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

[Overworked724]

Finally created my make-shift fume hood!  Not a modeling pic but was fun to make. 🤣

 

 

 

My wife made some draught snakes to seal up the window gaps for when I actually get it set up for external exhaust. 😊More pics to follow. 

 

Moving on...👍🏽

Edited December 16, 2020 by Overworked724

[kurtvd19]

Better use some sort of drop cloth if not using acrylics.

[Overworked724]

9 minutes ago, kurtvd19 said:

Better use some sort of drop cloth if not using acrylics.

 

Not certain what you mean, Kurt?  You mean to put on the floor?  Again - I am NOT a airbrusher or a painter in general.  (But I think I did a pretty good job on my makeshift airbrush hood...)

[kurtvd19]

Yes.  At least in front of the table - spill some paint = BIG trouble.  If you are using acrylics your only issue is spilled paint.  Acrylic over spray will be dry before it hits the floor - you may need to sweep up some dust.   If using solvent paints  they are not always dry before hitting the floor and make sure the fan at the rear is explosion proof.

[Overworked724]

I see. Thanks for clarifying. I have some painters drop cloths I can use.

[Overworked724]

Tried applying and sanding some wipe on poly (sanding between 3 coats) to assess how well the self adhesive copper plates adhere to the wood. Works really well. 
 

Very smooth surface. Like a baby’s butt. 🤣
 

 

Used a 1/2” dowel with double sided adhesive scotch tap as my ‘peeling’ foundation. 
 

 

 

 

Comes of fairly clean and uncurled. 

 

 

Tried a simple swatch with blank plates. You can see the plate where I sort of ‘peeled’ the plate away From the backing by hand (circled in yellow). The crimping of the foil happens quick and can’t be undone. 

 

 

Nice thing is you can remove the paper backing and reuse. 
 

Edited December 17, 2020 by Overworked724

[RichardG]

When doing my coppering, I found peeling the paper away from the copper worked better. 

[Overworked724]

11 hours ago, RichardG said:

When doing my coppering, I found peeling the paper away from the copper worked better. 

Well, I tried that but couldn’t find a clean way of doing it without crimping the foil. I saw the video a few times which I posted earlier and tried it that way. But I always ended up crimping the trailing corner as I peeled the paper. 
 

Guess it’s all in the technique. 🤔

Edited December 17, 2020 by Overworked724

[RichardG]

I certainly wasted quite a few initially and occasionally later when I wasn't paying attention.

 

I found that bending the paper almost into a U shape when I got the first 1/4" peeled off worked best. So I'd hold the peeled end of the  copper between finger and thumb of my left hand (I'm right-handed). Then support the copper with the middle finger (to keep it flat). Finally peel the paper off using my right hand finger and thumb.  

[Overworked724]

2 minutes ago, RichardG said:

...found that bending the paper almost into a U shape when I got the first 1/4" peeled off worked best. So I'd hold the peeled end of the  copper between finger and thumb of my left hand (I'm right-handed). Then support the copper with the middle finger (to keep it flat). Finally peel the paper off using my right hand finger and thumb.  

Hmmm. That sounds simpler. Will give it a go!!!

[Overworked724]

Well, some slow progress between meetings.  I did manage to put a couple coats of wipe on poly on the ship. I mean I know the surface isn’t perfectly smooth, but a couple light coats of poly with sanding in between really smoothed out the surface.  👍🏽
 

 

Moving on....slowly...

[NovaStorm]

Now Pat that is looking some sexy. Very crisp and clean     

[CPDDET]

Looks great, Pat. The idea of using wipe on poly and lightly sanding really added a whole other dimension. 

[Overworked724]

5 hours ago, CPDDET said:

Looks great, Pat. The idea of using wipe on poly and lightly sanding really added a whole other dimension. 

Right!?  Too bad I’m going to stick copper all over it. 😂 I just wanted to ensure I had the smoothest foundation  before putting on the plates. 

[CPDDET]

I'm always torn when it comes to covering natural wood with anything other than clear or tinted poly. 

So much of my Bluenose is painted and there have been times when I wished I'd left it natural.

I know the plans call for the paint and it should be painted to be historically accurate. But at the same time I occasionally think this is my model and I can finish it as I please.

[Overworked724]

9 hours ago, CPDDET said:

I know the plans call for the paint and it should be painted to be historically accurate. But at the same time I occasionally think this is my model and I can finish it as I please.

Totally true. If not for the poor planking job and tons of obvious wood filler, I would forego the coppering. But, as I’ve never done it before, I figure it’s a great learning opportunity. 👍🏽😊

[CPDDET]

That's a great way to look at the coppering. And I know exactly what you mean about the hull planking. Black paint covered my errors and filler.

