Dutchman

I have finished the rest of the mast bitts. Horse has been blackend and add some Iron details to the companionway. 

Thanks Jim. 
 
Next are the mast bitts. It is time consuming due to the sending off the char and processing the head and sheaves. It is very small so fun work. 2 already prepared, 2 more to go. 

 

Rudder chain in place. The coat of arms and the name plate took  all my artistic skill....🙄... big lenses were very helpful.

Back in the workshop with some small progress. 
I have added another pair of the secure rings @DPK's advice. Thanks again. I have finish few final touches on the windlass and secured it on the deck.


I have experimented with the belaying pins. Luckily There are few spare so I could blacken one to se how it looks on the ship. Still not sure what I will use, if clean brass or black (leaning little bit more for black version). Here is the comparison. What do you think?? 

Windlas assembly. It has pretty complex shape but it is cut to "hundereds" small pieces that creates all the details which makes the assembly much more friendly then carve it from one piece of wood. 

Hey all!
 
I am still working on her,  very slowly!
 
I have added where I want the gunports to be. I also added supports to the horizontal gun ports so they shouldn't break off when sanding.   I want to file/ sand the ships frames now. After that,  I will add the vertical sides of the gunports then do a final sanding before planking above the Wales. 
 

 
My only issue is finding the time to do the sanding.  I can't do it where I normally build because it's too much dust.   I hope I can get to it this week!
 
Here's to hoping!
 
Jeff
 

Continueing with the deck details. I added some hatches with Iron work. I have also placed many eyelets but it is still not all. I have also added the supporting knees to the belfry and glue it in the pkacd

Just a small progress. Few processed belaying bitts. 
 

Rails and ship's bells in position.

 

The Galley is on the gun deck. Had to take her with a winch on the ship and then push her on rollers in position. Now I have to prepare the roof of the galley with the ducts and the cooling panel.

The roof of the galley is installed. Its a watertight copper panel, that was filled with water. Thee two copper ducts of the stove were passing through this cooling system, in order to keep the stove radiation as low as it was possible.
 
I hope you can see the water...🦆.. I have poured in.Its a vallego scenery liquid.
 
 

Fore mast ramhead block in position, belaying pins tables... main deck is in movement now and pumps and main mast ramhead block on gun deck, around the main mast. 

Main deck on the go. Belaying pins and tables, ramhead of the fore mast.... and ofcourse always dos and redos!
 
The copper of the galley cooling panel, went dark. It seems the cooper got the humidity of the vallejo scenic water.
 
So a new panel was remade.
 

Rudder. You start from the photoetched part that needs to be bent to create a "hook". I have then silversolder the edges and smooth it with file. Blackening and the irons are ready. 

I have added the eyebolts and decoration of the transom

And starting preparations of the deck furniture

Some more Iron works. 
1. Rolling chock (with testing tack) 

2. Fastening of the stern-post to the keel

3. Horse (it will be blackend later) 

Second cathead assembly. 

I Started to assemble the rudder. Every edge has to be beveled so it takes some time to shape it. Iron works next. 

So as I looked through the cd of instructions,  I noticed that you dont make the rabbet.  I think making one would be helpful for planking, so do add one, I first had to make some custom braces.

On the left are the bow supports. On the right are mine. I traced the original ones, then, removed 2mm on the curved side. I used my  scroll saw to cut both out in their basic shape. Then I hand sanded them down to the correct width. They are made out of boxwood because that's all I have right now! Haha! Here is a pic of the rabbet on the bow.

 
This is my first time doing this, so I was actually pretty impressed at how it turned out!
 
I also added the other supports and stern pieces.

 
I did NOT add the last pieces of the stern like the instructions say to.  They look way too weak to withstand my fileing/sanding the hull.
 
Next up is to add the rest of the gunport supports.  Then I will be sanding/ filing the hul!
 
Jeff

Gunwale almost done. The safety rails (incl.in the kit instr.) won't be fitted, am building the 1779 ship. Cannons on upper deck 6lb, on low deck 12lb and the swivel gun 1lb.
 
 

Hi all,
 
Since my build log will be one of many Syren build logs...I don't wish to muddy the waters by posting the 'new box' pictures!  I think people have seen enough.  But I can post a couple of updates.  (pics to follow later on
 
1) The USS Syren kit arrived in good shape from Model Expo but a couple of the parts, namely the bulkhead former (BF) and larger frames were badly warped.  I contacted Model Expo and they immediately shipped replacement parts which came within the week!  Great response time...and no 'pink' wood.  I checked the BF right off and was satisfied it was fairly true. 
    - Overall, kit looks pretty good! 
 
2) Having unboxed and verified the parts, I realized later that I'd inadvertently trashed the part with the stem/stern pieces.  I felt like an idiot...and Model Expo was, again, both swift and accommodating.  They sent me a replacement - no questions asked.  I'm not in the habit of destroying a model kit before I've started to build it...that was a first.  =-)
 
3) I only worked with basswood on the Sultana, and never having laid my hands on any other types of wood aside from some walnut (awful stuff.  I decided to invest in some sample pieces of Alaskan Yellow Cedar and Boxwood (now back in stock) from Syren.  The investment would pay dividends and it gives me some options in messing around with something other than my surplus of basswood strips.  Besides, it's not like the wood has an expiry!  
    - After looking at the boxwood, I can understand what the excitement is about...it's very nice wood.  Tight grain, holds an edge, cuts like butter, doesn't have that 'hairy' look after you sand it...wow!
 
