jablackwell

With some free time on my hands (It's 7F outside (-14C or 259K) and no flying for me!), I got back to the Syren. Moving now into the third chapter and looking at creating the gun and sweep ports when I noticed that my sanding had been, how shall I say this<?>, a little too zealous?! I removed a slew of the laser cut measure lines for this.... so out with the calipers and plans... I had to re-mark them all. Sometimes I feel like I have a toad for a brain. Ready now to move ahead. 
~john
 
 

With some free time on my hands (It's 7F outside (-14C or 259K) and no flying for me!), I got back to the Syren. Moving now into the third chapter and looking at creating the gun and sweep ports when I noticed that my sanding had been, how shall I say this<?>, a little too zealous?! I removed a slew of the laser cut measure lines for this.... so out with the calipers and plans... I had to re-mark them all. Sometimes I feel like I have a toad for a brain. Ready now to move ahead. 
~john
 
 

With some free time on my hands (It's 7F outside (-14C or 259K) and no flying for me!), I got back to the Syren. Moving now into the third chapter and looking at creating the gun and sweep ports when I noticed that my sanding had been, how shall I say this<?>, a little too zealous?! I removed a slew of the laser cut measure lines for this.... so out with the calipers and plans... I had to re-mark them all. Sometimes I feel like I have a toad for a brain. Ready now to move ahead. 
~john
 
 

With some free time on my hands (It's 7F outside (-14C or 259K) and no flying for me!), I got back to the Syren. Moving now into the third chapter and looking at creating the gun and sweep ports when I noticed that my sanding had been, how shall I say this<?>, a little too zealous?! I removed a slew of the laser cut measure lines for this.... so out with the calipers and plans... I had to re-mark them all. Sometimes I feel like I have a toad for a brain. Ready now to move ahead. 
~john
 
 

With some free time on my hands (It's 7F outside (-14C or 259K) and no flying for me!), I got back to the Syren. Moving now into the third chapter and looking at creating the gun and sweep ports when I noticed that my sanding had been, how shall I say this<?>, a little too zealous?! I removed a slew of the laser cut measure lines for this.... so out with the calipers and plans... I had to re-mark them all. Sometimes I feel like I have a toad for a brain. Ready now to move ahead. 
~john
 
 

With some free time on my hands (It's 7F outside (-14C or 259K) and no flying for me!), I got back to the Syren. Moving now into the third chapter and looking at creating the gun and sweep ports when I noticed that my sanding had been, how shall I say this<?>, a little too zealous?! I removed a slew of the laser cut measure lines for this.... so out with the calipers and plans... I had to re-mark them all. Sometimes I feel like I have a toad for a brain. Ready now to move ahead. 
~john
 
 

With some free time on my hands (It's 7F outside (-14C or 259K) and no flying for me!), I got back to the Syren. Moving now into the third chapter and looking at creating the gun and sweep ports when I noticed that my sanding had been, how shall I say this<?>, a little too zealous?! I removed a slew of the laser cut measure lines for this.... so out with the calipers and plans... I had to re-mark them all. Sometimes I feel like I have a toad for a brain. Ready now to move ahead. 
~john
 
 

Hi, 
  I have in the past made vocal my desire to build a wooden model ship, so my girlfriend who apparently was listening ordered me an Amati Drakkar. I, not having done much research about the subject, was happy to discover that this seems to be an appropriate choice for a first time project. Single deck, minimal rigging etc...
  I have been preparing to start for a couple of weeks, sourcing tools, setting up an appropriate workspace, reading a couple of books, translating the plan digrams, and doing some research which has lead me here. 
  My goal is to attempt, through research, to create a historically accurate representation of a Drakkar longship. So learning how to make rigging lines look realistic, possibly the correct type of tannin that would have been made for dying the sail, how to make the wood look like the oak these ships were made from.
    I am looking forward to the challenge this presents, and am excited to start picking some brains about this wonderful hobby!

