US Brig Syren by smarra - Model Shipways - 1:64 - First wooden ship build

[smarra]

This is my first posting here. I am about to start my second wooden ship build.

I believe the first model was the Dumas Kuala Lumpur kit, I built over 30 years ago.

 

I picked this kit, due to the fact of the detailed instructions included.

There also seems to an abundant wealth of info here on this site about that kit.

 

I have built RC planes both from kit and scratch before.

 

There will not be much progress on this until next month, I have a rocketry project that needs to get off the work bench first as you can see in the last photo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ccoyle]

You got your build log title 100% correct on your very first post. I like this thread already!

[svein erik]

Welcome to the syren build 

and enjoy the build☺

 

Svein.erik 

[Jim Rogers]

40 minutes ago, Y.T. said:

Hoping your "rocketry project" is not located at a Gaza strip.

Love a sarcastic sick sense of humor. 😁😂

[Jim Rogers]

Smarra the Syren is a fun educational build. Enjoy.

[smarra]

Inventoried all the parts and cut out the bulkhead former. It seems to be perfectly flat.

Using a French Curve, I drew the bearding line on the other side of the BF. This will be it until next week as I'll be traveling over the week end.

 

[smarra]

Preformed the rabbet strip.

Dry fit the bulk heads, the stern looks to line up nice.

 

The bow not so much, The second bulk head bevel line falls short of the bearding line. I guess I'll remark to the bearding line and bevel from there, worst case I guess I'll have to do more sanding when fairing the hull.

Edited June 24, 2018 by smarra
More text for photo

[smarra]

Rabbet strip installed last night, rabbet carved tonight. Still need to sand smooth.

 

[smarra]

Finished the first chapter in the instructions.

 

 

[smarra]

The bulkheads are faired and all but three bulkheads are glued in place.

Not sure where I saw on this site about the lego blocks for squaring the bulkheads, but it has worked out perfectly so far. 

The keel is still pretty much square. I'll add balsa filler blocks next to keep it that way.

 

[smarra]

Created a building board to keep the keel straight and glued in the rest of the bulkheads.
Filler blocks have been cut but not glued yet.

 

 

 

[smarra]

Finished the second chapter in the instructions.

 

[smarra]

I've read in other build logs of the template not lining up, that no longer seems to be the case.

It lines up spot on for both sides.

[HIPEXEC]

Good luck with your build! 

[smarra]

11 hours ago, HIPEXEC said:

Good luck with your build! 

 

I have been following your build and I'm very impressed with your workmanship.

If my build comes out even half as good as yours I'll be thrilled.

[smarra]

Temporary battens installed and bulkheads marked for the top of the gun port sills.

 

 

[smarra]

Between the 4th and my son's lacrosse tournaments not much accomplished till today.

Lower gunport sills are in place on both sides.

 

 

[smarra]

35 minutes ago, Y.T. said:

The soft wood pieces in stern and bow make lots of sense for proper hull curvature there. Wood pieces in the middle of the hull - I am not sure what benefit they can bring.

 

I put them there in hopes of keeping the keel and bulkheads straight.

[Jim Rogers]

One of the great benefits of the additional blocks comes during planking of the deck. Now you don’t have to be concerned about being over a bulkhead to attach decking planks as you have the entire surface for glue. I do this all the time, makes the build really sturdy.

[smarra]

Gun port sills and lintels installed, not sanded yet.

 

[smarra]

I have been sanding for what seems like forever.

Mostly because I'm chicken to use a courser grit sand paper.

 

Port sills and lintels mostly sanded at this point. A few pieces came loose and had to be glued agian.

Just need to clean up the bow a little more before moving on.

 

 

[HIPEXEC]

Careful! The whole thing is very fragile at this point. Most of us had to do major re-work after breaking the fragile wood.

[smarra]

2 minutes ago, HIPEXEC said:

Careful! The whole thing is very fragile at this point. Most of us had to do major re-work after breaking the fragile wood.

 

I'm finding that out, just sanding very lightly at this point. That is why it is taken so long to move on the the next step.

Hopefully as more wood is added it gets stronger.

 

 

 

 

[HIPEXEC]

IT GETS VERY STRONG AFTER YOU GET THE HULL PLANKED. BEFORE THAT IT'S LIKE WORKING WITH EGG SHELLS

[smarra]

Gun ports are framed and faired to the bulkheads.

The sanding seems to take forever, since I need to gingerly sand it down to avoid breaking anything.

 

Now on the the sweep ports.

 

[smarra]

Sweep ports are complete, moving on to the stern framing.

[smarra]

Stern framing is complete.

 

[smarra]

I now moved into new territory for myself, as this is my first planked wooden ship.

I have been comfortable in my skills up to this point.

 

We'll see how this next phase of planking the ship goes.

 

[Jim Rogers]

She is looking great so far. Just take your time when you are planking and it will all work out. You’ll do just fine.

[smarra]

Gun ports and sweeps painted.

 

First plank is bent, the second one is now drying.