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

[Jack12477]

Congratulations Chuck, I have a grand-daughter's wedding coming up in October.  

[Chuck]

Coming soon MAYBE???  I was looking for a nautical puzzle that was interesting and colorful and there just isnt much out there.  Soooo....

 

500 piece and 1000 piece jigsaw puzzles of ship models/Ships like this.  They are very fanciful and all in this style.  Very whimsical Dali-esque indeed.  Since they are somewhat expensive to produce I figured I would gauge how much interest is out there.

 

The second image is actually my Winnie model but as you guessed it made into a fantasy image...very puzzle like as you would want and expect.  I have this image on order for myself but thought maybe to produce others if you guys are puzzlers.

 

[Desertanimal]

Very interesting. What kind of wood, overall size? 
Chris

[Chuck]

They would be regular jigsaw puzzles and not wood...and 30" x 20" if 1000 pieces.

 

Chuck

[CiscoH]

How do you Chuck, of all people, have time to build puzzles?

 

and I like the second image the best 

Edited Friday at 11:42 PM by CiscoH

[hamilton]

Cool idea - as an occasional puzzler (1 at Christmas, completed furiously; 2 in the summer, nibbled away at in my leisure) I've noticed that there are a diminishing number of good subjects and manufacturers seem mostly to be going for either branded images (disney, star wars, etc.) or really crazy-making and repetitive ones (near identical red and white striped candies in a bowl, or a bunch of watches in a pile, etc.). There is the Ravensburger 9000-piece Battle of Algiers (which I hope to get as a retirement gift - though my pension statement tells me that I won't really be able to afford to retire until my mid-70s), but right now that is not a realistic possibility, attractive as it is.

 

I usually try to find historical images, cityscapes or landscapes - but these are increasingly not on offer by the main manufacturers, and I just can't bring myself to do a puzzle featuring kittens playing with yarn or an assortment of Disney princesses (no judgement against those who go for that sort of thing).  These images immediately attract the eye and are actually interesting subjects even for people who aren't into ship modelling. 

hamilton

 

[GGibson]

I would seriously consider one for my wife.  She enjoys puzzles, even has one of those large felt boards so she can easily move a "puzzle-in-progress" from the kitchen table when not working on it.  If I am working on a ship, why can't she build one, too?!? 🤷‍♂️🤣

[Beckmann]

Hi Chuck,

I would take one. Great idea!

Matthias

[KennyH78]

 Chuck, I would also be interested in a puzzle of Winnie. 

[hollowneck]

7 hours ago, Beckmann said:

Hi Chuck,

I would take one. Great idea!

Matthias

Me too. I suggest a triptych (series of 3). $30-40 range would work. Place a subtle, small brand for Syren in one corner.

[Erik A]

Im a puzzler and have over 100 puzzles. mostly scenery, art masters and sea subject such as the bombardment of Algiers which i have as a 3000 piece and a 9000 piece. I tend to do nothing less than 1000 piece and i have several 5k, 6k, 8k, 9k and a 24k and 42k puzzles.

@ Hamilton. there is a 3000 piece available here for $20. but they dont know if its complete. 

 

Edited Monday at 12:23 AM by Erik A

[Azzoun]

20 minutes ago, Erik A said:

Im a puzzler and have over 100 puzzles. mostly scenery, art masters and sea subject such as the bombardment of Algiers which i have as a 3000 piece and a 9000 piece. I tend to do nothing less than 1000 piece and i have several 5k, 6k, 8k, 9k and a 24k and 42k puzzles.

@ Hamilton. there is a 3000 piece available here for $20. but they dont know if its complete. 

 

Oh Eric.. you mean this puzzle of the Bombardment of Algiers... here it is completed and mounted  9,000 pieces 

 

Edited Monday at 12:35 AM by Azzoun

[Azzoun]

Chuck,  I'd do one of those!

