US Brig Syren by WalrusGuy - FINISHED - Model Shipways - Scale 1:64 - Second wooden ship build

[NovaStorm]

32 minutes ago, WalrusGuy said:

Since I am progressing towards the end of Chapter 7, does anyone have any advice on how to shape the triangular profile of waterway? I am not too sure on how I can achieve a consistent triangular profile throughout the entire strip. 

 

Good looking job you have done with your planking it looks very clean. Guess you decided not to nib the margin planks at the stern.

For doing the waterway triangular profile I glued two 1/8 planking strips together to form an L shaped run a foot or so long. I then placed the strip of 1/16 square into the L and turned enough allow me to sand the strip flush with the edges of the L. Voila one triangular profile. Not sure what others have done but this was easy to put together and worked for me. Here is a pic if your like me a pic tells it better!

[WalrusGuy]

5 hours ago, NovaStorm said:

Good looking job you have done with your planking it looks very clean. Guess you decided not to nib the margin planks at the stern.

For doing the waterway triangular profile I glued two 1/8 planking strips together to form an L shaped run a foot or so long. I then placed the strip of 1/16 square into the L and turned enough allow me to sand the strip flush with the edges of the L. Voila one triangular profile. Not sure what others have done but this was easy to put together and worked for me. Here is a pic if your like me a pic tells it better!

Thanks so much Robin! The photo helps  I'll try that out once I finish with the decking and nails. 

 

And yes I opted to go with making the planks flush with the margin plank at the stern. Main reason being that I used straight strips of planks for the margin planks, so wasn't sure how I would go about making the notches since I was cutting them outside the ship. This would straighten the strip and I could get the notch cut out wrong. What I should have done is cut out the shape from a sheet of basswood like how I did for the bow to make it easier to cut the notches out. But from what I gather (please correct me if I'm wrong), both ways were used for the stern at the time. 

[Tankerman]

As an alternative for shaping your waterway you could use brass unequal angle sections such as this with far less chance of sanding down the sides of your jig as you sand away:

 

https://eileensemporium.com/index.php?option=com_hikashop&ctrl=category&task=listing&cid=1082&name=nickel-silver-1&Itemid=189

 

Chris

[Justin P.]

Great job on the decking.   I bet the nibbing was a real nail biter, I could relate!

[WalrusGuy]

5 hours ago, Tankerman said:

As an alternative for shaping your waterway you could use brass unequal angle sections such as this with far less chance of sanding down the sides of your jig as you sand away:

 

https://eileensemporium.com/index.php?option=com_hikashop&ctrl=category&task=listing&cid=1082&name=nickel-silver-1&Itemid=189

 

Chris

Ohh yea I did not think of that, thanks! Will need to search the hardware store to see if I can get the right size

3 hours ago, Justin P. said:

Great job on the decking.   I bet the nibbing was a real nail biter, I could relate!

Thanks Justin. Yes it was very scary... 😬

[WalrusGuy]

The decking is finally finished and sanded smooth. 

The decking color will darken slightly once I apply tung oil after finishing the nails and waterway. For the nails I am thinking of using toothpicks again, but slightly smaller than 0.55mm which was used on the hull planking.

 

Edit: forgot to mention, I did not use tracing paper for the last couple of planks. I just roughly shaped the planks then sanded to fit. 

[hamilton]

Great work! She's looking nice

hamilton

[Voyageur]

Simply beautiful work. 👍

[Retired guy]

Very nice Wally looks great 👍 

 

Regards

Richard

[WalrusGuy]

Thanks so much for the kind words Hamilton, Voyageur, and Richard. Much appreciated  And thanks all for the likes!

 

Made some small bits of progress:

1) I was not able to find brass (or any metal) L section of the correct dimensions, so I made my own jig to make the waterways. I used Robin's idea with a bit of a twist. One of the supplied 1/8 x 1/16 inch basswood strips was stuck on a scrap piece of wood having a sharp 90 deg edge. I stuck the basswood strip 1/16 inch away from the edge using the 1/16 x 1/16 inch strip as a guide. I'll be installing the waterway once I finish the nailing. 

