norm.
 
Took a break from the long timbers and made some of the riding bits and pin rails. Again out of boxwood as it keeps a very sharp edge
 
It looks like the next investment is going to be an inexpensive X-Y table for the drill press so my holes come out evenly spaced and aligned.
 
Regards to all,
 
Pictures are attached
 
 
 

Greetings,
Well, we're back in the shipyard after a longer then planned break too busy doing honey chores.
 
To progress: the hull is fully planked as is the deck. The wales have been anchor-stocked with boxwood and painted The deck was planked with holly, stained natural. The lower hull is walnut again stained natural. The hull above the wales is box wood stained natural. The bull works are painted.
 
Next is to paint and install the water way planks. Then on to the deck furniture which will be boxwood.

Time for another up date.
 
Finally got the hull sanded good enough to start the second planking. I installed the sheer strake and put rebates in  for extra support for the channels. 
 
I began the second planking at the sheer strake and planked down to one plank below where the bottom of the wales lied. I then planked upward to the top of the bulworks. Worked out pretty well.
 
Then came the really interesting part. I decided to do the wales in anchor stock planks made of Asian boxwood. It is very hard and probably as the best edge holding of any wood.
 
 Each pair of anchor stock equals 1 plank width. There will be 3 pairs of anchor stock for the wales. I started at the bottom of the wale because the bottom of the 1st row will yield a straight line. These planks can be "mass produced by shaping a billet the length of a plank using a disc sander and then slicing of the planks at width. These planks lay on pretty straight forward. I started amid ship and work for and aft. This got me the proper lengths for the cut planks at the stem and stern.
 
Now comes the hard part. Each of the mating planks have to done on a custom fitting basis. Once the mating planks are in on the second row up, they will yield a straight line (in theory). Then back to the mass produced etc. I wonder if I made a mistake by doing anchor stock instead of regular planking. Do overs are always an option. There are some spaces in the planking. I will fill these with sanding powder using dilute white glue as a binder.
 
 
Some pictures below. My photography shows great ineptitude. My apologies.
 
I may have to do some deck furniture or deck planking to break up the tedium of the anchor stock work.

Hello everyone,
It's been a while since I posted in my own log. It seems that all the interesting stuff is happening else-ware and so are my posts.
 
I finally finished the first planking, filled the defects, sanded, filled the defects, sanded.....Then looking at AOS and the hull back and forth I found that the light ports were misplaced on the hull, Corrected this and filled and sanded. Seems that is my theme song. I am very well satisfied with the shape and fairness of the hull. It is nicely symmetrical port and starboard, the sheer is very good. It does have a slight twist in the stern. Hopefully when all is said and done this won't be so obvious. She does list a bit in the build board- just alittle loose
 
I liked the idea of putting a mortise on the thick plank just above the light ports. Cut the mortises on the table saw and glued this plank on port and starboard sided up to the bow bend. I have some timber soaking getting ready for the bow bending. This should be fun.
 
I am going to install the wales next with a 3/32 thick plank as the base and then do the anchor stock veneer in boxwood. This is if my test model of the wales comes out decently.
 
I want to lay individual planks and I think a 4 inch plank to simulate 20 feet should work. Please share any thoughts you have on any of the things I have mentioned. I want to say I am not too proud  to use any of the tricks that are posted in the forum.
 
Here are some pictures for today.
 
Have a great day!
 
 

2 more photos

Here are some photos of the first planking. As you can see, there is wood filler all over the second band. I find it useful to fill and sand as each band is completed. I get an earlier idea as to how the hull shape is developing and it allows for earlier correction of defects before they get out of hand.
 
Up to now, the tapering of the planks have been done by eye. Happily they have come out quite good. The symmetry of the hull is almost perfect.

Dave, the filler between bulk heads is a great idea. How do you prevent the forward bh from pushing the rear bh back?
 
Here come the photos I promised.
 
Some comments on the photos.
 
#1 Shows the placement of the light ports according to AOS.
#2 Shows that the hull is reasonably shaped and symmetrical.
#3 Shows the bow planking and the tapering of the planks. Corel says to use dropped planks. I think I can do it without them.
#4 Shows that the planking is fairly even up to this point.
#5 Shows the stern planking on the counter
#6 Shows the forward light port
#7 Is a top view showing the line of the bow fillers falls from the deck level
#8 is the broadside which shows a satisfactory sheer all long the ship
 
 
Please jump right in with comments or suggestions.
 
You can see some wood filler to help with some of the mistakes. I sand the planks every 2-3 levels. I find it gives a better result.
 
