fnkershner Posted January 18, 2018 Share #61 Posted January 18, 2018 As the Graphite, I went to an art store and bought a pencil made 100% of graphite. I have found that depending on the amount of caulking I was spending lots to time sharpening that #2. The other benefit of the art pencil is you can try different hardnesses to suit your taste. Good luck and enjoy the Syren. I am just beginning the copper plating. I will be posting an update once that is done. jablackwell 1 Quote Current Builds - 18th Century Longboat, MS Syren Completed Builds - MS Bluenose, Panart BatteStation Cross section, Endevour J Boat Half Hull, Windego Half Hull, R/C T37 Breezing Along, R/C Victoria 32, SolCat 18 On the shelf - Panart San Felipe, Euromodel Ajax, C.Mamoli America, Its a sailor's Life for me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jablackwell Posted February 26, 2018 Author Share #62 Posted February 26, 2018 All, Got back into the model this week after a prolonged becalming. All is well. I finished off the gunport sills today and have built a couple of short wooden pieces to help act as a jig for the gunport lentils. I'm happy with the sills: they are level from port to starboard, and they make a nice smooth line down the side... This is all coming together nicely, though the sanding is coming in the future... lots and lots of sanding. :-) ~john Gahm, russ, Peter Bloemendaal and 4 others 7 Quote Builds: U.S. Brig Syren - 1803 - Model Shipways - First PoB Build Sopwith Camel F.1 - 1916 - Model Airways - Not a Ship!, Completed Kate Cory - 1856 - Model Shipways - Second Build, completed Sultana - 1767 - Model Shipways - First shipbuild, completed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
russ Posted February 26, 2018 Share #63 Posted February 26, 2018 John: Your build looks good so far. The hard work here will pay off down the line. Russ jablackwell 1 Quote T'aint a hobby if you hurry Completed projects Cross section model by Russ 1/48 scale Biloxi schooner model restoration 1/24 scale Biloxi oyster skiff 1/24 scale Biloxi schooner 1/48 scale POB Current project Biloxi lugger Captain Roy 1/48 scale POB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nirvana Posted February 27, 2018 Share #64 Posted February 27, 2018 Very nice, and the background does it better thanks to the Ludwig set! jablackwell 1 Quote Please, visit our Facebook page! Respectfully Per aka Dr. Per@Therapy for Shipaholics Finished: T37, BB Marie Jeanne - located on a shelf in Sweden, 18th Century Longboat, Winchelsea Capstan Current: America by Constructo, Solö Ruff, USS Syren by MS, Bluenose by MS Viking funeral: Harley almost a Harvey Nautical Research Guild Member - 'Taint a hobby if you gotta hurry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jablackwell Posted February 27, 2018 Author Share #65 Posted February 27, 2018 The Ludwig set is where I go when the model gets to be too much ;-) Cheers, ~john Quote Builds: U.S. Brig Syren - 1803 - Model Shipways - First PoB Build Sopwith Camel F.1 - 1916 - Model Airways - Not a Ship!, Completed Kate Cory - 1856 - Model Shipways - Second Build, completed Sultana - 1767 - Model Shipways - First shipbuild, completed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jablackwell Posted March 6, 2018 Author Share #66 Posted March 6, 2018 The gun port lintels are complete. Now to sanding.... stand by! ~john Altduck, Gahm, Jack12477 and 7 others 10 Quote Builds: U.S. Brig Syren - 1803 - Model Shipways - First PoB Build Sopwith Camel F.1 - 1916 - Model Airways - Not a Ship!, Completed Kate Cory - 1856 - Model Shipways - Second Build, completed Sultana - 1767 - Model Shipways - First shipbuild, completed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jablackwell Posted March 7, 2018 Author Share #67 Posted March 7, 2018 Made more headway this afternoon given the lousy NH weather we are having today.... expecting some 12-18 inches (30 to 45cm) of snow.... So... what better that work on the model?! - Sanded down the sills and lintels, and everything held together. Nothing broke, so I am happy. - Trimmed the gun port template and taped that