US Brig Syren by niwotwill - Model Shipways - scale 1:64 - 2nd wooden kit build & 1st build log

[AJohnson]

Glad to see you back building Will, after having had Covid. 😀

[niwotwill]

I've decided to press ahead before the lower mast ratlines. I added the top fore mast shrouds, sheer poles and futtock staves with the catharpins. Next i'll add the sister blocks and the top mast fore and back stays.

 

 

 

a

Don't know when I'll get back to the Syren. Next week I have a daughters graduation from Arizona State with a degree in Electrical Engineering. We have family coming starting tomorrow and through next week. On the 16th we head to Colorado for 4 weeks so it will be the middle of June before any work.

 

Thanks all for the looks, likes and kind comments.

Regards Will

[niwotwill]

Standing rigging completed and now on to chapter

Not much write but here's a few photos

Plan view

Foremast

Mainmast

Looking forward

Looking aft

More to come as I get started with Yards, Parrels, Foot ropes and rigging blocks.

Thanks to all for the looks and kind words

 

 

 

[niwotwill]

started making the boom and gaff until the shop got too hot. Little AC unit can't keep up to the Arizona summer heat. But as I started to making boom jaws I came across some parts and have no idea what or where they are.

Help 

Many thanks for the likes and looks

 

[niwotwill]

Two years and a lot has happened to me and the family. First we left Arizona and returned to Colorado. One morning while sitting at breakfast I said "I don't like it here and want to go home" my wife said "I don't like it either". We put the house up for sale and in two days we had many offers. Choosing one we soon discovered we had no where to go. Back in Colorado and setting up a workshop. We hired a professional moving company and they made custom shipping crates for my models. Nothing was damaged but I think the vibrations in the moving truck caused some breakage in the gaff rigging that will need to be fixed before starting the finishing. All that said I'll soon get back to Syren after finishing some other chores. 

 

But just wanted to say I will be back on site finishing the Syren

[AJohnson]

Glad you are back Will, looking forward to seeing your work on Syren.

[ccoyle]

1 hour ago, niwotwill said:

One morning while sitting at breakfast I said "I don't like it here and want to go home" my wife said "I don't like it either".

 

I was born in Arizona, but I didn't like it, either, so I left. Actually, it was my parents who left, since I was only two months old at the time, so I can't really confirm that my opinion came into play. Probably it didn't -- my memory of that time is a little hazy.

[niwotwill]

Well my shop has been completed and I've weeks setting up my equipment and figuring out where everything goes. I had only peeked inside the Syren shipping crate for a quick inspection to ensure it made the move, but now with the model unpacked. UHG is all I can say. While waiting for a year for our basement and my shop to be completed I built a couple of plastic models to make the year pass. I set up a work area in dining room to build the plastic models and that is where I'll finish the Syren. Sitting on the table allowed me to see just how much has been damaged so now how to proceed. I took some photos showing the damage and for me to best determine where to start.

I think the best way forward is to fix the dolphin stricker more when I figure my method. Any suggestions will be appreciated.

[Altduck]

Sorry about the damage; looks to me like quite a few hours just getting back to where you were on this build.

[niwotwill]

While pressing ahead with the investigation I decided to follow the manual assembly. So the dolphin striker was the first repair. With the rigging not allowing the part to be just glued I had to make a jig to hold the parts until the glue set. The martingale lines seized and run to the being set to the bow kept the striker in place longitudly leaving only the correct width spacing. Using the plans I made at jig to hold the spacing correct and needed something to support the break. At the top joint of the strikers I made a triangular piece out of 1/32" sheet.

These are the parts made laying the drawing. To make the jig to space the strikers I used a 1/8 by 1/32 strip and attached a piece on the strip that would keep the spacing

This with the jig and support laying on the plans as the would on the actural part. I hope

Sorry for the focus of the photos

Rather than trying to place the parts I decided to glue the broken pieces with CA holding while setting. With the parts in place and the glue not completely set I was able to add triangular support and the jig at the bottom keeping the spacing and angle correct. I used alligator clips to keep the jig in place and after setting the support more alligator used to keep the support firmly against the striker legs while the glue set.

When the glue has set I'll paint the support and the glue to eliminate the shinny joints

 

 

[niwotwill]

Just a quick update. The dolphin striker is very secure with addition of the support piece. So now on to how to fix the starboard fore top mast cheek that the jib stay runs through. So just a photo of the repaired dolphin striker.

[niwotwill]

A lot of work without much to talk about meaning getting the cheek on the fore topmast head fixed with the jib stay in place. The problem was the cheek had split leaving no sheave for the jib stay. I had to smooth the cheek still attached to the mast and and make a new cheek for the jib stay sheave. To make the jib stay remain in place I pushed a small pin through the remaining cheek and the mast and taking the new cheek pushing onto the pin with glue. I the trimmed the pin and painted the new parts.

[niwotwill]

I'm slowly getting back to where I had stopped before moving. Today getting the main top gallant shrouds back into their correct position. After trying to rearrange the shrouds I found it necessary to remove them and reroute with new. The same was with the main top gallant back stays. Now on to the gaff sail rigging that is laying on the deck and over hanging the sides.

Sorry had to define the model and prints behind.

[niwotwill]

Finally finished the repairs with the addition of the main royal backstays. This has been a long and tedious process where I found it necessary to make the minor adjustments as described. The only thing left to bring me up to the time the model was packed is the boom rigging. This was not damaged in transit and only became loose so I'll get to that tomorrow.

Picture of main royal backstays

While working on the backstays I kept looking at the deck furniture and how much I liked the way it looked so I took another picture.