Hi Peter,
That sounds like a good idea - sanding down from a slightly larger size. From what I have been seeing in other people's logs of the Syren, there is a lot of sanding. ;-)   When it comes to making them level with the deck or not: I am undecided. The deck should have a slight curve to it, and the region is a tight fit for sanding, but I am tempted. Keep sending ideas my way as I work through the build. I am going to need all the help I can get!
~john
 

Got those bulkheads roughly shaped and in place: not glued yet until I can cut and shape all the filler blocks. The ship is taking on a shape, which just makes me smile a lot.  Long way to go!  Looking at the second image, you can see that there is a slight bow to the bulkhead former, which I will need to figure out how to un-bow, or straighten. Your choice of verbs. Any ideas for easy ways to do this? 
 
~john
 
 

Thank you, Per! I'll be sure to measure twice (or more) and cut once for those filler blocks.
~john
 

After considerable contemplation, I've decided on the US Brig Syren as my first build. I was thinking of getting my feet wet with the smaller English Longboat and English Pinnace kits. Then I found the Tigersteve and Blue Ensign build logs showing their fine work, especially the planking. Yikes! I got to thinking about that skill: I need something I can practice on so that it won't matter when I screw things up. 
 
Ah ha! The copper sheathed Syren! I can mangle the planks to my hearts content, slap on a coat of wood filler, sand it down, and no one will know the difference. Once I get good at it, I can order some hard maple (like Tigersteve did for the English Pinnace: see 30-Apr for the order list, 29-Sep for the results) and tackle the Longboat and Pinnace, where the planking is much more visible.
 
"Wait!", you say. Statistics show that 90% of first time builders who tackle a Big Boat give up early and the other 50% don't finish either. "Au contraire", I respond, I'll go ahead and purchase all three kits. Some time after Chapter 5 - Hull Planking, when I hit the doldrums and get dejected with the thought of never ever getting done (copper plate number one thousand thirty two, one thousand thirty three, ...), I can amuse myself by puttering around on these two more manageable craft. Plus word gets back that the Syren's User Manual is terrific (with color pictures no less!).
 
Now, having said all that, where did I put that order form ...
Jonathan

I've never had a problem with insecurity. When I was in grade school I was given a pocket watch that didn't work. I told everyone that I was going to repair it and they told me that I was crazy. I've always thought that if I worked hard enough and long enough I could do anything. Well I took everything apart, found out why it didn't work, fixed the problem, and put it back together. It ran but ran very fast and backwards. That's when I discovered that I had built a time machine and I stuck to that story. So relax. The point is to have fun and if you're doing that it must be right.

I would like to introduce myslef and say how happy I am to begin this journey. My name is Norman, I spent eight years in the Marine Corps. I hope to learn a lot in the comming months/years. My first build will be the Hannah by amati (sib). I will be thankful for any and all help I may recieve. Truly, Norman

Some progress!  Made bowsprit and jib boom. Need to make bowsprit first in order to carve out the bowsprit hole/gap in the bow. Tricky work.  
 
A couple things...I did not glue that part of the cap rail on the direct middle of the bow, so cap rail was easy to cut out with a #11 blade. Err on the small side and widen it as you go. Since the bulwarks are soft wood, a round and elliptical file made quick work of the gap.  Taped up the deck to keep from scratching it...but decent result. 
 
However....the stem is too bloody short. There is a magnificent gap between bottom of the bowsprit and the top of the stem. Easily solved by a wood block filler. 
 
Next time will drill out the holes in the bow BEFORE adding the deck or cap rail. 
 
Miving on.... 
 

After such a long break it seemed there was a bit more to do than I had previously thought. I hade made the wing tip skids but had left them off as they are a bit fragile. So I added those. Also the tail skid had broken off so I had to reattach it. The wing struts between the top and middle wing are finally attached. The bracing wire between the top wing and the fuselage in front of the MG:s were added. The engine cowling has been spray painted red. An old aluminum beer can has been used to add small parts of "cowling" around the front end of the aircraft. In the last picture a paper part can be seen to the right of the MG:s. After dry fitting I will cut a part like it from the beer can and do the final tweaking before gluing it in place.
 