into place. - Marked all the little bits that make up the vertical walls of the gun ports. - Set the mini chop saw fence to cut the gun port walls and chopped slew of those then started to glue them in. - By the way: I am LOVING my new Dewalt finishing sander. It has saved me a ton of time, and is delicate enough to get it done safely. - Some images follow.... Jim Rogers, Peter Bloemendaal, fnkershner and 9 others 12 Quote Builds: U.S. Brig Syren - 1803 - Model Shipways - First PoB Build Sopwith Camel F.1 - 1916 - Model Airways - Not a Ship!, Completed Kate Cory - 1856 - Model Shipways - Second Build, completed Sultana - 1767 - Model Shipways - First shipbuild, completed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
svein erik Posted March 7, 2018 Share #68 Posted March 7, 2018 You getting there, Nice progress am still waiting for the castello boxvood from wood project source I orderd before it close its been over a month😲 and I orderd also all the rigging blocks from chuck about 5 days ago and its now in Oslo ready to be shipt to Stavanger , thats wat I call service😊 Svein.erik jablackwell, paulsutcliffe, Nirvana and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jablackwell Posted March 28, 2018 Author Share #69 Posted March 28, 2018 More progress this week between classes and grading papers. I have started to work on the stern. Yep - those little ribs are quite fragile, particularly where they have been inscribed with the laser cutter... so they tend to bend then break away from those marks. Cyanoacrylate to the rescue. I'm going to let this set overnight before continuing the stern framing. ~john Richvee, Nirvana, Dutchman and 5 others 8 Quote Builds: U.S. Brig Syren - 1803 - Model Shipways - First PoB Build Sopwith Camel F.1 - 1916 - Model Airways - Not a Ship!, Completed Kate Cory - 1856 - Model Shipways - Second Build, completed Sultana - 1767 - Model Shipways - First shipbuild, completed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tim I. Posted March 28, 2018 Share #70 Posted March 28, 2018 John, Pulling up a seat. I really enjoyed reading your Kate Cory build log, and am eager to see what you do with the Syren. Tim I. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jablackwell Posted March 29, 2018 Author Share #71 Posted March 29, 2018 Welcome, Tim! I hope this build goes as well as the Cory. We shall see! ;-) ~john Nirvana 1 Quote Builds: U.S. Brig Syren - 1803 - Model Shipways - First PoB Build Sopwith Camel F.1 - 1916 - Model Airways - Not a Ship!, Completed Kate Cory - 1856 - Model Shipways - Second Build, completed Sultana - 1767 - Model Shipways - First shipbuild, completed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richvee Posted March 29, 2018 Share #72 Posted March 29, 2018 Looking good John!! Nirvana and jablackwell 2 Quote Rich Member - Ship Model Society of New Jersey Current Build: Pride of Baltimore 2 Finished: Kate Cory Finished for now (Not rigged): Medway Longboat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jablackwell Posted March 31, 2018 Author Share #73 Posted March 31, 2018 Got the sills and lintels in place.... now to the VERY gentle job of sanding and shaping the stern. I have already cracked the frames a couple of times. Slow going... ~john Richvee, Peter Bloemendaal, zappto and 3 others 6 Quote Builds: U.S. Brig Syren - 1803 - Model Shipways - First PoB Build Sopwith Camel F.1 - 1916 - Model Airways - Not a Ship!, Completed Kate Cory - 1856 - Model Shipways - Second Build, completed Sultana - 1767 - Model Shipways - First shipbuild, completed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jablackwell Posted April 1, 2018 Author Share #74 Posted April 1, 2018 Worked on getting through the stern framing today between watching games of soccer. Got the sills and lentils sanded down. For sanding the exterior I used a DeWalt finishing sander. That is the best purchase I have ever made for building the Syren. It has saved me endless time in all the sanding of the gun ports. For the interior, the finishing sander will not fit, so I used a small pencil-like vibrating sander tool I picked up a