Redshadowrider
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Got her dun' ... well I finished the gun port, sills, tops, sweeps, and (sweep ports?..) and all, but a final sanding left. I found it to be pretty straightforward and I do appreciate having a color code....even if the templates are not in color. 😄 I do recommend reading through the instructions more than once, for a beginner like me, before doing any work. It helps a lot with sequencing the build of each port and does make it easier to follow. On to: Chapter 4 - Onward and Sternward .....
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I can say: Without a doubt, I am gaining a lot of respect for early wooden ship builders. After sanding, I think I have more dust in the shop-vac than left on the bulwarks ....LOL I have been on a few, mostly museums, but never really sailed a wooden one, just a 253" Windjammer. Anyway, I have completed the shaping (read sanding) the gun port sills and lintels and am next to put in the cross braces (red) and take out the stanchions on 2 bulkheads. As soon as I get my order of X-acto Saw Blades, I am going to do the last gun ports at the stern. Weird, I have big saws, little saws, hand saws and razor saws. but never just a plain old saw blade. Who would have thunk it? Now that it is starting to look like a ship, here is a picture. I really need to figure out how to open up the depth of field on my camera. I do know I have to up the focus area so that not just the center is in focus.
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Hahaha.....Sorry, I was referring to using the blade by hand only. Of course, I have a circular saw that would make quick work of it. 🤪 I will get some of the micro mark blades.
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Question: I have finished adding the gun port frames except for Bridle Ports, and cutting out and moving bulkhead 24. I know the instructions indicate to use a "jig saw" blade and cut just above the sills to allow for sanding. I have lived enough places in this country to know that the term "jig saw" can mean the blade of what I call a saber saw, or it can mean jig saw can mean a "scroll saw" blade. 😉 So my question is what others have used? I am avoiding the Dremel cutoff wheel because it an jump at the most inopportune time. I have razor saws, but they have a rib across the back to keep the blade from bending and it makes a 90 degree cut a pain. Sorry, no pics today, I will add more when I have the gun ports in, and the hull sanded inside and out.
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Yeah, once the lintels are in, the width of the bar hits them. So when trying to sand along the back, it is just flexible enough to sit in the curve, but you need the duct tape for 2 things. One, it provides a handle to hold on to. And...Two, it protects the lintels from additional sanding.
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War is hell!...................but sanding is bring up a very close second place. 😄 Here is a couple of pictures of the gun sills and lintels in place..... and sanded. I still have a very minor amount left on the deck side of the sills. Lintels are pretty much done, and depending on how close I have to have the sills sanded to the bulwark bottom. I fitted in the first inside bulwark plank and it looks like I might have sanded close enough. (I bet I'll go back and sand some more....) Newbie note: When the instructions say to sand the gunport sills then add the lintels, don't save them until you do both. The problem I ran into, although not a big deal, is that when you are sanding the back side of the sills, it is very easy to knock off a top rail. ...or so I have read. 😉 I did find a way to sand the backside on the straightest part of the hull. At the bottom of the picture, I took some modeling sanding sticks and put a duct tape handle on them. I was able to sand from bow to stern on the long run of sills behind. You can patent this one too... LOL I was surprised it worked. On to GREEN: Gunport sides, oh yeah..... more sanding.
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Sand, Sand, Sand..... Sand some more. 😀 I have done most of the sanding on the tops and sills of the gun ports, but still have finish sanding to go. I have rechecked the 15/32" spacing and all ports are right on. I am using the little T shaped tool to measure each port left and right sides. It makes it easier to check when there is a handle on it...LOL Next is on to the port side......and then? Well you know sand, sand, sand...
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I am pretty sure I will move to the Amati clamp. I am trying to keep my investment to the minimum for now. $85 for the clamp is just not on the top of the budget yet, but it will get there. I went through the Ship Modeling tools on Micro Mark, and settled on the sanding tool, and I have added chisels, diamond files, and sanding supplies. The Admiral will accept things pretty openly, but I know the boundaries. 😉
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Construction Question: Once that I added the lintels, it became noticeable that the bulkhead stanchions, first 3 at the bow, and last 3 at the stern extend above the top of the stanchions. I have a couple that do not extend past the top of the lintels. I looked through the instruction manual and pics and it doesn’t show if they are used even after the cap rail is added. Is there any issue with one or two not being longer?
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Another Problem Solved: Temporarily As I began sanding the gunport sills, it became evident that the hull, while solidly clamped at the keel, is very wobbly due to lack of support. I needed to clamp down the upper hull so that sanding was done on a solid surface. You can see the bow clamped in the picture... a small C clamp attached to the bulkhead former and tightened, then a squeeze grip bar clamp is placed under the rotating top. On the stern, the base clamp was too far from the edge to reach, so I attached the C clamp and ran heavy string through, and a pop-sickle stick was used as a tourniquet to tighten around the C clamp holding it into position. (Feel free to patent this if you like....... 😀 Here is a picture with the new port "sills" and a little of the tops sanded. The sills are smooth across the outside with some of the tops close to being finished. Should be able to move to the port side after a lifetime of sanding.
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Honestly, I haven’t used a plane in years don’t plane balsa much. 🙂 I have regular size that I have had for over 30 years and can’t remember the last time I took it out of its cloth protector. I will look at them though.
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Thanks to Justin, Even though I used a wide angle lens for the photo, I agreed with Justin that something was off in the gun sills (starboard). They just didn't look like a smooth transition between ports. So I went back and researched them, found a few that were off, and fixed them by removing the original sill and replacing them. Not too many, 4 or 5, and not very much. However, when you multiplied the small errors across the hull, they created other issues. Here are the results of repair/replacement with the wide angle lens, and the top sills in place, it is much smoother. I might do the bow port, but am not sure if it is that far off.
