niwotwill

You're off to a great start. It makes a fine display model and fun to build. Looking a center frames and dagger board brings back memories of trying to get full movement of the dagger board. I'm going to pull up a chair and follow along if you don't mind. If you need some help don't hesitate to ask. Stay Well and Stay Safe Will

Absolutely fantastic longboat. The details you have put into the thwarts leading edges takes this to another level of modeling. I think I'll call your work "artwork" not modeling. How the rear thwarts fit around the frames makes wonder how many you had to make to get perfection. Thank you Thomas for sharing this with us mere mortals. Stay Well and Stay Safe Will

I'm really enjoying following your build and find your ideas and log very informative and will be helpful when I start my ECB. Its looking very nice and now I have to wait to see the stanchions and planking. Stay Well and Stay Safe Will

Looking at the photos makes me excited to get started but I must be patient and finish what I'm in the middle of. I got a tip from David Antscherl about filling up glue seams prior to painting it is to mix some sawdust with glue and use it like putty. It sands like the wood and makes a beautifully hidden seam unlike putty. Just a thought Stay Well and Stay Safe Will

A very out of the box solution to a difficult problem and it looks as if it will work. WELL DONE Patrick. I had forgotten about the kit parts as I did not use them so I went back to look and you were right UGH!!! I haven't been spending much time on Syren but now that I'm caught up on honey do's i'm starting up again. Yours is looking very good I'm anxious to see the carronades mounted. Stay Well and Stay Safe Will

Just checking in your build. I love to go back and admire the photos of your work. Stay Well and Stay Safe Will

Finally got back to working on the Syren. Completed half of the carronade rigging and made the balance of the breech lines. Slow progress but I think I will be able to work more steadily and get more done. At the half way point its beginning to feel like the end is in sight. Stay Well and Stay Safe Will

I've built this kit along with the number 2 and 3 as a learning exercise to improve my modeling. The dory makes a wonderful display piece and you're off to a great start. Looking at your log brought back the memories of building this kit and a wonderful time. Hope you enjoy ship modeling. You're doing a wonderful job and its looking very good. Stay Well and Stay Safe Will

It looks very good standing with the rigging. Your speed is amazing. Stay Well and Stay Safe Will

Making great progress Andrew. A great point about the gap between the cutwater and bowsprit. Studying the plans I see now how the gap would be developed. Great catch for us following. Glad your fix worked for you. I love the view of the deck framing. Great Work Stay Well and Stay Safe Will

Great post and very informative. She's looking really nice and I think you're correct on the brass will look better when painted. Stay Well and Stay Safe Will

Maury I found this book while researching the ECB I know you mentioned you had a library of ECB but thought I'd show it to you in case you haven't got a copy. Excellent photographs of the Emma C Berry Stay Well and Stay Safe Will

Maury That's what I was concerned about glad to see you'd thought about it. I was concerned about asking but decided I had to ask. Thanks for clearing this up. Stay Well and Stay Safe Will

Good work you're really flying on the build. I'll be watching you progress with you jigs and frame installations. Really nice work. Just a question though. if the top of the frames end at the sheer won't the line on the gantry have to be reset as the sheer curves? Just a thought. Stay Well and Stay Safe Will

Rope looks fantastic. Yes it is fun to make rope. The hardest thing for me is keep the receipt and record for future use. I haven't used poly rope yet but yours looks really nice so maybe I'll give it a try. Stay Well and Stay Safe Will

Transom looks very clean and nice. I especially like the inside planking to the deck. I was would like to see a photo of the transom from the stern. I'm using your build to learn from and follow my build which I hope to start soon. Lovely work. Stay Well and Stay Safe Will

Maury Your making good progress. Hard to wait to see the next installment. UPS finally dropped my Emma kit on Saturday studied the plans and am ready to start but must wait to get more work done on existing projects. Stay Well and Stay Safe Will