while back when making the whale boats for the Kate Cory. That did the trick in no time at all. I then cut some spare sheet wood to fill in the two outboard gaps in the stern framing and then sanded the stern sides to fair against the future plank lines. Nothing broke, so I must be doing something right! :-) ~john fnkershner, Richvee, Dutchman and 4 others 7 Quote Builds: U.S. Brig Syren - 1803 - Model Shipways - First PoB Build Sopwith Camel F.1 - 1916 - Model Airways - Not a Ship!, Completed Kate Cory - 1856 - Model Shipways - Second Build, completed Sultana - 1767 - Model Shipways - First shipbuild, completed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jablackwell Posted May 13, 2018 Author Share #75 Posted May 13, 2018 All, Still here! ;-) I was waiting on some boxwood to continue on with the build The next step is the start of planking. Got the stern framing completed and the ports all painted red. The wood has arrived, so onto the next part! It's coming along. Some images below. ~john Nirvana, Tigersteve, fnkershner and 5 others 8 Quote Builds: U.S. Brig Syren - 1803 - Model Shipways - First PoB Build Sopwith Camel F.1 - 1916 - Model Airways - Not a Ship!, Completed Kate Cory - 1856 - Model Shipways - Second Build, completed Sultana - 1767 - Model Shipways - First shipbuild, completed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jablackwell Posted May 27, 2018 Author Share #76 Posted May 27, 2018 Started planking this week. The key learning moment this time around was in trying to figure out how to get the boxwood shaped just right. The best I could get was to soak it for 6 hours, then shape it into a board with pre-placed pegs for the correct bow shape... and leave overnight to dry. The wood is pretty brittle, so small sharp curves are a no-no. Lessons learned! So, the first plank has been set on both starboard and port sides. They may be incorrectly placed, but they are symmetrically aligned! ;-) I can be happy with that! ~john Gahm, Dubz, Dutchman and 5 others 8 Quote Builds: U.S. Brig Syren - 1803 - Model Shipways - First PoB Build Sopwith Camel F.1 - 1916 - Model Airways - Not a Ship!, Completed Kate Cory - 1856 - Model Shipways - Second Build, completed Sultana - 1767 - Model Shipways - First shipbuild, completed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dutchman Posted May 27, 2018 Share #77 Posted May 27, 2018 between music sessions I ordered those planking clamps you use. Might come in handy when I start building this ship. In the meantime I eagerly follow your build. Steady as she goes! jablackwell and Nirvana 2 Quote currently: master korabel Schooner Polotsk finished: the Swift 1805, the Lady Nelson on the shelf: US Brig Syren, Le Renard and the Hermione Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Overworked724 Posted May 31, 2018 Share #78 Posted May 31, 2018 Hey Joe...you should try fiddling with a plank bender. You can get quick and permanent curvature by wetting the wood and rolling the wet plank along the curved heated element with pressure. When I was planking the Nelson (before life and the Sultana distracted me) I was getting good at using my cheapie bender. My shipmates from my club made me examine its use and they are pretty cheap. Just another option for you. looking good! Dutchman, Nirvana, lmagna and 1 other 4 Quote ---------------------------------------------------- “Work like a Captain....Play like a Pirate!” — Every Ship Modeler...everywhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jablackwell Posted June 1, 2018 Author Share #79 Posted June 1, 2018 I am using a little peg stand that I built for a plank bender. The pegs align with the curve at the bow, and have some adjustment. Works well enough, but not as precise. The clamps are there to hold the plank onto the bulkheads long enough for the wood glue to set. I will be looking into additional plank bending methods (heat, etc) when the planks get to be needing bi-directional curvature, as it does towards the stern. I have a surface mount solder station that might just blow hot enough air, so I will be giving that a try some time soon on some