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Still, I still have the opportunity to recheck it again. I do think that some sills are angled especially near the stern and bow. If I understand it correctly, it is because the carronades run parallel to the deck. This means they are not level forward/aft, only port to starboard because of the angle of the deck. However, I will check it all now rather than later. I think I am going to try and level a couple of the sills somehow. On one, I think sanding will work. On another, I might add a shim across the top and sand clean. I don’t think that I need to remove them. I have the top row on now, and will add a picture. I used a block that is 15/32” high that should have carried any error to the top making it easier to tell.
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I know what you say about the squirrely. Sills. I see it, but when I measure it, they are right on the laser marks, and level in side to out. Add to that, my eyesight using +1 readers or my jewelers visor, I am not sure what is needed. Even the initial plank that I put up temporarily was right on the mark. I am using a wide angle lens that may be adding to it.
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The Sanding Phase: ...or phases... 😄 After sanding the gunport sills on the starboard, it became obvious that I needed more than just one or two sanding sticks. So I ordered paint stirring sticks, emory board sanding stick types, and Dremel barrel sanding bits. I am still looking for Dremel sanding disks for the hard to get places, but I have a pretty good start. I have yet to sand the deck side of the sills, but that will be when I get both sills and tops in place. Starting on the gunport tops now.. 15/32" opening.
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You would think that I would be used to it with my other hobby. However, I am allergic to balsa dust....go figure. 😁
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Thanks guys, I was hoping for a super secret way of doing the deck side sanding. 😁 Since I have looked at Walrus’s log, I will look at yours Overworked. Both sound pretty much what I thought it would be. I think I will be building some new sanding sticks. Update: Just looked through your log Overworked. I am off to find an engraver.... 👍
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Sanding Question: I have been reading about sanding the bulwark stanchions and gun port sills. I understand how I can accomplish sanding the outside using the stirring stick like I did when I was fairing the hull. However, I am not sure what the process is on the inside. Walrus, I looked through your build log, and saw that you used a Dremel, but I am wondering what you did. I did a search and am still trying to find a thread that lays it out.
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I decided today, that I am going to buy the Micro Mark Sanding tool since there is going to be a lot of repetitive sanding of the top and bottom gunport sills. After sanding and placing 3 of the sills in place, I find I need a tool to ensure my sanding accuracy. I have a disk/belt sander that is on a floor stand, and it works fine for big pieces and those needing a lot of sanding. I just need something more of the scale needed to sand different parts of the Syren kit. Want to avoid eating too much wood from the part I am sanding. 😄 I will continue with other items until it arrives. ....below is a picture of the lower deck finished with tung oil.
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Gun Port Sills/Tops At this writing, I have finally received the Tung Oil that was on order. So I have backtracked to the lower deck placement. It has never been a major issue, but I don't like leaving a trail of unfinished steps. Right now, I am only holding off on sanding the bulwark stanchions "thinner" until later. Even if I did do them, there is more coming anyway. Since that is the case, I will combine the two sanding steps into one final one. Just makes the final one longer ... at least that is what I tell myself. 😄 I threw together a sill leveling tool that worked fine on the first (most important) gunport sill. Right on the marks, and level port to starboard. You can see the hand level banded to two popsicle sticks The small level below is a bubble level used in a airplane "balancing" tool. I use another balancing process on the plane so it is not needed. I glued it to a small piece of wood. If you place the popsicle sticks at the top of the stanchions and level port to starboard, using the small bubble to read out the gun port sill, ensuring it is also level. (I might just fashion a better longer level set up. The rubber bands allow for different widths. I think this will achieve the need to level the sills on each gunport.) I am readying myself for cutting and sanding around 72 pieces?...for the 18 sills and tops on both sides.
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Yeah, I have read the instructions over the thinning of the bulwarks. After reading them, I am convinced that thinning them now would mean I would break them, just trying to finish it. So far, I am holding off as long as possible. I have had one bulkhead where the top section on both sides just fell off. I am lucky it is at the top, so I think it will be covered by the cap rail. 🙄
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Yes, I am having fun. I am a retired engineer, although not structural. I am in the habit of solving problems and this kit has provided the questions I like solving. And, it is like plane building from the framing point of view. Comment: There are marks on each bulkhead that look like I can use. There are 3 marks with the second up from the bottom mark appearing to show the top edge of the gun port sill as it forms the bottom plank (The sill.). I will add a picture when it is clamped in place. This is explained in the instructions in a later paragraph.
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Thanks, it does help some. And I heard back from Chuck Passaro as well. He says to avoid using the templates altogether, and us “tick strips.” That is fine, and all, but I will need to read up and learn how to use them. As far as construction is concerned, it’s not that much different than frame building on the planes. If I get it started right between each bulkhead, the pieces, the rest is just accuracy. Got some studying to do. 👍
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TEMPORARILY STUMPED Chapter 3 starts out with the instructions and set up for the gun ports and the supporting structure surrounding them. I have followed the instructions to the letter and have a problem. I taped together the gun port template and cut it out as the instructions indicate. However, as you can see by the pictures, the templates are not even close to the actual layout of the bulkheads. I understand that some will be out of place and need to be reconstructed, but this pattern has only about 2 that are close. The rest so out of line, that I am very concerned that if I use the template provided, that It will throw off everything else that is downline. My assumption is that the template paperwork that was provided "might" be printed at the wrong size for it to be 100% the size needed. As a newbie, I am reluctant to move forward until I have a template that is the right size. I looked at other build threads here and if there is a picture it appears that the bulkheads match the template. I have considered using the template only for plank locating, but and not comfortable doing that. I am wondering if anyone has any information or suggestion on this issue? Has anyone else encountered this? My plan is to contact both Micro Mark, and Model Shipways for advice.
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