rvchima

Belaying Lines in Yellowstone
 
If you've ever been to Yellowstone National Park, you know that the first time you see a bison (buffalo,) you stop along with 50 other cars for that perfect photo, and create a huge traffic jam in the process. After several days you've seen dozens of bison and just want to yell "Get out of the way so I can get to the lodge for a bison burger!"
 
That's what belaying lines to pin racks is like. You do the first pin perfectly. Down to the left, up to the right, repeat, make a twist, over the top, add a rope coil. On the last pin there are 10 lines in the way and you think "Ill just glue this string to anything that doesn't move."
 

Anchors Aweigh
 
While waiting for extra parts I jumped ahead and built my anchors.
 

I installed them as shown in the photos in the manual - right up against the catheads. Then I read ahead and realized that there was no room to add the double block and line that the anchors are supposed to hang from.
 

So as Dirk always says, "deconstruction!" A line drawing in the plans shows the anchors hanging from the cathead. I plan to redo them that way.

Belaying Lines in Yellowstone
 
If you've ever been to Yellowstone National Park, you know that the first time you see a bison (buffalo,) you stop along with 50 other cars for that perfect photo, and create a huge traffic jam in the process. After several days you've seen dozens of bison and just want to yell "Get out of the way so I can get to the lodge for a bison burger!"
 
That's what belaying lines to pin racks is like. You do the first pin perfectly. Down to the left, up to the right, repeat, make a twist, over the top, add a rope coil. On the last pin there are 10 lines in the way and you think "Ill just glue this string to anything that doesn't move."
 

The bulwarks are finished and painted. Cap rail is finished. Put the deck planking down, tree nailed, and stained.
 
Need to do a little paint touch ups.
 
I have stamped all the copper plates, and now am in the process of cutting them all out.
 

 

 

 

 

 

Let us rebuild. But where to start?
Prior to the ‘2013 collapse’ we had a section dealing with making flags. Let me refresh what at least my approach was after receiving input and help from other members of this forum. I am terrible with names, but one fellow in Hilversum, the Netherlands, led the way with his approach. Here is what followed:

A flag printed on one side of a sheet of paper was the start, but not very interesting. See first picture below. Other suggestions on the forum dealt with hand painting and even using crumpled cans. But
the one that I liked best was to use transfer paper. The idea is to print the mirror image of a flag on this special paper and transferring it to a piece of light weight cloth using a hot iron with lots of pressure.  The first pictures below show the paper flag and my first tries using the transfer paper made by the Dharma Trading Co. It took some practice and several rejects. Printing on one side of the cloth did
not transfer well to the back. Our Dutch friend (help me Lou) showed how he had done this process on both sides. That led me to the following approach.

Scale the flag to the size you want and make one real and one mirror image. Print both of these on a sheet of the transfer paper. Take one and with a very hot iron (your wife’s will do) and no steam, press the image onto the cloth. Carefully slide the iron across to make sure the whole area is pressed uniformly. After the recommended time, let the cloth cool and remove the blue backing. You should
have a clear image on the cloth.

Trim the second image part way as shown below. This makes it easier to index and position the second pressing. Lou made four targets which I tried also but did not need. After the second pressing has cooled, peel off the backing and now you should have a nice flag that can be trimmed and folded (wrinkled) or whatever you decide to do with it.

A couple comments about ‘mistakes’. If the flag has printed words, print one image with the mirror image of the words and deleted the words on the second side. It is very difficult to align both sides.
Be sure to align front and back in the same order. The blue admiral flag below was flipped the wrong way and the result did not look like stars.

Congratulations Augie! Your Syren is magnificent. Thank you for sharing your build log with all of us, and thank you for all the help you've given me.
 
Rod

Well, after 1443 hours over 608 consecutive days,  she's done !!!!!!!!  Here are the photos, some of which will appear in the Completed Ship Gallery later today:
 
Please note -  as the original photos were lost in the disc corruption issue in March, 2014, I've posted these replacements (the only ones I still have available:
 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
Now, as we used to say at back work, the job's not done until the paperwork is complete.  So here are a few comments I'd like to make regarding this voyage.
 
I'd like to thank Chuck Passaro once again for designing this kit and following through to have it kitted by Model Expo (who did a fine job as well).  Chuck's plans and instructions truly set the standard for future kits.  They made it possible for a relative novice like myself to actually complete his first POB fully-rigged ship.
 
But beyond even that, I wish to thank all here on MSW (1.0 and 2.0) for their interest, participation, critique, patience and advice during the journey.  There is no way to mention everyone here.  But trust me, there were several times I was caught in a fog bank listening to waves crashing against unseen rocks...and you folks got me through it.  And for that I shall be ever grateful.
 
