kscadman

Oh yes I know. I've got the beeswax ready. As well as the wine. Don't want any hand shakes. 

Augie - I noticed in another build log where the builder made a pair of calipers to judge thickness so I think I'll make a pair myself. I'm also working on making a set of pump handles to go with my capstan bars.

Would you be able to get around the rigging to install capstan bars?

Bindy - thank you and yes it is my first one. Its been a little over 2 years and I'm still surprising myself. When I get stuck or unsure about a step I dig into the build logs and the books I'm starting to accumulate which really helps. The best advice I've received is to read thru the entire build and understand how a previous step will effect a later step and never be afraid to ask questions.

Richard

Jud, Dave, and Tony, thank you for the great advice. I believe I have a perfect spot to put my wood after I do the prep work. 

Thank you again

Richard

Sometimes I'm a little slow, but I have time, hopefully I'll get more information. I think for now I'll work on my longboat while making rolled hammocks. From what I remember from your log there's lots of sanding involved with the longboat.

Richard

Does anyone have experience with drying wood. I'm having some tree trimming done to a Bradford Pear and a holly tree. I would like to use the wood for future projects. Any suggestions/comments?

Richard

I think for now I'll leave them dry fitted until I receive more input. I may be traveling down a dead end, If I keep them installed then I'll need to find a reason for it and model that scenario.

Thanks for the link to the HMS Rose, it looks like the capstan bars in the picture are roughly 6' so I could shorten mine by a foot. That way nobody will be tripping over a carronade.

Richard

Floyd, thank you, I'll look forward to those pics. Most of what I've been finding says they were tied with 6 loops (I'll have to look up a marlinspike hitch).

Augie, I agree with you on the (still...) 

I did come across a PDF that's called "Berth-Deck-Area-Activity" from the USS Constitution Museum, at least that's whats written in the footer. I tried to download it but the file is too large. Its from a website called asailorslifeforme.org.

Augie, I agree, they look entirely too long even at 7'-0". I found the information in a book called 

 By Stephen Bleecker Luce Here's the link if you want to check it out.

http://books.google.com/books?id=cjJFAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA284&lpg=PA284&dq=capstan+bar+length&source=bl&ots=PXdSXdj0O-&sig=9FO24iVwm1ahEBlTMGM6Raqzm6E&hl=en&sa=X&ei=U7C5U9vtFIKUqAaUwIK4DA&ved=0CE8Q6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=capstan%20bar%20length&f=false

Augie and Thomas, many thanks for your compliments and to all that hit the like button. 

Thomas, yes it is amazing how the details add up.

For grins and giggles, actually curiosity I thought about adding the capstan bars. From what I've been able to find out the length for a ship with 16 to 18 guns should be 9'-0". But the maximum length I can have is 7'0" or it would interfere with the pump. As shown in the pics. Would this be correct?

Also I found out that a standard hammock size was 3'-9 1/2" x 6'-0". I may try my hand at filling some of my hammock cranes. I've seen others do this and like the the overall look. Just need to find out how to fold them properly. My first attempt didn't turn out too well.

Richard 

Hi Augie, beautiful work! I love the parquet flooring and thank you for adding the pics on how you did it. I've been seeing it finished in other logs but I never could figure out how it was done.

More pics showing the lanyards and the progress made on the quarter galleries. The sections of the galleries are dry fitted until I finish the bottom section.

Attached are more pics. (I'm still trying to figure out how to load the pics in chronological order)

Hello all,slowly but surely progress is being made and I've completed chapter 14. I'm looking forward to starting the longboat then on to the masting and rigging. The timberheads were pretty straight forward and I didn't have any troubles with those. Same with the hammock cranes. But as I was measuring out the distances for the aft hammock cranes I realized that I installed my davits too far aft. I installed the notch in the davits on the aft side of the cap rail instead of the fore side. OOPS!

The hammock netting was a little tricky. Cutting and placing went fine as well as the knot tying. But I ended up buying a pair of shear style scissors to trim the netting. I've been thinking about adding folded hammocks and I've been doing some research about them on MSW, online and with my limited amount of books and I can find how their rigged, materials used even how they are folded for storage but I have yet to find out what dimensions a typical hammock is.

Then I went back thru the chapters and completed the steps I missed. I added the ships bell, lanyards to the bridle and stern gun ports. Now all that's left is the bumpkins (which I'll install when I start the bowsprit) and the quarter galleries.

Attached are some pictures 

Floyd and Thomas, Thank you!