 

Jig without the 1/16" x 1/16" strip:

Jig with 1/16" x 1/16" strip unsanded:

Jig with 1/16" x 1/16" strip being sanded:

2) The 1/4" mast holes were widened to 5/16" using a needle file, and that way saved a couple of $$ from buying a drillbit . The dowel fits perfectly in both holes:

3) Lastly, I marked the locations of the fittings and holes for the nails. The drilling will commence tomorrow. This is one item I am not looking forward to do, but am looking forward to complete... The areas beneath the the gratings will be painted black after the toothpicks are glued and sanded down.

[Tigerdvr]

12 hours ago, Retired guy said:

A nice Goldwing in your picture. We enjoyed a number of them in our earlier years. Now my wife, who also rode, looks at me like I'm nuts when I say "it wouldn't hurt to look".

Enjoy the Wing

Cheers, Harley

 

Very nice Wally looks great 👍 

 

Regards

Richard

 

[Justin P.]

Such a nice finish.   Great job.

[Overworked724]

Great idea on the waterways prep!

[Retired guy]

Nice jig Wally and great outcome 👍

[WalrusGuy]

Thanks everyone!  

 

After many many hours of treenailing, it is finally completed. I am glad to have finished this part, it seemed to never end... 

 

First I drilled 0.5 mm (the exterior hull planking had 0.55mm), then inserted the toothpicks after sanding each one to be thinner and pointier and dipping them in watered down white glue. Some progress photos:

After clipping the toothpicks with a nailcutter and then sanding them down, I installed the waterways:

I installed the waterways in 3 sections per side, mainly because the wood kept breaking when I bent them; the smaller pieces seemed more manageable. The butt joint between these were places below the sweep ports since holes will be drilled here in the future, thereby hiding the seams.

 

Next I will be painting the areas under the gratings black, then applying tung oil. I am thinking on putting masking tape where the fittings will be installed before applying tung oil so that glue can penetrate easily through the exposed wood, but I am not sure if this is a good technique. Or do you think I should just apply tung oil everywhere?

[WalrusGuy]

I decided to apply tung oil to the whole deck. I did this after reading a post (shown here). The area where the fittings will be glued will need to be sanded lightly, then PVA glue can offer a strong bond. Made things much easier since I did not have to put masking tape, but lets see if this works well for me as well. Anyways some photos:

Some from overhead in case it helps someone to see the layout of the nails:

Another shot from further away:

This marks the end of Chapter 7. Now the copper plating, the bit I've been nervous about since the start... 

 

[NovaStorm]

Your deck is a treat. You gotta be happy with that

[egkb]

Wow.. That Oil really brought the deck to life !

 

Eamonn

[WalrusGuy]

Thanks guys! 🙂 The oil really is a magic potion. It's a night and day difference (in person and in photos) before and after the oil was applied. 

 

I have not mentioned this enough but I would not have reached this far without this amazing forum. So much useful advice, tips and guidance have been provided throughout my build. Other build logs have also helped tremendously. The encouraging words motivate me to progress through. Many thanks! 

[Overworked724]

I swear by tung oil.  It really made your deck 'pop'!  Only thing I used on my Sultana and the grain of the wood glowed afterwards.  You might find yourself seeing the finish dull after a time, but you can easily apply another coat/touch up as needed without hassles, and at any stage in your build.  I love the stuff...I think wood loves it, too!

 

Beautiful work!  

[WalrusGuy]

Making minor progress on the copper plating. I finished making the jig and stamp for the starboard side. I am still trying to learn the technique of removing the backing from the tape. This is very tricky because it folds very easily and damages the plate. I tried using Robin's technique but failed miserably, maybe because of my big fingers, so it was hard to handle the copper. I found that using a hobby knife to start to remove the backing works fairly well, but even then, it ends up folding after I try to remove it more. Another issue I am facing is it is very tricky to line the plate up perfectly, especially when using gloves. 