Now on to the lower hull.
 
Regards to all
Michael

Had to rip out the first 4 planks today. It seems that I looked at my completed hull framing from every direction except from the top. If I had, I would have seen that my bow filler blocks had chubby cheeks- a slight forward bulge that extended about 3 mm beyond a vertical dropped from the edge of the forward sub-deck. A little more carving and sanding by hand took care of this problem.
 
ATTENTION Corel Endeavour builders:
 
I will try to explain some of the more difficult/vague/incorrect instructions that I see in the Corel published instructions. I hope I can prevent some heartburn for you builders.
 
Pay particular attention to the placement of the 1st plank attached (26a) What the directions mean is the BOTTOM EDGE of the first plank aligns to the TOP EDGE of the false bridges (16). This should also give the plank a nice following of the deck sheer.
 
Using CA glue for planking. Now my fingers are CA covered. I will  wait for the end of planking before I clean them up.

Notes on the pictures (captions that didn't transfer over with pictures).
 
Bow blocks need a little filler at the bottom. The block of wood for carving the filler blocks  was a tad short. But the came out well. You really need to keep visualize the bow curve when you carve them. The solid block is a better foundation the  Corel  parts.
 
Very happy with the symmetry and sheer of the hull
 
Stern view has a slight list to port. This will be corrected when we build out the covering.

More Pictures

Photos

HI.
Again sorry for the lack of updates.
The captains cabin.. He is the only person to have his own sleeping and private area.

 
The crews head's Just a hole in the deck to the sea or river.. 2 handles to hold on too. Very basic.

 
Captains quarters and another head behind. Not sure I should be using the term "Head" as they has there toilets in the stern area.

 
View of the roof after planking and sanding. Will add the copper hexagonal plates after sealing the wood( Makes it better for the adhesive to stick).

 
Roof hatches and gun port hatches added. The gunports are add because if the reading that I have done and the fact that the upper deck would have no purpose. ( I have never known the Korean people do anything with out purpose).

 
View with the gunports opened.

 
The guns.. The carriage is very basic and just a box. The handles are much to long and will be trimmed before fitting.
Not sure on how the elevated there guns.. 

 
Just boxes of all the bits I have constructed.

 
View showing the cutaway area. Never done a cutaway before... But Im'e pleased with it. Might break the no paint rule and do the cutaway edges Red.

 
 and another of the cutaway.

 
Will add the hatches after I have given them the cutaway.

 
And the last one.. of the hatches. Have put them opening in the downward direction.. 
Some drawings show opening lateral. it it was me I would have then opening from the top. More defence for the crew.

 
Thats it for now.
Thanks for looking in.
Regards Antony.

Amazing Antony. All the joints look to be spot on which is no mean feat taking those curves into account, well done mate :)

Hi.
Sorry for the lack of updates.. 
Lots of progress .
 
The jig for making the oars. 16 in total . the angle is quite important.

 
My method of getting the angles spot on all the time. Helps with finishing the small bits.

 
Making the roof. The plywood is only there for positioning the 2 main beams

 
Roof beams now glued to second floor and bow and stern bulkheads.

 
Roof timbering in place. Ready to sand to profile. Plenty of weeds growing...no time for gardening... Ship building has priority.

 
Another view from stern.

 
Close up of roof timbers.

 
 

 
Bow area.

 
i have made the second deck and roof removal.. will make it easer to view the interior of the model. Took a little planning but the results are very good.

 
Another angle.

 
One of the 8 top hatches ready for fitting.

 
These are the gun ports for the second deck. there was guns on the second deck so where should the ports go ?? In the rood at the lower edge.

 
Hand rails fitted.

 
View into the stern doors.

 
View into the Bow doors.

 
View into the bow doors looking up a little.

 
 
Next task will be to plank the roof leaving a large area not planked. this will enable people to look inside the model.
I will be Turning the cannons from Acetel(Black) with blackened copper wire for the handles.
 
Thanks for looking in.
 
Regards Antony.

Hi.
Lots of work done and only a few photos.. Opps.
 
Ladders in place.

 
working Side doors with bar. Trial fit... Looks good.

 
Bow and Stern doors with working bolt.

 
Mast securing timbers. Temporary mast inserted while work in progress.

 
Funny block on the rudder. Allows the rudder to turn with ease.

 
Walls dry fitted.

 
View from the Stern of the ship.

 
Side walls from the outside.

 
 

 
Views from the Bow's

 
 
Time to clean up and start the fixing and cleaning up.
Next job after glueing the side walls in place will be fitting the second deck in place.
 
Regards Antony.