Syren Ship Model Company News, Updates and Info.....(part 2)

[Chuck]

Its gonna  be a few days.  Its always first come first serve.  Have to get some stuff made and on the shelf first though.

[Chuck]

While restocking rope I am trying to take advantage of the downtime to finally make some new stuff...

 

Belaying pins...9.5mm and 14.3mm

 

And some teeny tiny toggles.  3mm, 4mm, and 5mm long

 

To begin with just the boxwood color.

 

The belaying pins are in no way as strong as brass.  But they are plenty strong enough as long as you dont over-do the tightness....which you shouldnt be doing anyway.  The toggles are also quite resilient.  Pictured are some tests in 3 and 4 mm long.

 

So look for them on my fittings page when I reopen next week.

 

 

 

 

[James H]

Outstanding!

[GGibson]

These all look great, Chuck!  More "stuff" to add to my Syren shopping list once I get to my Constitution build. 👍🏆

 

I am curious, though, what are the specific purpose of the toggles?  The Pavel Nikitin version of the Santa Maria that I am currently finishing has toggles in various locations on the running rigging and at the end corners of sails.  I assume they were placed on these ships in order for the crew to pull down on as they secured the various lines to make them as taut as possible.  Any other reasons/purpose?

 

 

Continued success on your Syren operations, Chuck!  

[Chuck]

For ships much later in the 18th century for examples...toggles were used to secure blocks under the top.  They are also used in other places but are usually too tiny to make and have look good.   Even with 3D printing these 3mm toggles are a bear to make.   They just get all over the place and its impossible to keep them on the sprues at this size.  But I am getting the hang of it.

 

Chuck

 

 

 

 

[Chuck]

I thought some of you would want to

see how I tested the viability and strength of the belaying pins.  I made a crude mock up which you see below.  This allowed me the opportunity to test in actual use various belaying pin iterations over and over again.  I must have tested so Many different resins and resin mixes until I found the correct mix of two that would be strong enough and look good.

 

There is no glue holding the pins in the rack and they are press fit.  There is also no glue on the rope.  This is the way I actually rig my models.  If a pin breaks you can easily remove it and insert another although I never came close to breaking one.  They will flex if you over tighten the line ridiculously.  But normal rigging tension works wonderfully.  
 

These are 1:48 scale belaying pins.  It actually is very encouraging and may also test 3/16” scale pins as these worked so well.

 

 

[Freebird]

Chuck,

 

I’m just amazed at the amount of new items that you keep coming out with! Keep up the great work!

 

Best Regards …. Rick

[RossR]

We are lucky to have people like you and Chris Watton to push the envelop and use new technology to advance our hobby.  I recently purchased some of your printed blocks, the level of detail on the 3/32 and 2mm blocks is just incredible.  I will  be practicing stropping the 3/32 inch blocks for use in my next build, either the USF Essex or US Brig Syren.  The belay pins look great.  I will be interested in how the 3/16 pins work out.

[Chuck]

Thank You for saying guys.  Some 1:48 scale swiss pear color belaying pins.   Just stocked a bunch of them.  I am not sure which folks will prefer but I made both colors just in case.