Yes, I let the log go astray at times with the inclusion of cotton fields, frogs, spiders, fish, airplane and even moose.  But I think we had some fun along the way.  MSW became an almost daily ritual and, as much as I enjoy watching everyone's projects, successes and failures, what I really enjoyed was the friendship, camaraderie and downright concern for one another.
 
My skills improved along the way --- and I've learned an awful lot I was completely unaware of.  I am proud of what you've helped me achieve and now at least know what I can do better.  Many of you know I'm primarily an R/C aircraft builder and pilot.  What you don't know is that this was to be my and last ship model.  But things have changed.
 
I'll be building Syren's case over the next few weeks, have a week long annual fishing trip just around the corner and will be spending most of September overseas.  So the shop will be quiet for a bit, the sense of accomplishment almost overshadowed by the sadness that the build is over.  But I still have my friends here.  And I'll be watching.  Always cheering you toward victory ---- and sometimes giving you the business    .
 
And the shipyard shall once again find itself beneath a cloud of sawdust when the next project begins in the fall.  And that project will be -----
 
CONFEDERACY !
 
Until then, everyone be well and..........    STAY THE COURSE !!
 
 

Ok, well that is chapter 5.
 
All the planking, sanding, etc is all finished. Painted the black on the outside, and then I decided that I wanted to paint the gun port area above the wales rather then stain it. So I ended up with Spar Black and H. Cream on the outside (both model shipways paint). The bulworks and inside of the gun ports are all going to be paint color Bright Red (also model shipways paint). The deck I am planning on staining a very light natural, I haven't settled on a stain yet for the deck. 
 
Here are some pictures in her current state. I really need to find a better working vice or mount. Any recommendations?
 
Next onto finishing up the stern, then bulworks, and decking.
 

 

 

 

Pin rails
 
>>> If anything in this kit is laser cut, it should be the pin rails! <<<


Pin rails complete, 7 weeks, 153 man-hours

Unfortunately, during the last few weeks I had very little time for working on my Syren. Too much focus on business and competing projects with higher priorities . . . 
 
Nevertheless, here is a little update. The lids of all open gun ports on both sides are in place, sheaves and fenders are done, and work is progressing on the bridle ports. 
 
Thomas
 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Yards Complete
 

28 weeks, 448 man-hours
 
Saturday I returned from a two-week vacation in Alaska. Now the grass is cut, the laundry is done, and the weather is terrible - a perfect excuse to stay inside and complete the yards for the Syren. The yards took 33 hours to build and are shown in the photo above. You can compare them to Augie's yards at this link:
http://modelshipworld.com/index.php?/topic/46-us-brig-syren-by-augie-ms-kit-164-18-gun-brig/page-40#entry42019
Augie's entry was dated April 21 and he's almost done, so I figure I'll be done by the end of September.
 
I decided to paint my yards black like Chuck's prototype. It seemed like a good idea until I realized that I had installed my boom and gaff unpainted. Luckily there wasn't too much rigging in the way and I was able to paint them in place. Maybe I'll be done by Halloween

Yards Complete
 

28 weeks, 448 man-hours
 
Saturday I returned from a two-week vacation in Alaska. Now the grass is cut, the laundry is done, and the weather is terrible - a perfect excuse to stay inside and complete the yards for the Syren. The yards took 33 hours to build and are shown in the photo above. You can compare them to Augie's yards at this link:
http://modelshipworld.com/index.php?/topic/46-us-brig-syren-by-augie-ms-kit-164-18-gun-brig/page-40#entry42019
Augie's entry was dated April 21 and he's almost done, so I figure I'll be done by the end of September.
 
I decided to paint my yards black like Chuck's prototype. It seemed like a good idea until I realized that I had installed my boom and gaff unpainted. Luckily there wasn't too much rigging in the way and I was able to paint them in place. Maybe I'll be done by Halloween

Beautiful work Augie! I can hardly wait to see you Syren completed. Do you plan to get a case for her?

Yards Complete
 

28 weeks, 448 man-hours
 
Saturday I returned from a two-week vacation in Alaska. Now the grass is cut, the laundry is done, and the weather is terrible - a perfect excuse to stay inside and complete the yards for the Syren. The yards took 33 hours to build and are shown in the photo above. You can compare them to Augie's yards at this link:
http://modelshipworld.com/index.php?/topic/46-us-brig-syren-by-augie-ms-kit-164-18-gun-brig/page-40#entry42019
Augie's entry was dated April 21 and he's almost done, so I figure I'll be done by the end of September.
 
I decided to paint my yards black like Chuck's prototype. It seemed like a good idea until I realized that I had installed my boom and gaff unpainted. Luckily there wasn't too much rigging in the way and I was able to paint them in place. Maybe I'll be done by Halloween

Well, Frank, as luck would have it you won't need to wait long (I usually make Sjors wait about a week).
 