[RichardG]

Black paint covered my errors, then I coppered as well just to make sure.

[CPDDET]

🤣

[Overworked724]

Spent some time finishing up painting the upper edges of the gun port sills. No more red paint for a while thank the Lord. 
 

Got the rough prep of the bow margin planks done. Not a bad first try. 
 

 

Moving on...

Edited December 21, 2020 by Overworked724

[niwotwill]

Patrick

she's looking very good I like you margin planks and the scarf looks nice equal on both sides Port & Starboard. I notice you went with a darker red paint I like the darkness not a over bearing red color that's why I went with vermillion red with a little brown.

 

Now the belaying pins per Thomas he dropped me the not and the photo is in his log posting #600. It really helped to have a sketch with dimensions in front of you so you could eyeball the distances.

 

Hope this helps

Stay well and stay safe

Wii  

[Gahm]

Your paint job looks really good! It may not be your favorite occupation but the result is very convincing 👍

 

Thomas 

[Overworked724]

2 hours ago, Gahm said:

Your paint job looks really good! It may not be your favorite occupation but the result is very convincing 👍🏽

 

Thank you, Thomas!  (But I have yet to attack the black stuff. 😣). Step by step!!!

[Jamie Coleman]

I’m not a paint expert either, but I am reading that some polyurethanes and acrylic paints don’t play well together.  If your poly goes up to where there will be black over it, you might want to look into a oil based primer after scuffing its down some.

[Overworked724]

That’s a good point @Jamie Coleman . I believe I should be ok on that score. The poly stops just a smidge below the waterline so I should be coppering over a bit of the black paint. At least that’s the plan. 😊

[Overworked724]

Decided to take a side trip into the carronades...again.  Like others, the metal fittings in the kit leave much to be desired (being kind here...they suck).  The carronade wheels and brackets are metal - and like all other metal bits in the kit look like they've been sandblasted.  I decided I'd try an idea I had when making my bulkhead blocks containing the sheaves made out of sculpy.  I thought I could use a similar technique for the wheels for the carronades.  The problem was how to make the wheel brackets.

 

I decided to try using 1/16" (1.588mm) scrap piece of boxwood.  I planned to cut grooves using my table saw into the edge of both sides of the boxwood  and keep the grain horizontal to keep the grain in the right direction for cutting the multiple brackets.  I would then have a stock piece to cut multiple wheel brackets reproducibly.

 

 

 

I knew my wheels would be exactly 0.95mm thick and 2.4mm in diameter (I'll explain later). I set up my table saw blade height to 2mm, and cut 1mm thick grooves in each side of the strip.  The strip itself was 9.9mm wide.

 

 

 

I then cut a bunch of 2.25mm wide sections from this stock strip (I think I cut about 20 or so).  These would make the wheel brackets.

 

 

 

I took off the corners with a 600 grit emery board. 

 

 

Now...the wheels!  This was fun.  The wheels I measured to be about 2.4mm in diameter...which is exactly the width of a 3/32" drill bit.  I had a piece of metal which was about 0.91mm thick, and cut the 3/32" hole in it...and polished up both sides.  I put wax paper underneath the metal 'mold'.

 

 

I took some black sculpy...warmed it up in my hand, and smashed it into the 3/32" hole with my thumb!  I was not gentle.  I shaved off the remainder with a straight razor (just running it along the surface to cleanly lift up the excess sculpy)...this left a 'plug' of black sculpy stuck in the hole.  I used a tooth pick (cut flush so it had a nice flat base and fit perfectly into the 3/32" hole) to push out the 'wheels'.

 

 

 

 

Like all sculpy - cook at 275 Degrees (F) for 30 minutes.  And....Voila....the proof is always in the pudding.  A bit of superglue (medium gel - slow set) and the wheel assembly is ready to paint (or stain....haven't made up my mind) and slap on the carronade sled.

 

 

 

I've made enough brackets and wheels to make the wheels assemblies at a later date when it's time.   Procrastination can be a wonderful thing when it's masked as something productive!   

 

Moving on...again...

 

 

Edited December 24, 2020 by Overworked724

[WalrusGuy]

So much better than the castings!! Really nice! I was speechless for a moment when I saw your post at first and had to gather my thoughts 😅

[Overworked724]

1 hour ago, WalrusGuy said:

So much better than the castings!! Really nice! I was speechless for a moment when I saw your post at first and had to gather my thoughts 😅

 

Thank you!!!  😃.  LOL. This was a fun work around...and I appreciate the kind words!  (Besides, I watch your and other builds like a hawk, and you guys really inspire me to think outside the box!!)

[CPDDET]

Simply a wonderful work around, Pat. Great job of thinking outside the box.

[captain_hook]

Very nice solution to replace the casting!