[Erik A]

21 minutes ago, Azzoun said:

Oh Eric.. you mean this puzzle of the Bombardment of Algiers... here it is completed and mounted  9,000 pieces 

 

Very Nice. thats what i am going to do with mine as well once i get around to doing it.

[Chuck]

Well so much for that idea.   I have bought custom puzzles in the past.  In fact I just ordered two for myself.  But the prices are insane for 1000 piece puzzles of good quality.  I think this is a dead idea....Oh well I tried.  They want anywhere from $35 to $45 for each puzzle.  Those that are reasonable have a 250 puzzle minimum for each design.  So much for that idea...I should have checked first.  

 

Anyway, if folks are still interested they can contact me and I will email them the larger hi res image and you are welcome to order one on your own.  I use Shutterfly or Ravensburger for my one-off puzzles.  Sorry folks...everything is just so expensive these days.

 

What a shame...I thought this could be a fun side project to offer folks.  But at these prices, after shipping I would need to charge at least $55 to $60 per puzzle which is insane.

 

Chuck

[uss frolick]

Back in the 1970s, my father received a free, gift puzzle in the mail. The subject was a winter picture of his own Tunbridge, Vermont farm, with a note that said your property is beautiful, and so here is your free copy of our latest Whitman Puzzle! He didn't mind, but nobody ever asked permission. Someone just stopped their car and snapped a photo, and voila, fame! Here's a copy on eBay:

 

EDIT: It sold. Hopefully one of y'all bought it ...

 

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/236270262081?_skw=tunbridge+vermont+puzzle&itmmeta=01K56ZAP5ZQ4M0P46TK1N44KE0&hash=item3702ce1741%3Ag%3ATvUAAOSwdnZoUY8o&itmprp=enc%3AAQAKAAAA8FkggFvd1GGDu0w3yXCmi1dglLuI%2F3p256r4hnFa962vnH3XhW4t3wiFyqscblYMzHLLQA%2FxKr2vx1U0kU8isKTxa%2BK%2BIhzhzLqT8WAEWYNtVDgTCecwVzStSch2bUuYGzsYdnFIqCH7AGf7XUDvIsHxjVwDfhcIGnp9QrMfReH1qrGaA9sAuc%2Bp1IWYJ3Rv9HDiwB42dj%2BVGbDWulSybuD7BS9PFQetjfzxA2--0xkuoy37eVu9DfetfjtGYm9a2gbTYvmzP9Ay7%2F%2BUMYPacdFZ2Eyme%2FEG6cFAoEn8%2FCeSLEoXlkSddniU%2FOkOe2sb0A%3D%3D|tkp%3ABFBMkuOq36lm&LH_ItemCondition=3000

 

Edited Monday at 10:58 PM by uss frolick

[Chuck]

Just a heads up guys...

 

I sold my last two rope walks today...at least for what I hope will be a short temporary hiccup.  My supplier in Europe for the hubs, bearings and gears is temporarily halting shipments to the USA because of the T-Tariffs.

 

I really dont want to spend the time to source new products in the USA and do a redesign just yet.  This version works so well.  I am hoping this situation will resolve itself in the short term and not be a 3 year halt on ropewalk availability.  But who knows.   If it seems like it is going to be a while, I will reconsider sourcing the items in the USA and doing a redesign.  But unless someone magically started making this stuff in the USA over the last few months, its probably not gonna happen.   

 

My guess is that even if shipments resume soon, the price will be dramatically higher for these parts.  Along with the Alaskan yellow cedar from Canada, these tariffs are making it hard to keep prices at Syren from increasing.  But I promise I will try to keep prices the same for as long as I can...if I can even get the stuff that is.  

 

[KennyH78]

Sure am glad that I was able to get one of your rope walks earlier this month. I will be putting it to use soon along with your serving machine. 
 

It sucks that your supplier had to halt shipments to the USA. Hopefully, these things will work themselves out soon, but I doubt it.