Earlier this winter I was in London and visited the Imperial War museum and bought a map there to use as back drop. It is called "Trench map, German artillery positions at Ervillers". I will iron it to make it flat and glue it to a board and use it as a base for the finished model. You can kind of see the end result in two of the pictures.I´m thinking about leaving the cowling off to show off the engine. Haven't decided quite yet. I'm also thinking about buying a Pour le Merit replica medal and adding it to the board. I want to make a nice presentation but don't want to overdo it.
 
As it was bit more than I had remembered to do I don't think it will be done by tomorrow as I also have to work tomorrow. Was supposed to have the day off but then the boss called and...
 
 

Hello, my name is Steve Perron from Montreal, Canada. I am a jeweller, goldsmith and silversmith, and a CAD designer on the Rhino 5 software. 
 
I have to say I am really happy to be here! I just arrived and I can't stop reading all the wonderful posts that this forum has to offer. What wonderful work all of you do here!
 
I have made things with my hands most of my life, and even my vacations are spent building stuff. I built a few ship models in my youth, and it always was a dream of mine to build a ship in metal. I already use brass and silver in many shapes and forms, to make jewelry, silverware and other goods. So I am planning to build a ship, in sterling silver. The construction will need some adapting since building a ship in metal requires specific fabrication methods, different from woodwork because you can't simply glue metal together. Soldering, assembling at this scale, is more complex than making jewellery. Does anyone in this wonderful group have experience in this regard? I am looking forward to know you all and learn, best as I can whatever you have to teach me.
 
Anyway, I hope to contribute as well as I progress in this. My first step was to research and decide what ship could be appropriate for the project. For now I am leaning towards a viking longboat, maybe not a reproduction of one, but a model adapted from two ships that I have studied. I would not want to build a gigantic longboat, and a very small one either, I am trying to design a "medium" size one, a bit like the Helga Holm, the 22.5m replica of the boat #5 from Helgeandsholmen. I am currently designing it in Rhino 5 (scale undecided yet), and have made some progress. Excuse my marine knowledge, I will get better.
 
Thanks for reading me,
 
Steve

Today I finally continued to build my Fokker! It has been a long break due to work, lack of inspiration and too many other things which had a higher priority and a general lack of willpower to build. But now it s about to be finished. I attached the wires today to the ailerons. I hope to finish it completely this thurs- and Friday. Then I will also get some pictures up. 
 
 

After a little filling and sanding I added the wales and sheer strake.
 





 

Hi Mike - not sure which knot I used at the time, but I used a knot then a dab of white glue to secure it.
 
~j
 
 

Well folks, the beast is finished ! The ailerons have proved to be a disaster as somewhere my tensioning went wrong despite triple checking it. Never mind, who is going to fly it anyway and as long as it stays still it will be fine.
 
I have put my excuse for a propeller on for the time being in the absence of a better one. Whilst the cabling hasn't worked out at all well it is all there and I must admit I have enjoyed making this a lot more than some models. So, view for yourselves.
 
Next build for me is another tram. Much easier !!
 
 

Hi Mike - not sure which knot I used at the time, but I used a knot then a dab of white glue to secure it.
 
~j
 
 

Hi Mike - not sure which knot I used at the time, but I used a knot then a dab of white glue to secure it.
 
~j
 
 

I don’t believe you have me on your distribution list. I see you are a Scuba Diver also. I got certified in 1973 and have well over 1000 dives. I had to give it up a couple of years ago when I became insulin dependent. I dove with Diabetes for years but throwing insulin into the mix is a whole new deal. The Admiral and I had an epic final dive. The San Fransisco Maru, 165 feet , Truk Lagoon.  Two man Japanese Battle tank on the deck of the San Fransisco Maru