[niwotwill]

Everything fixed and ready to start where I left off.

Gaff rigged

[Altduck]

Looks Good!

Nice recovery from an unfortunate setback.

 

[niwotwill]

Thank you Richard and all the likes from the others. 👍

[niwotwill]

Now that all the repairs are complete, I thought, I discovered that starboard rudder chain was broken. Fortunately I have more of the same chain so it is going to be an easy fix. Since the last post I've been working on the boom. First was to string the parrels around the main mast between the boom jaws. With the boom jaws resting on the stop I was a fairly straight forward to string. The beads in the kit had a hole for stringing making it easy. Working in this scale the beads seemed small until I realized that they would be 9" diameter in scale and I've been away so getting used to 3/16" scale it taking time. Did the carpet monster get a parrel bead yes and maybe more than one. Good thing the kit had plenty.

With the boom attached it was time for the topping lifts. After seizing equal lengths of line to the boom and then up to the single block under the main top and then down to a block. So two days later working between all the previously routed back stays and on a swings 3mm block I had the port and starboard routed ready for the blocks. Many attempts and with just as many mental rest periods I came up with an idea. Using a reverse twizzer clipped to the block holding it in alignment and steady I was able to get the line through the block and down ready for a seized block.

 

Not sure when I'll be able to work on the Syren as we have company this weekend in town for the wedding shower. One of my daughters is getting married on 11/02/2024 so its a crazy time.

 

[niwotwill]

Been a week since last post but rest assured I've been steadily working. On the boom rigging the halliard is in place along with the guys that completes the boom. I moved on the topmast staysail down haul and halliard were added along with the topgallant staysail and top royal staysail completed so now its on the foremast topmast and jib rigging.

Not much to see but a couple of picture anyway.

Boom rigging

staysail rigging

[niwotwill]

Just quick update, but one that is amazing. I finished all the rigging for the main staysails, fore staysails, jib staysail, flying jib staysail and now on to the next chapter "Constructing the yards". So now it is downstairs to the shop and make some sawdust.

 

[AJohnson]

Looking very good Will, nice lines. 

[niwotwill]

Spent the last two days making sawdust. First I had a 1/32" thick of Alaskan Yellow Cedar in my wood pile and decided that's what'll I'll use since it was the correct thickness. Second I ripped some 1/16" wide strips. The center of the yard was marked with red pencil (didn't matter as the yard will be painted black) to indicate the 1/4 of the yard to be octagonal. Cutting the strips to the marked length the edges were beveled and the ends slightly rounded and glued around the circumference to create the octagonal section as per the reference manual. With the strips around the yard the 1/32" added to the circumference was way too large making the yard center bulbous. Next I said to myself I'll fix this and run new strips through my Byrnes sander to making 1/64" strips. After placing around the yard it was way too small. Remember I said "making dust" so I ripped more strips a little wider than 1/16" since the first two passes left a little gap. The new strips were .07 wide and after the planning the finished size is .07 X .021 give or take .001.

After cutting to length the edges were beveled to ensure a close fit. I have yet to drill the holes in the ends before tapering to correct thickness. 

Picture of 1/32" sheet

Typical strip and sheet

Yard and strip for reference

Finished octagon after light sanding

I'm hoping the gaps will be less evident when painted black. Next final sanding, drilling, and tapering.

 

[niwotwill]

Completed both yards and with the final sanding and sealing the gaps became less evident. Before tapering the holes in the ends needed drilling. Finding the center of a circle to drill holes brings its share of problems. So after studying the of how to center a hole of a rod I decided to use the lathe. To find the center the rod was chucked in the lathe and with a drill chuck in the sliding support the drill chuck was attached to the dowel aligning the ends. Taking the dowel out of the lathe and without moving the drill chuck a bit was placed and the dowel slide to alignment with the drill bit. Using the thumb wheel the drill bit was brought into play to the correct depth.

Pictures of the process

Aligning the drill chuck to the dowel

Bringing the bit into play

With the drill chuck replaced with a freewheeling center the yard was brought to length centered using the previously drilled hole it was possible to begin the tapering using 150 grit paper and a #2 flat file.

With the tapering completed it was time to make the sling cheats. These are a simple part to be glued to center of the yards and having to make 7 of these the same presented another challenge. I made a boxwood strip the correct hight and width and using the table saw was able to cut the groove to the correct width and depth the length of the strip. Using a modelers plane the strip brought the correct angle shape with the angle completed 280 grit sandpaper rounded the edges. With strip completed a mini mitre box saw was used cutting 1/16" wide pieces and with a little light sanding the the parts are ready to be glued in place.

Saw set to correct depth and fence spacing

The ripped groove end view

Plane to create the backside angle

The sling cheats for the main and fore coarse yards ready for sanding

 

 

 

[niwotwill]

The fore and main course yards and stuns'l are complete. Painted the yards black and the stuns'l were wipe-on-poly. While everything is drying started the foot rope stirrups and will then stiffen so they hang properly.

Stuns'l with WOP

Ready to paint

Painted 

 

[niwotwill]

Not much to report on. Spent time making some black .019 line for the foot ropes had to make sure to have enough for the 4 yards foot ropes. To male the stirrup loops I used a .028 drill bit and used a tight half hitch to simulate the loop. On other places I've found that a tightly pulled hitch gave a close approximation of a seized loop. With the stirrups hanging with an alligator clip creating a straight drop a small amount of very fine CA was used stiffening. Threading the foot rope through the stirrup loops creating the foot rope. Again CA was used to create the hanging appearance. Two vises used holding the yard while being worked making a easy process.

main course yard