 

Here is a sample of the coppering. There are a few scratches because of the wood I used to burnish the plates. Also some of the nail indentation is barely visible after burnishing them. Next attempt I will be using an eraser or similar soft material to burnish the copper. I'll make sure to practice a bit more before attempting the real thing.

 

Lastly, I am not loving the look of the shiny copper, so I am thinking of trying to dull it down a bit using Dirk's technique of salt and vinegar.

 

 

 

[NovaStorm]

Any slight bends or folds will come out again with the burnishing so they don't all have to lay out perfectly clean. I used tweezers to hold the piece in position for sticking down I can't imagine wearing rubber gloves. First impressions (pun intended) are very important! Can you post a pic of the stamped impressions before you stick them to the hull. Are you planning on sealing the hull ( I used a couple coats of primer) most use wood sealer. I am not sure how well the glue will work being stuck to raw wood and you don't want it falling off after a year or two. I tried Dirks salt and vinegar to tarnish them on a test piece and it wasn't for me. There are other methods out there including using fire which I found recently. Left shinny new in another year or two it will naturally tarnish up and look great also. I think you will be on the right track with using an eraser to burnish. There is lots of copper in the kit if you have two rolls as I did, so do experiment to come up with what works best for you. Hope this helps it is a tricky and tedious process until you find the knack that works for you. Cheers ~

[WalrusGuy]

50 minutes ago, NovaStorm said:

Any slight bends or folds will come out again with the burnishing so they don't all have to lay out perfectly clean. I used tweezers to hold the piece in position for sticking down I can't imagine wearing rubber gloves. First impressions (pun intended) are very important! Can you post a pic of the stamped impressions before you stick them to the hull. Are you planning on sealing the hull ( I used a couple coats of primer) most use wood sealer. I am not sure how well the glue will work being stuck to raw wood and you don't want it falling off after a year or two. I tried Dirks salt and vinegar to tarnish them on a test piece and it wasn't for me. There are other methods out there including using fire which I found recently. Left shinny new in another year or two it will naturally tarnish up and look great also. I think you will be on the right track with using an eraser to burnish. There is lots of copper in the kit if you have two rolls as I did, so do experiment to come up with what works best for you. Hope this helps it is a tricky and tedious process until you find the knack that works for you. Cheers ~

 

Thanks for the tips Robin! I forgot to mention that I had sealed the hull with two coats of Minwax Sanding Sealer with a bit of sanding with 600 grit sandpaper after each coat. Which method for tarnishing the copper did you end up using for yours? I really like the look of your copper plates. And yes, I also have 2 strips in mine, so wanted to practice a bit until I get the hang of it before attempting it on the hull.

 

I tried another batch of samples. Here are some pics. I put more pressure on the stamp this time around so the nails are more prominent.

For the second practice trial above, I had used a hobby knife to hold the copper strip and positioned to glue it, but it was a bit hard to position it well. I will try using tweezers to see if it works better. Also there are some lines apparent where the plates overlap each other. Would you be knowing how to solve this? After looking at yours it is very hard to see any lines in the plates due to the overlap.

 

[Voyageur]

Just catching up with your build. Fantastic look on your deck! Quite the showpiece. I’m sure your coppering will equally grand when you get the hang of it.

[NovaStorm]

That is looking really good, way better than before. You will be in the swing of it in no time now

I have left mine to age lol naturally. I can see it change almost by the week. I only used one roll to do my whole hull so glad you have two if I had known I would have experimented more.

You will get better and better at peeling the backing off too... Cheers ~

[Overworked724]

I think those look fabulous.  Actually, I used quite a lot of tape building up my jig and attempting the removal/application process.  That is a whole new skill set and it looks like you already have it nailed down.  You plates look fantastic.  You did a marvelous job on your template jig.  I would NOT worry about the new penny look...it's copper, and it will oxidize very quickly over the next several months.  

 

I'm looking forward to watching your coppering progress!!

[niwotwill]

Just jumped on and am very impressed. Great work. I've got copper plating to come so I'm very keen on how you manage. Keep up with the great posts and pictures.