scrap. ~john Nirvana and Dutchman 2 Quote Builds: U.S. Brig Syren - 1803 - Model Shipways - First PoB Build Sopwith Camel F.1 - 1916 - Model Airways - Not a Ship!, Completed Kate Cory - 1856 - Model Shipways - Second Build, completed Sultana - 1767 - Model Shipways - First shipbuild, completed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Overworked724 Posted June 1, 2018 Share #80 Posted June 1, 2018 Ooops. John...not Joe!!! Apologies. Still. Beautiful progress so far. Nirvana 1 Quote ---------------------------------------------------- “Work like a Captain....Play like a Pirate!” — Every Ship Modeler...everywhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fnkershner Posted June 1, 2018 Share #81 Posted June 1, 2018 Have you considered the binder clip clamps? I like them much better than those screw in clamps. If anyone wants screw in clamps let me know. I used them once and immediately switched to the binder clips. The price is right to! My employer at the time was kind enough to donate to the cause. Dutchman and Nirvana 2 Quote Current Builds - 18th Century Longboat, MS Syren Completed Builds - MS Bluenose, Panart BatteStation Cross section, Endevour J Boat Half Hull, Windego Half Hull, R/C T37 Breezing Along, R/C Victoria 32, SolCat 18 On the shelf - Panart San Felipe, Euromodel Ajax, C.Mamoli America, Its a sailor's Life for me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nirvana Posted June 2, 2018 Share #82 Posted June 2, 2018 Binder clips are cheap to buy as well! Have plenty of them. fnkershner 1 Quote Please, visit our Facebook page! Respectfully Per aka Dr. Per@Therapy for Shipaholics Finished: T37, BB Marie Jeanne - located on a shelf in Sweden, 18th Century Longboat, Winchelsea Capstan Current: America by Constructo, Solö Ruff, USS Syren by MS, Bluenose by MS Viking funeral: Harley almost a Harvey Nautical Research Guild Member - 'Taint a hobby if you gotta hurry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dutchman Posted June 2, 2018 Share #83 Posted June 2, 2018 8 hours ago, fnkershner said: Have you considered the binder clip clamps? I like them much better than those screw in clamps. If anyone wants screw in clamps let me know. I used them once and immediately switched to the binder clips. The price is right to! My employer at the time was kind enough to donate to the cause. Darn! Wish I'd known earlier. I 've used the binder clips for the bulwarks. And that worked well. I thought clips to be a bit clumsy for planking (must be me..) and the screws looked cool. Oh well, I'll find out the hard way, I guess Nirvana 1 Quote currently: master korabel Schooner Polotsk finished: the Swift 1805, the Lady Nelson on the shelf: US Brig Syren, Le Renard and the Hermione Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jablackwell Posted June 2, 2018 Author Share #84 Posted June 2, 2018 Patrick: no worries! I am doing well to remember my name on most days ;-) All: Yep I have TONS of binder clips.... best thing ever for frame clamping, as long as there is a bulkhead in place to attach the clamp to. Their price is right. ~john Nirvana, fnkershner and Dutchman 3 Quote Builds: U.S. Brig Syren - 1803 - Model Shipways - First PoB Build Sopwith Camel F.1 - 1916 - Model Airways - Not a Ship!, Completed Kate Cory - 1856 - Model Shipways - Second Build, completed Sultana - 1767 - Model Shipways - First shipbuild, completed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jablackwell Posted June 6, 2018 Author Share #85 Posted June 6, 2018 Some free time has evolved into my schedule - namely, school is over! 3 X Huzzah! I've been working on the upper planking with the boxwood, and it is moving along nicely. Made a "wall of planks" to use as a test for the total height above the wales, and it looks to be just about spot on. So far, so good. Using PVA, and going slowly to allow things to set overnight. Some pics of the process..... Dutchman, Ryland Craze, Peter Bloemendaal and 1 other 4 Quote Builds: U.S. Brig Syren - 1803 - Model Shipways - First PoB Build Sopwith Camel F.1 - 1916 - Model Airways - Not a Ship!, Completed Kate Cory - 1856 - Model