I believe the secret is using the Humbrol matte sand paint and being too busy. All I did was prime the castings with testors primer then I gave it a light coat of matte sand. Then I wasn't able to get back to it for a couple of days then I added a second thin coat. On my final coat I just "hit the high points" which made them brighter than the recessed areas. But I did wait a day between coats. Hope this helps. 

Richard

Progress is being made on the stern. Davits are done. Gun port lids are done. Stern ornamentation is done. Finally got a set of castings that were close enough to work. 

The davits sat high on the cap rail so I added a piece of wood as filler to blend it in with the cap rail. I'm understanding how any slip ups early comes back to haunt a person in a latter step. But hey, it gives my Syren its own character.

Made some progress on my quarter galleries and will continue the painfully slow process as I work on the ladders, and the rest of the cap rail details.

Richard

Beautiful work as always Thomas! I just installed my davits this weekend. After seeing your work I feel I should of thought out of the box as you did. Yours is the better result.

Great work on the figurehead! Beautiful! Not a seam to be seen. It looks like it was carved from a solid pierce.

Richard

HI Augie, and thanks. I'm happy with how the ol' girl is fitting out. Can't wait to see how she is with her hammock cranes installed.

Thomas, I thought about using the birch wood to make the belaying pins but there wouldn't be any way to make them all equal with the tools at hand. So I painted the brass ones with the same Humbrol matte sand that I used on the wheel.

Richard

Charley, Augie, Mike, Thomas & Dirk thank you for the comments.

I've finished chapter 13 and now its on to chapter 14. As I was re-reading the chapter I realized I'd better think about building my base before I get to a point where I'd be breaking off pieces installing her in her permanent stand. So I bought a piece of solid oak at Home Depot and cut a 30 degree miter on all 4 sides then I sanded it smooth and added several coats of matte polyurethane

The bitts went well but I had alot of trouble when it came to making the fife rail. Even though the railing is in 2 pieces and cut cross grain I still had trouble drilling the holes wide enough for the belaying pins. It kept wanting to crack and break. I spent alot of time re-gluing tiny pieces back together that the drill broke off. The basswood dowel supplied for the legs was a disaster. So I ended up buying a dowel made from birch and that worked well. I turned the legs on my watchmakers lathe which made the cutting go smoothly.

I've mad li ttle progress on my quarter galleries but eventually I'll get them done. I worked on the stern ornamentation but the casting sizes were so different that I ordered new ones from Model Expo. Hopefully I'll get replacements.

Anyway enough with the dialog and on to the pictures.

Richard

Beautiful work Thomas. The curvature you put on your head rail timbers is fantastic. Three cheers to you!

Richard

Hi Ron and thanks. The keel jig is the Fair a frame sold by Model Expo. (some assembly required) It works really well as a holding device.

Wow Augie, you are doing some beautiful work. Its simply amazing. I really like the windows, and your castings really do look like wood. They blend well, great choice of paint!

Richard

Augie, thank you for the information. I was wondering how that would work under fire. 

CPt_D thanks for the comments and I hope you get your Syren soon! Its a joy to build this kit. I credit all the members on this site for their help in my success so far. The comments, tips & tricks, etc. have been invaluable. Just start a build log once you begin and you'll do fine.

So far I've been able to complete the most of the bitts & pump. On the pump I started out making everything out of wood and paper but I just couldn't get it right so after a bit of frustration I turned to brass. The local hobby store had 1/8" & 1/16" brass tubing as well as 3/32" square tubing which worked out well.I also went ahead and made the galley stack out of the brass tubing. I wasn't able to get the handles exactly on center but I'm happy with the result.

Richard

I originally wasn't going the use the kit provided wheel and ordered a wheel from model expo. That wheel turned out to be too wide. 

I used the Humbrol "sand matte" its number is matt 63.

To all thank you for the compliments. Am celebrating 2 years of work on here this month and I'm realizing how tedious the small bits can be, but I do like the results when finished.

Augie - you were right, the tiller rigging passes over it nicely.

Richard - I know how projects can keep a person away but I hope to see updates on your Syren - she's coming along great!

Thomas - Thanks as always!

Scott - I see your point, but I'd be more worried about having the tiller hitting me while manning the cannons if the ship went hard to port or starboard.

Chuck - Thank you - coming from the master I'm feeling good about my progress. 

I've completed the steerage and tiller rigging and I'm currently doing the prep work (sanding, staining, etc.) for the fife rail, bitts & stack. Also I'm still looking for a smaller bell for the binnacle.

Richard