The spritsail and running rigging has been COMPLETED !!!    
 

 

 

 

 
Just a few flag halliards and rope coils to finish up.  So I've given my loyal and trusty rigging spiders (at least) the next year off for good behavior.
 
Then we need to fabricate the anchors and associated tackle.  I'm going to try and make my own anchor stocks rather than use the castings so this could take another month    .
 
The yard is closed for the next several days ----- yeah......fishin'.
 
Y'all take care !
 
 
 

USS Syren vs. the Diamond Princess
 

Approximtely to scale.  They just don't make ships like they used to.
 
Posted from Ketchikan, Alaska. My cabin is on deck 10 of 15.

USS Syren vs. the Diamond Princess
 

Approximtely to scale.  They just don't make ships like they used to.
 
Posted from Ketchikan, Alaska. My cabin is on deck 10 of 15.

Augie,
You Syren is an inspiration. I can hardly wait to get back to work.
Rod
 
Sent from Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, Alaska. (I'll bet you would like the fishing here!)

Rigging continues.
 
The rigging of the main and fore mast yards has been completed...with the exception of the braces.
 
Here are the t'gallant and royals
 

 

 

 

 
Looking forward to getting on with the braces which are strewn about the deck waiting to attach to the yards.  It will be a pleasure to get away from belaying on and around the deck as it's been really tough sometimes getting to the belaying points.  The # of lines is impressive !
 
After that it will be on to the spritsail yard

Standing Rigging Complete
 

 

24 weeks, 415 man-hours
 

 

Amazing how complicated the foreward end of the ship is compared to the aft end.
 

Yards, running rigging, anchors and finished model:    Like the masts, the yards were made from dowels with the octagonal sections built up from strip wood. Unlike the standing rigging, which I do from aft to fore, the yards and running rigging are done from fore to aft. The reasoning, however, is the same -- ease of access. All of the yards are mounted on the brass pins that were previously added to the masts. 
 
Running rigging always involves choices as to what to include or exclude. On this build, I included all of the yard control lines ( Slings, trusses, parrels,lifts, ties, halyards and braces)  and many, but not all of the sail control lines ( clews, sheets, tacks, but not buntlines, leechlines or reef rigging for the square yards; halyards and downhauls for the headsails, but not for the other staysails ).
 
The anchors are from the kit. The stocks were made from boxwood. The buoys were made from tapered dowel.
 
Bob

Standing Rigging Complete
 

 

24 weeks, 415 man-hours
 

 

Amazing how complicated the foreward end of the ship is compared to the aft end.
 

Ratlines and Some Backstays Completed
 
Last week my wife had business in Flint, MI, and I went along for the ride. While she was working I visited the Flint Institute of Art, which has an exhibit called Ship Shape, Models of Great Lakes Vessels. The exhibit has about 30 ship models, many freighters and side-wheelers. My favorite was a magnificent 5-masted ore carrier. As if 2 sets of rat-lines isn't hard enough. The exhibit runs through 6-16-13. If you're in the area it's worth a visit. Here's a link to their web site:
http://www.flintarts.org/exhibitions/current/shipshape.html
 
I also stopped in Rider's Hobbies in Flint. They had a nice selection of Model Shipways supplies, so I bought one of each size of rigging line. Good thing 'cause I just ran out of .018 black!
 
After Flint we drove to Dearborn and spent a day in Greenfield Village and a day at The Henry Ford Museum. There were practically no nautical exhibits, but if you're into planes, trains, automobiles, or steam engines, WOW, what a great museum!
 
That accounts for a week of no work on the Syren, but I have made some progress since my last post. My extra deadeyes arrived from MS, and I have finished the ratlines and some of the backstays. Here are some recent photos of the Syren.
 

20 weeks, 375 man-hours
 

Lower shrouds and ratlines                                Upper shrouds and ratlines
 

 
 

Absolutely beautiful Augie! I am building yards now and can hardly wait to start rigging!

The topgallant yards have been sent aloft and the rigging completed (with the exception of the braces)
 

 
 

 
Doesn't look like a whole lot but I'm very happy it's proceeding well in spite of summers' diversions. 
 
I'd never realized before just how many lines there really are.  And, for the first time, I actually realize what they DO!  And things are getting tight !!!!
 
The t'gallant braces are next followed by raising the royal yards.  All is on hold until I get my order of additional rigging line from ME.  My screw ups and do-overs have finally come home to roost and I find myself line-less .  That's ok......there are a few fish to be caught and I need to find the ladder prior to the next photo-op.
 
You all stay well