Ship build update (pics later):
- Built a simple stand from scrap wood similar to other folks on this forum to keep my little Syren upright as I start working on getting her skeleton together
- Cut out the frames and started sanding off the char - not too much sanding!  But...I see lot's of sanding...in my future
 
 

Only a small update this time before I sand the hull and prepare it for the pear planking.
 
First of all, I glue the deck in place, but only down the centreline of the hull. The edges are left loose for the moment. I'll explain that in a moment. With the deck installed, the inner pear veneer bulwarks are installed. To align the bulwarks, some brass pins are inserted through the bulkheads that  we saw modified in the last post. 

I gradually worked my way around the frames, gluing the bulwark as I went. Small pieces of scrap pear veneer are used to protect the bulwark from the jaws of the clamps.

 
with the bulwarks in place and securely glued using Titebond, cocktail sticks are slipped under the bulwark, pushing the edges of the deck down so I had a nice and even gap all of the way along the bulwark. This is just under 1mm. I had to add a little shim in a few places under the deck, between the deck and the hull frames, but not too many. A scrap piece of the material from the waterways ply sheet was tested to make sure it would cover the gap.



Hopefully, there'll be minimum fuss when the waterway is fitted. Very happy with this so far.
 
Ok, @Peta_V, here's a photo of how I do my pictures. This is quite a small area which I primarily used for photographing 1:32 model aircraft, and I will need to expand when I start the Amati 1:64 HMS Victory build in a couple of months. I use two Tri-phosphor Spiral CFL Daylight Balanced Pure White Light Bulb with 5500K Color Temperature (85W) for my lighting, diffused with bubble-wrap. The card is A0 in size and described as 'Ice White' which is perfect for sorting my white balance. The camera is a Nikon D5100 DSLR, used with a 18-55mm VR Lens. I sometimes use my 35mm lens, but I've no real need for most work. Camera is set to Manual mode.

Photos are then processed through Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop.

Could not wait and as the lower part of the hull is finished I soked one half with First Layer of the oil! How cool is the colour? I'm living it. The hull before oil was sanded with 400, 600,800 First Layer of oil with 1200 and the second will be with 1500. Will see if I add 3rd....not sure. 
Plus also the restoration of the treenails in the bow and stern section. Turned out better then expected. So happy about the result! 

I finally finished one side! The gun ports are a little bigger than they should be... but I am okay with that!
 



I think it turned out pretty well for my first time doing this.  All this isnt in the kit  so I am proud of myself for having it turn out so well! It does look really shiney,  but the tung oil is still drying.  It won't be this shiney after it dries.
 
Now to compare to the first model attempt of this kit. 

 
I know it's not the best of pictures, but I think it's quite an improvement!
 
I am not truly satisfied how it came out.  I know I can get the joints to sit better.  And I can make the planks sit together better too. But I know I am still learning,  so the next side will turn out better! We shall see if this us true.
 
I don't have the correct width strips for this.  So I had to take my 4.5mm wide swiss pearl strips and cut them to be 3mm instead. So each plank took quite a while to make.  I will make some adjustments to the gun ports on the other side so the planks can sit better.  I will also do other small modifications to see if I can get a better result.
 
Thanks everyone for the likes!!
 
Jeff

Hi everybody,
 
If my english is correct, then I have just finished the gunwale and the bulwark.
 
I believe gunwalle is the top part of the bulwark... there where a sailor could lean his hands and look over the sea the sun setting into the horizon.

Glueing things together. I have finished the planking of the latrines so now it is time to glue the taffrel and counter to the hull. I have also glued and smoothend the stem, keel, false keel and stern-post. 

I've had a couple of days away from the bench for various reasons, so it was good to get back and work on this lovely little kit again.
 
As per instruction, the laser-printed deck was test fitted to the hull to check the fit in the inner bow area. I was pretty pleased with this. On frame on the port side helped create a small gap but that will be hidden when the inner bulwarks are fitted, and of course, there are the waterways to install also.

Some port and starboard frames need to have a slot added to them to accommodate a 0.6mm brass pin. These are created with a fine razor saw and a scalpel knife. Once made, a small piece of pear is added to them and when dry, a 0.6mm drill bit is passed through to ensure clean passage for the pin. These pins will help to locate the inner bulwarks and it's important that the frames are matched up against the bulwarks as they are being added. I opted NOT to add the pear gun port linings as I would lose the laser-engraved marks on those faces. I could've done it, but it didn't seem to be really worth that extra effort.


At this point, I do a little work on the deck. First, some pear-faced ply parts are used to line the deck apertures. These sit roughly 0.4mm lower than thee decl surface. Some sanding was needed to make sure the ply parts fit into the holes. CA was used to glue these and then dry, the underside of the parts were sanded flush with the deck underside before some reinforcement parts were added. Lastly, two beams were added which gives the deck the required camber.


 
More soon...