Heronguy

Since my last post I've been rigging. Learned a little but I'm quite tired of this model at the moment so I'm going to leave it in the drydock. I'm not displeased with the result but I can see many areas where I will expect more from the kit and more from the kit builder in future. I understand the many comments i read in other build logs about the rigging materials, relative sizes and attempts to be at the correct scale. I didn't like the yarns that came with the kit so I substituted from the weaving yarn stash here at home. I'm not very satisfied with the results but I'm not willing to cut them all off and start again. The rigging plan that came with the kit diverged considerably from what I find on my plans for the AL Bluenose II and from the Jenson book. I suppose part of that was an attempt to simplify the rigging given the intended audience and the scale of the model. Unfortunately it left me without much alternatives for trying to decode the plan. I thought that this would be a good kit for a 1st timer (me) but would recommend to another newbie to choose a model at a larger scale to begin with. What was nice about this particular kit was the split hull which did simplify things right at the start. The deck furniture was not very pleasing and I've already commented on my feelings about the rigging. I'm not going to mark this build log as finished as I may want to come back to it when I've developed some additional skill (always the optimist? - not really always)

Thanks Jaager. I did try the double-sided tape I had on hand - broke the strip trying to take it off but it certainly held the stock and the guide from slipping. I'll have to try some refinements to my materials and technique to see if I get good results . Doug

I don't have a lot of experience handling veneer so this may be an easy equation to have answered. I decided to "plank" the cabin on my current build rather than used the printed walls kit provided. I not going to 2nd plank the hull of my Bluenose II so I have a stock of 5mm x .5mm strips of manzonia(?). The 5mm wide strip was too wide so I thought I'd cut it down to 2 - 3 mm. (Ideally cut it in half to get most strips out of the stock). Try #1: I had acquired a small proxxon saw and outfitted it with a fine blade. Set the fence up for a 3mm cut and voila some decent 3mm strips which I've used for the intense purpose: Try #2: So far so good - but I needed more for the other was so I ran some more through the saw. No success again - wood splintered and broke as I ran it through. I tried several times with no good success - beginners luck 1st time? Try #3: Fine - the saw isn't going to work so I'll just slice the strips with an x-acto blade. I've tried various ways of putting a metal ruler along the stock and trying to slice along grain but the stock always moves out of line with the intended cut. I've tried clamping the ruler but it is quite hard to set it up for the correct cut keep it there while fiddling with clamps - at least the one's I've got. I tried to imagine a jig that might work for this task. I looked at rotary-blade paper cutters as a possibility but of course the clamping is still the problem - that and measuring the width of the cut accurately. The current "solution" is to cut the length of strip I want, and try to hold the steel rule tight enough to prevent stock slipping . Workable but pretty slow. Are there any other approaches or jigs out there that I should consider?

Another milestone and no drama this time! Looking good!

Adorable! Its going to be great!

a nerve wracking moment I'm sure!

No comparison - the new ones are so much nicer!

Welcome back Bounty!

The beginning of another beauty Pierre! I'll enjoy your journey. Doug

the instructions for the Syren say: Bevel all of your bulkheads before you place them into their slots of the bulkhead former. The drawing below shows you how to bevel the outboard edge first. The dashed line is there only as a guide. DO NOT initially bevel your bulkhead edge to these reference lines. Shape the edge just short of each bevel line (leave about 1/64”).

Is there any way to add support at the joint between bulkhead and false keel - I'm thinking small wooden blocks glued in (like where the lego blocks were to square up)

When I had the same problem the advice I got was to attache shims then continue with the fairing. Made sense to me as the fairing will bring each bulkhead into line at the same time Doug

Hi Rich, It does look like a fair bit of fairing! But then the gun port framing! Leave me lots of good advice for when its my turn! Great progress though.

Greetings Blaine, I too am motivated by the detail and support offered by the Syren instructions and especially by the expertise available and freely offered on this site. I'll look forward to your build log.

Not bad for a beginner Seriously though Steve, you have an excellent model and a great build log. Looking forward to more of the same from the next ones! I''ll be following.

Beautiful congrats on number one! Doug

Good on ya, mate! I mean Captain! As others have have note on MSW - it's not a race. Doug

Wood hath its advantages doesn't it. you'll get it Steve - just a small bump in the last stretch of road!

Instructions are all on the model expo site

Max, The Syren uses 3.5mm and 2.5mm deadeyes according to my instructions. Haven't used them yet to verify what instructions say Doug

Greetings Keith! I watched another 1st time builder over the pat couple of months. He built the Batelina by MariStella. There are a couple of build logs (Pierre Tessier and Don Robinson) for two. Batelina is a possible 1st build for you - It is a beautiful kit, can be build in a month or two elapsed time, has support (build logs) on this site, pretty inexpensive kit ($75) and don't appear to require much in the way of special tools. It will introduce you to planking but in a friendlier hull design. No rigging though (which would be an advantage for me right now!!!) Whatever you choose I'm betting you'll enjoy it! Doug

I figured out the reverse order of picture but missed the two-sidedness of the tape! Thanks for the explanation. Now I see the trawl doors on the box photo on page 1.

Filling, sanding, priming, rigging, thinking, reading, agonizing a bit - nothin' much to show!

Steve,I think I get the rope coiling jig except what is the purpose of the paper? I presume as well that getting the finished coils off the base board wasn't a problem - not glued down? I can't figure out where your trawl doors are installed on the boat. Where do they go? They look pretty awesome by the way.

Yes, but I'll bet a little bit of upfront work will pay dividends later. Sills look really good!