Maury I'm entering the HAER Lettie G. Howard into my CAD system to develop the patterns to make her parts. Also ordered the ECB and the kit is in the hands of USP somewhere. (should see her next week) Your log will be very useful to me with ECB since I've been collecting books and photos as you. I'd like to pull up a front row chair if there is still room. Waiting is the hardest part Stay Well and Stay Safe Will

Deconstruction complete without damaging the keel assembly. Now start build frames using the Tosti method. Start again tomorrow Stay Well and Stay Safe Will

Good Morning Andrew I've been following your build while I wait for my ECB to arrive. One good thing about this covid is UPS is delivering on saturdays here and around 5 my kit arrived. You know with the size of the lodging knees I'm not sure using a table saw would be of much use. I went out to my shop and found a modelers mitre saw like a carpenters finish mitre saw. Probably too lake but here's a picture. I use this if my cuts are one off and not worth making a jig or setup. Stay Well and Stay Safe Will

Patrick its been a long time since I checked in on your log and you've made great progress. The work you've done since my last time is looking very nice. Overworkeds comment on the front port doors reminded me of something I'd seen on another model. At 1:64 the front doors were curved to sit evenly with the siding and what the modeler had done was to lightly sand them to shape. It wasn't much but looking closely you could see the fit. Stay Well and Stay Safe Will

Fantastic shrouds and ratlines. Every time I check in on your work I amazed at such a high level of detail perfection of your work. You work much faster than me and each time it amazes the amount of work that been done. Great job start to now keep it up I can't wait to the see the finished Syren. I have a question about the ratlines, what size is the rope?, Did you wax the rope or some other prep? (they hang perfectly), What glue did you use on the ends? Stay Well and Stay Safe Will

4 MONTHS LATER Major problems have risen their ugly head!! This is the reason for the long delay between posts I have not given up. I got all the lettered frames made using the modified Ed Tosti method and I started putting the stiffening blocks and port sills between the frames to give rigidity to the assembly when the problems were discovered. I'll try to explain the issues hopefully making it clear to all and to most of all to me. First a picture of the Washingtons current state The problems 1: I failed to use the Tosti method exactly as he describes. My thinking was to simplify the process by not assembling the frame on top of the patterns. 2: Thinking that I didn't have to worry about the top of the frames as I could bring them to the correct height after standing. 3: Not being accurate when cutting the gun and sweep port reliefs. 4: Not realizing the the waterline marking must be exact both on the frame and the gantry How to fix: I realized that my woodworking skills were not up to the level to make a scratch model so I found the series of David Antscherl models by Model Shipways and built them to improve my skills. Lowell Grand Banks Dory, Norwegian Sailing Pram, and Muscongus Bay Lobster Smack were built and I must say I learned many valuable skills, tips and hints from them. All three in front of the Washingtons present state. What did I learn from all of this: 1: The old rule of measure twice cut once is now look at the plans twice and assemble once. 2: If not good enough make another 3. Verify the part is like the print by visually aligning them. 4. Stand the frame to meet the marked water lines. 5. Finish each frame before starting another i.e. install blocks and gun and sweep port sills so verification of correctness can be done. 6. Take my time it is not a race. Now I need to take the Washington out to the yard and remove all the frames trying to save the keel assembly and then start over. Stay Well and Stay Safe Will

Maury I'm entering the HAER Lettie G. Howard into my CAD system to develop the patterns to make her parts. Also ordered the ECB and the kit is in the hands of USP somewhere. (should see her next week) Your log will be very useful to me with ECB since I've been collecting books and photos as you. I'd like to pull up a front row chair if there is still room. Waiting is the hardest part Stay Well and Stay Safe Will

She's looking fantastic I'm pulling up a chair to follow along if there is room for one more. Just a tip I learned from master modeler David Antschsrl. Using binder clamps or any clamp on the soft texture of basswood can leave dents in the surface, if you moisten the dent and let it dry it usually swells and fills the dent. Again she's look great I can't wait to start mine is in the clutches of UPS. Should see next week. Stay Well and Stay Safe Will