Syren by JesseLee - FINISHED - Model Shipways - scale: 1:64

[mtaylor]

If the lightbulb method that Buck mentioned is too scary, see if the Admiral has an old curling iron she willing to part with.   I've also seen them at garage sales for less than a dollar in my neck of the woods.

[JesseLee]

I regularly bend wood with old curling irons the normal way - the wider side up or down like the 1st picture shows. This was difficult because I bent the wood the other way. Look at the 2nd pic. The wider side up but bent sideways to the curve of the cap rail.

 

[_SalD_]

Cap rail looks real nice Jesse.

[JesseLee]

Been working on the copper plating. Going very slow. I'd hate to show a very close-up pic of the plates. I am having a very hard time not bending them. Mine look very beat up in some spots.

 

[GLakie]

They're looking OK from this perspective Jesse. I must be pretty difficult burnishing them in place without squeezing out the dimples for the rivets in the process. 

[Jparsley]

Hey my friend it looks great Every artist sees his own faults when no one else can Keep up the great work and I'm sure it will be awesome

[dgbot]

You are doing a fine job. Are you going to ad a patina when you are done?

[Canute]

Jesse, looks good. At normal viewing distances, the average bear won't even realize the plates aren't perfect.

[Gahm]

When you copper a ship's hull nobody will focus on an individual copper plate - it is the overall impression of the hull that counts. And yours looks very good!

 

Thomas

[Gundorph]

Looks very good to me... 

[rtropp]

Coppering looks good.  Keep it up

Richard

[JesseLee]

Thank you everyone! This is my 1st time using copper plates. They will wrinkle like aluminum foil very easily. I guess in real life they get scratched & dented some. I have found that they can be smoothed out some with small scrap pieces of balsa wood. A toothpick or other small wooden stick with the end cut off the same diameter of the rivet size will re-stamp the rivet dimple if you smooth one of them out by accident.

 

The instructions say not to touch because fingerprints will show as the patina develops. I'm trying to use medical latex gloves but I hate them. Cant work well with it if I cant "feel" it. The other day they bothered me so much that I coated all my fingerprints with CA glue & laid the gloves aside. I liked it that way better. Hope no fingerprints show up later. A few times the glove fingertips got torn open & my fingertips touched them anyway.

 

David, I haven't decided whether I will let the patina develop on its own or if I will do something to speed it up. The 1st plates at the bottom are already starting to dull so I might let it develop on its own.

 

Again thank you all for the encouragement & all the likes!

 

Jesse

[CaptainSteve]

Just a totally random thought here, Jesse, but what if you were to take a photo of your coppered hull once a day (or once a week) over the course of your build.

I would imagine that you'd gather a nice collection of pics which would make for a seriously interesting slide-show of the patina developing !!

Edited October 22, 2015 by CaptainSteve

[JesseLee]

That's a good idea Steve

[Piet]

She's looking great JesseLee, and that al the way from Florida 

CA to cover fingerprints?  Don't give thieves any ideas now 

 

Cheers,

[kier]

Hi Jesse,

              I  like your idea regarding mending your bulkhead frames with a tooth-pick.

              never heard of that method before, but it seems great considering I've heard before that the box-wood is

              very fragile. keep up the good work,

                                                                       I shall be following along-

              

              kier

[GaryKap]

JesseLee and followers -

 

What do you guys think about the idea of putting a coating of Minwax Wipe On Poly over the copper plates to protect them from damage?  I am only at Chapter Four of my SYREN build, and will need to deal with this at some point in the future.  I'm glad to be aware that those copper plates are so delicate.

 

On a somewhat related topic, I visited the USS Constitution a couple of weeks ago.  She is in drydock for re-fitting, including a new copper bottom.  At the nearby visitors museum they offer the opportunity for you to etch your signature into one of the new copper plates that will go on her bottom.  Of course I had to do that...I think it is kinda neat. 

 

<<Gary>>

[JesseLee]

I've been wondering about that. I'm finding that if it is rubbed against in the wrong direction the tiny corners will snag & fold up.

[GaryKap]

JesseLee -

 

Yes, that is my concern as well - the copper plating is apparently fragile, and I thought the MinWax Wipe On Poly would help to keep it stuck down and prevent damage while the model was being completed.  I am not so concerned about copper weathering and patina.  

 

I have enormous respect for Dubz and the very high quality of his work on his Syren build.  He recommends not using MinWax but instead recommends using Zapon Varnish to coat and protect the copper plating.  Now that must be a European product because even Google does not have much luck finding it for me.  Perhaps one of your "followers" might have some knowledge of a product available to us in the U.S. that would be comparable.  