Shipways - Second Build, completed Sultana - 1767 - Model Shipways - First shipbuild, completed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dutchman Posted June 6, 2018 Share #86 Posted June 6, 2018 You lucky you! So you are a teacher as well! And therefore a collegue of mine. My, my, we sure have a lot in common then. I still have 7 weeks to go before summerholiday. Just barely surviving Off topic? Right, well, your build is coming along fine. I'm enjoying it very much! Sail on! jablackwell 1 Quote currently: master korabel Schooner Polotsk finished: the Swift 1805, the Lady Nelson on the shelf: US Brig Syren, Le Renard and the Hermione Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jablackwell Posted June 10, 2018 Author Share #87 Posted June 10, 2018 Yep - a teacher - astrophysics during the school year and researcher during the summer months. It's good work, and allows for some interesting off-time hobbies. Been working the planks up to the port openings. I have some images here to show how I am handling the cutting of the notches into the planks. I am using a small saw to notch the planks first, to the depth of the needed notch, then I use a #11 blade to remove most of the wood, then a small file to finish it off. It looks pretty good. It was a trial and error type thing at first, with a couple of horribly failed attempts. I am sure there are better methods, but this one is working for me thus far ;-) The colorful clamps were a bargain at the Dollar Store... they are poorly made, but do just right for this work. ~john Ryland Craze, Gahm, Dutchman and 4 others 7 Quote Builds: U.S. Brig Syren - 1803 - Model Shipways - First PoB Build Sopwith Camel F.1 - 1916 - Model Airways - Not a Ship!, Completed Kate Cory - 1856 - Model Shipways - Second Build, completed Sultana - 1767 - Model Shipways - First shipbuild, completed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jablackwell Posted December 26, 2018 Author Share #88 Posted December 26, 2018 All, Still working on the Syren - I haven't given up, honest! I hope y'all have had a marvelous season and enjoyed the holidays. With some of that luscious time off, I got back to planking the ship. It's slow going, but I am enjoying the pace, taking my time and slowly seeing it all come together. Some images of the current progress. The boxwood has been making this a real pleasure: ~john GrandpaPhil, Peter Bloemendaal, Dutchman and 2 others 5 Quote Builds: U.S. Brig Syren - 1803 - Model Shipways - First PoB Build Sopwith Camel F.1 - 1916 - Model Airways - Not a Ship!, Completed Kate Cory - 1856 - Model Shipways - Second Build, completed Sultana - 1767 - Model Shipways - First shipbuild, completed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smarra Posted December 26, 2018 Share #89 Posted December 26, 2018 Looking good. jablackwell 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jablackwell Posted December 6, 2020 Author Share #90 Posted December 6, 2020 An update, since it has been a long while. As many of us have noticed, the world is in a bit of chaos right now. My job and life surrounding my family and job have been really... "wild"... and unpredictable. I am still working (good), teaching astronomy and physics (good, too) and almost all remote (also good). I got back to the Syren build this week, which has me excited and happy. It offers some respite from the world's craziness. Right now I am continuing with the boxwood planking above the wales. I've decided to finish off one side first, perfect my methods then work on the other side... maybe the second side will be more presentable! Ha! So that places me some place in the early stages of chapter 5 on the build. One...plank...at...a...time 😉 ~john CiscoH, Tom E, Richvee and 2 others 5 Quote Builds: U.S. Brig Syren - 1803 - Model Shipways - First PoB Build Sopwith Camel F.1 - 1916 - Model Airways - Not a Ship!, Completed Kate Cory - 1856 - Model Shipways - Second Build, completed Sultana - 1767 - Model Shipways - First shipbuild, completed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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