 

Will 😎

[WalrusGuy]

20 hours ago, Voyageur said:

Just catching up with your build. Fantastic look on your deck! Quite the showpiece. I’m sure your coppering will equally grand when you get the hang of it.

Thanks so much Voyageur! I started the coppering the hull, and seems like it will take forever... Need to find good podcasts to listen to haha. Will post some photos in a bit.

 

20 hours ago, NovaStorm said:

That is looking really good, way better than before. You will be in the swing of it in no time now

I have left mine to age lol naturally. I can see it change almost by the week. I only used one roll to do my whole hull so glad you have two if I had known I would have experimented more.

You will get better and better at peeling the backing off too... Cheers ~

Ok I might leave mine to age naturally then, I really like the look of yours. I will make the final decision once all the plates are stuck.

Yeaup you were right, I did one more practice run and figured out how to remove the backing effectively. Here is the process in case it helps someone:

So I took a hobby knife and took half the backing out by sliding it through the tape. Then I placed the tape (copper face down) on a flat surface and took the pointy end of the knife to hold the copper in place. The knife was placed at the very edge using my right hand. My left hand (the one wearing gloves) can then peel the backing off, making sure I put a bit of downward pressure on the backing as I pull it. This way the copper plate remains flat on the table. Then I switch over the knife to my left hand and use tweezers to take the copper and stick on the hull. Hope this can help someone!

 

19 hours ago, Overworked724 said:

I think those look fabulous.  Actually, I used quite a lot of tape building up my jig and attempting the removal/application process.  That is a whole new skill set and it looks like you already have it nailed down.  You plates look fantastic.  You did a marvelous job on your template jig.  I would NOT worry about the new penny look...it's copper, and it will oxidize very quickly over the next several months.  

 

I'm looking forward to watching your coppering progress!!

Thanks Patrick! Once I attempted sticking it on the hull, my techniques improved. Maybe because I am very nervous if I screw this part up 😅. That reminds me, I forgot to post how I made my stamp. Will also add that to my next post..

 

18 hours ago, niwotwill said:

Just jumped on and am very impressed. Great work. I've got copper plating to come so I'm very keen on how you manage. Keep up with the great posts and pictures.

 

Will 😎

Thanks Will! I also went through your build log and it's coming along very nice! Looking forward to see how she progresses.

[WalrusGuy]

Making the stamp:

 

As I mentioned earlier, I forgot to detail how I made my stamp. I did not use any powertools, just the bare minimum (coping saw and pin vise). 

 

I took a thin piece of wood (about 1-2mm) having the same dimensions as the copper plate and stuck the nail template on it. This way I can drill using my hand held pin vise without much angular deviation in the drill bit (ie. making it easier to go directly vertically). I used 0.55mm drill bit. Also before drilling, I used a sharp pointy object (the metal part of a compass) to indent the nail pattern on the wood so that the drill bit can stay in position.

 

I then very lightly glued the edges to a thicker piece of block. Holes were then drilled through the already made holes into the thicker block making sure I am drilling it as vertically as possible. There was some slight deviation but all the holes from the other side did not cross each other.

 

Next, 0.6mm steel wire was pushed from the template side of the stamp and cut off close to the template paper. Here is a photo of what I mean:

The 0.6mm wire could fit in the 0.55mm hole since I used basswood which is soft. This also makes the wire snug.

 

The most time consuming part was to file the metal so that it becomes flat with the thin piece of wood containing the template. The thin piece was then removed. This is why it was glued very lightly. This results in a fairly consistent nail pattern.

 

Some copper plating progress:

 

Here are some starting stages of the copper plating. Took me about 1.5 hours to stamp and glue the plates... I have a feeling this will take a loooong while. It was hard to take good photos since they are so shiny. Having a dark background helps a bit.

From the closeup, there are some few scratch marks/lines. As I put more plates down, these scratches and lines reduced. I hope it gets better as I fill the hull up. Also I am thinking of switching sides after every 20 plates or so. This way I can see if they align symmetrically to the other side and make small adjustments if required.

[Voyageur]

That's what I'm talkin' about! That's the stuff! I knew you would nail this. Looks great!