 

<<Gary>> 

[rtropp]

After Dirk's recommendation I tried zapon and it seems to help.  You still have to be careful with the edges, not running you fingers from stern to bow because it will still pull edges.  

 

I used white cotton gloves when making the plates but when peeling back the copper from the backing I needed to use my forefinger to get the edge started and its oils played havoc with the edges.

 

Below is the only place in the U.S. that I found zapon.

 

http://shop.kremerpigments.com/en/mediums--binders-und-glues/solvent-soluble-binders/zapon-lacquer--to-be-thinned-with-alcohol-79550:.html

 

Richard

Edited October 23, 2015 by rtropp

[GLakie]

I managed to find these, but I don't think they're based in the US.  http://www.bormawachs.com/gb/gilding/121-zapon-lack-high-resistance-glossy-varnish-special-for-gilding-.html   

 

http://www.modulor.de/en/clou-spraymat-zapon-spray-varnish-can-300-ml.html

[michael20]

 Hello Jessie,

 Catching up on your build, man that is some fantastic work. I have an idea that may help you in the future for peeling the backing off those copper strips,  roll some masking ape upon itself, lay the strip down on the table with the copper side down and roll the tape over the plate with your finger. the backing will adhere to the tape and peel off. Try that, I believe it will make things a bit easier.  Love the build so far Jessie, I know you are your own worst critic but I can't see any issues with your build. Have fun.

 

      Happy modeling,

 Marty G.

[JesseLee]

Thanks for the input Richard & George, Gary, I plan on letting the copper weather like it really would so I wonder if the wipe on poly would be ok for that.

Thanks for the tip & encouragement Marty!

 

Jesse

[GaryKap]

Jesse -

 

It would be good to know Dirk's (Dubz) reason for saying he would "strongly suggest NO Minwax Wipe on Poly for the copper!"  It would also be good to know if there is another product available in the U.S. that would serve as well to protect the copper plates (a varnish or lacquer maybe?).  Honestly, copper paint is sounding better all the time...less tedious work and more durable.  

 

And Jesse, thanks again for your informative build log.  It has been a great help to me.

 

<<Gary>>

[GLakie]

I think the Wipe-On-Poly would slow or even stop the patina process as it would need air to get to it for the oxidation of the plates to occur.

[clearway]

don't know if its available in the states but i used spray on lacquer from a rattle can for my billings cutty sark and victory. I have seen untreated copper on ship models turning black after a couple of decades!

 

Keith

[JesseLee]

Finally got the coppering done on the hull. added the false keel. Pegged it the same way I did the Cap Rail to make sure it held permanently. Plated & painted the rudder. Added eye bolts for the rudder pendants. used a strip of the copper tape for the iron plate with the eye bolts.

 

Still not sure what I'll do about the copper bottom. I want it to patina at least some. I don't like how bad the corners are snagging & it is impossible to never touch them with your hands as you are working on the ship. Hope no fingerprints show up later. Once the patina starts will it continue if you seal it or will the process stop at that point?

 

 

[Beef Wellington]

That is looking really sharp Jesse.  The copper should continue to develop a patina as long as its exposed to air, so once you seal it should stop.  Opinions on this seem to be very diverse, my taste is to allow the plates to patina to their full.  I have no experience with the tape you used but I could see how the sealer might also act as some protection to the edges of the plates.  I plated Snake nearly 3yrs ago and left as is, and it still has not developed the rich deep brown I'd like it to.  I found fingerprints developed quickly if they were going to from the oil on ones skin.  I didn't use gloves, but washed my hands a lot keep the dry (and oh yes, getting any stray CA glue off my fingertips, rubbing alcohol dries skin more than is healthy...)

 

Side story, had to replace my mailbox this spring and got a great deal on a copper one, so nice and shiny, fingerprints abounded right away but after 7 months, its completely brown, sun and rain really accelerate the process.

[JesseLee]

 Thanks for the feedback Jason. For now I will try to leave it as it is & try very hard not to snag the corners. The Copper tape doesn't stick as well as it said it would but mine is old.

 

Ready for the pintles & gudgeons. After reading up on Sal's log at this stage seems it was determined that they were most likely bronze rather than copper. Thinking of making mine out of brass & leaving them that way since both the copper plates & brass parts will darken over time.

Edited October 29, 2015 by JesseLee

[GLakie]

You did a real fine job with the copper-plating Jesse.  Not sure what to tell you on a sealer, as like Jason said, there are a lot of different ideas out there. One thing you could do is to ask one of the Masters here like Chuck, Danny, or EdT.  I'm sure they could steer you in the right direction.