US Brig Syren 1803 by Overworked724 – Model Shipways – Scale 1:64

[CPDDET]

This is a picture from the Syren pdf file on assembly and sanding blocks.

[Overworked724]

5 hours ago, CPDDET said:

This is a picture from the Syren pdf file on assembly and sanding blocks.

I like this version. I think the flaps on mine are still a bit too long and stiff giving rise to occasional crunching of the blocks. I’m going to shorten them and extend the sandpaper wings like this pic above. Thanks, Dave. 

[CPDDET]

Keep us posted, please.

[Overworked724]

Just a pic of the results. I’ll modify my block sander a bit more as I stated above, but the results are much better. 
 

Moving on….

[Overworked724]

Thanks for the feedback, Dave. I modified the fins so they don’t rub the wall of the canister. Bundled 4 layers of sandpaper to extend out from the fins for a snug fit against the sides. 
 

Works MUCH better!  No grinding sound and the sanding process is much gentler. Glad I can use this thing now. 😎👍🏽

 

Final pics on this side journey. 
 

Moving on…

[CPDDET]

Glad to hear things worked out. 

[Overworked724]

Since I have tons of rings and rigging upcoming, decided to do a personal preference experiment with regards to brass versus copper wire. Using the Jax blackener diluted 1:3 with water.  I ran a set of copper and brass rings of same dimensions through the mix. 
 

In truth…hard to say which I prefer. No chunky black oxidation fragments came off either batch. Drying, cleanliness and evenness of the blackening was consistent across both metals. I did ensure I pre-sanded the metal before shaping and dipping the rings. 
 

All in all…no winner here. I think the take away is that cutting the blackening agent and removing any preoxidized layer before blacking gives a consistent patina on either metal. Not going for black here…but a metallic sheen like gun metal. 
 

Some pics. Off to do the doors tomorrow. 🫡

 

 

Moving on…to dinner. 🥘 

Edited August 20, 2024 by Overworked724

[Overworked724]

Stupid tool hack. Not sure if I’m only just figuring this out and everyone else has their hack…but I’ve always struggled with my tweezers always being a bit too wide for tiny bits. It means you need to exert that tiny bit more pressure to make and maintain control of a delicate piece…which means, more often than not, that by being too gentle I reduce the needed pressure to hold onto the damned thing…and it falls out of my tweezer grip. 
 

So my hack is…dental rubber bands. I wrap a few around my tweezers to close up the jaw width and reduce the necessary pressure I need to exert on the tweezer sides to maintain a solid hold. Great hack…more control with less exertion and instability. 
 

Apologies if this was captured somewhere else in some other blog…but I felt like a genius when I figured it out. 
 

Gratuitous pics…

 

 

 

Moving on…

 

Edited August 21, 2024 by Overworked724

[CPDDET]

If they make parallel pliers, why can't they make parallel tweezers?

[Overworked724]

If they do, I can’t afford them!!!  🤣

[Overworked724]

Those tiny hinges are a pain in the butt….he vented to no one in particular.  🤬

[Overworked724]

Got the sweep port doors done. Much happier with the redo. The hinges don’t stand proud of the brackets on the doors. I put the metal brackets on with a little bit of room to fit in the hinges. It’s a cheat, but it saves me from having to glue them on after I mount the doors on the ship. I test fitted them and all is good. The only problem is the wood is so much brighter than the wood on the ship. That’s the result of waiting so long to restart my modeling journey. I’m hoping time and some tung oil coats will age the sweep/gun port doors until they are a closer match. 
 

Here are a few photos. Sweep port doors ready to mount. I’ll probably get to them this weekend. 
 

The block sander works great. Here’s a pic of my 2mm blocks after running them in the sander 5 min. 
 

I still have some gun port doors to prep/paint…the journey continues. 

[alde]

You sure do great work. Your build log will sure be a great reference when I get up enough nerve to build a Syren kit.

[Overworked724]

Did 2025 really just hit me...wow.  This link is still live.  No pic to post, but progress is being made.  Stay tuned.

[CPDDET]

Good to hear from you again!

[Overworked724]

Getting slowly back into it…decided to attack a necessary chore to support the carronades. The tiny tiny blocks needed for the tackle are ridiculously small. 2mm single blocks need to be fit with hooks. Chuck’s practicum shows them shaped and rounded. After attempting and failing multiple times, I decided manual dexterity to create those perfected rounded little guys was simply beyond my ability. 
 

So…I just prepped the little blocks after sanding them a bit in the block sander. I made about 150 of these little suckers which should be enough. I had the mats to make about 20 more if I drop/crush/break any of them. 
 

The little hooks I prepared using the smallest brass rings I could find…forgot the part number but pic below. Much easier trimming these brass rings than trying to make them from scratch. Drilled the tiny holes on the blocks (easier than I thought)…and WaaaLaaaa!  I’ll post a pick of the blocks after blackening and staining a bit later. Her are a few gratuitous pics. 
 

Do these little blocks make my fingers look fat? (He asked self consciously..🤣)

 

 

 

 

Moving on…

[Overworked724]

And stained/blackened. The top one is just for comparison. I blackened the hooks before adding to stained block. Looks passable. 👍🏽

 

[Overworked724]

Was spending time organizing and doing odd little chores on my USS Syren parts and decided to make the graphics to prepare the flags when I get to that point.  My intention is to prepare them using washi paper as I did on my last build.  So, I looked up the flags online and prepared the flag and jackstaff graphics.  I thought the graphics and sizes were pretty close to those in the kit, and was happy to move on and consider this little chore complete.  But I noticed a major difference between my naval jack and the Shipways kit supplied naval jack.  See the graphic below.  The main country flag and reverse images are an exact match.  Slight color differences but nothing else.  The naval jack provided in the MS Kit is completely reversed from the gif I prepared.  Considering that I got the graphic for both the country flag and naval jack from Wiki, I'm wondering which is correct.  

 

I could you some help here...is the MS kit provided naval jack incorrect or is there some mistake I am making?

 

Edited Wednesday at 02:31 AM by Overworked724
Punctuation

[Overworked724]

Got an answer to my question above from a shipmate who also researched into it. My flags are correct. 
 

I think some other modelers who built this kit noted the discrepancy when they made their own flags but didn’t mention it! 😎 I guess that makes me a squeaky wheel. 

 

Moving on…